An apparatus for mounting and removing a tyre on and from a respective rim comprises: an element for moving a bead of the tyre in order to insert/remove the bead into/from a respective groove in the rim, the element comprising a tool connected to a respective supporting arm for moving the bead; a rotatable support for the rim, in such manner as to turn the rim and the tyre about a corresponding longitudinal axis of the rim; at least one sensor associated with the supporting arm for measuring the mechanical strain applied to the bead of the tyre when the latter is mounted on, and removed from, the rim.

A method manufactures a wheel and tire assembly for a mobile vehicle. The method includes the steps of: extruding a cylindrical sprocket structure out of a first polymer; sliding the structure over a cylindrical tire building drum; forming an annular reinforcement layer by wrapping a ply around inflatable bladders; transferring the reinforcement layer and bladders to a sprocket structure; positioning the bladders and ply to correspond to curved indentations of the sprocket structure; inflating the bladders to tension and appropriately position the ply; extruding a cylindrical ring structure out of a second polymer; sliding the ring structure over the tire building drum; positioning the bladders and ply to correspond to curved indentations of the ring structure; forming cylindrical cavities by the curved indentations of the sprocket structure and ring structure; securing an annular layer about an outer surface of the ring structure; deflating the bladders; contracting the tire building drum; removing the bladders and tire build drum from a complete structure including the sprocket structure, the ply, the ring structure, and the layer; curing the complete structure; and mounting the complete, cured structure on a vehicle wheel.

A single-cell workstation for processing a tire-wheel assembly including a tire and a wheel is disclosed. The single-cell workstation includes a mounting and indexing sub-station including a first plurality of tire engaging portions including one or more first tire-engaging surfaces, and a second plurality of tire engaging portions including one or more second tire-engaging surfaces.

A run-flat tire 1 comprises a carcass 6, a pair of side reinforcing rubber layers 9, and a pair of sidewall rubber components 10. At a tire maximum-width position, a first side reinforcing rubber layer 9A disposed in the side of a first bead portion has a thickness B1 greater than a thickness B2 of a second side reinforcing rubber layer disposed in the side of a second bead portion, and a first sidewall rubber component disposed in the side of the first bead portion has a thickness A1 smaller than a thickness A2 of a second sidewall rubber component disposed in the side of the second bead portion.

A runflat device can include a double sided beadlock. The runflat device can be fitted to any size and type of wheel, regardless of a shape and depth of a wheel well. The runflat device can be fitted using standard tools, and may be tightened by manipulation of a valve assembly.

Described herein is a wheel rim clip or clamp that is used to assist the user in mounting or remounting a bicycle tire on a wheel, thereby allowing the user to use both hands in mounting the tire around the wheel (tubeless or a tube/inner tube assembly). Furthermore, the rim clip allows a user to mount or remove a tire from a wheel rim with or without a work stand.

An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a tire support member including a first tire support member, a second tire support member and a third tire support member. Each of the first, second and third tire support members include an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes a plurality of tire engaging devices including a first tire tread engaging post and a second tire tread engaging post. A method for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire wheel assembly is also disclosed.

A tire changing apparatus for removing a tire from a corresponding rim of a wheel, comprising a frame having a supporting element configured to support the wheel rotatably about an axis of rotation, a bead breaker tool associated with the frame and movable towards and away from the supporting element along a movement direction, an actuator connected to the tool in order to move the latter along the movement direction and control means connected to the actuator. The control means comprise a processor which is set up to receive data representing a curve of the feed speed of the bead breaker tool towards the supporting element and which is programmed to identify a position of contact of the tool with the tire as a function of a deceleration of the bead breaker tool.

A method of coupling a tire to a wheel is disclosed. A bead of the tire is placed against a side rim that is movable with respect to the wheel base. The side rim is moved along the axis of the wheel base and against the tire bead to couple the tire to the wheel.

A tool for seating a tubeless tire on a rim using pressurized gas includes a cylindrical pressure vessel with a pistol grip extending radially from the tank. The tool includes a rapid opening gas valve positioned between the cylindrical pressure vessel and a nozzle. In some embodiments the nozzle includes a jet configured to receive pressurized gas from the cylindrical pressure vessel into a chamber of the nozzle so that as the stream of gas enters the chamber, the Venturi effect causes air to enter the chamber through air intake ports and the stream of gas and air from the air intake ports is blown out of the outlet of the nozzle. The tire is seated on the rim by positioning the system so that the air from the nozzle rapidly blows into the tire between the bead of the tire and the rim upon the valve being opened.