Abstract: Disclosed are a run-flat tire and a tire/wheel assembly in which the workability of the tire-to-rim fit has been improved while including a core-type run-flat support member. The tire/wheel assembly is formed by coupling a pneumatic tire and a rim of a wheel. In the tire/wheel assembly, the run-flat support member constituted of a circular shell and elastic rings is inserted into a cavity of the pneumatic tire, in which the circular shell has a support surface thereof extended toward the periphery of the tire and leg portions along each side of the support surface, and the elastic rings support the leg portions of the circular shell on the rim. At the same time, a seat portion and an engaging portion are provided for at least one of the elastic rings, in which the leg portion of the circular shell can be settled on the seat portion, and the engaging portion is extended in an outer tire axial direction from the seat portion and sandwiched between a tire bead base and a rim seat.

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: The present invention provides a tire/wheel assembly and a run-flat support member which can achieve both workability of tire-to-rim fit and durability for run-flat traveling. The tire/wheel assembly is formed as follows: a pneumatic tire is fitted to a wheel rim; and the run-flat support member constituted of a circular shell and elastic rings is inserted into a cavity of the pneumatic tire, in which the circular shell has a support surface thereof extended toward the periphery of the tire and leg portions along each side of the support surface, and the elastic rings support the leg portions of the circular shell on the rim. In the tire/wheel assembly, the leg portion of the circular shell is formed to have a sidewall extending in a shell radial direction and a bottomwall that is substantially parallel to a shell axial direction. The elastic ring is attached to the sidewall of the leg portion while being abutted on the bottom wall of the same without an engagement.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire/wheel assembly and a run-flat support member in which an improvement in durability is enabled for run-flat traveling. The tire/wheel assembly is formed as follows: a pneumatic tire is fitted to a wheel rim; and the run-flat support member constituted of a circular shell and elastic rings is inserted into a cavity of the pneumatic tire, in which the circular shell has a support surface thereof extended toward the periphery of the tire and leg portions along each side of the support surface, and the elastic rings support the leg portions of the circular shell on the wheel rim. In the tire/wheel assembly, a plurality of through-holes or wavy asperities are made in the inner rim of each of the leg portions of the circular shell along a shell circumferential direction. The inner rims in which these through-holes or asperities are formed are embedded in the elastic rings.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tire/wheel assembly in which a run-flat support member is disposed in a cavity of a pneumatic tire fitted to a rim. The run-flat support member includes a circular shell, in which an outer circumferential side thereof is a support surface and an inner circumferential side thereof is opened to have two leg portions, and left and right elastic rings which support the two leg portions on the rim. The elastic rings have different rigidities from each other so that the elastic ring receiving a larger load during run-flat traveling has a higher rigidity.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for assessing the range of a motor vehicle run-flat system comprising at least for each wheel a tire casing, a deflation alarm and means supporting the running tread of the tire casing when the casing is deflated, which method, from the instant the deflation alarm has detected a predetermined deflating threshold, includes the steps of: periodically measuring the distance covered and a parameter C(t) characteristic of the running conditions; determining on the basis of C(t) and the measured distance over &Dgr;t a quantity characteristic of potential elementary damage of the system during the elapsed time &Dgr;t; calculating an estimate of the global damage by combining the calculated elementary damage levels since the start of flat running; and transmitting to the vehicle driver a quantity related to that estimate of the flat running system global damage.

Abstract: Vehicle wheel that includes a pneumatic tire mounted on a wheel rim. The pneumatic tire includes a tire tread, two side-walls, a carcass, reinforcing elements, and two tire beads with bead cores. The vehicle wheel also includes an emergency support body, mounted on the wheel rim and positioned inside the pneumatic tire. The emergency support body includes an emergency rolling surface to support the tire in case of a failure of the pneumatic tire. The emergency rolling surface includes a radially exterior surface of a ring torus with a bowl-shaped cross section, and the ring torus includes axially exterior sections having cross-sectional contours with first curvatures open to the wheel rim and an intermediate section positioned between the axially exterior sections having a contour with a second curvature open to a crest point of the pneumatic tire.

Abstract: The present invention is a pneumatic tire and wheel assembly capable of being run in a deflated condition comprising a wheel having a wheel rim, a pneumatic tire mounted on the rim, where the pneumatic tire has an interior cavity, an annular insert mounted on the wheel rim and inside the interior cavity of the tire, and a lubricant comprising a substance selected from the group consisting of stearic acid, sodium oleate, sodium palmitate, polyethylene wax, polypropylene wax, and mixtures thereof, and a substance selected from the group consisting of paraffin oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, rapseed oil, tricresyl phosphate and naphthalenic oil and mixtures thereof. When the assembly is used with the tire in deflated condition, the normally solid lubricant liquefies, and thereby facilitates relative movement of the interior surface of the tire contacting the annular insert and the annular insert. In one embodiment of the invention, the insert comprises rubber or polyurethane.

Abstract: A tire is constructed to include a main tire member, the main tire member having two inward lips and transverse air holes and screw holes extended through the inward lips, two supplementary tire members respectively adhered to the inward lips of the main tire member on the inside of the main tire member, and a plurality of screws respectively threaded into the screw holes of the supplementary tire members and engaged into respective recessed holes in the inward lips.

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: A heavy-duty pneumatic radial tire and rim assembly ha s a support ring within the tire to support the tire in a deflated condition, wherein the inner diameter Di of the inside bead portion which is inside with respect to the vehicle is substantially 80 to 200 mm larger than the inner diameter Do of the outside bead portion.

Abstract: A support ring for vehicle tires is disclosed. The support ring is to be mounted on a tire wheel for support of the underside of the tire when the tire is operated at underinflated conditions. The support ring has a base, a cap, and a series of supporting arches extending between the base and the cap. The highest point of the arch contacts the support ring cap. During load, the arch flexes and transmits the load force along the arch sides and to the base of the support ring.

Abstract: Vehicle wheel includes a rim and a pneumatic tire which includes a tread, two side walls, a carcass, reinforcing elements, and two tire beads with bead cores. An emergency running support body is supported on the rim which is arranged to support one of the pneumatic tire and an interior of the tread in an event of an emergency condition. The emergency running support body includes a shell-shaped ring body located inside the pneumatic tire and an emergency running surface on its exterior. At least one container, which contains a lubricant, is positioned inside a first ring chamber. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification , nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: A support for a tire tread band comprising an outer portion for contacting a tread and a base, wherein the base comprises a reinforcement framework having at least two plies of reinforcement elements. Each of the plies has mutually parallel reinforcement elements, and said elements are crossed from one ply to a next ply. The support further comprising a polymer material having a modulus greater than 30 MPa.

Abstract: A tyre for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure, a belt structure, a tread band, and at least one pair of sidewalls. The carcass structure includes at least one circumferential centering ridge jutting out from a crown portion of the carcass structure. Each bead of the tyre includes a rest surface defining, in a direction away from an equatorial plane of the tyre, a profile converging toward the rotation axis of the tyre. A rim for a tyre includes a base body and two seats. Each seat defines an abutment surface facing radially away from a rotation axis of the rim and includes a frustoconical configuration converging away from a median diametrical plane of the rim. The base body further includes at least two opposite radial shoulders disposed to abut against the at least one centering ridge. A vehicle wheel, including the tyre and the rim, is also disclosed.

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 breaker and anti-knock arrangement includes a supplementary bearing structure formed of two parallel supplementary bearing loops supported inside the tire between two inward lips at two sidewalls of the tire for enabling the driver to keep driving the car to a repair shop upon a tire explosion due to an accident.

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: A tire apparatus for driving a vehicle is provided. The tire apparatus allows the vehicle to be driven during periods of both low tire pressure and normal tire pressure. The tire apparatus has a tire that has a tread section. The tire has a pair of side walls that are located adjacent to the tread section. A first bead is located at an end of one of the side walls, and a second bead is located at an end of the other side wall. A wheel is also present that has a rim with a first bead seat and a second bead seat. The wheel is configured for attachment to the vehicle. The wheel has a support member for engaging the tire during periods of low tire pressure. At least one of the first and second bead seats has a plurality of friction members to prevent relative rotational movement between the tire and the rim.

Abstract: A safety insert is designed to be mounted in an assembly including a tire and a rim of a vehicle, so that on bearing of the tire against the insert, the insert will generate multiple vibrating signals of the rotation frequency of the tire. In one embodiment, the vibrating signals are generated by a variation of at least one of the outer radius and radial stiffness as a function of azimuth &agr;, which presents at least four maxima distributed in at least twice two different values M1 and M2.

Abstract: A device to prevent the full collapse of a pneumatic tire on vehicles and large aircraft includes three arcuate portions for cooperatively fitting over a tire rim to provide an underlying support surface for a tire carcass subsequent to losing air or gas pressure. The three arcuate band portions releasably couple together for mounting on the drop well of a tire rim to form a substantially continuous surface. The invention also has protective coverings removably disposed on the outer radial extent of the band portions. The protective coverings are provided with frictional means for engaging the inner wall of the tire to prevent circumferential or lateral displacement of the tire carcass during rotation of the wheel. An insert may be placed between the band and the drop well to position the band.

Abstract: A tire assembly (200) having runflat capability comprises a tire (202) mounted to a rim (203) to provide a tire cavity (204) defined by a carcass circumferential inner surface (246), two sidewall inner surfaces (248A,248B) and the rim. The tire assembly (200) is characterized by having a platform (206) disposed circumferentially around the rim within the tire cavity and one or more hoops (208A-208C) disposed within the tire cavity (204) between the platform (206) and the carcass circumferential inner surface (246) so that under normal inflation the one or more hoops do not contact either the carcass circumferential inner surface (246) or the sidewall inner surfaces (248A,248B), but below a first runflat inflation pressure, the one or more hoops (208A-208C) contact and support the carcass circumferential inner surface (246).

Abstract: A flat-proof rim for a pneumatic tire of a wheel is disclosed. The flat-proof rim includes a circular rim body having an outer periphery. A plurality of spaced linkages are arranged along and movably connected to the outer periphery of the rim body, and each have a hoof adapted to be movable between a radially inner position and a radially outer position relative to the rim body. In addition, there is provided an apparatus for driving the linkages so that the hoofs are moved from the radially inner positions to the radially outer positions when the pneumatic tire is deflated while the wheel is rotated at a high speed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling a vehicle and for providing data to the driver as to a tire pressure loss. When a tire pressure loss is detected, a limit speed is pregiven to which the speed of the vehicle is limited. The limit speed is dependent upon the distance already traveled since occurrence of the pressure loss or the elapsed operating time. Furthermore, for a detected tire pressure loss, the maximum range or the maximum operating time of the vehicle having a tire with reduced air pressure is determined and this is displayed to the driver.

Abstract: The invention provides a runflat device for a motor vehicle, the device comprising a ring for mounting inside a tire on a one-piece non-standard wheel rim that presents a drop center, an inner flange and an outer flange, said ring being made as at least two sectors each having a radially inner zone and a radially outer zone, wherein the sectors of the ring are independent of one another, and wherein each sector is fixed to the rim via its radially inner zone.

Abstract: A device, such as a safety support, comprising a body and a base, in which the base comprises at least one zone of resistance which is essentially circumferentially inextensible and is mechanically coupled to the body, and at least one centering zone which is mechanically joined to the resistance zone by connections with low tensile rigidity and so to be mechanically uncoupled from the body.

Abstract: A flat-proof rim for a pneumatic tire of a wheel is disclosed. The flat-proof rim includes a circular rim body having an outer periphery. A plurality of spaced linkages are arranged along and movably connected to the outer periphery of the rim body, and each have a hoof adapted to be movable between a radially inner position and a radially outer position relative to the rim body. In addition, there is provided an apparatus for driving the linkages so that the hoofs are moved from the radially inner positions to the radially outer positions when the pneumatic tire is deflated while the wheel is rotated at a high speed.

Abstract: A runflat system for a motor vehicle, comprising a non-standard one-piece rim having at least a first peripheral cavity or drop center to enable a tire to be mounted on the rim, and a runflat device for mounting on the rim inside the tire, said device being constituted by a rigid ring split into at least two circularly arcuate elements or sectors, wherein the rim has at least one second peripheral cavity which is separated from the first cavity by an intermediate peripheral ridge, wherein each sector of the ring has a radially inner portion for being received in the second cavity of the rim, and wherein the system also comprises means for fixing the sectors in the second cavity of the rim.

Abstract: A safety support including a body and a base having a substantially cylindrical radially internal face intended to be mounted around a tire rim, the base including a set of substantially inextensible circumferential reinforcing wires wrapped in an elastomer substance, the support being provided by injection under pressure into a closed cavity from feed points located on the support body, the base including supplementary reinforcing elements arranged radially, at least in part, externally relative to all the circumferential reinforcing wires and axially with respect to the feeding points.

Abstract: The display device illustrates the ability to maintain a load without the support of compressed air. The display device comprises an expandable base (24) in contact with the floor, a support (32) connected to the expandable base wherein a distal end (30) of the support is substantially, vertically above the base, and a display (17) attached to the distal end of the support wherein the display comprises a plurality of tire sections (12, 14) and each tire section has compression means (16, 18) associated therewith for compressing the tire section.

Abstract: A wheel with a damper for an automobile includes a rim, a disk, and a damper. The damper includes a rubber member. The rubber member includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion performs mainly an elastic shear deflection and the second portion acts as a stopper. The first portion extends in an axial direction of the wheel and has an inside surface and an outside surface which contact a space and are not constrained. The end surfaces of the first portion extend perpendicularly to the axial direction of the wheel. A vibrational system having a spring of the first portion of the rubber member and a mass of an automobile is designed so as to have a first natural frequency in a range of 6-12 H, preferably, in a range of 8-10 Hz.

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).

Abstract: A tire has a buttress system which maintains flexible cushioning to support a load on the tire, even after a puncture in the tire. The tire has a tire body with an inner rim attached to a wheel rim with a clamping piece. The buttress system is provided within the tire body and has an upper rib adjacent to the inner side of the tread portion of the tire body and a lower rib attached to the wheel rim. The upper rib is positioned across from the lower rib and is supported by the lower rib when there is a puncture in the tire. A clamping system clamps a doubly acute bead on the inner rim of the tire body to a cupped part of the wheel rim using the clamping piece. A saddle is provided to raise up the anchoring portion of the lower rib of the buttress system.

Abstract: The invention provides an assembly of a pneumatic tire and a rim. The tire has at least one carcass ply 2 and a belt layer 8. The ply 2 is composed of ply cords and has end portions. The belt layer 8 is composed of belt cords provided outside of the ply 2. Each belt cord extends in a direction intersecting the ply cord. Each of the end portions is held in the rim 12. The width of the tire is maximum in a circumferential cross section “T” with a cylindrical shape with respect to the center axis “D” of the tire. The cross section “T” extends through the rim 10. When the tire is rolled under a load and a stress is applied on the tire as an arrow “X”, a neighboring portion 2d near the end portions 2a, 2b is considerably bending-deformed as arrows “Y” to absorb the stress. The roundness of the belt layer 8 is thus preserved to reduce the rolling resistance of the tire considerably.

Abstract: A circular tire rim has intermediate its ends an annular drop-center section, and coaxially on opposite ends thereof enlarged diameter, circumferential flange sections engageable with the beads of a tubeless tire to support the tire on the rim. Adjacent one end thereof the drop-center section has projecting from its outer peripheral surface a pair of projections angularly spaced 180° from each other about the axis of the rim. Removably secured coaxially on the drop-center section of the rim is an annular runflat device the outer peripheral surface of which normally is radially spaced from the inner peripheral surface of the properly inflated tire on the rim, but engageable by and slidably supporting the inner peripheral surface of the tire when the latter is operated in a runflat mode. The two projections on the drop-center section of the rim seat in registering recesses formed in the inner peripheral surface of the runflat device to prevent any relative movement between the device and the rim.

Abstract: A process for cross-linking/expanding at least one cross-linkable, expandable blank, which is intended to form all or part of an elastomeric safety support for a tire in which:

Abstract: A method for detecting vibrations generated by the running of a tire on a safety insert, wherein a vibration signal is measured within a given frequency band and the measurement thus made is processed to detect a mode of resonance generated by this running. The energy of the signal measured by a sensor in two frequency bands, one being narrow and the other being wide, which are centered on the same line of the mode of resonance, is determined. The ratio of these two energies is compared with a given warning threshold.

Abstract: Motor vehicle wheel including a wheel rim and a tire having a tire interior enclosed by the wheel rim and the tire. The tire is mounted on the wheel rim, and the wheel also includes an insert composed of a ring-shaped sound-absorbing material that is positioned within the tire interior. The wheel further includes an acoustically transparent support element having tensile strength, at least in a circumferential direction of the tire, that is coupled to the insert.

Abstract: A run-flat tire system for motorcycle improved in the puncture resistance and run-flat performance, which comprises a tire, tube and buffer; when the tire is mounted on a wheel rim and inflated, a tire cavity has a maximum section width (Wi), and when the tire is not inflated, the tire cavity has a maximum diameter (dd) and a sectional area (Sd); the buffer is an annular body made of an elastic closed-cell material disposed in the tire cavity, and a circumferentially extending groove is formed in a radially inner surface thereof to dispose the tube therein; the outside diameter (D) of the buffer under its free state is set in the range of from 0.90 to 1.0 times the maximum diameter (dd) of the cavity; the maximum section width (W) of the buffer under the free state is set in the range of from 1.05 to 1.2 times the maximum section width (Wi) of the cavity; and a gross sectional area (S) of the buffer under the free state inclusive of the sectional area of the groove is set in the range of from 1.0 to 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel wheel which serves for equipping with a pneumatic tire and essentially realizes two apparently incompatible properties of solid rubber tires and pneumatic tires, namely strength and good shock absorption, in a single wheel. This wheel is distinguished by the fact that it has a toroidal hollow foam member enclosed by the pneumatic tire and comprising reversibly deformable material having a large number of enclosed cavities serving for the absorption of gas. The substantial advantage of the tire according to the invention is obvious. Damage to the tire skin by a stone or nail does not in fact inevitably lead to an immediate and complete loss of air, as is often the case with known tires. Thus, the toroidal hollow foam member can itself store air in its cells, which not only permits continued riding for a certain time but also reduces the risk of accidents in the event of damage to the tire.

Abstract: Preventing simply and firmly occurrence of a puncture caused by mutual contact of wall faces of a tube. Thick wall portions are formed at portions of a tube included in a tire and the thick wall portions are brought into contact with thin wall portions when the tire engages on a hazard and the tire and the tube are squeezed between flange portions of a rim and the hazard. The thick wall portions are not damaged since they have an increased strength and also the thin wall portions are protected against damage caused by a load since the load exerting on the thin wall portions is dispersed by the thick wall portions which are readily subjected to elastic deformation. The thin wall portions may be rendered thick wall portions and the thick wall portions may be brought into mutual contact.

Abstract: A tire with a radial carcass reinforcement, when viewed in meridian section, includes a first bead, the seat of which is inclined towards the outside, the heel of the bead being axially on the inside and being reinforced by at least a reinforcement ring, the toe of the bead being axially on the outside and having a rubber wedge section made of rubber mix, the wedge being defined by two sides, the said rubber mix having a Shore A hardness greater than the Shore A hardness(es) of the rubber mixes located axially and radially above the bead ring and above the rubber wedge section.

Abstract: A run-flat tire system comprising a tire and an tire core disposed therein, the tire core being an annular body of an elastic closed-cell material, the radially outside and inside of the tire core each provided with a circumferentially extending groove, the radially inner groove extending radially outwardly beyond a bead core line being drawn between the centers of the bead cores. When the tire is mounted on a standard rim, the radially outer groove forms a radially outer space extending circumferentially of the tire and having a cross sectional area of from 1 to 6% of the total sectional area of the tire cavity, and the radially inner groove forms a radially inner space extending circumferentially of the tire having a cross sectional area Si of from 10 to 25% of the total sectional area S of the tire cavity.

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 a rim flange (24).

Abstract: A device enabling a motor vehicle to run on a flat tire, the device comprising a running ring made of elastomer and mounted tightly on the rim of the wheel inside the tire, the running ring being largely overdimensioned in radial height, in width or axial dimension, and in mass, and its radially-projecting annular portion is offset towards the inside of the vehicle to form protection for the occupants of the vehicle against the explosion of a mine triggered by passage of the wheel.

Abstract: A safety insert, intended to be mounted on a wheel rim inside a tire to support the crown of this tire in the event of a loss of inflation pressure, wherein the running radius of the safety insert under run-flat conditions varies with a frequency of variation that is appreciably equal to its frequency of rotation.

Abstract: A safety liner for protecting the tubeless tires is provided. The liner is combined a predetermined number of segment of identical shape to form a circular configuration for disposing in place into the drop center of a tire rim and adjustably locked up by a coupling member at the confronting ends of the circular configuration. A wedge plate slidably secures between each segment and the drop center at one side and a cushion runner disposes between the circular configuration and the drop center at the other side. When the tire becomes flat, the flexible outer surface of the liner engages with the inner surface of the tire that permits a vehicle continuous operation. Because the liner is combined by a plurality of segments, it is structurally flexible to suite to different types of tire rim and because the segments are in identical shape, it facilitate a mass production and low cost to manufacture.

Abstract: A device for supporting the tread of a tire which includes a rigid support 1) and an elastic top cap rubber (2) made of a vulcanized rubber compound, a lubricant (5) arranged between said support (1) and said top cap rubber (2) allowing circumferential displacement between the support (1) and the top cap rubber (2), wherein each shoulder (122) of the bearing ring (12) of the support (1) is equipped on its edge with at least one straight circumferential groove (124) in which there is housed the corresponding circumferential rib (25) of the radially internal face (200) of the top cap rubber (2), said rib (25) being in contact with the bottom of the groove (124) of the support (1).

Abstract: A tire has a carcass reinforcement (1) which, when viewed in meridian secn, is wound in each bead B about a bead wire (2) coated with a rubber mix, passing from the heel to the toe of the bead B, the upturn (10) being located in a profile (3) of rubber mix in the form of a wedge defined by two sides (31 and 32) coming from an apex A located beneath the section of the coated bead wire (2). Advantageously the upturn (10) surrounds in its entirety the contour of the profile (3), forming either a first radially inner side (32), a lateral side (30), and a final radially outer side (31) or a first radially outer side (31), a lateral side (30), and a final radially inner side (32). The tire may form with different rims J high-performance assemblies in the event of travel at low or zero pressure, permitting simple mounting of the tires and optionally of bearing supports S for the tire tread on the rims J.