Tension-based non-pneumatic tire

US8176957B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Resilient Technologies, LLC. · US

Inventors

• Ali Manesh · Chicago, US
• Michael John Tercha · Weston, US
• Brian Meliska · Weston, US
• Fidelis Ceranski · Marathon, US
• Glenn Howland · Kronenwetter, US
• Louie Stark · Mosinee, US
• Karen Hauch · Wausau, US
• Todd Petersen · Ringle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 20, 2009
• Grant date: May 15, 2012
• Expiry date: Jan 30, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T152/10297
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A non-pneumatic tire for supporting a load by working in tension comprising a generally annular inner ring, a generally annular outer ring, and an interconnected web having a plurality of web elements and comprising a plurality of generally polygonal openings. Web elements are sized, curved, oriented, and comprised of varying thicknesses of material which facilitates buckling when subjected to a compressive load. By buckling, those elements in a deformed portion of the tire between a wheel and a footprint region where the tire contacts a surface can assume a significantly reduced portion of the load, if any. This causes web elements in other portions of the interconnected web to operate in tension to support the load.