Radially stiffened shape memory alloy tire

• US 10,427,461 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA, US Govt Administrator Of NASA
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Padula, II, Santo A., Benzing, James, Creager, Colln M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charleston, Jean W
• Application Number:
  US15/599,527
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 152 12
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/104 the shape of flanges
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/06 made of metal
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/14 using springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/16 of helical or flat coil form
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/18 disposed radially relative to wheel axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/023 built up from narrow strips, individual cords or filaments, e.g. using filament winding
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2201/01 Shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 14/00 Alloys based on titanium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 19/03 based on nickel
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/006 Resulting in heat recoverable alloys with a memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/10 of nickel or cobalt or alloys based thereon

Abstract

A tire having a plurality of shape memory alloy (SMA) radial stiffening elements including a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion. Each SMA radial element is secured to the rim of a wheel to form arching elements extending about an entire circumference of the tire.

Claims

1. A tire comprising:

a plurality of radial elements each having a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion are connected by the arching middle portion;

a mounting block securing the first end portion and the second end portion of the plurality of radial elements to form an arch; and

a selected number of radial elements comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) having an austenite crystal structure in an ambient condition, and during the application of an externally applied force upon the SMA, the austenite crystal structure of the SMA reorients to a martensitic crystal structure to increase the amount of load carrying potential and accommodate increased deformation without permanent damage.

2. The tire of claim 1 further comprising a flexible construct into which the plurality of radial elements is woven or embedded.

3. The tire of claim 2, wherein the flexible construct is a mesh.

4. The tire of claim 2, wherein the flexible construct is a polymer encasing the plurality of radial elements.

5. The tire of claim 1, wherein the shape memory alloy is selected from NiTi;

NiTiX, where X is a ternary alloying addition selected from Hf, Zr, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, or Fe;

NiTiXY (where X and Y are ternary and quaternary alloying additions independently selected from selected from Hf, Zr, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, or Fe;

Ag—

Cd;

Au—

Cd;

Cu—

Al—

Ni;

Cu—

Sn;

Cu—

Zn;

Fe—

Pt;

Mn—

Cu;

Fe—

Mn—

Si;

Co—

Ni—

Al;

Co—

Ni—

Ga;

Ti—

Nb;

β

-Ti alloys;

ternary alloys or quaternary alloys of the shape memory alloy;

or derivatives thereof.

6. The tire of claim 1, wherein the shape memory alloy is NiTi or its derivatives.

7. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tire can withstand more than 1 percent strain before permanently deforming.

8. The tire of claim 1, where the tire is secured to a rim of a wheel.

9. The tire of claim 8, wherein the tire is secured to the rim of the wheel via the mounting block.

10. The tire of claim 1, wherein the shape memory alloy displays a shape memory effect that is thermally induced.

11. The tire of claim 1, wherein the tire is a superelastic tire.

12. A wheel and tire assembly comprising a plurality of radial elements, each radial element comprising:

a plurality of radial elements having a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion are secured to different positions on the wheel to form an arch; and

a selected number of radial elements comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) having an austenite crystal structure in an ambient condition, and during the application of an externally applied force upon the SMA, the austenite crystal structure of the SMA reorients to a martensitic crystal structure to increase the amount of load carrying potential and accommodate increased deformation without permanent damage.

13. The wheel and tire assembly of claim 12, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion are secured directly to a rim of the wheel.

14. The wheel and tire assembly of claim 12, wherein the first and end portion and the second portion are secured to the wheel by a mounting block.

15. The wheel and tire assembly of claim 14, wherein the mounting block is integrally formed with the wheel.

16. The wheel and tire assembly of claim 12, further comprising multiple sets of radial elements arranged in a manner that produces the effect of multiple plies in a tire.

17. The wheel and tire assembly of claim 12 further comprising a flexible construct that secures the radial elements to form the shape of the tire.

18. The tire of claim 17, wherein the flexible construct is a spring mesh.

19. The tire of claim 12, wherein the shape memory alloy is selected from NiTi;

NiTiX, where X is a ternary alloying addition selected from Hf, Zr, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, or Fe;

NiTiXY (where X and Y are ternary and quaternary alloying additions independently selected from selected from Hf, Zr, Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, or Fe;

Ag—

Cd;

Au—

Cd;

Cu—

Al—

Ni;

Cu—

Sn;

Cu—

Zn;

Fe—

Pt;

Mn—

Cu;

Fe—

Mn—

Si;

Co—

Ni—

Al;

Co—

Ni—

Ga;

Ti—

Nb;

β

-Ti alloys;

ternary alloys or quaternary alloys of the shape memory alloy;

or derivatives thereof.

20. The tire of claim 19, wherein the shape memory alloy is NiTi or its derivatives.