TIRE AND METHOD OF SELECTIVELY ALTERING OR CONTROLLING PROPERTIES OR CHARACTERISTICS THEREOF UNDER VARYING CONDITIONS

• US 20100077848A1
• Filed: 08/26/2009
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Pietrzyk, Tadeusz B., Ulicny, John C., Rodgers, William R., Snavely, Keith S., Golden, Mark A., Darab, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 8,899,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0077 Directly attaching monitoring devices to tyres before or after vulcanization, e.g. microchips
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0088 Adaptive tyres, i.e. the properties of the tyres, e.g. the stiffness, being changeable during use
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/722 Reinforcing the sidewalls, e.g. by using filaments, fibers or additional reinforcing layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/724 Stiffening the sidewalls, e.g. by using additional inserts, e.g. made of rubber, plastics or other materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0061 Accessories, details or auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/72 Side-walls
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2019/004 Tyre sensors other than for detecting tyre pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2019/005 Magnets integrated within the tyre structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 5/14 with impervious liner or coating on the inner wall of the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/02 Carcasses
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/024 combined with tyre surface correcting or marking means
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 1/447 characterised by magnetoviscosity, e.g. magnetorheological, magnetothixotropic, magnetodilatant liquids electrorheological fluids C10M171/001
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10522 Multiple chamber

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment includes a method comprising providing a tire having a component constructed and arranged to cause at least one portion of the tire to have a first stiffness or resistance to force exerted thereon under a first condition and a second stiffness or resistance to force exerted thereon under a second condition and selectively causing the first or second condition to occur.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

dynamically controlling the properties of a vehicle tire comprising determining if a condition of the driving environment or a condition of the vehicle or a condition of a vehicle component has occurred or has occurred within a specific timeframe, and if the condition is occurring or has occurred within the specific timeframe changing the properties of the vehicle tire comprising actively changing the stiffness or resistance to force exerted thereon at one or more selective locations of the tire.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the changing properties of a vehicle tire comprising using a fluid to change the stiffness or resistance to a force exerted on the tire at one or more selected locations of the tire as the tire is rotating during operation of the vehicle.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tire comprising a first and a plurality of magnetizable particles or fibers in the first material, and wherein the changing properties comprises selectively applying a magnetic force to the particles or fibers in the first material to change the stiffness of the tire or the resistance of the tire to a force exerted thereon at least one location of the tire.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the condition comprises at least one of a determined driving condition of the vehicle, determined operating condition of the vehicle, determined condition of a vehicle component, wherein the tire is being mounted to a rim or being dismounted from a rim or upon vehicle driver input.

5. A method of making a tire comprising incorporating magnetizable particles into at least one of an elastomer or rubber material, a ply material, an inner liner material, a carcass structure material, an overlay material, an bead apex filler material, a bead material or a flipper material for making a tire, and thereafter curing the material to provide a final cross-linked tire material.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 further include applying a magnetic field to the particles in the material prior to the curing of the material to provide the final cross-linked tire material.

7. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein no magnetic field may be utilized prior to the curing of the material to provide the final cross-linked material.

8. An assembly comprising a tire mounted to a rim, the tire comprising at least one of an elastomer or rubber material, a ply material, an inner liner material, a carcass structure material, an overlay material, an bead apex filler material, a bead material or a flipper material, and a plurality of magnetizable particles incorporated in the at least one of an elastomer or rubber material, a ply material, an inner liner material, a carcass structure material, an overlay material, an bead apex filler material, a bead material or a flipper material, and a magnetic coil constructed and arranged to selectively apply a magnetic field to the particles to selectively stiffen the material or increase the resistance of the material to a force applied thereto at least one location of the tire.

9. An assembly comprising a tire and at least one chamber or bladder for selectively receiving a fluid to increase the stiffness of the tire at the location of the chamber or bladder when fluid is received in the chamber or bladder.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 further including a fluid delivery system for moving fluid in and out of the chamber or bladder.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein the assembly is constructed and arranged so that the stiffness of the tire may be varied by varying the amount of fluid in the chamber or bladder, or by varying the pressure exerted by the fluid on the tire at the location of the chamber or bladder.

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 further including a fluid pressure source.

13. A product comprising a wheel and hub for a tire and a fluid pressurizing device in the hub.

14. A product comprising a tire including at least one chamber or bladder and a fluid in the chamber or bladder.

15. A product as set forth in claim 14 further comprising a fluid in the chamber or bladder, wherein the fluid is a magnetorheological fluid and further including a device for applying a magnetic force or field across the magnetorheological fluid in the bladder.

16. A product as set forth in clam 14 further comprising a heating element constructed and arranged to heat a fluid in the chamber or bladder.

17. A product as set forth in claim 16 wherein the heating element is in the chamber or bladder.