VALVE STEM-BASED AIR MAINTENANCE TIRE AND METHOD

An air maintenance tire comprising a tire cavity (28) bounded by first and second sidewalls (18) extending to a tire tread region (26), air pumping means (14) for generating pressurized air for maintaining air pressure within the tire cavity (28) at a preset pressure level, and a valve housing (110) disposed adjacent an outward end of a valve stem (80) is disclosed. The valve housing (110) is operative to selectively open and close pressurized air flow from a valve stem internal passageway into the tire cavity (28). The first sidewall (18) has at least one bending region operatively bending within a rolling tire footprint and a sidewall groove or channel defined by respective walls positioned within the bending region of the first sidewall (18). The groove or channel deforms segment by segment between a non-deformed state and a deformed, constricted state in response to the bending of the first sidewall (18) bending region within the rolling tire footprint.