Vehicle wheel

A vehicle wheel having a rigid wheel rim for mounting thereon a pneumatic tire having relatively flat configuration with height/width ratio ranging from approximately 80% to 25% and having tire beads with pull-resistant cores movable over wheel flanges, said wheel rim including an outer unitary body which collectively extends substantially in the circumferential direction of said tire and comprises in combination therewith:

• a middle portion of said unitary body of the rigid wheel rim which extends substantially in the circumferential direction of said tire;
• respective transversely projecting flanges of said unitary body which are arranged laterally on each side of said middle portion integral therewith and extend substantially transversely thereto and radially inwardly to form a recess between said flanges on the inner periphery of said middle portion, said inner periphery of said middle portion forming the base of said recess, said recess having a width corresponding at least to the width of said respective tire beads, and serving to temporarily receive same during mounting of said tire;
• said transversely projecting flanges terminating laterally outwardly between
• respective laterally outwardly located wheel flanges of said unitary body which extend along inner space of the tire to permit bulging of the tire laterally outwardly during emergency running operation after leakage of air therefrom free of danger of tire destruction therewith;
• respective seating surfaces of said unitary body, for said respective tire beads, located between said transversely projecting flanges of said middle portion and said laterally outwardly located wheel flanges, said seating surfaces being located on the inner periphery of said outer unitary body and adjacent to said recess, said laterally outwardly located wheel flanges extending radially of said seating surfaces, said laterally outwardly located wheel flanges securing said tire beads from sliding laterally from said seating surfaces, said base of said recess having a larger diameter than do said seating surfaces of said unitary body;
• and
• respective mantle surfaces on the outer periphery of said outer unitary body between said transversely projecting flanges and said middle portion adjacent to said recess, said mantle surfaces forming essentially planar supporting surfaces for the zenith portion of said tire during emergency operation thereof, that part of the outer periphery of said middle portion between said mantle surfaces also being, at least partially, embodied as an overall supporting surface considerably increased in axial width for said zenith portion of said tire during emergency operation of said tire, said supporting surface of said middle portion being located essentially at the level of said mantle surfaces collectively as a single, integral rim in one piece.