Appeal No. 2002-1320
Application 09/027,776
THE INVENTION
The Appellants’ claimed invention relates to an emergency support body for
pneumatic tires mounted on rims. The emergency support body is arranged inside the
pneumatic tire to provide an emergency rolling surface to support the tire in the event
of failure. A full understanding of Appellants’ invention can be obtained by review of
appealed claims 1, 18 and 21 reproduced below:
1. A vehicle wheel comprising:
a pneumatic tire mounted on a wheel rim, the pneumatic tire
including a tire tread, two side-walls, a carcass, reinforcing elements,
and two tire beads with bead cores;
an emergency support body, mounted on the wheel rim and
positioned inside the pneumatic tire, including an emergency rolling
surface to support the tire in case of a failure of the pneumatic tire;
the emergency rolling surface comprising a radially exterior
surface of a ring torus with a bowl-shaped cross section, the ring torus
being composed of a rigid material;
the ring torus comprising axially exterior sections having cross-
sectional contours with first curvatures open to the wheel rim and an
intermediate section positioned between the axially exterior sections
having a contour with a second curvature open to a crest point of the
pneumatic tire, wherein, when deflated, the tire is capable of riding on
the first and second curvatures;
the ring torus being formed to maintain its cross-sectional
contours during an emergency roll;
the first and second curvatures including at least one radius of
curvature; and
supporting elements positioned to resiliently support the ring
torus on the wheel rim.
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