Solid suspended work machine tire

• US 20050133133A1
• Filed: 06/09/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Becker, Dan J., Mathew, Sunil I., Grinberg, Eugene Y.
• Granted Patent: US 7,174,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/107 comprising lateral openings

Abstract

A work machine tire includes an annular body of elastomeric material that includes a middle radial region. A plurality of unpressurized cavities are defined by the middle radial region and are distributed in a pattern that includes a first radial band of cavities and a second radial band of cavities. Each cavity of the first radial band of cavities is oriented at a positive angle with respect to a radius therethrough, and each cavity of the second radial band of cavities is oriented at a negative angle with respect to a radius therethrough. A material volume of the middle radial region is more than one and a half times greater than the combined void volume of the plurality of cavities.

Claims

1. A work machine tire, comprising:

an annular body of elastomeric material that includes a radial middle region having a material volume and defining a plurality of unpressurized cavities with a combined void volume, and being distributed in a pattern that includes a first radial band of cavities and a second radial band of cavities;

each cavity of said first radial band of cavities being oriented at a positive angle with respect to a radius therethrough;

each cavity of said second radial band of cavities being oriented at a negative angle with respect to a radius therethrough; and

said material volume being more than one and a half times greater than said combined void volume.

2. The work machine tire of claim 1 having an average deflection rate that is about 0.3 inches per 1000 pounds at least up to a load of 4000 pounds.

3. The work machine tire of claim 1 wherein said unpressurized cavities each have an axis of symmetry parallel to a tire axis of rotation.

4. The work machine tire of claim 1 wherein said unpressurized cavities have a uniform shape and volume.

5. The work machine tire of claim 4 wherein each of said radial bands has twenty cavities.

6. The work machine tire of claim 1 wherein a total number of unpressurized cavities is less than fifty.

7. The work machine tire of claim 1 wherein said unpressurized cavities each have a cross-sectional shape with a perimeter that includes a pair of straight segments separated by a pair of curved segments.

8. The work machine tire of claim 1 including at least one barrier separating said unpressurized cavities from space surrounding the tire.

9. The work machine tire of claim 1 wherein said first radial band of cavities includes an inboard band of cavities and an outboard band of cavities that are out of phase with respect to said inboard band of cavities about a tire axis of rotation.

10. The work machine tire of claim 1 wherein said unpressurized cavities extend a majority of a width of said radial middle region.

11. The work machine tire of claim 1 wherein said material volume is about twice said combined void volume.

12. The work machine tire of claim 1 wherein said annular body includes a cavity free radial outer region adjacent said middle region that includes an exposed off-road tread pattern.

13. The work machine tire of claim 12 wherein said off-road tread pattern has a tread depth that is at least one inch.

14. The work machine tire of claim 12 wherein said annular body includes a cavity free radial inner region adjacent said middle region.

15. The work machine tire of claim 12 wherein a total number of unpressurized cavities is less than fifty.

16. The work machine tire of claim 15 wherein said unpressurized cavities each have a cross-sectional shape with a perimeter that includes a pair of straight segments separated by a pair of curved segments.

17. The work machine tire of claim 16 wherein said unpressurized cavities have a uniform shape and volume.

18. The work machine tire of claim 17 wherein each of said radial bands has twenty cavities.

19. The work machine tire of claim 18 wherein said material volume is about twice said combined void volume.

20. The work machine tire of claim 19 having an average deflection rate that is less than 0.3 inches per 1000 pounds at least up to a load of 4000 pounds.

21. A tire comprising:

an annular body of elastomeric material that includes a radial middle region defining a plurality of unpressurized cavities that are distributed in a pattern that includes a first radial band of cavities and a second radial band of cavities;

each cavity of the first radial band of cavities being oriented at a positive angle with respect to a radius therethrough;

each cavity of the second radial band of cavities being oriented at a negative angle with respect to a radius therethrough;

each of said plurality of cavities being defined by first and second arches connected by first and second deflectable wall portions.

22. The tire of claim 21 wherein said plurality of cavities are sized and arranged such that a radial load causes said first and second wall portions to deflect towards one another in an area adjacent said radial load.