Tire with extended flange seat

Abstract

Disclosed are improved wheels and tires for simulating the appearance of larger-diameter wheels mounted within low-profile tires. The improved tires are intended to be mounted on wheels with an extended outer flange. An embodiment of the tire comprises an outboard tire wall, an inboard tire wall, a tread therebetween, a laterally extending wheel protector, a ledge, and a flange seat. The flange seat is optionally contoured to match the inner face of an outer flange of the improved wheel.

1 . A wheel with an apparent outer diameter larger than its actual outer diameter when mounted within a tire, the wheel comprising: a central hub having an inboard side, an outboard side, a plurality of spokes, and an axis of rotation; an inboard lip formed on the inboard side of the hub; an outboard lip formed on the outboard side of the hub; an outer flange attached to the outboard side of the hub, the outer flange extending radially outwardly beyond the outboard lip and beyond any other portion of the wheel; a spoke pattern formed on the outboard side of the wheel and extending across at least a portion of the central hub and the outer flange, the distance between the axis of rotation of the central hub and the furthest radial extent of the design on the outer flange being greater than the distance between the axis of rotation and the outer diameter of the inboard lip, the outer flange giving the appearance that spokes on the central hub extend across at least a portion of the outer flange, to create the appearance that the central hub extends radially beyond its actual diameter to enhance said appearance of a larger-diameter wheel.