Wheel and air pressure adjusting device

• US 9,446,638 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanno, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Restifo, Jeffrey J
• Application Number:
  US14/380,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20150007920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 152/416, 152/417
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/12 with tubular spokes B60B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 19/08 with lubricating passages, channels, or reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/002 characterised by the shape of the disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/02 with a single disc body integral with rim
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00318 on the wheels or the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00354 Details of valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00372 characterised by fluid diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/04 mounted on the wheel or tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/10 Arrangement of tyre-inflating pumps mounted on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/02 Connection to rims

Abstract

A wheel is configured by attaching a rim and a hub mounting part via an attaching portion. The wheel has a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim, and is mounted on the vehicle hub by the hub mounting part. The wheel comprises an air passage that penetrates through the attaching portion and opens on the outer circumferential surface of the rim and the mounting surface of the hub mounting part. The wheel also comprises a plurality of air passages that are mutually independent.

Claims

1. A wheel, formed by attaching a rim and a hub mounting part via an attaching portion, having a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim, and mounted on a vehicle by the hub mounting part, the wheel comprising

an air passage that penetrates through the attaching portion and opens on an outer circumferential surface of the rim and a mounting surface of the hub mounting part, the outer circumferential surface of the rim including a flat cylindrical surface portion in an axial direction of the rim, wherein an opening of the air passage on the outer circumferential surface of the rim faces toward the axial direction of the wheel and an inner wall surface of the opening of the air passage is connected to the flat cylindrical surface portion of the rim in a same plane without a step.

2. The wheel according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of the air passages that are mutually independent.

3. The wheel according to claim 1, comprising air connection valves which open the air passages when the wheel is mounted on a vehicle and close the air passages when the wheel stands alone.

4. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the attaching portion has spokes and has the air passages inside the spokes.

5. The wheel according to claim 4, wherein the attaching portion has at least four spokes which extend radially.

6. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the attaching portion has a disk and has the air passages inside the disk.

7. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the hub mounting part has a plurality of bolt holes and is mounted on the vehicle via bolts inserted into the bolt holes,

the attaching portion has a plurality of the air passages, and

on the mounting surface of the hub mounting part, the bolt holes and the openings of the air passages are alternately disposed around the rotational axis of the hub mounting part.

8. The wheel according to claim 7, wherein a pitch diameter of the bolt holes on the mounting surface of the hub mounting part is in the range of 100 mm≦

B≦

280 mm.

9. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the air passages have a plurality of the openings on the outer circumferential surface of the rim, and the plurality of openings have mutually different cross-sectional shapes.

10. The wheel according to claim 9, wherein each of the openings has mutually different opening cross-sectional areas and tube lengths.

11. The wheel according to claim 9, wherein each of the openings is disposed so that the opening directions are mutually different.

12. The wheel according to claim 9, wherein each of the openings has a mutually different interior shape of the rim and a mutually different wall shape of the inner side of the attaching portion.

13. The wheel according to claim 9, wherein a minimum value of a flow path cross-sectional area of each of the openings is set at a constant value.

14. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the flow path cross-sectional area S of the air passages is in the range of 100 mm²≦

S≦

3000 mm².

15. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the radial-direction width A of the mounting surface of the hub mounting part is in the range of 35 mm≦

A≦

100 mm.

16. An air pressure adjusting device, comprising:

the wheel described in claim 1;

a pressurizing and depressurizing pump that connects to the opening on the hub mounting part side of the air passage of the wheel and increases or decreases the air pressure of the pneumatic tire mounted on the wheel;

a pressure sensor that detects the air pressure of the pneumatic tire; and

a control unit that drives and controls the pressurizing and depressurizing pump based on an output signal from the pressure sensor.

17. The air pressure adjusting device of claim 16, wherein the pressure sensor is installed in the wheel and the air pressure of an air chamber of the pneumatic tire is measured directly.

18. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the wheel comprises a material selected from the group consisting of cast aluminum, forged aluminum, resin, and a composite of resin and aluminum.

19. The wheel according to claim 18, wherein the wheel comprises the resin, the resin being heat-curable and containing short reinforcing fibers.

20. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the flow path cross-sectional area S of the air passages is in the range of not less than 120 mm² and not more than 2500 mm².

21. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the flow path cross-sectional area S of the air passages is in the range of not less than 150 mm² and not more than 2000 mm².

22. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the radial-direction width A of the mounting surface of the hub mounting part is in the range of 37 mm≦

A≦

90 mm.

23. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the radial-direction width A of the mounting surface of the hub mounting part is in the range of 40 mm≦

A≦

80 mm.

24. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the mounting surface of the hub mounting part is in the range of 140 mm≦

C≦

300 mm.

25. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein a planar surface of the hub mounting part is configured to mate with a planar surface of a hub, wherein the air passage opens on the planar surface of the hub mounting part and is positioned to receive air from an air passage in the hub which opens to the planar surface of the hub.

26. The wheel according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of the air passages that are mutually independent;

and a plurality of openings on the outer circumferential surface of the rim that have mutually different cross-sectional shapes.

27. A wheel, formed by attaching a rim and a hub mounting part via an attaching portion, having a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim, and mounted on a vehicle by the hub mounting part, the wheel comprising

an air passage that penetrates through the attaching portion and opens on an outer circumferential surface of the rim and a mounting surface of the hub mounting part, wherein a planar surface of the hub mounting part is configured to mate with a planar surface of a hub, wherein the air passages have a plurality of openings on the outer circumferential surface of the rim, and the plurality of openings have mutually different cross-sectional shapes.

28. A wheel, formed by attaching a rim and a hub mounting part via an attaching portion, having a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim, and mounted on a vehicle by the hub mounting part, the wheel comprising

an air passage that penetrates through the attaching portion and opens on an outer circumferential surface of the rim and a mounting surface of the hub mounting part, wherein a planar surface of the hub mounting part is configured to mate with a planar surface of a hub, wherein the air passage opens on the planar surface of the hub mounting part and is positioned to receive air from an air passage in the hub which opens to the planar surface of the hub.