Patent ID: 8434534

Claim:
A tire comprising: a tread at a radial extremity of the tire, having axially opposite edges; a sidewall extending radially from each of the axially opposite edges of the tread toward an axis of the tire; a first series of blocks fixed to each of said sidewalls at spaced circumferential intervals defining a first ring in concentric relation to said tire; a second series of blocks fixed to each of said sidewalls at spaced circumferential intervals defining a second ring in concentric relation to said tire and having a radius smaller than a radius of said first ring, each block having a circumferential width, wherein said second series of blocks of said second ring are in staggered circumferential relation to said first series of blocks of said first ring, wherein said second series of blocks of said second ring are in radially overlapping and offset relation to said first series of blocks of said first ring, wherein the radial overlap between the blocks is from 20 mm to 30 mm; wherein the spaced circumferential intervals between said blocks of said first series of blocks is greater than the circumferential width of said blocks of said second series of blocks, so that there exists a circumferential distance “B” between one of said blocks of said first series of blocks and one of said blocks of said second series of blocks in the range of one to five millimeters, such that a space or void is created between radially offset blocks, and whereby sideway gripping in ruts and sidewall support when running flat or at low pressures are improved; wherein each of said blocks of said first series of blocks comprises a base fixed to the associated side wall, a top, a first pair of circumferentially spaced and axially extending side surfaces between said base and top, and a second pair of radially spaced and axially extending side surfaces between said base and top; and wherein said second pair of side surfaces axially extend from said base at an acute angle thereby providing first sloping surfaces, wherein said radial overlap between said first and second series of blocks is not greater than the radial dimension of one of said second pair of surfaces.