Vehicle Wheel with Seats of Unequal Diameters and Assembly Comprising a Wheel and a Support Element

• US 20080190534A1
• Filed: 07/19/2006
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Malevergne, Michel
• Application Number:
  US11/996,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20080190534A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/379.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/06 Wheels with compression spokes wheels of high resiliency B60B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/023 the transverse section being non-symmetrical
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/026 the shape of rim well
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/04 with substantially radial flanges with rail-engaging flanges B60B17/00 B60B21/021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/102 the shape of bead seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/104 the shape of flanges
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/12 Appurtenances, e.g. lining bands

Abstract

Vehicle wheel, with symmetry of revolution, including a disc and a rim, the rim including a first and a second seat which seats are designed to receive and to hold a first and a second bead of the tire, each seat having a substantially frustoconical bottom locally coinciding with a cone of revolution coaxial with the rim and open towards the other seat, a safety hump extending the bottom of the seat towards the other seat, and an external lip extending the bottom of the seat in the direction away from the other seat, the maximum diameter of the first seat being less than the maximum diameter of the second seat, characterized in that each seat includes, on the side facing the other seat, an adjacent circumferential groove and in that the connecting region where the disc and the rim meet is connected to the said rim on the second seat side.

Claims

1. A vehicle wheel, with symmetry of revolution, comprising a disc and a rim, said rim comprising a first seat and a second seat, wherein said seats are designed to receive and to hold a first bead and a second bead of a tire, wherein each seat comprises

(1) a substantially frustoconical bottom locally coinciding with a cone of revolution coaxial with the rim and open towards the other seat;

(2) a safety hump extending the bottom of the seat towards the other seat;

(3) an external lip extending the bottom of the seat in the direction away from the other seat, wherein the maximum diameter of the first seat is less than the maximum diameter of the second seat; and

(4) an adjacent circumferential groove on a side facing the other respective seat,

wherein the connecting region where the disc and the rim meet is connected to said rim on said second seat side.

2. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the depth (H_max) of the groove adjacent to the second seat is designed to allow said second bead of the tire to negotiate said second seat without allowing said first bead of the tire to negotiate said second seat.

3. The wheel according to claim 2, wherein the safety hump of said second seat comprises a ledge that is cylindrical of revolution having axial width L, and wherein the depth (H_max) of the groove adjacent to the second seat is dependent on the maximum diameter (Φ

_S2max) of said ledge and on the axial width L of said ledge.

4. The wheel according to claim 1 further comprising

(1) a radially internal profile of said rim having, progressing from the first seat towards the region of connection with the disc, a diameter that passes through a minimum (Φ

_JImin) then through a maximum diameter (Φ

_JImax) positioned axially between said first and second seats; and

(2) at least one passageway that opens into the region of the radially internal profile of the rim and that opens into the outside of the wheel on the second seat side, wherein the passageway has a diameter between from about said maximum diameter (Φ

_JImax) to about said minimum diameter (Φ

_JImin).

5. The wheel according to claim 4, wherein said passageway opens into the radially internal region of said rim, wherein said passageway has a diameter (Φ

_CI) of about the maximum diameter of the internal profile of said rim (Φ

_JImax) reduced by 3 mm.

6. The wheel according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said passageway coincides locally with a sector of a cone of revolution open towards the second seat.

7. The wheel according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said disc has a number of ventilation openings, and wherein said passageway is a slot formed in the radially external wall of at least one of said openings.

8. The wheel according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said disc has a number of ventilation openings, wherein each opening is positioned between two spokes, and wherein said passageway is formed in at least one of said spokes.

9. The wheel according to one claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said groove adjacent to said first seat is designed to house a monitoring electronic module.

10. The wheel according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein said rim includes a bearing surface having a diameter of about the maximum diameter of said first seat, and wherein said bearing surface is positioned between said grooves.

11. The wheel according to claim 10, wherein the bearing surface comprises a circumferential slot designed to lock said insert in position on said bearing surface.

12. An assembly comprising a wheel according to claim 10, and a tread support insert, wherein said support insert is positioned around said bearing surface and wherein said support insert runs axially as far as the second seat.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein said insert comprises a support part positioned around the bearing surface of said rim and a locking part positioned radially externally relative to said circumferential groove.

14. The assembly according to claim 12 wherein said second seat extends towards the first seat by a sidewall of said second circumferential groove, and wherein said insert is designed to bear against said sidewall of said second circumferential groove.

15. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein said bearing surface comprises a circumferential slot which collaborates with a plurality of wedges positioned circumferentially on the radially internal wall of the support insert to lock said insert in position on said bearing surface.