Advanced profile radial tire having relatively high inflation pressure

Claim 1

In an inflated tire and rim assembly wherein the tire includes a tread portion, a tread reinforcement in the tread portion, a pair of sidewalls respectively on opposite sides of said tread portion, a pair of bead portions respectively at the inner edges of said sidewalls, a lower sidewall reinforcement adjacent each of said bead portions and sidewall inner edges, a bead reinforcement in each of said bead portions, and a radial carcass reinforcement extending from one bead portion to the other, the improvement being in the profile of said tire characterized in: a. the tire having a section height H and a section width S, the aspect ratio (H/S) being in the range from about 0.80 to about 0.90; b. the maximum section width (S) being located at a height (h) of less than 45 percent of said section height (H), with the design width (DRW) of said rim being about 75 percent of said section width (S); c. the width (TW) of said tread portion being less than 75 percent of said section width (S); d. the inflation pressure of said tire being a minimum of about 25 percent greater than the inflation pressure of a conventional profile tire of equivalent size, said assembly being operable at said greater inflation pressure at about the same load capacity and at about the same tire deflection as a conventional profile tire while having acceptable ride comfort characteristics; and e. said lower sidewall reinforcement providing relative stiffness in its area of location.