Patent ID: 8851132

Claim:
A tire assembly comprising: a tire having a tire cavity, a first and a second sidewall extending to a tire tread region; an elongate sidewall groove extending into the first tire sidewall from an outward first sidewall surface; the sidewall groove having an outer groove entry opening, a groove entry chamber axially inward from the groove entry opening defined by divergent entry chamber sidewalls, and a groove primary chamber axially inward from the groove entry chamber defined by primary chamber sidewalls, the groove entry chamber sidewalls and the groove primary chamber sidewalls intersecting and forming at the intersection a detent channel substantially extending a longitudinal length of the sidewall groove; an elongate air tube positioned within the elongate sidewall groove in at least partial contacting engagement with the groove primary chamber sidewalls, the air tube having an internal air passageway; wherein the air tube has a primary air tube body, the primary air tube body having an external surface configuration defined by primary air tube body external sides substantially adjacent and extending in parallel with the groove primary chamber sidewalls; and wherein the primary air tube body having an axially outward air tube body protrusion, air tube body protrusion having an external surface configuration defined by protrusion external sides substantially adjacent and extending in parallel with the groove entry chamber sidewalls.