DE-102025145170-A1 - VEHICLE SPARE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY WITH BATTERY

Abstract

A vehicle is disclosed that includes a spare wheel and tire assembly. The wheel and tire assembly may include a tire and a wheel. The vehicle may further include a battery cell mounted within the wheel and tire assembly. The battery cell can store and provide power. In some aspects, the battery cell may be removable and mounted within the spare wheel and tire assembly. In other aspects, the battery cell may be integrated into the spare wheel and tire assembly.

Inventors

• Keith Weston
• John Robert Van Wiemeersch
• Stuart C. Salter
• Todd Ansbacher
• David Celinske
• Frank Lollo

Assignees

• FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20251103

Priority Date

20241111

Claims (15)

1. Vehicle comprising: a wheel and tire assembly comprising a tire and a wheel; and a battery cell mounted in the wheel and tire assembly, the battery cell being configured to provide or store power.
2. Vehicle after Claim 1 , whereby the battery cell is removable and mounted to the wheel.
3. Vehicle after Claim 1 , wherein the battery cell is part of a battery pack which has a battery pack hub interface, and wherein the battery pack hub interface is configured to connect the battery pack to a wheel hub interface of the wheel.
4. Vehicle after Claim 3 , wherein the wheel hub interface includes a spindle configured to engage the battery pack hub interface, and wherein the spindle is configured to engage a fastener to secure the battery pack inside the wheel.
5. Vehicle after Claim 3 , wherein the wheel hub interface comprises a first set of holes configured to engage a vehicle hub and a second set of holes configured to engage the battery pack hub interface.
6. Vehicle after Claim 3 , wherein the wheel includes a bead retaining ring configured to engage the battery pack and connect the battery pack to the wheel.
7. Vehicle after Claim 3 , wherein the wheel and tire assembly and the battery pack are separately connected to a vehicle component and the wheel and tire assembly and the battery pack are configured to be removed separately from the vehicle component.
8. Vehicle after Claim 7 , wherein the vehicle component includes a retention mechanism to retain the battery pack on the vehicle component when the wheel and tire assembly is removed from the vehicle component without the battery pack.
9. Vehicle after Claim 7 , wherein the wheel and tire assembly and the battery pack are connected together as a single unit to the vehicle component and the wheel and tire assembly and the battery pack are configured to be removed together from the vehicle component.
10. Vehicle after Claim 1 , where the tire is a pneumatic tire.
11. Vehicle after Claim 1 , where the tire is a non-pneumatic tire.
12. Vehicle after Claim 11 , with the battery cell integrated into the tire.
13. Vehicle after Claim 12 , with the battery cell being molded into the tire.
14. Vehicle after Claim 12 , wherein the battery cell is surrounded by a ring and wherein the ring is positioned between the battery cell and the tire.
15. Vehicle after Claim 12 , wherein the tire includes one or more fluid or air channels to maintain the temperature of the battery cell.

Description

AREA OF TECHNOLOGY The present disclosure relates to vehicles and in particular to a wheel and tire assembly of a vehicle. GENERAL STATE OF THE ART With the increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs), the EV landscape is developing rapidly. An EV is powered by electricity, and the user must regularly charge the battery to ensure uninterrupted operation. Generally, an overland experience involves unexpectedly high energy consumption, which can lead to a reduced EV range and create range anxiety for the vehicle user. The fear of potentially being stranded in a vehicle without power and without access to a charging point can contribute to range anxiety. In some scenarios, vehicle users may require additional power/energy in the vehicle to complete the trip/experience. Furthermore, long-distance travel may require one or more spare wheel and tire assemblies. The spare wheel and tire assembly is generally located within the vehicle (e.g., on or under a truck bed or on a tailgate). SUMMARY The present disclosure describes a spare wheel and tire assembly of a vehicle with one or more battery cells mounted within the spare wheel and tire assembly. The spare wheel and tire assembly may include a wheel and a tire. In some aspects, the battery cells may be removable within the spare wheel and tire assembly. For example, the battery cells may be removable within the wheel. Alternatively, the battery cells may be integrated into the spare wheel and tire assembly. For example, the battery cells may be removable within the tire. In some versions, the battery cells can be assembled in a battery pack that can be removable and mounted inside the wheel. The battery pack can be circular, with the battery cells evenly distributed within it. A battery pack diameter can be smaller than a wheel diameter, allowing for easy insertion into the wheel. In some versions, the battery pack may include a battery hub interface that engages with a wheel hub interface to secure the battery pack to the wheel. The battery hub interface may include a central section and a number of wheel bolt holes surrounding it, similar to the wheel hub interface. The battery pack can be detachably connected to the wheel in various ways, allowing the user to remove the battery pack from the spare tire assembly and, furthermore, to remove the spare tire assembly without the battery pack from a vehicle component. The vehicle component could be, for example, a vehicle cargo bed, a vehicle carrier, or a roll bar, located on a rear section of the vehicle (e.g., a vehicle tailgate), a lower section of the vehicle (e.g., near the vehicle chassis), and/or the like. Such a connection allows the user to attach the spare tire assembly to a vehicle hub (which connects the wheel to a vehicle axle) without the battery pack (i.e., like a conventional/standard spare tire assembly without the battery pack). Alternatively, the spare tire assembly with the battery pack can be connected to the vehicle hub as a single unit. In some aspects, the vehicle component described above may include a retention mechanism that allows the user to retain the battery pack attached to the vehicle component when removing the spare tire assembly from the vehicle component. For example, the spare tire assembly may be attached to the vehicle component using a first set of bolts, and the battery pack may be attached to the vehicle component using a second set of holes. To remove the spare tire assembly from the vehicle component without the battery pack, the user can loosen only the first set of bolts and not the second set. In this way, the user can remove the spare tire assembly from the vehicle component without the battery pack, while the battery pack remains retained by the vehicle component. In other aspects, the battery cells can be integrated into the tires, as described above. For example, the battery cells The tire assembly can be formed within the tire. In this case, electrical conductors associated with the battery cells can also be formed within the tire. Furthermore, the tire and electrical communicators can be 3D printed around the battery cells. Additionally, the spare tire assembly can include a protective element (e.g., a ring) that surrounds the battery cells to protect them (e.g., when the spare tire assembly is in use or connected to the vehicle hub). Finally, the tire can incorporate a variety of fluid or air channels to cool the battery cells. In some aspects, the battery pack (or battery cells) can transfer power/energy to a vehicle's main battery or any other vehicle component. In some aspects, the battery pack (or battery cells) can provide power to the vehicle's main battery (or other vehicle components) via cables or connectors. In other aspects, the battery pack (or battery cells) can provide power to the vehicle's main battery (or other vehicle components) wirelessly. The present disclosure discloses a system that can house the battery cells within the spare wheel asse