The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

John Gregory Stucker

Charles Kenneth Schmalix

Michael Joseph Weber

Paul Bryan Maxwell

Christopher Paul Johenning

Joel Joseph Lazeration

Norbert Majerus

John Kevin Clark

Douglas A Swift

William James Bedont, Jr

Richard Barkley Campbell

John D Zeleznik

John Turner Coleman, Jr

Tire sidewall

The loss of tire contact patch area along the tire's inside shoulder, relative to an oval race course, which occurs during chassis roll and lateral deflection, is reduced by providing an asymmetrical molded tire. The tires are defined by an asymmetrical outer tread profile and the tires are mounted on the rear axle of the race vehicle such that the axially outer portion of the asymmetrical tread region of each tire, relative to the race course, has a greater shoulder drop, wherein the shoulder drop is the difference between the maximum radial diameter of the tread measured on the outer tread contour and the diameter of the tread at the tread edge, than the opposing tire shoulder.

Forming and mounting of an asymmetric race tire

Tire tread

Improved tires designed for use in an improved tire/vehicle system having two pneumatic front tires and two pneumatic rear tires are provided. The improved tire/vehicle system is especially effective on wet road surfaces. The front tire treads are each divided circumferentially into first, second, and third zones. The rear tire treads are divided circumferentially into four zones. Both the front and rear tires have tread groove patterns that are asymmetric and are especially configured for tires having negative camber.

Tire including two aquachannels on one side

A tubeless inner tire or shield 14 provides for easy assembly of the shield 14 into the outer tire 12 and over the rim 16 as compared to previous designs. The beads 43 in the shield comprise stranded filaments and the bead portion 40,42 of the shield 14 has increased flexibility. The increased flexibility of the bead portion 40,42 eliminates kinking of the shield 14 upon assembly which could prevent the shield 14 from properly sealing against the rim 16. Air passageways 44 between the inner shield 14 and outer tire 12 are provided on the shield 14 near the bead portion 42. The air passageway 44 includes a protrusion 50 extending from the surface of the shield and has an inclined radially inner surface 58. The inner surface 58 is inclined at an angle of 25.degree. to 60.degree. relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the inner shield 14. The inclined inner surface 58 of the protrusion 50 facilitates the assembly of the inner tire 14 and the outer tire 12 on a rim 16 by functioning as a ramp.

Tubeless shield and assembly

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Stow, OH, United States of America

John Gregory Stucker