Adjustable Filling Bell Wedge Segments Tire Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire filling bells are limited in size range and cannot efficiently accommodate tires with significant size deviations, leading to leakage and inaccurate inflation pressure due to inadequate sealing and radial movement issues.
Innovation Solution
A filling bell with a sealing surface formed by radially movable and adjustable wedge-shaped segments, allowing for stepless diameter adjustment and a large contact surface, which supports the tire's radial movement during inflation, and includes a sealing element to reduce friction and maintain concentric positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the opening diameter of the filling bell is made large enough to avoid hitting the rim, then the rim can penetrate freely, but the inflation bell contacts the upper tire sidewall radially outside its high point, impeding radial movement of the tire
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing surface is divided into multiple wedge-shaped segments that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows the sealing surface diameter to be adjusted without requiring a completely different bell size, enabling the opening to be optimally sized for each tire while maintaining proper radial movement clearance
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing surface segments are made radially movable relative to the bell axis, transforming the static sealing surface into a dynamic one that can adapt its diameter. This dynamic adjustment allows the opening diameter to be optimized for each tire size while preventing interference with tire radial movement
2Manufacturing precision
If the sealing surface diameter is fixed for a specific tire size range, then the filling bell can be manufactured with precise dimensions, but it becomes unsuitable for tires with size deviations outside this range, causing leakage and inaccurate inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing surface is segmented into movable wedge-shaped elements that can be adjusted radially. This allows a single filling bell to accommodate multiple tire sizes by adjusting the sealing surface diameter, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-size bells while maintaining manufacturing precision for each configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing surface transitions from a fixed dimension to a dynamically adjustable one. The segments can be positioned radially to match different tire sizes, providing versatility across size ranges while maintaining the manufacturing precision needed for effective sealing at each configuration
3Device complexity
If the sealing surface has a small radial extension, then the filling bell structure remains simple, but the contact surface with the tire is insufficient, increasing stress on the tire during filling
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing surface is divided into multiple wedge-shaped segments distributed around the bell. This segmentation allows the sealing surface to extend radially over a larger area, distributing the tire compression force across multiple segments and reducing stress concentration on the tire while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
The filling bell (1) has an annular sealing face (3) which can be pressed onto a sidewall of the tire, and a central opening (6) into which the wheel rim can penetrate. The sealing face is formed by an annular flange which surrounds the opening and has wedge shaped segments (4) with divergent edges. The width of the segments increase away from the central opening and the segments are displaceable relative to one another and substantially radially relative to the opening.