Tire, tire assembly, and vehicle

Abstract

The application relates to the automobile technical field, in particular to a tire, a tire assembly and a vehicle, the tire is installed on a rim, the tire comprises a tire body, the tire body comprises a tread pattern part and a sidewall part, the tread pattern part is sleeved on the outer circumferential side of the rim, the sidewall part is connected with the tread pattern part and the rim, and the sidewall part, the tread pattern part and the rim jointly form a main air chamber; wherein the inside of the tread pattern part is provided with an adjusting chamber, the adjusting chamber is arranged along the circumference of the tread pattern part and is mutually independently isolated from the main air chamber, and the adjusting chamber can expand or shrink to change the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern part. The application aims to solve the problem that the existing tire circumferential stiffness is fixed, so that the steering stability and the driving comfort cannot be considered at the same time, and the adaptability to complex and changeable working conditions is limited.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive technology, and in particular to a tire, tire assembly, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] As a key component in contact with the ground, tires significantly impact a vehicle's driving safety, handling stability, and ride comfort. Among these factors, tire circumferential stiffness is a crucial parameter affecting vehicle handling and ride quality, relating to the tire's ability to resist circumferential deformation and torsion during steering, acceleration, or braking.

[0003] Currently, conventional tires are mainly composed of rubber and internal reinforcing materials such as ply and belt layers. This traditional structure means that after vulcanization, the overall structural stiffness, including circumferential stiffness, is essentially fixed and difficult to substantially change during vehicle operation. However, the operating conditions and demands faced by vehicles in actual driving are complex and varied. For example, during aggressive driving or high-speed cornering, tires need high circumferential stiffness to provide rapid handling response and torsional support; while when dealing with bumpy roads or needing to improve grip, tires are expected to exhibit moderate compliance to cushion impacts and increase contact patch. Because the circumferential stiffness of existing tires cannot be dynamically adjusted according to actual operating conditions, vehicles often struggle to simultaneously achieve both handling stability and ride comfort under different driving conditions, significantly limiting the tire's adaptability to complex and varied operating conditions.

[0004] Therefore, how to achieve dynamic adjustment of tire circumferential stiffness to improve the problem of performance incompatibility caused by fixed tire stiffness in the prior art, and enhance the tire's adaptability to different driving conditions, is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main purpose of this application is to propose a tire, tire assembly, and vehicle that aims to solve the problem that the fixed circumferential stiffness of existing tires makes it difficult to balance handling stability and driving comfort, and limits their adaptability to complex and changing working conditions.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a tire mounted on a rim. The tire includes a tire body, which includes a tread pattern portion and a sidewall portion. The tread pattern portion is fitted onto the outer periphery of the rim, and the sidewall portion connects the tread pattern portion and the rim. The sidewall portion, the tread pattern portion, and the rim together enclose and form a main air chamber. The tread pattern portion has an adjustment chamber inside. The adjustment chamber is arranged circumferentially along the tread pattern portion and is independently isolated from the main air chamber. The adjustment chamber can expand or contract to change the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern portion.

[0007] In one embodiment, the tire sidewall includes a tire bead and a tire edge, the tire bead being connected to the rim, and the tire edge being connected to the tire bead and the tire tread pattern. The tire is also provided with a flow channel, one end of which extends to the tire bead to form an input interface. The input interface is used to seal and communicate with an external medium source. The other end of the flow channel passes through the tire sidewall to communicate with the regulating chamber in fluid order. The flow channel is used to regulate the medium pressure in the regulating chamber.

[0008] In one embodiment, the regulating chamber includes a plurality of sub-chambers distributed circumferentially along the tire body; the flow channel includes a distribution channel, and the flow channel is in fluid communication with the plurality of sub-chambers through the distribution channel.

[0009] In one embodiment, the flow channel includes a sidewall flow channel and a sidewall annular flow channel, the sidewall flow channel extending along the sidewall portion, and the sidewall annular flow channel disposed on the sidewall portion and extending circumferentially along the tire body. The distribution channel includes spaced tread pattern connecting channels and tread chamber annular channels, wherein the tread chamber annular channels are located within the tread pattern portion and extend circumferentially along the tire body. One end of the sidewall flow channel is connected to the input interface, and the other end is connected to the tread pattern connecting flow channel through the sidewall annular flow channel and the tread pattern connecting flow channel. The tread pattern connecting flow channel is connected to multiple sub-chambers.

[0010] In one embodiment, the flow channel includes a sidewall flow channel and a sidewall annular flow channel, the sidewall flow channel extending along the sidewall portion, and the sidewall annular flow channel disposed on the sidewall portion and extending circumferentially along the tire body. The distribution channel includes spaced-out tread pattern connecting channels; One end of the sidewall flow channel is connected to the input interface, and the other end is directly connected to multiple sub-chambers through the sidewall annular flow channel and the tread pattern connecting flow channel.

[0011] In one embodiment, the flow channel includes a sidewall flow channel that extends along the sidewall portion; The distribution channel includes an annular tread channel, which is located within the tread pattern and extends circumferentially along the tire body. Wherein, one end of the sidewall flow channel is connected to the input interface, and the other end is connected to the tread annular flow channel; the tread annular flow channel serves as the distribution flow channel and is directly connected to the multiple sub-chambers; or, the distribution flow channel further includes tread pattern connecting channels distributed at intervals, and the tread annular flow channel is connected to the multiple sub-chambers through the tread pattern connecting channels.

[0012] In one embodiment, the input interface includes a fetal bead medium hole disposed on the fetal bead portion; The tire also includes an annular sealing ring, which is located at the tire bead medium hole.

[0013] In one embodiment, the regulating chamber is filled with a fluid medium, which is a gas or a liquid.

[0014] This application also provides a tire assembly, including: Wheel rim; and As mentioned above, tires.

[0015] In one embodiment, the rim is provided with a pressure regulating chamber, which is in fluid communication with the adjustment chamber and is used to provide a fluid medium to the adjustment chamber so as to cause the adjustment chamber to expand or contract.

[0016] This application also provides a vehicle including the tire assembly as described above.

[0017] The tire provided in this application solves the problem that existing tires, with their fixed circumferential stiffness, make it difficult to balance handling stability and driving comfort, and limit their adaptability to complex and changing working conditions by using an adjustable chamber arranged circumferentially inside the tread pattern and independently isolated from the main air chamber. Specifically, during actual driving, when the vehicle is under aggressive driving or high-speed cornering conditions, the adjustment chamber expands, increasing the internal support force of the adjustment chamber on the tread pattern, thereby improving the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern and providing the vehicle with rapid handling response and torsional support. When the vehicle is dealing with bumpy road conditions or needs to improve grip, the adjustment chamber contracts, reducing the internal support force on the tread pattern, making the tread pattern exhibit moderate flexibility to buffer impacts and increase contact patch. At the same time, since the adjustment chamber is independently isolated from the main air chamber, the expansion or contraction of the adjustment chamber to change the circumferential stiffness of the tread will not interfere with the normal air pressure of the main air chamber or the basic load-bearing function of the tire. Through the above process, the dynamic on-demand adjustment of the tire's circumferential stiffness is achieved, allowing the tire to flexibly switch stiffness characteristics under different driving conditions, effectively balancing handling stability and driving comfort, and significantly improving the tire's adaptability to complex and changing conditions. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the tire provided in this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the tire provided in this application; Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the tire provided in this application.

[0020] Explanation of icon numbers: 100. Tire; 10. Tire body; 11. Tread pattern; 12. Sidewall; 121. Bead; 122. Sidewall; 13. Flow channel; 131. Sidewall flow channel; 132. Sidewall annular flow channel; 133. Distribution channel; 1331. Tread pattern connecting flow channel; 1332. Tread chamber annular flow channel; 14. Bead medium hole.

[0021] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0023] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this application involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, radial, axial, circumferential, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0024] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this application involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the technical solutions of various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0025] This application proposes a tire 100.

[0026] Please refer to Figure 1 The tire 100 proposed in this application is installed on a rim. The tire 100 includes a tire body 10, which includes a tread pattern portion 11 and a sidewall portion 12. The tread pattern portion 11 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the rim, and the sidewall portion 12 connects the tread pattern portion 11 and the rim. The sidewall portion 12, the tread pattern portion 11, and the rim together enclose and form the main air chamber. The tread pattern section 11 has an adjustment chamber inside. The adjustment chamber is arranged circumferentially along the tread pattern section 11 and is independently isolated from the main air chamber. The adjustment chamber can expand or contract to change the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern section 11.

[0027] It should be noted that the tire 100 involved in this application is a ring-shaped structural component used for mounting on the rim of a vehicle. The tire 100 is mainly composed of a rubber matrix and internal reinforcing materials such as cord layers and belt layers to provide the necessary load-bearing capacity and structural strength.

[0028] Specifically, the tire body 10 constitutes the main outline of the tire 100, including the tread pattern portion 11 and the sidewall portion 12. The tread pattern portion 11 is located on the outer periphery of the tire 100 and is the area where the tire 100 directly contacts the ground. Its outer surface is distributed with tread grooves for water drainage and gripping, and its interior is composed of wear-resistant rubber and belt layer skeleton material to resist road friction and provide basic support. The sidewall portion 12 connects to the two sides of the tread pattern portion 11 and extends inward to the rim area. It is mainly made of rubber material with good flexural fatigue performance to withstand radial loads and frequent bending deformations during vehicle operation.

[0029] Furthermore, the main air chamber, which is formed by the sidewall portion 12, the tread pattern portion 11, and the rim, is an annular sealed space that is closed around the circumference of the tire 100. It is used to fill and maintain high-pressure gas, thereby providing basic shape support and load-bearing capacity for the tire 100 and maintaining the normal operation of the vehicle.

[0030] Furthermore, an adjustment chamber is provided inside the tread pattern 11. This adjustment chamber extends continuously along the circumference of the tread pattern 11, forming an annular cavity structure surrounding the tire 100. Its cross-sectional shape can be circular, elliptical, or flattened sac-like. The wall of the adjustment chamber is made of airtight elastic rubber or a flexible material composed of rubber and cord, capable of elastic deformation under external force or internal medium. The adjustment chamber and the main air chamber are physically separated and airtightly sealed by a solid diaphragm or inner liner inside the tread pattern 11, ensuring that the medium in the adjustment chamber and the gas in the main air chamber are not interconnected or interfered with, thereby ensuring that the adjustment chamber does not affect the normal pressure maintenance and basic support function of the main air chamber when it operates.

[0031] In practical use, the regulating chamber can expand or contract by filling or discharging fluid media, thereby changing the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern 11. When high-pressure gas or liquid media is filled into the regulating chamber, the regulating chamber expands, stretching the inner and outer walls of the tread pattern 11 outward, increasing the tension and density of the internal structure of the tread pattern 11, thereby improving the ability of the tread pattern 11 to resist circumferential deformation and torsion, that is, increasing the torsional stiffness. When the media in the regulating chamber is discharged, the regulating chamber contracts, the supporting force inside the tread pattern 11 weakens, and the structure returns to a relaxed and compliant state, thereby reducing the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern 11, making it easier for it to undergo elastic deformation to conform to the road surface.

[0032] The tire 100 provided in this application solves the problem that the fixed circumferential stiffness of the existing tire 100 makes it difficult to balance handling stability and driving comfort, and limits its adaptability to complex and changing working conditions. This is achieved by using an adjustable chamber arranged circumferentially inside the tread pattern 11 and independently isolated from the main air chamber, which can expand or contract. Specifically, during actual driving, when the vehicle is under aggressive driving or high-speed cornering conditions, the adjustment chamber expands, increasing the internal support force of the adjustment chamber on the tread pattern 11, thereby improving the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern 11 and providing the vehicle with rapid handling response and torsional support. When the vehicle is dealing with bumpy road conditions or needs to improve grip, the adjustment chamber contracts, reducing the internal support force on the tread pattern 11, making the tread pattern 11 exhibit moderate compliance to buffer impacts and increase ground contact. At the same time, since the adjustment chamber and the main air chamber are independently isolated from each other, the process of the adjustment chamber expanding or contracting to change the circumferential stiffness of the tread will not interfere with the normal air pressure of the main air chamber and the basic load-bearing function of the tire 100. Through the above process, the dynamic on-demand adjustment of the circumferential stiffness of the tire 100 is achieved, allowing the tire 100 to flexibly switch stiffness characteristics under different driving conditions, effectively balancing handling stability and driving comfort, and greatly improving the adaptability of the tire 100 to complex and changing conditions.

[0033] It is also understood that, in one embodiment, the regulating chamber is a preset closed chamber, and the fluid medium located in the regulating chamber is at a preset pressure value; the regulating chamber is used to achieve adaptive stiffness adjustment by volume contraction when the tread pattern 11 is under pressure.

[0034] It should be noted that the regulating chamber is designed as a pre-sealed chamber. This means that the chamber is completely sealed during the tire 100 manufacturing stage (such as vulcanization molding), and its interior is no longer connected to active power supply devices such as the flow channel 13, external air pump, or pressure regulating chamber on the rim, forming an independent and closed local system. The fluid medium located in this pre-sealed chamber is filled to a preset pressure value during sealing. This preset pressure value is calibrated according to the basic support requirements of the tire 100 under normal use scenarios, so that the chamber wall maintains a certain pre-tension state when the vehicle is not under heavy load.

[0035] When the vehicle is in motion and the tread pattern 11 is subjected to impacts from the road surface or the vehicle's own weight, the tread rubber deforms inward, directly compressing the elastic wall of the adjustment chamber. Since the chamber is closed, the internal fluid medium cannot escape. Under pressure, the chamber volume is forced to contract. According to fluid mechanics principles, the internal pressure of the fluid medium in the closed space will rapidly increase when compressed. This sudden increase in fluid pressure makes the adjustment chamber instantly rigid, providing a strong reaction force to resist further deformation of the tread pattern 11. When the external pressure is unloaded as the wheel rolls, the elastic potential energy of the fluid medium itself pushes the chamber wall to rebound, the volume recovers, and the internal pressure drops back to the preset value.

[0036] In this embodiment, by setting the regulating chamber as a closed chamber filled with a fluid medium at a preset pressure, the complex external inflation and deflation pipelines and active pressure regulating equipment are eliminated, greatly simplifying the overall structure of the tire 100 and the vehicle, and reducing the manufacturing cost and failure rate of the system. At the same time, by cleverly utilizing the physical property that the volume of a closed fluid contracts under pressure and the pressure rises sharply, passive adaptive stiffness adjustment without external command intervention is achieved. When the tread is compressed, the chamber automatically hardens to provide strong support, and automatically returns to a soft state after the pressure is released. This purely mechanical physical response is not only extremely fast and has zero delay, but also occurs in real time completely following the road excitation, significantly improving the tire 100's adaptive absorption and resistance to deformation in the face of transient impacts.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the sidewall portion 12 includes a bead portion 121 and a sidewall portion 122. The bead portion 121 is connected to the rim, and the sidewall portion 122 is connected to the bead portion 121 and the tread pattern portion 11. The tire 100 is also provided with a flow channel 13. One end of the flow channel 13 extends to the tire bead 121 to form an input interface. The input interface is used to seal and communicate with an external medium source. The other end of the flow channel 13 passes through the tire sidewall 12 to communicate with the regulating chamber. The flow channel 13 is used to regulate the medium pressure in the regulating chamber.

[0038] It should be noted that the structure of the sidewall portion 12 is further refined, including the bead portion 121 and the sidewall portion 122. The bead portion 121 is located at the bottom of the sidewall portion 12, and its interior is embedded with a high-rigidity skeleton material such as an annular steel wire ring, and its exterior is wrapped with hard rubber, which is used to form a tight mechanical engagement and sealing fit with the rim flange, ensuring that the tire 100 is firmly fixed to the rim. The sidewall portion 122 has an arc-shaped thin-walled structure, connecting the bead portion 121 and the tread pattern portion 11. This area is mainly composed of rubber material with good flexural flexibility to adapt to frequent bending and bouncing during vehicle operation.

[0039] In addition, the tire 100 is equipped with a flow channel 13. This flow channel 13 can be a flexible, pressure-resistant polymer pipe pre-embedded and vulcanized inside the sidewall 12, or it can be a built-in fluid flow channel pre-reserved during the tire 100 molding process. One end of the flow channel 13 extends downward to the tire bead 121 and forms an input interface on its surface. This input interface can be a protruding nozzle structure or a recessed sealing valve seat, specifically designed for sealed plug-in or threaded connection with a medium source such as an external air pump or liquid pump configured on the vehicle wheel hub, to ensure that the fluid medium does not leak under high pressure.

[0040] Furthermore, the other end of the flow channel 13 extends upward along the interior of the sidewall portion 122, penetrating the solid rubber material of the sidewall portion 12 near the tread pattern portion 11, and finally achieving fluid communication with the regulating chamber. Thus, the flow channel 13 constructs a medium delivery path from the input interface of the bead portion 121 directly to the regulating chamber inside the tread pattern portion 11. Fluid media input from an external medium source can smoothly enter or be extracted from the regulating chamber, thereby achieving precise regulation of the medium pressure within the regulating chamber.

[0041] In this embodiment, by constructing a flow channel 13 inside the tire 100 and cleverly placing the input interface in the tire bead 121, not only can the external medium source be conveniently and discreetly connected to the tire 100, avoiding the risk of damage to exposed pipelines, but the flow channel 13 is also directly connected to the adjustment chamber via the tire sidewall 122, providing a short and reliable medium transmission path integrated inside the tire 100. This effectively reduces the complexity of the external pipeline layout, ensures the timeliness and response speed of the medium pressure adjustment in the adjustment chamber, and thus ensures the efficiency and stability of the dynamic adjustment of the circumferential stiffness of the tire 100.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the regulating chamber includes a plurality of sub-chambers distributed circumferentially along the tire body 10; the flow channel 13 includes a distribution channel 133, which is in fluid communication with the plurality of sub-chambers.

[0043] It should be noted that the adjustment chamber may include multiple sub-chambers distributed circumferentially along the tire body 10. These sub-chambers divide the originally continuous annular space into several independent sac-like or tubular units, which are evenly arranged along the tire 100 circumference or distributed in a specific pattern according to stress requirements. The sub-chambers are separated from each other by solid rubber partitions inside the tread pattern 11, and the walls of each sub-chamber are also made of airtight elastic rubber or a flexible material composed of rubber and cord, to ensure that each sub-chamber has independent expansion and contraction deformation capabilities.

[0044] Furthermore, to facilitate the transport of media to multiple sub-chambers, the end structure of the flow channel 13 is correspondingly extended, including a distribution channel 133. This distribution channel 133 can be a network of branch pipes pre-embedded and vulcanized inside the tread pattern 11, or a tree-like or comb-like channel structure integrally formed with the sub-chamber partitions. After the main trunk of the flow channel 13 extends into the tread pattern 11, it branches into multiple branches corresponding to the number of sub-chambers via the distribution channel 133. Each branch penetrates the wall of its corresponding sub-chamber to achieve fluid communication. Thus, the fluid medium provided by the external medium source, after flowing into the distribution channel 133 via the main trunk of the flow channel 13, can be evenly or as needed distributed to each sub-chamber, achieving synchronous filling or emptying of multiple chambers.

[0045] In this embodiment, by dividing the adjustment chamber into multiple sub-chambers distributed circumferentially and using the distribution channel 133 for fluid distribution and communication, the circumferential stiffness adjustment of the tread pattern 11 becomes more refined and localized. When facing complex working conditions, not only can synchronous stiffness adjustment be achieved in the entire circumferential direction, but also the medium can be filled and discharged in specific areas of the sub-chambers to achieve differentiated control of the local stiffness of the tread, thereby more accurately adapting to the support requirements of the tire 100 under uneven stress conditions such as steering. At the same time, this multi-chamber split structure also effectively avoids the risk that partial damage to a single continuous chamber will lead to the failure of the overall adjustment function, significantly improving the fault tolerance and operational reliability of the system.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment, the flow channel 13 includes a sidewall flow channel 131 and a sidewall annular flow channel 132. The sidewall flow channel 131 extends along the sidewall portion 122, and the sidewall annular flow channel 132 is disposed on the sidewall portion 122 and extends circumferentially along the tire body 10. The distribution channel 133 includes spaced tread pattern connecting channels 1331 and tread chamber annular channels 1332. The tread chamber annular channels 1332 are located in the tread pattern portion 11 and extend circumferentially along the tire body 10. One end of the sidewall flow channel 131 is connected to the input interface, and the other end is connected to the tread chamber annular flow channel 1332 through the sidewall annular flow channel 132 and the tread pattern connecting flow channel 1331. The tread chamber annular flow channel 1332 is connected to multiple sub-chambers.

[0047] It should be noted that the flow channel 13 may include a sidewall flow channel 131 and a sidewall annular flow channel 132. The sidewall flow channel 131 extends radially along the sidewall portion 122 and can be a flexible, pressure-resistant polymer tube pre-embedded inside the sidewall rubber, or a straight or slightly arc-shaped fluid channel integrally vulcanized during the tire 100 molding process, responsible for guiding the medium from bottom to top. The sidewall annular flow channel 132 is located in the transition area of ​​the sidewall portion 122 near the tread pattern portion 11. It has a closed annular pipe structure along the circumference of the tire body 10, which can initially distribute and collect the longitudinally transported medium in the circumferential direction of the sidewall.

[0048] Accordingly, the distribution channel 133 is refined into spaced-apart tread pattern connecting channels 1331 and tread chamber annular channels 1332. The tread pattern connecting channels 1331 have a strip-shaped channel structure, which crosses the structural boundary area between the sidewall portion 122 and the tread pattern portion 11 along the radial direction of the tire 100, and multiple channels are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction to form multiple parallel bridges connecting the lower sidewall and the upper tread. The tread chamber annular channels 1332 are embedded in the deep interior of the tread pattern portion 11, and also extend along the circumferential direction of the tire body 10 to form an annular manifold structure, serving as the final annular distribution hub before the fluid medium enters each sub-chamber.

[0049] In the fluid communication path, one end of the sidewall flow channel 131 is sealed and connected to the input interface of the tire bead 121, and the other end flows upward into the sidewall annular flow channel 132. The sidewall annular flow channel 132 is connected to the flow channel 1331 through multiple circumferentially spaced tread patterns, and crosses the region boundary to connect to the annular flow channel 1332 of the tread chamber located in the tread pattern portion 11. Finally, the annular flow channel 1332 of the tread chamber is fluidly connected to the multiple sub-chambers distributed circumferentially. Thus, the external medium is uniformly and stably delivered to each sub-chamber through longitudinal conveying, circumferential buffering distribution, multi-path traversal, and final circumferential convergence.

[0050] In this embodiment, by constructing a flow channel network consisting of a sidewall flow channel 131, a sidewall annular flow channel 132, a tread pattern connecting flow channel 1331, and a tread chamber annular flow channel 1332, a precise delivery of the fluid medium from single-point input to uniform distribution across multiple chambers is achieved. The double-annular structure design of the sidewall annular flow channel 132 and the tread chamber annular flow channel 1332 plays an excellent role in stabilizing pressure and equalizing flow, effectively avoiding sub-chamber filling differences or local pressure overshoot caused by unilateral pressure supply. At the same time, the spaced tread pattern connecting flow channels 1331 form a multi-point flexible transition and support between the sidewall and the tread, enhancing the internal pipeline system's resistance to tensile stress and fatigue fracture under high-speed rolling and severe deformation of the tire 100, thereby ensuring the long-term and stable realization of the dynamic stiffness adjustment function of the complex flow channel system.

[0051] Please refer to Figure 3 In one embodiment, the flow channel 13 includes a sidewall flow channel 131 and a sidewall annular flow channel 132. The sidewall flow channel 131 extends along the sidewall portion 122, and the sidewall annular flow channel 132 is disposed on the sidewall portion 122 and extends circumferentially along the tire body 10. The distribution channel 133 includes spaced tread pattern connecting channels 1331; One end of the sidewall flow channel 131 is connected to the input interface, and the other end is directly connected to multiple sub-chambers through the sidewall annular flow channel 132 and the tread pattern connecting flow channel 1331.

[0052] It should be noted that the flow channel 13 may include a sidewall flow channel 131 and a sidewall annular flow channel 132. The sidewall flow channel 131 extends radially along the sidewall portion 122 and can be represented as a flexible, pressure-resistant polymer tube embedded inside the sidewall rubber, responsible for guiding the medium from bottom to top. The sidewall annular flow channel 132 is located in the transition area of ​​the sidewall portion 122 near the tread pattern portion 11. It has a closed annular pipe structure along the circumference of the tire body 10, which can distribute and collect the medium transported longitudinally in the circumferential direction of the sidewall and buffer it.

[0053] Accordingly, the distribution channel 133 is simplified to a tread pattern connecting channel 1331 distributed at intervals. These tread pattern connecting channels 1331 have a strip-shaped channel structure, which crosses the structural boundary area between the sidewall portion 122 and the tread pattern portion 11 along the radial direction of the tire 100, and multiple channels are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, forming multiple parallel bridges connecting the lower sidewall and the upper tread pattern portion 11, thus eliminating the circumferential collecting pipes provided inside the tread.

[0054] In the fluid communication path, one end of the sidewall flow channel 131 is sealed and connected to the input interface, while the other end flows upward into the sidewall annular flow channel 132. The sidewall annular flow channel 132 directly connects to the flow channel 1331 through multiple circumferentially spaced tread patterns, crosses the area boundary, and directly connects to multiple sub-chambers distributed circumferentially along the tread. Thus, after longitudinal conveying and circumferential buffering distribution, the external medium is directly filled into the corresponding sub-chamber through the radial connecting flow channel, realizing direct delivery of the medium to the working chamber.

[0055] In this embodiment, by simplifying the distribution channel 133 into a tread pattern connecting channel 1331 with spaced distribution, and using the sidewall annular channel 132 to directly connect with the sub-chamber through the connecting channel, the circumferential annular channel design inside the tread pattern section 11 is eliminated, making the fluid medium delivery path shorter and more direct, effectively reducing the channel resistance. This simplified channel network not only reduces the process difficulty of vulcanization molding of the internal pipeline system of the tire 100 and reduces the additional structural weight of the tread pattern section 11, but also shortens the medium filling and discharging stroke, which is conducive to further improving the response speed of the medium pressure change in the regulating chamber and realizing the rapid dynamic adjustment of the circumferential stiffness of the tire 100.

[0056] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, the flow channel 13 includes a sidewall flow channel 131 that extends along the sidewall portion 122; The distribution channel 133 includes a tread annular channel, which is located within the tread pattern portion 11 and extends circumferentially along the tire body 10. One end of the sidewall flow channel 131 is connected to the input interface, and the other end is connected to the tread annular flow channel; the tread annular flow channel serves as the distribution flow channel 133 and is directly connected to multiple sub-chambers; or, the distribution flow channel 133 also includes tread pattern connecting flow channels 1331 distributed at intervals, and the tread annular flow channel is connected to multiple sub-chambers through the tread pattern connecting flow channels 1331.

[0057] It should be noted that the flow channel 13 may only include the sidewall flow channel 131, which extends radially along the sidewall portion 122. This sidewall flow channel 131 can be a flexible, pressure-resistant polymer tube pre-embedded and vulcanized within the solid rubber of the sidewall portion 122, or a longitudinally integrated flow channel integrally formed with the tire 100. Compared to the aforementioned embodiments, this solution omits the annular sidewall flow channel 132. The sidewall flow channel 131, as the sole longitudinal main flow channel, is responsible for guiding the medium directly from the input interface of the bead portion 121 towards the tread pattern portion 11.

[0058] Accordingly, the distribution channel 133 includes a tread annular channel, which is disposed deep inside the tread pattern portion 11 and extends circumferentially along the tire body 10 to form a closed annular manifold structure. It is made of airtight elastic rubber or flexible composite material and serves as a circumferential distribution hub before the fluid medium enters each sub-chamber, enabling uniform diffusion and pressure stabilization of the medium from the longitudinal channel in the circumferential direction of the tread.

[0059] In the fluid communication path, one end of the sidewall flow channel 131 is sealed and connected to the input interface, and the other end extends upward through the junction area between the sidewall portion 122 and the tread pattern portion 11, directly connecting to the tread annular flow channel. Based on this, the connection between the tread annular flow channel and the multiple sub-chambers has two layout forms: First, the tread annular flow channel serves as the end of the distribution channel 133, and its wall directly connects to the multiple sub-chambers arranged circumferentially, allowing the medium to be directly filled into each sub-chamber from the annular flow channel; Second, the distribution channel 133 also includes spaced-apart tread pattern connecting channels 1331, through which the tread annular flow channel connects to the corresponding multiple sub-chambers, achieving targeted delivery of the medium to each sub-chamber.

[0060] In this embodiment, by omitting the annular flow channel 132 on the sidewall, the structure of the longitudinal flow channel 13 is simplified, effectively simplifying the internal pipeline layout and vulcanization process of the sidewall portion 122. At the same time, the core function of circumferential flow distribution is concentrated on the annular flow channel in the tread pattern portion 11. After the medium reaches the tread area in a single longitudinal path, it can be circumferentially distributed, shortening the total length of the flow channel and improving the transmission efficiency of the medium. Providing two branch forms, direct connection and flow channel connection through the pattern, allows the internal flow channel design of the tire 100 to be flexibly selected according to the tread structure thickness, sub-chamber layout density and molding process difficulty. While ensuring that the medium is uniformly filled in each sub-chamber to achieve synchronous stiffness adjustment, it also takes into account the internal space utilization of the tire 100 and the flexibility of the pipeline system layout.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 1 In one embodiment, the input interface includes a bead medium hole 14 disposed on the bead portion 121; The tire 100 also includes an annular seal ring, which is located at the tire bead medium hole 14.

[0062] It should be noted that the specific structure of the input interface is further defined as a bead medium hole 14 located on the bead portion 121. This bead medium hole 14 is a circular through-hole penetrating the solid structure of the bead portion 121, and its inner wall can be directly connected to the internal pipeline of the flow channel 13. An external medium source supply connector or nozzle can be directly inserted into this bead medium hole 14, thereby introducing the fluid medium from the outside into the flow channel system inside the tire 100.

[0063] In addition, the tire 100 also includes an annular sealing ring, which is located at the tire bead medium hole 14. The annular sealing ring is made of a rubber material with high elasticity, aging resistance, and pressure resistance, such as nitrile rubber or fluororubber, and has an overall closed ring structure. In actual assembly, the annular sealing ring can be embedded in the annular groove reserved in the inner wall of the tire bead medium hole 14, or it can be sleeved and tightly bound to the flange on the outside of the hole. When the connector of the external medium source is inserted into the tire bead medium hole 14, the annular sealing ring is subjected to radial or axial compression between the connector and the hole wall, undergoes elastic deformation, and fits tightly in the gap between the two.

[0064] In this embodiment, by specifying the input interface as the tire bead medium hole 14, a direct and unobstructed insertion channel is provided for the external medium source, simplifying the molding process of the interface position. With the help of the annular sealing ring set at the hole, the elastic characteristics of its expansion under pressure are used to effectively seal the micro gap between the external connector and the inner wall of the tire bead medium hole 14, ensuring that leakage is not likely to occur at the interface position when high-pressure gas or liquid medium is filled in. This ensures the accuracy and stability of the medium pressure regulation in the regulating chamber, and significantly improves the sealing reliability and safety of the entire tire 100 stiffness dynamic adjustment system.

[0065] In one embodiment, the regulating chamber is filled with a fluid medium, which may be a gas or a liquid.

[0066] It should be noted that the regulating chamber is filled with a fluid medium, which serves as the core working substance for adjusting the deformation and stiffness of the regulating chamber. Since the regulating chamber itself is enclosed by a highly airtight, elastic, flexible wall, the amount and pressure of the fluid medium directly determine the degree of expansion of the chamber wall and the internal tension. When the fluid medium is continuously pumped in and fills the regulating chamber, the pressure of the medium itself forces the elastic wall to expand and tighten outwards, thereby transmitting the dense internal support force to the tread pattern 11. When the fluid medium is discharged, the density of the medium inside the chamber decreases, the pressure drops accordingly, and the wall relaxes and contracts.

[0067] Specifically, the fluid medium can be either a gas or a liquid. When the fluid medium is a gas, such as air or nitrogen, the gas itself is compressible. After being filled into the regulating chamber, it not only provides expansion and tightening support, but also absorbs some of the vibration energy through its own compression deformation when the tread pattern 11 is impacted by the road surface. This gives the tread pattern 11 a certain elastic buffer space while maintaining high stiffness. At the same time, the gas medium is extremely lightweight and will not put additional burden on the centrifugal force when the tire 100 rotates. When the fluid medium is a liquid, such as hydraulic oil or a fluid damping fluid, the liquid has nearly incompressible physical properties. After being filled into the regulating chamber, it can provide extremely rigid volume support. Under small deformations, it can generate great internal tension, thereby more quickly and significantly improving the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern 11 and greatly enhancing the tread's ability to resist torsion and deformation.

[0068] In this embodiment, the stiffness adjustment of tire 100 can flexibly select the working medium according to the actual working conditions, which greatly expands the applicability of the system. When gas medium is selected, the buffering requirements of stiffness adjustment and driving comfort can be taken into account, and lightweight operation can be achieved. When liquid medium is selected, extremely strong rigid support and extremely precise pressure transmission response can be obtained, meeting the stringent requirements for instantaneous increase of circumferential stiffness of the tread under high load or extreme handling scenarios, giving tire 100 more comprehensive and flexible dynamic adaptability.

[0069] In one embodiment, the tire 100 further includes a temperature-sensitive deformable layer and a temperature control component. The temperature-sensitive deformable layer is disposed on the side of the tread pattern portion 11 near the adjustment chamber. The temperature control component is configured to adjust the temperature of the temperature-sensitive deformable layer so that the temperature-sensitive deformable layer expands when heated and squeezes the adjustment chamber, or contracts when cooled and releases the adjustment chamber.

[0070] It should be noted that the temperature-sensitive deformable layer is located on the side of the tread pattern 11 near the adjustment chamber, that is, sandwiched between the inner solid rubber of the tread and the outer wall of the adjustment chamber. It can be a continuous covering layer adhered to the outer surface of the adjustment chamber, or strip-shaped patches arranged at intervals along the circumference. This temperature-sensitive deformable layer is made of a high-molecular elastic composite material with significant thermal expansion and contraction effects, such as a silicone substrate doped with thermally expanding microspheres or a shape memory polymer. These materials can produce a volumetric deformation rate far exceeding that of ordinary rubber when the temperature changes. The temperature control component is configured to regulate the temperature of the temperature-sensitive deformable layer. It can be a patch structure integrating a flexible electrothermal film and a semiconductor cooling chip, pre-embedded or adhered to the surface of the temperature-sensitive deformable layer. By connecting to the vehicle's power supply, it can directionally heat or cool the temperature-sensitive deformable layer according to control commands.

[0071] During operation, when it is necessary to increase tread stiffness, the temperature control component heats the temperature-sensitive deformation layer. The temperature-sensitive deformation layer undergoes significant volume expansion due to the heat. Due to the constraint of the outer tread structure, its expansion stress can only be released inward, thereby strongly compressing the flexible wall of the adjustment chamber, forcing the adjustment chamber to shrink in volume, and causing a sudden increase in the internal fluid medium pressure, thus achieving passive pressurization and stiffness enhancement of the chamber. Conversely, when it is necessary to reduce tread stiffness, the temperature control component cools the temperature-sensitive deformation layer. The temperature-sensitive deformation layer shrinks rapidly in volume due to the cooling, and the original compressive force on the outer wall of the adjustment chamber disappears, thereby releasing the adjustment chamber. The adjustment chamber recovers its volume under the internal medium pressure or its own elastic restoring force, and the pressure decreases, thus achieving stiffness softening.

[0072] In this embodiment, by introducing a temperature-sensitive deformation layer and a temperature control component, the internal medium pressure can be steplessly adjusted by controlling the temperature solely with an electrical signal, greatly simplifying the hardware architecture and pipeline layout of tire 100 stiffness adjustment. At the same time, the thermal expansion and contraction process of the temperature-sensitive deformation layer is continuous and stable, making the switching of tire 100 stiffness smoother and stepless, effectively avoiding the pressure surges and system shocks that may occur during traditional inflation and deflation, and significantly improving the precision, smoothness, and system reliability of tire 100 dynamic stiffness adjustment.

[0073] This application also provides a tire 100 assembly, including a rim and a tire 100. The specific structure of the tire 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this tire 100 assembly adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0074] It should be noted that the rim is typically made of high-strength metal materials such as steel or aluminum alloy, and has a rim structure with an annular groove. The two sides of this groove form an upward-convex rim, and the bottom is a bead seat that mates with the tire 100. The tire 100 is fitted onto the outer periphery of the rim, and its bead portion 121 is embedded in the annular groove of the rim. When the main air chamber is filled with high-pressure gas, the gas pressure causes the bead portion 121 to expand outward, tightly pressing it against the rim rim and the bead seat, thereby achieving mechanical locking and airtight sealing between the tire 100 and the rim. Furthermore, the input interface provided on the tire bead portion 121 of the tire 100 can form a precise mating fit with an external medium source connector located on the rim or at the vehicle axle, ensuring the sealed introduction of fluid media.

[0075] In one embodiment, the rim is provided with a pressure regulating chamber, which is in fluid communication with the adjustment chamber and is used to provide a fluid medium to the adjustment chamber so as to cause the adjustment chamber to expand or contract.

[0076] It should be noted that the rim structure has been further extended, incorporating a pressure regulating chamber. Since rims are typically made of high-strength metals such as steel or aluminum alloy, the pressure regulating chamber can be a built-in sealed cavity formed within the rim body through a casting process, or it can be a separately manufactured high-pressure air or liquid reservoir structure, fixedly embedded in the rim spokes or rim groove area. This pressure regulating chamber possesses excellent pressure resistance and sealing performance, used to pre-store high-pressure fluid media, serving as the medium source and pressure regulation center for the entire tire assembly.

[0077] Furthermore, the pressure regulating chamber and the regulating chamber inside the tire 100 are fluidly connected through the input interface and the guide channel 13. During actual operation, the pressure regulating chamber supplies fluid to the regulating chamber to cause it to expand or contract. When the torsional stiffness of the tire 100 needs to be increased, the pressure regulating chamber is controlled (e.g., through an integrated valve or pump) to pump the high-pressure gas or liquid medium inside to the regulating chamber via the connecting path, causing it to expand and tighten. When stiffness needs to be reduced, the medium is controlled to flow back from the regulating chamber into the pressure regulating chamber, causing the regulating chamber to depressurize and contract. Thus, the pressure regulating chamber not only serves as a pressurized supply source for the medium but also as a storage container for medium return and recovery, achieving a closed-loop fluid circulation.

[0078] In this embodiment, by integrating a pressure regulating chamber on the wheel rim and fluidly communicating it with the regulating chamber of the tire 100, the functions of fluid medium storage and pressure regulation are centrally configured on the rigid base of the wheel. This achieves local storage and on-demand supply of the medium, greatly shortening the external pipeline path for high-pressure medium transportation and effectively improving the response efficiency of pressure regulation. At the same time, by setting the pressure regulating chamber inside the metal wheel rim, the ample structural space and strong pressure bearing capacity of the wheel rim are fully utilized. This not only avoids the need to arrange bulky pressure supply equipment on the vehicle chassis or other parts, significantly reducing the complexity of the vehicle system and the difficulty of pipeline layout, but also enables the tire 100 assembly itself to have independent and complete medium circulation and stiffness closed-loop regulation capabilities, greatly enhancing the portability and operational reliability of the system.

[0079] This application also provides a vehicle including a tire assembly 100. The specific structure of the tire assembly 100 is as described in the above embodiments. Since this vehicle adopts all the technical solutions of all the above embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0080] It should be noted that the vehicle may include a body, chassis suspension system, power drive system, and running system. The tire 100 assembly mentioned above, as a key component of the vehicle's running system, is mounted at the end of the vehicle's axle.

[0081] Specifically, the tire 100 assembly is coaxially fixed to the vehicle's wheel hub unit or steering knuckle via its rim's central mounting surface and fastening bolt holes, using high-strength fasteners such as wheel bolts, thereby supporting the entire vehicle on the ground. The torque output from the power drive system is transmitted to the rim through the half-shaft, which in turn drives the external tire 100 to rotate, enabling the vehicle to move on the road. This vehicle can be a traditional gasoline-powered car equipped with an internal combustion engine, or a pure electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle driven by an electric motor, encompassing various types of transportation that rely on wheel-to-ground interaction, such as sedans, SUVs, and multi-purpose vehicles.

[0082] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A tire, mounted on a rim, characterized in that, The tire includes a tire body, which includes a tread pattern portion and a sidewall portion. The tread pattern portion is fitted onto the outer periphery of the rim, and the sidewall portion connects the tread pattern portion and the rim. The sidewall portion, the tread pattern portion, and the rim together enclose and form the main air chamber. The tread pattern portion has an adjustment chamber inside. The adjustment chamber is arranged circumferentially along the tread pattern portion and is independently isolated from the main air chamber. The adjustment chamber can expand or contract to change the torsional stiffness of the tread pattern portion.

2. The tire as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tire sidewall includes a tire bead and a tire edge, the tire bead is connected to the rim, and the tire edge is connected to the tire bead and the tire tread pattern. The tire is also provided with a flow channel, one end of which extends to the tire bead to form an input interface. The input interface is used to seal and communicate with an external medium source. The other end of the flow channel passes through the tire sidewall to communicate with the regulating chamber in fluid order. The flow channel is used to regulate the medium pressure in the regulating chamber.

3. The tire as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The regulating chamber includes a plurality of sub-chambers distributed circumferentially along the tire body; the flow channel includes a distribution channel, and the flow channel is in fluid communication with the plurality of sub-chambers through the distribution channel.

4. The tire as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The flow channel includes a sidewall flow channel and a sidewall annular flow channel. The sidewall flow channel extends along the sidewall portion, and the sidewall annular flow channel is located on the sidewall portion and extends circumferentially along the tire body. The distribution channel includes spaced tread pattern connecting channels and tread chamber annular channels, wherein the tread chamber annular channels are located within the tread pattern portion and extend circumferentially along the tire body. One end of the sidewall flow channel is connected to the input interface, and the other end is connected to the tread pattern connecting flow channel through the sidewall annular flow channel and the tread pattern connecting flow channel. The tread pattern connecting flow channel is connected to multiple sub-chambers.

5. The tire as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The flow channel includes a sidewall flow channel and a sidewall annular flow channel. The sidewall flow channel extends along the sidewall portion, and the sidewall annular flow channel is located on the sidewall portion and extends circumferentially along the tire body. The distribution channel includes spaced-out tread pattern connecting channels; One end of the sidewall flow channel is connected to the input interface, and the other end is directly connected to multiple sub-chambers through the sidewall annular flow channel and the tread pattern connecting flow channel.

6. The tire as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The flow channel includes a sidewall flow channel that extends along the sidewall portion; The distribution channel includes an annular tread channel, which is located within the tread pattern and extends circumferentially along the tire body. Wherein, one end of the sidewall flow channel is connected to the input interface, and the other end is connected to the tread annular flow channel; the tread annular flow channel serves as the distribution flow channel and is directly connected to the multiple sub-chambers; or, the distribution flow channel further includes tread pattern connecting channels distributed at intervals, and the tread annular flow channel is connected to the multiple sub-chambers through the tread pattern connecting channels.

7. The tire as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The input interface includes a fetal bead medium hole located on the fetal bead portion; The tire also includes an annular sealing ring, which is located at the tire bead medium hole.

8. The tire as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The regulating chamber is filled with a fluid medium, which can be a gas or a liquid.

9. A tire assembly, characterized in that, include: Wheel rim; and The tire as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The tire assembly as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that, The rim is provided with a pressure regulating chamber, which is in fluid communication with the adjustment chamber and is used to provide a fluid medium to the adjustment chamber so that the adjustment chamber expands or contracts.

11. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the tire assembly as described in claim 9 or 10.

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