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Tire and wheel rim assemblies

  • US 4,148,348 A
  • Filed: 05/27/1977
  • Issued: 04/10/1979
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1976
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A tire and wheel rim combination capable of operating in a substantially deflated condition without the tire becoming dislodged from its position on the rim comprising:

  • (a) a circular wheel rim having, in cross-section, a pair of radially outwardly extending flanges;

    a pair of bead seats immediately adjacent the flanges having a bead seat diameter in a first annular plane;

    a radially inwardly extending open well located between said bead seats, the depth of the open well from said first annular plane being at least as great as the radial height of the flanges above said plane so that a tire can be mounted on the rim by use of the open well;

    (b) a tire mounted on said rim and defining therewith a chamber for inflation, said tire having a tread portion and a pair of sidewalls terminating in a pair of beads fitted upon the rim bead seats, each tire bead having a substantially inextensible annular bead reinforcement embedded therein; and

    a bead toe;

    (c) means on said rim and tire to prevent at least one of the tire beads from being dislodged from its rim bead seat into the open rim well when the tire is operated at normal driving speed in a deflated condition but permitting the tire to be mounted on the rim bead seats by inflation pressure and demounted therefrom by exerting an axially directed force against the tire bead, said means comprising a circumferential groove in the rim adjacent at least one bead seat in the area between the bead seat and the open well;

    said means further comprising the bead toe extending axially inward of the bead and radially inwardly of said first annular plane and into its associated rim groove, said toe being flexible in a direction perpendicular to its length to allow tire fitting and having substantial form stiffness in the direction of its length such that when an axially inward force at the tread portion is applied to the bead by the tire sidewall in the ground contacting portion of the tire circumference, a substantial radially and axially outwardly directed force is generated at the annular reinforcement, the generated force tightening the annular reinforcement and retaining the bead.

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