Pneumatic tires and wheel assemblies

Claim 2

An enclosing means for enclosing at least part of a lubricant composition for use in a pneumatic tire and wheel assembly, comprising a container in which the lubricant composition is located, an aperture in the container through which the lubricant composition can leave the container, and a sealing member for sealing the aperture, the member comprising at least in part a solid material having a softening and/or melting point in the range 60*C. to 120*C. whereby the member prevents escape of lubricant composition from the container during use of the enclosing means in normal running of the tire but on the build-up of an excessive temperature in the interior of the tire and wheel assembly the solid material of the sealing member will soften and/or melt and thereby release the lubricant composition.

Claim 3

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the sealing member comprises a blob of the solid material located so as to cover the aperture.

Claim 4

An enclosing means according to claim 2 wherein the blob of solid material at least partially enters the aperture.

Claim 5

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the sealing member comprises a closure means and the solid material, the material retaining the closure means in position to seal the aperture.

Claim 6

An enclosing means according to claim 4 wherein the aperture tapers inwardly towards the container, the closure means being of substantially complementary frusto-conical shape and being held in the aperture by an annular sealing band of the solid material.

Claim 7

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the sealing member comprises a dual actuated lubricant release mechanism, the mechanism having an aperture therethrough sealable by at least the solid material, whereby during use if the mechanism fails to release the lubricant composition on deflation of the tire and wheel assembly, the temperature in the assembly will rise and cause the solid material to soften and/or melt and thereby release the lubricant composition.

Claim 8

An enclosing means according to claim 6 wherein the release mechanism comprises a peg having an aperture therethrough sealed at one end with the solid material, the peg fitting fluid-tightly in the aperture in the container whereby during use upon deflation of the assembly the peg can be pushed, by the tread of the tire, into the container to release the lubricant composition, or should this fail the temperature in the assembly will rise and the lubricant composition release by the softening and/or melting of the solid material.

Claim 9

An enclosing means according to claim 6 wherein the release mechanism is in the form of a valve, said valve comprising a valve plug which fits fluid-tightly in the aperture of the container and has a recessed portion open to the exterior of the container, a valve peg which is located in the recessed portion and is an interference fit with the inner part thereof, both the valve plug and the valve peg have an aperture extending therethrough, the apertures being co-axial one with the other in use, the end of the aperture in the valve peg remote from the recessed portion being sealed by the solid material whereby during use upon deflation of the tire and wheel assembly the peg and thereby the plug, can be pushed, by the tread of the tire, into the container to release the lubricant composition, or should this fail the temperature in the assembly will rise and the lubricant composition released by the softening and/or melting of the solid material.

Claim 10

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the solid material is a material having a high thermal diffusivity.

Claim 11

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the container comprises plastics material.

Claim 12

An enclosing means according to claim 10 wherein the plastics material is a material having a low thermal conductivity.

Claim 13

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the container comprises thin metal or metal alloy sheet material.

Claim 14

An enclosing means according to claim 12 wherein the container is made of aluminium.

Claim 15

An enclosing means according to claim 12 wherein the container has an inner liner of a material of low thermal conductivity.

Claim 16

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the container is provided with a lid.

Claim 17

An enclosing means according to claim 15 wherein the lid has the aperture therein.

Claim 18

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the sealing member comprises a sheet of material having a low thermal conductivity and having a second aperture therein which is located to be in substantial alignment with the first aperture and which is sealed by the closure means and/or the solid material.

Claim 19

An enclosing means according to claim 17 wherein the sheet of material of low thermal conductivity is in the form of a screw-threaded lid which can be screwed onto a complementary screw-threaded portion associated with the first aperture.

Claim 20

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the container is provided with a self-sealing rubber diaphragm through which the lubricant composition can be inserted into the container.

Claim 21

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein at least a part of the surface of the container is covered by or is formed of a film of material of high thermal diffusivity, which film also being in good thermal contact with the solid material.

Claim 22

An enclosing means according to claim 20 wherein the surface of the film is matt black.

Claim 23

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein heat is transferred to the film and/or solid material by means of a device for converting mechanical energy into heat, which device being operable by the tire and wheel assembly in a deflated condition.

Claim 24

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the solid material has a softening and/or melting point in the range 70*C. and 100*C.

Claim 25

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the aperture is provided with at least one constricted portion adjacent the end thereof which opens into the tire and wheel assembly during use, the solid material being disposed between the constricted portion and the interior of the container.

Claim 26

An enclosing means according to claim 1 wherein the aperture in the container may be extended by a tube, sealed by the sealing member, having at least one constricted portion therein, the tube being located co-axially with the aperture in the container and fluid-tightly attached to the container.

Claim 27

An enclosing means according to claim 25 wherein the tube is made of a material having a high thermal diffusivity.

Claim 28

A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly comprising an enclosing means for enclosing at least part of a lubricant composition as claimed in claim 1.