Abstract: A structurally supported tire includes an outer annular band, and a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and radially inward from the annular band and anchored in a wheel or hub. The annular band may further comprise a shear layer, at least a first membrane adhered to the radially inward extent of the shear layer, and at least a second membrane adhered to the radially outward extent of the shear layer. A preferred web spoke has a cutaway section transverse to the annular band. The cutaway section has a profile formed by straight line segments joined by a blending radius. The profile of the cutaway comprises a height and a maximum depth greater than five percent of the height and less than thirty percent of the maximum width. The profile has an angle alpha formed by a line tangent to the profile relative to the horizontal at least equal to ten degrees at the radially outermost and radially innermost extent of said profile.

Abstract: A vehicle's tire pressure is monitored such that an actual pressure (Pm) measured within the tire is compared to a set pressure (PcTm) which has been corrected for the measured value of the temperature (Tm) in order to trigger a pressure alert in the event of a pressure leak. If the tire is cooling, the pressure alerts are stopped if the variation temperature per unit of time (a negative value in a cooling tire) is less than a threshold temperature drift value (also a negative value). Thus, the pressure alerts are stopped when the tire cools at a rapid rate, indicating that the tire is not moving.

Abstract: A safety support designed to be inserted by a translation operation around a rim bearing in which the radially inner surface of the base of the support contains a plurality of protuberances radially arranged internally.

Abstract: A centralized device for dealing with the phenomena of loss of pressure and running flat with a vehicle tire, including a means external to the mounted assembly, permanently fixed to the vehicle and able to inject or otherwise bring into the internal cavity of the tire at least one active product, also external to the mounted assembly, and able to treat the phenomena of loss of pressure and ultimately running flat.

Abstract: A structurally supported tire includes an outer annular band, and a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and radially inward from the annular band and anchored in a wheel or hub. The annular band may further comprise a shear layer, at least a first membrane adhered to the radially inward extent of the shear layer, and at least a second membrane adhered to the radially outward extent of the shear layer. A preferred web spoke has a cutaway section transverse to the annular band. The cutaway section has a profile formed by straight line segments joined by a blending radius. The profile of the cutaway comprises a height and a maximum depth greater than five percent of the height and less than thirty percent of the maximum width. The profile has an angle alpha formed by a line tangent to the profile relative to the horizontal at least equal to ten degrees at the radially outermost and radially innermost extent of said profile.

Abstract: A compliant wheel includes a compliant band and a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and inward from the reinforced compliant band for attachment to a hub. The compliant band bends to comply with a contact surface and to envelope obstacles. The web spokes transmit load forces between the compliant band and the hub through tension in the web spokes not connected to the ground contacting portion of the wheel. The outer surface of the compliant band may be formed to include a tread, or a separate tread band may be attached.

Abstract: A method of lubricating a tire cavity and more particularly the interface zone between a safety support and the inside the cavity of a tire enables lubricant to be dispensed in the interface zone only when the mounted assembly comprising the support, the tire and a wheel is in a runflat condition and where the non-instantaneous contact established between the inside surface of the tread and the seal allows the lubrication port to be unblocked. The invention also concerns a lubrication device and a seal enabling the method to be implemented, and a support and a reservoir enabling implementation of the method.

Abstract: A centralized device for dealing with the phenomena of loss of pressure and running flat with a vehicle tire, comprising a means external to the mounted assembly, permanently fixed to the vehicle and able to inject or otherwise bring into the internal cavity of the tire at least one active product, also external to the mounted assembly, and able to treat the phenomena of loss of pressure and ultimately running flat.

Abstract: Wheel rim comprising two rim seats having different diameters, inclined outwards and extended axially outwards by two humps of small height, the rim seat of smaller diameter being connected axially on the inside to a bearing surface via a truncated conical portion and the rim seat of larger diameter being connected axially on the inside to the said bearing surface by a rib of small or zero height, whose axially interior wall has a generatrix that makes with the rotation axis an angle open radially and axially outwards and at the most equal to 30°, characterised in that the said rib, which has an axially inside wall of axial width at most equal to the axial width of the said second seat is provided circumferentially with at least two transverse grooves of small size.

Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement winding within each bead around at least one heel reinforcement element and whose meridian profile, when the tire is mounted and inflated, has a constant direction of curvature in a first bead and a sidewall extending it radially, and has a tangent TT′ to the point of tangency T of the carcass reinforcement profile with the annular element of the first bead which forms with the axis of rotation an angle &phgr; which is open towards the outside and is greater than 45°, wherein, viewed in meridian section, at least the aforesaid sidewall comprises a reinforcing profiled element having, viewed in section, substantially the form of a crescent, one of the axially inner or outer faces of the crescent-shaped profiled element follows the profile of the carcass reinforcement, and the trace of the face of the crescent-shaped profiled element opposite the face of such profiled element closest to the carcass reinforcement has a single direction of curvature.

Abstract: A compliant wheel includes a compliant band and a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and inward from the reinforced compliant band for attachment to a hub. The compliant band bends to comply with a contact surface and to envelope obstacles. The web spokes transmit load forces between the compliant band and the hub through tension in the web spokes not connected to the ground contacting portion of the wheel. The outer surface of the compliant band may be formed to include a tread, or a separate tread band may be attached.

Abstract: The present invention is a pneumatic tire and wheel system comprising: a wheel including a rim; mechanically secured to which is an annular insert and a pneumatic tire including an interior space; and a lubricant release system for release of lubricant into the interior space of the tire. The lubricant release system comprises: a sensor for sensing tire conditions; a transmitter for sending a first signal to; a computer for assessing the signal and sending a second signal to; an actuator mechanically secured to the wheel. The actuator includes: a receiver for receiving the signal; a reservoir for containing lubricant; an expulsion mechanism for expelling lubricant; and a power source for powering the expulsion mechanism.

Abstract: A safety support designed to be inserted by a translation operation around a rim bearing in which the radially inner surface of the base of the support contains a plurality of protuberances radially arranged internally.

Abstract: An assembly including a deformable, inextensible tread-bearing support S, which can be slipped on to a suitable rim bearing surface (11). The bearing surface (11) extends axially towards the inside of a first rim seat (13′), which is in turn extended to the outside by a protrusion or hump (15′) of low height. The first rim seat (13′) is inclined towards the outside. A second rim seat (13″) having, viewed in meridian section, a generatrix, the axially inner end of which is located on a circle of diameter D″A greater than the diameter of the circle on which is located the axially inner end D′A of the first rim seat (13′). The two seats being, axially to the inside, extended by frustoconical portions (17, 14) of a height at least equal to 0.01 times the minimum diameter of the bearing surface (11), and the generatrices of which form with the axis of rotation angles &agr; at least equal to 45°.

Abstract: A safety support designed to be inserted by a translation operation around a rim bearing in which the radially inner surface of the base of the support contains a plurality of protuberances radially arranged internally.

Abstract: A tire having at least a first bead, the seat of which has a generatrix whose axially inner end lies on a circle of diameter greater than the diameter of the circle on which the axially outer end is located, and a radial carcass reinforcement winding within each bead around at least one heel reinforcement element, passing from the inside to the outside to form an upturn, the meridian profile of the carcass reinforcement, when the tire is mounted on its operating rim and inflated to the recommended pressure, having a constant direction of curvature in the first bead and a sidewall extending it radially, and having a tangent TT′ to the point of tangency T of the carcass reinforcement profile with the annular element of the first bead which forms with the axis of rotation an angle &phgr; which is open towards the outside and is greater than 45°, wherein, viewed in meridian section, at least the sidewall extending the first bead comprises a reinforcing profiled element having, viewed in section, substan

Abstract: Wheel rim comprising two rim seats having different diameters, inclined outwards and extended axially outwards by two humps of small height, the rim seat of smaller diameter being connected axially on the inside to a bearing surface via a truncated conical portion and the rim seat of larger diameter being connected axially on the inside to the said bearing surface by a rib of small or zero height, whose axially interior wall has a generatrix that makes with the rotation axis an angle open radially and axially outwards and at the most equal to 30°, characterised in that the said rib, which has an axially inside wall of axial width at most equal to the axial width of the said second seat is provided circumferentially with at least two transverse grooves of small size.

Abstract: An assembly including a deformable, inextensible tread-bearing support S, which can be slipped on to a suitable rim bearing surface (11). The bearing surface (11) extends axially towards the inside of a first rim seat (13′), which is in turn extended to the outside by a protrusion or hump (15′) of low height. The first rim seat (13′) is inclined towards the outside. A second rim seat (13″) having, viewed in meridian section, a generatrix, the axially inner end of which is located on a circle of diameter D″A greater than the diameter of the circle on which is located the axially inner end D′A of the first rim seat (13′). The two seats being, axially to the inside, extended by frustoconical portions (17, 14) of a height at least equal to 0.01 times the minimum diameter of the bearing surface (11), and the generatrices of which form with the axis of rotation angles &agr; at least equal to 45°.

Abstract: For a mounted assembly comprising a wheel rim and a safety support disposed against the rim inside the cavity of a tire; method of lubricating the tire cavity and more particularly the interface zone between the support and the tire, which allows lubricant to be dispensed in said zone only when the mounted assembly is in a flat rolling condition, such that the non-instantaneous contact established between the inside surface of the tread and the seal allows the lubrication port to be unblocked. The invention also concerns a lubrication device and a seal enabling said method to be implemented, and a support and a reservoir enabling implementation of the method.

Abstract: A tire (1), a mounting rim (2) therefor and a circumferentially unstretchable ring (3) for supporting the tread (10) of the tire when running at low or zero pressure. The tire (1) has a radial ply casing (13) on which the points that are furthest apart axially are radially apart close to seats (12B) of outwardly sloping beads (12). The seats (12B) engage sloping seats (23′, 23″) on the rim (2), which may have at least one mounting well (22), at least one cylindrical portion (21) for receiving the supporting ring (3) and rim flange (24).