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  Tire/wheel assembly and run-flat support memberUSPTO Application #: 20070051446Title: Tire/wheel assembly and run-flat support member Abstract: A tire/wheel assembly comprising a wheel having a rim, a pneumatic tire fitted to the rim and a run-flat support member. The pneumatic tire includes a cavity, and the run-flat support member is disposed in the cavity of the pneumatic tire. The run-flat support member includes an annular shell and elastic rings. The annular shell has a support surface located radially outward and two leg portions formed radially inward. The elastic rings support the leg portions on the rim. The leg portions of the annular shell are detachably attached to the elastic rings. (end of abstract)
Agent: Rader Fishman & Grauer Pllc - Washington, DC, US Inventors: Shinichi Mori, Mitsuo Kurebayashi USPTO Applicaton #: 20070051446 - Class: 152158000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Resilient Tires And Wheels, Tires, Resilient, Cushion And Pneumatic Combined, Enclosed Cushion, Internal Buffers The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070051446. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/515,326, filed Nov. 23, 2004, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. [0002] The present application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-252976, filed Aug. 30, 2002, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD [0003] The present invention relates to tire/wheel assemblies and run-flat support members, and more particularly, to a tire/wheel assembly and a run-flat support member used therefor, in which the run-flat support member can be repaired, and manufacturing efficiency thereof can be improved. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND [0004] In response to demands in the market, there have been proposed many technologies which allow a vehicle to urgently travel when a pneumatic tire thereof is punctured during traveling. These many proposals include such a technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-297226 and Published Japanese Translation of a PCT Application No. 2001-519279 that a support member is fitted onto a rim in the cavity of a pneumatic tire which is assembled to the rim, and supports the tire when punctured to thereby enable run-flat traveling. [0005] The above run-flat support member comprises an annular shell having a support surface located radially outward and two leg portions formed radially inward, and elastic rings attached thereto, and is supported on the rim via the elastic rings. The run-flat support member allows existing wheels and rims to be used without any specific modification, and can therefore be advantageously adopted without causing confusions in the market. [0006] In general, the annular shell of the above-mentioned run-flat member is attached to the elastic rings thereof by bonding to the elastic rings the leg portions of the annular shell which are embedded therein when the elastic rings are formed by heating, and the annular shell and the elastic rings are unitarily structured so that they are not detachable. Therefore, in the case where either the annular shell or the elastic ring is damaged into an unusable state by run-flat traveling at 0 pressure after the tire is punctured, a problem arises such that a new run-flat support member must be purchased even if the other is still usable. [0007] Also, wheels to mount a tire having the same size have different rim shapes, and the same sized tires have different shapes of the inner faces of the tire beads with which the elastic rings come into contact, whereby respective run-flat support members having an annular shell and elastic rings corresponding thereto need to be manufactured. Various types of run-flat support members, therefore, have to be manufactured, and there is a problem of very low manufacturing efficiency. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a tire/wheel assembly and a run-flat support member, in which the run-flat support member can be repaired by replacement of a damaged annular shell or elastic ring, and the manufacturing efficiency of the run-flat support member can be improved. [0009] In order to achieve the above object, a tire/wheel assembly according to the present invention comprises: [0010] a wheel having a rim; [0011] a pneumatic tire fitted to the rim of the wheel, the pneumatic tire having a cavity; and [0012] a run-flat support member disposed in the cavity of the pneumatic tire, the run-flat support member having an annular shell and elastic rings, the annular shell comprising a support surface located radially outward and two leg portions formed radially inward, the elastic rings supporting the leg portions on the rim, [0013] wherein the leg portions of the annular shell are detachably attached to the elastic rings. [0014] A run-flat support member according to the present invention comprises: [0015] an annular shell having a support surface located radially outward and two leg portions formed radially inward; and [0016] elastic rings supporting the leg portions on a rim, [0017] wherein the leg portions of the annular shell are detachably attached to the elastic rings. [0018] As mentioned above, the leg portions of the annular shell is detachably attached to the elastic rings, and therefore, in the case where either the annular shell or the elastic ring is damaged into an unusable state, it can be removed to replace it. Accordingly, the run-flat support member can be repaired. [0019] Respective annular shells and elastic rings matching such conditions as rim shapes are manufactured, and when used (sold), a run-flat support member can be fabricated by assembling the annular shell and elastic rings. Therefore, it is not necessary to conventionally manufacture various types of run-flat support members having a unitary structure of an annular shell and elastic rings, thus allowing manufacturing efficiency to be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0020] FIG. 1 is a meridian cross-sectional view showing a main part of a tire/wheel assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Tire/wheel assembly and run-flat support member Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Tire/wheel assembly and run-flat support member patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Tire/wheel assembly and run-flat support member or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: High energy blast explosives for confined spaces Next Patent Application: Pneumatic tire containing zinc phthalocyanine compound Industry Class: Resilient tires and wheels ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Tire/wheel assembly and run-flat support member patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 4.4579 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Canon USA , Celera Genomics , Cephalon, Inc. , Cingular Wireless , Clorox , Colgate-Palmolive , Corning , Cymer , |
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