Traction device for vehicle wheels

This is a CIP of Ser. No. 08/733,676 filed Oct. 17, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,335 and is a CIP of Ser. No. 909,302 filed Aug. 11, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,451.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a traction device mounted to a vehicle wheel and is selectively convertible to road engaging and non-road engaging positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention has particular application to dual wheels; as exist on large trucks. However, as will be made clear, different forms of the invention can be applied to different types of vehicle wheels.

The invention is considered most applicable to large trucks driven by truck drivers that crisscross the country continuously throughout the year. Invariably a truck driver driving over mountain roads in the winter or even flat land roads in the Northern states, will on many occasions encounter road conditions where snow and/or ice is coated over the road surface.

The conventional wheel tire provides a road contacting surface area that frictionally grips a dry or even wet road surface providing steering and stopping control as well as propulsion over the road surface, but not when that surface is covered with ice and/or snow. The conventional tire surface has poor frictional gripping capability when riding on snow or ice. Whereas several explanations can be given depending on the condition of the ice/snow, what can and often does happen is that the surface of the snow or ice liquefies and forms a liquid film between the tires and underlying surface, thereby eliminating any opportunity for the tire to grip the surface frictionally.

An answer to this dilemma is to provide the tire with metal studs or chains. The studs are embedded in the tire permanently and the chains are designed to be placed on the tire when needed and removed when not needed. In both cases, the projecting metal bites down through the snow or ice (and liquid film) to generate the desired gripping action. Both have problems. Studded tires tear up a dry road surface, i.e., when not covered with snow or ice and most states have strict rules about using them. Most states ban their use except during the harsh winter months. Tire chains are designed to be put on and taken off. However, mounting the chains onto the vehicle tires is an unpleasant task even in ideal conditions which most often is not the case. Weather conditions are likely uncomfortably cold and blustery. Mounting the chains onto the tires can take upwards to an hour or more, and when parked alongside an ice-covered roadway and probably on a graded road, the driver is exposed to potential life threatening risks as other unchained vehicles attempt to pass.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention alleviates or obviates the problems associated with studded tires and the chaining of tires using a retractable studded tire having metal spike-like studs that project from the periphery of the tire and into the road surface or not. In a preferred embodiment, the studded tire is sandwiched between dual tires. The studded tire is designed to expand in circumference when inflated and to contract in circumference when deflated. This is achieved in part by the opposing walls of the dual tires that restrict lateral or axial expansion of the studded tire, thus forcing expansion circumferentially or radially. The expansion characteristics of the tire are designed to provide a circumferential size difference so that when deflated, the tire periphery (circumference) is retracted radially inwardly of the dual tires and when inflated is extended radially outwardly of the dual tires.

The studded tire of this preferred embodiment is not intended to carry the vehicle weight. Essentially the stud portions only of the tire protrude and are projected into the ice or snow, e.g., to a depth at which the dual tires still engage the road surface and support the load. The studs provide gripping action for propelling (or stopping) the vehicle as the studded tire rotates in unison with the dual tires, e.g., the studded tire is mounted on the same tire lugs and the expansion of the studded tire against the opposing side walls, rubber to rubber, resists rotative slippage of the studded tire relative to the load-bearing dual tires.

The studded tire is provided with valving and an air pressure source. The air pressure source may be operated automatically and remotely with direct connection between the air pressure source and the studded tire, or the air source may be an air-pressurized cannister that can be clamped to the valving for inflating the tire. Deflation is enabled, e.g., by a valve mechanism that simply exhausts the air from the studded tire to the atmosphere.

Ideally the inflation/deflation will be accomplished automatically from the truck cab even without the necessity of stopping the truck. The less sophisticated embodiment will allow the driver to stop the truck and in a matter of a few minutes inflate the several studded tires in a fraction of the time previously allotted for mounting tire chains.

An alterative embodiment that is contemplated will adapt the above expanding feature of an expandable studded tire to a single load-bearing tire. A special single tire is produced which provides conventional (non-studded) tread portions which are separated on the tire's periphery and a studded tire segment is provided between the separated tread portions. Air pressure is separately provided to the studded tire segment. In a preferred form of this alternative embodiment, the studded tire segment is inflated and deflated to expose and retract the studs. In a further embodiment, it is the conventional tread portions that are deflated and inflated to achieve the same result.

Other attempts have been made to provide a gripping member that can be left on the tires and would project into the road surface only when needed. An example of such an attempt: is disclosed in E. Partin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,199. Among other differences, Partin does not teach the basic concept of using a studded tire that is expanded in the confining space between dual tires whereby the stationary tire walls induce circumferential expansion of the studded tire beyond the circumference of the dual tires.

Reference is made to the detailed description and drawings referred to therein for a thorough understanding of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of one embodiment of the traction device of the present invention mounted between dual wheels;

FIG. 2

is a perspective view of the traction device only;

FIG. 3

is a sectional view as viewed on view lines

3

—

3

of FIG.

FIG. 4

is a side view of the traction device of

FIG. 2

showing both retracted and expanded (in phantom) conditions thereof,

FIG. 5

is another embodiment of the traction device;

FIG. 6

is an embodiment of the traction device as applied to a single wheel;

FIG. 7

illustrates the traction device including an air source for automatic actuation of the device;

FIGS. 8 and 9

are views of a traction device as applied to a single wheel in accordance with the alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 10 and 11

are views illustrating a further alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 12 and 13

are views of a further embodiment wherein a traction device is applied to a single wheel;

FIGS. 14 and 15

are views of a still further embodiment of a traction device as applied to a single wheel;

FIGS. 16 and 17

Ware views of another embodiment of a traction device applied to a single wheel; and

FIGS. 18-24

illustrate a wheel having a replaceable tread portion

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Refer now to

FIG. 1

of the drawings that illustrates a traction device

10

mounted between a set of dual wheels

12

,

14

. The wheels

12

,

14

are alike and are given separate numbers to distinguish their mounting position. The dual wheels

12

,

14

are mounted on a common wheel housing

16

and as shown the outer wheel

12

is spaced from the inner wheel

14

. This is typical of the dual wheel mounting arrangement in which a space is provided between the outer wheel

12

and the inner wheel

14

. Note from

FIG. 3

that the rim

13

of both of the inner dual wheel

14

and outer dual wheels

12

are mounted to the wheel housing

16

on conventional mounting lugs

15

(or bolts) that retain the inner wheel

14

and outer wheel

12

securely onto the wheel housing

16

. The configuration of the rims

13

of the outer wheel

12

and the inner wheel

14

positions the wheels

12

,

14

at a distance from each other as will be noted from

FIGS. 1 and 3

.

The Fraction device

10

not assembled to the dual tires is illustrated in

FIGS. 2 and 4

. The traction device

10

has a rim

22

on which a tire

24

of the traction device

10

is mounted. The rim

22

has holes

26

that are alignable with the mounting lugs or bolts

15

of the wheel housing

16

. A valve stem

28

(

FIG. 2

) is provided to inflate the tire

24

by pressurized air and to deflate the tire

24

by exhausting the pressurized air. The tire

24

of the traction device

10

has studs

20

extending from its peripheral surface

32

. The tire

24

has expansion slots

30

that are arranged to permit the radial expansion and contraction of the tire

24

. As shown, the slots

30

extend across the peripheral surface

32

of the tire

24

and extend into the side walls

34

,

36

. The tire

24

is arranged, to expand radially as pressurized air is introduced via the valve stem

28

.

The introduction of pressurized air through the valve stern

28

to the interior of the tire

24

will force the tire

24

to expand radially outward and thus increase its diameter. The slots

30

are configured to enhance the uniform radial expansion of the tire

24

and to minimize the axial or lateral expansion of the tire

24

.

The mounting arrangement of the traction device

10

is further illustrated in the sectional view of FIG.

3

. In this embodiment, the wheels

12

,

14

are of the same construction and have been assigned numbers

12

,

14

to distinguish the inner wheel from the outer wheel. Wheels

12

,

14

have a rim

13

that has a hole pattern that mates with the conventional mounting lugs of the wheel assembly

16

.

As shown in

FIG. 3

, the rim

22

of the traction device

10

is sandwiched between the rims

13

of the inner wheel

14

and outer wheel

12

. The rim

13

of the wheels

12

,

14

and the rim

22

of the traction device

10

are mounted to the wheel assembly

16

and are secured by the mounting lugs or bolts

15

. The traction device

10

is thus rotatable with the wheels

12

,

14

. The valve stem

28

extends through a conventional opening provided in the rim

13

of the wheels

12

. This provides access to the valve stem

28

for inflating and deflating the tire

24

of the traction device

10

. As shown in the figure, the tire

24

of the traction device

10

is illustrated in the deflated state (contracted) in solid lines and the tire

24

is shown in the inflated (expanded) state in dashed lines. In the contracted state, the tire

24

has been deflated to contract radially inward and thus the diameter of the tire

24

is less than the diameter of the wheels

12

,

14

. In the expanded state the tire

24

has been inflated with pressurized air to expand the tire radially to exceed the diameter of the wheels

12

,

14

.

The illustration of the tire

24

in the expanded state is exaggerated for illustrative purposes. The tire

24

is expanded such that the studs

20

will extend beyond the diameter of the wheels

12

,

14

to engage the supporting surface (roadway). The wheels

12

,

14

still supports the vehicle weight and the tire

24

provides the traction.

Referring to the dashed outline of the tire

24

of the traction device

10

of

FIGS. 3 and 4

(which shows the traction device

10

in the expanded state) the tire

24

has been inflated by pressurized air. The tire

24

has expanded radially such that the diameter of the tire

24

is greater than the wheels

12

,

14

. The studs

20

, when the tire

24

is in the expanded state, will extend beyond the diameter of the wheels

12

,

14

to engage the roadway R projected through an ice or snow covering S. The studs

20

in engagement with the roadway R will provide the necessary traction required when the vehicle encounters slippery surfaces caused by ice, snow and the like. (The representation of ice/snow covering S and the projection of the studs to the roadway R is illustrative only of the expandability function of the invention and is not intended to accurately depict the manner by which gripping occurs, e.g., the studs in packed snow or ice conditions will not necessarily penetrate through to the bare roadway.)

FIG. 5

illustrates another known mounting arrangement for dual wheels on a vehicle. The wheels

42

,

44

are of the same type and are reversible. That is, wheel

42

can be mounted in the position of wheel

44

and vice versa. Wheels

42

,

44

have a rim

46

that is mountable onto a wheel housing spider

48

. The conventional mounting of the wheels

42

,

44

includes a spacer

50

positioned on the spider

48

between the wheels

42

,

44

. The spacer

50

is provided to space the wheels

42

,

44

from each other on the wheel spider

48

. In this embodiment, the spacer

50

is altered to support-the traction device

10

. The spacer

50

includes a wheel supporting rim

52

on which the tire

24

of the traction device

10

is mounted. The valve stem

28

is extended through a hole

54

provided in the spacer So with the valve stem

28

extending between two adjacent spiders

48

. The tire

24

of the traction device is inflated to increase the diameter of the tire

24

to that which is larger than the wheels

42

,

44

and thus to engage the road sur,ace to provide the necessary traction. Similarly, the tire

24

is deflated to contract the tire

24

radially inward such that its diameter is less than the wheels

42

,

44

.

FIG. 6

illustrates the traction device

10

arranged for use with a single wheel

70

. As shown, the traction device

10

and the wheel

70

are mounted to a wheel assembly

78

on conventional mounting lugs. The wheel

70

has a rim

72

configured to fit against the rim

22

of the traction device

10

. The rim

72

has an opening

74

through which the valve stem

28

protrudes. The tire

24

of the traction device

10

is illustrated in the contracted state in solid line and in the expanded state in dashed lines. It is contemplated that the tire

24

may be constructed to have radial as opposed to axial expansion and alternatively a side plate

27

(in phantom lines) may be secured to the tire rim or otherwise to take the place of the moving dual wheel and force radial expansion.

The tire

24

of the traction device is inflated by conventional air sources, such as a compressed air tank. The tire

24

of each traction device

24

mounted on a vehicle may be individually inflated by manually applying pressurized air to each tire

24

. Most large dual wheel vehicles have their own on board air source to provide air to the vehicle brakes, air horn and the like. Each tire

24

may thus be coupled to the air source by is suitable controls and air lines to remotely inflate and deflate the tires

24

of the traction devices

10

. Referring to

FIG. 7

, an air line

80

is coupled to the valve stem

28

of the tire

24

of the traction device

10

. The air line

80

extends through the wheel housing

16

and is coupled to an air line

82

that extends to control valve(s)

84

. The control valve

84

is connected to an air supply tank

88

of the vehicle by an air line

86

. Additional air lines

82

are provided to couple the control valve

84

to each of the wheel housings

16

(and thus each tire

24

). The control valve

84

preferably is arranged to supply air to inflate each tire

24

or deflate each tire either individually or simultaneously. The operator of the vehicle may thus inflate or deflate the tires

24

remotely without the need of stopping the vehicle.

Referring now to the embodiments of

FIGS. 8-24

,

FIGS. 8 and 9

of the drawings illustrate a traction device applied to a single wheel

100

. Studs

20

are provided at spaced intervals along the center of the tread portion

102

. The center tread portion

102

in combination with the tire wall

104

forms an expandable chamber

106

as shown in

FIG. 9. A

hose

108

connects the chamber

106

to a valve stem

110

(valve mechanism) to permit applying air pressure is to the chamber

106

or relieving air pressure from the chamber

106

. Air pressure is applied by a known air source, either remote or self contained on the vehicle. The chamber

106

is shown in the expanded state in

FIG. 9

which forces the center tread portion

102

outwardly with reference to the wheel

100

to thus place the studs

20

into engagement with the ground surface.

FIG. 8

shows the chamber

106

collapsed. That is, the air has been released from the chamber

106

and the natural resilience of the center tread portion

102

retracts the studs

20

inwardly toward the tire wall

104

.

FIGS. 10 and 11

illustrate another traction device applied to a wheel

120

. A center tread portion

122

is provided between the side treads

124

and

126

. Studs

20

are provided at spaced intervals along the center tread portion

122

. The center tread portion

122

is expandable as shown in FIG.

11

and is contractible as shown in FIG.

10

. The center tread portion

122

is expanded by the application of air pressure to a chamber

127

formed within the center tread portion

122

and is contractible by releasing the air from the chamber

127

. A hose

128

couples the chamber

127

to a valve stem

130

. The center tread portion

122

in the expanded state as is shown in

FIG. 11

places the studs

20

in contact with the road surface to provided added traction.

FIGS. 12 and 13

illustrate a traction device similar to those of

FIGS. 8 and 9

except that in

FIGS. 12 and 13

studs

20

are provided near each side edge

133

of the tire tread

132

on the wheel

121

. An expandable chamber

134

is provided for each row of studs

20

. A hose

136

couples each of the chambers

134

to a valve stem

138

. The chambers

134

are expandable as shown in FIG.

13

and are contractible as shown in FIG.

12

. The chambers

134

are expanded by applying air pressure to the chambers

134

and the chambers

134

are contracted by releasing the air from the chambers

134

. When the chambers

134

are expanded the studs

20

are moved radially outward to contact the road surface.

FIGS. 14 and 15

are similar to the traction devices of

FIGS. 12 and 13

except that the chambers

134

are joined by a duct

142

provided in the tread

132

of the wheel

140

. Preferably multiple ducts

142

are provided at spaced intervals along the length of the chambers

134

. As shown in

FIGS. 14 and 15

, a single hose

146

is coupled to one of the chambers

134

and is connected to a valve stem

148

. The chambers

134

are shown in the expanded state in FIG.

15

and are expanded by the application of air pressure.

FIG. 14

illustrates the chambers

134

in the contracted or collapsed state and the chamber

134

is collapsed by releasing the air applied to the chamber

134

.

FIGS. 16 and 17

illustrate another traction device applied to a wheel

150

. In this embodiment, studs

20

are provided at spaced intervals in two rows around the periphery of the wheel

150

. The studs

20

project from a tread portion

152

of the wheel

150

. The wheel

150

has side tread sections

154

and

156

and a center tread section

158

. Each of the tread sections

154

,

156

and

158

have a chamber

160

that is expandable and contractible. A hose

162

connects the chambers

160

to a valve stem

164

. The chambers

160

are collapsible as illustrated in

FIG. 16

to place the studs

20

in contact with the road surface. The chambers

160

are expandable as shown in

FIG. 17

with the tread sections

154

,

156

and

158

being expanded beyond the height of the studs

20

to thus keep the studs

20

out of contact with the road surface.

FIGS. 18 and 19

illustrate a traction device as applied to a single wheel

170

. In this embodiment, the wheel

170

has a tread

172

. The tread

172

has channels

174

formed (see

FIGS. 23 and 24

) around its periphery with the channels

174

being of a depth to receive replaceable tubular section

176

. The tubular section

176

is provided with studs

20

. The tubular section

176

is removably mounted in the channels

174

provided in the tire tread

172

. The profile of the channels

174

in the tread

172

will have a profile that matches the profile of the tubular section

176

(see FIG.

23

). The tubular section has sufficient elasticity such that they may be installed and removed on the wheel

170

as required. The tubular section

176

with studs

20

would be installed on the wheel

170

when additional traction is required such as in ice or snowy. conditions and the studs

20

will provide the added traction required. Each tubular portion

176

is inflatable (expandable) by pressurized air and as shown in

FIGS. 18

,

19

, the tubular portion

176

a stem

180

that extends through an aperture

171

into the cavity portion of the wheel

170

. A coupler

182

connects the stems

184

to an air line

184

. Air line

184

is connected to a conventional valve stem

186

for inflating and deflating the tubular portion

176

. The tubular portion

176

is contractible by releasing the pressurized air.

The tubular portion

176

is inflated by pressurized air so that the tubular portion

176

will be substantially even with the tread

172

of the wheel

170

. When the tubular portion

176

is inflated to be even with the tread

172

, the studs

20

will project beyond the tread

172

and the studs

20

of the tubular portion

176

thus will be in contact with the ground surface to provide additional traction.

Tubular portion

178

, as illustrated in

FIGS. 20 and 21

, is a filler unit that is most often utilized when additional traction afforded by the studs

20

is not required such as during the summer months. The tubular portion

178

when inflated (

FIG. 21

) will have its upper surface substantially even with the tread

172

of the wheel

170

. The tubular portion

178

has a profile that will mate with the profile of the channel

174

(FIG.

24

). The tubular portion

178

has a stem

180

that extends through the aperture

171

into the cavity portion of the wheel

170

. A coupler

182

connects the stem

184

to an air line

184

. Air line

184

is connected to a conventional valve stem

186

for inflating and deflating the tubular portion

178

.

FIG. 22

illustrates a tubular portion

178

′that is removably mounted in the channel

174

of the wheel

170

. The tubular portion

178

′ has a stem

181

that fits in the aperture

171

to provide a seal for the cavity of the wheel

170

. The tubular portion

178

′ has sufficient elasticity to permit mounting the tubular portion

178

′ in the channel

174

formed in the tread

172

. It will be appreciated that the tubular portions

178

′ may also be provided with studs

20

.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and variations may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is therefore not to be limited to the embodiments described and illustrated by is to be determined from the appended claims.