Flat free pneumatic tire and void free filling therefor

Abstract

A flat free pneumatic tire comprising a casing and a void free elastomeric filling material, which filling material is a polyurethane of (a) prepolymer of organic polyisocyanate and defined polyether or defined polyester and (b) a defined polyether or defined polyester, in the absence of foam producing material in the reaction zone. The elastomeric filling material itself. A two container article (system) adapted for producing said void free filling material where one container has said prepolymer reactant and the other container has the polyether or polyester reactant, as required.

I claim: 
     
       1. A flat free pneumatic .Iadd.tire comprising a pneumatic .Iaddend.tire casing and an essentially void-free polyurethane elastomeric filling material confined, at least in part, by said casing, said elastomeric material being the product of the reaction of, in the essential absence of foam producing material in the reaction zone, a defined prepolymer and a defined other reactant, where said prepolymer reactant is selected from the class consisting of 1. organic polyisocyanate and hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyether, wherein essentially all the prepolymer terminal groups are isocyanate groups;   2. organic polyisocyanate and hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyester, wherein essentially all the prepolymer terminal groups are isocyanate groups;   3. organic polyisocyanate and hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyether wherein essentially all the prepolymer terminal groups are isocyanate groups which groups have been blocked to afford "isocyanate" reactivity only at elevated temperature; and   4. organic polyisocyanate and hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyester wherein essentially all the prepolymer terminal groups are isocyanate groups which groups have been blocked to afford "isocyanate" reactivity only at elevated temperature;     said other reactant is hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyether, in the case of said prepolymer (1) and said prepolymer (3) to obtain poly(ether)urethane elastomeric material;   said other reactant is hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyester, in the case of said prepolymer (2) and said prepolymer (4) to obtain poly(ester)urethane elastomeric material;   said polyurethane elastomeric material being characterized in part by an essential freedom from voids.   
     
     
       2. The tire as defined in claim 1 wherein said filling material is wholly confined by said casing and the rim of the vehicle wheel on which said tire is mounted. 
     
     
       3. The tire of claim 1 wherein said polyisocyanate is aromatic diisocyanate. 
     
     
       4. The tire of claim 1 wherein said polyether is polyoxyalkylene polyol having 2-4 hydroxyl groups and where alkylene has 2-6 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       5. The tire of claim 1 wherein said polyester is a polymer or copolymer of (1) alkanedioic acid having 2-8 carbon atoms and phenylenedioic acid with (2) alkanepolyol and oxyalkylenepolyol where said polyol has 2-3 hydroxyl groups and where alkane and alkylene have 2-6 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       6. The tire of claim 1 wherein said polyisocyanate is aromatic diisocyanate and said polyether is polyoxypropylene diol or triol polyoxypropylene derivative of alkanetriol having 3-6 carbon atoms in said alkanetriol. 
     
     
       7. The tire of claim 6 wherein at least a substantial amount of defined derivative triol is used as a reaction material in the poly(ether)urethane reaction. 
     
     
       8. The tire of claim 1 wherein said prepolymer is prepared from toluene diisocyanate and triol polyoxypropylene derivative of glycerine of molecular weight about 3,000, and said TDI-triol prepolymer is reacted with a mixture of polyoxypropylene diol of molecular weight about 2,000 and aforesaid triol, said mixture having an equivalent weight of about 1,000.  .[.9. A resilient essentially void-free polyurethane elastomer material product adapted for use as a filling material for a pneumatic tire, said elastomeric material being the product of the reaction of, in the essential absence of foam producing material in the reaction zone, a defined prepolymer reactant and a defined other reactant, where said prepolymer reactant is selected from the class consisting of (1) organic polyisocyanate and hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyether, wherein essentially all the prepolymer terminal groups are isocyanate groups;   (2) organic polyisocyanate and hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyester, wherein essentially all the prepolymer terminal groups are isocyanate groups;   (3) organic polyisocyanate and hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyether wherein essentially all the prepolymer terminal groups are isocyanate groups which groups have been blocked to afford "isocyanate" reactivity only at elevated temperature; and   (4) organic polyisocyanate and hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyester wherein essentially all the prepolymer terminal groups are isocyanate groups which groups have been blocked to afford "isocyanate" reactivity only at elevated temperature;     said other reactant is hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyether, in the case of said prepolymer (1) and said prepolymer (3) to obtain poly(ether)urethane elastomeric material;   said other reactant is hydroxyl group terminated polyfunctional polyester, in the case of said prepolymer (2) and said prepolymer (4) to obtain poly(ester)urethane elastomeric material;   said polyurethane elastomeric material being characterized in part by an essential freedom from voids..].  .[.10. The product of claim 9 wherein said polyisocyanate is aromatic diisocyanate..].  .[.11. The product of claim 9 wherein said polyether is polyoxyalkylen polyol having 2-4 hydroxyl groups and where alkylene has 2-6 carbon atoms..].  .[.12. The product of claim 9 wherein said polyester is a polymer or copolymer of (a) alkanedioic acid having 2-8 carbon atoms and phenylenedioic acid with (b) alkanepolyol and oxyalkylenepolyol where said polyol has 2-3 hydroxyl groups and where alkane and alkylene have 2-6 carbon atoms..].  .[.13. The product of claim 9 wherein said polyisocyanate is aromatic diisocyanate and said polyether is polyoxypropylene diol or a triol polyoxypropylene derivative of alkanetriol having 3-6 carbon atoms in said alkanetriol..]. .[.14. The product of claim 13 wherein at least a substantial amount of defined derivative triol is used as a reaction material in the poly(ether)urethane reaction..].  .[.15. The product of claim 9 wherein said prepolymer is prepared from toluene diisocyanate and triol polyoxypropylene derivative of glycerine of molecular weight of about 3,000, and said TDI-triol prepolymer is reacted with a mixture of polyoxypropylene diol of molecular weight about 2,000 and aforesaid triol, said mixture having an equivalent weight of about 1,000..].  .[.16. A resilient essentially void-free polyurethane elastomeric material product adapted for use as a filling material for pneumatic tires, said elastomeric material being the product of the reaction of   a. a prepolymer of about 16 parts of toluene diisocyanate, 80/20 isomer content, and about 84 parts of triol polyoxypropylene derivative of glycerine of about 3,000 molecular weight, and about 0.03 parts of stannous octoate catalyst, at ambient temperature, said prepolymer having a theoretical free isocyanate group content of 4.2% and an equivalent weight of about 1,000;   b. a mixture of polyoxypropylene diol of molecular weight of about 2,000 and the triol of (a), said mixture having an equivalent weight of about 1,000;   c. said prepolymer of (a) and said mixture of (b) being reacted in about equal weight parts, in the presence of about 0.2 parts of stannous octoate catalyst, and   d. the liquid reaction product of (c) being cured at about 160° F. for about 12 hours to obtain a resilient, essentially void-free elastomeric product..].