Tire and wheel noise reducing device and system

Abstract

A system for dissipating sound shock waves within a vehicle tire includes a wheel upon which a tire is mounted to create an internal air chamber defined by the wheel and the tire. A flow-resistant barrier is coupled to the wheel or the tire and defines an air cavity within the internal air chamber. The barrier comprises a material that provides an acoustical resistance to sound shock waves passing therethrough. The air cavity defined by the barrier has a volume such that air within the cavity offers relatively small impedance to the passage of shock waves through the barrier and into the air cavity. The barrier also can produce frictional heat when displaced by a shock wave, thereby converting energy of the shock wave to heat to reduce noise associated therewith.

1 . A system for dissipating sound shock waves, comprising:
 a tire that can be mounted to a wheel to create an internal air chamber defined by the wheel and said tire;   a flow-resistant barrier disposed within the internal air chamber, said barrier defining a boundary of an air cavity that is within the internal air chamber, the air cavity having another boundary defined by the wheel such that the air cavity is between said barrier and the wheel, said barrier comprising a material that provides an acoustical resistance to sound shock waves passing therethrough,   wherein the air cavity defined by said barrier has a volume such that air within the cavity allows the passage of sound shock waves through said barrier and into the air cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein centrifugal force erects said barrier around within the internal air chamber to create the air cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said barrier produces frictional heat when displaced by a shock wave passing therethrough, thereby converting energy of the shock wave to heat to reduce noise associated therewith. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said barrier is disposed within the internal air chamber by being coupled to said tire. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said barrier comprises a dampening element that changes a resonant frequency of the system. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said barrier comprises a continuous layer of flow-resistant material disposed around an internal circumference of said tire. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said barrier comprises a plurality of overlapping elements disposed continuously within the internal air chamber such that each of said elements overlaps an end of an adjacent one of said elements. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said flow-resistant barrier defines a plurality of air cavities within the internal air chamber, wherein said barrier provides an acoustical resistance to sound shock waves passing therethrough into each of the air cavities, and wherein each of the air cavities has a volume such that air within a respective air cavity allows the passage of sound shock waves through said barrier and into the respective air cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said flow-resistant barrier comprises at least one tubular-shaped flow-resistant barrier disposed around said wheel. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said flow-resistant barrier comprises a plurality of tubular-shaped flow-resistant barriers disposed around said wheel. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising the wheel to which said tire is mounted. 
     
     
         18 . A system for dissipating sound shock waves, comprising:
 a wheel that can be mounted to a tire to create an internal air chamber defined by the tire and said wheel;   a flow-resistant barrier disposed within the internal air chamber, said barrier defining a boundary of an air cavity that is within the internal air chamber and that is between said barrier and the said wheel, said barrier comprising a material that provides an acoustical resistance to sound shock waves passing therethrough,   wherein the air cavity defined by said barrier has a volume such that air within the cavity allows the passage of shock waves through said barrier and into the air cavity.   
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18 , further comprising the tire, wherein said tire is mounted to said wheel. 
     
     
         20 . A device for dissipating sound shock waves, comprising:
 a flow-resistant barrier that defines a boundary of an air cavity that is within an internal air chamber created by a tire mounted to a wheel, the air cavity being bet between said barrier and the wheel, said barrier comprising a material that provides an acoustical resistance to sound shock waves passing therethrough,   the air cavity defined by said barrier having a volume such that air within the cavity allows the passage of shock waves through said barrier and into the air cavity.   
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 20 , further comprising the wheel, wherein said barrier is attached to said wheel. 
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 20 , further comprising the tire, wherein said barrier is attached to said tire. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 20 , further comprising the wheel and the tire, wherein said barrier is attached to one of said wheel and said tire. 
     
     
         24 . A system for dissipating noise-producing shock waves, comprising:
 an element disposed in an internal air chamber defined by a wheel and a tire, said element comprising at least two components that contact each other due to centrifugal force created during rotation of the tire and the wheel together,   wherein said components produce frictional heat when displaced by a sound shock wave passing through said components to thereby convert at least portion of energy of the sound shock wave to heat to reduce noise associated therewith.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 24 , further comprising the wheel, wherein said element is coupled to said wheel. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 24 , further comprising the tire, wherein said element is coupled to said tire. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein said barrier is disposed within the internal air chamber by being coupled to said wheel.