Sound absorbers and assemblies

Abstract

To provide a sound absorption tool which enables improvement of durability when a vehicle travels, and to provide an assembly.SOLUTION: A sound absorption tool 1 according to the invention includes: an endless storage body 10 in which a storage space 10a is defined and which may expand or contract in a circumferential direction B; and a sound absorption material 20 which is stored in the storage space 10a of the storage body 10 and does not have a finite form.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to sound absorbers and assemblies. [Background technology]

[0002] A technique for disposing a sound-absorbing material made of foam inside the tire cavity between the tire and the wheel rim of a vehicle has been known. This technique allows the sound-absorbing material to reduce resonant noise generated inside the tire cavity. Patent Document 1 discloses a sound absorber including this type of sound-absorbing material made of foam.

[0003] The sound absorber described in Patent Document 1 includes a strip-shaped back panel made of stainless steel. The back panel of Patent Document 1 includes locking portions on both ends. The sound absorber described in Patent Document 1 is wound around the tire locking ring groove of the wheel, and the locking portions on both ends of the back panel are connected and fixed. In this way, the sound absorber described in Patent Document 1 is attached to the wheel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-86102 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the sound absorber described in Patent Document 1, the rear panel made of a stainless steel plate has high rigidity, so the load on the locking part is likely to increase due to centrifugal force and the like when the vehicle is running, which poses a problem that the locking part of the rear panel is likely to break when the vehicle is running.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a sound absorber and assembly that can improve durability while a vehicle is running. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first aspect of the present invention provides a sound absorber comprising an endless housing that defines an internal storage space and is expandable and contractible in the circumferential direction, and a shapeless sound absorbing material that is housed in the storage space of the housing. This configuration makes it possible to improve the durability of the sound absorber when the vehicle is traveling.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, an inner wall located radially inward relative to the storage space of the housing has lower circumferential elasticity than an outer wall located radially outward relative to the storage space of the housing. This configuration not only improves the durability of the sound absorber, but also increases the stability of the sound absorber when installed on the rim.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the housing body is extendable and contractible in a direction around an endless shaft set along the circumferential direction. This configuration not only improves the durability of the sound absorber, but also improves the sound absorbing performance of the sound absorbing material while the vehicle is running.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the inner wall of the housing has lower stretchability around the axis than the outer wall of the housing. This configuration not only improves the durability of the sound absorber, but also increases the stability of the sound absorber when installed on the rim.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the container is a woven or knitted fabric. This configuration makes it easier to achieve the desired stretchability of the container.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sound-absorbing material is a group of small pieces including linear or granular pieces. This configuration makes it easier to adjust the amount of sound-absorbing material accommodated in the accommodation space of the accommodation body.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the container comprises, in the circumferential direction, a plurality of container sections that partition the container space, and a plurality of connecting sections that are located between the plurality of container sections and do not partition the container space, and the plurality of connecting sections include a first connecting section and a second connecting section that are provided at positions that are both ends of the folded diameter of the container. With this configuration, the sound absorber is easily flattened so that the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion become both ends of the folded diameter without being substantially subjected to the restoring force of the sound absorbing material.

[0014] A second aspect of the present invention is an assembly comprising a rim and a tire mounted on the rim, and the above-mentioned sound absorber is supported on the rim on the annular outer surface of the rim inside the tire. This configuration makes it possible to improve the durability of the sound absorber when the vehicle is traveling. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sound absorber and an assembly that can improve durability when a vehicle is running. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a sound absorber according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the sound absorber shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for attaching the sound absorber shown in FIG. 1 to the annular outer surface of a rim. [Figure 6A] 2 is a diagram showing the sound absorber shown in FIG. 1 in a state where it is bent at the connecting portion of the container and flattened. FIG. [Figure 6B] 6B is a diagram showing the sound absorber shown in FIG. 6A in a further compressed state and wrapped in a wrapping material. FIG. [Figure 7A]1 is a cross-sectional view in the tire width direction of an assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention when the assembly is not rotating in the tire circumferential direction. [Figure 7B] 7B is a cross-sectional view in the tire width direction of the assembly shown in FIG. 7A during rotation in the tire circumferential direction. FIG. [Figure 8] 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modified example of the sound absorber shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a sound absorber and an assembly according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals are used to designate common components in the various drawings.

[0018] Fig. 1 is a front view of a sound absorber 1 as one embodiment of a sound absorber according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the sound absorber 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sound absorber 1 taken along line II-II in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the sound absorber 1 taken along line II in Fig. 1.

[0019] As will be described in detail later, the sound absorber 1 is installed on the annular outer surface of the rim. By using the sound absorber 1, it is possible to reduce the resonant noise generated in the tire cavity while the vehicle is running.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the sound absorber 1 includes an endless container 10 and a sound absorbing material 20.

[0021] Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, when a central axis O1 (see FIG. 1, etc.) is set to pass through the central opening of the endless housing 10, the direction parallel to the central axis O1 will be simply referred to as the "width direction A." Furthermore, the direction around the central axis O1 will be referred to as the "first circumferential direction B." In other words, the first circumferential direction B refers to the direction in which the housing 10 extends endlessly. Furthermore, the radial direction of a circle around the central axis O1 will be referred to as the "radial direction C." Within the radial direction C, the direction away from the central axis O1 will be referred to as the "outside C1 of the radial direction C," and the direction toward the central axis O1 will be referred to as the "inside C2 of the radial direction C." Furthermore, when an endless axis O2 (see FIG. 4) is set along the first circumferential direction B, the direction around this endless axis O2 will be referred to as the "second circumferential direction D."

[0022] The endless housing body 10 is configured to be expandable and contractable in a first circumferential direction B. Therefore, the first circumferential length of the housing body 10 changes as the housing body 10 expands and contracts in the first circumferential direction B. The housing body 10 also defines an accommodation space 10a therein that can accommodate the sound-absorbing material 20.

[0023] The sound-absorbing material 20 does not have a fixed shape. As will be described in detail later, the shape-indefinite sound-absorbing material 20 may be, for example, a group of small pieces made up of a plurality of linear or granular pieces. The sound-absorbing material 20 is housed in the housing space 10a of the housing 10. That is, by being housed in the housing space 10a inside the housing 10, the sound-absorbing material 20 is held in the housing 10 with an outer shape that matches the housing space 10a. In other words, the outer shape of the sound-absorbing material 20 housed in the housing space 10a of the housing 10 can change shape to follow changes in the shape of the housing 10.

[0024] With this type of sound absorber 1, the housing 10 is likely to undergo elongation and deformation in the first circumferential direction B due to centrifugal force when the vehicle is traveling. Because the sound absorbing material 20 housed in the housing space 10a of the housing 10 has no fixed shape, it can deform in accordance with the shape change of the housing 10 as it elongates in the first circumferential direction B, and is unlikely to hinder the elongation and deformation of the housing 10. Therefore, with the sound absorber 1, the housing 10 elongates and deforms in the first circumferential direction B in response to centrifugal force when the vehicle is traveling, and the load applied to the sound absorber 1 can be absorbed. This can improve the durability of the sound absorber 1 when the vehicle is traveling.

[0025] The sound absorber 1 of this embodiment will be described in further detail below.

[0026] <Containment Unit 10> As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the housing 10 of this embodiment has, in the first circumferential direction B, a housing portion 15 that defines a housing space 10a that houses the sound-absorbing material 20, and a connecting portion 16 that does not define the housing space 10a.

[0027] The accommodation portion 15 includes an inner wall 11 located on an inner side C2 in the radial direction C with the accommodation space 10a interposed therebetween, and an outer wall 12 located on an outer side C1 in the radial direction C with the accommodation space 10a interposed therebetween.

[0028] The connecting portion 16 connects the ends of the storage portions 15 in the first circumferential direction B to each other. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 , the storage body 10 of this embodiment includes a plurality of (two in this embodiment) storage portions 15 in the first circumferential direction B, and a plurality of (two in this embodiment) connecting portions 16 located between the plurality of storage portions 15. Each connecting portion 16 of this embodiment connects the ends of two storage portions 15 adjacent to each other in the first circumferential direction B. However, the storage body 10 may be configured to include only one storage portion 15 in the first circumferential direction B. In such a case, the connecting portion 16 may connect both ends of only one storage portion 15.

[0029] The housing 10 of this embodiment may be formed, for example, by crushing and joining a portion of an endless tubular member in the first circumferential direction B in the radial direction C. In such a case, the portion of the endless tubular member that is crushed and joined in the radial direction C constitutes the above-mentioned connecting portion 16. Furthermore, in the first circumferential direction B, portions other than the connecting portion 16 constitute the housing portions 15 that define the housing space 10a. However, the method of forming the housing 10 is not particularly limited. The housing 10 may be formed, for example, by connecting a plurality of bags that constitute each housing portion 15 in the first circumferential direction B to form an endless shape. In such a case, the connected portion of the two bags constitutes the above-mentioned connecting portion 16.

[0030] In the housing body 10 of this embodiment, the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 have different stretchability in the first circumferential direction B. Specifically, the inner wall 11 of the housing body 10 has lower stretchability in the first circumferential direction B than the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10. The stretchability referred to here is an elongation percentage (%) obtained by an elongation percentage test based on Method B of JIS L 1096, Testing Methods for Woven and Knit Fabrics.

[0031] The inner wall 11 of the housing 10 is the part that is located on the outer annular surface of the rim when the sound absorber 1 is placed on the outer annular surface of the rim. On the other hand, the outer wall 12 of the housing 10 is the part that is located on the opposite side from the outer annular surface of the rim when the sound absorber 1 is placed on the outer annular surface of the rim.

[0032] By reducing the elasticity of the inner wall 11 in the first circumferential direction B, the inner wall 11 is less likely to stretch excessively in the first circumferential direction B due to centrifugal force when the vehicle is traveling. This makes it possible to prevent the sound absorber 1 from coming off the rim. Conversely, by increasing the elasticity of the outer wall 12 in the first circumferential direction B, the outer wall 12 is more likely to stretch in the first circumferential direction B due to centrifugal force when the vehicle is traveling, making it possible to absorb the load applied to the sound absorber 1. In other words, by ensuring the elasticity of the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 in the first circumferential direction B has the above relationship, the durability of the sound absorber 1 can be improved based on the above-mentioned load absorption performance of the sound absorber 1, and the installation stability of the sound absorber 1 on the rim can be improved.

[0033] Furthermore, the housing body 10 of this embodiment is expandable and contractible in the second circumferential direction D. With this configuration, the housing body 10 is easily expanded and deformed in the second circumferential direction D due to centrifugal force when the vehicle is traveling. Therefore, the housing body 10 can absorb the load applied to the sound absorber 1 by expanding and deforming in the second circumferential direction D. This can further improve the durability of the sound absorber 1 when the vehicle is traveling.

[0034] Furthermore, as the housing body 10 extends in the second circumferential direction D, the housing space 10a that houses the sound-absorbing material 20 expands, thereby improving the sound-absorbing performance of the sound-absorbing material 20 while the vehicle is running. This will be described in detail later (see FIGS. 7A and 7B).

[0035] More specifically, in the housing body 10 of this embodiment, the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 have different stretchability in the second circumferential direction D. The inner wall 11 of the housing body 10 has lower stretchability in the second circumferential direction D than the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10. The stretchability referred to here is an elongation percentage (%) obtained by an elongation percentage test based on Method B of JIS L 1096 Fabric Testing Methods for Woven and Knit Fabrics.

[0036] By reducing the elasticity of the inner wall 11 in the second circumferential direction D, the inner wall 11 is less likely to stretch excessively in the second circumferential direction D due to centrifugal force when the vehicle is traveling. This prevents the inner wall 11 of the housing body 10 from protruding convexly toward the annular outer surface of the rim (toward the bottom in FIG. 4 ) in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the first circumferential direction B (see FIG. 4 ). This makes it easier for the inner wall 11 of the housing body 10 to maintain a shape that conforms to the annular outer surface of the rim. Conversely, by increasing the elasticity of the outer wall 12 in the second circumferential direction D, the outer wall 12 is more likely to stretch in the second circumferential direction D due to centrifugal force when the vehicle is traveling, allowing the sound absorber 1 to absorb loads. In other words, by ensuring the above-mentioned relationship between the elasticities of the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 in the second circumferential direction D, the durability of the sound absorber 1 can be improved based on the load absorption performance of the sound absorber 1, and the stability of the sound absorber 1 when installed on the rim can be improved.

[0037] The housing 10 of this embodiment is a woven or knitted fabric made of fibers such as polyethylene terephthalate fibers. The fibers constituting the housing 10 are not limited to polyethylene terephthalate fibers and may be other resin fibers. The housing 10 is not limited to a woven or knitted fabric, and its configuration is not particularly limited as long as it is configured to be stretchable at least in the first circumferential direction B. However, as in this embodiment, the housing 10 is preferably a woven or knitted fabric. By forming the housing 10 from a woven or knitted fabric, it is easy to achieve desired stretchability in the first circumferential direction B, or in the first circumferential direction B and the second circumferential direction D. Furthermore, by forming the housing 10 from a woven or knitted fabric, it is easy to ensure ventilation between the outside of the housing 10 and the housing space 10a in which the sound-absorbing material 20 is accommodated through gaps between the fibers.

[0038] When the housing body 10 is a woven fabric, it is preferable that the extending directions of the orthogonal warp and weft fibers are inclined with respect to the first circumferential direction B and the second circumferential direction D. By doing so, even if the housing body 10 is a woven fabric, the stretchability in the first circumferential direction B and the second circumferential direction D can be increased.

[0039] As described above, the housing body 10 of this embodiment has different stretchability between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12. In a woven or knitted housing body 10, the difference in stretchability may be achieved, for example, by including reinforcing fibers in a portion of the housing body 10. As shown in FIG. 4 , the inner wall 11 of the housing body 10 of this embodiment has reinforcing fibers 13a extending in the first circumferential direction B therein as a first inner reinforcing member 13. Conversely, the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10 of this embodiment does not have reinforcing fibers 13a extending in the first circumferential direction B therein. The reinforcing fibers 13a in this embodiment are polyethylene terephthalate fibers, but may be made of other resin materials. In this way, by including the reinforcing fibers 13a only in the inner wall 11, the stretchability in the first circumferential direction B may be different between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10. Note that the reinforcing fibers 13a may be fibers that are themselves stretchable in the extension direction, or fibers that are not themselves stretchable in the extension direction. When using reinforcing fibers 13a that do not stretch in the extension direction, a predetermined stretchability in the longitudinal direction can be achieved by, for example, configuring the reinforcing fibers 13a to extend in a wavy shape in an unloaded state.

[0040] The difference in stretchability in the first circumferential direction B between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10 is not limited to the difference due to the presence or absence of the reinforcing fibers 13a described above. For example, the difference in stretchability between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 in the first circumferential direction B may be achieved by providing the reinforcing fibers 13a also in the outer wall 12 and varying the number of the reinforcing fibers 13a between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12. Furthermore, to achieve a difference in stretchability between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10 in the first circumferential direction B, a first inner reinforcing member 13 having a different configuration, such as a reinforcing membrane, may be used (see FIG. 8 ). Furthermore, the difference in stretchability between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 in the first circumferential direction B is not limited to the presence or absence of the first inner reinforcing member 13, and may be achieved by, for example, forming the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 from different materials with different stretchability. In this way, the means for achieving a difference in stretchability in the first circumferential direction B between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10 is not particularly limited.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 3 , the inner wall 11 of the housing 10 of this embodiment includes reinforcing fibers 14a extending in the second circumferential direction D as second inner reinforcing members 14. Conversely, the outer wall 12 of the housing 10 of this embodiment does not include reinforcing fibers 14a extending in the second circumferential direction D. The reinforcing fibers 14a in this embodiment are polyethylene terephthalate fibers, but may be made of other resin materials. In this way, by including the reinforcing fibers 14a only in the inner wall 11, the stretchability in the second circumferential direction D may be different between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 of the housing 10. Note that the reinforcing fibers 14a may be fibers that are stretchable in the extension direction themselves, or may be fibers that are not stretchable in the extension direction themselves. When reinforcing fibers 14a that are not stretchable in the extension direction are used, a predetermined stretchability in the longitudinal direction can be achieved, for example, by configuring the reinforcing fibers 14a to extend in a wavy manner in an unloaded state.

[0042] Furthermore, the difference in stretchability in the second circumferential direction D between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10 is not limited to the presence or absence of the reinforcing fibers 14a described above. For example, the difference in stretchability in the second circumferential direction D between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 may be achieved by providing the reinforcing fibers 14a in the outer wall 12 as well and varying the number of the reinforcing fibers 14a between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12. Furthermore, to achieve a difference in stretchability in the second circumferential direction D between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10, a second inner reinforcing member 14 having a different configuration, such as a reinforcing membrane, may be used (see FIG. 8 ). Furthermore, the difference in stretchability in the second circumferential direction D between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 is not limited to the presence or absence of the second inner reinforcing member 14, but may be achieved by, for example, forming the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 from different materials with different stretchability. In this way, the means for achieving a difference in stretchability in the second circumferential direction D between the inner wall 11 and the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10 is not particularly limited.

[0043] As described above, the housing 10 of this embodiment includes the housing portion 15 and the connecting portion 16 in the first circumferential direction B. In this embodiment, when the sound-absorbing material 20 is housed in the housing space 10a of the housing portion 15, the bending rigidity of the connecting portion 16 in the thickness direction E is smaller than the bending rigidity of the housing portion 15 in the thickness direction E. In other words, the connecting portion 16 is more easily deformable in the thickness direction E than the housing portion 15. For this reason, as in this embodiment, the housing 10 preferably includes multiple connecting portions 16. In particular, as in this embodiment, the multiple connecting portions 16 preferably include a first connecting portion 16a and a second connecting portion 16b that are provided at positions that correspond to both ends of the folded diameter L2 of the housing 10. This makes it easier to make the sound absorber 1 compact, thereby improving the transportability of the sound absorber 1. This point will be described in detail later (see FIGS. 6A and 6B).

[0044] <Sound-absorbing material 20> 3 and 4, the sound-absorbing material 20 is accommodated in the accommodation space 10a of the accommodation body 10. The sound-absorbing material 20 of this embodiment is a shapeless filler, and is packed into the accommodation space 10a of the accommodation body 10.

[0045] The shapeless sound-absorbing material 20 is, for example, a group of small pieces including a plurality of linear or granular small pieces. The sound-absorbing material 20 only needs to have sound-absorbing performance as a group of small pieces as a whole; it is not necessary for each small piece to have sound-absorbing performance. By forming the sound-absorbing material 20 as a group of small pieces including a plurality of linear or granular small pieces, it becomes easier to adjust the amount of sound-absorbing material 20 to be accommodated in the accommodation space 10a of the accommodation body 10. Examples of linear small pieces include small pieces of polyester fiber, such as polyethylene terephthalate fiber. The cross-sectional shape of the linear small pieces perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is not particularly limited. The cross-sectional shape of the linear small pieces may be, for example, a circle, an oval, a polygon, or the like. The linear small pieces may be a tubular body having a hollow portion, or a solid body without a hollow portion. Examples of groups of small pieces made of linear small pieces include cotton made of polyester fiber. Examples of the granular pieces include foamed resin pieces such as urethane foam pieces, and resin pieces such as polyethylene pipe pieces. However, the pieces that make up the sound-absorbing material 20 are not limited to the pieces exemplified above.

[0046] <<How to attach the sound absorber 1 to the rim 100>> Next, a method for attaching the sound absorber 1 of this embodiment to the rim 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for attaching the sound absorber 1 of this embodiment to the annular outer surface 101 of the rim 100.

[0047] As described above, the housing 10 of the sound absorber 1 is configured to be expandable and contractible in the first circumferential direction B. Furthermore, the sound-absorbing material 20 housed in the housing space 10a of the housing 10 also does not have a fixed shape and is prone to deforming in response to the deformation of the housing 10. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5, the sound absorber 1 can easily expand the housing 10, which houses the sound-absorbing material 20 in the housing space 10a, from the inner side C2 to the outer side C1 in the radial direction C (see the bold arrows on the left side of Fig. 5).

[0048] As shown in Fig. 5, the rim 100 comprises an annular portion 102 including an annular outer surface 101, and rim flange portions 103 protruding radially outward from both ends of the annular portion 102. With the sound absorber 1 of this embodiment, the housing body 10 can easily climb over the rim flange portion 103 of the rim 100 by being pushed outward from the inner side C2 toward the outer side C1 in the radial direction C (see the left diagram in Fig. 5). After climbing over the rim flange portion 103, by releasing the external force applied to the housing body 10 from the inner side C2 toward the outer side C1 in the radial direction C, the housing body 10 deforms due to a restoring force from the outer side C1 toward the inner side C2 in the radial direction C, and is supported on the annular outer surface 101 of the annular portion 102 (see the right diagram in Fig. 5).

[0049] That is, according to the sound absorber 1 of this embodiment, by utilizing the stretchability of the container 10 in the first circumferential direction B, it can be easily installed on the annular outer surface 101 of the rim 100.

[0050] <<About the transportability of sound absorber 1>> Next, the transportability of sound absorber 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6A and 6B. Figure 6A is a diagram showing sound absorber 1 of this embodiment in a state where it has been folded and flattened at the position of connecting portion 16 of housing 10. Figure 6B is a diagram showing sound absorber 1 shown in Figure 6A in a further compressed state and packaged in packaging material.

[0051] As described above, the housing 10 of the sound absorber 1 is configured to be expandable and contractible in the first circumferential direction B. Furthermore, the sound-absorbing material 20 housed in the housing space 10a of the housing 10 also does not have a fixed shape and is prone to deforming in response to deformation of the housing 10. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , when the sound absorber 1 is pressed from the outer side C1 to the inner side C2 in the radial direction C, the housing 10 is flattened and the sound-absorbing material 20 is compressed, so that the sound absorber 1 is easily flattened. Therefore, when the sound absorber 1 is transported alone, the sound absorber 1 can be made compact, improving transportability.

[0052] In particular, in the sound absorber 1 of this embodiment, as described above, when the sound-absorbing material 20 is accommodated in the accommodation space 10a of the accommodation portion 15, the bending rigidity of the connecting portion 16 of the accommodation body 10 in the thickness direction E is smaller than the bending rigidity of the accommodation portion 15 of the accommodation body 10 in the thickness direction E. Furthermore, in the sound absorber 1 of this embodiment, when the sound-absorbing material 20 is accommodated in the accommodation space 10a of the accommodation portion 15, the maximum thickness T1 of the connecting portion 16 is thinner than the maximum thickness T2 of the accommodation portion 15. In the case of such a connecting portion 16, it is preferable that the accommodation body 10 includes a first connecting portion 16a and a second connecting portion 16b that are provided at positions that correspond to both ends of the folded diameter L2. By doing so, as shown in FIG. 6A , the sound absorber 1 is easily flattened so that the first connecting portion 16a and the second connecting portion 16b are at both ends of the folded diameter L2 without being substantially subjected to the restoring force of the sound-absorbing material 20.

[0053] Furthermore, sound-absorbing material 20 in accommodation space 10a may be further compressed from the state shown in Fig. 6A to further flatten it, as shown in Fig. 6B. As shown in Fig. 6B, sound-absorbing material 20 in a compressed state may be vacuum-packaged in packaging material 110, thereby making sound absorber 1 even more compact. This further improves the transportability of sound absorber 1.

[0054] [Assembly 300] Next, an assembly 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. The assembly 300 of this embodiment includes a tire 200 in addition to the sound absorber 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 4, etc.) and rim 100 (see FIG. 5) described above. FIGS. 7A and 7B are tire width direction cross-sectional views of the assembly 300, showing a cross section passing through the tire rotation axis and along the tire width direction. FIG. 7A is a tire width direction cross-sectional view of the assembly 300 when the assembly 300 is not rotating in the tire circumferential direction. In contrast, FIG. 7B is a tire width direction cross-sectional view of the assembly 300 when the assembly 300 is rotating in the tire circumferential direction. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, in the tire width direction cross-sectional view of the assembly 300, the cross section of the sound absorber 1 is perpendicular to the first circumferential direction B. Hereinafter, the width direction of the tire 200 in the assembly 300 will be referred to as the "tire width direction F." The direction around the central axis of tire 200 in assembly 300 is referred to as "tire circumferential direction G." Furthermore, the radial direction of a circle around the central axis of tire 200 in assembly 300 is referred to as "tire radial direction H."

[0055] 7A and 7B, the rim 100, as described above, comprises an annular portion 102 including an annular outer surface 101, and a rim flange portion 103. The annular portion 102 comprises a pair of bead seat portions 102a located at both ends in the tire width direction F, and a well portion 102b located between the pair of bead seat portions 102a in the tire width direction F and recessed inward in the tire radial direction H from the bead seat portions 102a of the annular portion 102. The rim flange portion 103 protrudes outward in the tire radial direction H from the outer end in the tire width direction F of the bead seat portions 102a of the annular portion 102.

[0056] In this specification, "rim" refers to the standard rim (Measuring Rim in the ETRTO Standards Manual, Design Rim in the TRA Year Book) for the applicable size that is described or will be described in the future in the industrial standards valid in the region where the tire is produced and used, such as the JATMA Year Book of the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association (JATMA) in Japan, the Standards Manual of the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization (ETRTO) in Europe, and the Year Book of the Tire and Rim Association, Inc. (TRA) in the United States. For sizes not described in the above industrial standards, this refers to a rim with a width corresponding to the tire bead width. "Rim" includes not only current sizes but also sizes that may be included in the above industrial standards in the future. Examples of "sizes that will be described in the future" include the sizes described as "FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS" in the 2013 edition of the ETRTO Standards Manual.

[0057] Next, the tire 200 will be described. As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the tire 200 is mounted on the rim 100. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, length relationships, positional relationships, and the like of each element are measured under a standard condition in which a pneumatic tire (the tire 200) is mounted on the rim 100, inflated to a specified internal pressure, and in an unloaded state. The term "specified internal pressure" refers to the air pressure (maximum air pressure) corresponding to the maximum load capacity of a single wheel for the applicable size and ply rating, as described in the JATMA Yearbook or other documents. For sizes not described in the industry standards, the term "specified internal pressure" refers to the air pressure (maximum air pressure) corresponding to the maximum load capacity specified for each vehicle on which the tire is mounted. Furthermore, the term "maximum applied load" refers to the load corresponding to the maximum tire load capacity specified in the JATMA or other standards for the applicable size tire, or, for sizes not described in the industry standards, the maximum load capacity specified for each vehicle on which the tire is mounted.

[0058] The tire 200 of this embodiment is a tire for a passenger car, but may also be a tire for a truck or bus, for example, and there are no particular limitations on the type of vehicle or use to which it is applied.

[0059] 7A and 7B, the tire 200 includes a tread portion 200a, a pair of sidewall portions 200b extending inward in the tire radial direction H from both end portions of the tread portion 200a in the tire width direction F, and a pair of bead portions 200c provided at the inner end portions of each sidewall portion 200b in the tire radial direction H. The tire 200 of this embodiment is a tubeless type radial tire.

[0060] A tire cavity 201 of the tire 200 is defined by a tread inner surface 200a1 which is the inner surface of the tread portion 200a, a sidewall inner surface 200b1 which is the inner surface of the sidewall portion 200b, and a bead inner surface 200c1 which is the inner surface of the bead portion 200c.

[0061] The tire 200 includes a bead member 204 , a carcass 205 , a belt 206 , a tread rubber 207 , a side rubber 208 , and an inner liner 209 .

[0062] The bead member 204 is embedded in the bead portion 200c. The bead member 204 includes a bead core 204a and a rubber bead filler 204b located outward of the bead core 204a in the tire radial direction H. The bead core 204a includes a plurality of bead wires covered with rubber. The bead wires may be formed of, for example, a steel cord. The steel cord may be made of, for example, a steel monofilament or a steel stranded wire. The bead wires may also be made of, for example, organic fiber or carbon fiber.

[0063] The carcass 205 straddles a pair of bead portions 200c, more specifically, between the bead cores 204a of a pair of bead members 204, and extends in a toroidal shape. More specifically, the carcass 205 of this embodiment includes one or more carcass plies 205a (one in this embodiment) in which carcass cords are arranged at an angle of, for example, 75° to 90° with respect to the tire circumferential direction G. The carcass ply 205a includes a ply main body portion 205a1 located between the pair of bead cores 204a, and ply turn-up portions 205a2 formed by folding back around the bead core 204a from the inner side to the outer side in the tire width direction F at both ends of the ply main body portion 205a1. A bead filler 204b is disposed between the ply main body portion 205a1 and the ply turn-up portion 205a2, tapering from the bead core 204a to the outer side in the tire radial direction H. The carcass cords constituting the carcass ply 205a may be, for example, metal cords such as steel cords, or organic fiber cords such as nylon etc. The carcass 205 may also include a plurality of carcass plies 205a.

[0064] The belt 206 includes one or more belt layers (five layers in this embodiment) arranged on the outer side in the tire radial direction H of the crown portion of the carcass 205. Each belt layer may be an inclined belt layer in which the angle of the belt cord with respect to the tire circumferential direction G is 10° or more, or may be a circumferential belt layer in which the angle of the belt cord with respect to the tire circumferential direction G is less than 10°.

[0065] The tread rubber 207 constitutes a tread outer surface 200a2, which is the outer surface of the tread portion 200a. A tread pattern including circumferential grooves 207a extending in the tire circumferential direction G and widthwise grooves (not shown) extending in the tire width direction F is formed on the tread outer surface 200a2. The side rubber 208 constitutes the outer surface of the sidewall portion 200b in the tire width direction F, and is continuous with the end of the tread rubber 207 in the tire width direction F.

[0066] The inner liner 209 is laminated on the inner surface of the carcass 205. The inner liner 209 may be made of, for example, a butyl-based rubber having low air permeability.

[0067] 7A and 7B, the sound absorber 1 is supported on the annular outer surface 101 of the rim 100 inside the tire 200. More specifically, in the assembly 300 of this embodiment, the sound absorber 1 is installed on the annular outer surface 101 at the position of the well portion 102b of the annular portion 102.

[0068] 7A and 7B, the sound absorber 1 is wrapped around the rim 100 so that the inner wall 11 of the accommodating body 10 faces inward in the tire radial direction H and is in contact with the annular outer surface 101. In other words, the sound absorber 1 is wrapped around the rim 100 so that the outer wall 12 of the accommodating body 10 faces outward in the tire radial direction H and faces the tread inner surface 200a1 of the tire 200.

[0069] When the assembly 300 is not rotating in the tire circumferential direction G (see FIG. 7A), centrifugal force does not act on the sound absorber 1 on the outside in the tire radial direction H (the same as the outside C1 in the radial direction C). In contrast, when the assembly 300 is rotating in the tire circumferential direction G (see FIG. 7B), centrifugal force acts on the sound absorber 1 on the outside in the tire radial direction H (the same as the outside C1 in the radial direction C). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the assembly 300 rotates, the centrifugal force causes the container 10 of the sound absorber 1 to expand in the first circumferential direction B and the second circumferential direction D, thereby expanding the container space 10a. This also increases the volume of the sound-absorbing material 20 in the container space 10a.

[0070] Therefore, the sound absorber 1 can reduce the height L3 in the tire radial direction H when the assembly 300 is not rotating (see FIG. 7A). This makes it less likely that the sound absorber 1 will get in the way when the tire 200 is mounted on the rim 100.

[0071] In contrast, the sound absorber 1 increases in volume so that the height L3 in the tire radial direction H increases when the assembly 300 rotates (see FIG. 7B). This is because the housing body 10 expands in the second circumferential direction D due to centrifugal force. As a result, the volume of the sound absorbing material 20 in the housing space 10a also increases, and the voids within the sound absorbing material 20 increase, improving sound absorption performance. Furthermore, as the volume of the sound absorber 1 increases when the assembly 300 rotates (see FIG. 7B), the cavities in the tire cavity 201 decrease accordingly. In other words, by reducing the cavities that generate resonance noise, the generated resonance noise itself can be suppressed.

[0072] That is, the sound absorber 1 can improve both the ease of mounting when the tire 200 is mounted on the rim 100 and the sound absorption properties when the assembly 300 rotates while the vehicle is running.

[0073] 7A, the outer end in the tire radial direction H of the sound absorber 1 of the assembly 300 of this embodiment is located further inward in the tire radial direction H than the inner end P1 in the tire radial direction H of the tire 200 when the assembly 300 is not rotating. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 7B, the outer end in the tire radial direction H of the sound absorber 1 of the assembly 300 of this embodiment is located outward in the tire radial direction H than the inner end P1 in the tire radial direction H of the tire 200 when the assembly 300 is rotating. In other words, as the assembly 300 rotates, the sound absorber 1 expands from the inner side to the outer side in the tire radial direction H so as to straddle the position in the tire radial direction H of the inner end P1 in the tire radial direction H of the tire 200. Note that in this embodiment, the "outer end in the tire radial direction H of the sound absorber 1" refers to a part of the outer wall 12 of the housing body 10. This makes it easier to achieve both the above-mentioned wearing performance and sound absorption performance.

[0074] The sound absorber and assembly according to the present invention are not limited to the specific configurations shown in the above-described embodiments, and various modifications, alterations, and combinations are possible without departing from the scope of the claims. The above-described sound absorber 1 is configured to include two storage sections 15 and two connecting sections 16 in the first circumferential direction B. However, as shown in FIG. 8, the sound absorber may be configured to include three or more storage sections 15 (four in FIG. 8) and three or more connecting sections 16 (four in FIG. 8) in the first circumferential direction B. Furthermore, in the above-described housing 10, the inner wall 11 is configured to include reinforcing fibers 13a and 14a. However, as shown in FIG. 8, the inner wall 11 may be configured to include a reinforcing membrane 17 as at least one of the first inner reinforcing member 13 and the second inner reinforcing member 14. [Industrial Applicability]

[0075] The present invention relates to sound absorbers and assemblies. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1: sound absorbing device, 10: container, 10a: container space, 11: inner wall, 12: outer wall, 13: first inner reinforcing material, 13a: reinforcing fiber, 14: second inner reinforcing material, 14a: reinforcing fiber, 15: container portion, 16: connecting portion, 16a: first connecting portion, 16b: second connecting portion, 17: reinforcing membrane, 20: sound absorbing material, 100: rim, 101: annular outer surface, 102: annular portion, 102a: bead seat portion, 102b: well portion, 103: rim flange portion, 110: wrapping material, 200: tire, 200a: tread portion, 200a1: tread inner surface, 200a2: tread outer surface, 200b: sidewall portion, 200b1: sidewall inner surface, 200c: bead portion, 200c1: bead inner surface, 201: tire cavity, 204: bead member, 204a: bead core, 204b: bead filler, 205: carcass, 205a: carcass ply, 205a1: ply main body portion 205a2: Ply folded portion, 206: Belt, 207: Tread rubber, 207a: Circumferential groove, 208: Side rubber, 209: Inner liner, 300: Assembly, A: Width direction of sound absorber, B: First circumferential direction of sound absorber, C: Radial direction of sound absorber, C1: Outer side of radial direction of sound absorber, C2: Inner side of radial direction of sound absorber, D: Second circumferential direction of sound absorber (direction around the axis of the endless shaft), E: Thickness direction of sound absorber, F: Tire width direction, G: Tire circumferential direction, H: Tire radial direction, L2: Folded diameter of sound absorber, L3: Height of sound absorber in the tire radial direction, O1: Central axis of accommodating body, O2: Endless shaft along the first circumferential direction, P1: Inner end of tire in the tire radial direction, T1: Maximum thickness of connecting portion, T2: Maximum thickness of accommodating portion

Claims

1. In an assembly comprising a rim and a tire mounted on said rim, a sound absorber supported on said rim on the annular outer surface of said rim inside said tire, an endless container that defines an internal storage space and is expandable and contractible in a circumferential direction; A sound-absorbing device comprising: a shapeless sound-absorbing material that is accommodated in the accommodation space of the accommodation body.

2. 2. The sound absorber according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall located radially inward of the storage space of the housing has lower elasticity in the circumferential direction than an outer wall located radially outward of the storage space of the housing.

3. The sound absorber according to claim 2 , wherein the housing is extendable and contractible in a direction around an endless shaft that extends along the circumferential direction.

4. The sound absorber according to claim 3 , wherein the inner wall of the housing has lower elasticity around the axis than the outer wall of the housing.

5. 5. The sound absorber according to claim 1, wherein the housing is a woven fabric or a knitted fabric.

6. 6. The sound absorber according to claim 1, wherein the sound absorbing material is a group of small pieces including linear or granular pieces.

7. The container has, in the circumferential direction, a plurality of storage sections that partition the storage space; a plurality of connecting portions located between the plurality of storage portions and not partitioning the storage space, The sound absorber according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connecting portions include a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion provided at positions that correspond to both ends of the folded diameter of the container.

8. An assembly comprising a sound absorbing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 supported on the rim on the annular outer surface of the rim inside the tire.

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