Patents by Inventor David Robert Watkins
David Robert Watkins 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).
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Publication number: 20080216930Abstract: This invention relates to a tyre, particularly a motorcycle tyre having a high camber rubber tread which contains a central internal circumferential rubber stabilization element, or bar, which extends to and is a part of the running surface of the tyre tread and a plurality of additional spaced apart internal circumferential rubber stabilization bars, positioned within the tread outer cap rubber layer of which one or more may optionally be a part of the running surface of the tyre tread. In one embodiment, segments of the tread's outer cap rubber layer are substantially separated from each other, and may be thereby substantially dynamically de-coupled from each other, by one or more of said circumferential rubber stabilizer bars which extend radially outward into said outer tread cap rubber layer from an underlying tread base rubber layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2007Publication date: September 11, 2008Inventors: Christopher John Valentine, David Robert Watkins
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Patent number: 6988520Abstract: A motor-cycle tire (1) comprising a ground contacting tread (2) reinforced between its edges (3,4) by a breaker assembly and having in its normally inflated fitted condition a camber value C/L of between 0.5 and 0.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2000Date of Patent: January 24, 2006Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventors: David Robert Watkins, Gary Terence Barrett
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Patent number: 6821369Abstract: An improved single-stage method for building a tire includes the steps of forming a cylindrical-shaped carcass with axially extending carcass reinforcing cords, fitting annular bead hoops onto the radially outer surface of the carcass ply at positions axially inward of each of the carcass ply edges, assembling a plurality of breaker plies, including one wide breaker ply, centrally onto and about the radially outer surface of the carcass ply, and fitting onto this cylindrical assembly the remaining components of the tire to form a cylindrical green tire assembly, wherein the radial bias angle of the carcass reinforcing cords in the vulcanized tire changes progressively from 90° in the regions of the bead hoops to as low as 70° in the central crown region.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2001Date of Patent: November 23, 2004Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Michael Raymond Corner, David Robert Watkins
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Patent number: 6523588Abstract: A tire for a vehicle having at least one wheel at each corner, the tire comprising a non-longitudinal ground contacting tread extending axially between first and second axial edge regions and having tread grooves formed therein, wherein in the first axial edge region of the tread, the tread grooves are oriented substantially in the tire circumferential direction and in the second axial edge region of the tread the grooves are oriented substantially in the tire axial direction and in a third axial region of the tread axially between the first and second edge regions the orientation of the grooves changes progressively from circumferential to axial.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2000Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries LimitedInventors: David Robert Watkins, Michael Jackson, Paul Stephens
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Publication number: 20030000616Abstract: A motor-cycle tire (1) comprising a ground contacting tread (2) reinforced between its edges (3,4) by a breaker assembly and having in its normally inflated fitted condition a camber value C/L of between 0.5 and 0.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2002Publication date: January 2, 2003Inventors: David Robert Watkins, Gary Terence Barrett
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Publication number: 20020066510Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire having in axial cross-section a highly curved tread reinforced by a breaker assembly with improved resistance to breaker edge looseness. The breaker assembly includes one breaker ply which extends between two bead regions and has its edges disposed between a carcass main portion and a carcass turn-up portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2001Publication date: June 6, 2002Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Michael Raymond Corner, David Robert Watkins
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Patent number: 6318429Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire having in axial cross-section a highly curved tread is reinforced by a breaker assembly with improved resistance to breaker edge looseness. The breaker assembly includes one breaker ply which extends between two bead regions and has its edges disposed between a carcass main portion and a carcass turn-up portion. An improved single-stage method may be employed for building the tire.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1998Date of Patent: November 20, 2001Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries LimitedInventors: Michael Raymond Corner, David Robert Watkins
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Patent number: 6200401Abstract: A tire for a two-wheeled vehicle comprising a ground contacting tread having at least one tread groove formed therein and extending axially from the tread center to the tread edge, wherein in a first region of the tire tread, which is the central tread region and is the region of contact between the tire and the ground when the motorcycle is in the condition of moving in a straight line, the alignment of the tread groove is substantially circumferential, and in a second region of the tire tread, which is at the axial edge of the tread and is the region of contact when the motorcycle is in the condition of turning under maximum cornering, the alignment of the tread grooves is substantially transverse, and in a third region, which is the tread region between the first central region and the second axial region and which is the ground contacting region when the motorcycle is turning at less than the maximum cornering condition, the groove alignment changes progressively axially outwardly from substantially circuType: GrantFiled: October 1, 1998Date of Patent: March 13, 2001Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, LimitedInventors: David Robert Watkins, Michael Jackson
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Patent number: 6190478Abstract: A tire for a vehicle having at least one wheel at each corner, the tire comprising a ground contacting tread extending axially between first and second edge regions and having tread grooves formed therein, wherein in the first axial edge region of the tread the tread grooves are aligned substantially in the tire circumferential direction and in the second axial edge region of the tread the grooves are aligned substantially in the tire axial direction and in a third axial region of the tread axially between the first and second edge regions the alignment of the grooves changes progressively from circumferential to axial.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1998Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, LimitedInventors: David Robert Watkins, Michael Jackson, Paul Stephens
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Patent number: 6125898Abstract: A radial motorcycle tire having improved lateral grip under camber with good stability, wherein the tread is reinforced by two main breaker plies comprising parallel reinforcing cords oppositely inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction and a supplementary breaker ply is disposed radially outward of the main breaker plies and comprises a cord reinforced central ply portion and lateral outer side ply portions disposed on opposite sides of the central ply portion, said lateral side portions comprising rubber having no cord reinforcement.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1998Date of Patent: October 3, 2000Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries LimitedInventors: David Robert Watkins, Michael Jackson
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Patent number: 5829503Abstract: A motorcycle tire having in its normally inflated condition a camber value C/L of between 0.5 and 0.7 and having a maximum axial width between edges of a ground contacting tread wherein in axial cross-section the tread comprises two tread rubber components of different rubber compounds joined by a scarf joint, the scarf joint having a width less than the width of the tread and having an intertread ply comprising reinforcing cords interposed between the two tread rubber components.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 1996Date of Patent: November 3, 1998Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries LimitedInventors: David Robert Watkins, Nigel Gerard Nock, Michael Jackson
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Patent number: 5746852Abstract: A motorcycle tire comprises a tread reinforced between its edges by a breaker assembly and having in its normally inflated fitted condition a camber value C/L of between 0.5 to 0.7, a reinforcing carcass ply of rubber covered cords radially inside the breaker assembly and extending between two bead regions and wrapped in each bead region around an annular bead core to form carcass ply turn-ups, and tire sidewalls between the tread edges and bead regions, wherein under the tread is disposed radially inward of the breaker assembly a secondary carcass ply of rubber covered cords and between the carcass ply and the secondary carcass ply is disposed a rubber member extending from tread edge to tread edge.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 1995Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries LimitedInventors: David Robert Watkins, Nigel Gerard Nock, Michael Jackson
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Patent number: 5651845Abstract: A motorcycle radial tire comprises a tread reinforced between its edges by a breaker assembly and having in its normally inflated fitted condition a camber value C/L of between 0.5 and 0.7, a reinforcing carcass of radially disposed cords extending radially inside the breaker assembly and between two bead regions and wrapped in each bead region around an annular bead core from the axial inside to the outside to form carcass ply turn-ups, and tire sidewalls between the tread edges and bead regions, the tire characterized in that the breaker assembly comprises two breaker plies each reinforced with aromatic polyamide cords oppositely inclined with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire and a supplementary ply disposed radially adjacent to the breaker plies and reinforced with nylon reinforcements laid parallel to each other and disposed at an angle in the range of 75.degree.-90.degree. to the circumferential direction of the tire.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 1995Date of Patent: July 29, 1997Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber IndustriesInventors: David Robert Watkins, Nigel Gerard Nock, Michael Jackson
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Patent number: D579856Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2008Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventors: David Robert Watkins, Malcolm Jeremy Board, Michael Jackson
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Patent number: D434353Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1999Date of Patent: November 28, 2000Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries LimitedInventors: Michael Jackson, David Robert Watkins