Vehicle wheel integrates pneumatic tyre and rim with good resilience, handling and ride

摘要

This vehicle wheel has a single- or multipart rim (10) with an integrally-constructed pneumatic tyre. In the newly-improved structure, the axial ends of the rim, curve upwardly in radial extension (2), forming an air-retaining side section of the tyre. The extensions then curve axially inward, up to the shoulders. Here, the ends lie overlapped by the bracing ply belt (4,5) under the tread (6). Between the ends of the bracing plies and half the tyre height at least, there is a region of lower stiffness, in comparison with the region radially within the half height. Pref. the rim is a fibre reinforced material, pref. a fibre reinforced aluminium alloy or polymer mixture. The fibre density, at least in the radial section between overlap and half tyre height, is smaller than in the region radially inside half tyre height. The curved extension, from start of curvature, continues with essentially constantly reducing stiffness. The cross section may similarly reduce. Extensions are constructed as sidewalls, being coated internally and/or externally with a layer of rubber (7,8). The rim is one piece, and is a flexible homogeneous material, pref. an aluminium alloy, other highly flexible metal, or a flexible plastic. In the outer region of the extension, over the circumference of the tyre, there are radially-distributed, inward-reaching, slot-like recesses. The extension is externally and/or internally coated with airtight material, pref. rubber, also sealing the slots.