THE SELF-SUPPORTING TIRE: A NEW CONCEPT IN VEHICLE MOBILITY

Elimination of the spare tire has long been a goal of the automotive industry. Providing vehicle mobility with only four tires, however, has been a very complex product, design assignment for the tire industry. The four-tire system must be designed to perform satisfactorily in both the inflated and the uninflated modes, thus creating a whole new matrix of design/performance relationships. In developing such a totally- new tire/wheel system, testing procedures must be developed to evaluate design concepts, screen materials and establish product performance levels. This paper traces the evolution of a new tire system requiring only two components: a modified one-piece rim, and a specially-designed tire which structurally supports itself at zero inflation pressure. This paper also describes testing procedures during the program to screen design concepts and establish product performance levels. /HSRI/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was presented at the International Automotive Engineering Congress and Exposition held by the Society of Automotive Engineers in Detroit, February 28-March 4, 1977.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Alden, J T
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 8 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Mobility; Performance; Pressure; Testing; Tires; Vehicle design; Wheels
• Old TRIS Terms: Inflatable devices
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00152957
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 770349
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 22 1977 12:00AM