Semi-hollow pneumatic tyre and associated wheel rim, notably for agricultural machinery

• US 8,297,325 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otico
• Original Assignee: Otico
• Inventors: Phely, Olivier, Piou, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Kotter, Kip T
• Application Number:
  US12/482,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20100012247A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 301/95.104, 301/95.105, 301/95.11, 152/157, 152/327, 152/379.3, 152/453, 152/454, 152/544, 152/DIG.20
• US Class Current: 152/379.3
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/068 Furrow packing devices, e.g. press wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/12 using enclosed chambers, e.g. gas-filled
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/24 characterised by means for securing tyres on rim or wheel body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube

Abstract

A pneumatic tyre of the semi-hollow type includes a casing having an uninflated inner volume and including an inner wall provided with a retaining bead and a convex outer wall forming the tread of the tyre, the inner wall and the outer wall of the tyre being connected by two annular borders. The inner wall of the tyre is concave so as to surmount a convex outer wall of the peripheral seat of a rim of a wheel, this outer wall being provided with a peripheral slot adapted to accommodate the retaining bead of the tyre.

Claims

1. A pneumatic tyre for a wheel rim formed by a hub surrounded by a peripheral seat having an outer wall provided with a peripheral slot, the tyre comprising:

a casing having an uninflated inner volume, said casing comprising an inner wall which is adapted to surround the outer wall of the peripheral seat and which is provided with a retaining bead adapted to be received in the peripheral slot in the peripheral seat, and a convex outer wall forming the tread of the tyre,

wherein the inner wall of the tyre is concave, so as to surmount the outer wall of the peripheral seat, the inner wall and the convex outer wall of the tyre being connected by two annular borders adapted to cover the outer wall of the peripheral seat towards the hub,

wherein the inner wall of the casing has a substantially semi-circular cross-section,

wherein said convex outer wall of the tyre has a substantially semi-circular cross-section, and

wherein the two annular borders extend radially inward beyond an inner surface of said retaining bead.

2. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 1, wherein the casing has a substantially crescent-shaped radial cross-section, the inner wall having a radial depth (P) defined as the radial distance between the annular borders and the bottom of the inner wall, and the convex outer wall has a radial height (H) defined as the radial distance between the annular borders and the top part of the outer wall, the ratio (P/H) between the radial depth and the radial height being at least 0.25.

3. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 2, wherein the ratio (P/H) between the radial depth and the radial height is between 0.25 and 0.50.

4. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 1, wherein the retaining bead attached to the inner wall of the casing has a mushroom-shaped or T-shaped profile with a narrow portion attached to the inner wall and adapted to pass through the peripheral slot and a widened head adapted to be accommodated in an inner chamber of the rim delimited by the outer wall of the peripheral seat.

5. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 1, comprising a reinforcing framework embedded in the inner wall of the casing close to the retaining bead.

6. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 1, wherein the inner wall and the convex outer wall of the casing have complementary profiles arranged facing one another inside the casing and adapted to fit mutually with each other when the casing is compressed on the ground under the effect of a load.

7. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 6, wherein the complementary profiles comprise a central projection protruding from the inner wall and two spaced-apart lateral projections protruding from the outer wall and adapted to house the central projection between them when the casing is compressed on the ground.

8. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 1, wherein the convex outer wall of the tyre forming the tread is generally smooth on the outside.

9. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 1, wherein the convex outer wall of the tyre forming the tread is provided with external reliefs including at least one external annular rib.

10. A wheel rim formed by a hub surrounded by a peripheral seat provided with a peripheral slot, wherein the peripheral seat of the rim comprises an outwardly domed outer wall having a top part in which the peripheral slot is formed, the outer wall receiving the inner wall of the tyre according to claim 1, the retaining bead being received in the peripheral slot in the peripheral seat.

11. A wheel rim according to claim 10, wherein the outer wall of the peripheral seat has a cross-section substantially in the shape of an arc of a circle interrupted to form the peripheral slot.

12. A wheel rim according to claim 10, wherein the peripheral slot is delimited by two folded edges facing one another, protruding from the outer wall of the peripheral seat of the rim and turned towards the inside of a chamber of the peripheral seat.

13. A wheel rim according to claim 10, wherein the outer wall of the peripheral seat is extended by an inner wall which becomes narrower towards the hub.

14. A wheel rim according to claim 10, wherein the rim is formed by the joining together of two cheeks which jointly delimit the peripheral slot.

15. A wheel rim according to claim 14, wherein said two cheeks are made of metal.

16. A wheel comprising a pneumatic tyre according to claim 1, mounted on said wheel rim.

17. A pneumatic tyre according to claim 1, wherein the outer wall of the peripheral seat is convex.