The present invention relates to a tire tread comprising a plurality of circumferential grooves separating circumferential ribs, each groove comprising a bottom and two sidewalls, and a plurality of laterally separated reinforcements, wherein one reinforcement is arranged adjacent each circumferential groove, and wherein each reinforcement extends from the radially inner surface of the tread in a radial direction at least to the bottom of an adjacent circumferential groove to form the bottom of that groove. Further, the invention relates to a tire comprising a tread in accordance with the present invention.

An object of the invention is to provide a tire tube which has excellent air impermeability and such excellent durability that the occurrence of cracks in the tube main body is prevented in a contact surface between the tube main body and an inner circumferential surface of the tire. The tire tube of the invention includes a tube main body having a multilayer structure in which at least one rubber layer and at least one thermoplastic resin layer made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin are laminated together. In at least a region where the tube main body is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the tire tread part, the rubber layer is placed as the outermost layer of the multilayer structure, and the thermoplastic resin layer is placed inside the outermost layer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire of which rolling resistance is reduced without impairing wear resistance. Specifically, the pneumatic tire of the present invention comprises: a tread portion; a pair of side wall portions; a pair of bead portions; a carcass constituted of at least one carcass ply extending in a toroidal shape between bead cores in the respective bead portions; a belt disposed on the outer peripheral side of a crown region of the carcass and formed by at least one inclined belt layer made of cords extending to be inclined with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire; and a tread rubber disposed on the radially outer side of the belt, wherein a ratio of BD/BW satisfies the following formula: (0.062×tire aspect ratio−0.01)

A mounted assembly of a wheel and a tire. The tire inflation pressure is greater than 9 bar, and a relative deflection of the tire greater than 30%. The rim comprises a drop-center functionality and is of monobloc type. A carcass reinforcement includes a circumferential alignment of carcass reinforcement elements anchored in the beads by a stack of circumferentially oriented reinforcement elements, and by an anchoring rubber mix having an elasticity modulus of less than 30 MPa at 10% deformation.

An intermediate article of manufacture formed as a first stage bead area subassembly for a split ply pneumatic tire carcass is disclosed. The bead area subassembly has an annular bead core; a bead apex; a ply strip; and preferably a sidewall affixed to the ply strip. The subassembly is formed into a disk-shaped bead area monocomponent. The ply strip is wrapped about the bead core and the apex to form a ply turnup and both the ply strip and the ply turnup extend radially outwardly from the bead core. The bead area subassembly when formed into the disk-shaped bead area monocomponent is placed on an annular holder device. The combination of the bead area monocomponent on the holder device can be stacked for storage and latter assembly into a split ply carcass. Preferably, the ply turnup can be oriented extending inside or axially inward of the bead core on final assembly to form a split ply tire having axially inside turnups. In the preferred embodiment the ply strip is reinforced by radially extending ply cords.

A tire containing a pair of beads, at least one carcass ply extending from one bead to the other bead forming a pair of sidewall areas of the tire and a tread area of the tire, and at least one layer of a knit fabric in the sidewall area of the tire, where the knit fabric has a warp and weft direction and is a double cord stitch knit fabric. A method of making the fabric and tire are also disclosed.

In the invention, at least a tire outer circumferential side portion of a tread portion is formed of a non-conductive rubber layer. The non-conductive rubber layer is formed by winding and laminating a non-conductive rubber ribbon along a tire circumferential direction. A conductive layer is provided on an outer circumference of the non-conductive rubber ribbon, and the conductive layer continuously and spirally extends along the tire circumferential direction, and is exposed on a tread surface from a bottom surface of the non-conductive rubber layer toward a tire outer circumferential side. Accordingly, an electricity generated in a vehicle body is discharged to a road through the conductive layer. Since the conductive layer is scattered within the non-conductive rubber layer and exposure on the tread surface is preferably secured, it is possible to achieve an excellent conductivity.

The present invention provides an adhesive composition that may improve both adhesiveness to a film layer and adhesiveness to a rubber layer, and an adhesion method using the same, as well as a laminate and a tire. The adhesive composition according to the present invention includes a rubber component, at least 80 mass % of which rubber component is an epoxidized natural rubber.

A pneumatic tire in which: a carcass layer is laid between paired bead sections; a belt layer is buried, on the outer peripheral side of the carcass layer, in a tread section; and multiple main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction are provided in the tread section. In the pneumatic tire, a maximum groove depth of each of the main grooves is 8.5 mm to 15.0 mm, a ratio α of a section height SH of an actual tire to a section height SHstd calculated from a tire size is set in a range of 0.97≦α≦0.99, a contact area ratio is 65% to 70% under a measurement condition where an air pressure is 200 kPa and a load is 50% of a load carrying ability with the air pressure of 200 kPa, and an average contact pressure P is 300 kPa to 400 kPa under the measurement condition. The tire achieves enhanced wet performance without increasing tire weight.

A pneumatic tire comprises an annular tread portion including a plurality of circumferentially extending main grooves comprising an innermost groove, an outermost groove, and at least one middle groove arranged between the innermost groove and the outermost groove. The outermost groove comprises an inner sidewall, an outer sidewall, a groove bottom, and a groove opening opposite to the groove bottom, wherein the outermost groove has an asymmetric cross section with respect to any straight line perpendicular to the groove opening, and wherein the outer sidewall of the outermost groove is tilted by more than 20° with respect to a straight line perpendicular to the groove opening.

A tire 1 comprises rib-shaped land portions 20 extending in a tire circumferential direction TC and has a circumferential groove 30 adjacent to the land portions 20 and extending in the tire circumferential direction TC. Tread contact surfaces 10 of the land portions 20 form smooth surfaces with no gap when a normal load is applied and the tread contact surfaces are in contact with a road surface. The circumferential groove 30 includes a shallow groove portion 40 extending in the tread-width direction TW, and a deep groove portion 50 adjacent to the shallow groove portion 40 in the tire circumferential direction and extending in the tread-width direction. A deep groove portion 50 is recessed more inwardly in a tire radial direction TR than the shallow groove portion 40 with a groove bottom 40c of the shallow groove portion 40 being an upper end of the deep groove portion 50.

A tire (10) having a tread (12) includes a plurality of laterally spaced, circumferentially extending continuous ribs (11) defining grooves (14). Each groove has oppositely facing sidewalls (20, 22) and a bottom surface (30). A first set of stone bumpers is provided with each stone bumper (18) projecting laterally from one of the sidewalls with an end (24) extending towards the other sidewall of the groove. A second set of stone bumpers is provided with each stone bumper (18') projecting from the other sidewall with an end (26) extending towards the one sidewall of the groove. Each stone bumper of the first and second sets of stone bumpers 1) is integral with the associated sidewall and with a portion of the bottom surface of the groove, and 2) includes a cutout (34) defining a surface that is spaced from and in opposing relation to the bottom surface of the groove.

This invention relates to a rubber composition including a polyisoprene rubber having a very high cis-1,4-bond content and having an excellent balance between dynamic properties and processability, and more particularly to a rubber composition comprising as a rubber component (A) a synthetic polyisoprene rubber having a cis-1,4-bond content of not less than 99.0%, a 3,4-bond content of not more than 0.5% and a Mooney viscosity ML1+4 (100° C.) of 20-110 and (B) a natural rubber.

A rubber-steel hybrid cord of the present invention is characteristically formed by twisting a plurality of sheath filaments or sheath strands around a core in which a periphery of and space surrounded by one or a plurality of core filaments or a core strand are coated or filled with a filler rubber (A) containing an adhesion promoter, thereby forming a multilayer-twist steel cord or a multi-twist steel cord, and coating an outer surface of the multilayer-twist steel cord or the multi-twist steel cord with a coating rubber (C). Further, an amount of an adhesion promoter contained in the coating rubber (C) is equal to or more than an amount of the adhesion promoter contained in the filler rubber (A).

A tire with a radial carcass reinforcement made up of at least one layer of metal reinforcing elements, the tire comprising a crown reinforcement itself capped radially with a tread, the tread being connected to two beads via two sidewalls. At least 70% of the metal reinforcing elements of at least one layer of the carcass reinforcement are non wrapped cables which, in what is known as the air-wicking test, display a flow rate of less than 2 cm3/min, and at least 10% of the metal reinforcing elements of the at least one layer of the carcass reinforcement are cables which, in what is known as the air-wicking test, display a flow rate of greater than 4 cm3/min.

Provided is a pneumatic tire whose safety factor and durability are improved without generating a problem of an increase in the weight of a tire and an increase in the inner surface cord protrusion failure. Provided is a pneumatic tire including one or more carcasses 2 extending toroidally between bead cores 1 embedded in a pair of bead portions 11 respectively. A polyester fiber cord whose total decitex as a twisted cord is 4300 to 5100 dtex, whose cord strength as a dip treated cord is 6.5 to 7.2 cN/dtex and whose cord elongation at a stress loading of 2 cN/dtex is 3.5 to 4.0% is used as a reinforcing cord of the carcass 2, and the tenacity of a treat which is the reinforcing cord covered with rubber per unit width is 2.9 to 3.2 kN/cm.

A pneumatic tire for a commercial vehicle with a tread, wherein at least the part of the tread which comes into contact with the road contains a sulphur-vulcanized rubber mixture. The sulphur-vulcanized rubber mixture contains 90 to 50 phr (parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight, of all of the rubbers in the mixture) of natural rubber, 10 to 50 phr of at least one polybutadiene having a glass transition temperature Tg of −110 to −65° C. and 5 to 50 phr of at least one aliphatic and/or aromatic hydrocarbon resin having a softening point (ring and ball to ASTM E 28) of 0 to 150° C., and a mean molecular weight Mn of less than 2000 g/mol and a polydispersity D=Mw/Mn of 1 to 5.

A pneumatic tire includes first and second side members at first and second sides and a tread section between the first and second side members. The tread section has a tread pattern including a pair of main grooves extending linearly in a circumferential direction of the tire and a land section extending in the circumferential direction between the main grooves. The land section includes a sub groove extending in the circumferential direction without connecting to the main grooves, and a first sipe connecting between the sub groove and one of the main grooves. The sub groove includes a first groove section extending diagonally toward the first side at 0 to 30 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction and a second groove section connecting to the first groove section and extending diagonally toward the second side at 10 to 45 degrees with respect to the circumferential direction.

Side lug rows are provided at both side regions of a tread surface and are formed by a plurality of lugs defined by lug grooves opening to edges in the tread width direction, and a central block row aligned on the tire equator and formed by a plurality of blocks is disposed between positions at ¼ of the tread surface width from the tire equator. The tire has a directional tread pattern, with a designated rotation direction, formed by circumferential grooves and width direction grooves that define the blocks of the central block row and are narrow grooves with a narrower groove width than the lug grooves. The distance from the tire equator to the groove wall in each of the circumferential grooves defining the blocks is set to be larger at a leading edge of each block than at a trailing edge of each block.

The pneumatic tire 1 includes a belt layer 14 that includes a circumferential reinforcing layer 145 and a pair of cross belts 142, 143. Also, the pneumatic tire 1 includes at least three or more circumferential main grooves 21 to 23 in the tread portion having groove bottoms that are convex in the groove depth direction. Also, the curvature radius RA of the groove bottom of an arbitrary first circumferential main groove 21, 22 and the curvature radius RB of the groove bottom of an arbitrary second circumferential main groove 23 have the relationship RA

A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion, at least two circumferentially and continuously extending longitudinal grooves being provided with the tread portion, a land portion divided between the longitudinal grooves, a plurality of lateral grooves being provided with the land portion, each lateral grooves with one end communicating with one of the longitudinal grooves and the other end extending toward a tire equator, the longitudinal groove with a groove wall to which lateral grooves are connected, in each section between lateral grooves adjacent to a circumferential direction of the tire, the groove wall having a protruded portion and a dent portion being formed the nearest side of the tire equator, the protruded portion inclined with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire so as to gradually reduce a width of the longitudinal groove toward at least one lateral groove.

A pneumatic tire unit comprises a front tire to be mounted on a leading side of a vehicle, and a rear tire to be mounted on a trailing side of the vehicle. A plurality of recesses is provided in at least one tire side portion of the front tire, and a plurality of protrusions is provided on at least one tire side portion of the rear tire. A negative pressure region that can be generated at a back surface side of the vehicle is reduced and, therefore, air resistance of the vehicle is reduced and fuel economy is enhanced.

Embodiments relate to unidirectional TPMS utilizing information from a corresponding vehicle system in order to correlate with vehicle speed information to be used in a tire localization methodology. In an embodiment, the vehicle system is an anti-lock brake system (ABS), and the vehicle speed can be used in a localization scheme that reconstructs a +/−1 g ripple with waveform, amplitude, frequency and phase parameters. Because the waveform is known to be sinusoidal (due to the wheel rotation), the amplitude is known to be 2 g peak-to-peak (due to the gravitational +/−1 g), the frequency depends on vehicle speed (which can be estimated from centrifugal force measurements), and an algorithm is discussed herein for determining the phase by correlation, the +/−1 g ripple can be reconstructed and the wheels localized therefrom.

In a tire inflating station for inflating a tubeless tire arranged on a rim with a pressurized gas, arranged on a stand are a conveyor for receiving and conveying a wheel consisting of a wheel rim and a tire mounted on the wheel rim, and an inflation device above the conveyor and having an inflation opening which can be connected to a gas supply. The lower side of the inflation device has a carrier plate that is mounted to move backwards and forwards along an axis between at least two positions in a straight-line mechanism. There are inflation rings attached in tandem in a gas-tight manner to the lower side of a carrier plate. Inside the inflation rings, the carrier plate has a respective continuous opening. In each of the different working positions of the carrier plate, another of the continuous openings is connected to the inflation opening of the inflation device, which inflation opening is arranged on the upper side of the carrier plate.

Tire changing machines having force feedback and position control systems are described that may be used to control operation of one or more components of the machine during a tire change procedure. Information may be provided to a machine operator concerning detected operating conditions during the procedure. Excessive or abnormal forces or component positions can be detected and corrective action may be taken at any point in the tire change procedure. Successful component position profiles may be saved for future recall and execution by the machine.

The tire run-flat ring removal and installation machine includes three basic embodiments, each having a tire support table (14) and actuators for removing and/or reinstalling the run-flat ring (R) in the tire (T). The actuators may be hydraulically, pneumatically, or electromechanically powered, and save the technician considerable time and effort in the process.

A tire work station and system for selectively holding a tire having work performed thereon in a side orientation or a front orientation. The tire work station comprises a work platform mounted to a vertically adjustable pedestal having a first support system and a second support system. The first support system comprising a pair of tread rollers inclined at a first inclined angle A1 and further forming a second angle A2 with a pair of sidewall rollers. The sidewall rollers spaced apart to define a passageway for the tire in its front orientation. The second support system mounted between the pair of tread rollers, comprising a tread support surface at a first distance from a top surface of the work platform lower than a support surface of the pair of tread rollers at a second distance from the top surface of the work platform.

A device for changing the rotational angle position of a pneumatic tire relative to a rim, on which the pneumatic tire is fitted to the rim, includes a manipulating device with a gripper adapted to be rotated by a positionable rotary drive mechanism and having radially adjustable gripper fingers with oppositely facing lift-off devices. Via the gripper it is possible to load a wheel into a clamping fixture, and following unseating of the tire beads from the clamped rim the pneumatic tire can be rotated relative to the rim through a computed angular difference.

A system and method for removing an outer layer of resilient material from an object to achieve a target outer dimension includes performing an initial cut at a cutting depth to remove an outer layer of the material. A parameter indicative of a work input to a cutter that performed the cut is acquired and used to determine the cutting depth that will be used for performing a subsequent cut to remove an additional layer. In this way, subsequent cuts are performed until the target outer dimension is achieved.

An apparatus is configured to receive a tire having at least two bead portions, including a first bead portion and a second bead portion. The apparatus includes a plurality of members configured to engage the first bead portion of the tire, at least one expander configured to move the plurality of members outward, and a rotating device configured to rotate the plurality of members about an axis of the tire.

A slide hammer may be provided. The slide hammer may include: a body defining a through hole and a first attaching surface; an auxiliary weight having a second attaching surface configured to attach to the body at the first attaching surface, the auxiliary weight having a through hole located to align with the through hole in the body when the auxiliary weight is attached to the body; and a shaft located in the through holes in the body and auxiliary weight. A method of constructing a slide hammer is provided.

A roller platform for use in a tire inflation cage includes a frame and at least one roller assembly and facilitates the rotation of a rim-wheel within the tire inflation cage. The roller platform includes a frame having members that are spaced so that the tire stop on a tire inflation cage fits between the frame members. The roller platform includes cross members that are spaced so that the cross members fit between adjacent bars of a tire inflation cage and so a bar fits between the cross members.

A sealing tube is wrapped around the rim and inflated such as to seal the gap between tire and rim if the seal between the tire bead and rim has lost its integrity. After this, the tire can be inflated to specified pressure at a slow rate using a portable compressor. The repair can be done at roadside on any vehicle using inflatable tires usually without demounting the wheel or even jacking up the defective wheel.

A mounting device for mounting or dismounting a vehicle tire on a wheel rim, the wheel rim or the wheel being supported on a mounting table and a pressing-down device being provided for sliding the vehicle tire on the wheel rim. A movement of the pressing-down device is essentially parallel to the wheel axis for sliding the vehicle tire on the wheel rim or pulling off the vehicle tire from the wheel rim.

A motorcycle wheel changing tool is presented that utilizes a rolling carriage that immobilizes the front or back wheel utilizing flat steel swing arms and a tension spring that holds the wheel in place with a knockout retaining rod through the wheel. The entire unit can be rolled and/or lifted in place to work in conjunction with a motorcycle stand. There is a folding handle that expands or contracts to accommodate different size tire/wheel widths and can pull the unit. The rolling wheels can be raised or lowered for different motorcycles depending on the height of the bike in relation to the wheel stand. Additionally, four large eye hooks can be raised or lowered to secure the wheel. Two threaded rods are utilized that secure both angle ends in place to secure the unit so that it is perpendicular to the wheel and keeps the unit from flexing.

A working tool orienting device in a tire demounting machine includes a base which supports a rotary apparatus, rotating about an axis of rotation and designed to bear and lock wheel rims thereon; a column rising from the base and having an end secured to the base and an end opposite thereto facing upward; a moving arm, which is moved between positions close to and away from the rotary apparatus; a support arrangement for supporting working tools, which is coupled with the upward facing end, and joint means interposed between the support arrangement and the upward facing end, which are configured to make the support arrangement movable relative to the arm.

A tire bead seating apparatus for seating tire beads on a vehicle wheel, the apparatus comprising: (a) a repositionable arm operatively coupled to a rotatable drum, the repositionable arm directing the rotatable drum into selective engagement with an inflated tire mounted to a vehicle wheel, the rotatable drum operative to rotate when engaging the inflated tire to rotate the inflated tire and the vehicle wheel; (b) a first set of rollers selectively contacting a first peripheral surface of the inflated tire, the first peripheral surface bridging between a first sidewall and a treaded surface of the inflated tire; (c) a first set of rollers selectively contacting a second peripheral surface of the inflated tire, the second peripheral surface bridging between a second sidewall and the treaded surface of the inflated tire, the first sidewall being generally opposite the second sidewall; (d) a first bead roller selectively contacting the first sidewall proximate a first bead of the inflated tire; and, (e) a second bead roller selectively contacting the second sidewall proximate a second bead of the inflated tire.

A nozzle for seating a tubeless tire on a rim using pressurized gas includes an outlet, a jet configured to accept pressurized gas and emit a stream of gas through an orifice into a chamber. 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. A system for seating a tubeless tire on a rim includes the nozzle, a tank and a valve configured to control the flow of pressurized gas from the tank to the nozzle. The tire may be seated on the rim by positioning the system so that the air from the nozzle blows into the tire between the bead of the tire and the rim if the valve is opened.

A device for automatic demounting of a tire from a rim having: a support arm (4); a demounting tool (10) articulated to the support arm (4); an attachment member (12) having one end articulated to the demounting tool (10) by a first articulation pin (13) and the other end thereof pivoted to the support arm (4) around a second articulation pin (14) extending substantially parallel to the first articulation pin (13); at least one extension appendage of the support arm (4) or a section (17) of the support arm (4), which extends beyond the second articulation pin (14); and at least one tie rod member (18) that is articulated on one side to the tool, and on the other side to the extension appendage or section (17) of the support arm (4).

A tire inflation system comprising a tire inflation apparatus having an inflation head, a pressurized gas source, and a controller, with the inflation head being positioned at a tire and wheel assembly inflation location at which a tire and wheel assembly is received to inflate the tire and wheel assembly. The tire and wheel assembly includes a tire pressure monitoring (TPM) valve stem that detects and transmits inflation pressure data of the tire and wheel assembly. The inflation head defines a tire inflation cavity that seals with the tire of the tire and wheel assembly when engaged with the inflation head. Pressurized gas is delivered from the pressurized gas source through an outlet in the tire inflation cavity for inflation of the tire and wheel assembly. The controller receives inflation pressure data from the TPM valve stem and controls operation of the tire inflation apparatus in response thereto.

An apparatus and method to seat a tire on a rim are described. Protrusions and a handle on the apparatus allow a user to brace the protrusions against the rim to prevent blow back when air is vented into the gap between the tire and the rim to seat the tire bead. The air is vented through a plurality of holes in the apparatus and the flow of the air into the apparatus is controlled by positioning a bridge handle of a flow control valve situated between the apparatus and a tank of air.

A tire changer machine includes a control system that monitors a rotational position of a sensitive feature associated with a wheel rim and tire during a tire change procedure. The system adjusts operation of the machine to avoid damaging the sensitive feature, which may be a valve stem or a wheel sensor such as a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor.

Tire changing machines with automated positioning and closed loop control of bead pressing devices are described to maintain and control operation of the bead pressing devices during tire mount and de-mount procedures. Methodology is also disclosed.

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 spoon holder is provided. The tire spoon holder may include: a first and second handle; a first and second jaw, each jaw connected to at least one of the handles wherein the jaws are configured to come together when the handles are moved toward each other; and a loop attached to at least one jaw or handle. A method of attaching a tire spoon to a wheel rim may be provided. The method may include: attaching a tire spoon holder to a wheel rim; slipping a tire spoon through a loop in the tire spoon holder; and inserting a flat portion of the tire spoon between a tire and the wheel rim.

A machine for fitting and removing wheel tires for vehicles includes a bearing structure, at least an apparatus for fastening and rotating the rim of a wheel for vehicles, a tool-carrier unit associated mobile with the bearing structure and having a removal tool, at least an adjustment apparatus suitable for adjusting the position of the tool-carrier unit with respect to the bearing structure, to place the tool-carrier unit into a work configuration wherein the removal tool is arranged in proximity of the apparatus for fastening and rotating, at least a memorisation device for memorising the position of the tool-carrier unit in the work configuration and at least a positioning device for positioning the tool-carrier unit with respect to the bearing structure between the work configuration and a configuration of minimum overall dimensions, wherein the tool-carrier unit is arranged in proximity of the bearing structure.

The present invention relates to a demounting device comprising a support member translatable along a movement axis (y-y), drive means for the support member, a tool-holder arm (3) borne by the support member (2), an abutment element (4) and a hook-like extraction member (5) both supported by the tool-holder arm (3), the abutment element (4) having a substantially flat work surface (4a), whereas the hook-like extraction member (5) is suitable for being moved in a substantially transverse direction with respect to the rotation axis (x-x) of a rim (W).

The present invention relates to a device for demounting a tire (T) from a rim (W) including at least one support element;an articulation pin element borne by the at least one support element;a spring shackle element having a first end and a second end articulated on the articulation pin;a demounting lever;an actuator borne by the at least one support element and set to act on the demounting lever in order to make the demounting lever angularly move during use; andfriction or elastic loading means designed to slow the angular movement of the spring shackle element around the articulation pin with respect to its angular movement around the first axis (x-x).

An apparatus for processing a tire and a wheel for forming a tire-wheel assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one linear mounter sub-station that couples the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly. The apparatus also includes a transporting device that transports one of the wheel and the tire along a linear path that traverses the at least one linear mounter sub-station. The component of the at least one linear mounter sub-station resists, but does not prevent, movement of one of the tire and the wheel relative the other of the tire and the wheel along the linear path in order to spatially manipulate one of the tire and the wheel relative the other of the tire and the wheel in order to at least partially couple the tire with the wheel for forming the tire-wheel assembly. A method is also disclosed.

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.