Self-healing and self-cleaning tires utilizing active material actuation

摘要

A self-healing and/or self-cleaning tire comprising at least one active material element configured when undergoing an actuation cycle to repair a structural anomaly, such as a crack or puncture, and/or remove a surface anomaly, such as foreign substances or objects adhered to or lodged in the tire.

主权项

1. A tire, comprising a tire body bounded by an exterior viewable surface and hidden interior face, the tire being adapted to autonomously repair or remove an anomaly located on the exterior viewable tire surface or an anomaly which extends inwardly from the exterior viewable surface, at least a portion of one of the exterior viewable surface and interior face comprising a shape memory polymer active material element applied as a coating layer, the shape memory polymer active material element undergoing a reversible change from a lower temperature polymer phase to a lower modulus, higher temperature polymer phase, when heated to a temperature greater than an intended tire operating temperature, and,
the shape memory polymer coating layer is positioned an arranged to geometrically modify the exterior viewable surface of the tire to repair or remove the anomaly when a low temperature to higher temperature polymer phase change of the shape memory polymer is performed and then reversed.