Tire with worn tread indicator

• US 6,220,199 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1999
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wildon Williams
• Original Assignee: Wildon Williams
• Inventors: Williams, Wildon
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US09/234,870
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 116/208, 116/206, 116/200, 116/201, 116/28.R, 116/DIG.1, 152/154.2, 152/209.5
• US Class Current: 116/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/24 Wear-indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10027 with wear indicating feature

Abstract

A tire with worn tread indicator for providing a visual indication that a tire'"'"'s tread is worn below a predetermined level. The tire with worn tread indicator includes a tire with a treaded outer surface having a plurality of alternating tread channels and tread ridges. A plurality of spaced apart elongate gel tubes are embedded in the tire and positioned adjacent the treaded outer surface. In the lumen of each gel tube is a visibly detectable colored liquid therein.

Claims

1. A tire tread wear indicating system, comprising:

a tire having a spaced apart pair of side walls and a treaded outer surface interposed between said side walls of said tire;

said treaded outer surface of said tire having a plurality of alternating tread channels and tread ridges;

said tread ridges defining an upper surface of said treaded outer surface, said tread channels of said treaded outer surface defining a lower surface of said treaded outer surface;

a plurality of spaced apart elongate gel tubes being embedded in said tire;

said gel tubes being positioned adjacent said treaded outer surface; and

each of said gel tubes having a lumen, each of said lumens having a visibly detectable colored liquid therein.

2. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 1, wherein each of said gel tubes has a generally triangular prism shape such that each gel tube has a generally triangular transverse cross section.

3. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 2, wherein each of said gel tubes has at least one vertex, said at least one vertex of each of said gel tubes being embedded in said tire below said upper surface at a first depth below said upper surface, said first depth being less than a tread depth defined by said upper and lower surfaces.

4. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 1, wherein each of said gel tubes has a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axes of said gel tubes being extended substantially parallel to one another, said longitudinal axis of said gel tubes being extended between said side walls of said tire.

5. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 1, wherein said colored liquid comprises a visibly detectable colored gel.

6. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 1, wherein each of said gel tubes has a partition dividing said lumen of the respective gel tube into a pair of separate chambers, said colored liquid being provided in one of said chambers of said lumen.

7. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 6, wherein said colored liquid comprises a colored liquid resin, each of said gel tubes having a liquid hardening agent in the other of said chambers, wherein said liquid resin and said liquid hardening agent forming a visibly detectable colored solid when mixed together.

8. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 1, wherein said treaded outer surface of said tire comprises a circumferential pattern such that said tread ridges extend along a circumference of said tire, a longitudinal axis of each of said gel tubes being oriented substantially parallel to said tread ridges.

9. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 1, wherein said treaded outer surface of said tire comprises a circumferential pattern such that said tread ridges extend along a circumference of said tire, a longitudinal axis of each of said gel tubes being oriented substantially perpendicular to said tread ridges.

10. The tire tread wear indicating system of claim 1, wherein each of the tread ridges and tread channels of said treaded outer surface of said tire extends substantially from a first one of said side walls to a second one of said side walls, a longitudinal axis of each of said gel tubes being oriented substantially parallel to said tread ridges and said tread channels.

11. A tire tread wear indicating system, comprising:

a tire having a spaced apart pair of annular side walls and an annular treaded outer surface interposed between said side walls of said tire;

said treaded outer surface of said tire having a plurality of alternating tread channels and tread ridges therearound;

said tread ridges defining an upper surface of said treaded outer surface, said tread channels of said treaded outer surface defining a lower surface of said treaded outer surface;

said upper and lower surfaces defining a tread depth of said treaded outer surface therebetween;

a plurality of spaced apart elongate gel tubes being embedded in said tire, each of said gel tubes having a longitudinal axis;

each of said gel tubes having a generally triangular prism shape such that each gel tube has a generally triangular transverse cross section substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of the respective gel tube;

wherein each of said gel tubes has three vertices and three sides;

said gel tubes being positioned adjacent said treaded outer surface;

one of said vertices of each of said gel tubes being embedded in said tire below said upper surface at a first depth below said upper surface, said first depth being less than a tread depth defined by said upper and lower surfaces;

said longitudinal axis of each of said gel tubes being extended substantially parallel to one another, said longitudinal axis of said gel tubes being extended between said side walls of said tire;

each of said gel tubes having a lumen, each of said lumens having a visibly detectable colored liquid therein;

each of said gel tubes having a partition dividing said lumen of the respective gel tube into a pair of separate chambers;

each said partition extending from said one of said vertices of the respective gel tube to an opposite side of the respective gel tube;

said colored liquid being provided in one of said separate chambers of said lumen; and

each of said gel tubes having a liquid hardening agent in the other of said chambers.