US 12,083,837 B2
Nonpneumatic tire having multiple shear hoops
Robert W. Asper, Wadsworth, OH (US)
Assigned to Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Nashville, TN (US)
Appl. No. 17/273,166
Filed by Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Nashville, TN (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/052946
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 3, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/076507, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 16, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/743,092, filed on Oct. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0323351 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. B60C 7/10 (2006.01); B60C 7/00 (2006.01); B60C 7/14 (2006.01)
CPC B60C 7/10 (2013.01) [B60C 7/00 (2013.01); B60C 7/102 (2013.01); B60C 7/146 (2021.08)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nonpneumatic tire comprising:
a plurality of spoke rings, each of the plurality of spoke rings including:
an annular outer surface,
an annular inner surface, and
a plurality of spokes extending between the annular outer surface and the annular inner surface;
a plurality of shear elements, each shear element corresponding to one of the plurality of spoke rings,
wherein each shear element extends circumferentially around the annular outer surface of a corresponding spoke ring,
wherein each shear element includes a single layer of substantially inelastic material that is wrapped around an elastic central region; and
a tread layer extending circumferentially around the plurality of shear elements,
wherein each of the plurality of shear elements is disposed in one of a plurality of ribs in the tread layer, and
wherein no part of the shear elements forms a wall surface of any of the plurality of ribs.
 
8. A nonpneumatic tire, comprising:
an annular outer surface;
an annular inner surface;
a webbing extending from the annular outer surface to the annular inner surface;
a plurality of shear elements extending circumferentially around the annular outer surface and spaced laterally apart from each other,
wherein each shear element includes a single layer of substantially inelastic material that is wrapped around an elastic central region; and
a tread layer extending circumferentially around the plurality of shear elements,
wherein the tread layer includes a plurality of ribs separated by a plurality of grooves,
wherein each of the plurality of shear elements is disposed in one of the plurality of ribs in the tread layer, and
wherein no part of the shear elements forms a groove wall surface of any of the plurality of circumferential grooves.
 
13. A nonpneumatic tire comprising:
an annular outer surface;
an annular inner surface;
support structure extending from the annular outer surface to the annular inner surface; and
a circumferential tread having a plurality of circumferential ribs and a plurality of circumferential grooves, including a first circumferential rib having a first rib width defined by a first circumferential groove and a second circumferential groove,
wherein the first circumferential rib includes a shear element having a width less than the first rib width, such that the shear element is enclosed by the first circumferential rib,
wherein the shear element includes a single layer of substantially inelastic material that is wrapped around an elastic central region, and
wherein a top surface of the shear element is located radially above a bottom of the first circumferential groove and radially above a bottom of the second circumferential groove.