Patent ID: 8042586
Filing Date: 2011-10-25
Classification: B60C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A self-inflating tire assembly comprising: a rim having a tire mounting surface extending between first and second rim flanges; a tire mounted to the rim tire mounting surface, the tire having a tire cavity, first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region; the first sidewall having at least one bending region operatively bending within a rolling tire footprint responsive to a bending strain, whereby the bending region in a bending condition within said rolling tire footprint having a bending strain neutral axis, a compression side of the neutral zone, and an elongation side of the neutral zone; a sidewall groove positioned within the compression side of the neutral axis of the one said bending region of the first tire sidewall; an air tube positioned within the sidewall groove in contacting engagement with opposite groove surfaces at least partially surrounding the air tube, the sidewall groove operatively bending within the bending region responsive to the bending strain within the rolling tire footprint to compress the air tube from an expanded diameter to a flat diameter adjacent the rolling tire footprint, whereby forcing evacuated air from a flattened air tube segment along the air passageway.