tire blowout recovery device

Abstract

A tire blowout recovery device is provided, which is mounted around the outer periphery of a wheel rim along a rotation axis and includes at least two support elements. Each support element has a frame and two fixed seats attached to the frame. The frame has an inner plate, an outer plate, and two side plates connecting the inner and outer plates. The inner plate abuts against the wheel rim, and the outer plate supports the deflated tire. The two side plates each have an opening, and a connecting rod passes through the two openings of adjacent support elements. The connecting rod is attached to the fixed seats of the different support elements, and the support elements are securely mounted around the wheel rim. When the tire of a vehicle equipped with this invention blows out and loses pressure, these support elements can support the collapsed tire, allowing the vehicle to continue driving for a distance. In addition to preventing the vehicle from losing control, it can also keep the vehicle drivable until it reaches the nearest repair shop.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle safety device; more particularly to a tire blowout recovery device. [Previous Technology]

[0002] If a tire of an existing vehicle is punctured by a sharp object on the road or is damaged by other accidents, causing the tire to collapse into the rim due to the lack of support between the rim and the tire, the sudden reduction in tire diameter can easily cause the vehicle to lose control. If the driver continues to drive the vehicle with the flat tire, the flat tire may also cause damage to the rim.

[0003] To address the issue of potential vehicle loss of control due to tire collapse after damage, tire manufacturers offer a run-flat tire. By enhancing the sidewall's toughness, this tire retains some support after pressure loss, allowing the vehicle to continue driving. However, these run-flat tires are more expensive than regular tires, and their stiffer body results in less comfortable driving. Therefore, there is a market demand for a support device that is compatible with regular tires and can support the tire even after pressure loss, enabling the vehicle to continue driving after a tire blowout. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a device disposed around the wheel rim and providing tire support when the tire loses pressure. It is applicable to ordinary tires and can prevent the sudden collapse of the tire after a blowout, which would cause the vehicle to lose control. It allows the vehicle to continue driving to the shoulder or a place where the tire can be repaired after a blowout.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a tire blowout recovery device, which is disposed around a wheel rim and includes at least two support elements and at least two connecting rods. The support elements are used to surround the outer peripheral wall of the wheel rim about a rotation axis; each support element has a frame and a first fixing seat and a second fixing seat connected to the frame; the frame has an inner plate, an outer plate, a first side plate, and a second side plate; the inner plate is arc-shaped and abuts against the wheel rim; the outer plate is arc-shaped and is farther from the rotation axis than the inner plate; the first side plate is connected between one end of the inner plate and one end of the outer plate and has a first opening; the second side plate is connected between the other end of the inner plate and the other end of the outer plate and has a second opening; the first opening of each support element is opposite to the second opening of another support element adjacent to the support element. One end of each connecting rod passes through the first opening of one of the support elements and is engaged with the first fixing seat of the support element, and the other end of the connecting rod passes through the second opening of another support element and is engaged with the second fixing seat of the support element.

[0006] The advantage of this invention is that by connecting the supporting elements with the connecting rods, the supporting elements are arranged around the wheel rim and housed within the tire. This allows for wide application in ordinary tires. In the event of a tire blowout, the frame of the supporting elements supports the inner wall of the tire, providing tire support force to prevent the vehicle from continuing to drive until reaching the nearest repair shop. It also avoids situations where a sudden reduction in tire diameter could cause loss of vehicle control. Furthermore, due to the hollow structure of the frame system of each supporting element, the overall weight of the blowout recovery device can be reduced. While providing tire support force when the tire blows out and collapses, it also reduces the burden on the vehicle during driving when the tire is in a normal state.

Implementation Method

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the present invention, preferred embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 6, a tire blowout recovery device 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided around a wheel rim W. The outer circumference of the wheel rim W has a deep groove W1 in the middle, and a shallow groove W2 is formed beside the deep groove W1. The tire blowout recovery device 100 includes four support elements 10 and four connecting rods 20 for connecting two adjacent support elements 10, wherein:

[0009] Referring to Figures 2 to 4, the support elements 10 are used to surround and connect to the outer peripheral wall of the rim W around a rotation axis L. Each support element 10 includes a frame 12, a first fixing seat 14, and a second fixing seat 16. In this preferred embodiment, the frame 12 occupies approximately a quarter-circle arc, and the frame 12 includes an inner plate 121, an outer plate 122, a first side plate 123, a second side plate 124, and two support plates 125. The inner plate 121 is arc-shaped and abuts against the wheel rim W. In this preferred embodiment, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 6, the inner plate 121 is divided into a first inner plate 121A and a second inner plate 121B on both sides along the extension direction of the rotation axis L. The first inner plate 121A is arc-shaped, and the second inner plate 121B is also arc-shaped. The first inner plate 121A is closer to the rotation axis L than the second inner plate 121B. The first inner plate 121A abuts against the deep groove W1 of the wheel rim W, and the second inner plate 121B abuts against the shallow groove W2 of the wheel rim W. The outer plate 122 is arc-shaped and is farther away from the rotation axis L than the inner plate 121. Two chamfered portions 1221 are formed on both sides of the outer plate 122 surface along the extension direction of the rotation axis L. The outer plate 122 is used to support the collapsed tire, and the arc shape of the two chamfered portions 1221 can avoid the tire being damaged by sharper edges when the outer plate 122 contacts the collapsed tire.

[0010] Please refer to Figures 2 to 5. One end of the first side plate 123 is connected to one end of the first inner plate 121A and one end of the second inner plate 121B. The other end of the first side plate 123 is connected to one end of the outer plate 122. The first side plate 123 has a first opening 1231, which is adjacent to one end of the outer plate 122. The first side plate 123 has two first through holes 1232, which are closer to the rotation axis L than the second opening 1241. One end of the second side plate 124 is connected to the other end of the first inner plate 121A and the other end of the second inner plate 121B, and the other end of the second side plate 124 is connected to the other end of the outer plate 122. The second side plate 124 has a second opening 1241 adjacent to the other end of the outer plate 122. The second side plate 124 has two second through holes 1242, which are closer to the rotation axis L than the second opening 1241. Two support plates 125 are spaced apart between the inner plate 121 and the outer plate 122 to strengthen the support force between the inner plate 121 and the outer plate 122 of the frame 12. In other preferred embodiments, one support plate 125 may be connected between the inner plate 121 and the outer plate 122, or three or more support plates 125 may be connected between the inner plate 121 and the outer plate 122.

[0011] The first side plate 123 of each support element 10 abuts against the second side plate 124 of another support element 10 adjacent to the support element 10. The first opening 1231 of each support element 10 is opposite to the second opening 1241 of the other support element 10, and the first through hole 1232 of each support element 10 is opposite to the second through hole 1242 of the other support element 10. Thus, the support elements 10 are arranged around the wheel rim W with their two ends abutting against the other support element 10 respectively. As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the first inner plate 121A of each support element 10 is embedded in the deep groove W1 of the wheel rim W, and the second inner plate 121B is embedded in the shallow groove W2 of the wheel rim W, so that the frame 12 of the support element 10 can abut against the outer peripheral wall of the wheel rim W with the inner plate 121. When the tire T is attached to the rim W, the support elements 10 can be accommodated inside the tire T. Each support element 10 is made of a lightweight yet strong material. In this preferred embodiment, it is made of polyvinyl chloride, commonly known as plastic steel. In other preferred embodiments, it can also be made of materials such as aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, or glass fiber. Because the frame 12 of the support element 10 is hollow, the weight of the support element 10 can be reduced. Thus, when the support elements 10 are arranged around the rim W, the load on the vehicle's drive rim W can be reduced, and they can also function to support the tire T after it collapses due to depressurization.

[0012] Referring to Figures 3 to 5, the first fixing base 14 includes a pair of first base plates 141 and a first nut 142. The pair of first base plates 141 are spaced apart and respectively connected between the first side plate 123 and the outer plate 122. Each pair of first base plates 141 has a first base plate hole 1411. The first nut 142 is engaged with one of the pair of first base plates 141 and is concentric with the first base plate hole 1411 of the first base plate 141. Specifically, the first base plate 141 engaged with the first nut 142 has two first nut fixing holes 1412, which are located around the first base plate hole 1411. The first nut 142 has a first rod portion 1421 and a first disc portion 1422 formed at one end of the first rod portion 1421. The first disc portion 1422 has two first nut through holes 1423 around its perimeter. A first nut threaded hole 1424 passes through the first rod portion 1421 and the first disc portion 1422. The first disc portion 1422 abuts against the first base plate 141. The first nut threaded hole 1424 is aligned with the first base plate hole 1411. The two first nut through holes 1423 are aligned with the two first nut fixing holes 1412. A first fixing member 143 is respectively inserted and fixed through each of the first nut through holes 1423 and each of the first nut fixing holes 1412. In this preferred embodiment, each of the first nut fixing holes 1412 is a screw hole, and each of the first fixing members 143 is a bolt. The first fixing member 143 passes through the first nut through hole 1423 and is screwed into the first nut fixing hole 1412, thereby fixing the first nut 142 to the first base plate 141. In other preferred embodiments, the first nut fixing hole 1412 can be configured as a through hole, and the first fixing member 143 can be configured as a rivet and riveted to the first nut through hole 1423 and the first nut fixing hole 1412.

[0013] The second fixing base 16 includes a pair of second base plates 161 and a second nut 162. The pair of second base plates 161 are spaced apart and respectively connected between the second side plate 124 and the outer plate 122. Each pair of second base plates 161 has a second base plate hole 1611. The second nut 162 is engaged with one of the pair of second base plates 161 and is concentric with the second base plate hole 1611 of the second base plate 161. Specifically, the second base plate 161 engaged with the second nut 162 has two second nut fixing holes 1612, which are located around the second base plate hole 1611. The second nut 162 has a second rod portion 1621 and a second disc portion 1622 formed at one end of the second rod portion 1621. The second disc portion 1622 has two second nut through holes 1623 around its perimeter. A second nut threaded hole 1624 passes through the second rod portion 1621 and the second disc portion 1622. The second disc portion 1622 abuts against the second base plate 161. The second nut threaded hole 1624 is aligned with the second base plate hole 1611. The two second nut through holes 1623 are aligned with the two second nut fixing holes 1612. A second fixing member 163 is respectively inserted and fixed through each of the second nut through holes 1623 and each of the second nut fixing holes 1612. In this preferred embodiment, each of the second nut fixing holes 1612 is a threaded hole, and each of the second fasteners 163 is a bolt. The second fastener 163 passes through the second nut through hole 1623 and is screwed into the second nut fixing hole 1612, thereby fixing the second nut 162 to the second base plate 161. In other preferred embodiments, the second nut fixing hole 1612 may be a through hole, and the second fastener 163 may be a rivet and riveted to the second nut through hole 1623 and the second nut fixing hole 1612.

[0014] Referring to Figures 5 to 7, one end of each connecting rod 20 passes through the first opening 1231 of one of the adjacent two support elements 10, and one end of the connecting rod 20 is connected to the first fixing seat 14 of the support element 10. The other end of the connecting rod 20 passes through the second opening 1241 of the other support element 10 of the adjacent two support elements 10, and the other end of the connecting rod 20 is connected to the second fixing seat 16 of the support element 10. Specifically, one end of each connecting rod 20 passes between the pair of first seat plates 141, and the other end passes between the pair of second seat plates 161. One end of each connecting rod 20 has a first connecting rod through hole 22, and the other end has a second connecting rod through hole 24. A first bolt 221 is inserted through the first connecting rod through hole 22 and the pair of first seat plate holes 1411 of the first fixing seat 14, and the first bolt 221 is screwed into the first nut screw hole 1424 of the first nut 142 of the first fixing seat 14. A second bolt 241 is inserted through the second connecting rod through hole 24 and the pair of second seat plate holes 1611 of the second fixing seat 16, and the second bolt 241 is screwed into the second nut screw hole 1624 of the second nut 162 of the second fixing seat 16.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5, the four connecting rods 20 described above can be used to connect the four support elements 10 to the outer peripheral wall of the rim W around the rotation axis L. Furthermore, in this preferred embodiment, a bolt and nut assembly 26 is inserted between each of the opposing first through holes 1232 and second through holes 1242 to further secure adjacent and adjacent support elements 10 together, increasing the strength of the connection between the support elements 10.

[0016] In other preferred embodiments, each of the support elements 10 may have only one first through hole 1232 and one second through hole 1242, respectively, and a bolt and nut assembly 26 may be inserted and connected between the opposite first through holes 1232 and second through holes 1242. In addition, the first opening 1231 and the second opening 1241 of each support element 10 may be adjacent to the two ends of the outer plate 122, and the first opening 1231 and the second opening 1241 may also be formed in the middle of the first side plate 123 and the second side plate 124, in which case the first fixing seat 14 and the second fixing seat 16 may be connected only to the inner side of the first side plate 123 and the second side plate 124, respectively.

[0017] In addition to the preferred embodiment described above, the tire blowout continuation device 100 of the present invention includes four support elements 10 and four connecting rods 20. Alternatively, the tire blowout continuation device 100 may be configured to include two support elements 10 and two connecting rods 20 respectively connecting two adjacent support elements 10, or it may be configured to include three support elements 10 and three connecting rods 20 respectively connecting two adjacent support elements 10, and so on. When the tire blowout continuation device 100 is configured to include two support elements 10, the frame 12 of each support element 10 occupies approximately half an arc; when the tire blowout continuation device 100 is configured to include three support elements 10, the frame 12 of each support element 10 occupies approximately one-third an arc, thus enabling the support elements 10, after being connected by the connecting rods 20, to surround the rim W.

[0018] In the above-described preferred embodiments, in addition to the first side plate 123 of one support element 10 abutting against the second side plate 124 of the other support element 10, there may also be a gap between the first side plate 123 of one support element 10 and the second side plate 124 of the other support element 10. In this way, the connecting rods 20 can still connect the support elements 10 to the outer peripheral wall of the wheel rim W around the axis of rotation L. Furthermore, in addition to the inner plate 121 of each support element 10 being divided into a first inner plate 121A closer to the axis of rotation L and a second inner plate 121B further away from the axis of rotation L, in other preferred embodiments, the inner plate 121 may also be a single arc-shaped plate for abutting against the deep groove of a wheel rim.

[0019] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Any equivalent changes made by applying the present invention specification and the claims should be included within the patent scope of the present invention. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0007] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a left side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the support element of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is an exploded view of the support element in Figure 3 from another angle. Figure 5 is an exploded view of two adjacent support elements in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a sectional view along direction 6-6 of Figure 2. Figure 7 is a sectional view along direction 7-7 of Figure 2.

Claims

1. A tire blowout recovery device, configured to be disposed around a wheel rim and comprising at least two support elements and at least two connecting rods, wherein: These support elements are used to surround and connect to the outer peripheral wall of the wheel rim about a rotation axis; each support element has a frame and a first fixing seat and a second fixing seat connected to the frame; the frame has an inner plate, an outer plate, a first side plate and a second side plate, the inner plate is arc-shaped and abuts against the wheel rim, the outer plate is arc-shaped and is farther away from the rotation axis than the inner plate, the first side plate is connected between one end of the inner plate and one end of the outer plate and has a first opening, the first opening being a hole with a complete periphery, the second side plate is connected between the other end of the inner plate and the other end of the outer plate and has a second opening, the second opening being a hole with a complete periphery; the first opening of each support element is opposite to the second opening of another support element adjacent to the support element; One end of each connecting rod passes through the first opening of one of the two adjacent support elements and is engaged with the first fixing seat of the support element; the other end of the connecting rod passes through the second opening of the other support element and is engaged with the second fixing seat of the support element.

2. The tire blowout continuation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one support plate is connected between the inner plate and the outer plate of each support element.

3. The tire blowout continuation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first side plate of each of the support elements abuts against the second side plate of another support element; the first side plate has at least one first through hole, the second side plate has at least one second through hole, each of the second through holes being opposite to another second through hole; and a bolt and nut assembly is inserted and connected between the opposite first through hole and the second through hole.

4. The tire blowout continuation device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first opening of the frame is adjacent to one end of the outer panel; the second opening of the frame is adjacent to the other end of the outer panel; the at least one first through hole is closer to the axis of rotation than the first opening; and the at least one second through hole is closer to the axis of rotation than the second opening.

5. The tire blowout continuation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one end and the other end of each connecting rod are respectively screwed into the first fixing seat of one support element and the second fixing seat of the other support element.

6. The tire blowout recovery device as described in claim 5, wherein the first fixing seat includes a pair of first seat plates and a first nut; the pair of first seat plates are connected between the first side plate and the outer plate and each has a first seat plate hole, and the first nut is engaged with one of the pair of first seat plates and is concentric with the first seat plate hole of the first seat plate; the second fixing seat includes a pair of second seat plates and a second nut; the pair of second seat plates are connected between the second side plate and the outer plate and each has a second seat plate hole, and the second nut is engaged with one of the pair of second side plates. One of the seat plates is concentric with the second seat plate hole of the second seat plate; one end and the other end of each connecting rod are respectively inserted between the pair of first seat plates and between the pair of second seat plates, and one end and the other end of each connecting rod have a first connecting rod through hole and a second connecting rod through hole; a first bolt is inserted into the first connecting rod through hole and the pair of first seat plate holes, and the first bolt is screwed into the first nut; a second bolt is inserted into the second connecting rod through hole and the pair of second seat plate holes, and the second bolt is screwed into the second nut.

7. The tire blowout recovery device as described in claim 6, wherein the first base plate, which engages with the first nut, has two first nut fixing holes located around the holes in the first base plate; the first nut has a first rod portion and a first disc portion formed at one end of the first rod portion, the first disc portion having two first nut through holes around it, a first fixing member being inserted and fixed through each of the first nut through holes and each of the first nut fixing holes; a first nut threaded hole penetrating the first rod portion and the first disc portion; and the first bolt being threaded... The second nut is locked in the first nut screw hole; the second base plate that is coupled with the second nut has two second nut fixing holes, which are located around the holes of the second base plate; the second nut has a second rod portion and a second disc portion formed at one end of the second rod portion, and two second nut through holes are provided around the second disc portion. A second fixing member is inserted and fixed in each of the second nut through holes and each of the second nut fixing holes. A second nut screw hole is passed through the second rod portion and the second disc portion, and the second bolt is screwed into the second nut screw hole.

8. The tire blowout continuation device as described in claim 7, wherein each of the first nut fixing holes is a screw hole, each of the first fixing members is a bolt, the first fixing member passes through the first nut through hole and is screwed into the first nut fixing hole; each of the second nut fixing holes is a screw hole, each of the second fixing members is a bolt, the second fixing member passes through the second nut through hole and is screwed into the second nut fixing hole.

9. The tire blowout continuation device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the inner plate of each support element is divided into a first inner plate and a second inner plate on both sides along the direction of rotation axis, the first inner plate being closer to the rotation axis than the second inner plate; one end of the first side plate is connected to one end of the first inner plate and one end of the second inner plate, and one end of the second side plate is connected to the other end of the first inner plate and the other end of the second inner plate.

10. The tire blowout recovery device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the outer plate has two chamfered portions formed on both sides of the edge extending along the rotation axis.

Images