AIR MAINTENANCE PUMPING ASSEMBLY AND TIRE
First Claim
1. A tire assembly comprising:
- a tire having a pneumatic cavity;
first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region, the first sidewall having at least one bending region operatively bending when radially within a rolling tire footprint; and
a sidewall groove defined by groove sidewalls positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall, the groove deforming segment by segment between a non-deformed state and a deformed, constricted state in response to the bending of the first sidewall bending region radially within the rolling tire footprint,an air passageway defined by the sidewall groove and a cover strip, the air passageway resiliently deforming segment by segment between an expanded condition and an at least partially collapsed condition in response to respective segment by segment deformation of the sidewall groove when radially within the rolling tire footprint,the cover strip being applied at an open end of the sidewall groove for separating the air passageway from ambient air pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tire assembly includes a tire, sidewalls, and a sidewall groove. The tire has a pneumatic cavity. The sidewall has at least one bending region operatively bending when radially within a rolling tire footprint of the tire. The sidewall groove is defined by groove sidewalls positioned within the bending region of the tire sidewall. The sidewall groove deforms segment by segment between a non-deformed state and a deformed, constricted state in response to the bending of the sidewall bending region when radially within the rolling tire footprint. An air passageway is defined by the sidewall groove and a cover strip. The air passageway resiliently deforms segment by segment between an expanded condition and an at least partially collapsed condition in response to respective segment by segment deformation of the sidewall groove when radially within the rolling tire footprint.
10 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A tire assembly comprising:
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a tire having a pneumatic cavity; first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region, the first sidewall having at least one bending region operatively bending when radially within a rolling tire footprint; and a sidewall groove defined by groove sidewalls positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall, the groove deforming segment by segment between a non-deformed state and a deformed, constricted state in response to the bending of the first sidewall bending region radially within the rolling tire footprint, an air passageway defined by the sidewall groove and a cover strip, the air passageway resiliently deforming segment by segment between an expanded condition and an at least partially collapsed condition in response to respective segment by segment deformation of the sidewall groove when radially within the rolling tire footprint, the cover strip being applied at an open end of the sidewall groove for separating the air passageway from ambient air pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A tire assembly comprising:
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a tire having a pneumatic cavity; first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region, the first sidewall having at least one bending region operatively bending when radially within a rolling tire footprint; and a sidewall groove defined by groove sidewalls positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall, the groove deforming segment by segment between a non-deformed state and a deformed, constricted state in response to the bending of the first sidewall bending region being radially within the rolling tire footprint, an air passageway defined by the sidewall groove and a tube assembly, the air passageway resiliently deforming segment by segment between an expanded condition and an at least partially collapsed condition in response to respective segment by segment deformation of the groove when radially within the rolling tire footprint, the tube assembly comprising a first tube and a second tube, the first tube secured within the sidewall groove, the second tube secured within the first tube, the second tube defining the air passageway resiliently deforming segment by segment between an expanded condition and an at least partially collapsed condition in response to respective segment by segment deformation of the tube assembly when radially within the rolling tire footprint. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification