CONTAINER FOR TIRE-BALANCING MATERIAL

Abstract

A container system for particles of a tire-balancing material has a first container for holding the particles and a second container for holding at least one accessory such as a tire-valve core. The second container is connected to the first container and a perforation is provided between the first container and the second container. The first container has a duct dimensioned to release the particles, and oriented towards the second container. The duct is sealed by the second container as a result of connection between the first and second containers. Before use, the first container is opened by separating the second container along the perforation. The opened first container is placed in a tire, where the duct facilitates a smooth flow of the particles from inside the first container into the tire. The tire-valve core is removed from the second container and applied to the wheel.

Claims

1. A container system configured to hold particles of a tire-balancing material, the container system comprising: a first container dimensioned to store the particles therein, the first container having a duct dimensioned to release the particles from the first container; and a second container configured to hold at least one accessory therein; wherein the second container is attached to the first container along a perforation provided therebetween to seal the duct, and wherein the container system is made of (i) paper or (ii) a combination of paper and plastic material.

2. The container system according to claim 1, wherein the duct is configured to be opened by separating or tearing off the second container from the first container along the perforation.

3. The container system according to claim 1, further comprising a duct seal disposed to seal the duct.

4. The container system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one accessory is a tire valve core or a tire valve cap.

5. The container system according to claim 1, wherein the perforation comprises a plurality of holes.

6. The container system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the holes of said plurality penetrates into an inner volume of the first container.

7. The container system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the holes of said plurality penetrates into an inner volume of the second container.

8. A system for balancing a tire, the system comprising: a container system configured to hold particles of a tire-balancing material, the container system including a first container dimensioned to store the particles in an inner volume thereof, the first container having a duct dimensioned to release the particles from the first container; and a second container configured to hold at least one accessory and connected to the first container along a perforation between the first and second containers to seal said duct, wherein the container system is made of (i) paper, or (ii) a combination of paper and plastic material, or (iii) a composite material comprising a plastic material and paper, and said particles, contained in the inner volume of the first container.

9. The system for balancing the tire according to claim 8, further comprising at least one accessory disposed in the second container.

10. A method for applying particles of a tire-balancing material into a tire, the method comprising: providing a container system that includes: a first container dimensioned to store said particles therein and having a duct, a second container connected to the first container along a perforation to seal the duct, the second container dimensioned to holding at least one accessory; removing the second container from the first container along the perforation and thereby opening the duct, and placing the first container in the tire.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said providing includes providing the container system comprising: a first container dimensioned to store the particles therein, the first container having a duct dimensioned to release the particles from the first container; and a second container configured to hold at least one accessory therein; wherein the second container is attached to the first container along a perforation provided therebetween to seal the duct, and wherein the container system is made of (i) paper or (ii) a combination of paper and plastic material or (iii) a composite material including a plastic material and paper.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: removing the at least one accessory from the second container and applying the at least one accessory to the tire.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the removing includes at least one of a tire valve core and a valve cap from the second container.

14. A container system configured to hold particles of a tire-balancing material, the container system comprising: a first container dimensioned to store the particles therein and having a duct dimensioned to release the particles from the first container; and a second container configured to hold at least one accessory and connected to the first container along a perforation therebetween to seal the duct; wherein the perforation comprises a plurality of holes and wherein at least one of the holes from said plurality penetrates into at least one of (i) an inner volume of the first container—and (ii) an inner volume of the second container.

15. The container system according to claim 14, wherein the duct is configured to be opened by separating or tearing off the second container from the first container along the perforation.

16. The container system according to claim 14, further comprising a duct seal disposed to seal the duct.

17. The container system according to claim 14, wherein the at least one accessory is a tire valve core or a valve cap.

18. The container system according to claim 14, wherein the container system is made of (I) paper or (ii) a combination of paper and a plastic material or (iii) a composite material comprising a plastic material and paper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] In the following, the invention will be described by way of example, without limitation of the general inventive concept, on examples of embodiment and with reference to the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the invention.

[0018] FIG. 2 shows an open first container of an embodiment of the invention.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a slightly modified (as compared to that of FIG. 1) embodiment of a container system.

[0020] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment with one container.

[0021] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment with two connected containers.

[0022] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment with an additional seal.

[0023] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view through the first container of the embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view through the duct of the embodiment.

[0025] FIG. 9 shows a sectional view through the second container (illustrating additionally, an accessory contained within the second container).

[0026] FIG. 10 shows a tire with a first container.

[0027] It is appreciated that embodiments of the invention can be modified and altered as appropriate, and that only specific embodiments are shown as examples in the drawings and described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description are not intended to limit the invention to the particular specific form(s), but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a container system 200, which includes a first container 210 and a second container 220. The first container 210 has a duct 230 oriented towards the second container 220. Preferably, the second container 220 contains at least one accessory 310, which comprises a tire valve core and/or a tire valve and/or a valve cap. Furthermore, a perforation 240 is formed between the first container 210 and the second container 220 such that when the second container is separated from the first container along the perforation, the duct 230 is opened. The perforation is formed by a plurality of holes 241, preferably small holes or slots, which may have been punched into the container system. As long as the first container is held upright with the duct 230 to the top, the balancing material remains in the first container even when the duct is open. The first container is then placed in a tire, whereby the balancing material slowly flows out of the first container 210 through the duct 230. It is preferred to have the container system made of plastics and/or paper, and/or a combination thereof. Most preferably, it is configured as a paper-plastic composite bag. It is preferred, if the system has a sealing element 260, which is used to seal first and a second sheets of material that form, during the fabrication of the system, enclosure(s) of the a first container and a second container. The sealing element may be glued, stemmed, welded, or made by another technology to seal the container system. It may be preferred, if at least one of the holes 241 of the perforation 240 penetrates into or through the first container 210 and/or the second container 220. Such arrangement may be chosen to allow air to exit from the inner space of the first container and/or the second container, for example to allow the container(s) to be compressed, which may save space for transport and storage.

[0029] In FIG. 2, a first container with an open duct 230 is shown. The balancing material 100 is illustrated to be flowing out 110 of the container into the tire.

[0030] In FIG. 3, a slightly modified embodiment of a container system is shown. Here, the duct 230 is covered with a cover 231 (which may also be part of the container system). The duct seal 231 is separated by the perforation 240 from the duct and, therefore, can be torn off when removing the second container 220 of the system.

[0031] In FIG. 4, an embodiment with only one container is shown. Here, a sealing strip 232 is included, which can be removed from the container system by removing or tearing it off at the perforation 240.

[0032] In FIG. 5, an embodiment with a first container 210 connected to a second container 220 is shown. Here, the duct 230 is not closed. Instead, the second container 220 serves as a cover for the duct. Therefore, while the balancing material may flow into the second container 220, the flow of it outside of the container system is prevented. By tearing off the second container 220 from the first container 210, the duct 230 is again opened and balancing material may flow to the outside.

[0033] In FIG. 6, an embodiment with an additional seal 235 at the duct is shown. This seal may be a small piece of adhesive tape, or it may be of the same material as the container system is. This seal may open, when the container is placed in a tire.

[0034] In FIG. 7, a sectional view through the first 210 container is shown. Here, the container system as well as the first container 210 comprises or is formed with a first layer 201 and a second layer 202, which layers are connected together at the rim 260. The layers preferably are made of paper and/or plastic(s), and/or a combination thereof. The first container is enclosing balancing material 100.

[0035] In FIG. 8, a sectional view through the duct 230 is shown. Here, again, the first layer 201 and the second layer 202 can be seen.

[0036] In FIG. 9, a sectional view through the second container is shown. Here, between the first layer 201 and the second layer 202, an accessory 210 like a valve may be enclosed as shown.

[0037] FIG. 10 shows a tire 400 with a first container 210 and particles of balancing material flowing out of the first container.

[0038] It will be appreciated to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this invention is believed to provide a method, a container or a bag for containing and applying a balancing material into the interior of vehicular tires. Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description, Accordingly, this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments. Elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein, parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention. Changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0039] 100 balancing material [0040] 110 balancing material outside of container [0041] 200 container system [0042] 201 first layer [0043] 202 second layer [0044] 210 first container [0045] 220 second container [0046] 230 duct [0047] 231 duct seal [0048] 232 sealing strip [0049] 235 additional seal [0050] 240 perforation [0051] 241 hole of perforation [0052] 260 rim [0053] 310 accessory [0054] 400 tire