Tire with supporting and cushioning walls

A tire rotatable about an axis comprising an annular body of resilient elastomeric material having a generally cylindrical outer member at the outer periphery, a generally cylindrical inner member spaced radially inward from said outer member and axially extending circumferentially spaced-apart connecting wall members extending radially between said outer member and said inner member, said wall members being the only structural connections between said inner and outer members and having a greater thickness in the circumferential direction at positions of said wall members adjacent said inner and outer members than the thickness of portions of said wall members spaced from said inner and outer members, said wall members having a circumferential spacing and a cross section sufficient to limit the maximum compressive loading of said wall members during flexing so that the stresses developed in said members will not cause said members to undergo flex fatigue and each of said wall members having curved portions adjacent said inner and outer members for providing increased support to said wall members at said inner and outer members.

A tire rotatable about an axis comprising an annular body of resilient elastomeric material having a generally cylindrical outer member at the outer periphery, a generally cylindrical inner member spaced radially inward from said outer member and axially extending circumferentially spaced-apart connecting wall members between said outer member and said inner member, said wall members being the only structural connections between said inner and outer members, said wall members having a circumferential spacing and a cross section sufficient to limit the maximum compressive loading of said wall members during flexing so that the stresses developed in said members will not cause said members to undergo flex fatigue, each of said wall members having curved portions adjacent said inner and outer members for providing increased support to said wall members at said inner and outer members, an annular tread member extending around and mounted on the outer peripheral surface of said outer member, and each of said wall members being reinforced by at least one ply of reinforcing cords embedded in the wall member providing a laminated structure with spring rates in the lateral and radial directions.

A tire rotatable about an axis comprising an annular body of resilient elastomeric material having a generally cylindrical outer member at the outer periphery, a generally cylindrical inner member spaced radially inward from said outer member and axially extending circumferentially spaced-apart connecting wall members between said outer member and said inner member, said wall members being the only structural connections between said inner and outer members, said wall members having a circumferential spacing and a cross section sufficient to limit the maximum compressive loading of said wall members during flexing so that the stresses developed in said members will not cause said members to undergo flex fatigue, each of said wall members having curved portions adjacent said inner and outer members for providing increased support to said wall members at said inner and outer members, and at least some of said wall members including a strap looped at the portions of the wall members connected to said inner and outer members.