Lightweight pressure-airless tire construction

• US 5,494,090 A
• Filed: 01/07/1994
• Issued: 02/27/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electrion Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electrion Incorporated
• Inventors: Kejha, Joseph B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knable, Geoffrey L.
• Application Number:
  US08/178,427
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 152/310, 152/311, 152/312, 152/315, 152/318-322, 152/323-328, 152/384
• US Class Current: 152/310
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/121 enclosed chambers defined by a distinct core
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/24 characterised by means for securing tyres on rim or wheel body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10378 Casing enclosed core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10423 Superimposed rings

Abstract

A lightweight, filler core tire construction for automobiles and other vehicles, having a flexible composite outer layer structure and a flexible honeycomb core bonded to said outer layer, eliminating pressurized air from the tire and increasing thus the safety of driving and the damage resistance and eliminating the servicing of the tire. The structures above are preferably made from a polyurethane polymer and various fibers.

Claims

1. A tire construction for automobiles and other vehicles comprising:

an outer elastic layer structure and an inner elastic filler core material, which has an elastic honeycomb cells construction and is bonded to said outer elastic layer structure,

said filler core material has conically shaped honeycomb cells with two parallel sides and which cells are lengthwise oriented substantially in the direction from the center of said tire to the outside circumferential surface of said tire,

and in which said honeycomb cells are formed from corrugated washer layers which are bonded together.

2. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb material has curved shape cells substantially lengthwise oriented in direction from the center of the wheel to the outside circumferential surface of said tire.

3. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb material has curved shape cells substantially lengthwise oriented in a tangential relationship to the wheel rim.

4. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said outer elastic layer structure is made from a composite of a polyurethane polymer and fibers.

5. A tire construction as described in claim 4, in which said fibers are ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers.

6. A tire construction as described in claim 4, in which said fibers are steel fibers.

7. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core is made from a polyurethane polymer.

8. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core is made from a composite of a polyurethane polymer and fibers.

9. A tire construction as described in claim 8, in which said fibers are ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers.

10. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said outer elastic layer structure is made from a composite of a rubber and fibers.

11. A tire construction as described in claim 10, in which said fibers are ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers.

12. A tire construction as described in claim 10, in which said fibers are steel fibers.

13. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core is made from a rubber.

14. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core is made from a composite of a rubber and fibers.

15. A tire construction as described in claim 14, in which said fibers are ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fibers.

16. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core is made from an elastic material reinforced with fibers.

17. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said elastic outer layer structure contains a filler material.

18. A tire construction as described in claim 17, in which said filler material is carbon.

19. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core material contains a filler material.

20. A tire construction as described in claim 19, in which said filler material is carbon.

21. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which at least one of said bondings is done by welding.

22. A tire construction as described in claim 21, in which said welding is an ultrasound welding.

23. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which at least one of said bondings is done by an adhesive.

24. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core has cells of a hexagonal cone shape.

25. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core has cells of a square cone shape.

26. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core has cells of a rectangular cone shape.

27. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core has cells of a rounded cone shape.

28. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core has various shapes of cells combined.

29. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said outer elastic layer has a tread on the largest circumferential surface of said tire.

30. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said outer elastic layer has two side circumferential grooves in the vicinity of the inner circumferential surface of said tire, matching a two part rim of a wheel.

31. A tire construction as described in claim 30, in which said outer elastic layer has two metal wire radial reinforcing rings embedded in the vicinity of said grooves.

32. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said outer elastic layer structure has a radial reinforcing belt embedded in the inner circumferential layer of said tire adapted to face the wheel rim.

33. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said honeycomb core consists of a plurality of annular layers of cells.

34. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said outer elastic layer structure is bonded to a wheel rim.

35. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which at least one of said bondings is fusion bonding.

36. A tire construction as described in claim 1, in which said vehicles are utility vehicles, military vehicles, electric vehicles, and high mileage range vehicles.