Rim intended to receive a support ring

• US 6,415,839 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Pompier, Jean-Pierre, Drieux, Jean-Jacques, Lacour, Jean-Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bellinger, Jason R.
• Application Number:
  US09/702,959
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 152/516, 152/520, 152/379.3, 152/379.4, 152/379.5, 152/381.3, 152/381.4, 152/381.5, 152/381.6
• US Class Current: 152/381.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/023 the transverse section being non-symmetrical
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/026 the shape of rim well
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/028 the shape of hump
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/102 the shape of bead seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 21/104 the shape of flanges
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 15/0236 Asymmetric bead seats, e.g. different bead diameter or inclination angle asymmetric transverse section B60C3/06

Abstract

A rim having a bearing support located between its two rim seats, which bearing support is intended to receive a support ring, is characterized in that this bearing surface comprises at least one surface clamping part, each surface clamping part being regularly distributed in the circumferential direction over the bearing surface and having a maximum external development Ds, measured on an enveloping surface concentric to the bearing surface, which is greater than the development Dp of the bearing surface, in order to create mechanical clamping between a support ring and the surface clamping part which is appropriate to ensure holding of the ring on the bearing surface during travel.

Claims

1. A rim for mounting a tire having at least two beads, which rim is defined axially on one side by a first rim edge and on the opposite side by a second rim edge, comprising, viewed in meridian section, a first rim seat axially adjacent said first rim edge and a second rim seat axially adjacent said second rim edge, at least the first rim seat having a generatrix, the axially inner end of which is on a circle of diameter greater than the diameter of a circle on which the axially outer end is located,

and at least one bearing surface, of axial width Lp, intended to receive an annular bearing support by sliding said support over at least said one side of the rim, said bearing surface being arranged between the axially inner ends of the two seats and having an essentially cylindrical shape of minimum development Dp at least equal to the development of any rim part located axially between the axially inner end of the first rim seat and the first rim edge, wherein:

the bearing surface comprises at least one surface clamping part, each surface clamping part being regularly distributed in the circumferential direction over said bearing surface and having a maximum external development Ds greater than Dp, said development Ds being measured on an enveloping surface concentric to the bearing surface, in order to create mechanical clamping when a tire support ring is mounted between said ring and said surface clamping part, which mechanical clamping is appropriate to ensure holding of said ring on the bearing surface.

2. A rim as set forth in claim 1 wherein each surface clamping part has an axial width Ls which is between 10% and 50% of the axial width Lp of the bearing surface.

3. A rim as set forth in claim 2 wherein each surface clamping part is connected to the bearing surface on the side of the rim seat from which the support ring is slipped on, by means of a surface generated by a generatrix which is connected at a first point to the surface clamping part and at a second point to the bearing surface, the straight line passing through said two points forming an angle other than 90°

with the axis of rotation of the rim to facilitate the installation of the support ring.

4. A rim as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one surface clamping part is circumferentially continuous and is inscribed on a cylindrical enveloping surface of development Ds, said enveloping surface being concentric to the bearing surface.

5. A rim as set forth in claim 4 wherein at least one surface clamping part has, in the axial direction, a zigzag or undulating average trace.

6. A rim as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bearing surface comprises two surface clamping parts which are axially distinct from one another, one of said parts being of a lesser axial width Ls′

than the axial width Ls″

of the other of said parts, the part of lesser axial width being located between the other part and the side of the rim onto which the support is slipped.

7. A rim as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one surface clamping part is composed of elements in relief which are regularly distributed in the circumferential direction over the bearing surface, each element in relief having an axial width Ls which is at least equal to 10% of Lp, the development Ds of the cylindrical surface enveloping all said elements in relief of one and the same surface clamping part being greater than Dp.

8. A rim as set forth in claim 7 wherein said rim is provided with at least two surface clamping parts separated from each other in the axial direction, at least a first surface clamping part and a second surface clamping part being composed of an equal number of elements in relief distributed regularly in the circumferential direction, the elements in relief of said first part being offset relative to the elements in relief of said second part in the circumferential direction.

9. A rim as set forth in claim 1 wherein the surface clamping part is frustoconical and forms with the axial direction an average angle of between 1°

and 5°

, the minimum development of said surface part being on the side of the rim seat onto which the support ring is slipped.

10. A rim as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bearing surface furthermore comprises a stop to limit axially the positioning movement of the support ring and in that a surface clamping part is arranged close to said stop.

11. A rim as set forth in claim 10 wherein the surface clamping part close to the stop is separated from said stop by a groove.