Vehicle wheel and tire information acquisition device fitting

• US 9,517,666 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Kanenari, Daisuke, Araki, Yasuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Kotter, Kip T
• Application Number:
  US14/360,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20140311232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0494 Valve stem attachments positioned inside the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 29/02 Connection to rims

Abstract

A vehicle wheel includes a rim that extends in the wheel circumferential direction, that includes a rim hump formed in a convex form projecting to the outside in the wheel radial direction, and a through hole formed on a rim inclined face that is slanted to an inside in the wheel radial direction on an inside in a wheel width direction from a top of the rim hump. When the tire is fitted, a tire cavity region facing the rim hump is formed. The wheel includes a tire valve fitted to the through hole and a tire information acquisition device installed in the tire cavity region on the tire valve that acquires tire information on the condition of gas filling the tire cavity region. A fitting is provided between the rim inclined face and the tire information acquisition device.

Claims

1. A vehicle wheel, comprising:

a rim including

a rim hump extending in a wheel radial direction and protruding to an outside in a wheel radial direction, the rim hump including

a rim inclined face slanted to an inside in the wheel radial direction on an inside in a wheel width direction from a top of the rim hump, the rim inclined face having an opening of a through hole;

a tire valve inserted into the through hole;

a tire information acquisition device installed on the tire valve in a tire cavity region between the rim and a tire fitted on the rim, the tire information acquisition device configured to acquire tire information on the condition of gas filling the tire cavity region; and

a fitting provided between the rim inclined face and the tire information acquisition device, the fitting including a device contact surface configured to contact the tire information acquisition device, an outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the device contact surface being provided in a position within a range from 3 mm to the inside from an outermost end of a fitting contact surface of the tire information acquisition device to 3 mm to the outside from the outermost end of the fitting contact surface in the wheel radial direction or to the outside of the outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the fitting contact surface, the fitting contact surface configured to contact the fitting, wherein

the fitting includes a first member and a second member on opposite sides in the wheel circumferential direction with reference to the central axis of the through hole, the first member and the second member extending along the wheel circumferential direction from the opening of the through hole in directions away from each other,

each of the first member and the second member includes a rim hump contact surface that contacts the rim inclined face, and

the outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the rim hump contact surface is provided at a position to the inside in the wheel radial direction of the top of the hump.

2. The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein the rim includes a connecting surface connected to the rim inclined face and is provided on the inside in the wheel width direction with respect to the rim inclined face, and, on the inside in the wheel radial direction with respect to the tire information acquisition device, and

the fitting contacts the connecting surface.

3. The vehicle wheel according to claim 2, wherein fitting further includes a connecting portion connecting the first member and the second member in the wheel circumferential direction.

4. The vehicle wheel according to claim 2, wherein the fitting has a convex portion on the device contact surface, the convex portion projecting towards the tire information acquisition device, and the tire information acquisition device has a recess portion that engages with the convex portion.

5. The vehicle wheel according to claim 2, wherein the tire information acquisition device has a convex portion on the fitting contact surface, the convex portion projecting towards the fitting, and the fitting has a recess portion that engages with the convex portion.

6. The vehicle wheel according to claim 2, wherein,

one of the tire information acquisition device and the fitting has a convex portion projecting towards the other, and

the other has a recess portion configured to engage with the convex portion.

7. The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein the fitting includes a rim hump contact surface that contacts the rim inclined face, and

the outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the rim hump contact surface is provided at a position to the inside in the wheel radial direction of the top of the hump.

8. The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member are integrally formed.

9. The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein

one of the tire information acquisition device and the fitting has a convex portion protruding towards the other, and

the other has a recess portion configured to engage with the convex portion.

10. The vehicle wheel according to claim 1, wherein the rim complies with ISO 4209-2.

11. A fitting for a tire information acquisition device, the fitting configured to be provided between a rim and the tire information acquisition device,

the rim including a rim hump extending in a wheel circumferential direction and protruding to an outside in a wheel radial direction, the rim hump including

a rim inclined face slanted to an inside in the wheel radial direction on an inside in a wheel width direction from a top of the rim hump, the rim inclined face having an opening of a through hole,

the tire information acquisition device installed on a tire valve in a tire cavity region between the rim and a tire fitted on the rim, the tire information acquisition device configured to acquire tire information on the condition of gas filling the tire cavity region,

the fitting including a device contact surface configured to contact the tire information acquisition device, an outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the device contact surface configured to be provided in a position within a range from 3 mm to the inside from an outermost end of a fitting contact surface of the tire information acquisition device to 3 mm to the outside from the outermost end of the fitting contact surface in the wheel radial direction or to the outside of the outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the fitting contact surface, the fitting contact surface configured to contact the fitting when the fitting is provided between the rim and the tire information acquisition device, wherein

the fitting includes a first member and a second member on opposite sides in the wheel circumferential direction with reference to the central axis of the through hole, the first member and the second member extending along the wheel circumferential direction from the opening of the through hole in directions away from each other,

each of the first member and the second member includes a rim hump contact surface that contacts the rim inclined face, and

the outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the rim hump contact surface is provided at a position to the inside in the wheel radial direction of the top of the hump.

12. A vehicle wheel, comprising:

a rim including a rim hump extending in a wheel circumferential direction and protruding to an outside in a wheel radial direction, the rim hump including

a rim inclined face slanted to an inside in the wheel radial direction on an inside in a wheel width direction from a top of the rim hump, and

a through hole having an opening in the rim inclined face;

a tire valve inserted into the through hole;

a tire information acquisition device installed on the tire valve in a tire cavity region between the rim and a tire fitted on the rim, the tire information acquisition device configured to acquire tire information on the condition of gas filling the tire cavity region; and

a fitting provided between the rim inclined face and the tire information acquisition device, the fitting including

a first member and a second member on opposite sides in the wheel circumferential direction with reference to the central axis of the through hole, the first member and the second member extending along the wheel circumferential direction from the opening of the through hole in directions away from each other, wherein

each of the first member and the second member includes a rim hump contact surface that contacts the rim inclined face, and

an outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the rim hump contact surface is provided at a position to the inside in the wheel radial direction of the top of the hump.

13. The vehicle wheel according to claim 12, wherein

each of the first member and the second member has a device contact surface configured to contact the tire information acquisition device,

an outermost end in the wheel radial direction of the device contact surface is configured to be provided to the outside of an outermost end in the wheel radial direction of a fitting contact surface of the tire information acquisition device, the fitting contact surface configured to contact the fitting.

14. The vehicle wheel according to claim 12, wherein the fitting further includes a connecting portion connecting the first member and the second member in the wheel circumferential direction.

15. The vehicle wheel according to claim 14, wherein

the rim includes a connecting surface connected to the rim inclined face and provided on the inside in the wheel width direction with respect to the rim inclined face, and, on the inside in the wheel radial direction with respect to the tire information acquisition device, and

the connecting portion contacts the connecting surface.