US8944125B2
Active / In Force
US
⏱️ 3.7 years remaining
Tension-based non-pneumatic tire
Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC
•
Filing: 2010-07-19
•
Granted: 2015-02-03
•
Expires: 2030-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A non-pneumatic tire for supporting a load by working in tension comprising a generally annular inner ring, a generally annular outer ring, and an interconnected web having a plurality of web elements and comprising a plurality of generally polygonal openings. Web elements are sized, curved, oriented, and comprised of varying thicknesses of material which facilitates buckling when subjected to a compressive load. By buckling, those elements in a deformed portion of the tire between a wheel and a footprint region where the tire contacts a surface can assume a significantly reduced portion of the load, if any. This causes web elements in other portions of the interconnected web to operate in tension to support the load.
Inventors
- 👤 Ali Manesh
- 👤 Michael John Tercha
- 👤 Brian Meliska
- 👤 Fidelis Ceranski
- 👤 Glenn Howland
- 👤 Louie Stark
- 👤 Karen Hauch
- 👤 Todd Petersen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:08
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60C; B60C7/00; B60C7/10; B60C7/107; B60C7/12; B60C11/00; B60C11/03; B60C11/0311; B60C7/14; B60C7/16; B60C7/18; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T152/00; Y10T152/10; Y10T152/10279; Y10T152/10378
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A non-pneumatic tire for supporting a load comprising: a generally annular inner ring having an axis of rotation; a deformable generally annular outer ring; and a flexible interconnected web extending between said inner and outer ring, said interconnected web comprising at least one layer of web elements extending between said inner and outer rings, said web elements extending substantially tangential to said inner ring; wherein a substantial amount of said load is supported by a plurality of said web elements in tension along a length of the web elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A non-pneumatic tire for supporting a load comprising: a generally annular inner ring having an axis of rotation; a deformable generally annular outer ring; and a flexible interconnected web extending between said inner and outer ring, said interconnected web comprising at least one layer of web elements extending between said inner and outer rings, said web elements extending substantially tangential to said inner ring; wherein a substantial amount of said load is supported by a plurality of said web elements in tension along a length of the web elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein web elements extend at an angle (β) that is equal to or less than plus 5 degrees from a 90 degree angle with respect to a line that extends radially from a center of said inner ring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein web elements extend at an angle (β) that is equal to or less than plus 2.5 degrees from a 90 degree angle with respect to a line that extends radially from a center of said inner ring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein web elements extend at an angle (β) that is equal to or less than plus 1 degree from a 90 degree angle with respect to a line that extends radially from a center of said inner ring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein said tire further comprises an intermediate band between said outer ring and said inner ring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 5 , wherein a first portion of said web elements extends between the outer ring and said intermediate band; and wherein a second portion of said web elements extends between the inner ring and said intermediate band.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 6 , wherein the first portion of said web elements extends to said intermediate band at an angle substantially tangent to said intermediate band.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein the second portion of said web elements extends towards said inner ring at an angle substantially tangent to said inner ring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , further comprising a tread carrying layer affixed to a radially external surface of said outer ring, said tread carrying layer cooperating with the outer ring to support said web elements working in tension, wherein at least 75% of the load is supported in tension.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
A non-pneumatic tire for supporting a load comprising: a generally annular inner ring having an axis of rotation; a deformable generally annular outer ring; and a flexible interconnected web comprising at least two adjacent layers of web elements across the width of the cross-section of said tire, said web elements defining a plurality of openings formed by web elements extending substantially tangent to said inner ring, and a substantial amount of said load is supported by a plurality of said web elements in tension along a length of the web elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
91 words
A non-pneumatic tire for supporting a load comprising: a generally annular inner ring having an axis of rotation; a deformable generally annular outer ring; and a flexible interconnected web comprising at least two adjacent layers of web elements across the width of the cross-section of said tire, said web elements defining a plurality of openings formed by web elements extending substantially tangent to said inner ring, and a substantial amount of said load is supported by a plurality of said web elements in tension along a length of the web elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 10 , wherein said tire further comprises an intermediate band between said outer ring and said inner ring in each layer of web elements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 11 , wherein a first portion of said web elements extends between the outer ring and said intermediate band; and wherein a second portion of said web elements extends between the inner ring and said intermediate band.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 12 , wherein said first portion of web elements extends to said intermediate band at an angle substantially tangent to said intermediate band.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A non-pneumatic tire according to claim 12 , wherein said second portion of web elements extends towards said inner ring at an angle substantially tangent to said inner ring.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US576072A
Cited
US748797A
Cited
US2283274A
Cited
US1136546A
Cited
US2298142A
Cited
US2331212A
Cited
US637200A
Cited
US654897A
Cited
US811232A
Cited
US820077A
Cited
US818568A
Cited
US856957A
Cited
US927154A
Cited
US1042035A
Cited
US987340A
Cited
US1041829A
Cited
US1057734A
Cited
US1085700A
Cited
US1060480A
Cited
US1066267A
Cited
US1106238A
Cited
US1154504A
Cited
US1146654A
Cited
US1156311A
Cited
US1190874A
Cited
US1242269A
Cited
US1262501A
Cited
US1244276A
Cited
US1232127A
Cited
US1252736A
Cited
US1292729A
Cited
US1287255A
Cited
US1262550A
Cited
US1282690A
Cited
US1286634A
Cited
US1300933A
Cited
US1365181A
Cited
US1461928A
Cited
US1451517A
Cited
US1557437A
Cited
US1660845A
Cited
US1753735A
Cited
US1640613A
Cited
US1710524A
Cited
US1948412A
Cited
US2055461A
Cited
US2235378A
Cited
US2341721A
Cited
US2620844A
Cited
US2742941A
Cited
US2701431A
Cited
US2912032A
Cited
US3188775A
Cited
US3182705A
Cited
US3219090A
Cited
US3237667A
Cited
US3311149A
Cited
US3380779A
Cited
US3493027A
Cited
US3465804A
Cited
US3635273A
Cited
DE2718374A1
Cited
US4169494A
Cited
US4350196A
Cited
US4111249A
Cited
US4153095A
Cited
US4235270A
Cited
US4287927A
Cited
US4226273A
Cited
US4917162A
Cited
US4553577A
Cited
US4549592A
Cited
US4459167A
Cited
US4921029A
Cited
EP0159888B1
Cited
US4832098A
Cited
US4558727A
Cited
US4673014A
Cited
CN86106585A
Cited
US4784201A
Cited
US4894281A
Cited
US5168910A
Cited
US5139066A
Cited
US4934425A
Cited
US5023040A
Cited
JPH01311902A
Cited
JPH01314603A
Cited
JPH01314602A
Cited
EP0353006A2
Cited
US4945962A
Cited
JPH0325004A
Cited
EP0401564B1
Cited
US5042544A
Cited
US5050656A
Cited
US5086815A
Cited
US5353853A
Cited
JPH04221201A
Cited
US5343916A
Cited
US5174634A
Cited
US5236027A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2018-02-02 | 2018-08-04 | 2019-02-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2022-02-02 | 2022-08-04 | 2023-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2026-02-02 | 2026-08-04 | 2027-02-03 | $7700.00 | Surcharge Window Open |