The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Arun Kumar Byatarayanapura Gopala

Cheng-Hsiung Lin

Junling Zhao

Peter Jung-min Suh

Robin Lamgaday

Ceyhan Celik

Steven Amos Edwards

James Alfred Benzing, Ii

Robert Leon Benedict

Daniel Ray Downing

Michael Joseph Durr

George Michael Stoila

Michael Stefan Skurich

Michael William Kestner

Thulasiram Gobinath

Carolin Anna Welter

Jeffrey McKay West

Dinesh Chandra

Andrew Peter Killmeyer

Christopher Paul Hunt

Frank George Licari

James Earl Koerner

Michael James Hogan

Patrick David Marks

Sagar Dilip Bafana

Jin-Shy Steve Gau

Dale Roy Norton

Wesley Glen Sigler

Bruce Thomas Choate

Jungmee Kang

Wesley Glenn Sigler

Frank Anthony Kmiecik

Michael Scott Deem

Christian Alfonso Lombardi

Christopher Dean Fenstermaker

Nathan Edward Yensho

Jeffrey Mckay West

James Alfred Benzing Ii

Andrew James Miller

Peter Jung-Min Suh

Jin Shy Steve Gau

Nate Edward Yensho

Ann Elizabeth Myers

James Alfred Ii Benzing

A tire and wheel assembly includes a tire, a circular hub member for securing to a rotatable axle of a vehicle, the rim piece having a first annular ring flange for engaging the tire, a rim piece for engaging the hub member, a second annular ring flange for engaging the tire, and a plurality of cylindrical shafts for each axially engaging the first annular ring flange at one axial end of each of the shafts and the second annular ring flange at another opposite axial end of each of the shafts.

Tire/wheel assembly for a support structure

An integrated tread wear sensor and tire pressure monitoring system sensor unit container for a tire includes a tread wear sensor plug and a sensor container. The tread wear sensor plug includes a cylindrical projection extending through an opening formed in a selected tread element of the tire. A flange extends outwardly from the projection and includes a contact surface that is mounted to an innerliner of the tire. A conductive wire is disposed in the tread wear sensor plug and includes proximal ends disposed in the flange and a distal end disposed near a radially outer surface of the projection. The sensor container includes a wall extending radially from the flange of the tread wear sensor plug and terminating in a lip. A container cavity is defined by the flange, the wall, and the lip, and receives a tire pressure monitoring system sensor.

Integrated tread wear sensor and TPMS container for a tire

A tire sensor attachment structure is provided. The tire includes a pair of bead areas, a sidewall extending from each respective bead area to a tread, a carcass extending toroidally between each of the bead areas, and an innerliner that is disposed radially inwardly of the carcass. A sensor housing is attached to the innerliner, and defines an interior chamber. A sensor is disposed in the chamber. The tire sensor attachment structure includes a compressible body that is disposed in the chamber between the sensor and the innerliner.

Tire sensor attachment structure

A system for curing a portion of a tire assembly includes: an axially placement shaft; a first actuator; a first retainer plate; a core on the axially placement shaft; a plurality of first inserts each axially and radially engaging a radially outer surface of the core with first ends of the first inserts axially engaging the first retainer plate; a plurality of second inserts each axially and radially engaging the radially outer surface of the core with first ends of the second inserts axially engaging the first retainer plate, each second insert disposed circumferentially between two of the plurality of first inserts; a second retainer plate; and a second actuator.

System for manufacturing a support structure

A wheel assembly for a tire includes a circular hub member for securing to a rotatable axle of a vehicle, an annular first rim piece for engaging the tire, the first rim piece being secured to a first axial end of the circular hub member, an annular second rim piece for engaging the tire, the second rim piece being secured to an opposite second axial end of the circular hub member, a plurality of cylindrical bolts for engaging both the first rim piece and the second rim piece, the cylindrical bolts each engaging the first rim piece, the second rim piece, and a spoke structure of the tire; and a threaded tension bolt for varying a radial position of a first axial end of one of the cylindrical bolts relative to a first elongate opening of the first rim piece.

Wheel for a support structure

A sensor retaining system for a vehicle tire is provided. The tire includes a pair of sidewalls extending from a respective bead area to a tread, which is formed with a plurality of tread elements. A sensor unit is mounted to the tire and includes a pair of electrical contacts. A tread wear sensor extends into one of the tread elements and includes a wire. The wire includes proximal ends, each one of which contacts a sensor unit electrical contact to create an electrical circuit. A flexible container is mounted to an innerliner of the tire. A cup includes a base and a sidewall that cooperate to form a cavity, and a bottom of the tread wear sensor and the sensor unit are received in the cavity. The cup maintains a connection between the electrical contacts and the wire proximal ends, and is disposed in the flexible container.

Sensor retaining system for vehicle tire

A wheel assembly for a tire includes a circular hub member for securing to a rotatable axle of a vehicle, a first rim piece for engaging the hub member, a second rim piece for engaging the first rim piece, and a plurality of cylindrical sleeves for engaging both the first rim piece and the second rim piece. The first rim piece has cylindrical first shafts each engaging a first end of one of the sleeves. The second rim piece has cylindrical second shafts each engaging a second opposite end of one of the sleeves. An outer cylindrical surface of each sleeve engages a separate and distinct part the tire.

A tire includes a pair of sidewalls extending from a respective bead area to a tread. The tread is formed with a plurality of tread elements and a radially outer surface. A sensor unit is mounted to the tire and includes a pair of electrical contacts. The tread wear sensor plug includes a cylindrical projection extending through an opening formed in one of the tread elements, a flange, and a wire including proximal ends disposed in the flange and a distal end near a radially outer surface of the projection. An electrical circuit is formed by each proximal end of the wire electrically contacting a respective one of the sensor unit electrical contacts. When the tread element and the cylindrical projection wear down to the distal end of the wire, the wire and the circuit break. A notice is transmitted by the sensor unit when the circuit breaks.

Tire with tread wear sensor plug

A tire sensor container system is provided. A tire includes a carcass toroidally extending from a first bead area to a second bead area, and an innerliner formed on an inner surface of the carcass. The tire sensor container system includes a tire pressure monitoring system sensor, which in turn includes a rigid housing that is formed with an oval shape. A flexible container is mounted to the innerliner. The container includes a base and a wall extending radially outwardly from the base, and the wall terminates in a lip. The container wall is formed with an oval shape that cooperates with the shape of the tire pressure monitoring sensor housing. A cavity is defined by the base, the wall, and the lip, and cavity receives and secures the tire pressure monitoring system sensor. The system reduces sensor rotation and maintains consistent sensor orientation to improve sensor functionality and longevity.

Tire sensor container system for improved sensor functionality and longevity

Tire sensor container

A connecting member and method of forming the connecting member in an air maintenance tire is provided. The method includes providing a tire having a sidewall formed with an annular groove. The groove receives an annular air tube having a first end with a first fitting and a second end with a second fitting. A recess is formed in the tire sidewall along the annular groove at a location where the first end of the annular air tube is adjacent the second end of the annular air tube. A mold formed with a cavity is provided and the fittings are removably secured in the cavity. The mold is positioned on a surface of the tire sidewall and an elastomer or a polymer is introduced into the mold cavity. The mold is heated to form the connecting member on the tire sidewall.

Connecting member for an air maintenance tire and method of forming the same

A wheel for an air maintenance tire system is provided. The air maintenance tire system includes at least one pump and a regulator. The wheel includes a body that is formed with an axially-extending wall, a pair of flanges, and a pair of bead mounting areas. Each bead mounting area is disposed axially inwardly proximate a respective one of the flanges. The axially-extending wall is formed with an AMT mounting channel. The AMT mounting channel extends circumferentially about the wheel approximately mid-way between the flanges and is defined by a first adjacent wall, a second adjacent wall, and a base. Mounting surfaces are formed in or adjacent the AMT mounting channel, so that the at least one pump is mounted in the AMT mounting channel radially inwardly of the bead mounting areas.

Wheel for an air maintenance tire system

An air maintenance tire assembly is provided in which an elongate groove is located within a first sidewall of a tire. The groove forms an elongate channel within the first sidewall and an elongate groove access passage extends from the elongate channel to an access opening located at an outward surface of the first sidewall. An air pumping tube inserts through the groove access passage and is positioned within the groove channel. A cover strip attaches to the first sidewall to enclose the access opening of the groove access passage. The cover strip is positioned along the first sidewall at a higher distance from the bead region of the first sidewall than the groove channel to avoid contact with a wheel rim flange when the tire is mounted to a wheel rim.

Air maintenance tire pumping tube cover strip

An air maintenance tire pump simulator that simulates the environment of an air maintenance tire system is provided. The simulator includes at least one pneumatic cylinder, a structure that forms a closed cavity, and a pneumatic conduit extending between and fluidly connecting the pneumatic cylinder and the closed cavity. A cam is operably connected to a motor, and is also operably connected to the pneumatic cylinder. Engagement of the motor actuates rotation of the cam, which in turn actuates operation of the pneumatic cylinder to increase a pressure in the closed cavity. A method of simulating an air maintenance tire system is also provided.

Air maintenance tire pump simulator

An air maintenance tire assembly includes a tire having a tire cavity bounded by first and second sidewalls extending to a tire tread region, air pump for generating pressurized air for maintaining air pressure within the tire cavity at a preset pressure level, the tire having an elongate valve stem projecting outward from the tire cavity and having an internal valve stem air passageway in communication with the tire cavity and operative to direct pressurized air into the cavity, and a valve housing disposed adjacent an outward end of the valve stem and operative to selectively open and close pressurized air flow from the valve stem internal passageway into the tire cavity.

Valve stem-based air maintenance tire and method

Growing community of inventors

Copley, OH, United States of America

Arun Kumar Byatarayanapura Gopala