TYRE BALANCING COMPOSITIONS

• US 20100252174A1
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lars Bertil Carnehammar
• Original Assignee: Alvin Ronlan
• Inventors: RONLAN, Alvin
• Granted Patent: US 9,671,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/74
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/003 Balancing means attached to the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 5/004 filled at least partially with liquid B60C19/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 171/06 Particles of special shape or size
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/363 using rolling bodies, e.g. balls free to move in a circumferential direction
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/366 using fluid or powder means, i.e. non-discrete material
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/326 the body being a vehicle wheel

Abstract

The invention relates to tyre balancing compositions having improved balancing properties comprise a visco-plastic gel and solid bodies having an average smallest dimension in the range of 0.5-5 mm; preferably 1-4 mm, more preferably around 3 mm. When applied in a layer to the inside of a motor vehicle tyre, the compositions act by allowing the solid bodies move through the gel and to concentrate in areas to counteract 10 imbalances. The solid bodies preferably have an average ratio a between their smallest and their largest dimension of α≦2, more preferably α≦1.5, especially around 1. The visco-plastic gel preferably has a storage modulus (G′) between 1000 Pa and 25000 Pa at 22° C., a loss modulus (G″) smaller than the storage modulus, and a critical yield stress above 3 Pa at 22° C. The bodies may be shaped as prolate or oblate ellipsoids, cylinders, 15 rectangular paralleipipeds, or spheres, or mixtures of such bodies; they may have an apparent specific gravity in the range of 500-3000 kg/m³, preferably 600-2000 kg/m³, in particular 700-1000 kg/m³, especially 800-900 kg/m³; they may be made from polyolefins, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, rubber or glass. The weight ratio between the solid bodies and the gel is from 10:1 to 1:10, preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, in particular from 20 2:1 to 3:1, such as from 1:1 to 1:2. The invention further concerns a tyre balancing kit and a method for balancing automobile wheel assemblies.

Claims

1. A tyre balancing composition, which comprises a visco-plastic gel and solid bodies having an average smallest dimension in the range of 1-5 mm such that the solid bodies move through the gel upon forces induced by tire imbalance, wherein the visco-plastic gel has a storage modulus (G′

) between 1000 Pa and 25000 Pa at 22°

C., a loss modulus (G″

) smaller than the storage modulus, and a critical yield stress above 3 Pa at 22°

C.

2. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 1, wherein the solid bodies have an average ratio between their smallest and their largest dimension of α

≦

2.

3. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 2, wherein α

≦

1.5.

4. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 3, wherein α

is around 1.

5. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 1, wherein the average smallest dimension of the solid bodies is in the range of 1-4 mm.

6. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 5, wherein the average smallest dimension of the solid bodies is around 3 mm.

7. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 1, wherein the storage modulus (G′

) is around 9000 Pa at 22°

C., and the critical yield stress is around 30 Pa at 22°

C.

8. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 1, wherein the solid bodies are shaped as prolate or oblate ellipsoids, cylinders, rectangular paralleipipeds, or spheres, or mixtures of such bodies.

9. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 1, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the solid bodies is in the range of 500-3000 kg/m³.

10. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 9, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the solid bodies is in the range of 600-2000 kg/m³.

11. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 10, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the solid bodies is in the range of 700-1000 kg/m³.

12. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 11, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the solid bodies is in the range of 800-900 kg/m³.

13. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 1, wherein the solid bodies are made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, rubber and glass.

14. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 1, wherein the weight ratio between the solid bodies and the gel is from 10:

1 to 1;

10.

15. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 14, wherein the weight ratio between the solid bodies and the gel is from 5:

1 to 1;

5.

16. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 15, wherein the weight ratio between the solid bodies and the gel is from 2:

1 to 1;

3.

17. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 16, wherein the weight ratio between the solid bodies and the gel is from 1:

1 to 1;

2.

18. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 1 contained within the air cavity of a motor vehicle tyre.

19. A tyre balancing composition according to claim 2, wherein the average smallest dimension of the solid bodies is in the range of 1-4 mm.

37. A method for balancing a motor vehicle wheel assembly comprising applying a tyre balancing composition according to claim 1 to the inner surface of the tyre, mounting the tyre on a tyre rim to form a wheel assembly, and mounting the wheel assembly on a motor vehicle and driving the vehicle for a distance sufficient to allow the balancing composition to balance the wheel assembly, or mounting the wheel assembly in a device that allows the wheel assembly to be rotated under load conditions similar to those experienced during actual road driving and at a speed where resonance occurs in the wheel assembly, and rotating the wheel for a time sufficient to allow the balancing composition to reduce vibrations to a stable minimum.

20. A tyre balancing composition kit comprising

i) a first container containing a visco-plastic gel, wherein the visco-plastic gel has a storage modulus (G′

) between 1000 Pa and 25000 Pa at 22°

C., a loss modulus (G″

) smaller than the storage modulus, and a critical yield stress above 3 Pa at 22°

C., and

ii) a second container containing solid bodies having their average smallest dimension in the range of 1-5 mm such that the solid bodies move through the gel upon forces induced by tyre imbalance when exposed to the gel.

21. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 20, wherein the visco-plastic gel has a storage modulus (G′

) around 9000 Pa at 22°

C., and a critical yield stress around 30 Pa at 22°

C.

22. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 20, wherein the solid bodies have an average ratio between their smallest and their largest dimension of α

≦

2.

23. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 22, wherein α

≦

1.5.

24. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 23, wherein α

is around 1.

25. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 20, wherein the average smallest dimension of the solid bodies is in the range of 1-4 mm.

26. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 25, wherein the average smallest dimension of the solid bodies is around 3 mm.

27. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 20, wherein the solid bodies are shaped as prolate or oblate ellipsoids, cylinders, rectangular paralleipipeds, or spheres, or mixtures of such bodies.

28. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 20, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the solid bodies is in the range of 500-3000 kg/m³.

29. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 28, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the solid bodies is in the range of 600-2000 kg/m³.

30. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 29, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the solid bodies is in the range of 700-1000 kg/m³.

31. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 30, wherein the apparent specific gravity of the solid bodies is in the range of 800-900 kg/m³.

32. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 20, wherein the solid bodies are made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, rubber and glass.

33. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 20, wherein the weight ratio between the amount of visco-plastic gel in the first container and the amount of solid bodies in the second container is from 10:

1 to 1;

10.

34. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 33, wherein the weight ratio between the amount of visco-plastic gel in the first container and the amount of solid bodies in the second container is from 5:

1 to 1;

5.

35. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 34, wherein the weight ratio between the amount of visco-plastic gel in the first container and the amount of solid bodies in the second container is from 2:

1 to 1;

3.

36. A tyre balancing composition kit according to claim 35, wherein the weight ratio between the amount of visco-plastic gel in the first container and the amount of solid bodies in the second container is from 1:

1 to 1;

2.

38. A method for balancing a motor vehicle wheel assembly comprising applying the components of a kit according to claim 20 to the inner surface of the tyre, mounting the tyre on a tyre rim to form a wheel assembly, and mounting the wheel assembly on a motor vehicle and driving the vehicle for a distance sufficient to allow the balancing composition to balance the wheel assembly, or mounting the wheel assembly in a device that allows the wheel assembly to be rotated under load conditions similar to those experienced during actual road driving and at a speed where resonance occurs in the wheel assembly, and rotating the wheel for a time sufficient to allow the balancing composition to reduce vibrations to a stable minimum.