Patent Publication Number: US-2016243902-A1

Title: Eversible tire

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to wheels, tires, and the like, and particularly to an eversible tire permitting the casing and integral tread to be everted to use a second tread when the first tread is worn. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The construction of the conventional pneumatic tire and its installation with a conventional wheel are well known. Such tires have casings, laterally opposed beads with sidewalls extending radially outward from the casings, and a tread extending laterally across the outer edges of the sidewalls. The beads are configured to fit tightly within the outer rims of a mating wheel to provide a secure installation. The beads of tubeless tires sealing so well with the wheel rims that practically no air can escape. Development over the years has resulted in quite good durability and reliability for such tire construction. 
     Nonetheless, the problem of eventual tread wear remains. The tire beads and sidewalls will remain in relatively good condition throughout the life of a conventional tire, if not subjected to undue abuse, with tire life being limited according to tread wear. As the tread is the only component of the tire that engages frictionally with another surface, the tread is usually the only component that actually wears away during tire use. While rubber and elastomer compounds have been developed that increase tread wear considerably, the tread is always the first component to wear out in a conventional tire in normal use, so long as the sidewalls of the tire remain undamaged. 
     When the tread is worn out on a conventional tire, the remainder of the tire carcass or casing is essentially worthless trash and must be disposed of, unless it is recapped with a new tread. The disposal of the essentially undamaged carcass of the tire due to only the tread being worn out, is clearly not an environmentally sound practice. While recapping has been proven to be reasonably successful in many areas, some find that recapped tires are not as reliable as new tires. Additionally, the recapping process renders the vehicle unusable for some time while its tires are being recapped. 
     As a result, there has been some experimentation and development of tires having more easily replaceable treads. An example is found in Chinese Patent Publication No. 102729734 published on Oct. 17, 2012 to Huang Baiyuan. This reference describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a tire having a replaceable tread, 
     Thus, an eversible tire solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The eversible tire comprises a casing having laterally opposed first and second sidewalls with a tread base extending across the outer edges of the sidewalls and circumferentially around the sidewalls. Each sidewall has a bead extending circumferentially around its inner edge. This construction can be unitary, i.e., the sidewalls with their beads and the tread base can be formed as a single, unitary component at the time of manufacture. 
     The opposed first and second surfaces extend radially from one bead over the first sidewall, laterally across the tread base and its tread, and over the second sidewall to the opposite bead. When the eversible tire is installed upon a wheel, one of these surfaces is exposed to the volume contained within the tire and its wheel, and the other surface is exposed to the outside of the tire. Each of the sidewall beads is laterally symmetrical, permitting the beads to seat tightly against the rim of the wheel regardless of the orientation of the tire surfaces to the inside or to the outside of the tire. 
     The tread base of the eversible tire casing is equipped with a tread disposed upon both its first and second surfaces, i.e., two mutually opposed treads. (The term “tread base” is used herein to define the structural portion of the tire that underlies the tread proper that is worn away during use.) The two treads are molded or otherwise permanently formed integrally with the tread base and the remainder of the tire casing at the time of manufacture of the tire and are not removable from the remainder of the tire except through normal wear or abrasion. The construction of the eversible tire with its two opposed treads and laterally symmetrical beads permits the eversible tire to be everted, i.e., turned inside out, when the outer tread has been worn away. This places the worn tread to the inside of the tire and places the previously unexposed tread to the outer surface of the tread base and tire, thus essentially doubling the wear and life of the tire while retaining most of the original tire construction and obviating the need to discard the tire when the first tread has been worn away. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an eversible tire according to the present invention, illustrating its general configuration. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view in section of the eversible tire according to the present invention, illustrating further features thereof. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view in section of the eversible tire according to the present invention, illustrating an exemplary installation on a conventional vehicle wheel. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the eversible tire according to the present invention, with the tire having different tread patterns for its two opposite treads. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The eversible tire includes a tire with usable treads disposed upon opposing surfaces of the tire, thus essentially doubling the life of the tire when the casing is everted.  FIG. 1  of the drawings provides a perspective view of an exemplary eversible tire  10 , with  FIG. 2  illustrating the eversible tire  10  in section and  FIG. 3  providing a view of the eversible tire  10  in section in combination with a wheel W. The specific structure of the wheel W depicted in  FIG. 3  is exemplary; any practicable wheel configuration may be used with the eversible tire in its various embodiments. 
     The sectional views of  FIGS. 2 and 3  provide the best views to show the structure of the eversible tire  10 . The eversible tire  10  essentially includes a casing  12  having a first surface  14  and a second surface  16  opposite the first surface  14 . The casing  12  includes mutually laterally opposed first and second sidewalls, respectively  18  and  20 . The first sidewall  18  can be parallel to the second sidewall  20 . The first sidewall  18  has an inner edge or bead edge  22  and a radially opposed outer edge or shoulder edge  24 . The second sidewall  20  has corresponding inner and outer edges, respectively  26  and  28 . A first bead  30  is disposed circumferentially along the inner or bead edge  22  of the first sidewall  18 , with a second bead  32  disposed circumferentially along the inner or bead edge  26  of the second sidewall  20 . It will be noted that each of the beads  30  and  32  is laterally symmetrical with respect to the first and second surfaces  14  and  16  of the casing  12 . In other words, beads  30  and  32  are laterally symmetrical irrespective of the orientation of the tire surfaces  14  and  16 . The first bead  30  has first and second lateral extensions  30   a  and  30   b.  The first lateral extension  30   a  can extend substantially normal to the first sidewall  18  in a first direction. The second lateral extension  30   b  can extend substantially normal to the first sidewall  18  in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. The second bead  32  has corresponding first and second lateral extensions  32   a  and  32   b  in mirror image to the extensions of the first bead  30 . The laterally symmetrical beads  30  and  32  permit the eversible tire  10  to seat upon the two laterally opposed circumferential wheel rims R ( FIG. 3 ) regardless of the orientation of the first and second surfaces  16  and  18 . The various beads  30 ,  32  and bead extensions  30   a,    30   b,    32   a,    32   b,  and the wheel rim R, are preferably formed to provide an essentially airtight seal therebetween when the eversible tire  10  is installed upon the wheel W of  FIG. 3 , thus obviating the need for a separate tube within the wheel and tire assembly. However, a separate tube may be installed within the wheel and tire assembly when the eversible tire  10  is installed on the wheel W. The relatively soft and pliable nature of the tube allows it to settle between the various raised tread components of the inner tread in such an installation. 
     The eversible tire  10 , or more specifically the casing  12  thereof, further includes a circumferential tread base  34  that extends laterally across and connects the outer or shoulder edges  24  and  28  of the two sidewalls  18  and  20  to one another. A first tread  36  is disposed upon the first surface  14  of the tread base  34 , with a second tread  38  disposed upon the opposite second surface  16  of the tread base  34 . The two treads  36  and  38  may be identical to one another as shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , or may be different from one another as shown in  FIG. 4  and described further below. The various components of the eversible tire  10 , e.g., the first and second treads  36  and  38 , the tread base  34 , the first and second sidewalls  18  and  20 , and the first and second beads  30  and  32  can be formed as a unitary structure and may include various belts, plies, cords, etc., as is known in the field of tire construction. 
       FIG. 4  provides a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the eversible tire, designated as eversible tire  110 . The eversible tire  110  essentially includes all of the various components and features of the eversible tire  10  of  FIGS. 1 through 3 , i.e., a casing  112 , mutually opposed first and second surfaces  114  and  116 , laterally mutually opposed first and second sidewalls  118  and  120 , first sidewall inner and outer edges  122  and  124 , second sidewall inner and outer edges  126  and  128 , first sidewall bead  130  and its laterally symmetrical extensions  130   a  and  130   b,  second sidewall bead  132  and its laterally symmetrical extensions  132   a  and  132   b,  and a tread base  134  with opposite first and second treads  136  and  138  thereon. It will be seen in  FIG. 4  that the eversible tire  110  has a patterned first tread  136 , i.e., the tread having alternating staggered grooves and raised tread areas, with the second tread pattern  138  comprising a series of smooth circumferential ribs. It will be understood that the specific tread patterns are not critical to the invention, and that any identical or dissimilar first and second treads  36 ,  38  or  136 ,  138  may be used upon either the first or second surfaces of the present eversible tires  10  or  110  as desired. 
     The eversible tires  10  and  110  are used by installing the tire  10  or  110  on a wheel W with either the first tread  36  or  136  facing outward and the second tread  38  or  138  facing inward, as shown in  FIG. 3 , or with the second tread  38  or  138  facing outward and the first tread  36  or  136  facing inward, as desired. When the outward facing tread has been worn away through use or damage, the eversible tire  10  or  110  may be removed from the wheel W and everted to place the previously inward facing unworn tread to the outside and the worn or damaged tread to the inside. The eversible tire  10  or  110  is then reinstalled on the wheel and is ready for further use, essentially providing the tread life of a new tire. It will be seen that this provision of two treads on the opposite surfaces of the eversible tire essentially doubles the life of the tire, thus providing significant advantages in operating economy and environmental considerations. 
     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.