Patents Examined by Adrienne C. Johnstone
  • Tire with cap ply layer
    Patent number: 7874335
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread, a carcass with belt plies disposed below the tread, and a cap ply layer between the tread and the belt plies of the carcass. The cap ply is a leno weave tape having warp yarn in the longitudinal direction and weft yarns in the weft direction. The leno weave tape is wound in a flat helically wound around the belt plies, and cover with a tread of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Dany Michiels, Geert Broos, Willy Delanoy, Werner K. Hess, Boudewijn Snauwaert
  • Pneumatic tire with belt layer including a plurality of strip pieces and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 7857025
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has two belt layers, each having a plurality of strip pieces formed by pulling together and rubberizing a plurality of steel cords. Strip piece width, strip piece thickness, belt layer cord angle with respect to a tire circumferential direction, numbers of the strip pieces of inner and outer belt layers, and circumferential lengths of the inner and outer belt layers are respectively denoted by A, G, ?, N1, N2, L1 and L2. N2 is equal to N1, and N1 is an integer satisfying L1=N1×A/sin ?. The inner belt layer is formed by joining the N1 strip pieces so each side of each strip piece is butted with one side of another strip piece. The outer belt layer is formed by aligning the N2 strip pieces on the inner belt layer in the tire circumferential direction with spaces of width 2?G/N2 disposed between adjacent strip pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kabe, Tsuneo Morikawa
  • Pneumatic radial tire with belt reinforcing layer cord having specified heat shrinkage stress
    Patent number: 7823616
    Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic radial tire being excellent in steering stabilities during low-speed running and high-speed running, and more particularly to a pneumatic radial tire comprising at least one belt reinforcing layer 6A, 6B disposed on a belt 5 outward in a radial direction of the tire, characterized in that a reinforcing element constituting the belt reinforcing layer 6A, 6B is a polyketone fiber cord satisfying conditions of the following equations (I) and (II): ???0.01×E+1.2??(I) ???0.02??(II) [wherein ? is a thermal shrinkage stress (cN/dtex) at 177° C.; and E is an elastic modulus (cN/dtex) at 25° C. under a load of 49 N].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Nakajima
  • Radial tire for airplane with zigzag belt cord having specified heat shrinkage stress
    Patent number: 7798189
    Abstract: A radial tire for airplane comprises a pair of bead cores, a radial carcass, and a belt disposed on an outer periphery of a crown portion of the radial carcass and comprised of plural belt layers each containing organic fiber cords, in which a total strength in a circumferential direction over a full width of the belt Tbelt(N) satisfies Tbelt/WD?1.5×106 when an outer diameter of the tire is D (m) and a width of the tire is W (m), and at least one layer of the belt layers is constituted with an organic fiber cord extending zigzag in the circumferential direction and satisfying the following equations (I) and (II): ???0.01E+1.2??(I) ??0.02??(II) (wherein ? is a heat shrinkage stress at 177° C. (cN/dtex) and E is an elastic modulus at 25° C. under a load of 49 N (cN/dtex)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yano, Susumu Ishizaki
  • Pneumatic tire with specified toe rubber
    Patent number: 7793693
    Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic tire provided at its bead portion with a rubber chafer (4) and covered at its inner surface with an innerliner (5), wherein a toe rubber (6) is further arranged on a toe end part of the bead portion so as to overlap with the rubber chafer (4) and the innerliner (5) and locate at least outside the innerliner (5) at the overlapped portion with the innerliner (5), and a rubber composition A containing at least one of butyl rubber and halogenated butyl rubber as 20-40 mass % of a rubber component is used in the toe rubber (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Shinsuke Nakane, Tsutomu Saeki
  • Tire having a composite belt structure
    Patent number: 7789120
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a carcass and a belt reinforcing structure wherein the belt reinforcing structure is a composite belt structure having at least one pair of radially outer zigzag layers and at least one spirally wound belt layer with cords inclined at an inclination of 5 degrees or less relative to the tire's centerplane and located radially inward of and adjacent to the at least two radially outer belt layers. The at least two radially outer zigzag belt layers have cords inclined at 5 degrees to 30 degrees relative to the tire's centerplane and extending in alternation to turnaround points at each lateral edge of the belt layer. At each turnaround point the cords are folded or preferably bent to change direction across the crown of the carcass thus forming a zigzag cord path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ueyoko, John Joseph Slivka, Roel Domingo Villaneuva, Robert John Boehlefeld
  • Pneumatic tire with electrically conductive helical path
    Patent number: 7770618
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with an electrically conductive path extending continuously from a position in the rim contacting surface to a position in the ground contacting surface through a sidewall portion, wherein a sidewall rubber is a high-performance rubber compound and almost-insulative, having a volume resistivity of not less than 1×10^8 ohm cm. The electrically conductive path includes a helical path made of an electrically conductive rubber having a volume resistivity of not more than 1×10^7 ohm cm. The helical path is disposed axially inside the sidewall rubber and extends spirally around the tire rotational axis. Preferably, the tread rubber, clinch rubber and carcass topping rubber are also almost-insulative high-performance rubber compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Nobuchika, Mamoru Uchida, Youjirou Miki, Syuichi Yamamori
  • Vehicle wheel construction process
    Patent number: 7767046
    Abstract: An improved process for permanently attaching an overlay to a wheel disc, wherein the overlay is aligned and spaced apart from the wheel disc. A mold is created by a combination of the overlay, wheel disc and localized nests that engage at predetermined times during foam filling to close the mold. The mold is adequately sealed so that there is no foam leakage as the foam expands to fill the mold and, therefore, no final trimming of excess foam is required. The improved process is capable of accommodating a wheel having turbine openings therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Lacks Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee A. Chase, Douglas Louis Neeb, Robert E. Shea
  • Assembly of pneumatic tire, noise damper and rim
    Patent number: 7743808
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire and rim assembly is provided in the cavity with a noise damper in which a sponge material extending in a circumferential direction of the tire and having a volume V2 of 0.4 to 20% of entire volume V1 of the cavity, wherein the noise damper comprises a fixing surface fixed to a surface which surrounds the tire cavity, and a free surface directed to the tire cavity, a maximum value of thickness from the fixing surface to the free surface is in a range of 5 to 50 mm, including a thick mountain portion and a thin valley portion; and at least one of outer ends of the noise damper in the circumferential direction of the tire is formed into an inclined surface portion comprising a first inclined surface rising from the fixing surface and a second inclined surface extending from, the first inclined surface to the free surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Yukawa
  • Low noise pneumatic tire
    Patent number: 7735532
    Abstract: Disclosed is a low noise pneumatic tire having a configuration where, while installation work of a strip-shaped sound absorbent is simple, it is possible to simultaneously reduce cavity resonance and high-frequency noise, and thereby to effectively reduce noise when a vehicle is traveling. In the low noise pneumatic tire of the present invention, the strip-shaped sound absorbent is attached to an annular elastic fixing band, and then is installed onto an inner surface of a tread of the tire taking advantage of the elastic force of the annular elastic fixing band. The strip-shaped sound absorbent is formed of at least two kinds of porous materials whose sound absorption characteristics with respect to frequencies are different from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanno, Toshiyuki Ikeda
  • Heavy duty pneumatic tire with belt hard rubber layer
    Patent number: 7735534
    Abstract: A tire 2 has a belt 14 and a hard rubber layer 16. The belt 14 has a first ply 26, a second ply 28, a third ply 30 and a fourth ply 32. A width W3 of the third ply 30 is smaller than a width W1 of the first ply 26 and a width W2 of the second ply 28, and 75% of a width of a tread. Each of the plies 26, 28, 30, 32 has a steel cord. The first ply 26 and the second ply 28 construct a cross-ply structure. A cord of the third ply 30 is wound spirally. The third ply 30 has what is referred to as a jointless structure. The hard rubber layer 16 is positioned between the first ply 26 and the second ply 28, and outward of the third ply 30 in an axial direction. A complex elastic modulus of the hard rubber layer 16 is equal to or greater than 30 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Manno, Yukihide Oya, Hideaki Yoshikawa
  • Tubeless bicycle tire
    Patent number: 7721779
    Abstract: A tubeless tire includes a tread portion, two sidewalls, an interfacing material integrally formed between the two sidewalls of a pliable, flexible yet reliable material, two beads extending outwardly from the tire, delimiting a section formed by the interfacing material, and an air valve stem provided on the interfacing material. The thickness of the interfacing material is substantially the same as the thickness of the two sidewalls, and the beads project outwardly of an outer surface of the interfacing material. The beads are disposed in a position such that when the tire is mounted on a rim, the beads will fit within the rim, when the tire is inflated on the rim using the air valve stem, the interfacing material will expand, causing the beads to fit tightly within the rim, thus fixing the tire on the rim, and there is no sealing layer within the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Inventor: Hal Pee Bolden
  • Monoply pneumatic run-flat tire with composite ply cord
    Patent number: 7721780
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a single carcass ply, at least one belt ply disposed radially outward of the carcass ply in a crown portion of the tire, and at least one insert located adjacent the carcass ply in a sidewall portion, the insert providing support for the tire load to enable the tire to operate in underinflated conditions. The carcass ply is comprised of at least one composite cord. The composite cord is formed of at least two first yarns twisted helically about at least one second yarn. The first yarns and the second yarn having different modulus of elasticity, the first yarns having a modulus greater than the modulus of the second yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Yves Donckels, Serge Julien Auguste Imhoff, René François Reuter, Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce, Massimo Di Giacomo Russo
  • Pneumatic tire and noise damper assembly
    Patent number: 7717146
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire and noise damper assembly comprises a pneumatic tire, a noise damper being attached to an inner surface of the tire and extending in the circumferential direction of the tire, and a protective cover being detachably attached to the tire and protecting the noise damper from ultraviolet rays and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Yukawa, Hiroshi Hamada
  • Heavy duty tire
    Patent number: 7712501
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire comprises a single carcass ply and a tread reinforcing belt. Each carcass ply turnup portion comprises a base part under a bead core and a radially outer part extending axially inwardly towards the carcass ply main portion. The belt consists of three plies of cords, wherein the cords of the radially outer ply are inclined toward one direction at an angle of from 13 to 23 degrees with respect the fire equator; the cords of the intermediate ply are inclined at an angle of from 13 to 23 degrees toward one direction being opposite to that of the radially outer ply; and the cords of the radially inner ply are arranged at an angle of from 30 to 70 degrees toward one direction being opposite to that of the radially outer belt ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyohito Maruoka
  • Pneumatic tire with cushion rubber and method for producing the same
    Patent number: 7712500
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 having improved uniformity and durability and including a toroidal carcass 6 extending from a tread portion 2 to each of bead cores 5 in bead portions 4 through sidewall portions 3, a belt layer 7 disposed radially outward of the carcass 6 in the tread portion 2, and a cushion rubber 9 having an approximately triangular cross section disposed between the carcass 6 and each of axial edge portions 7E of the belt layer 7, and a method for producing the same, wherein the cushion rubber 9 is made from a strip laminated body formed by circumferentially and spirally winding a first ribbon-like unvulcanized rubber strip and a second ribbon-like unvulcanized rubber strip having a different composition from that of the first rubber strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Hayashi, Masanori Takahashi, Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Pneumatic radial tire with specified belt layer
    Patent number: 7712499
    Abstract: In the pneumatic radial tire of the present invention, a total strength K0 of a belt layer 20 in a circumferential direction of the tire per unit of width at a tire equator surface position P0 is set greater than a total strength of the belt layer 20 in the circumferential direction of the tire per unit of width at a width position P2 corresponding to ? of a maximum width of the belt layer having the tire equator surface CL as a center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yano, Hiroyuki Mori, Masaaki Nakamura, Seiji Itai
  • Tyre having asymmetrical self-supporting sidewalls
    Patent number: 7703493
    Abstract: A tire suitable for extended-mobility travel includes sidewalls reinforced by a sidewall insert, namely an inner insert in the inner sidewall, and an outer insert in the outer sidewall. The inserts are made of rubber composition enabling the sidewalls to bear a load corresponding to part of the weight of the vehicle in a situation in which the inflation pressure is substantially reduced or zero. The inner sidewall, and more particularly the insert of this inner sidewall, has a substantially higher modulus of extension than the outer sidewall (and more particularly than the insert of this outer sidewall). The outer insert is subdivided into at least two zones; the inner insert can comprise one or more zones, but always fewer than the number of zones of the outer insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Walter Lee Willard, Jr.
  • Tire with integral foamed noise damper
    Patent number: 7694707
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having two spaced inextensible beads; a ground contacting tread portion; a pair of individual sidewalls extending radially inward from the axial outer edges of said tread portion to join the respective beads, the axial outer edges of the tread portion defining a tread width; a supporting carcass for the tread portion and sidewalls; and at least one foamed structure disposed radially inwardly of the carcass and exposed to the inner cavity of the tire, the foamed structure including a co-vulcanized foamed rubber composition having a density ranging from 0.1 to 1 g/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Giorgio Agostini, Jan Leyssens
  • Tire wheel assembly
    Patent number: 7694706
    Abstract: Provided is a tire wheel assembly making it possible to effectively reduce cavity resonance noise without causing either negative influence on deformation of a tire or deterioration in rim assembling workability. A tire wheel assembly of the present invention includes a pneumatic tire, and a wheel provided with a rim fitted with the pneumatic tire, and forms a cavity portion between the pneumatic tire and the rim. The tire wheel assembly comprises at least one tube, which has one end thereof closed while having a length of 55% to 110% of a reference length L0 corresponding to one fourth of a cavity resonance wavelength, is provided so as to open to the cavity portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ikeda, Atsushi Tanno