Self-supporting tire for a vehicle wheel and method for manufacturing the tire

The present invention relates to a self-supporting tire for vehicle wheels, comprising: a carcass structure having at least one carcass ply provided with end flaps in engagement with respective annular anchoring structures disposed in coaxial relation with a geometric rotation axis of the tire at axially spaced apart positions with respect to each other; a belt structure applied to the carcass structure at a radially outer position thereof; a tread band applied to the belt structure at a radially outer position thereof; at least one pair of sidewalls applied to the carcass structure at opposite side positions; at least one pair of resilient stiffening inserts incorporated into the carcass structure, each at one of said sidewalls. A self-supporting tire for vehicle wheels includes a carcass structure having at least one carcass ply, a belt structure, a tread band, at least one pair of sidewalls, and at least one pair of resilient stiffening inserts incorporated into the carcass structure. The at least one carcass ply includes axially-inner strip lengths and axially-outer strip lengths, and may also include axially-intermediate strip lengths. Each of the strip lengths extend in a U-shaped configuration around a cross-section outline of the carcass structure to define two side portions spaced apart from each other in an axial direction and a crown portion extending at a radially-outer position between the side portions. The resilient stiffening inserts are axially interposed between the side portions of the axially-inner strip lengths and the side portions of the axially-outer strip lengths.