Tire with concave sidewalls
AssigneeBridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorsSharon E. Reinhardt, William H. Durivage
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tire having a central axis and a radius further includes a circumferential tread having a convex cross-section. The convex cross-section is defined by a radius that is less than a maximum radius of the tire. A pair of sidewalls extends from opposite sides of the circumferential tread. Each of the pair of sidewalls has a concave cross-section that is defined by a radius that is greater than a maximum radius of the convex cross-section of the circumferential tread.
Claims19
A tire comprising:
- a convex circumferential tread having a convex cross-section, wherein the convex cross-section is defined by a radius that is less than a maximum radius of the tire;
- a first concave sidewall extending from the convex circumferential tread at a first hinge,
- wherein the first concave sidewall includes a first concave exterior surface and a first concave interior surface, the first concave exterior surface and the first concave interior surface being concave from an exterior perspective of the tire, and
- wherein the first concave exterior surface is defined by a single radius that is greater than a maximum radius of the convex cross-section of the circumferential tread;
- and
- a second concave sidewall extending from the convex circumferential tread at a second hinge opposite the first hinge,
- wherein the second concave sidewall includes a second concave exterior surface and a second concave interior surface, the second concave exterior surface and the second concave interior surface being concave from the exterior perspective of the tire,
- wherein the second concave exterior surface is defined by a single radius that is greater than the maximum radius of the convex cross-section of the circumferential tread,
- wherein a line tangent to an interior surface of the convex circumferential tread at the first hinge, and a line tangent to an interior surface of the first concave sidewall at the first hinge form a first interior angle greater than 90-degrees when the tire is not placed under radial compression, and
- wherein a line tangent to the interior surface of the convex circumferential tread at the second hinge, and a line tangent to an interior surface of the second concave sidewall at the second hinge form a second interior angle greater than 90-degrees when the tire is not placed under radial compression.
A tire having a central axis and a radius, the tire comprising:
- a circumferential tread having a convex cross-section, wherein the convex cross-section is defined by a radius that is less than a maximum radius of the tire;
- a pair of sidewalls extending from opposite sides of the circumferential tread, wherein each of the pair of sidewalls has a concave cross-section, including a concave exterior surface and a concave interior surface that are each concave from an exterior perspective of the tire, the concave exterior surface being defined by a single radius that is greater than a maximum radius of the convex cross-section of the circumferential tread.
A tire and rim assembly comprising:
- a rim having a pair of wheel flanges, including a first wheel flange and a second wheel flange;
- a tire mounted on the rim, the tire including:
- a tread formed in a crown region of the tire, the tread having a convex cross-section;
- a first sidewall extending from a first side of the crown region, wherein the first sidewall has a concave cross-section including a first concave exterior surface, wherein the first concave exterior surface is defined by a single radius that is greater than a maximum radius of the convex cross-section of the tread, wherein the first sidewall of the tire is received by the first wheel flange of the rim, and wherein the first sidewall exerts a first axially outward force against the first wheel flange of the rim;
- a second sidewall extending from the crown region opposite the first sidewall, wherein the second sidewall has a concave cross-section including a second concave exterior surface, wherein the second concave exterior surface is defined by a single radius that is greater than the maximum radius of the convex cross-section of the tread, wherein the second sidewall is received by the second wheel flange of the rim, and wherein the second sidewall exerts a second axially outward force against the second wheel flange of the rim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.