Abstract: A tire is disclosed comprising a tread portion, two sidewall portions, two bead portions, an internal surface of the tire that forms a tire cavity, and at least three baffles within the tire cavity. The baffles may be made of compressible or non-compressible materials and may further include connecting members, encapsulating liners, or both. Further, a tire kit is disclosed comprising at least three baffles and at least one connecting member that connects the baffles. In addition, a method is disclosed that includes filling a tire with at least three baffles and then assembling the tire on a tire rim to reduce tire noise or to reduce tire force transmissibility.

Abstract: A noise-reduction system for a vehicle wheel assembly which is comprised of a usual rim and a tubeless pneumatic tire having a pair of sidewalls and bead areas mounted thereon. A plurality of flexible, non-self-supporting pieces of cloth or other sheet material are attached to the rim or are attached to the bead areas and extend therebetween, preferably at equally spaced intervals, and form baffles within the annular air chamber of the wheel assembly to reduce noise by changing the characteristics of the sound waves created within the wheel assembly. When the wheel assembly is stationary, the baffles collapse on the rim, and when the wheel assembly is rotating, the baffles move outwardly by centrifugal force and substantially conform to the transverse cross section of the air chamber to obstruct the movement of acoustic waves traveling with the chamber to reduce tire noise.