ZA201003975B - Improvements applied to band for protection of vehicular wheels and tires - Google Patents

Description

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This invention relates to improvements introduced at PI [Intellectual Property] no. 0301446-0 filed on 04/04/2003 of the same Applicant.

As there has been commented thereto, it is well-known that a substantial quantity of vehicles nowadays are factory equipped with wheels or adapted later with wheels made up with materials known as “light alloy”, that is, metal alloys as titanium, magnesium and aluminum.

Tire structuring systems which use materials of high toughness surface and/or mechanical high-strength, such as steel, carbon fiber, engineering plastic (Nylon,

Teflon, etc.) and similar, involve high risk of fracture of the “light alloy” base metal wheels, which may occur after impacts, unfortunately quite common, originated from the precarious conditions of our roads.

The state of the art at the time of PI no. 0301446-0 filed on 04/04/2003 shows the following examples: a) Steel band: the product attaches only the tire lateral strap to wheel hub, just preventing that the same does not dissemble from wheel when tire is without pressure, therefore does not aggregate any additional structuring to the tire. In such condition, it is impossible to steer an empty-tire vehicle and much less driving a no tire vehicle. b) Carbon fiber band or engineering plastic: when tire losses pressure, this equipment allows withstanding its weight in order that vehicle keeps a satisfactory driving condition. However, it is indispensable the tire frame as a device of adherence rendering limited its efficiency, because without such tire frame (loss of tire), this product losses its efficiency due to its lack of adherence to the pavement. As it has been already said previously, this product, made up from a high toughness material, represents a high risk to break the wheel in case of a strong impact. c¢) Seal gel: this product because is a gel, presents a limited performance just to small holes, it does not aggregate any additional frame to tire, being impossible steering a empty-tire vehicle and much less to drive a no tire vehicle. Furthermore, considering it is a body in constant movement, affects severely the balance of wheel and tire assembly, as well as it favors the oxidation of steel wheels.

So, analyzing those problems, Applicant has developed the PI no. 301446-0 filed on : 04/04/2003, which was made of a rubber band, attached around the wheel, under the tire, forming a sub-tire, but smaller in diameter of that and, by its turn, with a bigger diameter than wheel. .

Structural steel reinforcements made sure the system stability. Such reinforcements are ‘made up of curved steel plate, inserted inside the rubber, forming a steel band, the ends of which are united by steel cables. This frame is responsible for attaching the system upon wheel.

Said protection band, made up of elastomer of similar characteristics of the ones used in tire industrial manufacturing. Their reinforcements are put forward in steel of carbon high content (type Improved Plow steel), galvanized in accordance with the ASTM

International Standard, that have rendered the mechanical strength necessary against impacts and stresses raised out from torque transfer and from forces of rolling friction and “cornering” deriving from natural dynamics of a conventional passenger vehicle in movement.

However, after several tests, it has been proved that the steel band provided an excessive rigidity to system. Such excessive rigidity rendered quite difficult to mold the system upon wheel. That has made difficult its installation upon wheel and has impaired the locking efficiency.

In order to solve such problem, it was made necessary a more flexible steel frame.

First Improvement: FLEXIBLE FRAME

The prior system was made up upon rubber band with a rigid steel plate strap inserted inside it, with their ends attached by steel cables. That steel band was responsible for the attachment of rubber band to the wheel.

The proposal is to substitute the rigid frame of the steel plate by a flexible frame, also inserted inside the rubber. This frame can be made up of steel cable, as well as high- strength strap. The attachment of the system is now done by this flexible frame through a ratchet at one of its end. This ratchet provides the retracting of the other flexible frame end, tightening the rubber band against the wheel providing the system attachment.

This situation provides a much more malleability to system allowing it to be attached much better to the wheel. That makes much easier its assembling and improves its locking at wheel.

The system provides highly success drivability when tire is without pressure, because the product keeps tire framed in its place; keeping also drivability even without tire.

There is no risk to cause a possible break of wheel, because its characteristic resilience absorbs almost entirely the energy that is generated by impacts, transferring a very small part of energy to the center of wheel hub, its weakest part.

It does not cause oxidation of steel wheels.

It is always easy to install, can by assembled and disassembled in any conventional garage.

Second improvement: RATCHET .

The substitution of the rigid frame of steel plate by a flexible frame of steel cable or by a high-strength strap has been made necessary to develop a retracting system more appropriated.

Two ratchets have been developed with different retracting systems. Such ratchets are fixed in one end of the flexible frame, inserted inside the rubber band. Another end of the flexible frame is aimed to retract the ratchet. First ratchet has been developed only for steel cables. The second ratchet allows both retracting of steel cables as well as retracting of high-strength strap.

The unique ratchet for steel cable has a flat retracting axle, with a fishing system where the system of Steel Cable is anchored for its retracting, which is useful only in case of using cables.

Ratchet for cable and for strap has a slot inside the retracting main axle. Through such slot it is possible to pass through both steel cable and high-strength strap. A threaded hole is used to pass through screw for main axle, attaching steel cable or high-strength strap, causing the system to be locked and providing its retracting.

Third Improvement: ELASTOMER PROFILE, SHAPE AND MASS:

The old profile of the rubber band, used in the previous System, had an unidirectional shape. This situation has been shown many variation when the Protection System was installed in wheel models of same RIM that has presented different shapes in their hubs.

The previous system presented the bottom with only one truncation.

In order to minimize such situation, the lower part of rubber band profile has been altered, and two angles has been created, rather just one as it was before.

Such situation became ideal the conditions for installing a wheel with a hub which presents protrusion (Carbon Steel Wheels) and also for flat profile wheels (Light Alloy

Wheels).

The composition of elastomer, in which is made up this Protection System and using this new profile, allow accommodating fully the strap in any wheel hub.

Another modification was the way in which this elastomer was vulcanized. Previously, : rubber was vulcanized in straight shape. The rubber took the circular shape only when installed upon the wheel, through fasten of its locking system (flexible frame/ratchet).

The initial straight shape of the rubber band has been generated a few inconveniences.

Firstly, there was a difficult adaptation of straight strap in any wheel hub. In second place, there was excessive stress exercised by the locking system, which beyond locking the strap, it was causing the strap to be curved in order to take a circular shape of wheel hub. Thirdly, there were internal stresses in rubber, considering that rubber was out of its balance shape, being forced to curve in a circular shape.

Therefore, it has been developed a method to vulcanize the rubber strap already in its semicircular shape. Its final shape, after vulcanization, is a segment of a circumference.

The semicircular shape of the strap brings significant benefits. Firstly, it eases becoming suitable in any wheel hub. Secondly, it reduces stress done by the locking system, because much less is required from it in order that the strap to take circular shape of wheel hub. Thirdly, there is a drastically reduction of stress inside rubber, because it bears much small deformation.

Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to note that, due to big weight aggregated to Wheel and

Tire System of a vehicle, when a Protection System is installed, it was necessary to develop a new system which could provide the same product mechanical characteristic, but aggregates less weight to the assembly of Wheel, Tire and protection system.

It has been then developed an elastomer of greater mechanical capacity, which: has allowed to take away part of withstanding mass of upper profile of the Protection

System which before was massive. This situation turn the Protection System lighter without alter its mechanical capacities.

Forth improvement: BIPARTITE BAND AND COUNTERWEIGHTS:

The old profile of rubber band used in the previous System, because it was much long and bears a quite big curvature, made difficult the system to be molded to the wheel. Its installation on wheel was difficult, as well as its locking was impaired. Furthermore, the system assembled became very asymmetric, with one ratchet concentrating mass in only one point and an empty space between the ends at another point.

Due to this situation, it has been developed a system made up of two smaller bands, each one with its own flexible frame and a locking ratchet. The end of one is fixed by the ratchet of another. Each one protects one half of the wheel.

Those two smaller halves bear less curvature upon the wheel installation, improving a lot its modeling to it. This eases its installation and improves significantly its locking on wheel.

Considering that the system is now constituted by equal halves, it becomes asymmetric.

That improves a lot its mass distribution enhancing the system balance, consequently.

Even so, it has been developed the use of lead counterweights inserted at specified points of the band, in order to improve even more the system balance.

Those improvements made the Protection System lighter, without alter its mechanical capacities, apart from render the assembly much more practical to handle or : maintenance compared to the prior patent.

For this reason, in order to provide a better understanding of everything that has been shown about the proposed improvements, the drawings below (attached) are presented as defined:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4: details of the traction ratchet and steel cable or high-strength strap which constitute the flexible frame.

FIGS. 5 and 6: are an elevation and profile of entire system.

FIGS. 7 and 8: details “A” and “B” of FIG. 6, showing the profile of elastomer and the system locking (steel cable/traction strap).

22201070397 5 “IMPROVEMENTS APPLIED IN BAND FOR PROTECTION OF VEHICULAR

WHEEL AND TIRE” pursuant to the drawings shown, are constituted by two semicircular rubber segments [1 and 17], in half moon, the ends of which are united by assemblies of ratchet [2] that draw steel cables or high-strength strap [3] forcing unite the ends of bands [1 and 1°]. These continued steel cables or high-strength strap [4] are inserted inside band segments [1], uniting parts of the ratchet [2] in each segment [1 and 1

Each ratchet [2] has a half provided with a holed main axle [5], having a longitudinal slot [6], which receives the steel cables or high-strength strap [3] which has one of its ends linked to another half of each ratchet [2]; axle [5] is trespassed by a transverse threaded hole [7] to fix a screw (not shown) which locks whether the steel cable or the strap.

Each segment of the semicircular rubber band [1-1] has the bottom made up by two blunt planes [8 and 9] in different angles, being that laterally it can be seen that each band [1-17] has a plurality of transverse oval holes [10] in order to alleviate the weight.

It is worthwhile to note that the counterweights are inserted in rubber in order to improve the system balance.

Claims (1)

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   Claim 1 - “IMPROVEMENTS APPLIED IN BAND FOR PROTECTION OF VEHICULAR WHEEL AND TIRE” wherein two semicircular rubber segments of a trapeziform profile [1-17] in half moon, with bottom made up by two blunt planes [8 and 9] in different angles and having a plurality of transverse oval holes [10], being the ends united by assemblies of ratchet [2] which draw whether steel cables or high-strength strap [3] in order to unite the ends of bands [1 and 1°], and said continued steel cables or high-strength strap [4] inserted inside the segments of band [1 and 1°] uniting the parts of the ratchet [2] in each segment, being that each ratchet [2] has a half provided with one holed main axle [5], having a longitudinal slot [6] which receives whether the steel cable or the high-strength strap [3] which has one of ends linked to another half of each ratchet [2], being the axle [5] trespassed by one transverse threaded hole [7] in order to fix one locking screw of steel cable or strap [3], having balanced counterweights inserted inside the rubber.

   pa THIS 3% DAY OF JUNE 2010. SPOOR & FISHER APPLICANT’S PATENT ATTORNEYS 6 Co