Annular ring and non-pneumatic tire

A process for manufacturing a non-pneumatic tire that comprises:

• a monolithic annular beam;
• a hub spaced radially from the annular beam;
• and
• a plurality of spokes that extend from the annular beam to the hub such that, when the non-pneumatic tire is loaded, upper ones of the spokes above an axis of rotation of the non-pneumatic tire are in tension;
• the annular beam being elastomeric, the annular beam being configured to deflect more by shearing than by bending at the contact patch of the non-pneumatic tire;
• the process comprising:
• forming the annular beam;
• and
• forming the spokes;
• and
• wherein the non-pneumatic tire comprises thermoplastic elastomeric material forming at least part of the spokes.

A non-pneumatic tire comprising:

• an annular beam configured to deflect at a contact patch of the non-pneumatic tire with a ground surface, the annular beam comprising:
• an outer annular portion;
• an inner annular portion:
• and
• a shearing annular portion between the outer annular portion and the inner annular portion of the annular beam;
• the outer annular portion, the inner annular portion, and the shearing annular portion of the annular beam being elastomeric, the annular beam being configured to deflect more by shearing than by bending at the contact patch of the non-pneumatic tire;
• a hub spaced radially from the annular beam;
• and
• a plurality of spokes that extend from the annular beam to the hub such that, when the non-pneumatic tire is loaded, upper ones of the spokes above an axis of rotation of the non-pneumatic tire are in tension;
• the annular beam being elastomeric, the annular beam being configured to deflect more by shearing than by bending at the contact patch of the non-pneumatic tire;
• and wherein the non-pneumatic tire comprises thermoplastic elastomeric material forming at least part of the spokes and having a flex fatigue limit of at least 4 MPa according to ASTM D671.