Asymmetric rim humping

Claim 2

A wheel for supporting a pneumatic tire provided with a pair of bead portions comprising: a pair of circumferentially extending flanges in axially spaced-apart relationship; a pair of rim seats of a first predetermined radius with respect to the rotational axis of said wheel for seating said bead portions of said tire, said rim seats merge from the axially inner ends of said flanges; said wheel characterized in that at least one rim seat is provided with an asymmetric hump for engagement with the axially inner surface of said bead portion adjacent said bead seat, said asymmetric hump consisting of a radially extended portion, said radially extended portion extends about the circumference of said wheel for at least a portion of said circumference at the same axial position on said wheel, the height of said radially extended portion starting from one circumferential end of said radially extending portion proceeding circumferentially about the wheel gradually and continuously increases to maximum radial height of a second predetermined radius with respect to the axis of rotation of said wheel then gradually and continuously decreases back to said first predetermined radius at the other circumferential end of said radially extended portion.

Claim 3

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said radial extended portion extends about the wheel for at least 140°.

Claim 4

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said radial extended portion extends about the wheel for at least 140° but less than 200°.

Claim 5

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said radial extended portion extends about the wheel for approximately 180°.

Claim 6

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said radial extended portion comprises one continuous projection.

Claim 7

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein the point of maximum radial height of said radially extended portion is spaced equidistance from the circumferential ends of said radially extended portion.

Claim 8

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein the point of maximum radial height of said radial extended portion is radially outward from the nominal rim diameter a distance equal to at least the radial distance between the nominal rim diameter of said wheel and the radially innermost point of the bead core of said tire mounted on said wheel.

Claim 9

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said radial extended portion has a maximum radial height smaller than one-half the flange height of said wheel.

Claim 10

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said radial extended portion at its point of maximum radial height is equal to about one-half the flange height.

Claim 11

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein the contour of the radially outermost surface of said radial extended portion as viewed in a cross-sectional plane containing the axis of the wheel is convex.

Claim 12

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said radially extended portion comprises a plurality of radially extended projections.

Claim 13

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said radial extended portion increases and decreases in radial height at a constant rate.

Claim 14

A wheel according to claim 1 wherein said wheel is further provided with a wheel well portion spaced in between said pair of rim seats.

Claim 15

A wheel for supporting a pneumatic tire provided with a pair of bead portions comprising: a pair of circumferentially extending flanges in axially spaced-apart relationship; a pair of rim seats for seating said bead portions of said tire, said rim seats merge from the radially inner end of said flanges; at least one safety hump being provided on one of said rim seats for engagement with the axially inner surface of said bead portion adjacent said rim seat, said safety hump extending completely about the circumference of said wheel and having a constant radial height of a first predetermined radius with respect to the rotational axis of said wheel; said wheel characterized in that said safety hump is provided with an asymmetric hump for an engagement with the axially inner surface of said bead portion, said asymmetric hump comprising a radially extending portion, said radially extended portion extends about the circumference of said wheel for at least a portion of said circumference at the same axially position on said wheel, the height of said radially extended portion starting from one circumferential end of said radially extended portion proceeding circumferentially about the wheel gradually and continuously increases to a maximum radial height of a second predetermined radius with respect to the rotational axis of said wheel and then gradually and continuously decreases back to said first predetermined radius at the other circumferential end of said radially extended portion.

Claim 16

A wheel for supporting a pneumatic tire provided with a pair of bead portions comprising: a pair of circumferentially extending flanges in axially spaced-apart relationship; a pair of rim seats for seating said bead portions of said tire, said rim seats merge from the radially inner end of said flanges; at least one safety hump being provided on one of said rim seats for engagement with the axially inner surface of said bead portion adjacent said rim seat, said safety hump extending completely about the circumference of said wheel and having a constant radial height of a first predetermined radius with respect to the rotational axis of said wheel; said wheel characterized in that said safety hump is provided with an asymmetric hump for an engagement with the axially inner surface of said bead portion, said asymmetric hump comprising a radially extending portion, said radially extended portion extends about the circumference of said wheel for at least a portion of said circumference at the same axially position on said wheel, the height of said radially extended portion starting from one circumferential end of said radially extended portion proceeding circumferentially about the wheel gradually and continuously increases to a maximum radial height of a second predetermined radius with respect to the rotational axis of said wheel and then gradually and continuously decreases back to said first predetermined radius at the other circumferential end of said radially extended portion.

Claim 17

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said radial extended portion extends about the wheel for at least 140°.

Claim 18

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said radial extended portion extends about the wheel for at least 140° but less than 200°.

Claim 19

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said radial extended portion extends about the wheel for approximately 180°.

Claim 20

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said radial extended portion comprises a continuous projection.

Claim 21

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein the point of maximum radial height of said radial extended portion is spaced equidistance from the circumferential ends of said radially extended portion.

Claim 22

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein the point of maximum radial height of said radial extended portion is radially outward from the nominal rim diameter a distance equal to at least the radial distance between the nominal rim diameter of said wheel and the radially innermost point of the bead core of said tire mounted on said wheel.

Claim 23

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said radial extended portion has a maximum radial height smaller than one-half the flange height of said wheel.

Claim 24

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said radial extended portion at its point of maximum radial height is equal to about one-half the flange height.

Claim 25

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein the contour of the radially outermost surface of said radial extended portion as viewed in a cross-sectional plane containing the axis of the wheel is convex.

Claim 26

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said radially extended portion comprises a plurality of radially extended projections.

Claim 27

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said radial extended portion increases and decreases in radial height at a constant rate.

Claim 28

A wheel according to claim 14 wherein said wheel is further provided with a wheel well portion spaced in between said pair of rim seats.