Tire sidewall protector shield assembly

A removable resilient shield is maintained proximate the sidewall of a tire for off-the-road vehicles to protect this critical area of the tire from damage due to contact with external objects such as rocks. The shield is secured to the terminal portion of the rim flange. The radially inner portion of the shield is spaced axially of the rim and at least one radially extending passage is provided for removal of debris from between the shield and the sidewall of a tire mounted on the rim.

The foregoing abstract is not to be taken as limiting the invention of this 
application and in order to understand the full nature and extent of the 
technical disclosure of this application reference must be made to the 
accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. 
The invention relates to protection of the sidewalls of vehicle tires which 
operate off the road. In such tires the sidewalls are vulnerable to damage 
from sharply pointed rocks or other material which the tire is likely to 
encounter as it rolls over rough terrain for which off-the-road type 
vehicles are designed to operate. 
The invention may be used with any tire; however, it is most useful with a 
tire whose service conditions are such as to cause failure of the tire 
through damage to the tire sidewalls from contact with external objects. 
The invention is particularly well suited to the protection of one or both 
of the lower or radially inner portions of the sidewalls of large 
off-the-road type tires and especially those of a design which includes a 
replaceable tread or traction belt. It may be used in conjunction with an 
upper sidewall protection device, an example of which is shown in U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,030,530. In a tire of a design including a replaceable tread or 
traction belt, the tire sidewalls are subjected to increased possibility 
of damage because of their intended prolonged service life. As shown in 
FIG. 1, such a tire 10 includes a fluid impervious innerliner 11 which is 
surrounded by a carcass 12 that is composed of an appropriate number of 
individual plies or rubberized reinforcement cords depending on the size 
of the tire. An undertread 13 and and a pair of sidewalls 14,15 cover the 
tire carcass and terminate at a pair of inextensible annular beads 16,17. 
A traction element 18 is removably mounted around the outer periphery of 
the tire. The traction element 18 may be a removable tread (as shown in 
FIG. 1) mounted around the outer periphery of the tire. Alternatively, the 
traction element 18 may include a removable reinforced continuous rubber 
tread band provided with a circumferential recess for receiving a rubber 
belt. A plurality of traction shoes or grouser bars are fastened to the 
tread band. The invention is particularly useful in the protection of the 
lower sidewall areas of this type of tire. However, it may be used with 
any tire for which protection of a sidewall is required. 
Past efforts for the protection of the sidewall of a tire have included a 
resilient shield fastened adjacent the tread of a tire. The shield in some 
instances has been extended from its attachment point adjacent the tread 
of the tire to the tire rim flange where the shield was also secured. A 
sectional annular shield has also been attached to the rim flange by means 
of a plurality of removable fasteners circumferentially spaced about the 
rim flange, the shield being retained between the rim flange and ring 
segments by the removable fastening means. 
It is believed that the prior art devices have not been entirely 
satisfactory for use in attaching an annular tire sidewall shield for 
protection of a tire intended for off-the-road operation. Some of the 
prior art attachment devices have been laborious to assemble. Some of the 
prior art attachment devices may be easily damaged or knocked off the tire 
and rim assembly when the shield or attachment devices receive a blow 
which deforms it sufficiently. Additionally, when the sidewall shield has 
been attached to the rim or wheel so as to position the radially inner 
portion of the shield adjacent the tire sidewall and rim flange dirt, sand 
and other debris have become entrapped between the tire sidewall and the 
shield. Accumulation of debris in this area may result in damage to the 
tire sidewall during continued operation of the tire due to abrasion of 
the tire sidewall. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of one aspect of the invention to provide a tire sidewall 
protector which reduces or eliminates entrapment of debris between the 
protector and associated sidewall of the tire. 
It is an object of another aspect of the invention to provide a tire 
sidewall protector which is not readily dislodged upon impact with an 
obstacle during operation of the vehicle upon which the assembly is 
mounted. 
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become 
apparent as the description proceeds. 
An annular tire sidewall protection shield is removably attached to the 
flange of the tire rim. The tire rim includes a tire-supporting flange 
axially spaced from its centerplane. The tire rim flange terminates in a 
portion directed generally radially inwardly toward the axis of rotation 
of the rim. Preferably the terminal portion of the rim flange includes a 
plurality of generally axially extending apertures spaced apart about its 
circumference. Preferably, a plurality of spacers abuts the rim flange in 
a generally axial direction. The spacers are positioned apart from one 
another about the circumference of the terminal portion of the rim flange. 
Each of the spacers includes an aperture extending generally axially 
therethrough. An annular resilient shield axially abuts said plurality of 
spacers. The shield extends radially outwardly of the axis of rotation of 
the tire rim from a radius corresponding to that of the terminal portion 
of the rim flange. An annular ring is in axial contact with the shield. 
The ring has a plurality of apertures extending generally in an axial 
direction therethrough. The apertures of the ring are spaced apart about 
the circumference of the ring. The apertures of the components are aligned 
and removable fastening means extend therethrough in a generally axial 
direction to secure the components to the terminal portion of the rim 
flange. 
Alternatively, two annular rings are employed. The first annular ring is 
positioned between the plurality of spacers and the shield. The second 
annular ring contacts only the shield as described above. 
In the absence of a plurality of apertures extending generally in an axial 
direction and spaced apart about the circumference of the terminal portion 
of the rim flange, a plurality of clips, each having an aperture extending 
generally axially therethrough contact the surface of the terminal portion 
of the rim flange nearest the centerplane of the rim. 
The spacers may be separate blocks or a stack of ordinary flat washers. 
Preferably, the spacers are permanently fastened to or integrally formed 
with one of the other components of the assembly. Each spacer may be of 
L-shaped configuration as viewed in a radial plane of the shield and rim 
assembly and may contain on its surface nearest the centerplane of the rim 
a raised boss to aid in centering of the ring concentric with the rim 
flange.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, a tire rim 20 includes an annular tire 
supporting flange 21. The flange 21 has an annular, concentric, terminal 
portion 22 directed generally radially inwardly toward the axis of 
rotation of the rim which contains a plurality of circumferentially spaced 
apart holes 24 extending therethrough in a generally axial direction. As 
used herein, "axially", "axially directed" and related forms mean in a 
direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation 80 of the tire rim. 
Engaging axially the rim flange terminal portion 22 is a plurality of 
spacers 26. Each spacer 26 includes an aperture 28 extending therethrough 
in a generally axial direction. A plurality of spacers 26 is positioned 
around the circumference of the rim flange terminal portion 22 at 
circumferentially spaced apart intervals. The apertures 28 of the spacers 
26 are in alignment with the apertures 24 of the terminal portion 22. 
Engaging axially the spacers 26 is a first annular ring 30 having a 
plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart holes 32 in alignment with the 
holes 24 of the rim flange terminal portion 22. Engaging axially the first 
ring 30 is an annular resilient sidewall protection shield 33 having an 
inner peripheral portion 40 with a radius generally the same as the radius 
of the terminal portion 22 of flange 21 and holes 41 in alignment with the 
holes 32 of the ring 30. Engaging axially the sidewall protection shield 
33 is a second ring 34 having a plurality of generally axially extending 
holes 36 therethrough in alignment with the holes 32 in the first annular 
ring 30 and holes 24 in the annular rim flange terminal portion 22. A 
plurality of fasteners (such as typified by bolt 38) extend in a generally 
axial direction through the aligned holes in the rings 30, 34, the shield 
33 and the spacers 26 and the rim flange terminal portion 22 to bind these 
components into an assembly 39. The sidewall protection shield 33 is 
thereby securely attached adjacent the tire 10 but with its inner 
peripheral or radially innermost portion 40 spaced axially outboard from 
the tire 10 and rim flange 21. Because the spacers 26 are not 
circumferentially continuous, there is created a plurality of radially 
extending passages or apertures 44 at circumferentially spaced apart 
positions through which debris contained in a chamber 45 between the tire 
sidewall 14 and the sidewall protection shield 33 can exit. 
As used herein, "radially", "radially directed" and related forms mean in a 
direction which is towards or away from the axis of rotation of the 
respective tire rim or the tire rim and protection shield assembly, the 
direction being within a radial plane of the respective tire rim or tire 
rim and protection shield assembly. As used herein, a "radial plane" of 
the tire rim or the tire rim and protection shield assembly is one which 
passes through and contains the axis of rotation of the respective tire 
rim or the tire rim and protection shield assembly. 
In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 the spacers 26 are blocks 27 which are 
secured, preferably by welding, to the axially inboard annular ring 30. 
Alternatively, the spacers 26 may be integrally formed with the axially 
inboard ring 30, for example, by integrally machining them of the same 
material. As used herein, an item which is "axially inboard" of another is 
nearer to a centerplane CP shown in dot dash line in FIG. 1 of the 
respective tire rim 20 or tire rim and protection shield assembly 30. 
Conversely, an item which is "axially outboard" of another is farther away 
from the centerplane CP of the respective tire rim 20 or tire rim and 
protection shield assembly 39. Alternatively, the spacers 26 may be welded 
or integrally formed with the rim flange extension 22. Securing the 
spacers 26 to another annular component facilitates assembly of the 
sidewall protection shield and attachments to the rim 20. An adhesive or 
mechanical fastener may, of course, be employed to secure the spacers 26 
to one of the other components of the tire rim 20 and protection shield 
assembly 39. 
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the axially inboard ring 30 has been 
eliminated and the spacers 26 directly contact the axially inboard side of 
the shield 33. While fewer parts and less material are required for this 
embodiment than are required for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the 
reduced contact area with the axially inboard side of the shield 33 may 
result in damage to the shield or difficulty in maintaining secure 
attachment of the shield. Increasing the circumferential dimension of the 
spacers 26 will reduce this problem but will also reduce the size or 
cross-sectional area of apertures 44 available for escape of debris from 
the chamber 45 between the shield 33 and the adjacent tire sidewall 14, 
which is undesirable. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the spacers 26 may be 
integrally formed or welded or otherwise secured or bonded to the annular 
rim flange extension 22 to facilitate assembly. 
As shown in FIG. 4 a terminal portion 61 of the tire rim 20' does not 
include a plurality of axially extending holes 24 as in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. 
In FIG. 4, the shield 33' is retained between a pair of annular rings 
30',34' each having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart bores 
extending in a generally axial direction therethrough and lying on a 
circle of the same diameter, the bores being in alignment with one 
another. The axially inboard ring 30' includes spacers 60 which differ 
from those of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-3 in that they are of 
greater radial dimension to insure that when the ring 30' is positioned 
concentric with the rim 20' the spacers 60 will engage the rim 20' to 
prevent axial movement of the ring 30' relative to the rim toward the 
centerplane of the rim. As used herein, the centerplane of the rim 20' is 
a plane (not shown) perpendicularly intersecting the axis of rotation of 
the rim and being located midway between the axially spaced flanges of the 
rim. A filler ring 62 or plurality of filler blocks (not shown) is 
positioned immediately radially inward of the axially outermost terminal 
portion 61 of the rim flange 21'. Alternatively, the filler ring 62 or 
blocks may be integrally formed with or secured to the spacers 60 or to 
clips 64. The filler ring 62 or plurality of filler blocks also contains a 
plurality of generally axially extending circumferentially spaced apart 
apertures for passage of the fasteners. A plurality of clips 64 each 
having a hole passing therethrough in a generally axial direction are 
positioned immediately axially inboard of the filler ring 62 closer to the 
rim centerplane than filler ring 62. The clips 64 each engage the rim 
flange 21' when a plurality of fasteners such as bolts 65 are inserted in 
the aligned apertures of the rings 30',34', spacers 60, filler ring 62 or 
blocks and clips 64 to draw and secure the components together. The 
spacers 60 and clips 64 are axially drawn toward each other to engage the 
rim flange 21' and thereby secure the shield 33' to the rim flange. 
In FIG. 5 is shown a modification of the spacers 26 for use in place of 
blocks 27 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Each spacer block 70 is of generally 
L-shaped configuration when viewed in cross-section taken in a radial 
plane of an assembly including a spacer block 70. Each spacer block 70 
includes a raised portion 71 which is of sufficient size to extend axially 
toward the rim centerplane from the axially outermost portion of the 
terminal portion of the rim flange 21 in an assembly. When the aperture 72 
of spacer block 70 is aligned with one of the apertures of the terminal 
portion 22, the outside diameter 73 of the raised portion 71 corresponds 
to the inside diameter of the rim flange terminal portion 22. When spacer 
blocks 70 are permanently attached to ring 30, they assist in 
concentrically aligning the annular shield-engaging ring 30 with the rim 
extension 22. The spacer blocks 70 as embodied in FIG. 5 facilitate 
assembly of the attachment means of the invention when used in place of 
the blocks 27 of FIGS. 1 through 3. 
The components of the attachment device of the invention may be made of any 
solid material having sufficient rigidity, impact resistance, compressive 
strength and resistance to flow under compression and are preferably made 
of a metal such as steel, although reinforced plastics are believed to be 
suitable also. 
In place of each solid single-piece spacer means illustrated there may be 
substituted a stack of ordinary flat washers or shims. To facilitate 
assembly the washers within each stack may be welded together or 
adhesively secured to one another. Of course, the entire stack may be 
secured to one of the adjoining components. 
It is preferred that each aperture of the annular ring 34 which is spaced 
further from the rim centerplane CP than the shield 33 (e.g. ring 34 of 
FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4) include an enlarged portion 42 at its end distal the 
centerplane of the rim. The enlarged portion 42 is provided to receive a 
complementary enlarged part 43 of a removable fastener such as a bolt 38 
extending axially through the aperture so as to provide a smooth surface 
to the environment of the assembly 39. A smooth surface is desirable to 
prevent snagging of the fasteners and damage to the enlarged parts thereof 
during operation of the vehicle on which the tire sidewall shield 
protector shield assembly 39 is installed. 
The shield 33 is a protective body resilient sheet material for absorbing 
impacts from rocks and other debris. The shield 33 may be formed of 
sections, for example, by cutting and piecing together slabs of 
elastomeric material to form a disc with its center removed. Preferably, 
however, the shield 33 is circumferentially continuous to avoid the need 
for fasteners which may become broken or snagged during operation of the 
assembly in its normally harsh environment. The shield 33 may be formed of 
reinforced elastomeric material, for example, textile and/or 
wire-reinforced rubber or a resilient plastic such as polyurethane. The 
shield 33 may be compressively retained by frictional forces between 
annular rings, for example, rings 30 and 34 in FIGS. 1 and 2 or between 
the spacers and an annular ring (for example, spacers 26 and annular ring 
34 of FIG. 3). The shield 33 preferably includes a plurality of generally 
axially extending spaced apart apertures 41 about its radially innermost 
portion 40 in alignment with the apertures 32,36 in the corresponding 
rings 30,34 and spacers 26. 
The shield 33 also has an outer peripheral portion 46 with a radius greater 
than the radius of the rim flange 21 for overlapping the sidewall 14 of 
the tire 10. Alternate embodiments and modifications of the shield are 
described in co-pending Application No. 57,780, of George T. Watts, filed 
on July 16, 1979, for Tire Sidewall Protector Shield Assembly, and 
commonly assigned herewith. 
Although the tire rim 20 and protection shield 33 shown and described 
includes a shield for one sidewall 14 of a tire, it is understood that 
both sidewalls 14,15 of the tire 10 may be protected in like manner. 
The shield has been shown and described as being secured to a terminal 
portion of the flange of a single component rim. It is understood that 
when a multipiece rim is employed, one of the rim components may, of 
course, be formed so as to provide an equivalent mounting site for the 
shield and spacer means. 
While the use of a plurality of spacers (numeral 26 in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6, 
numeral 60 in FIG. 4 and numeral 70 in FIG. 5) has been described in 
detail, it is to be understood that a single spacer member having at least 
one radially extending passsage may be employed in place of a plurality of 
spacers, it being essential that when the shield is secured to the tire 
rim there is provided at least one radially extending passage between the 
rim and the shield for removal of material accumulating during operation. 
While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for 
the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those 
skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made 
therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.