US3870095A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pneumatic tire for vehicle wheels with inwardly directed sidewall convexity
Assignee: Industrie Pirelli SpA
•
Filing: 1973-07-23
•
Granted: 1975-03-11
•
Expires: 1993-07-23
Abstract
Abstract A pneumatic tire is disclosed for vehicle wheels wherein the tread is reinforced by an essentially rigid under tension annular structure with a width greater than the distance between the beads of the sidewalls. The sidewalls are made of an elastomeric material and are so shaped that they have an inwardly directed convexity under normal service pressure conditions. If a vertical load is applied to the tire, the sidewalls will react such that the distance from the median plane of the wheel will be increased causing a reduction in the inclination of the sidewalls by approaching a horizontal line.
Inventors
- 👤 Giorgio Tangorra
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:30
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60C; B60C3/00; B60C3/04; B60C13/00; B60C9/00; B60C9/18; B60C9/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
In combination, a rigid rim of a vehicle wheel and a pneumatic tire, said rim having annular flanges adapted to receive and lock the beads of a tire in spaced apart relationship, said pneumatic tire comprising sidewalls having beads adapted to be locked in spaced apart relationship by said rim, a tread, an annular substantially rigid reinforcing structure reinforcing the tread and having a width which is greater than the spacing between the beads of the tire when mounted on the rim with the beads locked in position, said sidewalls being formed of a substantially elastomeric material, flaring from the beads towards the lateral ends of the tread and having an inwardly directed convex crosssection under normal inflation pressures, each sidewall forming a first imperfect hinge adjacent to the bead and forming a second imperfect hiNge adjacent to the tread for rotation of the sidewall intermediate the hinges, whereby upon application of vertical loads to the tire, said intermediate portions rotate to reduce their inclination by approaching a horizontal line and the distances of said sidewalls from the median plane of the wheel increase at least in correspondence to said intermediate portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
In combination, a rigid rim of a vehicle wheel and a pneumatic tire, said rim having annular flanges adapted to receive and lock the beads of a tire in spaced apart relationship, said pneumatic tire comprising sidewalls having beads adapted to be locked in spaced apart relationship by said rim, a tread, an annular substantially rigid reinforcing structure reinforcing the tread and having a width which is greater than the spacing between the beads of the tire when mounted on the rim with the beads locked in position, said sidewalls being formed of a substantially elastomeric material, flaring from the beads towards the lateral ends of the tread and having an inwardly directed convex crosssection under normal inflation pressures, each sidewall forming a first imperfect hinge adjacent to the bead and forming a second imperfect hiNge adjacent to the tread for rotation of the sidewall intermediate the hinges, whereby upon application of vertical loads to the tire, said intermediate portions rotate to reduce their inclination by approaching a horizontal line and the distances of said sidewalls from the median plane of the wheel increase at least in correspondence to said intermediate portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
192 words
In combination, a rigid rim of a vehicle wheel and a pneumatic tire, said rim having annular flanges adapted to receive and lock the beads of a tire in spaced apart relationship, said pneumatic tire comprising sidewalls having beads adapted to be locked in spaced apart relationship by said rim, a tread, an annular substantially rigid reinforcing structure reinforcing the tread and having a width which is greater than the spacing between the beads of the tire when mounted on the rim with the beads locked in position, said sidewalls being formed of a substantially elastomeric material, flaring from the beads towards the lateral ends of the tread and having an inwardly directed convex crosssection under normal inflation pressures, each sidewall forming a first imperfect hinge adjacent to the bead and forming a second imperfect hiNge adjacent to the tread for rotation of the sidewall intermediate the hinges, whereby upon application of vertical loads to the tire, said intermediate portions rotate to reduce their inclination by approaching a horizontal line and the distances of said sidewalls from the median plane of the wheel increase at least in correspondence to said intermediate portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
192 words
In combination, a rigid rim of a vehicle wheel and a pneumatic tire, said rim having annular flanges adapted to receive and lock the beads of a tire in spaced apart relationship, said pneumatic tire comprising sidewalls having beads adapted to be locked in spaced apart relationship by said rim, a tread, an annular substantially rigid reinforcing structure reinforcing the tread and having a width which is greater than the spacing between the beads of the tire when mounted on the rim with the beads locked in position, said sidewalls being formed of a substantially elastomeric material, flaring from the beads towards the lateral ends of the tread and having an inwardly directed convex crosssection under normal inflation pressures, each sidewall forming a first imperfect hinge adjacent to the bead and forming a second imperfect hiNge adjacent to the tread for rotation of the sidewall intermediate the hinges, whereby upon application of vertical loads to the tire, said intermediate portions rotate to reduce their inclination by approaching a horizontal line and the distances of said sidewalls from the median plane of the wheel increase at least in correspondence to said intermediate portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the sidewalls react under the application of vertical loads such that their inclination is reduced to a minimum inclination determined by the contact of portions of the sidewalls with the inner surface of the tread.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the inclination of the sidewalls under the inflation pressure and without the application of load when expressed as an angle between the wheel axis and the chord subtending the median line of the sidewall profile does not exceed 50*.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 3 wherein the angle ranges between 30* and 45*.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the rigidity of the tread reinforcement is sufficient to generate stress transmission in the circumferential development of the tire such that more than 50% of said development is concerned with deformattion due to the vertical load applied to the wheel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 5 wherein the rigidity of the tread reinforcement is sufficient to generate stress transmission in the circumferential development of the tire such that more than 70% of said development is concerned with deformation due to the vertical load applied to the wheel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the tire structure when under lateral stress will react by shrinking the external sidewall and by increasing its inclination, said sidewall being so sized as to provide the necessary reaction to compression such that its inclination does not reach a vertical line.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the tire under inflation pressure but without the application of load will have an inclination of the tire sidewalls defined in terms of an angle between the wheel axis and the chord subtending the median line of the sidewall profile such that its co-tangent is not smaller than the maximum friction coefficient between the tread and the road surface contemplated for tire service.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the bead of each sidewall is connected to the rim in order to prevent or reduce reciprocal rotation or slidings in the zone of contact, thereby creating a substantial fitting with respect to which said intermediate portion of the sidewall rotates under load about said hinge.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the zones of flexional deformations are shaped and sized with respect to the deformations to compression due to the inflation pressure such that the maximum deformations to elongation of fibers contained therein which would be stretched as a result of the flexional deformation do not exceed the deformations to compression so there are no fibers subjected to a real tension in their entirety.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein said zones of flexional deformation are so shaped and sized taking into consideration the material forming said zones that the phenomena of elastic hysteresis and the relative heat generation are minimized.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The pneumatic tire of claim 1 wherein the tread has a curvature whose convexity is directed radially outwardly at least at its end portions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |