| CLAIMS
1. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow and characterized by the fact that it comprises:
- at least a tyre flexible winding surface with a predetermined thickness, said surface comprising an upper face that will adhere around the tyre and a lower face that will be in contact to the ground.
- Means of automatic assembly to allow an automatic assemblage of said surface around the tyre, said assembly happening in correspondence to a rotation of the tyre along the upper face of said flexible winding surface. 2. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow according to claim 1, where said automatic assembly means comprise a plurality of protuberances firmly joint on the upper face of said flexible winding surface and able to get inserted inside said tyre in correspondence to said rotation of the tyre on said upper face. 3. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow according to claim 2, where said protuberances are micro-needles.
4. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow according to claim 1, where said automatic assembly means comprise at least a ferromagnetic element found on the flexible winding surface, and able to attract and/or get attracted from stiffening metal elements found in said tyre, said attraction happening in correspondence to the rotation of the tyre along said upper face of said flexible winding surface. 5. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow according to one or more of the previous claims, where said flexible winding surface is realized in a ferromagnetic material.
6. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow according to one or more of the previous claims, where said flexible winding surface of the tyre has also a plurality of lateral tongues hinged along its perimeter, said lateral tongues being able to rotate from a resting position to a working position where they result to be tangent to the lateral surface of the tyre, the lateral tongues being also supplied with a plurality of protuberances that grip on said lateral surface of the tyre.
7. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are made slippery according to claim 6, where said rotation of the lateral tongues between said resting position and said working position happens tangentially to said perimeter of the flexible winding surface.
8. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are made slippery according to claim 6, where said rotation of the lateral tongues between said resting position and said working position happens toward said flexible winding surface and vice versa until an angle with such an opening to leave a predetermined light that allows the insertion and the sliding of said tyre on said upper face of said flexible winding surface.
9. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow according to one or more of the previous claims, where opportune means of registration allow an adjustment of the tongues, tangentially and/or at right angle respect to the winding surface, and/or to change the overall length of the winding surface.
10. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are made slippery according to one or more of the previous claims, where the lower face of said flexible winding surface presents a site within which it is firmly joint a metal grid or similar able to increase said road-holding of the tyre with the ground.
11. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow according to one or more of the previous claims, where said flexible winding surface is composed by a plurality of single modules joint to each other by means of hinge in a way to make said surface flexible along its entire length.
12. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are made slippery according to one or more of the previous claims, where said flexible winding surface comprises hooking means.
13. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are made slippery according to claim 13, where said hooking means comprise:
- At least a groove-and-tongue joint placed in correspondence to said first module or initial portion and to said last module or final portion of the flexible winding surface and respectively a groove-or-tongue joint placed on said lower face of said initial portion or first module and the complementary on said upper face of said final portion or last module.
- A plurality of protuberances placed in correspondence of said lower face of the initial portion or initial module able to get connected to the protuberances found on the upper face of the last module or final portion. 14. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are made slippery according to one or more of the previous claims, where it is also comprised a site for fastpin positioned in correspondence to said lower face of said initial portion or said first module and a fastpin able to get inserted into said site for fastpin. 15. Device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are made slippery according to one or more of the previous claims, where said unhooking means comprise:
- At least a hook joint to an end of a string adjustable in length and able to hook the flexible winding surface close to said hooking means. — Gripping means joint to the opposite end of said string and able to get joint to the tyre placed in front or in the back respect to the one supplied with said device to increase the grip in a way that a rotation of said tyre would stretch said string determining the unblocking of said hooking means. |
TITLE
SELF ASSEMBLING ANTI-SKID CHAIN
Technical Field The present invention refers to the section of land crafts carriers. In particular it refers to the section of skid chains or general devices to be assembled around the tyres to increase the road holding on a slippery ground.
State of the Art Since a long time, are known tyre skid chains that are commonly assembled around the driving wheels of the means of transportation. Generally, the assemblage of the skid chain is always a very annoying operation and implies many inconvenient especially if is made during bad weather conditions, as snow storms. The common skid chains in the market, as far as they can be rather easy to assemble, require anyway various operations. Surely, the most unpleasant operation is the one relative to the wrapping or anyway the manual assembling of the skid chain around the tyres.
The user is forced to operate even during snow storms, by inserting and wrapping manually the chain around the tyre. Afterwards, he must verify if the insertion has been done well and thus proceed with the safety lock that blocks permanently the chain to the tyre. Naturally, these operations must be done at least for the driving wheels of the vehicle.
It is clear how this operations procedure is not easy. The user will unavoidably dirty his hands and is forced to carry out more than one operation, possibly also in the snow, before being able to leave and carry on the trip in safety.
The need to have at your disposal some chains with a very fast assembly is requested to the point that the user, often, prefers to postpone the assembly of the chains to the moment where it is strictly necessary. At that point it has been crossed anyway the minimum required safety line. Indeed, the risk of accidents cased by the loss of grip of the tyres becomes high, with consequences that can
result also deathly.
Disclosure of invention
It is therefore the aim of the present invention to give a device that increases the road-holding of the tyres and resolves all the above mentioned inconvenient.
In particular it is the aim of the present invention to give a device for tyres that have a fast and simple assembly, without forcing the user to dirty his hands and/or cloths and operate in bad weather conditions. It is also the aim of the present invention to give a device to increases the road-holding of the tyres that allows also a fast and simple disassembly.
These and other aims are obtained through the present device to increase the road-holding of the tyres on routes that are slippery because of ice and/or snow and characterized by the fact that it comprises: - at least a surface for winding to the tyre with a predetermined thickness, said surface comprising an upper face that will be in contact around the tyre and a lower face that will be in contact to the ground.
- Means of automatic assembly to allow an automatic assemblage of said surface around the tyre, said assembly happening in correspondence to a rotation of the tyre along the upper face of the flexible winding surface.
In said manner, it is possible to realize a winding of the device around the tyre that is totally automatic, eliminating all the inconvenient of a manual assembly.
Advantageously the means of an automatic assembly comprise a plurality of protuberances firmly joint on the upper face of the flexible winding surface and able to get inserted inside the tyre in correspondence to said rotation of the tyre on said upper face.
Moreover the protuberances are micro-needles. Thus, according to this solution the micro-needles are inserted inside the tyre, realizing a grip and allowing the automatic winding.
Alternatively the automatic assembly means comprise at least a
ferromagnetic element found on the flexible winding surface, and able to attract and/or get attracted from stiffening metal elements found in said tyre, said attraction happening in correspondence to the rotation of the tyre along the upper face of said flexible winding surface. Advantageously the flexible winding surface is realized in a ferromagnetic material.
The flexible winding surface of the tyre has also a plurality of lateral tongues hinged along its perimeter, said lateral tongues being able to rotate from a resting position to a working position where they result to be tangent to the lateral surface of the tyre, the lateral tongues being also supplied with a plurality of protuberances that grip on said lateral surface of the tyre.
The rotation of the lateral tongues between the resting position and the working position happens tangentially to the perimeter of the flexible winding surface.
Alternatively, the rotation of the lateral tongues between the resting position and the working position happens toward the flexible winding surface and vice versa until an angle with such an opening to leave a predetermined light that allows the insertion and the sliding of the tyre on the upper face of the flexible winding surface.
In this manner, when the tongues are placed in the working position, they work as a guide during the entire automatic assembly phase, avoiding any maladjustment.
Moreover opportune means of registration allow an adjustment of the tongues, tangentially and/or at right angle respect to the winding surface, and/or to change the overall length of the winding surface. In this way it is possible to have an adjustment that allows to receive tyres with different width and diameter, making the device versatile and practically universal.
Advantageously the lower face of the flexible winding surface presents a site within which it is firmly joint a metal grid or similar able to increase the road- holding of the tyre with the ground.
Advantageously the flexible winding surface is composed by a plurality of single modules joint to each other by means of hinge in a way to make said surface
flexible along its entire length.
In this way it is possible to have a very thick and hard winding surface of the tyre though maintaining its flexibility.
Advantageously the winding surface comprises hooking means. This way it is possible ' to have a safe lockup of the device around the pneumatic. In detail the hooking means comprise:
- At least a groove-and-tongue joint placed in correspondence to the first module or initial portion and to the last module or final portion of the flexible winding surface and respectively a groove-or-tongue joint placed on said lower face of said initial portion or first module and the complementary on the upper face of the final portion or last module.
- A plurality of protuberances placed in correspondence of the lower face of the initial portion or initial module able to get connected to the protuberances found on the upper face of the last module or final portion. For both the solutions is also comprised a site for fastpin positioned in correspondence to said lower face of said initial portion or said first module and a fastpin able to get inserted into said site for fastpin.
This way the lockup is sealed in safety. The unhooking means, on the other side, comprise: - At least a hook joint to an end of a string adjustable in length and able to hook the flexible winding surface close to the hooking means.
- Gripping means joint to the opposite end of the string and able to get joint to the tyre placed in front or in the back respect to the one supplied with the device to increase the grip in a way that a rotation of the tyre would stretch the string determining the unblocking of the hooking means.
Brief description of drawings
Further features and advantages according to the invention, will be clearer with the description of one of its pattern realization that follows, made to illustrate but not limit, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:
- Figure 1 represents a prospective view and a bottom view of the device.
- Figure 2 represents a prospective view of the device according to modules and details of hooking.
- Figure 3 and figure 4 represent views of possible movements and adjustments of the tongues. - Figure 5 represents schematically the assembly of the device around the tyre.
- Figure 6 represents the hooking details.
- Figure 7 represents the unhooking or disassembly detail.
Brief description of Drawings Referring to figure 1, it is described a new type of skid chain for tyres according to the present invention. In particular the undertaken device comprises a flexible winding surface 1 with a predetermined thickness and length. The winding surface is composed essentially by an upper face 2, which will adhere around the tyre, and a lower face 3 rolling in contact to the ground with the aim of increasing the road-holding and the adherence.
The upper face is supplied with automatic assembly means to allow the automatic joining and adherence of the flexible winding surface around the tyre. Moreover, opportune hooking/unhooking means make possible the safely locking and disassembly of the same, once the flexible surface has been winded around the tyre.
More in detail, the automatic assembly means can comprise, according to a first configuration of the invention, a plurality of protuberances 4 firmly joint and distributed on the upper face 2. The protuberances are a kind of micro-needles with height of few millimetres, so that they can get inserted into the tyre and create a grip, without perforating or damaging it.
Alternatively, a second preferred configuration of the invention comprises a ferromagnetic element on the flexible winding surface. This way the gripping and holding action of the micro-needles is substituted by the attraction force between the stiffening metal elements found within the tyre and the same magnet. In particular, between the different possible solutions, it is possible to have at least a portion of the entire flexible winding surface in ferromagnetic material, or
alternatively realized entirely in ferromagnetic material (look at figure 1). Nothing would anyway avoid, without moving apart from the present inventive concept, to insert and/or connect firmly in any known manner, ferromagnetic elements to the flexible winding surface. Alternatively, (look at figure 2), the flexible winding surface rather than being realized in a sole piece, can be constituted by a plurality of single modules 5 joint to each other by means of hinge 6. For example a simple connection plug 7 can join a module to another making the entire surface flexible and pliable along its entire length. This solution allows to use materials that are harder and thicker respect to the one used in the solution with a sole piece. Indeed, in this case, the flexibility is guaranteed by the junction of a module to another and not anymore from the thickness and type of material used (for example thin and gummy material).
In all the preferred solutions of the invention, (look at figure 1), the flexible winding surface has a plurality of lateral tongues 8 hinged along its perimeter. The tongues, as it will be specified later in the assembly and functioning description, have practically a function of both sliding when the device is assembled, and sealing during its usage.
The tongues have, on their surface, a plurality of protuberances 9 (as for example micro-needles) that grip or also get inserted inside the lateral surface of the tyre, exactly as the above described micro-needles found on the upper face. Alternatively the tongues can be made entirely by a ferromagnetic material, that, similarly to what has been described above, helps the grip against the tyre, or combine the protuberances with the ferromagnetic material. As described in figure 3, the lateral tongues 8 are hinged in a way to be able to rotate from a resting position, external to the lateral surface of the tyre, to a working position, capable to allow the insertion of the tyre and tangential to its lateral surface. The movement between the two positions can happen essentially in two manners. The first type of motion comprises a rotation of the tongues tangential to the perimeter of the flexible winding surface of the chain, passing from a configuration that is lowered and on one line to the profile of the flexible winding surface to a
risen or working configuration. The second one comprises, on the other hand, a rotation toward the flexible winding surface and vice versa.
In both cases, anyway, the working configuration is such that the tongues result to be approximately perpendicular respect to the flexible winding surface, so that there is a light that allows the insertion and the sliding of the tyre on the same flexible winding surface during the assembly (look in figure 3 working position with the tyre inserted).
Both the hinges described above (look at figure 4) could be adjusted both tangential to the flexible winding surface, and orthogonal respect to the same surface (approach and removal from and toward the surface). In this way it is made variable both the distribution distance of the tongues around the tyre, and the light that enters, varying this way the adaptability of the tongues in relation to the dimensions of rubber used. Simple and common means of adjustment, as screws or similar, can be used. Moreover, in order to help the entrance of the tyre, the tongues can comprise opportune drafts.
In an analogous way, it is also possible to make adjustable the entire length of the flexible surface, changing the overall length and making it adjustable to tyres with different diameters. According to the solution with modules, for example, it is possible to comprise two or more modules 5 joint to each other by means of an extended slot 106, in a way to make them reciprocally slide, approaching or removing them according to the needs (look still at figure 4). Anyway, in an equivalent way, also the continuous solution of the winding surface (or rather the one with no modules) can easily be adjustable in length making it, for example, divided in two halves and joint similarly to the case of the module shown in figure 4.
In all the configurations described above (look at figure 1), in correspondence to the lower face 3 it is obtained a site 10 within which it is firmly joint a metal grid 11 or similar suitable to increase the road-holding of the tyre with the ground. Moreover, without moving apart from the present inventive concept, it is possible to opportunely work the lower face creating some artificial notching or protuberances in order to eliminate completely the presence of the grid and to assign the road-holding function directly to the same lower face. Naturally
this solution is favourable when the winding surface is realized with modules 5 joint to each other, as the thickness is such to allow a further working to obtain the said protuberances.
An inlet guide 12 of the tyre defines a "first module" 105 in the module's solution (look at figure 2) or an "initial portion" 102 in the continuous solution (look at figure 1). The final parts are respectively called "last module" 105 'in the module's solution otherwise "final portion" 102'.
As in the traditional skid chain, also the present invention to increase the tyre's grip comprises hooking/unhooking means that allow both to safely close it around the same tyre once it is winded around, and also to unhook it and disassemble it when not used.
In particular (look at figure 1) the hooking means that allow the safely locking comprise a groove-and-tongue joint 13,13'. The joint (indifferently the groove or tongue) is placed in correspondence of the final and initial portion of the flexible winding surface. In particular of site with a spheric cap shape 13' can be obtained on the lower face relatively to the initial portion 102 of the winding surface. The corresponding groove 13' that is inserted in the above mentioned site 13 is, on the other hand, obtained in correspondence to the upper face of the final portion 102'. This way, as it will be clearer in the functioning description, during the automatic assembly the groove/tongue sites are automatically constrained to each other.
To guarantee a better grip, avoiding to completely entrust the grip to the sole groove/tongue joint, a plurality of protuberances 14 is placed in correspondence to the lower face of the initial portion 102. These are going to grip against the protuberances found on the upper face in correspondence to the final portion 102', guaranteeing the grip.
Of course also the solution of the single modules comprises a very similar lockup (look at figure 2). In this case the first 105 and the last module 105' of the flexible winding surface will comprise a groove-and-tongue joint 13, 13' as the one described above. Moreover, in this case, the first module if also supplied in correspondence of its lower face with the plurality of protuberances 14 that guarantees the seal of the lockup.
It should be specified how the figure 1 represents two equivalent locking solutions where the joint 13 is obtained directly on the upper face 2 in proximity of the final portion 102', or it is a separated element firmly joint to the final portion 102'. Moreover the distance of the length between the groove/tongue joints 13, 13' is always equivalent to the dimension of the circumference of the tyre to cover, in a way that the final portions or the final module 102' or 105' can "overlap on the respective initial portions 102 or initial modules 105.
In both the configurations (look still at figure 1 and 2) it is also found a site for fastpin 15 still placed in correspondence to the lower face of the initial portion or of the first module depending on the constructive solution used. In particular, the site for the fastpin is inserted in an area 16 where there are not any protuberances. A blocking plug 17 can then be inserted inside the site for the fastpin guaranteeing the safely lockup.
Nothing would avoid to use completely equivalent locking systems. For example, the plurality of micro-needles and the blocking plug could be substituted with a fitting hook of spring catch type, without moving apart from the present inventive concept.
The unhooking means (look figure 4) that allow the disassembly, comprise, on the other hand, a string 21 adjustable in length joint to a hook 20 on one end and on the other end to opportune gripping means 22. The gripping means can simply comprise a tyre hooking surface 23 supplied with tongues 24 as the ones already described. Equivalent solution can be found without moving apart from the present inventive concept.
It is now described the functioning, and in particular the assembly, of the device according to the invention. The number of skid chain to assemble on a car is chosen by the user (usually the chains are assembled only on the driving wheels of the vehicle). Thus the described procedure is relative to only one tyre, but, of course, the procedure does not change if we want to assemble the chains on two or more tyres. As schematically shown in figure 5, the flexible winding surface, both if it has been realized in one piece or in modules 5 joint to each others, must be placed laid in front of the tyre, with the inlet guide 12 placed under the tyre and the lateral
tongues 8 in the working configuration.
At this point it is simply requested to move the car or the vehicle so that the tyre passes on top and along the entire length of the winding surface. In this way the micro-needles or the magnets of the upper face will automatically hook the tyre letting an automatic winding around the tyre while the same tyre covers the entire length of the winding surface. In the case of micro-needles, these will penetrate the tyre while in the case of the magnet it will be the attraction force to effect the grip.
The lateral tongues have the function of maintaining in line the same winding surface respect to the tyre, both during the assembly and during the usage. During the automatic winding, indeed, the tongues drive and maintain the same tyre in line respect to the upper face acting on the lateral surface of the tyre (look also figure 4). In this way dangerous misalignments of the device are avoided and a re-alignment is effected automatically during the same assembly phase. The hooking means (look at figure 2 and figure 6), as described above, will close and assure in an automatic way the chain around the tyre 30. In particular the groove/tongue joint, when the winding is completed, the tongue profile 13' of the first module will lockup on the groove profile 13 found on the last module or on the last portion of the winding surface. The micro-needles 14 found on the lower face of the first module will restrain on the upper face of the last module letting a safe and sealed lockup. Further safety is then guaranteed by the insertion of the plug 17 in its site 15 when the lockup has been completed. Of corse the functionality remains the same if equivalent closing means are used
During the winding the lockup rarely happens exactly in the same spot. For this aim, both the site 15 and the groove/tongue joint are made with a certain length to guarantee different closing tolerances during the winding.
Nothing would avoid to make special devices that allow the assembly of these particular skid chains without necessarily having to lay them on the ground. For example it would be possible to create a device that contains them on top of the tyre and releases them automatically on the tyre while this last one is rotating very slowly. The same rolling would allow the automatic winding equivalent to what has already been described.
In figure 7 is, on the other hand, shown the disassembly or unhooking procedure. For this aim it is sufficient to fit the gripping mean 22, schematically described in figure 4, on the tyre found in front or behind the one supplied with the chain and pass the string adjustable in length under the frame of the vehicle, until the hooking/unhooking means of the device are reached.
When the safety plug 17 is removed, it is just required to fit the hook in correspondence of the site of the plug 17 and proceed with the reverse running of the vehicle. The reverse rotation of the tyres will wind the string around the tyre where the gripping mean 22 is fitted, and , consequently, it will stretch the same string determining the unblocking and unhooking of the undertaken device.
It is also possible to comprise a specific containing bag constituted by an opening for the insertion and another one for the exit, placed diametrically opposite to each other and specifically thought for the device supplied with the gripping tongues movable tangentially to the winding surface. In this way, supplying the tongues with a torsion spring or similar that would maintain them always in a working configuration, it is possible to have the insertion into the bag from the side for which the same insertion's direction will automatically rotate and close the tongues. The extraction operation will allow then the automatic opening of the tongues. This way the simple extraction will make the device ready to use saving a lot of time.
The above description of a specific shape is able to show the invention from the conceptive point of view, in a way that others, by using the art, can modify and/or adapt in different applications this specific shape without any further research and without going apart from the inventive concept, and, therefore, it is intended that these adaptations and transformations will be considered as equivalent to this specific realization. The means and materials to make the many described functions can be of various nature without exiting the area of the invention, it is intended that the expressions or the terminology used have a simple descriptive aim and therefore not limiting.