Patent ID: 7976107

Claim:
A wheel rim comprising: a lateral balance plane, defined as a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel rim, and upon which the wheel rim is laterally balanced; an outer surface, the outer surface facing away from the axis of rotation of the wheel rim; an inner surface, facing towards the axis of rotation of the wheel rim; an imaginary plane through the geometric centerline of the wheel rim, where the imaginary plane is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the wheel rim, and where the imaginary plane is not coincident with the lateral balance plane; and a circumferential area located on the inner surface, the circumferential area coinciding with the intersection of the inner surface with the lateral balance plane of the wheel rim, the circumferential area being visibly distinguishable from the rest of the inner surface; and wherein the circumferential area is made visibly distinguishable from the rest of the inner surface prior to installing a tire on the wheel rim.