Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

Compagnie Generale Des Etablissments Michelin

Dennis D Hodges

Zachary Alexander Merrill

Fang Zhu

A tire work stand comprises a frame for supporting the work stand on a ground surface and for attaching a set of components to the tire work stand. A plurality of rollers is attached to the frame to support a tire above the ground surface and to permit rotation of a tire during inspection of the tire. A ramp is configured to have a first ramp end capable of extending from the ground surface and a second ramp end extending to a position proximal to the frame. A bridge is configured to have a first bridge end extending from the second ramp end and a second bridge end extending to a position proximal to a surface of at least one of the rollers, wherein the bridge acts to inhibit rotation of the roller during loading of the tire and further permits rotation of the tire after the tire has been loaded on the tire work stand.

Tire work stand

The invention includes a tire having a pair of annular sidewalls each extending to a terminal end including a bottom surface for mounting onto a wheel. The tire further includes indicia arranged along each sidewall adjacent a bottom of each sidewall terminal end. The indicia extends radially outward from an initial position to extend from a top side of a rim flange of a tire wheel for indicating concentric mounting of the tire on a wheel. In particular embodiments, the tire is mounted on a rim of a wheel having rim flanges, each of the rim flanges extending along one of the tire sidewalls such that the indicia is adjacently arranged the rim flange along each sidewall such that the indicia extends radially outward from a top of the rim flange. Methods include using the indicia to determine whether the tire is concentrically mounted on the wheel.

Growing community of inventors

Lone Jack, MO, United States of America

Dennis D Hodges