Patents Examined by Justin Fischer
  • Patent number: 9254721
    Abstract: Provided is a base tire securing cut resistance while retaining rolling resistance performance of the tire and a tire built on such a base tire. A base tire includes a base rubber which forms the outer periphery of the base tire to which a tread rubber is applied, a pair of mini side rubbers, each protecting the axial edge of the base rubber, and a pair of outer rubber layers, each overlapping the axially outer side of the mini side rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro Takada
  • Patent number: 9248704
    Abstract: Tire comprising two beads comprising an annular reinforcing structure, a carcass reinforcement anchored in the two beads so as to form a main portion and a wrapped-around portion, each wrapped-around portion extending radially outwards as far as an end situated at a radial distance DEC that is less than or equal to 10% of the radial height H of the tire; each bead comprising an apex made of a rubber composition having an elastic modulus greater than 40 MPa, extending radially as far as a radial distance DEE1 comprised between 10% and 15% of the height H; each bead further comprising an outer strip made of a rubber composition that has an elastic modulus G? less than or equal to 15 MPa and a viscous modulus G? such that: G?[MPa]?0.2·G?[MPa]?0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Frederic Bourgeois, Francois-Xavier Bruneau
  • Patent number: 9238387
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes an inner liner disposed inwardly in the tire relative to a carcass ply bridged between a pair of bead portions, the inner liner being formed of a first layer disposed inwardly in the tire, and a second layer disposed in contact with a rubber layer of the carcass ply, the first layer being a thermoplastic elastomer composition mainly containing a styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer, the second layer being a styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer composition, (a) at least one of the thermoplastic elastomer compositions of the first and second layers containing a tackifier by 0.1 part by mass to 100 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of a thermoplastic elastomer component, or (b) the second layer containing the styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer by 10 mass % to 80 mass % relative to a thermoplastic elastomer component thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Mutsuki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 9227467
    Abstract: This invention pertains to a tire comprising at least one carcass ply and at least one breaker ply, the carcass and breaker plies each comprising continuous filaments having a tenacity of at least 15 grams force per dtex and a modulus of at least 400 grams force per dtex wherein the carcass ply turn-ups terminate under the at least one breaker ply. The invention further pertains to a tire comprising a plurality of apex components and carcass ply turn-ups that terminate within the apex region of the tire. The invention also discloses a tire wherein the carcass ply turn-ups terminate in the upper sidewall region of the tire and ply spacers are located between ply-turn-ups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark Allan Lamontia, William Herbert Coulter, Monty C McNeil, Harish Viswanathan
  • Patent number: 9227466
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire which uses, as an inner liner layer, a laminated sheet obtained by laminating an air permeation preventing layer, made of any one of a thermoplastic resin and a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a blend of the thermoplastic resin and an elastomer, and a tie rubber layer, and which has high durability to prevent development of a crack in the tie rubber layer that occurs around a splice portion of the laminated sheet after the tire starts to be used. In the pneumatic tire, a sagged portion is formed by a concavo-convex structure in the air permeation preventing layer at least between points P and Q in a shape that a length La of a straight line connecting points P and Q and a length Lb of the air permeation preventing layer actually passing through points P and Q satisfy a relationship of (1.03×La)?Lb?(1.5×La).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toyoaki Endo, Yoshiaki Hashimura, Hideki Seto, Jun Matsuda, Yuichi Hara
  • Patent number: 9227468
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire is provided in each half of the tread portion with main and auxiliary oblique grooves. The main oblique grooves on both sides of the tire equator are staggered and have axially inner ends at a first axial distance of 1 to 4 mm from the tire equator. The auxiliary oblique grooves have axially inner ends at a second axial distance more than the first axial distance. The main oblique groove comprises an axially inner part inclining at an angle of not more than 30 degrees and a middle part inclining at a larger angle of from 25 to 70 degrees. The auxiliary oblique groove comprises an axially inner part inclining at an angle of 25 to 55 degrees and a middle part inclining at a larger angle of from 45 to 75 degrees, each angle with respect to the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Mamoru Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 9228076
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire for heavy load in which a rubber chafer 8 is disposed at least in a part brought into contact with a rim in a bead part 1, the rubber chafer uses a rubber composition which comprises 45 to 55 parts by mass of butadiene base rubbers containing 10 to 30 parts by mass of a syndiotactic 1,2-structure-containing polybutadiene rubber and 45 to 55 parts by mass of a natural rubber as a rubber component and more than 50 parts by mass and less than 60 parts by mass of carbon black having DBP of 85 to 115 ml/100 g and a specific surface area by nitrogen adsorption (N2SA) of 50 to 100 m2/g based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Katsube
  • Patent number: 9221307
    Abstract: The characteristic of the present invention is a pneumatic tire comprising a plurality of radial protrusions 60 each extending in a tire radial direction on a tire surface 31 and having a shape protruding from the tire surface outward in a tire width direction, wherein the plurality of radial protrusions 60 are provided radially with a tire rotation axis S as a center, the plurality of radial protrusions 60 each have an outer end portion 62 being an end portion located on an outer side in the tire radial direction, and the outer end portion 62 is provided to the tire surface in a tire maximum width portion (a maximum width portion T) in the tire width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9211763
    Abstract: To provide a pneumatic tire wherein the lightweight properties of a tire is secured while improving the plunger energy and BES resistance thereof, which is particularly suitable for tires for a large passenger car or extra load tires. A pneumatic tire comprising a carcass 1 as a skeleton, and at least two belt layers 2a, 2b each formed by rubberizing a plurality of steel cords arranged obliquely with respect to the tire circumferential direction on the outside in the tire radial direction of the crown portion of the carcass is provided. The steel cord is composed of two or more core wires and five to seven sheath wires twisted together around the core wires; the interval between adjacent steel cords in the belt layer is more than 1.0 mm and not more than 1.50 mm; and the gauge of the belt layer is not less than 1.20 mm and not more than 1.60 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kouta Kitahara
  • Patent number: 9205709
    Abstract: Tire comprising a carcass reinforcement and two beads, each comprising at least one annular reinforcing structure, a bead filler and an outer strip made from a rubber composition having an elastic modulus G? of less than or equal to 15 MPa and a viscous modulus G? such that G? [MPa]?0.2·G? [MPa]?0.2 MPa, wherein the bead filler has a thickness E(r) perpendicular to the carcass reinforcement with the bead filler, r denoting the distance from the radially innermost point of the annular reinforcing structure, wherein the assembly formed by the bead filler and the outer strip has a thickness ET(r), wherein the thickness ET(r) changes such that, in the range of distances r comprised between 25 and 45% of the height H of the tire, the variation in thickness is less than or equal to ?0.25 mm/mm over at least 4% of the height H, wherein, for all the points of which the distance r is greater than 10% and less than 35% of the height H, the ratio E(r)/ET(r) is greater than 0.3 and less than or 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Francois-Xavier Bruneau, Frederic Bourgeois
  • Patent number: 9199512
    Abstract: A tire having a modified geodesic belt is described. The ideal geodesic belt path is modified to select the centerline belt angle and to avoid excessive build up of the belt at the belt edges. The method includes the step of calculating the minimum three dimensional distance from one belt edge to the other belt edge preferably using dynamic successive approximation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ueyoko, Luis Antonio Cabrera, Loyda Mercedes Yerashunas, John Joseph Slivka, James Michael Hart
  • Patent number: 9193216
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a center rib extending along a tire circumferential direction in a center portion of a tread surface. A width of the center rib is equal to or more than 10% of a grounding width. An outside rubber having a relatively high tension modulus is arranged outside a vehicle and an inside rubber having a relatively low tension modulus is arranged inside the vehicle, by setting an interface formed in the center rib along a tire diametrical direction to a boundary. 300% tension modulus Mo and a rubber hardness Ho of the outside rubber, and 300% tension modulus Mi and a rubber hardness Hi of the inside rubber satisfy the following relationship: (Mo?Mi)/Mo?0.15 Ho?Hi?±3 degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hayato Yogou, Akihiko Shinkai
  • Patent number: 9193219
    Abstract: A heavy-duty pneumatic tire includes a carcass including a carcass ply extending from a tread portion through a sidewall portion and turned up around a bead core of a bead portion. The bead core includes a radially inner surface extending along a bottom surface of the bead portion in the radial direction of the tire. Under both conditions that include an unloaded standard condition where the tire is mounted on a standard rim and inflated to regular internal pressure and a loaded standard condition where the tire in the unloaded standard condition above is loaded with a regular load and grounded at a camber angle of 0 degrees, the tire has an angle between the radially inner surface of the bead core and a rim sheet surface of the standard rim being in a range of 0 plus/minus 3 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Todoroki, Atsushi Maehara
  • Patent number: 9193217
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a closed sipe 5 formed in a tread surface 1 that includes a small hole 2 extending along a tire radial direction and a plurality of cuts 4 extending in a radiation direction from the small hole 2 and that terminating in a land portion 3. A diameter of an inscribed circle of the small hole 2 is greater than a thickness of the cuts 4. The cuts 4 are provided with a twist in a depth direction centered on the small hole 2, and a twist angle ? from a top surface to a bottom surface of the land portion 3 is not less than 10° and less than 135°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 9193220
    Abstract: Tire comprising two beads (20), two sidewalls (30) joining in a crown, and at least one carcass reinforcement (60) extending from the beads through the sidewalls to the crown, the carcass reinforcement being anchored in the two beads by a turn-up around an annular reinforcing structure in such a way as to form in each bead an incoming portion (61) and a wrapped-around portion (62), wherein each bead comprises a bead filler (110) and an outer band (120), the latter being placed axially outside of both the carcass reinforcement and the bead filler, wherein the assembly formed by the bead filler (110) and the outer band (120) has a thickness E(r), r being the distance to the radially innermost point (71) of the annular reinforcing structure, the thickness E(r) at different positions being such that, in the range of distances r greater than or equal to 15% and smaller than or equal to 50% of the radial height H of the tire, the variation of the thickness is less than or equal to ?0.25 mm/mm over at least 5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Bertrand Daval
  • Patent number: 9186871
    Abstract: Pneumatic tire, the belt of which is reinforced by a multilayer laminate comprising at least one multiaxially drawn thermoplastic polymer film, such as for example a biaxially drawn PET film, placed between and in contact with two layers of rubber composition, such as natural rubber. Preferably, the thermoplastic polymer film has, irrespective of the tensile direction considered, a tensile modulus E which is greater than 500 MPa, a maximum tensile stress ?max which is greater than 80 MPa, and an elongation at break Ar greater than 40%. The above thermoplastic polymer film, placed between two layers of diene rubber compositions, can especially be used in the belt of pneumatic tires as a perforation-resistant protective film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Christophe Le Clerc
  • Patent number: 9180737
    Abstract: A molded tire may include a support structure having an inner circumferential portion and an outer circumferential portion. The inner circumferential portion may be configured to be associated with a hub. The molded tire may also include a tread portion associated with the outer circumferential portion of the support structure, wherein the tread portion may be formed from a first polyurethane having first material characteristics. The support structure may be formed from a second polyurethane having second material characteristics different than the first material characteristics. The support structure may be chemically bonded to the tread portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron K. Amstutz, Kevin L. Martin, Stephen J. Pierz, David J. Colantoni
  • Patent number: 9180741
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a belt layer 7, a band layer 9, and a noise damper 10 made of a sponge material and attached to a radially inner surface TS of a tread 2. The width WA of the noise damper 10 is of from 40%-70% of a ground contacting width TW of the tread. The band layer 9 has an overlapping portion 12 in which two band plies 9A, 9B are radially overlapped; and the overlapping portion 12 covers an axially outer region of the belt layer 7 with a cover width WB of from 10%-25% the ground contacting width TW. An axially inner end 12i of the overlapping portion 12 is spaced a distance LC of from 5%-20% the ground contacting width TW from an axially outer end E of the noise damper 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Oba
  • Patent number: 9174490
    Abstract: A tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed from at least two working crown layers and from at least one layer of circumferential reinforcing elements positioned radially between two working crown layers, the working crown layers adjacent to the layer of circumferential reinforcing elements being on each side of the equatorial plane and in the axial continuation of the layer of circumferential reinforcing elements coupled over an axial width, in order thereafter to be decoupled. A first additional layer of polymer blend having a width at least equal to the width 1 of the coupling zone and having a maximum thickness of less than two times the thickness of the layer of circumferential reinforcing elements is positioned radially under the working crown layer radially adjacent to and inside the layer of circumferential reinforcing elements and is at least partially radially superposed on the coupling zone of the working crown layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Philippe Johnson, Alain Domingo
  • Patent number: 9174489
    Abstract: A tire comprising a carcass-type reinforcement structure and beads, each bead being extended radially outwardly by a sidewall, the sidewalls meeting radially outwardly with a tread, the intersection of the sidewalls and of the tread defining the shoulder ends of the tire. The tire includes, in the area of each of the sidewalls, at least one layer of materials having a stretch rigidity in the longitudinal direction greater than 5000 daN/mm and the radially outer end of said layer of materials is radially inside the shoulder ends of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Franck Honneur