Characterized By The Structure Of The Bead Portion Of The Tire Patents (Class 152/539)
  • Patent number: 7575033
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire composed of a carcass layer crossing between a pair of left and right bead cores, the bead cores comprise a fastening bead core for fastening an end of the carcass layer to be turned up around the fastening bead core, and a non-fastening bead core free from the end of the carcass layer. An inner circumferential radius R2 of the non-fastening bead core is set smaller than an inner circumferential radius R1 of the end of the carcass layer to be turned up around the fastening bead core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiichi Iida
  • Patent number: 7575032
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire whose rim slip resistance and durability are improved by optimizing the shape of the bead base is provided. A polygonal bead core 3 having a bottom 2 extending generally along the tire width direction is embedded in a bead portion 1. The bead portion 1 has a bead base 6 extending between a bead heel 4 and a bead toe 5. A maximum displacement point 11 is within a range of 25% or less of the width w of the bottom of the bead core with the third base point 10. The interference ta at the maximum displacement point 11 is 1.1 to 1.3 times as much as the interference tb at the second base point 8. the bead base 6 extends at least between the bead heel 4 and the first base point 8 and has a first tapered portion 12 with a taper angle ?1 being identical with or greater by three degrees or less than a taper angle ?BS of a bead seat of the standard rim R.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Shinsuke Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090194214
    Abstract: A tire including at least one structural element including a crosslinked elastomeric material obtained by crosslinking a crosslinkable elastomeric composition including: (a) at least one elastomeric polymer; (b) at least one layered material, the layered material having an individual layer thickness of 0.2 nm to 30 nm, preferably 0.3 nm to 15 nm, more preferably 0.5 nm to 2 nm, wherein the layered material shows, in an X-ray powder diffraction pattern, an X-ray intensity ratio (R) defined according to the following formula: (R)=[A(001)/A(hk0)max]×100 wherein: A(001) is the area of the peak; A(hk0)max is the area of the most intense peak (hk0), at least one of h or k being different from 0; lower than or equal to 20, preferably lower than or equal to 15, more preferably lower than or equal to 10, still more preferably lower than or equal to 5. Preferably, the at least one structural element is a tire tread band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Maurizio Galimberti, Gaetano Guerra, Angela Lostritto
  • Publication number: 20090183815
    Abstract: Tire comprising at least one carcass-type reinforcing structure (6) anchored on each side of the tire. The anchoring includes a turning up of the carcass-type reinforcing structure around a bead core (15) in such a way as to form a turned-up section (8). The tire also includes at least one circumferential bielastic reinforcing element (10) made of a bielastic fabric, in which the fabric employed is a bielastic knitted fabric, that is a stitched fabric in which the loops forming the stitches are capable of moving relative to each other. The at least one bielastic reinforcing element (10) being arranged so as to extend substantially parallel along a portion of the reinforcing structure (6) which is situated in that region of the bead (4) of the tire that is axially outward relative to the reinforcing structure, in the immediate vicinity of the latter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Huyghe
  • Patent number: 7562685
    Abstract: The present invention provides a run-flat tire provided with a reinforcing rubber layer 9 arranged in a side wall section 2 so as to be formed in a crescent cross sectional shape, an annular protrusion section 10 protruding to an outer side in a tire width direction from at least one of bead sections 1, and having an inner peripheral side surface 11 facing to an outer peripheral side curved surface of a rim flange 8a at a time of installing a specified rim, and an annular bead 1b arranged in the annular protrusion section 10, in which the run-flat tire is provided with a ridge section 23 connecting to an outer side in the tire width direction from an inner peripheral side surface 11 of the annular protrusion section 10 so as to protrude to an inner peripheral side of the tire, and having an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the rim flange 8a, and a soft rubber layer 15 arranged in the ridge section 23 and having a corner section 16 tapered toward the tire inner peripheral side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Segawa, Kazuhiko Kawamura, Jun Kodama, Masayuki Kanai
  • Publication number: 20090178749
    Abstract: 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-centre 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Christian MONNERIE
  • Patent number: 7556704
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire, including the steps of intermittently crimping volume adjusting members on both side sections of a sheet inner liner material in a longitudinal direction thereof beforehand, winding the inner liner material on an outer peripheral side of a forming drum, winding a sheet carcass material on an outer peripheral side of the inner liner material, forming an unvulcanized tire containing the inner liner material and the carcass material, and vulcanizing the unvulcanized tire. The volume adjusting members are intermittently arranged in a tire circumferential direction between the inner liner material and the carcass material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Tsukada, Hiroshi Yamauchi, Yasuji Akiyoshi
  • Patent number: 7552751
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire with a crown-shaped tread, a pair of bead portions, and a pair of side walls connecting the tread and the bead portions, wherein rim protectors which protrude outwardly in the tire rotating axial direction from the bead portions are provided at least either one of the pair of bead portions, and a plurality of protrusions are provided on a lateral side 3a outwardly in the tire radius direction of the rim protectors, and surface areas of the protrusions are not less than 50 mm2 and intervals of adjacent protrusions are not greater than 160 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuji Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7552754
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire has at least one carcass reinforcing ply and a pair of opposing bead portions. Each bead portion has a bead core and a bead apex, while the carcass reinforcing ply has a main portion and two turnups, with one turnup extending from each end of the main portion and having a terminal end. In each bead portion, there is a minimum distance DMIN between the carcass main portion and the carcass turnup, as measured perpendicular to the tire equatorial plane EP. The distance DMIN is not less than 50% of the maximum bead core width WB as measured perpendicular to the equatorial plane EP. In each bead portion, radially outward of the minimum distance DMIN, a radially outermost portion of the carcass turnup extends at an angle so the radially outermost portion of the carcass turnup is divergent from the carcass main portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Mingliang Du, Christopher Vincent Neal, Sr., Marc Borowczak, Thomas Sherwood Fleischman, Zhonghe Bo, Nagendra Prasad Venkata Akshantala, Laurent Licht, Jean-Marie Feller, Jean-Bernard Bodeux, Didier Winkin, Felix Maximo Vilchez Macuri
  • Publication number: 20090151845
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire has a chipper in place of a traditional apex, the chipper located between a carcass main portion and turnup portion. The chipper layer may be composed of a chopped carbon fiber and aramid composite reinforced elastomeric layer. The tire sidewalls have a radial height SH and a section width SW located within a range of 0.4 to 0.44 of the sidewall radial height SH measured from the bead core. The section width SW may further be located within a range of 0.1? to 0.3? inches from a radially outward end of the chipper layer in a radial direction. The tread may of a dual layer construction, having a radially inward first layer formed of a relatively low rolling resistance compound and a radially outward second layer formed of a compound containing silica.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Stefan Skurich, Lisa Marie Missik-Gaffney, David Ray Hubbell, Teresa Diane Martter, George Frank Balogh, Arthur Allen Goldstein
  • Patent number: 7543619
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire with decreased rolling resistance without impairing durability, comprising carcass 6, belt layer 7 disposed radially outward of the carcass in tread portion 2, and sidewall rubber 3g disposed axially outward of the carcass in sidewall portion 3 and extending in the radial direction of the tire, wherein the sidewall rubber includes an axially inner rubber portion 10 disposed axially outward of the carcass and an axially outer rubber portion 11 disposed axially outward of the inner rubber portion to form the tire outer surface, the inner rubber portion 10 has a lower loss tangent “tan ?” than the outer rubber portion 11 by a difference of 0.010 to 0.035, and the inner rubber portion 10 has a lower complex elastic modulus than the outer rubber portion 11 by a difference of 0.5 to 1.4 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuki Numata
  • Patent number: 7543620
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a carcass structure extending through a pair of opposing bead portions and an inner liner located inward of the carcass structure, each bead portion comprising a bead core about which is wrapped the carcass structure and a toeguard. Each bead portion has a bead toe, a bead base, and a bead heel, the bead base extending between the bead toe and the bead heel. The bead heel has a profile corresponding to a sector of an ellipse or approximates a sector of an ellipse by having a dual radius structure. The bead base may have a dual taper configuration. The bead core may be substantially centered in the bead portion, as determined by the material thickness at three locations about the bead core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Michael David Kachner, Thulasiram Gobinath, David Louis Winter, Kelly Sue King, Michael Christopher Kulton, John Patrick Roman, Judy Ann Birt, Randall Raymond Brayer, Sr., Robert Allen Losey, Ching-Chih Lee
  • Publication number: 20090139629
    Abstract: A tire for a vehicle wheel, in which at least one of the tire's beads includes: an anchoring zone for anchoring the reinforcement structure and including an upturn of the reinforcement structure around the bead wire, a bearing zone disposed radially and axially external to the bead wire and surrounded by the turned-up portion of the reinforcement structure, and an anchoring closure zone disposed substantially radially to the outside of the bead wire. The location of the anchoring closure zone is defined on one hand by an imaginary bead wire axis (At) which is substantially axial and passes substantially radially externally to the bead wire, and on the other hand an imaginary axis alpha which passes substantially radially externally to the bearing zone. The angle alpha has an angle alpha of less than 50° and preferably less than 45° as measured between the bead wire axis (At) and the axis alpha, in a clockwise direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Guy Cagneaux, Nicolas Janin
  • Publication number: 20090133798
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a bead cord wire includes the steps of subjecting a steel wire to a descaling treatment, subjecting the descaling-treated steel wire to a chemical conversion coating treatment through electrolysis so as to form a phosphate coating on a surface of the steel wire, and subjecting the chemical-conversion-coating-treated steel wire to drawing so as to produce a bead cord wire. In producing the bead cord wire, the drawing is conducted in such a way that the phosphate coating remains on the surface of the bead cord wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2007
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicants: SUMITOMO (SEI) STEEL WIRE CORP., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC TOCHIGI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sasabe, Hitoshi Wakahara, Yuichi Sano, Kenichi Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20090120551
    Abstract: This invention provides a pneumatic tire having a highly improved steering stability, wherein a reinforcing layer formed by spirally winding a strip-shaped triaxial fabric or triaxial fabric-rubber composite having a width W satisfying a relation of the following formula (I): W?2/3×31/2×(2b/a+d)??(I) [wherein d=4×(D/(??))1/2×10?2, D is a thickness (total dtex) of cord constituting the triaxial fabric, ? is a density (g/cm3) of the cord constituting the triaxial fabric, and a is weaving density (cords/b mm) in one axis constituting the three axes] in a circumferential direction of the tire is disposed in one or more of a bead portion 1, a sidewall portion 2 and a belt portion 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiko Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20090120553
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a carcass structure extending through a pair of opposing bead portions and an inner liner located inward of the carcass structure, each bead portion comprising a bead core about which is wrapped the carcass structure and a toeguard. Each bead portion has a bead toe, a bead base, and a bead heel, the bead base extending between the bead toe and the bead heel. The bead heel has a profile corresponding to a sector of an ellipse or approximates a sector of an ellipse by having a dual radius structure. The bead base may have a dual taper configuration. The bead core may be substantially centered in the bead portion, as determined by the material thickness at three locations about the bead core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Michael David Kachner, Thulasiram Gobinath, David Louis Winter, Kelly Sue King, Michael Chirstopher Kulton, John Patrick Roman, Judy Ann Birt, Randall Raymond Brayer, SR., Robert Allen Losey, Ching-Chih Lee
  • Publication number: 20090107607
    Abstract: Tire comprising at least one carcass-type reinforcing structure (6) anchored on each side of the tire in a bead (4). The anchoring includes a turning up of said carcass-type reinforcing structure around a bead core (15) in such a way as to form a turned-up section (8) ending in a free end (13). The tire also includes at least one circumferential bielastic reinforcing element (10) made of a bielastic fabric, in which said fabric employed is a bielastic knitted fabric, that is to say a stitched fabric, the loops forming the stitches of which are able to move relative to each other in the knitting direction and in the direction perpendicular to the knitting. The at least one bielastic reinforcing element (10) is arranged so as to extend along the end region of the turned-up section of the carcass-type reinforcing structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventor: Jean-Michel Huyghe
  • Patent number: 7523774
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial ply tire for heavier load conditions having a reduced weight, high durability bead area. The pneumatic tire includes a tire bead and a carcass ply folded about the bead to define a main body portion and a turnup portion. The turnup portion is folded around the bead and located adjacent the main body portion radially outward of the bead. The turnup portion has a turnup height of approximately 35-45% of the total section height. A thin rubber strip associated with the bead is disposed between the main body portion and the turnup portion and has an insert height of approximately 25% of the total section height. The pneumatic tire further includes a chafer having a maximum chafer gauge of not more than approximately 1.5 times the thickness of the tire side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Lahure, Olivier de Barsy, Xavier Sebastien Benolt Fraipont
  • Patent number: 7520307
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire largely improves the run-flat durability while preventing the deterioration of the ride comfort to the input of vibrations to the tire at a normal state and comprises a reinforcing rubber 6 arranged inside a sidewall portion 2 and having a crescent form at its cross section, in which one cord reinforcing layer 9 having a rubberized structure of steel cords is arranged along a turnup portion 5a of a carcass ply 5 around a bead core 4 and an interval between the steel cords in the cord reinforcing layer is within a range of 2.5-20 times a diameter of the cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Katsuno
  • Patent number: 7513283
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heavy duty tire being capable of preventing positional shift of carcass cords in the blowout direction while restricting rupture of the carcass cords for improving bead durability. A ply turnup portions 6b of a carcass 6 includes a sub-portion 11 that extends proximate of an upper surface SU of a bead core 5 in a tire radial direction upon inclining towards a ply main body portion 6a and further includes an auxiliary cord layer 20 for pressing the sub-portion outside thereof in the radial direction. A bead portion 4 is further provided with a U-shaped bead reinforcing layer 15. A periphery of the bead core 5 is coated by a reinforcing rubber layer 15 made of high elastic rubber having a complex elastic modulus E*a of 20 to 70 MPa, and a rubber thickness T0 of a clearance portion G at which bead wires 5w and carcass cords 20 are adjacent is defined to be not less than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Patent number: 7509987
    Abstract: A tire having an outside-in ply construction is provided which torques the tire bead into the rim of the wheel to which it is mounted. The tire has first and second axially-spaced bead cores, a carcass having at least one belt extending under a tread, and a first ply layer having first and second ends. A first end is located axially outside and adjacent a first bead core, and a second end folds from a position axially outside a second bead core to a position axially inside and around the second bead core. The carcass further comprises a second ply layer having first and second ends, a first end is located axially outside and adjacent the second bead core, and a second end that folds from a position axially outside a first bead core to a position axially inside and around the first bead core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Daniel Ray Downing, James Alfred Benzing, II, Robert Allen Losey
  • Patent number: 7501033
    Abstract: A chipper and apex subassembly 100 as an intermediate article of manufacture in a pneumatic tire has an apex strip 30 formed as a continuous elastomeric strip of unvulcanized material having a bottom base portion 31 and two opposing sides 33, 34 extending towards the narrow outer tip 32 and a chipper ply strip 40 reinforced with parallel cords oriented on a bias angle relative to the length of the strip cojoined to the apex 30 along the length of the strips and attached to one side of the unvulcanized apex strips on an outer surface. The chipper 40 is spaced from the bottom base portion 31 of the apex 30 and extends widthwise towards the narrow outer tip 32 to form a subassembly 100 of a chipper 40 and apex 30 as an intermediate article of manufacture. Additionally the subassembly 100 can be attached to bead core 12 to make a subassembly 200 as a further intermediate article of manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co
    Inventors: Richard Nicholas Hrycyk, Donald Chester Kubinski, Richard Joseph Piccin
  • Patent number: 7493929
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire to be mounted on a rim, comprises a pair of bead portions each having a bead core therein, wherein in a meridian section of the tire under a non-mounted state that the tire is not mounted on the rim but the bead portions are held such that the bead width is equal to the rim width of the rim, each bead portion has a profile comprising a bead base extending between a bead toe and a heel-side point, the bead base comprising an axial base width, a straight part extending from the bead toe toward the heel-side point having an inclination so that an extended line thereof passes through the heel-side point, a convex part provided between an axially outer end of the straight part and the heel-side point and protruding radially inside of the extended line, and the convex part having a radius of curvature of from 0.20 to 0.33 times the base width and a height from the extended line of from 0.067 to 0.13 times the base width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7493928
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire comprises a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein, the bead core with an aspect ratio (HC1/WC) of from 0.43 to 0.58, and a carcass comprising a carcass ply of cords extending between the bead portions and turned up around a bead core in each bead portion from the inside to outside of the tire so as to form a pair of turnup portions and a main portion therebetween, the turnup portion comprising a turnup main-part extending along an axially inner surface, a radially inner surface and an axially outer surface of the bead core smoothly, and a turnup sub-part extending from the turnup main-part toward the main portion near the radially outer surface of the bead core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Yoshikawa, Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Publication number: 20090025849
    Abstract: There is proposed a tire realizing the simplification of a bead portion structure without sacrificing a bead portion durability and a steering stability. A tire comprises a carcass toroidally extending between a pair of bead cores embedded in respective bead portions, in which the carcass is combined with the bead core through such a pathway that the carcass passes inside a thickness center of the bead portion in an axial direction of the tire and reaches to a face of the bead core inside the tire and then passes through the bead core from an inside of the tire toward an outside thereof and terminates in contact with a face of the bead core at a side of a bead base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Kamegawa, Kenshiro Kato, Makoto Tsuruta, Toshiya Miyazono, Yoshiyuki Waki
  • Publication number: 20090025848
    Abstract: A tire with two beads (11) and a radial carcass reinforcement (12) anchored in each bead by an upturn (15) which forms at least one loop around a circumferential bead reinforcement (13), said upturn—when viewed in meridian section—beginning at a point of origin (A1) that corresponds to the point of intersection between the carcass reinforcement and a line (D) perpendicular to the tire's rotation axis and passing through the radially innermost point (A) of the circumferential bead reinforcement (13). A feature of the tire is that when viewed in meridian section, the end (F) of the upturn (15) is located between said upturn (15) of the carcass reinforcement and the circumferential bead reinforcement (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Olivier Ferlin
  • Publication number: 20090020206
    Abstract: A wrap-around toeguard 18 for a pneumatic tire 10 has a carcass ply 12 or plies 12, 14 with a locked tie-in construction. Each wrap-around toeguard 18 is a non cord reinforced elastomeric unitary strip wound 360.degree. in a singular annular bead. The wrap-around toeguard cord reinforced unitary strip 18 can be formed of a single elastomeric composition having a shore hardness D of greater than 40. Alternatively the wrap-around toeguard may additionally include an apex portion 29 and a chafer portion 27 along with the toeguard portion 28, each portion 27, 29 being co-extruded or otherwise hot formed and shaped with the toeguard portion 28 to form the unitary strip 18 and can have distinct elastomeric composition relative to the toeguard portion 28.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
    Inventors: James Oral Hunt, Michael Christopher Kulton, Paul Bryson Allen, Timothy Lee Fry
  • Patent number: 7478658
    Abstract: A tire having a section height, a maximum section width, an upper section above the maximum section width, and a lower section below the maximum section width is provided. The tire includes a circumferential tread, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of bead regions each having a bead core, and at least one carcass ply extending circumferentially about the tire from one bead region to the other. The at least one carcass ply is wound outwardly about at least one of the bead cores and extends toward the tread to form a turn-up portion that terminates at a turn-up end. The turn-up portion includes a concave segment that begins in the bead region and ends short of the turn-up end or at the turn-up end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Jie Jin, Richard Wright
  • Publication number: 20090014108
    Abstract: A tire is provided that includes a crown with a mid-plane S, two sidewalls, a first bead, of diameter ?1, intended to be positioned on the outboard side of a vehicle, and a second bead, of diameter ?2, intended to be positioned on the inboard side of a vehicle, such that ?1>?2. When the tire is mounted on its working rim and inflated to its nominal pressure, the mid-plane S of the crown is axially offset towards the first bead relative to a mid-plane B of the beads by a positive or zero distance D.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Nicolas Grolier, Nicolas Janin
  • Patent number: 7472733
    Abstract: A tire for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure having at least one first carcass ply, a pair of circumferentially inextensible annular structures, a belt structure applied to the carcass structure, a tread band applied to the belt structure, and at least one pair of sidewalls applied to the carcass structure. The at least one first carcass ply includes a plurality of strip lengths each including at least two thread elements. Each strip length defines two side portions and a crown portion. The crown portions are disposed side-by-side along a circumferential extension of the tire. The side portions of each strip length partly cover or are partly covered by a side portion of at least one adjacent strip length. Each annular structure includes at least a first circumferentially inextensible annular insert formed by at least one first elongated element extending in concentric coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Renato Caretta, Maurizio Marchini
  • Patent number: 7469733
    Abstract: A tyre for a vehicle wheel comprising two sidewalls, a tread, beads, the sidewall intended to be positioned on the interior side of the vehicle being shorter than that intended to be positioned on the exterior side of the vehicle, a reinforcement structure extending between the beads and maintained in said beads by anchoring zones, each of the beads comprising a specific and distinct arrangement of the anchoring zone thereof, such that the anchoring zone of the bead intended to be positioned on the exterior side of the vehicle exhibits a greater anchoring capacity than the anchoring zone of the bead intended to be on the interior side of the vehicle. The internal and external anchoring zones are thus arranged in such a manner as to produce, in operation, a rim clamping load which is substantially identical on each side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Guerinon, James Robert Anderson, David Jardine, Jean-Jacques Drieux
  • Patent number: 7461679
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire having a bead wind structure and comprising a bead reinforcing layer 15 having a U-shaped cross section disposed in each bead portion 4, wherein the axially outer portion 15o of the bead reinforcing layer 15 and its radially outer end Pe are protected by an axially inner rubber 20 disposed between the carcass main portion 6a and the outer portion 15o and an axially outer rubber 30 disposed between the outer portion 15o and the axially outer surface TS of the tire, in which the inner rubber 20 includes a first low modulus rubber portion 21 having a complex elastic modulus of 3.0 to 6.0 MPa, the thickness Ti of the inner rubber 20 measured on a first base line X1 drawn from the radially outer end Pe at right angles to the carcass main portion 6a is from 7.0 to 13.0 mm and the ti/Ti ratio of a thickness ti of the first low modulus rubber portion 21 on the first base line X1 to the thickness Ti is at least 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Publication number: 20080283170
    Abstract: A heavy-load tire has a wind bead structure in which a turned-up portion of a carcass ply is wound around a bead core, in which a bead portion is equipped with a bead reinforcing layer having a U-shaped cross section and a bead apex rubber having a triangular-shaped cross section. The turned-up portion has an auxiliary turned-up portion passing through the vicinity of a radially outer side of the bead core. The bead apex rubber includes a high elasticity inner apex portion disposed at a radially inner side and a low elasticity outer apex portion disposed at a radially outer side. The inner apex portion has an L-shaped cross section including a bottom piece portion along the radially outer side of the auxiliary turned-up portion, and a raised piece portion which rises at an axially inner end side of the bottom piece portion and extends radially outwardly in a tapering manner along the body portion of the carcass ply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventor: Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Publication number: 20080277040
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent shifting of a connector for a wrap wire, reduced strength of the connector, and deterioration in balance, and to make it possible to easily connect the ends of the wrap wire. The connector is formed by pressing the ends of a columnar metallic member inwardly with punches to define a central thick portion 11 as a partition, and recessed sleeves 12 at both ends of the thick portion 11 into which leading and trailing ends 51 of the wrap wire 50 are inserted. The axial length (l) of the central thick portion 11 and the diameter (d) of the wrap wire satisfies the relation: diameter (d) of the wrap wire?axial length (l)?8×diameter (d) of the wrap wire. The wrap wire 50 is cut so that the distance between the leading and trailing ends 51 of the wrap wire 50 is shorter than the axial length of the thick portion 11.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicants: Sumitomo (SEI) Steel Wire Corp., Sumitomo Electric Tochigi Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Okamoto, Hiroshi Sasabe, Hitoshi Wakahara, Yuichi Sano
  • Patent number: 7438102
    Abstract: A bead portion 4 of a pneumatic tire 1 includes a vertical rising surface portion Sw1 which is connected to a bead base surface Sb through an arc bead heel surface Sh, and a straight or convex arc flange receiving surface portion Sw2 which is diagonally extending from the rising surface portion Sw1 radially outward and axially outward of the tire. In a normal internal pressure in which no load is applied, the flange receiving surface portion Sw2 is not in contact with a flange surface Rf, and in a load state in which 50% or more of normal load is applied, the flange receiving surface portion Sw2 comes into contact with the flange surface Rf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Yoshinaka
  • Patent number: 7416007
    Abstract: A tyre for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure, belt structure, tread band, and at least one pair of sidewalls. The carcass structure includes at least one first carcass ply and at least two annular reinforcing structures. The at least one first carcass ply includes elongated sections circumferentially distributed around the tyre's geometric rotation axis. Each elongated section extends in a U-shaped configuration around a cross-section outline of the carcass structure to define two side portions and one crown portion. Each elongated section substantially lies in a plane parallelly offset relative to a meridian plane of the carcass structure. The crown portion of each elongated section is oriented, relative to a radial reference plane passing through a transition region between the crown portion and at least one corresponding side portion, at an angle having a different value from an inclination of the at least one corresponding side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Renato Caretta, Maurizio Marchini
  • Publication number: 20080196812
    Abstract: A tire with a tire bead having a cross sectional profile including a relatively wide base section and a top section that is tapered on at least one side, with the tire bead being embedded directly in the tire body without the use of an extension. Also, a tire with a tire bead having a cross sectional profile including a relatively wide base section and a top section with one tapered side and one untapered side, with the tire bead being embedded in the tire body along with an extension. Also, a method of building a tire where the tire bead and extension are assembled into the tire body at the tire building drum of the tire assembly machine, and the tire bead and extension are not pre-assembled prior to being introduced onto or into the tire body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: BARTELL MACHINERY SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth B. Turvey, Paul D. Gatley
  • Publication number: 20080190539
    Abstract: A tire comprising sidewalls joining a crown part to beads that are intended to come into contact with a mounting rim, these sidewalls comprising a carcass reinforcement anchored in each bead to at least one bead wire and having an end in each bead, the bead wire having, seen in meridian cross-section, an outer profile comprising two profile parts, a first part radially to the inside of axial width L, extending between an axially innermost point and an axially outermost part, and a second part radially to the outside between said points. Each bead comprises at least one additional coupling reinforcement in contact with the carcass reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Olivier Ferlin, Bopha Grisin
  • Patent number: 7406992
    Abstract: A tire comprising at least one reinforcement structure of the carcass type anchored on either side of the tire in a bead, the base of which bead is intended to be mounted on a rim seat, the reinforcement structure extending circumferentially from the bead towards the sidewall, at least one arrangement of main cords along a substantially circumferential path being arranged substantially adjacent to the structure, the arrangement of the cords of the at least one arrangement being such that the number of main cords arranged on the axially inner side relative to the structure is greater than the number of main cords arranged on the axially outer side relative to the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Pedro Costa Pereira, Bernard Guerinon
  • Publication number: 20080178982
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire comprises: a carcass ply of cords extending between bead portions; and a bead reinforcing layer disposed in each of the bead portion. The carcass ply has edges winded around the bead cores so that the winded portion has a base part extending along the bead core from the axially inside to the axially outside thereof, and a radially outer part extending axially inwards on the radially outside of the bead core. The bead reinforcing layer comprises: a curved portion extending along the base part; an axially outer portion extending radially outwardly, separation from the base part; and an axially inner portion extending radially outwardly along a main portion of the carcass ply. The bead reinforcing layer is composed of a ply of cords laid side by side, and the spacing Da of the cords in an axially outer part beneath the bead core, of the curved portion is not less than 1.5 times and not more than 3.0 times the spacing Db of the cords in the axially outer portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Hideaki Yoshikawa, Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Patent number: 7398810
    Abstract: A tire is provided, on a surface thereof, an applicaiton having a top layer exposed to the air and a bottom layer in contact with the tire. The top layer can be a rigid element and/or a marking covering, or a device for measuring or monitoring the tire. The bottom layer is a foam having a void ratio of at least 40%, a thickness of at least 0.5 mm, and a density ranging from 0.02 g/cm3 to 0.5 g/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Georges Peyron, Alain Cottin
  • Publication number: 20080149239
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 according to the invention has bead portions 11, 12 including bead cores 11a, 12a, and at least a carcass layer 13 and a tread portion 16 arranged, wherein in a section in a tire-width direction, assuming as a reference a tire centerline CL making right angles with a bead line BL interconnecting a center of the bead core 11a and a center of the bead core 12a, and passing a center of the bead line BL, an outer ground-contact area 20B is wider by 5 to 15 % than an inner ground-contact area 20B, and wherein in the section in the tire-width direction, a carcass periphery length as a distance along a carcass centerline CaL from a crossing point P to an approach point P2 is longer by 0.5 mm to 10 mm than a carcass periphery length Ca as a distance from the crossing point P to an approach point P1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigemasa Ishii, Nobuaki Toyosato
  • Publication number: 20080142143
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire in which separation of a tread rubber and a side rubber from each other at an interface therebetween can be substantially prevented and separation of the side rubber and a side wall rubber from each other at an interface therebetween can also be substantially prevented. The pneumatic tire is structured such that the interface between the side rubber and the side wall rubber is provided, not at a side surface side of the tire, but at a outer peripheral side area (i.e., low distortion portion) thereof. As a result, bending deformation acting at the interface between the side rubber and the side wall rubber can be reduced, thereby separation of the side rubber and the side wall rubber from each other at the interface can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroo MATSUNAGA
  • Patent number: 7387142
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire with rim protectors protruding outwardly from the outer side of a tire a distance greater than the outer surface on at least one outer surface of the sidewalls from the bead portions toward the tread and continuously formed in the tire circumferential direction. The rim protectors have the first top portion protruding outwardly from the tire outer side a distance greater than the outer surface through a first hillside portion in a cross-sectional shape from the bead portions toward the tread and a second top portion protruding in a stepped state from the first top portion through the second hillside portion. The second hillside portion extends more to the tire inner side and connects a vertex of the first top portion and an end point in a tread side of a virtual arc on the outer surface of the sidewalls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuji Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7387146
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire including bead portions each with a bead core, and a carcass ply containing a main portion extending between bead portions and a pair of edge portions wound around the bead cores, the wound edge portion including a turnback part extending axially inwardly from a position on the axially outside of the bead core and an auxiliary cord layer disposed on the radially outside of the turnback part, whereby the end of the turnback part is positioned at a distance of from 2.0 to 8.0 mm from the radially outer surface of the bead core. In a normally inflated unloaded state of the tire, the turnback part is curved such that the diameter of the turnback part decreases continuously from the end to the position in the axial outside of the bead core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyohito Maruoka, Minoru Nishi
  • Patent number: 7347242
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising at least one component comprising a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer and an inorganic negative thermal expansion (NTE) filler comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of metal tungstates, metal phosphates, metal molybdates, metal vanadates, and metal arsenates, wherein the inorganic filler has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion in at least part of the temperature range of 0° C. to 200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Giorgio Agostini, Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce
  • Patent number: 7320350
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire may include a floating reinforcing layer disposed between a body ply and the sidewall of the tire. The reinforcing layer may extend from a point beneath the rim flange of the wheel to a point just above or below the maximum section width of the tire. By adding stiffness to the sidewall region at and above the rim, the reinforcing layer enhances the durability of tire without sacrificing ride comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventor: Richard J. Wright
  • Patent number: 7316254
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a cord-reinforced layer such as carcass, belt, bead reinforcing layer which is made of metallic cords, each metallic cord is made up of six to twelve metallic filaments whose diameter is in a range of from 0.15 to 0.45 mm, the metallic filaments include waved filaments and unwaved filaments, each waved filament is two-dimensionally waved at a wave pitch and wave height before twisted, the wave pitch is in a range of from 5.0 to 35.0 times the diameter of the filament, and the wave height is in a range of from 0.2 to 4.0 times the diameter of the filament, and the metallic filaments are twisted together into the cord at a twist pitch of from 10 to 40 mm so that the two-dimensionally waved filaments are each subjected to a certain rotation around its axial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyazaki, Kazumi Yamazaki, Osamu Toda, Yasuo Sakai
  • Patent number: 7308924
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire which includes a tread portion defining an overall diameter of the tire under a normally-inflated unloaded state and a ground contacting width under a normally inflated loaded state; a pair of sidewall portions defining an overall width of the tire there between under the normally-inflated unloaded state; a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein; a carcass extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and, sidewall portions; and a belt disposed radially outside the carcass in the tread portion, wherein the overall diameter of the tire is in the range of from 750 to 820 mm; the ground contacting width is in the range of from 85 to 90% of said overall width of the tire; and the carcass comprises an ultrahigh-turnup ply extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and sidewall portions and turned up around the bead core in each of the bead portions so that the turned-up portions each extend radially outwardly into the tread portion through the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Kajita
  • Patent number: 7296605
    Abstract: Vehicle tire including two sidewalls, beads which include a seat and an external flange which are intended to come into contact with a suitable rim, and a carcass reinforcement structure. At least one bead comprises a circumferential cord structure distributed in two regions, and an anchoring region in which the reinforcement structure is anchored in the bead, that region including circumferential cords arranged as stacks distributed symmetrically on opposite sides of the reinforcement structure. The center of inertia of the bead is located in the immediate vicinity of the anchoring region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Guerinon, David Jardine, James Robert Anderson, Jean-Jacques Drieux