Dunlop Gmbh

Sp Tyres UK Limited

Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited

Ian Kemp

Michael R Corner

Tom French

Barrie J Allbert

Phillip N Griffiths

Barry W Treves

Tom Holmes

A one piece wheel rim for a pneumatic tire having flanges adjacent to tapered bead seats one of the flanges having a reduced high portion of a length of 0.25 to 0.5 times the bead seat circumference. The reduced height portion being in the range of 0.15 to 0.6 times the height of the remainder of the flange, which construction allows a tire to be fitted to the rim without the necessity for a conventional tire fitting well.

Wheel rim for a pneumatic tire

Vehicle tire

A novel one piece wheel rim for a pneumatic tire is provided. This wheel rim includes a pair of axially spaced tapered bead seats, a tire retaining flange located axially outward of each bead seat, and a tire fitting well located between the bead seats. One flange has a reduced height portion having a length of 0.25 to 0.5 times the bead seat circumference. The reduced height is such that the flange height, measured from its heel point, which is the point of intersection of the nominal diameter and the nominal wheel width, is in the range of 0.15 and 0.6 times the height of the remainder of the tire. This construction permits easy tire fitting and removal. The well also provides increased brake space.

Tire for a vehicle wheel

A tire tread for a truck tire, especially of radial ply construction and designed for use on well-made roads, comprising a small number of zig-zag grooves. The sidewalls of each groove are each provided with a supporting buttress of varying height or width such that the maximum support is provided at or adjacent the points where the groove projects into the surrounding tread rubber. The provision of such a buttress provides a varying degree of support for each groove sidewall along the length of the groove and assists in preventing uneven wear of the tread rubber and reduces damage caused by stones trapped in the groove.

Tire tread with zig-zag grooves having groove sidewalls of varying

A tire and wheel rim assembly having improved bead retention characteristics when run deflated. One or both bead seats is substantially straight and provided with an abutment respectively which is substantially continuous in the circumferential direction. Each abutment has a maximum radial dimension less than the minimum diameter of the tire bead reinforcement to allow fitment of the tire to a one-piece rim having a tire fitting well by conventional techniques. The taper of the bead seats is selected to enable abutments to be provided which have sufficient radial dimension or height relative to the adjacent bead seat such that under the action of road generated forces rotation of the tire beads about the adjacent abutment is effected to retain the tire beads at the bead seats.

Tire and wheel rim assemblies

A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly is disclosed in which the rim bead seats are defined by grooves having radially directed side portions which retain the associated tire bead against movement in an axial direction and each rim bead seat includes means in engagement with the tire bead to restrict rotation of the tire bead relative to the bead seat. Preferably said means comprises a plurality of projections formed integrally with part or all of the grooves which engage the associated tire bead to restrict rotation. Each projection may comprise a circumferentially extending rib or a tooth.

Pneumatic tire and wheel rim assemblies

A pneumatic tire and wheel rim assembly is disclosed in which the rim bead seats are provided with retaining means for retaining the associated tire bead therein. Preferably the bead seats comprise grooves the side portions of which are provided with the retaining means comprising projections such as teeth which engage and retain the associated tire bead in the groove. Alternatively the retaining means comprises retaining members each of which extends across the width of the associated groove through the tire bead to retain the bead in the groove. Preferably the rim is multi-component to facilitate assembly.

Growing community of inventors

Tamworth, United Kingdom

Ian Kemp