Method for fabrication of a non-pneumatic survivable tire and wheel assembly

摘要

A method for fabrication of a non-pneumatic tire and wheel assembly incorporates a tire tread and a conventional vehicle wheel with an elastomer tire body element formed by introducing elastomer into mold elements with a center plug and releasably carried chamber forms to provide integral wall elements extending radially inward from the tire body element for sealing engagement with the wheel. The tire body element includes multiple concentric layers with alternating spokes formed with strut and aperture dimensions in the mold elements and mating rubber cast blocks adapted for the desired spoke design. After curing, the tire assembly is mounted on the conventional wheel with conventional mounting tools to deform the integral side walls and a pneumatic chamber formed by the side walls is inflated.

主权项

1. A method for fabrication of an enhanced survivability tire assembly and a wheel assembly comprising:
forming an inner and an outer mold elements having dimensions strut and aperture dimensions adapted for a desired spoke design and mating rubber casting blocks; forming a center plug and releasably carried chamber forms; preparing a tread for casting; assembling the tread, outer mold element, center plug with chamber forms, inner mold element and rubber casting blocks; introducing an elastomer into the mold assembly through fill tubes inserted in fill apertures in the center plug and chamber forms to cast concentric layers with spokes around the rubber casting blocks and integral side walls around the chamber forms; allowing the elastomer to dry such that a tire assembly with the tread is formed; disassembling the rubber casting blocks and inner and outer mold elements from the tire assembly; curing the elastomer at a temperature of at least 160° F.; mounting the tire assembly on a metal wheel for a vehicle with mounting tools to deform the integral side walls; and inflating a pneumatic chamber formed by the integral side walls.