TUBELESS PNEUMATIC TIRES

Abstract

A tubeless pneumatic tire. A first bead at one side of the tire has a greater rigidity and/or strength, or outer size; a first lip at the same side as the first bead is provided on a first bead seat away from a hub groove and a second lip at the same side as the second bead is provided on a second bead seat close to the hub groove. An outer side of the hub is adjacent to the hub groove, so that when a vehicle is stationary on a horizontal ground and the tire is flattened without gas support, the bears all or most of a load at a side away from the hub groove. Therefore, this application can prevent the second tire bead provided on the second bead seat adjacent to the hub groove from sliding into the hub groove once a puncture occurs during the high-speed driving, avoiding the traffic accidents caused by the loss of control of braking and steering.

Claims

1. A tubeless pneumatic tire, comprising: a first bead and a second bead; wherein a rigidity of the first bead is greater than a rigidity of the second bead, and/or a strength of the first bead is greater than a strength of the second bead; a first lip at the same side as the first bead is provided on a first bead seat away from a hub groove; and a second lip at the same side as the second bead is provided on a second bead seat close to the hub groove.

2. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 1, wherein when a vehicle is stationary on a level ground and the tubeless pneumatic tire is flattened without support by air pressure, an inner surface of the first bead is attached to an inner surface of the tubeless pneumatic tire and the tubeless pneumatic tire at a side away from the hub groove bears all or most load.

3. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 2, wherein a load borne by the tubeless pneumatic tire at the side away from the hub groove is at least 1.1 times more than the tubeless pneumatic tire at a side close to the hub groove.

4. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 1, wherein the first bead is greater than the second bead in outer size.

5. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 4, wherein the first bead is provided with a first thickening portion at an outer surface above a first rim flange away from the hub groove, and/or an inner surface of the first bead is provided with a second thickening portion.

6. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 4, wherein the first bead comprises a first apex; the second bead comprises a second apex; and the first apex is greater than the second apex in outer size.

7. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 1, wherein at least one of materials used in respective portions of the first bead has a rigidity greater than that of a material used in the corresponding portion of the second bead, and/or has a strength greater than that of a material used in the corresponding portion of the second bead.

8. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 7, wherein the first bead comprises a first apex; the second bead comprises a second apex; and a rigidity of the first apex is greater than that of the second apex, and/or a strength of the first apex is greater than that of the second apex.

9. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 1, wherein a first rim flange away from the hub groove is the same as a second rim flange close to the hub groove in diameter; and the second rim flange is arranged at an outside of a vehicle.

10. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 1, wherein the second bead is arranged on the second bead seat at an outside of a vehicle; the first bead is provided with a plurality of reinforcing members at a position above a first rim flange away from the hub groove; the plurality of reinforcing members, with an elastic modulus at 20 C. of more than 2000 MPa, are uniformly distributed on a circumference of the first bead.

11. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 10, wherein the reinforcing members are made of aluminum alloy, steel, alloy steel, zinc alloy, carbon fiber, nylon or glass fiber.

12. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 11, wherein the reinforcing members are formed by die casting, injection molding, forging or extrusion.

13. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 10, wherein when a vehicle is stationary on a level ground and the tubeless pneumatic tire is flattened without support by air pressure, a height of the reinforcing members along a diameter of the tubeless pneumatic tire is greater than a product of a distance between projections of the first rim flange and a second rim flange in an axial direction of a rim and a tangent value of a wheel camber.

14. A tubeless pneumatic tire, comprising a first bead and a second bead; wherein the first bead is greater than the second bead in outer size; a first lip at the same side as the first bead is provided on a first bead seat away from a hub groove; and a second lip at the same side as the second bead is provided on a second bead seat close to the hub groove.

15. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 14, wherein the first bead is provided with a first thickening portion at an outer surface above a first rim flange away from the hub groove, and/or an inner surface of the first bead is provided with a second thickening portion.

16. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 14, wherein when a vehicle is stationary on a level ground and the tubeless pneumatic tire is flattened without support by air pressure, an inner surface of the first bead is attached to an inner surface of the tubeless pneumatic tire and the tubeless pneumatic tire at a side away from the hub groove bears all or most load.

17. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 16, wherein a load borne by the tubeless pneumatic tire at the side away from the hub groove is at least 1.1 times more than the tubeless pneumatic tire at a side adjacent to the hub groove.

18. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 14, wherein the first bead comprises a first apex; the second bead comprises a second apex; and the first apex is greater than the second apex in outer size.

19. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 14, wherein a first rim flange away from the hub groove is the same as a second rim flange close to the hub groove in diameter; and the second rim flange is arranged at an outside of a vehicle.

20. The tubeless pneumatic tire of claim 14, wherein the first bead is greater than the second bead in height.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tubeless pneumatic tire according to the invention.

[0050] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a hub and a tubeless pneumatic tire in an inflation state.

[0051] FIG. 3 is another cross-sectional view of a hub and a tubeless pneumatic tire in an inflation state.

[0052] FIG. 4 is yet another cross-sectional view of a hub and a tubeless pneumatic tire in an inflation state.

[0053] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a hub and an ordinary tire in an inflation state.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a hub and an ordinary tire being flattened without air pressure.

[0055] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a hub and a tubeless pneumatic tire being flattened.

[0056] FIG. 8 schematically shows a hub.

[0057] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a hub and a tubeless pneumatic tire in an inflation state.

[0058] FIG. 10 schematically shows the circular distribution of the reinforcing members.

[0059] FIG. 11 schematically shows the rim when the steering wheel is flattened to be free of air pressure.

[0060] FIG. 12 schematically shows the camber of the right wheel.

[0061] In the drawings: 10tubeless pneumatic tire; 11third thickening portion; 12first bead; 13first apex; 14second thickening portion; 15second bead; 16first thickening portion; 17first lip; 18second lip; 19second apex; 20ordinary tire; 30hub; 31first rim flange; 32first bead seat; 33hub groove; 34second bead seat; 35second rim flange; 36rim inner surface; 37rim; 38outside of the hub; 39distance between projections of the two rims in the axial direction of the rim; 40hub assembly of a tubeless pneumatic tire; 50ordinary tire hub assembly; 60level ground; 101tire ply; 102reinforcing member; 103gap; 104angle equal to the camber; and 105height difference.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0062] Technical solutions of this application will be further illustrated below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8, in an ordinary tire hub assembly 50, an ordinary tire 20 is provided on a rim 37. On a hub 30, a first rim flange 31 away from a hub groove 33 and a second rim flange 35 close to the hub groove 33 have the same shape and diameter, and the second rim flange 35 close to the hub groove 33 is provided at an outside of a vehicle. When a puncture occurs to the vehicle during the high-speed driving on a level ground 60, the ordinary tire 20 will be flattened and the loads on both sides of the wheel are similar or the load on the left side is relatively large. In the case that the ordinary tire 20 undergoes a rightward lateral force applied by the level ground 60, it is easy for a second lip 18 at the left side to slide from a second bead seat on the rim 37 close to the hub groove 33 into the hub groove 33. After the second tlip 18 at the left side slides into hub groove 33, the friction between the hub 30 and the tire will be greatly reduced, and at this time, once the emergency braking is performed, a relative rotation will inevitably occur between the hub 30 and the tire, losing the control of the brake. In addition, after the second lip 18 slides into hub groove 33, the steering sensitivity may become poor, resulting in the loss of control of the steering, and the second rim flange 35 adjacent to the hub groove 33 may directly contact with the level ground 60, which may easily cause traffic accidents such as turnover and drifting.

Example 1

[0064] This embodiment provides a tubeless pneumatic tire, which is used for a steering wheel. As shown in FIGS. 4, 8 and 12, on a hub 30, a first rim flange 31 away from a hub groove 33 and a second rim flange 35 close to the hub groove 33 have the same shape and diameter, and in a tubeless pneumatic tire hub assembly 40, a tubeless pneumatic tire 10 is provided on a rim 37. A first apex 13 on a first bead 12 at one side of the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 is made of a reinforced rubber having a large rigidity and strength, and the rigidity and strength of the first apex 13 are respectively greater than the rigidity and strength of a second apex 19 at another side of the tubeless pneumatic tire 10. A first lip 17 at the same side as the first bead 12 is provided on a first bead seat 32 away from the hub groove 33 and a second lip 18 at the same side as a second bead 15 is provided on a second bead seat 34 close to the hub groove 33. When a vehicle is stationary on a level ground 60 and the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 is flattened without support by air pressure, a camber of the steering wheel will be positive and the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 at a side away from the hub groove 33 will bear all load.

[0065] Once a puncture occurs during the high-speed driving on the level ground 60, the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 will be flattened and bear all load at a side away from the hub groove 33.

[0066] When the level ground 60 applies a rightward lateral force to the tubeless pneumatic tire 10, the second lip 18 at the left side will not slide from the second bead seat 34 on the rim 37 close to the hub groove 33 into the hub groove 33, avoiding the loss of control of braking and steering and ensuring the driving safety.

[0067] When the level ground 60 applies a leftward lateral force to the tubeless pneumatic tire 10, the first lip 17 at the right side will slide from the first bead seat 32 away from the hub groove 33, and since the first lip 17 at the right side is away from the hub groove 33, the first lip 17 at the right side will not slide into the hub groove 33. A sidewall of the first lip 17 at the right side is made of a silicone rubber having a larger coefficient of friction than the natural rubber with respect to a rim inner surface 36, so that, after the slide, a large friction is generated between the sidewall of the first lip 17 at the right side and the rim inner surface 36, avoiding the loss of control of braking and steering and ensuring the driving safety.

Example 2

[0068] This embodiment provides a tubeless pneumatic tire, which is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 7 and 8. On a hub 30, a first rim flange 31 away from a hub groove 33 and a second rim flange 35 close to the hub groove 33 have the same shape and diameter, and in a tubeless pneumatic tire hub assembly 40, a tubeless pneumatic tire 10 is provided on a rim 37. A first apex 13 on a first bead 12 at one side of the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 has a larger size than a second apex 19 at another side of the tubeless pneumatic tire 10. An inner surface of the first bead is provided with a second thickening portion 14 and an inner side of the first apex 13 is provided with a third thickening portion 11. A first tire bead 17 of the first bead 12 is provided on a first bead seat 32 away from the hub groove 33 and a second lip 18 of a second bead 15 is provided on a second bead seat 34 close to the hub groove 33. When a vehicle is stationary on a level ground 60 and the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 is flattened without support by air pressure, the two inner surfaces of the tire at the first bead 12 are pressed and attached together while the two inner surfaces at the second bead 15 are not attached together after being pressed, so that the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 at a side away from the hub groove 33 bears all e load.

[0069] Once a puncture occurs during the high-speed driving on the level ground 60, the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 will be flattened and bear all load at the side away from the hub groove 33.

[0070] When the level ground 60 applies a rightward lateral force to the tubeless pneumatic tire 10, the second lip 18 at the left side will not slide from the second bead seat 34 on the rim 37 close to the hub groove 33 into the hub groove 33, avoiding the loss of control of braking and steering and ensuring the driving safety.

[0071] When the level ground 60 applies a leftward lateral force to the tubeless pneumatic tire 10, the first tire bead 17 at the right side will slide from the first bead seat 32 away from the hub groove 33, and since the first lip 17 at the right side is away from the hub groove 33, the first lip 17 at the right side will not slide into the hub groove 33. A sidewall of the first lip 17 at the right side is made of a material having a larger coefficient of friction than the natural rubber with respect to a rim inner surface 36, so that, after the slide, a large friction is generated between the sidewall of the first lip 17 at the right side and the rim inner surface 36, avoiding the loss of control of braking and steering and ensuring the driving safety.

Example 3

[0072] This embodiment provides a tubeless pneumatic tire, which is shown in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8. On a hub 30, a first rim flange 31 away from a hub groove 33 and a second rim flange 35 close to the hub groove 33 have the same shape and diameter, and in a tubeless pneumatic tire hub assembly 40, a tubeless pneumatic tire 10 is provided on a rim 37. A first thickening portion 16 is merely provided at the first bead 12 at an outer surface above a first rim flange 31. A first lip 17 of the first bead 12 is provided on a first bead seat 32 away from the hub groove 33 and a second lip 18 of a second bead 15 is provided on a second bead seat 34 close to the hub groove 33. When a vehicle is stationary on a level ground 60 and the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 is flattened without support by air pressure, the two inner surfaces of the tire at the first bead 12 are pressed and attached together while the two inner surfaces at the second bead 15 are not attached together after being pressed, so that the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 bears all load at a side away from the hub groove 33.

[0073] Once a puncture occurs during the high-speed driving on the level ground 60, the tubeless pneumatic tire 10 will be flattened and bear all load at the side away from the hub groove 33.

[0074] When the level ground 60 applies a rightward lateral force to the tubeless pneumatic tire 10, the second lip 18 at the left side will not slide from the second bead seat 34, close to the hub groove 33, on the rim 37 into the hub groove 33, avoiding the loss of control of braking and steering and ensuring the driving safety.

[0075] When the level ground 60 applies a leftward lateral force to the tubeless pneumatic tire 10, the first lip 17 at the right side will slide from the first bead seat 32 away from the hub groove 33, and since the first tire bead 17 at the right side is away from the hub groove 33, the first lip 17 at the right side will not slide into the hub groove 33. A sidewall of the first tire bead 17 at the right side is made of a material having a larger coefficient of friction than the natural rubber with respect to a rim inner surface 36, so that, after the slide, a large friction is generated between the sidewall of the first lip 17 at the right side and the rim inner surface 36, avoiding the loss of control of braking and steering and ensuring the driving safety.

Example 4

[0076] This embodiment provides a tubeless pneumatic tire, which is obtained by merely improving the rigidity and/or strength of the first apex 13 at one side of the first bead 12 of the tubeless pneumatic tire in Embodiments 2 and 3. Specifically, the first apex 13 at one side of the first bead 12 is made of a reinforced rubber with a relatively large rigidity and strength, which can ensure that the tire has a desirable bearing capacity and a less increase in the weight.

Example 5

[0077] This embodiment provides a tubeless pneumatic tire, which is shown in FIGS. 8-11. The wheel is a front wheel and the hub outside 38 is adjacent to the hub groove 33. The first bead 12 is provided at the first bead seat 32 away from the hub groove 33. The reinforcing members 102 are only provided in the first bead 12 and distributed annularly and uniformly around the first bead 12. A gap 103 provided between the adjacent reinforcing members 102 is filled with a rubber material. The reinforcing member 102 is made of a low-density aluminum alloy material and has a cross section of I shape.

[0078] The reinforcing member 102 is coated with a cord ply 101, which can prevent the reinforcing member 102 from falling off in use. The rubber material filled in the gap 103 between the adjacent reinforcing members 102 can ensure that the bead has a certain bendability and deformability and the tire can be successfully assembled and disassembled.

[0079] The height difference 105 is equal to a product of the distance 39 between the projections of the first rim flange 31 and the second rim flange 35 in an axial direction of the rim 37 and a tangent of an angle 104 equal to the camber. A height of the reinforcing member 102 in a direction of the tire diameter is 5 mm greater than the height difference 105, which can ensure that after the tire is flattened without support by air pressure, the reinforcing members 102 at the side of the first bead 12 can bear most load. In addition, the reinforcing members 102 have a certain width, which can ensure a larger contact area with the first rim flange 31 away from the hub groove 33, protecting the first rim flange 31 from being excessively impacted and from being damaged.

[0080] Through such an arrangement, the second tire bead 18 can be avoided sliding into the hub groove when the tire is free of air pressure on a flat road, avoiding the loss of control of braking and steering and ensuring the driving safety.

Example 6

[0081] This embodiment provides a tubeless pneumatic tire, which is different from the tire of Embodiment 5 in that the first bead 12 and the second bead 15 respectively at two sides of the tire have the same size and the reinforcing members 102 are merely provided on the first bead seat 32 away from the hub groove 33.

Example 7

[0082] This embodiment provides a tubeless pneumatic tire, which is different from the tire of Embodiment 5 in that the reinforcing member 102 may have a cross-section of other shapes, such as circle and polygon.

[0083] The order of the above embodiments is merely intended to facilitate the description, and has nothing to do with the pros and cons of respective embodiments.

[0084] It should be noted that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the invention but are not intended to limit the invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that any equivalent modifications or replacements made to these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention should fall within the scope of the invention.