Patents Examined by Robert C Dye
  • Patent number: 11046114
    Abstract: Technique to increase the endurance of tires comprising two crossed working layers (41, 42), comprising mutually parallel reinforcing elements (411, 421) forming, with the circumferential direction (XX?) of the tire, an angle at least equal to 20° and at most equal to 50°, the reinforcing elements being made up of individual metal threads or monofilaments having a cross section at least equal to 0.20 mm and at most equal to 0.6 mm. The end of the monofilaments comprises flats such that they reduce the shear forces in the rubber compounds of the tire under compressive loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Jacques Morel-Jean, Hervé Queraud, Olivier Muhlhoff, Rémi Bruant
  • Patent number: 11046120
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion 2. The tread portion 2 comprises a plurality of lateral grooves 8 extending in a tire axial direction and blocks 9 divided by the lateral grooves 8. At least one of the blocks 9 includes a first lateral block wall 16 positioned on a side of one of the lateral grooves 8 adjacent thereto and a sipe pair 22 consisting of a first lateral sipe 23 and a second lateral sipe 24 adjacent to each other in the tire axial direction with a gap 25 therebetween. The first lateral block wall 16 has, at a center portion thereof in the tire axial direction, a convex portion 20 partly protruding toward the one of the lateral grooves 8. The gap 25 is arranged in a convex portion projection area 26 obtained by extending the convex portion 20 along a tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 11046112
    Abstract: A tire assembly includes an assemblage formed of first and second impregnated woven or knitted structures, a bearing structure, and at least one sacrificial holder. The first impregnated woven or knitted structure includes a first woven or knitted fabric and a first layer of a first polymeric composition. The second impregnated woven or knitted structure includes a second woven or knitted fabric and a second layer of a second polymeric composition. The bearing structure includes bearing elements connecting the first and second woven or knitted fabrics together. Each sacrificial holder is structured to hold temporarily the first and second impregnated structures in contact with each other, connecting the first and second woven or knitted fabrics together. When the first and second impregnated woven or knitted structures are separated from each other, each sacrificial holder breaks before any breakage of the bearing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Sébastien Rigo, Florian Vilcot, Daniel Beaulaton, Bastien Limozin, Damien Fombelle, Magaly Brousseau
  • Patent number: 11046039
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes feeding a master roll 8a from a master roll table 10 to a belt table 14, and cutting the master roll 8a between the master roll table 10 and the belt table 14. In the step of feeding the master roll 8a from the master roll table 10 to the belt table 14, the master roll 8a is fed by holding a front part of the master roll 8a by a first hand 30 and a rear part of the master roll 8a by a second hand 40, and the front part of the master roll 8a is continuously held by the first hand 30 from start to end of the feeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji Itakura
  • Patent number: 11046117
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion 2. The tread portion 2 comprises a plurality of oblique grooves 10 extending obliquely from a first tread edge Te1 positioned on one side in a tire axial direction toward a tire equator C, and a plurality of oblique land regions 13 each defined between a pair of the oblique grooves 10 adjacent to each other in a tire circumferential direction. Each of the oblique land regions 13 is provided with a plurality of joint grooves 15 each connecting between the pair of the oblique grooves 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kotaro Tahara, Hiroyuki Ishino, Saki Arakawa, Kenta Yagi
  • Patent number: 11040581
    Abstract: In a tire 2, chafers 8 each extend from a position axially outward of a corresponding one of beads 10 to a position radially inward of the corresponding one of the beads 10. Sidewalls 6 extend to positions between the beads 10 and the chafers 8, respectively. The chafers 8 extend to positions outward of ends 38 of turned-up portions 44 of a carcass ply 40 in the radial direction. When a side surface 50 represents a portion, of an outer surface of each chafer 8, which contacts with a flange of a rim, an outline of the side surface 50 has an arc C that extends from a heel of the bead 10 portion and projects inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichiro Tanada
  • Patent number: 11040508
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tyre is provided, in particular a run-flat tyre. The method includes providing a drum with a first shrink section and a second shrink section. Each shrink section is provided with a shrink surface that is radially movable. The method includes moving the shrink surfaces radially inwards with respect to the central axis from a level position to a shrink position in which the drum, at the shrink surfaces, has a circumference with a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter, while creating a partial vacuum between the shrink surfaces and a first tyre layer at the first shrink section and the second shrink section. The method further includes shrinking the first tyre layer onto the shrink surfaces in the shrink position under the influence of the partial vacuum. A drum for use in the aforementioned method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: VMI HOLLAND B.V.
    Inventors: Martin De Graaf, Dave Papot
  • Patent number: 11040580
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire including a side reinforcing layer, the maximum width W0 of a bead core and the widths W1, W2 of the bead core at innermost and outermost sides in the radial direction, respectively, satisfy W1>W2 and W2?0.5×W0. W0 is toward the inside of the center of the bead core in the radial direction. A carcass is folded and curved along the bead core, and a folded back portion of the carcass extends toward the sidewalls while contacting a body of the carcass. A rubber occupancy ratio in a region formed by the body and the folded back portion of the carcass is 0.1% to 15%. The cross-sectional area S2 of a filler toward the outside of the carcass in the lateral direction, the hardness H2 of the filler, the cross-sectional area S1 of a side reinforcing layer and the hardness H1 of the side reinforcing layer satisfy 0.15?(S2×H2)/(S1×H1)?0.60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Inventors: Hiraku Kouda, Jun Matsuda, Atsushi Tanno, Masaaki Nagayasu, Ryohei Takemori, Yuki Sasaya
  • Patent number: 11040579
    Abstract: A stud pin for mounting in a pneumatic tire includes a tip including a tip end surface configured to come into contact with a road surface, and a body portion configured to house the tip. An end surface of the tip configured to come into contact with a road surface comprises an axis of symmetry which defines a line symmetrical shape of the end surface; a centroid of a shape of the end surface offset to a first side in an axial direction from a center position of a range the end surface covers in the axial direction of the axis of symmetry; and a recessed portion recessed inward of the end surface, the recessed portion being provided on, of peripheries of the end surface, a periphery of the end surface running between a first most distal end portion and a second most distal end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Inventor: Kenichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11034111
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a pivoted dual roller tire sidewall and body ply stitching apparatus for stitching tire components, the apparatus including a first roller having a toroidal shape and connected to a first supporting arm, a second roller having a toroidal shape and connected to a second supporting arm and a supporting member connected to the first roller, the second roller and a third supporting arm wherein the second supporting arm is longer than the first supporting arm and the first roller and the second roller are configured to pivot on the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Sandro Daidoji, Christopher D. Ellis, Phillip T. Brasher, Jr., Jason J. Para, Blair Kim
  • Patent number: 11034191
    Abstract: A tire tread including a tread surface adapted to come into contact with a road surface has at least one main groove that, when new, opens onto the tread surface of the tread, this main groove having a maximum depth. The main groove includes a plurality of first groove portions and a plurality of second groove portions, the first and second groove portions being arranged alternately such that a first portion is followed by a second portion. Each first groove portion has a width that decreases with wear, and each second groove portion has a width that increases with wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Brian Keefe, Walid Djabour, Arnaud Larregain
  • Patent number: 11037790
    Abstract: A pressurizing device includes: a mounting base; an upper mold which pressurizes the target object mounted on the mounting base from above; a heating lower mold which is a lower mold heated in advance by a heater, and which heats the target object under pressure by sandwiching the mounting base with the upper mold; a cooling lower mold which is a lower mold cooled in advance by a cooler, and which cools the target object under pressure by sandwiching the mounting base with the upper mold; and a control device which switches the lower mold that contributes to the pressurization of the target object to the heating lower mold or the cooling lower mold in accordance with the status of progress of the pressurization process for the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: NIKKISO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Mori, Satoshi Idesako
  • Patent number: 11034192
    Abstract: A tire is disclosed, including a plurality of blocks, each has an outer surface bulging outward and two lateral walls. An extension line is defined on the surface of each flat segment of each block. Each extension line has a first point on the flat segment. A first horizontal reference line is defined by connecting two first points. A second horizontal reference line is defined on the outer surface with two ends thereof contacting the outer surface. The second horizontal reference line is 0.85 times as long as the first horizontal reference line. A vertical distance between the outer surface and the second horizontal reference line is 0.2-0.8 mm. Whereby, the tire could provide good drainage performance and adequate grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: KENDA RUBBER IND. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ying-Ming Yang, Wen-Fu Chiu
  • Patent number: 11034193
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic tire with a bead having enhanced endurance, more particularly, a pneumatic tire with a bead having enhanced stiffness in which at least one bead core is provided and a carcass does not have a turn-up structure at an end thereof such that stiffness of the bead and sidewall is enhanced. The pneumatic tire includes bead cores in which multi-layered bead wire cords are coiled, bead fillers adhering to the bead cores having at least two rows, and a carcass ply disposed between the bead cores of the bead fillers, the carcass ply having a linear shape without a turn-up structure, wherein a left bead filler and a right bead filler including the bead cores including the bead wire cords are disposed at both sides of the carcass ply, and each of the left and right bead fillers has a diameter decreasing upward from a bead base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: HANKOOK TIRE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gui Jung Sohn, Hun Cheol Shin
  • Patent number: 11034190
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes: a rib defined by a circumferential main groove; circumferential sipes formed in the rib at intervals in the circumferential direction; rib edge sipes formed in the rib aligning in the circumferential direction, each of the rib edge sipes terminating in the rib opening to the circumferential main groove; and first and second narrow grooves extending in the circumferential direction, each of the first and second narrow grooves having a groove depth shallower than depths of the circumferential sipes and the rib edge sipes, the first narrow grooves having ends connected to one of the circumferential sipes adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and the second narrow grooves each including an inner connecting portion connected to one of the first narrow shallow grooves and including an outer connecting portion connected to one of the rib edge sipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Inventor: Hideki Hamanaka
  • Patent number: 11034112
    Abstract: A method of building a tire carcass is disclosed. The method of building the tire carcass includes the steps of applying one or more tire building components onto a drum forming a cylindrically shaped tire carcass. A first and second bead is placed onto a respective bead pocket. Then the carcass is inflated under low pressure into engagement with a belt and tread package while the bead pockets are moved axially inward. The beads are continued to move axially inward to the axial width of the widest breaker position. Then the outer lateral ends of the cylindrically shaped tire carcass are turned up about a respective first and second bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: George Michael Stoila, Michael James Hogan
  • Patent number: 11027507
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tire building drum and method for operating the tire building drum, which tire building drum include a left section, a right section, a center section, and a support member for supporting the center section in the radially outward direction. The support member is movable together with the center section in the radially outward direction. The tire building drum further includes a blocking device for blocking the support member against movement in a radially inward direction when the center section is in the expanded position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventors: Martin De Graaf, Dave Papot
  • Patent number: 11020918
    Abstract: A system manufactures a tire assembly. The system includes a core having a cylindrical hub and radially protruding extensions projecting radially outward from the hub, a plurality of internal arcuate members for positioning a reinforcing layer of the tire assembly about the core, the internal arcuate members being disposed in spaces between the extensions of the core, a first side plate for securing the internal arcuate members in place relative to the core, and a second side plate for securing the core and internal arcuate members to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Ceyhan Celik, George Michael Stoila, Steven Amos Edwards, James Alfred Benzing, II, William Andrew Haydu, Jr., Todd Andrew Bachochin, Michael James Hogan, Timothy Scott Miller
  • Patent number: 11021022
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a tread portion; sidewall portions; bead portions; a carcass layer disposed extending between the pair of bead portions; a belt layer of a plurality of layers disposed on an outer circumferential side of the carcass layer in the tread portion; and a band-like noise absorbing member adhered to a region corresponding to a tire inner surface of the tread portion along the tire circumferential direction interposed by an adhesive layer. The pneumatic tire further includes a belt cover layer being disposed on an outer circumferential side of the belt layer across an entire width of the belt layer, the belt cover layer including organic fiber cords arranged in the tire circumferential direction; and a rate of change of a dynamic loaded radius when traveling at 270 km/h with respect to a dynamic loaded radius when traveling at 30 km/h being restricted to 2.0% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanno, Isamu Kishizoe, Yousuke Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 11021887
    Abstract: A method of constructing a tower is provided, the method including the steps of providing an elevation mechanism including a dynamic engaging mechanism realized to engage with a tower surface, arranging a 3D printing device on the elevation means, actuating the dynamic engaging mechanism to effect a vertical elevation of the elevation mechanism, actuating the 3D printing device to deposit an essentially horizontal material layer including at least a tower body region, and repeating the steps to obtain a tower structure. A tower constructed using such a method, and a 3D tower printing apparatus, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS GAMESA RENEWABLE ENERGY A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Keller, Rainer Kuth, Philip Mewes