The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 18, 1994
Filed:
Apr. 24, 1992
Paul Stephens, Halesowen, GB;
Thomas Holmes, Sutton, GB;
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Limited, Kobe, JP;
Abstract
The invention is directed to a tire and wheel rim assembly for a vehicle. The tire comprises a pair of bead regions each reinforced by a bead core characterized by at least one bead portion of the tire having an additional hardened retention zone positioned axially inwards of and integral with the main bead portion, the retention zone having an axially inner tip or toe substantially inwards of the main bead portion and the construction of the bead between the bead core and tip providing substantial resistance to compressive forces therebetween. The wheel rim comprises a pair of bead seats and axially inwards of and adjacent to at least one of the bead seats, which is that part of the bead seat contacted by a standard tire, at least one circumferentially extending tooth having a sharp edge inter-engaging only the retention zone of the tire at the tip such that when lateral force is applied to the tire tread and internal inflation pressure is low, axially inward movement of the tip is resisted by tip-to-tooth inter-engagement thus causing bead rotation about the tip and generation of compression force in those parts of the bead region between the tip and the core to provide bead retention at the bead seat. The invention also provides a wheel rim and a tire having the above features.