Patent ID: 7201197
Filing Date: 2007-04-10
Classification: B60C

Abstract:
1. A tire/wheel assembly comprising: a wheel having a rim; a pneumatic tire fitted to the rim of the wheel, the pneumatic tire having a tread surface and a hollow space, the tread surface having a circumferential groove extending in a circumferential direction of the tire; and a run-flat support member disposed in the hollow space of the pneumatic tire, the run-flat support member having an annular shell and elastic rings, the annular shell including a support surface formed on the radially outwardly facing surface and having a convexly curved surface portion with an annular apical line or face, and including two leg portions extending radially inwardly from the annular shell, the elastic rings supporting the two leg portions on the rim, wherein the apical line or apical face of the convexly curved surface portion is offset in a direction of a center axis of rotation of the wheel so as not to be located in a position corresponding to the circumferential groove when viewed from a radial direction of the wheel, and wherein the tread surface of the pneumatic tire has a plurality of circumferential grooves, the apical line or apical face of the convexly curved surface portion being located between one of the circumferential grooves and an adjacent one of the circumferential grooves so as to be spaced away one quarter or more of a wheel rotation axis direction length (L) between opening ends of the adjacent circumferential grooves from each circumferential groove opening end in the direction of the wheel rotation center axis.