ROLLING ASSEMBLY

[0001] a rolling assembly.

[0002] the rolling assembly of the invention is preferably used in the field of tires for light vehicles, such as passenger and truck, but also for heavy-duty trucks, agricultural and civil engineering tire.

[0003] is retrieved hereinafter the definitions used in the present invention:

"Axial direction": direction parallel to axis of rotation of the tyre,

"Radial direction": direction intersecting axis of rotation of the tyre and perpendicular thereto,

"Circumferential direction"-: and direction perpendicular to a radius included in a plane perpendicular to axis of rotation of the tyre,

"Radial section": according to a plane which contains axis of rotation of the tyre,

"Equatorial plane": plane perpendicular to axis of rotation and which passes through the centre of the tread,

"Mounted assembly": assembly comprising a pneumatic tire, a rim of steel or aluminum and the adapter according to the invention.

[0004] for the sake of reducing carbon dioxide emissions of motor vehicles, manufacturers wish to decrease the mass of the vehicles but also the rolling resistance of the tires. The reduction of the rolling resistance can be achieved by increasing the outside diameter, and thus, the tires of the wheels.

[0005] but this results in an increase in the mass of the wheel and thus the vehicle.

[0006] also it is known to use lighter weight materials than steel to form the rim, such as aluminum alloys. But such rims, if they are lighter and have a visual appearance more aerated thereby facilitating the release of heat from brakes, are not sufficiently resistant to shocks, such as potholes sidewalks and/or shock.

[0007] Indeed, the shocks received on such rolling elements may cause breakage of one or more of the components of the rolling element (pneumatic and/or rim).

[0008] also there is the need to dispose a rolling assembly is lighter in weight than that of the roller sets the rim is made of steel, and which is improved in impact resistance due to better protection of the tire, while maintaining the performance at a high level of driving performance of the tire, in particular its ability to develop significant drift thrust.

[0009] the invention has for its object a motor vehicle including a tire having two beads, a rim having a rim groove disposed between two rim seats each having an axially outer end said rim having an overall width W between each axial end of said outer element in two rim seats, and an adaptor for securing the junction between each flange and each rim seat.

[0010] the running assembly is characterized in that the adapter comprises

-two axially outer ends each including a seat and an adapter bearing face substantially in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation,

-a body connecting said two outer axial ends to form a unitary piece and comprising at least one main reinforcement armature, and

-a face to be in contact with the groove of the rim, and disposed radially inside,

said adapter having a total axial width between each seat the adapter W/L so that the ratio is greater than or equal to 20% and less than or equal to 60%, in that the body comprises a blocking element for locking said adapter in the groove of the rim, and in that the rim is made of a material selected from aluminium and/or magnesium, composite materials based on carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, plant fibers, said fibers being in a matrix made of thermosetting or thermoplastic compounds, or a complex compound comprising an elastomer and a complex resin and fibers selected from the carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, plant fibers, or combinations of these materials.

[0011] The assembly according to the invention has the advantage of simple constitution while securing good performance with regard to the controllability of the pneumatic, and in particular an ability to develop significant drift thrust, and this with a rim made of an elastic portion and a non-resilient portion.

[0012] In effect, the combination of a resilient rim portion and a rim portion which is inelastic to the rim flange to deform under the effect of an impact by decreasing significantly raised the force created by the wheel and the vehicle.

[0013] Preferably, the carbon-based composite materials include carbon fibers long or short.

[0014] Preferably, composite materials based on fibers comprise fibers having a length greater than or equal to 5 mm.

[0015] Preferably, the matrix-based thermoset compounds is selected from epoxy resins, vinyl ester resins, unsaturated polyesters, the cyanate ester, bismaleimide, acrylic resins, phenolic resins, polyurethanes, and combinations thereof.

[0016] Preferably, the matrix based thermoplastic is selected from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PES), polyamides (Pa), semi-aromatic polyamides, polyester (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), (PEEK) polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone the (PEKK), polyethersulphone (PSU), polyetherimide (PEI), polyimide (PI), polyamideimide (PAI), the (PPS) polyphénylénesulfide , polyoxymethylene (POM), the polyphenylene oxide (PPO).

[0017] Preferably, the ratio W/L is greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 50%.

[0018] W the total width of the rim must be less than the total width of the adapter to the adapter to ensure sufficient elasticity to properly take the transfer of mechanical forces inherent to an impact. Such elasticity cannot be obtained when the width of the rim is too large.

[0019] The ratio W/L as defined in the adapter This ensures to the mounted assembly and inflated, on the one hand, a permanent and sufficient mechanical connection between the tire and the adapter, and on the other hand, proper adsorption forces inherent to a mechanical shock.

[0020] Preferably, each axial outer end includes an outer strength member selected from a metal (steel), a composite material, a thermoplastic material, a resin, nylon, aramid. It may include a matrix of resin and/or reinforcing fibers, such as rayon, aramid, PET, nylon, glass fiber, carbon fiber, basalt fiber, poly (éthylène2 , 6 naphthalate) (PEN), polyvinylalcohol (PVA).

[0021] The locking element may have a total axial length greater than or equal to 10% and less than or equal to 80%, and preferably greater than or equal to 30% and less than or equal to 50% to the total width W of the rim.

[0022] The blocking element is preferably present in the middle portion of the adapter. The locking element can be constituted by one or more interconnected portions or not.

[0023] The blocking element may also be present in the vicinity of one of the axially outer ends or any location on the body disposed between the middle position of the adapter and one of the axially outer ends.

[0024] The groove of the rim may also be disposed offset from the centre line of the rim. The rim would have then two rim seats of different lengths.

[0025] The groove can then be arranged over all possible location on one of the two rim seats.

[0026] The locking member preferably includes a reinforcement which has a modulus of greater than 4GPa extension, and preferably greater than 12GPa. This reinforcement may be selected from the metal (steel), nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), aramid. The blocking member may include a resin matrix and/or reinforcing fibers such as rayon, aramid, the PET, nylon, fiberglass, carbon fiber, basalt fiber, poly (ethylene naphthalate (PEN) 2.6, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), the polyketones.

[0027] the blocking member may be seated to a length "1" located between a central axis YY ' passing through the center of said locking member and one of the bearing surfaces of said adaptor.

[0028] The length "1" is between a minimum length and a maximum length defined by the following mathematical formulae:

lmini = 0.1 (W + W/2 + L) and

= L-0 lmaxi , L (W + W/2 + L)

in the case of a use for a passenger car, the rim seat will have a length equal to at least 5 mm, with

Uni = 5 + 0, 0/2 + 10W, ll and_maxi = L-(5 + 0, 1W/2 + 0, IT)

[0029] the adaptor body may include at least one projection. This projection may be present on an axially upper end, or both. The projection is preferably made of an elastomer conventionally used in the field of pneumatic.

[0030] The body may include at least one projection. The projection may be present on an axially upper end, or both. The projection is preferably made of an elastomer conventionally used in the field of pneumatic. The projection may be made of metal, composite material, of thermoplastic material, resin.

[0031] The position of the projection on the adapter according to the invention can advantageously take over the conditions defined by the parametric ETRTO (the European tyre and rim technical organization).

[0032] Thus the distance "d" between the center of the protrusion and the bearing face of the adapter will be a function of its total axial width of the adaptor. The following table gives a few correspondences between the values of and "D".

3 13

4,16 between 3.5 and

>4,5 21

[0033] The width "a" of rim seat is greater than or equal to 10% of the width ω of the rim.

[0034] The width "B" between the support surface of an axially outer end of the adapter and the axial end of the rim seat closest is greater than or equal to 10% of the total width of the adapter, and preferably greater than or equal to 15%. For the wheel of a passenger vehicle that width" B" is equal to 21 mm.

[0035] The body of the adapter according to the invention is preferably a main reinforcement armature formed by at least one ply cables made of metal (steel), textile (rayon), aramid, PET, nylon, glass fiber, carbon fiber, basalt fiber, poly (éthylène2 , 6naphtalate) (PEN), polyvinylalcohol (PVA), polyketones of parallel to each other in the ply and radial. The sheet is anchored in each axially outer end to each outer reinforcement member, such as a rod to form an upturn. When the body has a plurality of plies, they have an angle of between 90° and 35° with respect to the circumferential direction. When the body includes only a single layer of reinforcing threads, it is oriented between 60° and 90 °, and more preferably at 90 °, with respect to the circumferential direction.

[0036] The reinforcement armature main body may have an extension module or greater than 4GPa.

[0037] the plies and the complex compound preferably include elastomeric components conventionally used in the field of pneumatic, such as rubbers cross-linked by chemical reactions by bridges sulfur vulcanization, by carbon-carbon bonds created by the action of peroxides or ionizing radiation, by other chains of the specific molecule elastomer, secondly, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) wherein the part elastically deformable form a network between regions "hard" deformation and having little cohesion is caused by physical links (crystallite or amorphous regions above their glass transition temperature), then the non-thermoplastic elastomers and thermosetting resins.

[0038] the body of the adapter may include a band disposed on at least a portion of its radially outer surface and/or at least one radially inner portion of the reinforcement armature. The band used according to the invention is selected from materials conventionally used in this function and in the field of pneumatic, extension and having a modulus equal to or greater than 4GPa, 12GPa or even greater than or equal to.

[0039] this ferrule may be integral with or without the adapter. If it is not secured to the adapter, it can be fitted in place after the mounting of the adapter on the rim.

[0040] the hoop may be bonded to cold or hot on the adapter. The hoop may be further fixed by any mechanical means, such as clamping, screwing.

[0041] in the case where the adapter is fixed prior to placement on the rim, then the connection between the rim and the adapter is made of force. The adapter is thereby rendered integral with the rim, and hence non-dismountable.

[0042] the adapter may be bonded to cold or hot on the rim after a preliminary treatment of the metal constituting the rim. When the adapter is glued hot or cold on the rim, the adapter is not dismountable.

[0043] in other cases, it may be considered to be dismountable.

[0044] the invention will now be described using examples figures appended and which are only illustrative, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional schematic view of the assembly according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional schematic view of a first embodiment of the adapter assembly according to the invention, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional schematic view of a second embodiment of the adapter assembly according to the invention, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional schematic view of a third embodiment of the adapter and the rim of the assembly according to the invention,

Fig. 5 is a sectional schematic view of a fourth embodiment of the adapter and of the rim the assembly of the invention.

[0045] As shown in fig. 1, the mounted assembly general reference 1, includes a tire 2 with two beads 3, 4 with a rim groove of the rim 5. The rim is carbon/epoxy. The groove 5 is arranged between two rim seats 6. W the rim has a length equal to 50 mm for a tire of size 7, 5J17. W This length is measured between each axially outer end of each rim seat 6. The assembly 1 further comprises an adapter 7.

[0046] The adapter 7 comprises two axially outer ends 8. Each of these ends of adapter 8 comprises a seat 9 on which rests the bead 2 of the tire 3, and a support face adapter 10 substantially in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the tyre.

[0047] The adapter 7 further includes a body 11 that connects each end 8 and forms a unitary piece. The body 11 is made of a reinforcing tape IIA conventional known in the field of pneumatic.

[0048] when the tire is mounted comes to rest on each seat adapter 9 and bears on each seating face 10. For a tire of size 7, 5J17 , the total axial width between each seat of the adapter 9 is equal to 190.5 mm, and "1" is equal to 56 mm.

[0049] the body 11 comprises in its middle portion, on either side of the median axis XX ', a blocking element 13 having an axial length "1" equal to 25% of the total width L. The locking element 13 is made of rubber which has a modulus equal to 50GPa extension.

[0050] in this embodiment, the adapter does not include a binder. When the rolling assembly according to the invention comprises a ring, the latter is disposed primarily in the middle section of the body 11 on either side of the axis XX ', and is formed from materials conventionally used in pneumatic textile or metal.

[0051] each radially outer end 8 each comprise an outer reinforcement member 14, also known as rod, made of a glass-resin composite material.

[0052] as shown in fig. 2, only the adapter 7 is represented. It comprises a ring 15 disposed on either side of the median axis XX '.

[0053] on the embodiment of fig. 3, the adapter comprises in addition to the foregoing two projections 16 each disposed, on the body 11, at least 21 mm from the end of the supporting surface 10 for a rim 7 dimension, 5J17.

[0054] these two projections 16 are formed in elastomer gum, optionally reinforced by cables arranged in the circumferential direction.

[0055] the mounting of this assembly is done in known conventional manner and by arranging in the adapter to force the rim so that the locking element 13 engages in the groove 5 of the rim 4. The beads of the tire are ΐΐ 2 3

then each disposed on a seat of the adapter 9. The mounted assembly is then brought into its nominal pressure.

[0056] in fig. 3, the blocking element 13 is provided in the middle of the adapter 7.

[0057] as shown in fig. 4, the blocking element 13 is offset with respect to the median axis XX 'of the adapter but centrally with respect to the median axis ZZ' of the rim. It is arranged at a distance "1" greater than or equal to (W/2 + 21).

[0058] the length "1" between the center of the groove of the rim and the axially outer end of the adapter taking into account the constraints physical > 21 mm > 5 mm and B, where a is the width of a rim seat and b the distance between the bearing face 4 of an axially outer end of the adapter and an axial end of a rim seat.

[0059] as shown in fig. 5, the blocking element 8 is disposed offset from the centre axis ZZ " of the rim and with respect to the median axis XX ' of the adapter. In this fig., it is arranged at a distance "1" in mm from the center of the axially outer end of inner side of the vehicle, wherein

1 = L-W + 5 + W/200-21

For a passenger vehicle wheel Pout reference 7.5 j 17, equal to 50 mm mm Wis, l to 190.5 mm to 56 mm and "1".

[0060] the examples that follow show the results obtained with the inventive adapter.

This test comprises increasing a mounted assembly on a sidewalk at a rake angle of 30°. The choice of this angle is based on the fact that it constitutes a very disadvantageous for biasing a tire. The test is performed with two different heights kerb (90 mm and 110 mm).

The test proceeds as follows. A plurality of passages the wheel at different speeds until puncture of the tire. The start rate is 20 km/h, then the speed is incremented with each new 5 km/h passage.

Comparing a set free conventional adapter and with a conventional steel rim (Control 1) to a set of the document/ 78565 WOOO (control 2), and an assembly according to the invention with a carbon/epoxy composite rim (invention). These assemblies are all size 205/55R16 6.5J16 comprising a rim. The results are collected in Table I following and are given in percentage:

Greater than 100 The results show an improvement in the behavior a side impact.

Test height of 90 mm kerb results in the deflation of the tire at a rate of 30 km/h, while the assembly is not damaged at this same speed, or at a rate of 50 km/h.

Test height kerb of 110 mm results in the deflation of the tire at a rate of 20 km/h, while the assembly is not damaged at this same speed, or at a rate of 50 km/h.