穴が空いても自己修復するタイヤの開発

抄録

A new-type tire is presented, in which there is no air leakage when nails break the tire. The broken part is repaired automatically by its self-repairing mechanism. The self-repairing unit is consisting of two rubber sheets with lattices inside. Polymer particles, which expand their volume with water, are kneaded by bond, and inserted in the lattices. The unit is pasted to the inside wall of the tire. Coolant fluid diluted with water is inserted in the polymers uniformly. In this system, the polymer particles expand with water diluted coolant fluid, and become gel. Hence, they stop air leakages in the tire. Fundamental experiments are performed, and optimum conditions are found. This technique is also applied to real tires.