WO2006126226A1

WO2006126226A1 - Traction band with fast-coupling means

Info

Publication number: WO2006126226A1
Application number: PCT/IT2006/000367
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marino Macrolei
Original assignee: Coneroplastik Di Giaccaglia Malvina E C.-S.N.C.; Star Autoforniture S.N.C. Di Evoli Andrea & C.
Priority date: 2005-05-25
Filing date: 2006-05-16
Publication date: 2006-11-30
Also published as: ITMC20050051A1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a cleated band (1) for application on vehicle wheels in case of snow and ice, characterised in that it has a plastic-moulded structure, with a central section (4) externally provided with a series of cleats (4a) with length compatible with the width of the tread of the tyre on which the band (1) is applied radially using the lightening holes of the rim, and tightened by means of fast-coupling means (2, 2a, 3, 3a) provided at its ends (1a, 1b).

Description

TRACTION BAND WITH FAST-COUPLING MEANS

The present patent application refers to a cleated band for application on vehicle wheels in case of snow and ice.

All drivers are aware of the difficulties and risks faced when driving a vehicle on snow or ice. Likewise, it is known that the market offers some devices that make driving in these conditions easier and safer.

The most common devices consist in metal chains, which have been used for a large number of years, and, more recently, snow tyres.

The said means are characterised by good functional efficacy, although they are not completely free from serious inconveniences.

Traditional metal chains - which are designed to be attached on the entire circumference of the wheel tyre, basically "covering" the tread - are strongly impaired by difficult installation on vehicle wheels.

Also in the case of the most recent models, mounting is rather difficult, takes a long time (especially for non-expert drivers) and is physically demanding.

The user must kneel down for the entire time needed to mount the chains, and touch the cold metal of the chains and the cold surface of the tyre with bare hands.

Moreover, the operations needed to put the chain on the tyre and close it require physical strength, thus discouraging elderly people or women from performing such an activity.

Additionally, once the user has put the chain on the tyre, he needs to get in the vehicle, start it and move forward for a short distance to adjust the position of the chain on the tyre and close the chain with the required energy and stability. Last but not least, the most recent snow chains have reached very high prices.

On the other hand, snow tyres do not involve the difficulties and problems related with traditional chains. Most of all, they are considered as the best solution when the user is driving in different conditions, that is to say in roads with snow and/or ice alternating with clean roads.

This is possible because, as it is known, snow tyres are suitable to any type of ground.

Snow tyres are impaired by the high cost, which discourages potential buyers, especially in the case of users who may face snowy or icy roads only occasionally.

The purpose of the present invention is to introduce a new device able to guarantee safe driving of vehicles on snow and ice, without the disadvantages and high cost that are typical of traditional devices. In particular, the invention consists in a thin, monolithic, plastic-moulded band, which is provided with fast coupling and uncoupling means at the ends, and with a cleated front section characterised by the presence of cleats.

The said band is designed to radially surround the wheel in the desired section of the circumference, using the lightening holes that are typically present in the vehicle rims.

Of course, the two free ends of the band must be firmly attached once it has been verified that the cleated front section of the band has been positioned on the tread correctly.

In view of the above, at each revolution of the wheel, the cleated section interferes with the snow and ice on the road, thus exponentially increasing the wheel grip.

In order to ensure perfect and safe balance during driving, the wheel must be matched with three or four examples of the band of the invention, preferably at regularly spaced intervals. According to the description above, the most important advantage of the invention is represented by easy mounting, due to the presence of the fast- coupling and uncoupling means and also by the fact that no physical effort and no difficulties are encountered during mounting, compared to traditional chains. Moreover, it is not necessary to move the vehicle forward before permanent tightening of the bands of the invention.

As a matter of fact, when the vehicle is stopped, the tyre touches the ground for a short section of its circumference, and evidently a very large part of its circumference is available to the installer to permanently fix the number of bands of the invention that are needed.

For purposes of clarity the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

- figures 1 and 2 are a front and a side view of the band of the invention, respectively;

- figure 3 is a cross-section of fig. 2 with the plane Ill-Ill;

- figures 4 and 5 are a front and a side view of an alternative version of the band of the invention, respectively;

- figure 6 is a cross-section of fig. 5 with the plane Vl-Vl; - figures 7 and 8 are a front and a rear axonometric views, respectively, of a vehicle wheel equipped with some examples of the band of the invention.

With reference to figures 1 to 3, the band of the invention consists in a monolithic band (1) externally provided with a special block (2) at one end (1a), which is longitudinally provided with identical slots (2a, 3b) in edgeways position on two parallel planes, whose dimensions and position allow for the exact insertion of the tapered opposite end (1b) of the band (1).

From the back of the block (2), in slightly more external position with respect to the slot (2a), an elastic lever (3) protrudes, characterised by a short internal section with sawtooth profile (3a) with transversal direction. - A -

In particular, the lever (3) spontaneously tend to maintain such a position that the internal sawtooth profile (3a) partially occupies the "light" of the slot (2a) of the block (2).

The same lever (3) is also able to flex outwards, following to a suitable interference, in order to completely release the slot (2a) and then elastically resume its spontaneous position.

Downstream the block (2), the same band (1) is provided with a section with higher height (4), characterised by the presence of an external series of cleats (4a) and an internal series of small pointed pegs (4b). In particular, the length of the cleated section (4a) is compatible with the width of the tread on which the band is to be applied, thus ensuring the desired grip of the wheel.

Downstream the cleated section (4a), the same band (1) has a longer section (5) externally provided with a sawtooth transversal profile, compatible with the profile of the internal section (3a) of the lever (3) that protrudes from the end block (2).

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tapered end (1b) of the band ends with a T-shaped profile (6), which consists in a longitudinal wing (6a), with width considerably lower than the band (1), and in a transversal wing with rounded profile (6b).

A small longitudinal slot (7) is situated downstream the tapered end (1b), with length basically equal to the width of the rounded wing (6b) of the T-shaped ending profile (6); in particular, this solution is shown in figures 4, 5 and 6. In order to apply the band of the invention (1) on any point of the wheel circumference, the band (1) is inserted into one of the holes on the rim and then is fixed in the position that allows it to radially surround a section of the wheel, as shown in figures 7 and 8.

More precisely, the end (1a) with block (2) must be positioned against the external side of the tyre, in such a way that the cleated section (4) of the band (1) is positioned on the front of the tread.

Now the other tapered end (1 b) of the band (1 ) must be passed all around the wheel, using one of the lightening holes of the rim, and then is inserted into the slot (2a) in the most internal position on the block (2). The same end (1b) of the band (1) must be immediately grabbed by the user and pulled vigorously, until the same is tightened against the wheel in a safe, energetic way.

In order to make the latter operation easier, the user must fold backwards and rotate the tapered end (1b) of the band (1), so as to introduce and fix the T- shaped profile (6) inside the longitudinal slot (7); in this way, the tapered end (1b) acts as sort of a eyelet, which can be used to pull hard.

In any case, the energy applied on the tapered end (1b) to make it move inside the slot (2a) produces interference between the long sawtooth section (5) in external position on the band of the invention (1) and the corresponding short sawtooth section (3a) in internal position of the elastic lever (3) that protrudes from the block (2) downstream the longitudinal slot (2a).

The interference makes the lever (3) flex outwards, thus completely releasing the passage section of the slot (2a).

However, as soon as the user stops pulling the tapered end (1b) of the band, thus stopping the action that makes the lever (3) flex outwards, the lever

(3) spontaneously moves inwards to a position in which the sawtooth profile of the internal section (3a) engages with the corresponding sawtooth profile of the section (5) of the band (1).

This prevents the tapered end (1b) from accidentally coming out of the block (2); because of this, the entire band (1) is permanently blocked in the position around the wheel with the desired strength.

To remove the band, the user simply needs to manually actuate the lever (3) to rotate it externally, thus releasing the mutual engagement between the sawtooth section (5) of the band (1) and the internal sawtooth section (3a) of the lever (3).

In this way, the tapered end (1b) of the band is freed from any constraint on the block (2) and can be completely removed from the block (2) and from the lightening hole of the rim. Finally, it must be noted that the band (1) is further stabilized in its operating position around the wheel by the following two facts.

The first fact is related with the interference (which can be defined as a sort of matching) determined between the pointed pegs (4b) and the soft grooved surface of the tread, when the band (1) is tightened, The creation of this special "constraint" between the cleated section (4) of the band (1) and the surface of the tread prevents the band (1) from sliding freely and assuming an anomalous position with respect to its fixing point on the wheel.

The second fact that contributes to stabilise the operating position of the band (1) of the invention is related to the presence of the slot (2b) in external position on the block (2).

As a matter of fact, once the band (1) is blocked inside the bloc (2) by means of the lever (3), the tapered end (1b) is overturned backwards by 180° and is inserted deeply in the second external slot (2b), as shown in figure 7, after eliminating the coupling between the T-shaped profile (6) and the longitudinal

(7).

This avoids that, once the band (1) has been tightened, a free section of band (1) with excessive length is left downstream the block (2), which could interfere and get damaged in contact with snow or other debris on the road, thus causing the accidental uncoupling of the block (2).

Finally, it must be said that an alternative embodiment of the invention is possible without leaving the aforementioned inventive scope.

According to the second embodiment shown in figures 4, 5 and 6, the cleated section (40) is not obtained from the same material and during the same moulding operation as the rest of the band (1), being obtained separately from a softer, less subject-to-wear plastic material and successively applied to the band.

In this case, the cleated section (40) is preferably obtained as two mutually matched "half-shells", with the interposition of a section of the band (1). While the band (1) is preferably made of nylon, the cleated section (40) is preferably made of Santoprene.

The advantage of this material is not only related to lower wear and longer efficiency of the band (1) on slippery roads, but it refers to higher grip, due to the fact that the material is softer and adjusts better to the ground.

Claims

1) Cleated band for application on vehicle wheels in case of snow and ice, characterised in that it has a plastic-moulded structure, with a central section (4, 40) externally provided with a series of cleats (4a) with length preferably compatible with the width of the tread of the tyre on which the band (1) is applied radially and tightened by means of fast-coupling means provided at its ends (1a, 1b).

2) Band as defined in the preceding claim, characterised in that the cleated section (4, 40) is internally provided with a series of pointed pegs (4b).

3) Band as defined in the first or both claims, characterised in that the central cleated section (4, 40) has a higher height.

4) Band as defined in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises the following parts, in order to ensure stable fixing: - a first end (1a) externally provided with a block (2) which is longitudinally provided with identical slots (2a, 2b) in edgeways position on two parallel planes, and with an elastic lever (3), in slightly more external position with respect to the slot (2), which is internally provided with a short section with sawtooth profile (3a) with transversal direction; it being provided that the flexible lever (3) spontaneously tends to maintain such a position that the internal sawtooth profile (3a) partially occupies the light of the slot (2a) of the block (2); it being additionally provided that the height and the width of the slots (2a, 2b) are compatible with the ones of the band (1 );

- a longer sawtooth section (5) downstream the cleated section (4) and externally provided with a sawtooth transversal profile compatible with the sawtooth profile of the internal section (3a) of the lever (3);

- a second, preferably tapered end (1 b) in external position on the opposite end (1a), in such a way that interference causes the outward flexion of the elastic lever (3), which resumes its natural position when interference ends, allowing the sawtooth internal profile (3a) to match with the corresponding external profile on the sawtooth section (5).

5) Band as defined in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the length of the tapered end (1b) is such that, after going through the slot (2a) of the block (2), the tapered end (1 b) can be overturned backwards by 180° and deeply inserted into the external slot (2b) of the block (2).

6) Band as defined in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the tapered end (1b) ends with a T-shaped profile (6), comprising a longitudinal wing (6a) with width considerably lower than the band (1) and a transversal wing with rounded profile (6b); it being provided that, following to the backward overturning and rotation of the entire tapered end (1 b), the ending profile (6) can engage into a rear longitudinal slot (7) with length basically equal to the width of the rounded wing (6b) of the ending profile (6).

7) Band as defined in one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cleated section (4) is obtained during the same process and with the same moulding material as the entire band (1 ).

8) Band as defined in one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the cleated section (40) is obtained separately and successively applied on the band (1 ); it being provided that in this case the cleated section (40) is obtained with a softer, less subject-to-wear plastic material compared to the material used to mould the band (1).