Non-pneumatic tire and other annular devices

Abstract

A non-pneumatic tire for a vehicle or other machine. The non-pneumatic tire may comprise an annular beam. The annular beam may comprise a plurality of layers of different elastomeric materials. The annular beam may be free of a substantially inextensible reinforcing layer running in a circumferential direction of the non-pneumatic tire. The annular beam may comprise a plurality of openings distributed in the circumferential direction of the non-pneumatic tire. Such an annular beam may be part of other annular devices.

1 . A wheel component comprising
 a non-pneumatic tire comprising:
 an annular beam comprising a plurality of layers of different elastomeric materials, the annular beam being free of reinforcement; and 
 a tension-based annular support disposed radially inwardly of the annular beam and resiliently deformable such that, when the non-pneumatic tire is loaded, an upper portion of the tension-based annular support above an axis of rotation of the non-pneumatic tire is in tension; and 
   a hub disposed radially inwardly of the tension based annular support;   wherein an aspect ratio of the non-pneumatic tire is at least 70%   and the non-pneumatic tire is free of a reinforcing layer including fibers running in a circumferential direction of the annular beam.   
     
     
         2 . The wheel component of  claim 1 , wherein an aspect ratio of the non-pneumatic tire is at least 110%. 
     
     
         3 . The wheel component of  claim 1 , wherein the non-pneumatic tire further comprises a tread disposed radially outwardly of the annular beam. 
     
     
         4 . The wheel component of  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a transverse deflection of the annular beam due to bending at a center of a design contact length is at least 1.2 when an outermost radial extent of the annular beam is loaded against a substantially flat surface over the design contact. 
     
     
         5 . The wheel component of  claim 4 , wherein a modulus of elasticity of a first one of the different elastomeric materials is different from a modulus of elasticity of a second one of the different elastomeric materials. 
     
     
         6 . The wheel component of  claim 5 , wherein the modulus of elasticity of the first one of the different elastomeric materials is at least 150 MPA, and the modulus of elasticity of the second one of the different elastomeric materials is no more than 50 MPa. 
     
     
         7 . The wheel component of  claim 1 , wherein: a first one of the layers of the annular beam is made of a first one of the different elastomeric materials; a second one of the layers of the annular beam is made of a second one of the different elastomeric materials; a third one of the layers of the annular beam is made of the first one of the different elastomeric materials; and the second one of the layers of the annular beam is disposed radially between the first one of the layers of the annular beam and the third one of the layers of the annular beam. 
     
     
         8 . The wheel component of  claim 7 , wherein the first one of the different elastomeric materials is stiffer than the second one of the different elastomeric materials. 
     
     
         9 . The wheel component of  claim 4 , wherein the ratio of the transverse deflection of the annular beam due to shear over the transverse deflection due to bending at the center of the design contact length is determined as: 
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   z 
                   s 
                 
                 
                   z 
                   b 
                 
               
               = 
               
                 19.2 
                  
                 
                   EI 
                   
                     L 
                     2 
                   
                 
                  
                 
                   1 
                   GA 
                 
               
             
           
         
         where:
 Z S  is the transverse deflection of the annular beam due to shear 
 Z b  is the transverse deflection of the annular beam due to bending 
 L is the design contact length 
 A is the cross-sectional area of the annular beam 
 EI is an effective product of a modulus of elasticity E and a moment of inertia I of the annular beam that is determined as SE i  I i  which is a sum of products of a modulus of elasticity E i  and a moment of inertia I i  of each of the layers of the annular beam; and 
 
         G is an effective shear modulus of the annular beam that is determined as 1/S(v fi  G i ) where v fi  is a volume fraction and G i  is a shear modulus of each of the layers of the annular beam. 
       
     
     
         10 . The wheel component of  claim 1 , wherein the annular beam further comprises voids extended in the axial direction of the annular beam. 
     
     
         11 . A wheel component comprising:
 a non-pneumatic tire comprising:
 an annular beam comprising a plurality of layers of different elastomeric materials, the annular beam being free of reinforcement, and; 
 a tension-based annular support disposed radially inwardly of the annular beam and resiliently deformable such that, when the non-pneumatic tire is loaded, an upper portion of the tension-based annular support above an axis of rotation of the non-pneumatic tire is in tension; and 
   a hub disposed radially inwardly of the tension based annular support;   wherein a ratio of a diameter of the hub over an outer diameter of the non-pneumatic tire is no more than 0.5 and the non-pneumatic tire is free of a reinforcing layer inducing fibers and running in a circumferential direction of annular beam.   
     
     
         12 . The wheel component of  claim 11 , wherein the non-pneumatic tire further comprises a tread disposed radially outwardly of the annular beam. 
     
     
         13 . The wheel component of  claim 11 , wherein a ratio of a width of the non-pneumatic tire over an outer diameter of the non pneumatic tire is no more than 0.15. 
     
     
         14 . The wheel component of  claim 11 , wherein an aspect ratio of the non-pneumatic tire is at least 110% 
     
     
         15 . The wheel component of  claim 11 , wherein the annular beam is configured to deflect more by shearing than by bending at a contact patch of the non-pneumatic tire. 
     
     
         16 . The wheel component of  claim 11 , wherein the annular beam further comprises voids extended in the axial direction of the annular beam.