Michelin pumps up airless tyre
Said be to maintenance-free, will unchecked tyres be safer?
Michelin announced the first maintenance-free airless tyre at this year's Paris motorshow. Michelin called it the first but, of course, the first tyres ever invented by one Mr Dunlop were solid. However, it is bound to reduce the incentive for drivers to check tyres for wear.
Key to the Airless tyre is its advanced radial structure manufactured from high –performance composite materials, on to which a rubber tread is bonded. Once the tread wears down it can be removed and a new tread bonded to the core structure. The central structure is designed to last the life of the vehicle (typically 150,000 miles) and using advanced adhesives it is envisaged that motorists simply have a new tread each time the current set wears out.
The new tyre will be specifically "tuned" to their vehicle, says Michelin. It will never leak air, will never puncture, cannot be dangerously over-inflated, and ends the need to regularly check tyre pressures all round the car.
Michelin Head of Research and Development, Didier Miraton says, "Michelin’s research mission is to constantly bring about "technological leaps" in the tyre industry. Daily we strive to halve braking distance, rolling resistance, noise, and also to improve grip and extend tyre life. All this means experimenting with new structures, materials and so on. And day after day, we break new performance records, pushing back the limits of tyre technology.
"Our mission also includes exploring new avenues, to deliver solutions that meet new mobility expectations, in keeping with the Group’s own mission, which is to contribute to better mobility. Michelin Airless – and others - are all part of our portfolio of groundbreaking innovations. These are genuine technological leaps produced by Michelin’s visionary power, and we are seriously focusing our research on these solutions that will make their way onto the market within a decade or so.
“Nevertheless, one thing is sure, tyres as we know them today still have a long lease of life ahead of them."
A Michelin spokesman added that there was no technical reason why the tyres, originally designed to robustness on rough roads in less-developed parts of the globe, shouldn't become suitable for performance cars too. "It's about 10-15 years away", he said.
deltaf said:
No more "stingers" being used by the police....the crims are gonna love this one.
Already the case with run-flats. Last I heard they were looking into EMP systems to kill the ECU. So the crims will be running around in old (carb and dizzy) cars with brand new run-flats on!
Kingr
More to the point if the Police have these systems it won't be long before they will be available on the open black market.
While we would all like the Nissan or VW at the front of the queue of traffic to pull over to let people past I feel it would add a new dimension to roadrage.
Glad it was at home with my trolley jack. The one that came with the Vectra is utterly useless and will twist at the slightest hint of a slope - even in the Fens.
The people who designed/approved the design of the Vauxhall/Opel jack should be made to go out every January night 10pm to 6 am with RAC/AA and change wheels using only the manufacturers equipment.
I bet that would make them design better jacking mechanisms.
shadytree said:
Just put a half dozen cans of 'mobility spray' into your tyres and let them work their magic - should be stinger safe too!
Don't feel safe doing 180 with 'mobility spray' only rated for 50mph and 100 miles.
180 in reference to VMAX and none of Her Majesties Highways
But that's for 1 can! If you fill it up with 5 or 6 cans then you can do 200 on them - honest
How do the little flexible bands wear? Evenly, or do some get weaker than others quicker? (can you say lumpy ride?) Also, what is the impact resistance threshold? (a damaged band will also be a lumpy ride)
Also, let's say you drive through a spot of mud. The mud is now stuck to the -INSIDE- of the "tire", causing balance problems. The same could be said for small rocks getting lodged in the bands.
Other than speed limits and wear issues, these could be da bomb...
phase90 said:
...
Also, let's say you drive through a spot of mud. The mud is now stuck to the -INSIDE- of the "tire", causing balance problems. The same could be said for small rocks getting lodged in the bands.
Other than speed limits and wear issues, these could be da bomb...
The photo shown, one would assume, is of a cutaway -- the sidewalls having been removed to show what makes these different.
As for replacement, one would hope that the customer would trade in the cores for new tyres (or rebonded ones), thus having to wait only for mounting...
In any case, it seems to me they would be too expensive for markets where the roads are poor. My guess is that only a dense foam insert would be a viable solution, and even then as a run-flat (still needing air pressure for best performance, but allowing for air pressure adjustments).
Check GreenTyre for non-automotive airless tyres: www.greentyre.com/eng/index2.php
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