Abstract: A pneumatic tire assembly includes a tire, a filter element disposed between a pneumatic cavity and atmosphere. The filter element has threads for securing to the pneumatic tire. First and second sidewalls extend respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region. The first sidewall has a bending region operatively bending when radially within a rolling tire footprint. A sidewall groove defines groove walls positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall. The sidewall groove deforms in response to bending of the bending region of the first sidewall while radially within the rolling tire footprint. An air passageway is defined by the sidewall groove and deforms when radially within the rolling tire footprint.

Abstract: A device for automatically maintaining tire pressure is adapted to pump air into a tire up to two times per wheel revolution. Embodiments of the device include a flexible compression strip adapted for attachment to an inner peripheral surface of a tire. Opposing compression faces on the compression strip apply pressure to a compression tube attached to the compression strip. Air in an air reservoir inside the compression tube is expelled from a collapsible segment of the compression tube pressed on by the compression faces and into accumulator segments extending beyond the edges of the compression strip. A ratio of the combined volumes of the collapsible and accumulator segments to the volume of the collapsible segment determines a set point pressure. Air is expelled into a tire having an inflation pressure less than the set point pressure but is not expelled into a tire having pressure greater than the set point pressure.

Abstract: A device for maintaining inflation pressure within a tire interior of a tire mounted on a rotating wheel with a rim. The device includes a compressor with piston penetrateably mountable on the wheel rim or in communication with a valve stem that incorporates air delivery to the compressor as mounted within the tire. The piston is in communication with a compressible piston driver having a distal end in contact with the inner floor of the mounted tire where the outer side of the tire contacts the ground once every revolution of the wheel. Repeated deformation of the rotating tire where it contacts the ground outside the distal end of the driver is transferred to the air compressor through a piston compression stroke. When such ground contact is not occurring, centrifugal force causes radial movement to accomplish the intake stroke of the piston. In this repetitious manner a small amount of air is forced into the tire during each rotation thereof when needed to maintain desired inflation pressure.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread part with two wide circumferential grooves having a width GW of not less than 35 mm and not more than the ground-contacting width TW of the tread with one circumferential groove extending on each side of the tire's equator so as to divide the tread part into a pair of shoulder parts and a central part. The central part has a surface utilizing successive convex curves of a pair of inner groove walls and a central ground-contacting surface. The central ground-contacting surface is substantially in contact with a virtual tread line between outer surfaces of the shoulder parts, and the surface of the central part is asymmetrical about the tire equatorial plane CL.

Abstract: This pressure cuff tire pump device, provides a unique way of inflating an automobile tire, without removing the tire or jacking up the automobile. Primarily, it consists of a flexible rubber casing containing a bladder, which is secured to the wheel having the tire that is to be inflated, by a pair of adjustable straps. The device also includes a hose attached to the bladder, so as to fill the tire with air from the bladder when the automobile is moving. The device further includes an intake valve for receiving air at atmospheric pressure, and an air output valve is included in the hose, to enable the air received in the bladder, to travel into the tire by its valve stem, and the pumping action is supplied by the tire rotating when the automobile is being driven. The device further includes a pressure relief valve, to prevent excessive build-up of air pressure within the bladder and casing of the device.