Sealing strip for a rim of a wheel and a rim having a sealing strip

A sealing strip for a rim of a wheel, the sealing strip being adapted to be positioned upon an outer annular channel of the rim, the outer annular channel being adapted to have a tire mounted thereon, the outer annual channel having an upper bridge with a central well bordered by opposite lateral edges and a pair of opposite lateral flanges substantially parallel to a radial plane of the rim, with the lateral flanges having laterally opposed lips on upper ends of the flanges, said sealing strip comprising:

• a continuous annular strip;
• in cross section, the annular strip of the sealing strip comprising:
• a generally U-shaped groove having a shape to adapt the sealing strip to be engaged in the central well of the rim, said groove of the sealing strip having a projecting rib;
• two lateral extensions extending laterally outwardly from said groove adapted to lie upon the opposite lateral edges of the rim;
• two walls extending generally radially from said lateral extensions, said two walls adapted to be positioned along the lateral flanges of the rim;
• two lips extending laterally inwardly from respective ones of said two walls, said two lips of the sealing strip adapted to be positioned radially inward and beneath the laterally opposed lips of the upper ends of the flanges of the rim.

A rim for a wheel, said rim comprising:

• an outer annular channel, said outer annular channel comprising:
• a pair of lateral flanges, said lateral flanges comprising a pair of laterally opposed lips, a respective one of said pair of lips on each of radially outer ends of said flanges;
• a bridge extending between said pair of lateral flanges, said bridge comprising a pair of lateral edges extending inwardly from said lateral flanges toward a median plane of the rim and a well extending radial inwardly from said lateral edges;
• a sealing strip, separate from said outer annular channel, positioned within said outer annular channel, said sealing strip comprising:
• a depression positioned over said well of said bridge of said annular channel, said depression containing a radial groove adapted to receive a pair of beads of a tire;
• a pair of lateral extensions extending laterally outwardly from said depression of said sealing strip, said lateral extensions positioned over said lateral edges of said bridge;
• a pair of walls extending radially from said lateral extensions, said pair of walls being positioned along said lateral flanges of said annular channel;
• a pair of lips extending laterally inward from respective ones of said two walls, said pair of lips of said sealing strip being positioned radially inward of, and not radially outward beyond, said pair of lips of said lateral flanges of said annular channel, each of said pair of lips of the sealing strip having a generally radially inwardly facing tire retaining surface.

A rim for a wheel, said rim comprising:

• an outer annular channel, said outer annular channel comprising:
• a pair of lateral flanges, said lateral flanges comprising a pair of laterally opposed lips, a respective one of said pair of lips on each of radially outer ends of said flanges;
• a bridge extending between said pair of lateral flanges, said bridge comprising a pair of lateral edges extending inwardly from said lateral flanges toward a median plane of the rim and a well extending radial inwardly from said lateral edges;
• a sealing strip, separate from said outer annular channel, positioned within said outer annular channel, said sealing strip comprising:
• a depression positioned over said well of said bridge of said annular channel, said depression containing a radial groove adapted to receive a pair of beads of a tire, said depression of said sealing strip having a projecting rib extending radially from said groove;
• a pair of lateral extensions extending laterally outwardly from said depression of said sealing strip, said lateral extensions positioned over said lateral edges of said bridge;
• a pair of walls extending radially from said lateral extensions, said pair of walls being positioned along said lateral flanges of said annular channel;
• a pair of lips extending laterally inward from respective ones of said two walls, said pair of lips of said sealing strip being positioned radially inward of, and not radially outward beyond, said pair of lips of said lateral flanges of said annular channel.