Fluid reservoir within a tire

• US 10,017,010 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2015
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Bowman, Dennis, Roth, Jonathan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kotter, Kip T
• Application Number:
  US14/824,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 25/12 with integral flange part
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 25/22 Other apurtenances, e.g. for sealing the component parts enabling the use of tubeless tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/004 the control being done on the wheel, e.g. using a wheel-mounted reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/126 the pumps being mounted on the wheel rims
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/007 for tyres with segmental sections or for multi-chamber tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 5/22 the chambers being annular
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/00 Tractors of walk type B62D51/04; endless- track features B62D55/00 ; transport specially adapted for underground galleries E21F13/02

Abstract

A wheel assembly has a rim with an outer radial surface. A tire coupled to the rim defines a first interior region between the outer radial surface and the tire. A bladder coupled to the rim defines a second interior region between the outer radial surface and the bladder. A third interior region is defined between the bladder and the tire. The wheel assembly includes a valve fluidly coupled to the second interior region and the third interior region. The valve is movable between a first position and a second position. The second interior region and the third interior region are fluidly isolated from one another when the valve is in the first position. The second interior region and the third interior region may be fluidly coupled to one another when the valve is in the second position.

Claims

1. A wheel assembly, comprising:

a rim having a first outer radial surface;

a rim member coupled to the rim and having a second outer radial surface;

a tire coupled to the rim and the rim member to define a first interior region between the first and second outer radial surfaces and the tire;

a bladder coupled to the rim to define a second interior region between the first outer radial surface and the bladder;

a third interior region defined by the bladder, the first and second outer radial surfaces, and the tire;

a first valve fluidly coupled to the second interior region and the third interior region, the first valve being movable between a first position and a second position;

a rotation axis about which the rim rotates;

a first bead seat formed by the rim and spaced from the axis by a first radial distance;

a second bead seat formed by the rim member and spaced from the axis by a second radial distance and offset from the first bead seat in a direction parallel to the axis, the first radial distance and the second radial distance being approximately the same;

a first tire bead and a second tire bead each formed by the tire; and

a third bead seat formed by the rim and a fourth bead seat formed by the rim member;

wherein, the bladder is disposed in the first interior region;

further wherein, the second interior region and the third interior region are fluidly isolated from one another when the first valve is in the first position;

further wherein, the second interior region and the third interior region are fluidly coupled to one another when the first valve is in the second position;

further wherein, the first tire bead is in contact with the first bead seat and the second tire bead is in contact with the second bead seat;

further wherein the rim member is removably couple to the rim;

further wherein, the third bead seat and the fourth bead seat are spaced by a third radial distance from the axis, the third radial distance being less than the first and second radial distances;

further wherein, the bladder defines a first bladder bead that is coupled to the rim along the third bead seat and a second bladder bead that is coupled to the rim along the fourth bead seat.

2. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the rim forms a first annular lip adjacent to the first bead seat; and

rim member forms a second annular lip adjacent to the second bead seat.

3. The wheel assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second valve selectively coupling the second interior region to a compressor.

4. The wheel assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve is coupled to the bladder between the second interior region and the third interior region.

5. A wheel assembly for a tractor, comprising:

a tire having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the tire adapted to rotate about an axis;

a rim including a first outer radial surface;

a rim member removably coupled to the rim, the rim member forming a second outer radial surface to which the inner diameter of the tire is in contact with, where the tire is coupled to the rim and the rim member to define a first internal cavity therebetween;

a bladder disposed in the first internal cavity and coupled to the rim along the first outer radial surface, where a second internal cavity is defined between the rim and the bladder, and a third internal cavity is defined between the tire and the bladder;

a first bead seat formed by the rim and spaced from the axis by a first radial distance;

a second bead seat formed by the rim member and spaced from the axis by a second radial distance, the first radial distance and the second radial distance being approximately the same; and

a first tire bead and a second tire bead each formed by the tire;

a third bead seat formed by the rim and a fourth bead seat formed by the rim member, the third bead seat and the fourth bead seat being spaced by a third radial distance from the axis, the third radial distance being less than the first and second radial distances; and

a valve fluidly coupled to the second and third internal cavities, the valve being movable between a first position where the second and third internal cavities are fluidly isolated from one another and a second position where the second and third internal cavities are fluidly coupled to one another;

wherein the first tire bead is in contact with the first bead seat and the second tire bead is in contact with the second bead seat,

further wherein, the bladder defines a first bladder bead that is coupled to the rim along the third bead seat and a second bladder bead that is coupled to the rim along the fourth bead seat.

6. The wheel assembly of claim 5, further comprising:

a controller;

a first sensor electrically coupled to the controller, the first sensor configured to determine a first pressure of the third internal cavity and transmit the first pressure to the controller; and

a second sensor electrically coupled to the controller, the second sensor configured to determine a second pressure of the second internal cavity and transmit the second pressure to the controller.

7. The wheel assembly of claim 5, wherein the valve is coupled to the bladder between the second internal cavity and the third internal cavity.

8. The wheel assembly of claim 5, further comprising:

a bladder outer radius defined between the axis and a radially outermost portion of the bladder; and

a tire outer radius defined between the axis and a radially outermost portion of the tire;

wherein the bladder outer radius is approximately 65% to 85% of the tire outer radius.

9. The wheel assembly of claim 5, further comprising a pressure source fluidly coupled to the valve for pressurizing at least one of the second and third internal cavities.

10. The wheel assembly of claim 9, wherein the valve is movable to a third position, a fourth position, and a fifth position;

further wherein;

in the third position, the pressure source is fluidly coupled only to the second internal cavity;

in the fourth position, the pressure source is fluidly coupled to the third internal cavity; and

in the fifth position, the third internal cavity is fluidly coupled to a surrounding atmosphere.