Patents Examined by Katelyn W Smith
  • Patent number: 11325427
    Abstract: A tire has an outer surface comprising a decorative portion which is visible and provided with micro-protuberances at a density of from 2 to 10 micro-protuberances per 1 sq.mm, and the micro-protuberances include a recessed micro-protuberance provided at its top surface with a recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Ishigaki, Tetsuya Sakaguchi, Hiroshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 11325422
    Abstract: A tyre has a tread portion having a tread ground contacting surface and a main groove having a bottom surface and two groove wall surfaces extending outwardly in a tyre radial direction from the bottom surface. In a lateral cross section perpendicular to a length direction, at least one groove wall surface has an inner groove wall portion connected with the bottom surface and a protruding portion connected with the inner groove wall portion and having a protruding end protruding inwardly in a groove width direction from a groove reference line obtained by extending the inner groove wall portion. The protruding portion has an inclined surface portion extends obliquely between the protruding end and the tread ground contacting surface. When the tread portion in a reference state is loaded with a tyre load of 1.20 times a standard tyre load, the whole inclined surface portion contacts a flat surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Fujita, Koichi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11325331
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a tire which manufactures a side-wall rubber as a constituent member of the tire by winding a rubber strip formed of unvulcanized rubber on a carcass ply serving as a rotating body, the method includes the steps of: winding the rubber strip prior to vulcanization in a spiral manner having a partially overlapping region, so that at least part thereof is exposed at an outer surface, and another portion thereof is covered by the rubber strip after being wound; and arranging an electronic component so that the electronic component is positioned in the partially overlapping region of the rubber strip or between the carcass ply, etc. serving as the lower layer member of the rubber strip and the rubber strip, in the winding step or an earlier step thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Toyo Tire Corporation
    Inventor: Hiraku Nagayoshi
  • Patent number: 11325418
    Abstract: The assembly (24) comprises: a first structure (10) extending in a first overall direction (G1), a second structure (12), and a bearing structure (30) comprising filamentary bearing elements (32) comprising at least one filamentary bearing portion (74) extending between the first structure (10) and the second structure (12), the first structure (10) being arranged such that, for a length at rest L of the first structure (10) in the first overall direction (G1), the elongation at maximum force Art of the first structure in the first overall direction (G1) satisfies: Art?(2?×H)/L, in which H0×K?H where H0 is the mean straight-line distance between an internal face (42) of the first structure (10) and an internal face (46) of the second structure (12) when each filamentary bearing portion (74) is at rest, and K=0.50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Sébastien Rigo, Richard Cornille, Gregor Hug, Bastien Limozin, Florian Vilcot
  • Patent number: 11318695
    Abstract: A tire having a rubber assembly including a first rubber member, a second rubber member, and a third rubber member which are arranged in series in the cross-section including the tire rotational axis. The method includes: extruding the unvulcanized rubber assembly as two separate parts which are a first extrusion rubber portion and a second extrusion rubber portion divided at a division surface passing through the unvulcanized first rubber member; winding the first extrusion rubber portion into a base annular body; and forming the unvulcanized rubber assembly by winding the second extrusion rubber portion so that only the first rubber member included in the second extrusion rubber portion overlaps with the first rubber member included in the base annular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuma Watanabe, Rung Yimpoopha, Sittichai Apaikawin
  • Patent number: 11298980
    Abstract: Tire (1) comprising a directional tread (2) comprising a plurality of blocks (5) extending continuously along an overall curvature C from one of the edges (3) towards the centre (4) of said tread, all or some of the blocks (5) of the tread comprising a median sipe (10) of length S extending along a curvature C? substantially identical to the curvature C of the block, each block (5) comprising a central zone at an angle ?1 such that 35°??1?65°, an edge zone at an angle ?3 such that 0°??3?10°, and an intermediate zone between the central zone and the edge zone at an angle ?2 allowing continuity between the three zones, at least some of the blocks (5) being designed with a block chamfer (15) provided at the trailing edge in the intermediate zone and/or the edge zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: David Mosnier, Michel Montarras, Yann Hye
  • Patent number: 11298985
    Abstract: A tire comprising a tread, this tread comprising at least one channel and at least one wear indicator that is disposed on the bottom of the channel. The wear indicator has a contact face which is intended to come into contact with a road surface when the tire reaches a wear limit. The contact face has a texture that contrasts with the bottom of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Stéphanie Cambon, Olivier Muhlhoff
  • Patent number: 11279182
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to a magnetic and osmotic inner tube for insertion in vehicle tires. The magnetic and osmotic inner tube may include a nonpermeable membrane ring coupled to a semipermeable membrane ring, an O-ring, and a group of polar magnets. The nonpermeable membrane ring may be coated with a sealant and store hypertonic fluid and plugging materials. The semipermeable membrane ring may store hypotonic fluid and plugging materials. When a vehicle tire is punctured by an object, the hypotonic fluid and the plugging materials are drawn by osmosis through the semipermeable membrane ring into the hypertonic fluid of the nonpermeable membrane ring to create an osmotic pressure on the nonpermeable membrane ring that causes the O-ring to seal the puncture. The polar magnets may be arranged, in parallel, to generate opposing magnetic forces that create a magnetic field that supports a vehicle weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Florida A&M University
    Inventor: Charles Magee
  • Patent number: 11273675
    Abstract: A tire has a visible outer surface comprising a decorative region provided with a plurality of micro-protrusions each comprising a recess and a wall portion. The wall portion surrounds the recess to form a protrusion's apex having an upper surface, and the upper surface of the wall portion comprises a peak point and a bottom point in a protruding-height direction of the micro-protrusion, wherein a protruding amount at the peak point is larger than a protruding amount at the bottom point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Sakaguchi, Yuichi Ishigaki, Hiroshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 11254169
    Abstract: A tire (1) comprising a tread (8), this tread comprising at least one channel (2), at least one wear indicator (3) disposed on the bottom of the channel (2), the wear indicator comprising a contact face (7) intended to come into contact with a road surface when the tire reaches a wear limit, the channel (2) comprising a texture (4) surrounding the wear indicator (3) and contrasting with the contact face (7) of the wear indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Stéphanie Cambon, Olivier Muhlhoff
  • Patent number: 11230144
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a belt layer disposed in the tread portion. The average cord angle ?n and average cord count Nn of the belt layer are constant or gradually increases or decreases from a center position to shoulder positions. The ratio ?ns/?nc of the average cord angle ?ns at the shoulder positions to the average cord angle ?nc at the center position is 1.30 or less. The ratio Nns/Nnc of the average cord count Nns at the shoulder positions to the average cord count Nnc in the center position is 0.77 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Wataru Isaka
  • Patent number: 11220139
    Abstract: Airplane tire with a tread wear indicator, with a circumferential ridge (4) of the tread (2) having an initial height H0 and an allowable remaining height HR. Wear indicator (6) comprises N cylindrical cavities (7) emerging on rolling surface (3) and independent of one another. The N cavities are divided into a first family of N1 wear cavities C1i (8) having respective initial depths P1i in pairs that are distinct and equal to i*(H0?HR)/N1, i being an integer number varying from 1 to N1, and into a second family of N2 positioning cavities C2j (9), j being an integer number varying from 1 to N2, each positioning cavity C2j having an initial depth P2j strictly greater than (H0?HR), such that only the N2 positioning cavities C2j (9) emerge on rolling surface (3) when height HR of circumferential ridge (4) is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Olivier Francois
  • Patent number: 11214099
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire that can be obtained without requiring complicated design and has improved noise performance. On the inner vehicle-mounting side, the circumferential pitch length of the tire has pitch variation comprising at least three pitch lengths and, if the number of pitches is n and the pitch lengths (Pi) are Pi1, Pi2, Pi3, . . . , Pin, in order from the greatest pitch length, the pitch lengths satisfy the relationships Pi1/Pi2?Pi2/Pi3? . . . ?Pin?1/Pin, and Pi1/Pi2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Koishikawa
  • Patent number: 11214096
    Abstract: A pneumatic tyre includes a tread portion, and a pair of buttress portions each extending inwardly in a tyre radial direction from a respective one of tread edges. At least one of the pair of buttress portions is provided with side protectors protruding outwardly in a tyre axial direction. The side protectors include first protectors arranged in a tyre circumferential direction. Each first protector includes a lateral V-shaped portion including a first inclined element inclined with respect to the tyre circumferential direction and a second inclined element inclined in an opposite direction to the first inclined element with respect to the tyre circumferential direction and connected to the first inclined element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shoichi Wada
  • Patent number: 11192317
    Abstract: A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels, comprises a sleeve building area (A) in which devices for obtaining carcass sleeves (12) operate, a crown building area (B) in which devices for obtaining crown structures (7) operate and a shaping station (14) tor shaping each carcass sleeve (12) according to a toroidal configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Sergio Sacchi
  • Patent number: 11186053
    Abstract: A tire includes a central region configured to be mounted to a wheel and a crown region including a circumferential tread and a shear element disposed below the circumferential tread. The shear element includes an upper reinforcement layer, a lower reinforcement layer, and an elastic region disposed between the upper reinforcement layer and the lower reinforcement layer. A radial distance between the upper reinforcement layer and the lower reinforcement layer varies along an axial width of the tire. The tire also includes an intermediate region extending from the central region to the crown region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS TIRE OPERATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew V. Haidet, Douglas B. Costlow, Robert W. Asper
  • Patent number: 11167600
    Abstract: A pneumatic tyre including a tread portion, wherein the tread portion has a groove which is oriented at an angle between +45 and ?45 degrees with respect to the rolling direction of the tyre, the groove having a depth extending in the radial dimension, wherein the groove includes a plurality of protrusions extending along the direction of the groove, wherein each protrusion has a length in the direction of the groove, a width perpendicular to its length and a height. Each protrusion has a length of at least 75% of the circumferential length of the tyre tread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Apollo Tyres Global R&D B.V.
    Inventors: Ydwer Rinske Woudstra, Ysbrand Hans Wijnant, Dirk Anton Bekke
  • Patent number: 11162873
    Abstract: A tire comprises an inner surface defining and facing an inner hollow space, an outer surface pointing away from the inner hollow space. A method of processing the tire comprises identifying the position of a first feature on the outer surface and cleaning a surface portion of the inner surface of the tire, wherein the surface portion has a first predetermined position relative to the position of the first feature on the outer surface. A separate element is attached with its attachment surface to the surface portion, wherein a ratio of a size of the surface portion over a corresponding size of the attachment surface is smaller than 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: 4JET TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Armin Kraus, Jörg Jetter, André Lange
  • Patent number: 11161314
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes: cutting out a sheet-like belt 8b by cutting a master roll 8a between a master roll table 10 and a belt table 14; moving the belt table 14 carrying the cut-out sheet-like belt 8b to a winding position of the sheet-like belt 8b; and winding the sheet-like belt 8b around a winding cylinder 50 at the winding position. The master roll 8a is fixed onto the belt table 14 by attraction when the master roll 8a is cut between the master roll table 10 and the belt table 14 and the belt table 14 is moved to the winding position of the sheet-like belt 8b while keeping the cut-out sheet-like belt 8b fixed onto the belt table 14 by attraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Itakura
  • Patent number: 11155122
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion being provided with blocks which are provided with sipes. When the tread portion is virtually divided into a crown area having a ¼ tread ground-contact width centered on a tire equator, a pair of middle areas each having a ? tread ground-contact width and being adjacent to axially each side of the crown area and a pair of inner shoulder areas each having a ? tread ground-contact width and being adjacent to axially outside the middle areas, the sipes comprise crown sipes having main portions included in the crown area, middle sipes having main portions included in the middle areas and shoulder sipes having main portions included in the inner shoulder areas. Depths of the crown sipes are smaller than depths of the middle sipes, and depths of the shoulder sipes are smaller than the depths of the middle sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Dai Kurosawa