CA2167934A1

CA2167934A1 - Low noise vehicle wheel

Info

Publication number: CA2167934A1
Application number: CA002167934A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Egon Turba
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-07-29
Filing date: 1994-07-29
Publication date: 1995-02-09
Also published as: HUT74216A; AU7497194A; SI9420044A; SK11696A3; EP0711228A1; KR960704726A; CZ23296A3; FI960407A; NO960340L; FI960407A0; PL313168A1; DE4325470A1; HU9600156D0; JPH09503717A; CN1132491A; WO1995003946A1; NO960340D0; BR9407113A

Abstract

The invention relates to a configuration of vehicle wheels, in particular of motor vehicle wheels with tires, which reduces noise. Further, the invention relates to a process for the further development of conventional vehicle wheels in accordance with the invention. The hollow space (6; 6a, 6b) formed by a tire (10) and the wheel rim (1) of a vehicle wheel is, in accordance with the invention, filled with a filler material which is granular, shape-retaining and temperature-resistant. The filler material brings about a damping of the resonance effect of the hollow space and thus reduces substantially the sound radiation of the vehicle noises. The hollow space may be completely filled by means of the filler material in accordance with the invention. Along with the filler material, the hollow space is filled in known manner with a filler gas, in particular compressed air. The static and dynamic properties of the vehicle tires are hardly noticeably altered by the filling. Further, it is possible to provide a filling chamber (6b) specially for the filler material in accordance with the invention. A second filling chamber (6a) is filled in known manner with the filler gas and the filling pressure of the filler gas is transmitted via a membrane (8) to the filler material and thus to the walls of the tire (10).

Description

L ow noise vehide wheel The invention r lates to a vehicle wl~,,eel which, in comparison with a conventional vehicle wheel, generates s~ n~lly less running noise. The invention relates fur~er to a process for 5 filling the inne~ spcice of a tire in order to furth~r develop a conventional vehicle wheel in aocor.lance with the inverltion.

There are known in the st~te of the art vehicie wtleels of differing constn~c~ons and configurations. It is entirely conventional to smploy tubeless tires for mo~or vehicles. In this 10 case, the t(lbeless tire is p~aced on a wheel rim with speaal tools in su~ a manner that the radially runnin~ beading of the tire b~3ars against the inside of ~ rim shoulder 2~anged on the periphery of ~e v~hesl rim and a torus-shaped tire inner space, endosed by the tire and the wheei rim, is formed. The tire innQr space can be filled with a filler gas, in general with compressed air, by way of a valve alran~ed on the wheel rim. In ~hi5 case, ~e filling pressur~ is 15 a significant parameter for the runnirlg properties of the vehide wheel.

From European patent ~rp';caLcln ~P 92 103 50~ it is known that the tires of the vehide wheels represent ~ signifi~ant source of noise of a motor vehide. The running noises of the vehicle wheel are generated7 on the one hand, in that the individual profile ribs of th~ tread of 20 the tire periodically impact on the r<~2d surF~ce and thus give rise to a periodic deformation of the tire. A further me~ ,~"is", for the gene, dlion of the runnin~ noise is derivecl from t7~e OGrnpr~ssion of the 6re rubber in the forw~rd region, in the direction of n~nning, of the contact su~aoe of the tire and the corresponding deeompressiun in ~e reafward re~ion of the contac~
surfaoe of the tire. In the above~nen~ioned European patent ~.pl.~ ~tic~n it is proposed, for the 25 pUl-pOSQ of reduang the r.~nning noises of a vehicle tire, to arran~e the individual ribs of the t3ead ptofile so offset in Yhe axial direct~on ~at the ribs of individually axially offset profile re~ions impact the road sur~ce with a phase offset ~nd thus a dest~uct ve interference of the noise sources provided by ~e individu~l profile regions is effected. Ho~vever, a sign'lficant reduc~i~n ûf travel noises cannût be achieved by means of this measur~.
The object of ~e irwenhorl is to so f~rther develop a vehide wheel in accor~lance with the preamble of ~aim 1 ~hat the running noises of ~e vehi~e wheel are su~ an~ially tedu~sd. ~nd to provide a pro~ess witin which the further dcv~'~ Fn,ent in accordance with ~e invention can b~ realised in a simple manner for a ~nventionai vehide wheel.
With ~gard to the vehicle wheel, U~e object is achieved by means of the oharac~eriang featuras of claim 1.

216~3~
_ 2 The inven~on is~base~ on th~ insigh~ that ~e ~re ir~ner spaoe of a ~ehicle ~ ~p~S6~ Ih a resonanoe c~an~berwhi~l substantially amplffies the ~ulu~ ng r~ises whl~h in su~s~anc~ atise from noise souroes which ~an be localized on the tread, Th~ im~enUon is fu~er based on the insight that the runntng noises c~n be sul.sla, l~ially reducsd when the l~sonanoe effect of ~e ~re inner spa~e is removed or at lea<.t substanttally reduoed through filling w;th ~ noise abso~ing filler matenal. In order ~al; the st~Uc and dynamic properties of the tire afe not altered, al~ng with the hlle~ materi21 ~he tire interior is filled in known manner wlth a hller gas under pressure, in par~oular oon~ ssed air. The ~ller ~alerial must have a granular consistency with adapts t~ the deforrna~on of the bre and must not be sharp edge~, in or~er to 10 avoid damage to ~e Inn~r skin of the tire. In or~er to ensure thP long term durabiliJy of the fillPt ~cl~rial, the filler rnaterial must retain its sha~e under the flexin~ movement of the ~e and further must be resis~ant to the temperaSure in~ease of ~e ~re which appears at higher sp2eds of ~avel.

1~ Claims 2 to 14 relate to advantageous h~r~e~ developments of the vehiel~ wheel in ac~o~ance v~th the invention.

In ~rdance with claim 2, the fille~ mat~rial may sbstantially completely fill the Uf~ inn~
space. For the simultaneous filling of ~e bre interior with the filler ma;tenai and the filler ga~ a 20 valve systen~ formed in coi,esponden~e to claims 4 to 6 may be provided. Further, it is cor~ivable, in co~respon~ence with claim 7, to p~ovide in ~e bre inn~r spac~ ~o separ~
filling dlambe~s for the g~nular filler ~na~ial and ~e filler gas.

Advantageous p, ~pe~ lies ~ ~e granular f ller material ar~ indicated in daims 8 to 13. Thereby, ~5 it is advantageous ~at th~ filiff materi~, alon~ with a high noise abso~on value, has a largely homogen~ous graln si~e nf small diametef and is poorty flan~mdlJle. As fHler ma~eri~ls In parti~ular foamabl~ plastics ma~e~ial~, in par~cular p~lys~rrol, a~8 suita~le.

W~ regarci to the p~C:e5~, ~e obj~ is acl, e~rod by the feature~ of daim 14.
Af~er mix~ng the ~r~3 fillet g.~s wi~ ff~e ~ranular ~liler " ,~lerial, ~e filler ~s is, if appropriate, ~mpressed and ~e mixh~ of filler material and filler gas blourn into ~e tire inner space~ -Claims 15 and 16 I~iate to advanta~eo~s further dcvelopi,lents of the p~40ess in acc~r.13~-~
35 ~he invention.

CG.,~spondin3 to c:laim 15, it is ~dvan~geous, during the hlling ~f the tire ~n~r space, to prwide a relief vah~e to take off excessive fiiler gas. If a Fua~ plas~cs material is emp~oyed as filler ~l~atel~al a oolrespondinç~ step for foamin~ the pl~sUcs material, co~esponding to c~aim 16, rnay prec~de the pl..cess in ac~)n~f ,~e with daim 14.

In the drawings, there are shown, by way of example, embodiments of the inv~ntion. ~hey 5 show:

Fi~ure 1 in sec;tion, ~ fire,t ex~n,plaly embodiment of a peripheral sec~ion of the vehide wheel in acc~r~J~nce with the inYention;
Flgure 2 in section, a se~ond ex~i"plaly embodiment of a periphe~l sect on of the vehicle wheel in a~ lan~e with the inven~on;
Figure ~ as a del:~il, an e~nlaryen~ent of a partial r~gion of Figwes 1 and 2;
~igure 4 A and B a s~l,~"~Uc repress,~ldlion of a v~lve a~angement in aeGordanc~ wi~h the invention for fillinç~ tire inner space.

hgure 1 shows a first e;celn~pla~ embodiment of the vehide wheel in a~d, ~ce ~th ~e inver~ion. A wheel ~irn 1 h~s in its peripheral region ~ rim shoulder 2, n~nning substant;ally in axial di~tion, which is connected via spoke-like conne~tion parts 3 wi~ the axle of ~he Yehicle wheel (not shown). In its end ~egion, the nm shoul~er 2 has two radi~lly running tim flanges 4 ~0 and ~ at which the rim is connected with the beading 11, 1 2 of a bre 1 0. To increase the stabill'y, beadin~ 11,t2 of ~e bt~ 10 may have a ~info~r"ent in the fotm of a beading core 13,14. At the tread 1~1 ~e rubbef co~ering of the b-re has profile-like recesses 16.

The rim shoulder ~ and the ffre 10 b~und a bre inne~ spaoe 6, ciosed in a gas~tight manner, 25 which can be filied with a filler ~s, in particular ~ompressed air, via a valve 7 in ~ wheel rim 1.
The filling p~ssure prevailing in the ilmer spaoe 6 is a tire-specific paramQter which has a su~sl~nl~l effect in detem1ining the tunning proper~es of the tire.

In acco~,~oe wi~ the invention, co~csponding to the first embodiment of the inven~ion shown 30 in Figure 1, the Ure inne~ space ~ is substantially cornp~etely fille~ with a gr~nula~, shape-retainin~ ~nd tempe~ature ~.~s;s~a"l fiUer ."2lenal. The filler " ~lerial h~s, relatively to the con~ ssed air used for filling in a~ dal)oe with th~ staSe of the art, a siy"iricantly g~eater sound absol^ption, so ff~at the tire inner spaoe 6 is acoustically damped and its resonanoe eff~ct is femoved or at ~ast su~s~tially reduced. Alon~ with the filler materia~ tire inner sp~oe 6 35 is filled ~ a filler gas, in particular~3l~,pr~ssed air, so that the sta~c and dynamiG properbes of the bre do not ohange or only ~h~ng~! i"si~, lifioanUy, rela~ve to Ule ~3nven~0nal filling wi~
o~l "pr~ssed air. The ride comfort is ~1US in no way res~ncted by the filler n)alen~l. By me~ns of the granular ~nsi~l~ncy of ~e filler mat~nal, signifioant for the invention, it is ens~tred ~at the 21 67~34 filler mateffal ad~pts to the~ def~ ,~;on of the bte in each phase of the tire rota~on, Pcelative to a foam filling of the tire inner spa~e with a more or less elasbc materi~ e filling of U~e tire inner space in aco~rdanc~ wi~ the inYention with a granular filler matsnal has the advantage that the filler matelial is not des~oye~ or decol,lposed by the fle~ng ene~gy of the tire, rather 5 the flexing energy of ~e ti~ ~uses, at rr~st, merely a redis~ibution of the filler " ~alenal.

Alon~ with a granular ~4n.si~n~y, it is required that the filbr ".dterial employed is shape-retaining and temperatu~-r~sis~ant eYen when der,l~,lds are made ~o~an ~xtended period o~
time. Shape ~nlion ~an be achieved in particular through the employment of an elc~sGcally 10 deformable ma~erial. The t~r"per~ture resist~nce is 5i91 li~,~rlt because of the temperature increase of the tire at a hi~h speed of travel. Of course it is also advan~geo~ Ic th~t the filler material has a high sound abso~.", value so ~at the ,esonan~e damping of the tire inner sp~c~ is par~cula~y effective. In order to ensure a good dynamic adaptation of the fiîler m~terial to the deformatlon of the tire, it is ~dvantageous for the filler ~d~rial employed to have a 15 largely homogeneous grain see of small diameter. The filler m~(e~ial may be in particul~r bali-shape~ having a diameter of less th~ln 1mrn. It is, however, to be taken into ~c~oun~ that the filler gas shouid be a~le to disttibute itself uniformly in the tire innet space 6 and thus exer~se ~n even pressure on the vval~s of the tire. The filler n~at~,ial, therefore, must not hinde~ the flowing of the ~Ille~ ~as as a consequen~e of ~he defo~nation of the tire caused through flexing 20 nnovel"ents. l~u~, the gr~lin ske of the filler mdbrial must not be too small. In th~3 e~ pla~y embodiment according to F~ure 1, the filler l,~teAal sul~s~"~ally ~a~pletely fills the tire inner space 6, The volurne~ic pr~ n of the filler ~,.ale~dl thereby amounts preferably to mor~
than 90%~

Z~ Figu~ 2 shows a second exempla~y embodiment of the vehicle wheel in a~oldance w~ the invenUon. The details of the bre h~ve been desc~ibed above ~ reference to Figure 1.
Dif~er~nUy from th~ lplay embodiment illush~ated in Figure 1, ~e exe~ lary embodiment st~ated In Figu~ 2 has l~vo torus-shaped hliin~ chambers 6a and 6b in the tire inner spa~
One of them, in thi5 ~se the filling chambef 6b towards the contact surface 15, is subslal,lially 30 oornr~t~ly filled with ~e gran~Jlar filler matenal already described, whilst ~e o~r filling chamber 6a, a~"ged ~owards ~e a~e, is filled only wi~ a filler yas, in particu~ar compressed air. The two fi31it~ c:ha"ll.el~ 6a and ~b are se~,d~ecl by means of a mernbr~3n~1ike dividing wall 8. The me~r~n~ike dividing wan 8 ensures a p~ssure eCIU"l;c3~ be~een the t~lYO
fil~ng chambers 6a and 6b. It is ~us effe~ted that the filler mat~.ial of the filling cham~er 6b is 3~ pressed by the pressu~ of ~e fillef g~s of ~e filling ct ,~ ber 6a, ag~inst the ~ire w~D in a fonn-f~ng manner. The fonn of ernbodim~ nt represented in Figure 2 improYes the deforrnablliSy of the ~re during flexing mov~ ts of the ti~e. FurU~er, th~ filler l"aterial m~y be filled into th~

~_ 5 ~a,l,~er6~ alreacly upon manufacture o~the tire and ~mains ~ere even when th~ ~re is changed.

The c~ ,ber which is filleld wi~ filler ~oaletial can, however, also be provided on *le side towards ~e wheel rim.

In Figure 3, th~ re~ion ~ of the ~re inner spa~e ~, or of the filling ~ ,~" l~er ~bl is shown as an enla~g~d detail. In the detail 9, ~e individual par~es 20 o~ the granular filler material can be ~c~y"i~ed. Advanta3eously, the pa~tides of U~e filler ll,a~rial are ananged wi~h high density so 10 that the ~re inner space 8 or the fi~ing chamber 6b is almost ~ompletely filled with the par~cles 1 he inle~li~es 21 forrned betweén U~e pa~ s 20 of the filler nla~eri~l can be flowed th~u~h by the fille~ gas.

In order not to su~Lanti~ ase the mass and the moment of inertia of ~e vehicle wheel 15 an el3stically de~ll, .P ~ e plastics material of low densi~ is par~icula~y suited for the filler ",aleri~l. A f oa",able plastics materiall e.g polysbl~l which inter alia is availabl~ under the trade name Styropor (re~istered t~ademar~), proves to be particularly advar~t~geouc If .p~upriale~ a supplemenl: of other plasti~s components may be e~ y~ along with polystyrol. As ~river r"~nal pentane or other hyd~bon gas c~n ~e employed. W~ ,e20 employment of polystyr~l as filler ma~erial a ~nulate der~ity of from 20 to 40 k~lm~ ~n l:)Q
reali~ed~ Foa~ plastics n~aterial have the advantage ~ the ~in size of ~e filler material can be influenced w~in wide limits b~y tt,e foaming pr~ess and that a relativ~y homo~t!neous g~ain si~e arises.

25 ~ the exempla~ embodiment of the vehi~e wheel in aocordance with the invention shown in Fi~ure 2 the ~llir1g of the filling chalmber 6a with thQ filler gas is effe~ed in known rr~nner by way of a valve 7 arranged on ~e wheel rim 1~ me pressure regulabon of ~e filler gas to be filled into ~e tir~ inner space 6 along with thQ filler ",aten~l of the vehide wheel illustrated in Figure 1 ~n likewise be e~cted via a eonven~onal valve 7. Advantageously th~ ~re inner 30 space ~ can be simultaneously filled wi~ ~ filler material and with the filler gas. The basic prindple of a valve a~angen,ent ne~ss~ry for this is rep~esented sche~ y w~h reference to Figures 4A ar~ 4B.

A filling valve 30 and a prassure re~ulation va~e 31 are let into the w~eel nm 2~ The ~ling Yalve 35 30 is in ~2e rest cond tion closed by means of a sprirlg 32. At the sam~3 time ~e filling pressure of th~ tire inner space 6 a~S on the dosure element 33. The pressu~ r~ a~ion valve 31 is likewise closed by means of ~ dosure el~ment 35 w7ich in the resl condition is pressed agalnst Ule wall ol ~e wheel rim 2 by means of ~ spnng 34. Th~ pressure of ~e tire 2 1 6 7q34 inner space acts also on thB dosure etement 35. To ernp~, or to reduce the pressure of, the ~re inne~ space, ~le closure ele~nent 35 can be opened by means of a pin 36. V~lhilst the filling valve 30 is constn ~ted in suGh a way that p~, lic;es 20 of ~e ~ ~t~ri~l can enter ~e tire inner space 6 through its ~ross-se~ion, ~e pressure regula~on valve 31 i5 ~onfigured soleiy for 5 fillin~ or emptying ~he fille~ ~as of the tire inner space. The pa(lic~es o~ ~he filler material are kept away from the pressure te~ul, tion valve 31 by means of a sieve device 37.

Figure 4B shows ~he valve ~r~ng~ nl describcd with reference to Figu~e 4A during the filling of the ~re inner space 6 with a mixtul~ o~ par~ides of ~e fille~ material 20 and the fillet gas.
10 A~ter ~Kin9 of the tire filler gas with ~e granular filler material, the m xture re~ches the filler valve 30 via a supply hose~ 38. Thtough the pressure of the filler gas, the cJosure ~Icn .enl 3~ of the filler vatve 30 is opened and the lfiller gas ente~s the tire inner space 6 togethef v~/ith the p~L~_es ~ of the filler matenal. Here, thete anses how~ver the pr J~l~n I that for transpo, ~
ffle particles of the filler rl~t~rial, the fiiler ",at~nal must be present in ~ relatively low densd:y and thus t'ne fille~ gas tak~s up a r~lclUvely lar~e volume p~poi Lon in the tr~nsported m~u~e In or~er, despite this, to achieve the desired dense packing of ~e par~es of the filler material in th~ tire inner space ~ is necessa~y that the excess filler ~as can esc~pe. For this purpose there sen~es thQ pl~ssure reg~ ion valve 31. Through pressure on the pin 3~, ~Q ~osure element 35 of the pressure tegulabon valve 31 can be opened ~nd the excess filler gas ~an 20 escap~. The sieve de~ 37 prevents ~e escape of par~icles 20 of the filler n)at~ urin~
the filling procedure, the densibr of the pa(tic les of the filler rna~rial thus increases pro~ressively in the tire inner sp~ . Or oe ffle desired par~icle density of the filler maten~l is ach:eved, the fillin~ procedure can be ended. The desired pressure of the filler gas can ~e set via the pressure regu~tion valYe 31. The pressure r~gulation valve 31 c~n, however, also be ~5 oper~d in such a manner fh~t it opens first when the d~sired filling pre~sure of ~e fille~ gas is e~(oeeded.

It is to be em~hasi~d that ~he illustration of the valve a~ran3ement shown in Figures 4A and 4B should be understood to b~ m~ly s~hematic. The actual technical ~onfigurations can differ 30 ~IJst~n~i~lly from th~ illustra~on. In par~cular, ffle filler valvs 30 and the pressure ~Q~ulation valve 31 can b~ provided in a cons~lctional unit, in particular co~ally or ax s,par~llel.

The pru~ess for filling the tire inner chamber can, when a foamable plas~os material is ei " I ~y~d as filler mate~ial, be preoede~ by a known process for foaming the pl~stics " la~ri~l.
35 It is e~q~edient to remove byproducts ~e.g. water) whi~h might arise with ~e foaming, ~efore ~e filling (e.g. by dryin~).

~ 1 6793~

Attenffon is directed to ~ ~act ~hat ~lrough ~e employment ~f ~e fillef ~ l in acoordarlce wi~h ff~e invention no disposal p~Lt'e ,l5 arise which could be dama~ing for ~e environm~nt.
The filler " ,a~l ~I can be rec3~cled in a simple manner or can, a~ pp~pnat~ ~a~, .i. .~, be reused. The soluth~n provided in a~rd~J ,ce wKh ~e invention is suitable not only for vehicle 5 wheels with tires, t~ut i~. suited for sul.stan~ally ~du~ing running noises of vehides of any kind, in particular also of vehicl~s which travel on rails. In ~e c~se of vehicles which travel on r~ils, alon3 wi~ ~e filling of the vehicle wheels, the filling of ~e r~il body and of the sleeper body is also to be conside~ed.

Claims

1. Vehicle wheel having a tire (10) which surrounds the circumference of a wheel rim (1), there being provided a gas-tight tire inner space (6) bounded by the tire (10) and the wheel rim (1), which tire inner space can be filled with a filler gas, in particular compressed air, whereby a shape-retaining and temperature-resistant filler material is filled into the fire inner space (6) and the filler gas fills the remainder volumes not taken up by the filler material, at a predetermined filling pressure, characterized in that, for reducing the running noises of the vehicle wheel, the filler material, which is granular but without sharp edges, is brought into the tire inner space (6) densely packed and without supplementary substances, and the filler gas fills the interstices of the filler material.

2. Vehicle wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, the tire inner space (6) is substantially completely filled with the granular filler material.

3. Vehicle wheel according to claim 2, characterized in that, the volumetric ratio of filler gas and filler material is less than 1:10, in particular is in the region of 1:20.

4. Vehicle wheel according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, a filler valve (30) is provided which permits the simultaneous filling of the tire inner space (6) with the granular filler material and the filler gas.

5. Vehicle wheel according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, there is further provided a ventilation valve (31), which permits the escape of excess filler gas during the simultaneous filling of the tire inner space with the granular filler material and the filler gas.

6. Vehicle wheel according to claim 5, characterized in that, the ventilation valve (31) enables pressure regulation of the filler gas.

7. Vehicle wheel acceding to claim 1, characterized in that, the vehicle inner space (6) has a torus-shaped filling chamber (66) for the granular filler material and a further torus-shaped filling chamber (6a) for the filler gas, which filling chambers are separated by means of a membrane-like dividing wall (8).

8. Vehicle wheel according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, the filler material employed has a high sound absorption value.

9. Vehicle wheel according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, the filler material has a largely homogeneous grain size with a diameter of less than 1 mm.

10. Vehicle wheel acceding to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, the filler material has a granulate density in the region of from 20 to 40 kg/m3.

11. Vehicle wheel according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, the filler material is a material which is poorly flammable.

12. Vehicle wheel according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, the filler material is a foamable plastics material.

13.Vehicle wheel according to claim 12, characterized in that, the plastics material is polystyrol or a plastics material containing polystyrol

14.Process for filling a tire inner space (6) formed by a tire (10) and a wheel rim (1) of a vehicle wheel, having the following process steps:
- mixing of a tire filler gas with a filler material which is granular but without sharp edges and is shape-retaining and temperature-resistant, - if appropriate, compression of the filler gas, - filling of the tire inner space (6) by means of blowing in the mixture of the filler material and compressed filler gas via a filling aperture (30).

15. Process according to claim 14, characterized in that.
during the filling of the tire inner space (6), this space is relieved by means of an escape valve (31) in such a manner that only the filler gas, but not the granular filler material, can escape via the escape valve (31) and a predetermined constant filling pressure can be established.

16. Process according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that, the step of mixing of the tire filler gas with the filler material is preceded by a step of foaming a foamable plastics material for providing a filler material having granular consistency.

17. The use of foamed polystyrol or a foamed plastics material containing polystyrol, of granular consistency, as filler material for the tire inner space (6) of a vehicle wheel.