Patent ID: 8118072

Claim:
A run flat tire for use with a wheel having two flanges and a drop center, and a tire having two tire beads, comprising: a plurality of complementary, load bearing arcuate portions each having a main body portion configured so as to extend radially outward from said wheel drop center, wherein the inner peripheral surface of each of said arcuate portions is configured so as to abut the outer peripheral surface of the wheel drop center, and wherein each arcuate portion has an extended lip portion which extends laterally in both directions from the inner base portion of each of said arcuate portions along a line generally perpendicular to the main body portion, which extended lip portions have a width substantially equal to the distance between said tire beads and are configured so as to abut said tire beads, wherein each of said arcuate portions is releasably secured to another and all of said arcuate portions are secured together to form a continuous ring for attachment around said wheel drop center; wherein said arcuate portions consist of: about 43% of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer having Shore D hardness of 55; about 15% of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer having Shore D hardness of 72; about 11% of a polybutylene terephthalate polyester resin having 30% glass reinforcement; and about 31% of an unreinforced polybutylene terephthalate polyester resin.