Patent ID: 12208648

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring generally toFIGS.1-16, a tire is shown and generally designated by the numeral10. The tire10is preferably used to support an agricultural irrigation system12as the agricultural irrigation system12traverses across a surface14. The surface14is preferably a field in need of hydration. Tire10is a non-directional pneumatic tire having a diameter16and a width18sufficient to support the agricultural irrigation system12. The tire10is used in connection with a wheel20to support the agricultural system12on the surface14.

Preferably the tire10includes a top layer or top wall22and side walls24and26that define an internal chamber28when the tire10is positioned on the wheel20. The internal chamber28can be shaped to hold a gas which can provide the pneumatic properties for the tire10.

The tire10can include a rotational axis30and tread pattern32positioned on the tire10. The tread pattern32preferably includes a plurality of longitudinal protrusions34, which can be described as longitudinal lugs34, positioned substantially parallel to the axis30. Preferably the longitudinal protrusions34are positioned to provide substantially the same coefficient of friction between the tire10and the surface14when the tire10is rotated in opposite directions relative to the axis30. This can also be described as the tire10being a non-directional tire.

Preferably, the tread pattern32includes a circumferential protrusion36, which can also be described as a circumferential lug36, positioned approximately at the mid-point or equatorial plane38of the width18of the tire10. The circumferential protrusion36can space the longitudinal protrusions34away from the axis30. More specifically, the longitudinal protrusions34can include a terminal end40which can be spaced by the circumferential protrusion36away from the axis30. The terminal end40of each longitudinal protrusion34extends towards and across the mid point or equatorial plane38of the tire10. This can best be seen inFIGS.1-5.

The longitudinal protrusions34are arranged in first and second rows extending from the side walls24and26towards and across the mid point or equatorial plane38and terminating within the width of the circumferential protrusion36. Additionally, the terminal end40of each longitudinal protrusion34can extend past the terminal end40of adjacent longitudinal protrusions34of the opposing row.

As is apparent for example inFIG.5, the longitudinal protrusions or lugs34of the first and second rows circumferentially alternate with each other. There is a circumferential spacing37such as shown inFIG.5between adjacent longitudinal protrusions of opposing rows at the equatorial plane38of the width of the tire. Thus due to this circumferential spacing37no portion of one longitudinal protrusion or lug34circumferentially coincides with or overlaps another adjacent longitudinal protrusion or lug34.

FIG.5shows a plan view of a tire with a tread pattern made in accordance with the current disclosure. The dotted lines inFIG.5show the approximate location of the connection line in the tire10between the top layer20and sidewalls24and26.

FIGS.8and9generally show a plan view of a tire with a tread pattern made in accordance with the current disclosure.FIG.8shows an example of the spacing of a tread pattern comprising 15 longitudinal protrusions per side of the tire (i.e. a pitch of 15) whileFIG.9shows an example of the spacing of a tread pattern comprising 18 longitudinal protrusions per side of the tire (i.e. a pitch of 18).

FIGS.10-14generally show partial cross-sectional views taken along various lines ofFIG.8or9.FIGS.10-12show examples of the protrusion sides50having multiple taper sections extending between the outer and inner contact surfaces as previously described. The multiple slopes of these surfaces facilitate traction, increase crown strength, increase tire durability, and enhance cleaning ability for the tire10.

As seen inFIGS.3-4, the tread pattern32can include additional features to facilitate the performance of the tire. For example, the longitudinal lugs34can include a recessed area56used to facilitate the traction of the tire10. Additionally, intermediary lugs58can be positioned between the longitudinal lugs34. These intermediary lugs58can take a variety of shapes including a rib pattern as seen inFIG.3, a wavy pattern as seen inFIG.4, or other similar patterns used to increase the performance of the tire10.

The protrusions34can also include tread bars60positioned substantially along the protrusion axis44of the longitudinal protrusions34.

Shapes of Longitudinal Lugs

The terminal end40of each longitudinal protrusion34can comprise various shapes. For example as shown inFIG.1, an end can be substantially round and be described as a rounded end42. This rounded end42can be positioned substantially along a protrusion axis44(seeFIG.5) for each longitudinal protrusion34. First and second bulges46and48, which can also be described as circumferential enlargements46and48, can extend from the protrusion axis44, as best seen inFIGS.2-5,8and9. These bulges46and48can narrow to the rounded end42. Alternately, the terminal end40of the longitudinal protrusions34can be described as being substantially spade shaped as exemplified inFIGS.2-5.

FIG.15shows still another alternative shape of enlarged head which is similar to that ofFIG.5but does not have the distinct circumferentially extending bulges46and48. Also in the design ofFIG.15the longitudinal lugs34extend longitudinally to the edge of the circumferential lug36.

InFIG.16still another shape of the longitudinal lugs is shown. InFIG.16, the lugs34have asymmetrically shaped enlarged heads with the heads of the first row facing circumferentially in opposite directions from the heads of the second row. As shown inFIG.16first and second edges of each longitudinal lug extend substantially straight from the equatorial plane toward the respective sidewall from which the edges originate. The first and second edges also converge toward each other in both axial directions from the equatorial plane so that a maximum circumferential width of each longitudinal lug occurs at the equatorial plane of the tire.

These various shapes of the longitudinal protrusions34alone, and in combination with, the circumferential protrusion36facilitate increased traction performance of the tire10. Additionally, these protrusions34and36can enhance the cleaning ability of the tire and facilitate the contact of the tire10with the surface14. Additionally, the tread design, in combination with the protrusions34and36, facilitate and increases crown strength in the tire10.

Representative Dimensions

Representative dimensions for three proposed sizes of the tire10utilizing the design shown inFIGS.2,5,8and9are set forth in the following Table I. All dimensions are in inches.

TABLE I380/85D24290/85D38290/85D24Champion HydroChampion HydroChampion HydroNDNDNDDiameter49.457.443.5Section12.79.79.7HeightSection15.011.411.4WidthLug Height1.481.371.37Tie-Bar0.20.20.2(Center Lug)HeightNumber of182116Pitches

Additionally it is noted that there is a relatively wide spacing between the lugs of each row in the circumferential direction. This is related to the tread pitch of the tire, the tread pitch being defined as the number of longitudinal lugs34in either one of the first and second rows. Preferably this tread pitch is in the range of from 10-25, and more preferably in the range of from 15-21. These low pitch tires having wide spaces therebetween provide increased cleaning effectiveness for use in very muddy environments encountered with irrigation tires. This is contrasted to designs having much higher pitches which might be utilized for example to provide more contact area for a tire operating under more traditional conditions.

Also, because of their use as irrigation tires, the tires of the present invention are preferably relatively large tires having an outside diameter16of at least about 40 inches and a tire section width18of at least about 10 inches.

The large spacing between adjacent lugs34on these relatively large tires also results in a tread pattern having a relatively low rubber to void ratio, defined as the area of the radially outer surfaces of the lugs34, as compared to the total area across the tire width18. For the tires of the present invention such as represented inFIG.5and in Table I, the rubber to void ratio over the tread width18is preferably less than about 20 percent, and more preferably in the range of from about 16 percent to about 20 percent.

Furthermore, these tire dimensions result in a tire10having an aspect ratio defined as the tire section height17(seeFIG.6) divided by the tire section width18of no greater than about 90 percent thereby providing a relatively wide tire. As can be determined from the data of Table I, the aspect ratio of each of those three tires is about 85 percent.

The Dual-Tapered Lug Sides

The longitudinal protrusions34can include protrusion sides50extending from the contact surface52of each protrusion34down to lateral grooves54, which can be described as inner tread54. Additionally each protrusion side50can be sloped from the contact surface52down to a lateral groove54. The slope of each of the protrusion sides50can extend around and include a slope for the rounded end42and bulges46and48from the contact surface52to lateral grooves54. This can best be seen inFIGS.2-5,8, and9. The slope of these surfaces facilitates traction, increase crown strength, increase tire durability, and impediment cleaning ability for the tire10.

For example, the inner tread54, which can be described as an inner contact surface54, can be defined between the protrusion sides50of adjacent longitudinal protrusions34. As seen inFIGS.10-12the protrusion side50of each longitudinal protrusion34can include a first taper62extending from the contact surface52and a different sloped second taper surface64extending from the first taper surface62to the inner tread54. A third taper65can be positioned between the second taper surface64and the inner tread54. These multiple (dual, bi-, or otherwise) tapered longitudinal protrusions34facilitate an increased durability in the tire10and tread pattern32by preventing cracking in the longitudinal protrusions34, especially near the inner tread54. The dual taper edge also reduces the rubber volume required for the lugs. The dual slope of the protrusion sides50also facilitates improved traction and cleaning ability for the tire10through the movement of loose sections of the ground surface14when the tire traverses the surface14.

Each longitudinal protrusion34can be described as being positioned opposite the location of an inner tread54and circumferentially inside oppositely positioned adjacent longitudinal protrusions34. Alternately described, as indicated onFIG.5, the first and second bulges46and48of adjacent longitudinal protrusions34(i.e. first and second longitudinal protrusions34A and34B) can define a chord length66between the adjacent longitudinal protrusions34A and34B. A longitudinal protrusion34C can be positioned opposite the chord length66such that the width68of the oppositely positioned longitudinal protrusion34C is less than the chord length66. This results in the circumferential spacing37between the enlarged heads of adjacent lugs34as shown inFIG.5.

Anti Weathering Agents

In a preferred embodiment, the tire10comprises rubber and an anti-weathering agent. The anti-weathering agent preferably comprises at least 8 parts per 100 parts of rubber in the composition of the tire10. In a more preferred embodiment, the anti-weathering agent comprises between 8-18 parts per 100 parts of rubber. The anti-weathering agent can comprise elements such as wax, an anti oxidant, resin, an anti ozonant or combination thereof to provide ozone resistance and prolong the useful life of the tire10.

Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful Irrigation Tire, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.