Run flat tire support and colorant therefor

Abstract

The present invention provides a unitary run flat tire (RFT) reinforcement that is formed into a relatively rigid shape. The reinforcement is insertable into a mold for an RFT support and can maintain the needed structural rigidity for such insertion. Further, the invention provides an RFT support that is molded and includes the RFT reinforcement. The invention also provides a wheel assembly including a tire, a rim, and an RFT support between the rim and the tire, where the support includes the RFT reinforcement. The RFT support can have a colored indicator formed or subsequently applied thereto to indicate one or more attributes of the support.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A run flat tire (RFT) support, comprising: 
 a) a molded portion having an outer circumference and an inner circumference and adapted to mount to a wheel rim to support a deflated tire when the tire is rolling on a surface, the molded portion further comprising a colored indicator that indicates at least one attribute of the RFT support; and    b) at least one RFT reinforcement molded into the molded portion.    
     
     
         2 . The RFT support of  claim 1 , wherein the colored indicator is adapted to indicate at least one operation attribute of the RFT support.  
     
     
         3 . The RFT support of  claim 1 , wherein the RFT reinforcement comprises one effective layer and has a rigidity sufficient to deform about 20% or less when dropped from about two meters high to a hard surface when an axis of the reinforcement is substantially perpendicular to gravity.  
     
     
         4 . The RFT support of  claim 1 , wherein the colored indicator is applied to the molded portion after molding.  
     
     
         5 . The RFT support of  claim 1 , wherein the colored indicator is applied by gravure, roll, spin, flow, brush, electrostatic, dip, spray, immersion, powder coat, coat, paint, or some combination thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The RFT support of  claim 1 , wherein the colored indicator is formed in the molded portion by a colorant added in a molding process of the molded portion.  
     
     
         7 . The RFT support of  claim 6 , wherein the colored indicator can be added to either an A-side or a B-side or a combination thereof in a reaction injection molding (RIM) process.  
     
     
         8 . The RFT support of  claim 6 , wherein the colored indicator is formed in the molding process by a reaction of components.  
     
     
         9 . The RFT support of  claim 6 , wherein the colored indicator is a dye.  
     
     
         10 . The RFT support of  claim 1 , wherein the colored indicator is substantially uniform across at least one surface of the molded portion.  
     
     
         11 . The RFT support of  claim 1 , wherein the colored indicator is formed from one or more indicia and are perpendicular, parallel, or at one or more angles to a central axis of the molded portion.  
     
     
         12 . The RFT support of  claim 1 , further comprising a wheel rim wherein the colored RFT support is adapted to be mounted to the rim.  
     
     
         13 . A run flat tire (RFT) support, comprising a molded portion having an outer circumference and an inner circumference and adapted to mount to a wheel rim to support a deflated tire when the tire is rolling on a surface, the molded portion having a colored indicator that indicates at least one attribute of the RFT support.  
     
     
         14 . The RFT support of  claim 13 , wherein the colored indicator is applied to the molded portion after molding.  
     
     
         15 . The RFT support of  claim 13 , wherein the colored indicator is formed in the molded portion by a colorant added in a molding process of the molded portion.  
     
     
         16 . The RFT support of  claim 15 , wherein the colored indicator is formed by adding to either an A-side or a B-side or a combination thereof in a reaction injection molding (RIM) process.  
     
     
         17 . The RFT support of  claim 13 , wherein the colored indicator is substantially uniform across at least one surface of the molded portion.  
     
     
         18 . The RFT support of  claim 13 , wherein the colored indicator is formed from one or more indicia and are perpendicular, parallel or at one or more angles to a central axis of the molded portion.