Method of filling a tire with a composite-foam insert

Claim 1

The method of making a composite-foam filled tire, comprising the steps of: a. filling the interior of a mold with a multiplicity of individually preconstructed independent elastomeric cells that comprise an external surface and an internal surface, said external and internal surface defining an elastomeric cell wall therebetween of a given thickness, said cell wall enclosing a single hollow center of a given volume; b. placing a predetermined volume of said cells in a housing which is attached to said mold and in communication with said interior of said mold, said predetermined volume being of sufficient amount to cause said cells in said mold to have surface portions of said external cell wall surfaces, engaged with external cell wall surface portions of adjacent cells in a state that has substantially all of the total external cell wall surface of all cells, in engagement with surrounding portions of external cell wall surfaces of said surrounding cells, when said cells in said housing are subsequently combined with said cells in said mold; c. said predetermined volume of said cells in said housing are moved from said housing into said interior of said mold to combine said cells in said housing with said cells in said mold and effectuate said cell engagement in said mold; d. said multiplicity of preconstructed cells are permanently bonded together at said engaged external surface portions while in said engaged state while in said mold to collectively create said composite-foam tire filling; e. upon completion of said bonding and the subsequent removal of said composite-foam tire filling from said mold, said cells comprising said composite-foam tire filling remain in said bonded together and said engaged state to provide said completed composite-foam tire filling; f. said completed composite-foam tire filling is installed in the interior of a tire to provide said composite-foam filled tire.

Claim 2

The method of making a composite-foam filled tire, comprising the steps of: a. filling the interior of a mold with a multiplicity of individually preconstructed independent elastomeric cells that comprise an external surface and an internal surface, said external and internal surface defining an elastomeric cell wall therebetween of a given thickness, said cell wall enclosing a single hollow center of a given volume; b. placing a predetermined volume of said cells in a housing which is attached to said mold and in communication with said interior of said mold, said predetermined volume being of sufficient amount to cause said cells in said mold to have surface portions of said external cell wall surfaces, engaged with external cell wall surface portions of adjacent cells in a state that has substantially all of the total external cell wall surface of all cells, in engagement with surrounding portions of external cell wall surfaces of said surrounding cells, when said cells in said housing are subsequently combined with said cells in said mold; c. said predetermined volume of said cells in said housing are moved from said housing into said interior of said mold to combine said cells in said housing with said cells in said mold and effectuate said cell engagement in said mold; d. said multiplicity of preconstructed cells are permanently bonded together at said engaged external surface portions while in said engaged state while in said mold to collectively create said composite-foam tire filling; e. upon completion of said bonding and the subsequent removal of said composite-foam tire filling from said mold, said cells comprising said composite-foam tire filling remain in said bonded together and said engaged state to provide said completed composite-foam tire filling; f. said completed composite-foam tire filling is installed in the interior of a tire to provide said composite-foam filled tire.