Tire and wheel assemblies

Claim 1

A pneumatic tire and wheel assembly capable of running in a completely deflated condition in which opposing portions of the interior of the tire contact each other when run in that condition, said tire and wheel assembly comprising: a wheel having a wheel rim with a pair of annular flanges, a pair of bead seats adjacent said flanges and a well to permit a tire to be mounted on the rim, means on said rim for physically restraining the beads to prevent the tire beads from falling into the well; a pneumatic tire on said rim, said tire having a pair of beads each of which has a toe, a tread portion whose width is greater than the width of the wheel rim measured between the flanges, a breaker, an aspect ratio between 30% and 75%, a smoothly curved curvilinear interior surface extending from one bead toe to the other bead toe, the entire interior surface of the tire being free of intermediate protruding supporting structure; said rim and said tire defining a single open inflation chamber therebetween, said chamber being free of intermediate supporting structure so that said tire can be run in a completely deflated condition on the rim with opposing portions of the interior of the tire in contact with each other; an immobile coating of lubricating material disposed on the interior surface of the tire so that when the assembly is run in a completely deflated condition relative movement of contacting portions of the interior surface of the tire will be facilitated, without generation of an undue amount of heat, by the coating of lubricating material therebetween; and the combination of said tread portion, whose width is greater than the width of the wheel rim measured between the flanges, said breaker, said aspect ratio, said single open inflation chamber, the immobile coating, and said means for physically restraining the beads provides a tire and wheel assembly which will run in a completely deflated condition.