Patents by Inventor Benoit Foucher

Benoit Foucher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10399387
    Abstract: A tire comprises two working crown layers of reinforcing elements and, in each shoulder, an end of a layer of parallel reinforcing elements oriented circumferentially, said end being axially outside the working crown layers. The reinforcing elements have a diameter less than 1 mm and comprise threads with a diameter strictly greater than 0.16 mm, and, in a radial plane, the ratio between the thicknesses of rubber compound between the inner surface of the tire cavity and that point of a metal reinforcing element of the carcass reinforcement that is closest to said inner surface of the cavity, of the two parts of the tire profile that are centered on the respective orthogonal projections onto the inner surface of the tire cavity of the axially outer ends of said additional layers, and of the parts of the tire profile that have the smallest thicknesses, being greater than 1.15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Benoît Foucher
  • Patent number: 10363778
    Abstract: A crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements. The tire additionally comprises, in each shoulder, at least one end of a layer of reinforcing elements that are mutually parallel in the layer and are oriented circumferentially, said end being axially outside said at least two working crown layers, the reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement having a diameter less than 0.85 mm, and said reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement being made up of threads with a diameter less than 0.16 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Benoît Foucher
  • Patent number: 10137738
    Abstract: A tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements. The tire additionally comprises, in each shoulder, at least one end of a layer of reinforcing elements that are mutually parallel in the layer and are oriented circumferentially, said end being axially outside said at least two working crown layers, the reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement having a diameter less than 1 mm and being made up of threads with a diameter strictly greater than 0.16 mm, and said reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement being advantageously non-wrapped metal cords that return a flow rate of less than 20 cm3/min in what is referred to as the permeability test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Benoît Foucher
  • Patent number: 9862233
    Abstract: A tire having a carcass reinforcement surmounted radially by a crown reinforcement having at least two working plies, the width Lt of which is equal to the width of the axially narrowest working ply, and surmounted radially by a tread (or “cap”) and interposed radially between the cap and the crown reinforcement by a sublayer (or “base”), this base extending axially and radially under all of the cap and radially on the outside of the crown reinforcement over a total width at least equal to the width Lt of the crown reinforcement, an equatorial plane dividing the cap axially into an outer half cap (TE) and an inner half cap (TI) of the same axial width, the outer half cap (TE) positioned axially towards the outside of a vehicle and the inner half cap (TI) positioned axially towards the inside of the vehicle, the base comprising an additional volume radially under the inner half cap (TI), such that the volume occupied by the base radially under the inner half cap (TI) is greater than the volume occupied by the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Hervé Bechon, Benoit Foucher
  • Patent number: 9539862
    Abstract: Tire for heavy goods vehicle having a tread comprising a plurality of circumferential grooves delimiting intermediate ribs and two edge ribs each circumferential groove comprising a plurality of protuberances formed as a protrusion on at least one lateral wall delimiting this groove, wherein: facing each protuberance, a half-closed notch has an axial length La at most equal to 60% of the minimum width Ln of this rib, and a width Le at most equal to the width Lr of the groove oriented so as to make an average angle B at least equal to 10 degrees with the main direction of the protuberance, each protuberance closes the section of the groove in which it is formed over at least 35% and at most 75% of the surface of the said section, a functional clearance (J1, J2) is arranged between the protuberance and the walls delimiting the half-closed notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Inventors: Alexis Bournat, Benoit Foucher, Didier Michel Martin, Benjamin Quantinet
  • Publication number: 20160303914
    Abstract: Tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements. The tire has a nominal pressure (Pn) of between 4 and 8 bar and a relative deflection (Fr) under nominal load that satisfies the relationship Fr?0.14+(Pn?5)×0.013. The crown reinforcement ly comprises a layer of reinforcing elements parallel to one another within the layer and oriented circumferentially, the reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement having a diameter less than 1 mm and comprising threads of a diameter greater than 0.16 mm, the reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement being metal cords, advantageously non-wrapped cords, exhibiting in a permeability test a flow rate of less than 20 cm3/min, and the radial distance, measured in the equatorial plane, between the exterior surface of the tread and the interior surface of the tire being less than 32 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventor: Benoît FOUCHER
  • Publication number: 20160152083
    Abstract: A crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements. The tire additionally comprises, in each shoulder, at least one end of a layer of reinforcing elements that are mutually parallel in the layer and are oriented circumferentially, said end being axially outside said at least two working crown layers, the reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement having a diameter less than 0.85 mm, and said reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement being made up of threads with a diameter less than 0.16 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicants: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Benoît FOUCHER
  • Publication number: 20160152081
    Abstract: A tire comprises two working crown layers of reinforcing elements and, in each shoulder, an end of a layer of parallel reinforcing elements oriented circumferentially, said end being axially outside the working crown layers. The reinforcing elements have a diameter less than 1 mm and comprise threads with a diameter strictly greater than 0.16 mm, and, in a radial plane, the ratio between the thicknesses of rubber compound between the inner surface of the tire cavity and that point of a metal reinforcing element of the carcass reinforcement that is closest to said inner surface of the cavity, of the two parts of the tire profile that are centered on the respective orthogonal projections onto the inner surface of the tire cavity of the axially outer ends of said additional layers, and of the parts of the tire profile that have the smallest thicknesses, being greater than 1.15.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventor: Benoît FOUCHER
  • Publication number: 20160152080
    Abstract: A tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements. The tire additionally comprises, in each shoulder, at least one end of a layer of reinforcing elements that are mutually parallel in the layer and are oriented circumferentially, said end being axially outside said at least two working crown layers, the reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement having a diameter less than 1 mm and being made up of threads with a diameter strictly greater than 0.16 mm, and said reinforcing elements of the carcass reinforcement being advantageously non-wrapped metal cords that return a flow rate of less than 20 cm3/min in what is referred to as the permeability test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventor: BENOIT FOUCHER
  • Publication number: 20140090761
    Abstract: A tread and a tire for a heavy vehicle, and a molding element therefor, this tread comprising a plurality of sipes of circumferential overall orientation and of width (Li), each of these sipes extending into the depth of the tread over a depth (P) that is less than the mean thickness (E) of the tread, each sipe being extended radially inwards by a channel having lateral walls that, when the tread has become partially worn, delimit a new groove, these lateral walls connecting to a bottom , each sipe connecting together a plurality of drainage wells, each formed in the thickness of the tread opening via a first opening onto the tread surface the maximum dimension of which is at least equal to twice the width of the sipe and via a second opening into a channel; for each sipe of circumferential overall orientation, there is at least one drainage well in the contact patch and, in the continuation of each drainage well, a protrusion on the bottom of the channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Compagnie Generale Des Establissments Michelin
    Inventors: Benoit Foucher, Hervé Bechon, Philippe Mansuy
  • Publication number: 20130340905
    Abstract: A tire having a carcass reinforcement surmounted radially by a crown reinforcement having at least two working plies, the width Lt of which is equal to the width of the axially narrowest working ply, and surmounted radially by a tread (or “cap”) and interposed radially between the cap and the crown reinforcement by a sublayer (or “base”), this base extending axially and radially under all of the cap and radially on the outside of the crown reinforcement over a total width at least equal to the width Lt of the crown reinforcement, an equatorial plane dividing the cap axially into an outer half cap (TE) and an inner half cap (TI) of the same axial width, the outer half cap (TE) positioned axially towards the outside of a vehicle and the inner half cap (TI) positioned axially towards the inside of the vehicle, the base comprising an additional volume radially under the inner half cap (TI), such that the volume occupied by the base radially under the inner half cap (TI) is greater than the volume occupied by the
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Hervé Bechon, Benoit Foucher
  • Publication number: 20130206292
    Abstract: A tyre for heavy goods vehicle comprising a tread with a thickness E having a tread surface, an asymmetrical sculpture design over at least one thickness equal to 30% of the thickness of the tread, forming an outer portion of axial width LE to be positioned axially towards the outside of a vehicle when the tyre is fitted and an inner portion of axial width LI situated in the axial extension of the outer portion, the inner portion and the outer portion separated by a groove of generally circumferential orientation, the outer portion of the tread comprising, in the circumferential direction, a succession of rigid strips of circumferential width D11 and of axial width LE having no groove or cavity opening onto the tread surface in the new state and of flexible strips of circumferential width D12 and of axial width LE provided with grooves extending over the whole circumferential width D12 of these flexible strips, the rigid strips having a circumferential width D11 at least equal to 7% of the axial width LE of t
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Benoit Foucher, Hervé Bechon, Philippe Mansuy
  • Publication number: 20130153105
    Abstract: Tire for heavy goods vehicle having a tread comprising a plurality of circumferential grooves delimiting intermediate ribs and two edge ribs each circumferential groove comprising a plurality of protuberances formed as a protrusion on at least one lateral wall delimiting this groove, wherein: facing each protuberance, a half-closed notch has an axial length La at most equal to 60% of the minimum width Ln of this rib, and a width Le at most equal to the width Lr of the groove oriented so as to make an average angle B at least equal to 10 degrees with the main direction of the protuberance, each protuberance closes the section of the groove in which it is formed over at least 35% and at most 75% of the surface of the said section, a functional clearance (J1, J2) is arranged between the protuberance and the walls delimiting the half-closed notch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Alexis Bournat, Benoit Foucher, Didier Michel Martin, Benjamin Quantinet
  • Patent number: 7784508
    Abstract: A tire tread comprising a rolling surface and at least one wear indicator formed by at least one cavity which opens onto the rolling surface, wherein the geometrical shape of the trace of the cavity on the rolling surface changes as a function of the wear level of the tread and wherein the geometrical shape of said trace is an analogical expression of the tread's wear level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Preston Butler Kemp, Benoit Foucher
  • Publication number: 20060213594
    Abstract: A tire tread comprising a rolling surface and at least one wear indicator formed by at least one cavity which opens onto the rolling surface, wherein the geometrical shape of the trace of the cavity on the rolling surface changes as a function of the wear level of the tread and wherein the geometrical shape of said trace is an analogical expression of the tread's wear level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Preston Kemp, Benoit Foucher
  • Publication number: 20040007300
    Abstract: The present invention is a vehicle tire to support a nominal load, where the tire comprises a tread including apertures inclined with respect to the normal to the surface of the tread at an angle alpha, where alpha is between five degrees and thirty degrees. In one embodiment of the invention, the tread does not include tread blocks. In another embodiment of the invention, the tread only includes wide ribs. In another embodiment of the invention, the tread does not include sipes. In a further embodiment of the invention, the tread comprises styrene-butadiene rubber in a further embodiment of the invention, the apertures are in echelon formation. In one embodiment of the invention, each aperture is an ellipse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventor: Benoit Foucher
  • Patent number: D563861
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Benoit Foucher
  • Patent number: D642972
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Hervé Bechon, Benoît Foucher, Philippe Mansuy