A MODULAR TYRE LINER

Abstract

There is provided a piece for a modular tyre liner, the piece being planar and generally rectangular and cut to define: a key head and a key hole, the key head configured for insertion into an associated key hole of an adjacent piece for engagement in use to form a mechanical interlock with the adjacent piece and wherein the key head and a key hole are configured for allowing movement of the piece with respect to the adjacent piece along the length of the liner in use.

Claims

1. A piece for a modular inner tyre liner, the piece: being planar and generally rectangular; having a narrowing at a point along an elongate axis thereof formed by cutouts in from opposite side edges thereof, thereby dividing the piece into an insertion tab section and an insertion section, the insertion section having a greater surface area than that of the insertion tab section; and wherein: the insertion section comprises an insertion aperture for receiving an insertion tab section of an adjacent similar piece therethrough; the insertion aperture comprises a transverse slot orthogonal to the elongate axis and an in-line slot along the elongate axis, the in-line slot connecting from a midpoint of the transverse slot and extending towards the narrowing, such that the piece is configured for connection to the adjacent similar piece by: folding the insertion tab section about the elongate axis, inserting the insertion tab section, so folded, through the in-line slot of the adjacent similar piece; and allowing the insertion tab section to unfold such that the narrowing locates along the transverse slot of the adjacent similar piece.

2. A piece for a modular inner type liner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the narrowing has a length orthogonal to the elongate axis less than that of the transverse slot.

3. A piece for a modular inner type liner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the narrowing has a length orthogonal to the elongate axis of approximately 20 mm.

4. A piece for a modular inner type liner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transverse slot has a length orthogonal to the elongate axis of approximately 22 mm.

5. A piece for a modular inner type liner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insertion tab section has a length along the elongate axis less than a length of the in-line slot along the elongate axis.

6. A piece for a modular inner type liner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transverse slot is spaced away from the narrowing further than a length of the insertion tab section along the elongate axis.

7. A piece for a modular inner type liner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transverse slot has a width along the elongate axis of approximately 6 mm.

8. A piece for a modular inner type liner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transverse slot is located along the elongate axis such that, when interlocking with two adjacent similar pieces, the insertion tab section is sandwiched between respective insertion sections of the two adjacent similar pieces.

9. A piece for a modular inner type liner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the piece comprises a width of approximately 70 mm and a breadth of approximately 40 mm.

10. A method of interconnecting a piece and an adjacent similar piece as claimed in claim 1 for forming a modular inner tyre liner, the method comprising: folding the insertion tab section of the piece along and elongate axis thereof; inserting the insertion tab section, so folded, via the in-line slot of the adjacent similar piece; and allowing the insertion tab section of the piece to unfold to locate along the transverse slot of the adjacent similar piece.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows two adjacent modular pieces for assembly of the liner in accordance with an embodiment;

[0020] FIG. 2 shows the configuration of three interconnected modular pieces;

[0021] FIG. 3 shows an outer view of the assembled liner;

[0022] FIG. 4 shows inner views of the assembled liner;

[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates the bendability of the assembled liner;

[0024] FIG. 6 shows the method for the interconnecting of adjacent modular pieces; and

[0025] FIG. 7 shows the insertion of the assembled liner into a tyre.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a pair of adjacent modular pieces 1 for interlocking together to assemble a modular tyre liner 2 as is substantially shown in FIG. 3-5.

[0027] As can be seen, the piece 1 comprises a substantially planar body 3 which may have a substantially rectangular cross-section thereby defining an elongate axis.

[0028] Once assembled to form the modular tyre liner 2, each piece 1 bends about the elongate axis so as to conform to the substantially semicylindrical periphery of the inner pneumatic tube.

[0029] As is shown in FIG. 1, for mechanical interlocking, each piece 1 comprises a female-type keyhole 4 and a distal male-type key head 5.

[0030] Once assembled, the key head 5 mechanically interlocks with a respective keyhole 4 of an adjacent piece 1.

[0031] The key head 5 is defined by lateral opposite cutouts 6 cut from the edges of the piece 1. The cutouts 6 define a key neck 7 therebetween.

[0032] Relatedly, the keyhole 4 preferably comprises a t-shape cross-section defining a cross slot 8 and a lengthwise slot 9, and wherein the lengthwise slot 9 is orientated towards the key head 5.

[0033] As such, once assembled, the neck 7 locates within and across the cross slot 8 of the keyhole 4. In this regard, the neck 7 comprises a width less than that of the of the cross slot 8 so as to allow the neck 7 to fit within the cross slot 8. For example, the neck 7 may comprise a width of 20 mm and the cross slot 8 may comprise a width of 22 mm.

[0034] Specifically, turning to FIG. 2, there is shown the key head 5 having been inserted through the keyhole 4 such that the neck 7 locates within the cross slot 8.

[0035] Furthermore, the lengthwise slot 9 is provided to facilitate insertion of the key head 5 through the keyhole 4. Specifically, as is shown in FIG. 6A, to mechanically interconnect two pieces 1, the key head 5 is bent in half along the lengthwise axis of the piece 1 so as to be able to be inserted through the lengthwise slot 9 of the keyhole 4 of the adjacent piece 1. As can be appreciated, the lateral cutouts 6 allow the bending of the key head 5 without having to bend the entire piece 1.

[0036] As is shown in FIG. 6B, once the key head 5 passes through the slot 4, the lateral edges of the key head 5 spring back into shape so as to allow the neck 7 to locate within the cross slot 8.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows the assembled tyre liner 1 comprising the constituent pieces 1. FIG. 4 shows the inner side view of the liner 1, being the side facing and contacting the pneumatic inner tube.

[0038] Conversely, FIG. 3 shows the outer side view of the assembled tyre liner 1 that is, the side facing and contacting the tyre.

[0039] Illustration of the travelling shearing boundary wave portion 10 is shown in FIG. 4.

[0040] As can be seen from FIG. 4B, at the shearing boundary wave portion 10, the adjacent pieces 1 move towards each other. Such is illustrated by edges 11 of the key heads 5 extending past the cutouts 6 of the adjacent piece 1.

[0041] However, after the travelling shearing boundary wave 10 has passed as is shown in FIG. 4A, and the adjacent pieces 1 move apart along the elongate axis with respect to each other. Such is illustrated in that the edges 11 of the key heads 5 no longer protruding via the cutouts 6 but are rather now partially exposed via the lengthwise slot 9.

[0042] As can be appreciated, the movement of the pieces 1 with respect to each other in this manner create a shearing action that assists in preventing a foreign body from breaching between adjacent pieces 1 or alternatively physically shearing the foreign body with a scissor-type action that do.

[0043] As can be appreciated from FIG. 2, the particular configuration of the modular pieces 1 (such as the location of the keyhole 4) in accordance with the preferred embodiment provides, at each location of the liner 2, three overlapping portions that provide two shearing boundaries which effectively doubles the shear-type puncture resistance of the liner 2.

[0044] Specifically, as can be seen from FIG. 2, the key head 5 is sandwiched between adjacent portions of the next two pieces 1 in series thereby creating the two shear boundaries adjacent the key head 5.

[0045] As can be best seen from FIG. 1, the breadth of the cross slot 8 is sufficient so as to allow the respective movement of adjacent pieces 1 when the neck 7 is engaged within the cross slot 8.

[0046] For example, the breadth of the cross slot 8 may be approximately 6 mm such that adjacent pieces 1 may move up to 6 mm with respect to each other.

[0047] As is further shown in FIG. 5, such may further allow the liner 2 to bend sideways.

[0048] In an embodiment, the piece 1 comprises a width of approximately 70 mm and a breadth of approximately 40 mm. Furthermore, the key head 5 may comprise a breadth of approximately 20 mm and the cutouts 6 may each comprise a breadth of approximately 6 mm and a width of substantially 10 mm.

[0049] Furthermore, the edge of the cross slot 8 away from the key head 5 may be located approximately 24 mm away from the adjacent edge and the end of the lengthwise slot 9 located approximately 28 mm away from the opposite end.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the pieces 1 are made from a substantially resilient deformable plastic material such as polypropylene sheeting. In embodiments, the pieces 1 are made from a thermoplastic material which were found to conform to the shape of the tyre.

[0051] As is shown in FIG. 7, once the liner 2 has been assembled in the manner described above, the liner 2 may be inserted between the outer tyre 13 and the inner pneumatic tube 14.

[0052] As can be appreciated from the foregoing, the modular liner 2 confers advantages in the manner in which set lengths may be constructed utilising an appropriate number of modular pieces so as to avoid material wastage.

[0053] Furthermore, as opposed to prior art liners which rely exclusively on the barrier method, the modular liner 2 utilises a shearing action to further enhance puncture resistance.

[0054] In accordance with one particular configuration described above, the overlapping portions of the pieces 1 may create two adjacent shear boundaries which double the shearing type puncture resistance of the liner 2.

[0055] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed; obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, they thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.