Vehicle tire and wheel construction with selective deformability

An inflatable pneumatic tire and wheel construction for supporting a service load on a load area of a tire, having a tire annularly disposed around the wheel and engaged therewith to form an air space for pressurized air comprising:

• a pair of undeformable side wall portions of the tire having inner edges engaged with the wheel;
• a deformable side wall portion of the tire connected to outer edges of each of said undeformable side wall portions;
• a restricted pliable wall portion of the tire connected to outer edges of each of said deformable side wall portions;
• a belt portion of the tire connected between outer edges of said restricted pliable wall portions;
• a tread carrying portion of the tire connected to the outer surface of said belt portion, the tread carrying portion having side projections extending axially outwardly of said belt portion with a cavity defined between each side projection and each of said restricted pliable wall portions respectively;
• and
• a lateral restraining member connected to the wheel and extending over and in contact with each of said undeformable side wall portions for restraining the deformation thereof;
• said restricted pliable wall portions resting on said side projections and closing said cavity at a load area of said tire when said tire is inflated and is under a service load at said load area.