Safety support to be incorporated inside a tire

Claim 1

A safety support mounted to a vehicle wheel for supporting the tread of a vehicle tire in case of loss of inflation pressure of the vehicle tire, comprising: a base fixed to a rim of the wheel, said wheel being configured so as to be mounted to a vehicle such that an inside axial side of the wheel faces toward the vehicle and an outside axial side of the wheel faces away from the vehicle; a substantially cylindrical top normally positioned radially outside of said base in substantial axial alignment with said base and with an axis substantially coaxial with the wheel axis, wherein said top is normally radially spaced from said base such that when said support is positioned within an inflated tire mounted to the wheel rim, a radial clearance exists between said top and the tire tread; and a connection between said base and said top, comprising means for permitting a relative movement between said base and said top, wherein said connection joins said base substantially only at an axially outer side thereof and joins said top substantially only at an axially inner side thereof, relative to a plane perpendicular to the wheel axis and passing through an axial middle of said top, said axial outer side being axially offset from said axial inner side; whereby a resultant of forces acting on said top moves axially toward the inside side of the wheel during relative movement of the top towards the base.