Tire and wheel rim assemblies

• US 4,274,466 A
• Filed: 11/20/1978
• Issued: 06/23/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dunlop Limited (Meggitt PLC)
• Original Assignee: Dunlop Limited (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Kenney, Michael J., Holmes, Thomas, French, Tom, Mitchell, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US05/962,096
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 152/375, 152/378 R, 152/379.1, 152/379.2, 152/381.1, 152/381.2 R, 152/385, 152/330 RF, 152/379.3, 152/381.3, 152/381.4, 301/95-98
• US Class Current: 152/381.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/10 characterised by the form of tyre-seat or flange, e.g. corrugated B60B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 15/00 Tyre beads, e.g. ply turn-up or overlap
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 15/0226 the bead being secured by protrusions of the rim extending from the bead seat, e.g. hump or serrations

Abstract

A tire and wheel rim assembly wherein the wheel rim includes adjacent to at least one bead seat a circumferentially extending groove and the tire bead has a radially and axially projecting extended toe portion which is axially and radially located within said groove. The toe is flexible in a direction substantially perpendicular to its length and substantially rigid in the direction of its length and provides an effective bead lock to retain the tire bead in position on the rim.

Claims

1. A one-piece wheel rim for a tubeless pneumatic tire wherein the radially outer profile of the wheel rim considered in a plane containing the axis of the wheel rim comprises, in sequence, from one edge of the wheel rim profile:

a radially extending first bead retaining flange having a radially outer edge which is turned axially outwardly;

a curved seating portion for the heel of a tire bead;

a substantially straight first main bead seating portion which tapers radially inwardly towards the axially inner regions of the wheel rim;

means to prevent axial inward movement of the bead of a tire from said first seating portion, that tire having an axially and radially inwardly extending bead toe portion, said means comprising a radially inward extending substantially "U" shaped open bead toe locating groove immediately adjacent to said first bead seating portion, said groove formed by, again in sequence;

a radially inwardly curving axially outer groove edge portion extending from the axially inner edge of the bead seating portion and smoothly curved with a radius in the range of 5 mm to 8 mm;

an outwardly concave groove base portion having a radius in the range of 3 mm to 5 mm; and

a radially inwardly curving axially inner groove edge portion having a radius in the range of 5 mm to 8 mm;

a substantially straight flat ledge portion;

a central tire-fitting well portion having a diameter substantially smaller than the main bead seating portion and arranged to allow tire fitting over the tire retaining flange;

a radially extending second bead retaining flange on the axial opposite edge of the rim having a radially outer edge which is turned axially outwardly;

a substantially straight second main bead seating portion adjacent said second flange which tapers radially inwardly towards the axially inner region of the wheel rim;

means to prevent axial inward movement of the bead of a tire from said second seating portion, that tire having an axially and radially inwardly extending toe portion, said means comprising a second open bead toe locating groove immediately adjacent to said second bead seating portion, said groove formed by, again in sequence;

a radially inwardly curving axially inner groove edge portion having a radius in the range of 5 mm to 8 mm;

an outwardly concave groove base portion having a radius in the range of 3 mm to 5 mm; and

a radially inwardly curving axially outer groove edge portion having a radius in the range of 5 mm to 8 mm;

said locating grooves being shaped so as to form a pocket to snugly receive said extended toe portion in a manner so that the forces tending to dislodge the bead will compress the extended toe into its locating groove and against said abutment surfaces so as to prevent dislodgement of said bead from its seat.

2. A one-piece wheel rim according to claim 1 wherein each open bead toe locating groove considered in cross-section is symmetrically shaped about a center line extending radially with respect to the wheel rim through the point of minimum radius of the open locating groove.

3. A one-piece wheel rim according to claim 2 wherein said radial center line is spaced in an axial direction from the radially extending bead retaining flange by a distance in the range of 18-20 mm.

4. A one-piece wheel rim according to claim 3 wherein the said bead seating portions have a diameter of about 320 mm and the axial distance between the spaced apart bead retaining flanges is about 95 mm.

5. A one-piece wheel rim according to claim 3 wherein the said bead seating portions have a diameter of about 342 mm and the axial distance between the spaced apart bead retaining flanges is about 110 mm.

6. A one-piece wheel rim according to claim 3 wherein the said bead seating portions have a diameter of about 395 mm and the axial distance between the spaced apart bead retaining flanges is about 170 mm.

7. A one-piece wheel rim according to claim 1 wherein the radial height of each bead retaining flange is in the range of 12-13.5 mm and the radial depth of the tire fitting well is in the range of 13-14 mm.

8. A one-piece wheel rim according to claim 1 wherein the radially outer edge of each bead retaining flange is turned axially outwardly with a radius in the range of 7-9 mm.

9. A one-piece wheel rim according to claim 1 where the radially outer edge of each bead retaining flange includes a radially and axially outwardly extending portion which is substantially straight and extends at an angle of 45°

to the radial direction.

10. A one piece wheel rim for a pneumatic tire of a motor vehicle, said tire having beads with extended toe portions projecting axially and radially inwardly of each said bead;

said wheel rim comprising in cross-section, a pair of radially outwardly extending flanges and an open well between said flanges of a radial depth at least as great as the radial height of said flanges so that a tire can be mounted on the rim by use of the open well;

a pair of bead seats immediately adjacent the flanges, each tapering slightly toward said well;

means to prevent axial inward movement of the beads of a tire on said bead seats, said means comprising a pair of circumferential bead toe locating grooves in the rim immediately adjacent the inside edge of each bead seat and positioned to receive said toe portion;

an intermediate rim portion between the groove and the well having a diameter approximately equal to that of the tapered bead seat at its outer edge but greater than the diameter of the tapered bead seat at its inner edge, the edges of said grooves presenting surfaces for abutment of the extended bead toe when the tire bead is subject to a force tending to move the bead off its seat, said locating grooves being substantially "U" shaped and smoothly curved from the inside edge of the adjacent bead seat so as to form a pocket to snugly receive said extended toe portion in a manner so that the forces tending to dislodge the bead will compress the extended toe into its locating groove and against said abutment surfaces so as to prevent dislodgement of said bead from its seat.

11. A wheel for a pneumatic tire of a motor vehicle said tire having beads with toe portions which extends axially and radially inwardly, said wheel comprising a one-piece rim which, in cross-section, includes a pair of radially extending flanges and a pair of bead seats immediately adjacent the flanges, said bead seats each tapering slightly toward the center of the wheel with the outer edge of each bead seat being at a first annular plane;

a well between said bead seats extending radially inwardly to a depth from said first annular plane at least as great as the radial height of said flanges above said first annular plane so that a tire can be mounted on the rim by use of the well;

means to prevent axial inward movement of the beads of a tire on said bead seats, said means comprising a pair of circumferential grooves in the rim, said grooves being positioned immediately adjacent the inner edge of each bead seat with one side of each groove being formed as a radially inwardly smoothly curved extension of the respective bead seat, the radius of curve being 5 mm to 8 mm, each groove having a smoothly curved bottom at a radius of 3 mm to 5 mm and being substantially symmetrical about a circumferential plane passing through the center of its bottom;

a rim portion between each groove and the well substantially at the level of said first annular plane, said locating grooves being shaped to snugly receive said extended toe portion in a manner so that the forces tending to dislodge the bead will compress the extended toe into its locating groove and against said abutment surfaces so as to prevent dislodgement of said bead from its seat.