Tire with inner surface provided with a nanostructure
The invention relates to automobile tires or tire assemblies or parts thereof suitable for being balanced by introduction therein of a thixrotropic balancing gel, wherein surfaces of the tire or tire assembly or part thereof which are intended to be in contact with the balancing gel are provided with a surface nanostructure with an average surface roughness in the range of 1-1000 nm. The surface nanostructure will enable the thixotropic balancing gel to move to the location, where it balances the tire, significantly quicker than if the surface in question did not have the surface nanostructure.
1. Automobile tire or tire assembly or a part thereof, to be balanced by introduction therein of a thixotropic balancing gel, wherein surfaces of the tire or tire assembly or part thereof that contact the balancing gel are provided with a surface nanostructure that has an average surface roughness in the range of 1-1000 nm and that being configured to reduce the actual contact area between the balancing gel and said surfaces such that the balancing gel wets said surfaces less, thereby easing gel movement across said surfaces in response to forces exerted by imbalance of the tire or tire assembly or part thereof.
2. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the nanostructure is provided at least on the surface of the radially outer wall of the tire liner.
3. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the radially outer wall of the tire is subdivided into two or more circumferential sections.
4. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the nanostructure is provided on the radially outer wall of an annular, radially inward open trough designed to be releasably mounted inside the tire.
5. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 4 wherein said trough can be closed by means of an optionally detachable film cover.
6. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 4 wherein the annular trough is capable of being detachably mounted inside the air chamber of the tire.
7. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the nanostructure is of the peak or ridged type.
8. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the mean distance between the apices of the nanostructure is in the range of 1-1000 nm.
9. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the mean distance between the apices of the nanostructure is of the same order of magnitude as the surface roughness, preferably approximately the same as the surface roughness.
10. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 3 where the radially outer wall of the tire is subdivided into two or more circumferential sections by means of circumferential ridges on the tire liner.
11. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the surfaces of the tire or tire assembly or part thereof which are provided with the nanostructure are constituted by strip-like sections of the surface of the radially outer wall of the tire liner, said strip-like sections extending in the direction of the circumference of the tire.
12. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 11 wherein the nanostructured sections of the surface of the tire liner are constituted by two circumferentially extending strips located in the area of the tire liner surface in the shoulder areas of the tire, each strip preferable having a width of 10-20% of the width of the tread reinforcing belt located closest to the tire liner.
13. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 11 wherein the nanostructured sections of the surface of the tire liner are constituted by two circumferentially extending strips located in the area of the tire liner surface in the shoulder areas of the tire as well as a central circumferential strip, the width of said strip preferably being 10-40% of the width of the tread reinforcing belt located closest to the tire liner, especially 20-30% of the width of the tread reinforcing belt located closest to the tire liner.
14. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the surfaces of the tire or tire assembly or part thereof which are not provided with the nanostructure are provided with means for preventing the balancing gel spreading onto them.
15. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 14 wherein means for preventing spread of the balancing gel are constituted by a microstructure in the surface of the tire liner, said microstructure having a surface roughness in the range of 0.001-0.1 mm; a macrostructure in the surface of the tire liner, said macrostructure having a surface roughness in the range of 0.1-1 mm; a layer of a tire sealing compound deposited on the tire liner surface; or a layer of a lubricant deposited on the tire liner surface.
16. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the surface roughness is in the range of 5-800 nm.
17. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the surface roughness is about 100 nm.
18. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the mean distance between the apices of the nanostructure is in the range of 5-800 nm.
19. Automobile tire or tire assembly or part thereof according to claim 1 wherein the mean distance between the apices of the nanostructure is about 100 nm.