Patents by Inventor Benjamin E. Rimai

Benjamin E. Rimai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20260131599
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire that includes an inner support ring positioned within and coaxial to an outer support ring with a support structure connecting the rings to one another. The support structure includes a plurality of spokes that are secured to the inner support ring and the outer support ring. A flexure member having a filleted perimeter surface is used to attach an end of the spokes to the outer support ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 14, 2026
    Inventors: Andrew V. Haidet, Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner, Zachary G. Lorenz
  • Patent number: 12623489
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter and an upper ring having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The upper ring is substantially coaxial with the lower ring. Support structure connects the lower ring to the upper ring. A circumferential tread is attached to the upper ring. The circumferential tread includes a tread layer and a tread band. The tread band includes a filament assembly that includes a plurality of individual filaments having a non-circular cross section. The filaments are configured and arranged such that the filaments have a packing density of at least 92% within the filament assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2026
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventor: Benjamin E. Rimai
  • Patent number: 12611893
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring having an axis of rotation and an outer ring coaxial with the inner ring. The non-pneumatic tire further includes support structure extending from the inner ring to the outer ring and a circumferential tread extending about the outer ring. The circumferential tread includes a band layer constructed of a single material and a tread rubber layer directly attached to the band layer. The band layer has a first face and a second face opposite the first face, and a first axial edge and a second axial edge, the first and second axial edges spacing the first face from the second face. At least one of the first edge and the second edge has a geometry that provides the band layer with a nonrectangular cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner, Jared J. Griebel, Brandon P. Nelson
  • Patent number: 12605966
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter and an upper ring having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The upper ring is substantially coaxial with the lower ring. Support structure connects the lower ring to the upper ring. At least one of the lower ring, the upper ring, and the support structure includes a fiber metal laminate having at least one metal foil layer and at least one fiber and resin combination layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2026
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Jared J. Griebel, Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner, Brandon P. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20250353329
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter and an upper ring having a second diameter. The upper ring is substantially coaxial with the lower ring. A support structure connects the lower ring to the upper ring. The support structure is made up of a plurality of spokes. The support structure is arranged and configured so that adjacent spokes of the plurality of spokes contact one another upon the occurrence of a high impact event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 20, 2025
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Rimai, Prashant Kumar
  • Publication number: 20250353328
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter and an upper ring having a second diameter. The upper ring is substantially coaxial with the lower ring. A support structure connects the lower ring to the upper ring. The support structure is made up of a plurality of spokes. The support structure is arranged and configured so that adjacent spokes of the plurality of spokes contact one another upon the occurrence of a high impact event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 20, 2025
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner, Prashant Kumar, Kristiaan Hector
  • Patent number: 12466216
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic and method of making a non-pneumatic tire. The non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter and an upper ring having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The upper ring is substantially coaxial with the lower ring. A support structure extends between the lower ring and the upper ring. The support structure includes a first face and a second face opposite the first face, a first axial edge and a second axial edge. The first and second axial edges space the first face from the second face. At least one of the first edge and the second edge may have a geometry that provides the support structure with a nonrectangular cross section. At least one of the first face and the second face may have a surface roughness of less than 25 microns. The support structure may be free from orthogonal axial edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2025
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner, Brandon P. Nelson, Timothy M. Lusk, Andrew V. Haidet
  • Patent number: 12459297
    Abstract: A method of making a non-pneumatic tire includes providing an inner ring of elastomeric material and an outer ring of elastomeric material, and arranging the inner ring and the outer ring such that the inner ring is substantially coaxial with the outer ring. The method further includes providing a plurality of sheets of reinforced elastomeric material and forming the plurality of sheets into a plurality of U-shaped sheets. The method also includes arranging the plurality of U-shaped sheets between the inner ring and the outer ring, and curing the inner ring, the outer ring, and the plurality of U-shaped sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2025
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LCC
    Inventor: Benjamin E. Rimai
  • Patent number: 12275282
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of loops extending between the inner ring and the outer ring. The plurality of loops including at least a first loop and a second loop, wherein the first loop and the second loop are each in direct contact with both the inner ring and the outer ring. The first loop has a single reinforcement layer disposed therein, and includes a first extent that extends between the inner ring and the outer ring and a second extent that extends between the inner ring and the outer ring. The second loop has a single reinforcement layer disposed therein, and includes a third extent that extends between the inner ring and the outer ring and a fourth extent that extends between the inner ring and the outer ring. The second extent is in direct contact with the third extent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Rimai, Nicholas J. Harp, Christopher W. Burton, Andrew V. Haidet, Brandon P. Nelson, Timothy M. Lusk
  • Patent number: 12220953
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring having an axis of rotation and an outer ring coaxial with the inner ring. The non-pneumatic tire further includes support structure extending from the inner ring to the outer ring and a circumferential tread extending about the outer ring. The circumferential tread includes a shear element. The shear element includes a lower shim layer of solid material, an upper shim layer of solid material, and an elastic layer disposed between the lower shim layer and the upper shim layer. The elastic layer has a higher elasticity than the lower shim layer and the upper shim layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Nihar N. Raje, Bradley S. Plotner, Benjamin E. Rimai
  • Publication number: 20240399793
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring of metal material, an outer ring of metal material, a plurality of bent metal spokes, and a first overmolded polymeric foot formed over a first end of each bent metal spoke. Each first overmolded polymeric foot is attached to the inner ring by one of brazing, welding, casting, or adhering with an adhesive; The non-pneumatic tire further includes a second overmolded polymeric foot at a second end of each bent metal spoke. Each second overmolded polymeric foot is attached to the outer ring by one of brazing, welding, casting, or adhering with an adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Rimai, Anthony B. Duncan
  • Publication number: 20240343067
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes a ring, a circumferential tread disposed about the ring, and a plurality of support structures extending downwards from the ring. An end of each support structure includes an axially extending member, and each support structure includes a reinforcement layer extending along a length of the support structure and wrapping around the axially extending member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Sharon E. Reinhardt, Adam K. Nesbitt, Benjamin E. Rimai, Anthony B. Duncan
  • Publication number: 20240326365
    Abstract: A method of making a tire tread includes providing a sheet of material and forming the sheet of material into a cylinder, such that a first edge of the sheet of material contacts a second edge of the sheet of material. The method also includes welding the first edge to the second edge to form a welded joint of a seamed cylinder, and providing tread rubber about the seamed cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Jared J. Griebel, Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner, Brandon P. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20240253397
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire and method of forming a non-pneumatic tire. The non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter and an upper ring having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The upper ring is substantially coaxial with the lower ring. A plurality of spokes extend between and interconnect the lower ring and the upper ring. The plurality of spokes have a tension stiffness of greater than or equal to 11 and less than or equal to 150 N/mm°, and a compression stiffness of greater than or equal to 11 and less than or equal to 100 N/mm°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner, Prashant Kumar
  • Patent number: 12043070
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of bent metal spokes. The non-pneumatic tire further includes a first overmolded foot at a first end of each bent metal spoke. Each first overmolded foot is attached to the inner ring. The non-pneumatic tire also includes a second overmolded foot at a second end of each bent metal spoke. Each first overmolded foot is attached to the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Rimai, Anthony B. Duncan
  • Publication number: 20240100882
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter and an upper ring having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The upper ring is substantially coaxial with the lower ring. Support structure connects the lower ring to the upper ring. A circumferential tread is attached to the upper ring. The circumferential tread includes a tread layer and a tread band. The tread band includes a filament assembly that includes a plurality of individual filaments having a non-circular cross section. The filaments are configured and arranged such that the filaments have a packing density of at least 92% within the filament assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventor: Benjamin E. Rimai
  • Publication number: 20240025208
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter and an upper ring having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The upper ring is substantially coaxial with the lower ring. Support structure connects the lower ring to the upper ring. At least one of the lower ring, the upper ring, and the support structure includes a fiber metal laminate having at least one metal foil layer and at least one fiber and resin combination layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Jared J. Griebel, Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner, Brandon P. Nelson
  • Publication number: 20230415517
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes a lower ring having a first diameter, an upper ring having a second diameter greater than the first diameter, and a plurality of closed geometric shapes connected to the lower ring. The non-pneumatic tire further includes a plurality of spokes extending from each closed geometric shape to the upper ring. Each of the plurality of spokes includes a first linear segment connected to one of the plurality of closed geometric shapes and extending in a first direction, and a second linear segment connected to the upper ring and extending in a second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventor: Benjamin E. Rimai
  • Publication number: 20230364947
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring, an outer ring, and a support structure extending between the inner ring and the outer ring. The support structure has a reinforcement layer disposed therein, where the reinforcement layer has cords containing multiple filaments or strands of filaments, and the cord satisfies the following relationship: x*y<18,000, where x is the stiffness of cord measured in Megapascals, and y is the diameter of the largest filament in the cord measured in mm. The reinforcement layer may contain cords having a Lang Lay construction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Andrew R. Tupta, Benjamin E. Rimai, Christopher W. Burton
  • Patent number: 11807052
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring having an axis of rotation and an outer ring coaxial with the inner ring. The non-pneumatic tire further includes support structure extending from the inner ring to the outer ring and a circumferential tread extending about the outer ring. The circumferential tread includes a band layer constructed of a single material and a tread rubber layer directly attached to the band layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Adam K Nesbitt, Jared J. Griebel, Brandon P. Nelson, Benjamin E. Rimai, Bradley S. Plotner