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Run-flat tire with an improved bead to rim interface

  • US 5,968,294 A
  • Filed: 06/24/1998
  • Issued: 10/19/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A radial pneumatic tire for mounting on a conventional rim for the tire which sustains vehicle loads by contacting a ground surface at a contact patch of said tire when inflated to its conventional inflation pressure and with a loss of inflation pressure, said tire comprising:

  • a pair of sidewall portions including radially reinforced carcass layers disposed about sidewall stiffening members for supporting a conventional maximum tire loading from said vehicle loads with the loss of inflation pressure;

    a pair of spaced apart annular beads, including elastomeric interface component portions for mounting and sustaining said tire on said conventional rim, said beads being interconnected by said carcass layers;

    said elastomeric interface component portions of said beads each include a toe portion, a rim seat portion, and a heel flange portion, wherein said elastomeric interface component portions have predetermined hardness values for interfacing with said conventional rim;

    said heel flange portion of said elastomeric interface component portions having a heel corner which, when said tire is mounted on said conventional rim, is radially spaced from a rim flange of said rim, over substantially all of a circumferential extent of said heel flange portion by a radial gap distance having a value in the range of about 3 millimeters to about 8 millimeters when said tire has 100 percent of said conventional inflation pressure and said conventional maximum tire loading from said vehicle loads and a radial gap distance having a zero value when said tire has a reduced inflation pressure of less than about 15 percent of said conventional inflation pressure and said conventional maximum tire loading from said vehicle loads.

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