The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 07, 2010
Filed:
May. 18, 2007
Elizabeth L. Hotaling, Piedmont, SC (US);
Laure M. Simonot, Greenville, SC (US);
Brian R. Bergman, Clermont-Ferrand, FR;
Elizabeth L. Hotaling, Piedmont, SC (US);
Laure M. Simonot, Greenville, SC (US);
Brian R. Bergman, Clermont-Ferrand, FR;
Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Granges-Paccot, CH;
Societe de Technologie Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand, FR;
Abstract
A lubricant composition for lubricating an interface between an inner surface of a tire and a safety support ring in a run-flat tire system that includes a lubricating agent selected from glycerol, polyalkylene glycol or combinations thereof and a thixotropic agent. The thixotropic agent is an organoclay comprising a mineral clay mixture treated with an alkyl quaternary ammonium salt, wherein the mineral clay mixture comprises at least one of sepiolite, palygorskite and a smectite and wherein a combined amount of palygorskite and sepiolite in the mineral clay mixture is between about 50 wt. % and about 100 wt. % with a balance of the mineral clay mixture being essentially the smectite. The lubricating agent may also be selected from a copolymer that is a mixture of alkylene oxides, preferably a mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.