Patents by Inventor Michio Hirayama

Michio Hirayama 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: 9003864
    Abstract: A method for estimating wear resistance of a tread portion of a tire comprises: a tire manufacturing step in which the tire to be evaluated is manufactured; a rubber seat sampling step in which an evaluation rubber seat is cut out from the tread portion of the tire to include a part of the tread surface; an abrasion step in which the rubber seat is subjected to abrasion by the use of an indoor wear testing machine; and a wear resistance estimating step in which the wear resistance of the tire is estimated based on a state of the wear of the rubber seat caused in the abrasion step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20140373989
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a tire having improved abrasion resistance and appearance, as well as reduced rolling resistance and therefore improved fuel economy. The present invention relates to a tire including a tread, the tread containing 0.9 to 1.5% by mass of a wax, 0.9 to 1.5% by mass of an amine antioxidant, 0.3 to 1.0% by mass of a quinoline antioxidant, and a tread rubber component containing 3% by mass or more of a polybutadiene rubber, the tread having a rubber thickness between a tread groove bottom and an outermost belt-reinforcing layer of 0.1 to 2.0 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Michio HIRAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20140371372
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition for tires which enables a balanced improvement in rolling resistance, abrasion resistance, and wet-skid performance. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for tires, including a rubber blend including a diene rubber A modified with a specific acrylamide compound, and a diene rubber B modified with either a combination of a specific silicon or tin compound and a specific modifying compound or with the modifying compound, the combined rubbers A and B having a weight average molecular weight of 300,000 to 1,400,000; and a specific silica.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20140323660
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition for tires which achieves a balanced improvement in rolling resistance, abrasion resistance, and wet-skid performance while providing excellent processability; and a pneumatic tire including the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for tires, including: a modified diene rubber A which has been terminally modified with a specific acrylamide compound; a modified diene rubber B which has been modified with a silicon or tin compound and a specific modifying compound or with the modifying compound; and a silane coupling agent containing a mercapto group, the modified diene rubbers A and B, taken as a whole, having a weight average molecular weight falling within a specific range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8865836
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tire rubber composition with which the grip performance, the abrasion resistance, and the performance in terms of rolling resistance are improved in a balanced manner. The present invention relates to a tire rubber composition comprising: a modified diene rubber A which is modified with a specific acrylamide compound; and a modified diene rubber B which is modified with a specific modifying compound alone or together with a specific silicon or tin compound, a weight average molecular weight of a total of the modified diene rubbers A and B being 300,000 to 1,400,000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8859657
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition for a tire in which the reaction rate between a silane coupling agent and silica is increased to enhance the fuel economy and the abrasion resistance, and a pneumatic tire comprising a component of any kind produced using the rubber composition for a tire. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for a tire, comprising: silica; a silane coupling agent; and at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy acid, itaconic acid, and a salt thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Minagawa, Michio Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8846791
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a tire rubber composition excellent in performances such as silica dispersibility and processability. The present invention relates to a tire rubber composition, comprising: a rubber component that contains an epoxidized natural rubber; silica; and a silane coupling agent, wherein the amount of the epoxidized natural rubber in 100% by mass of the rubber component is 15% by mass or more, the silica has a CTAB specific surface area of 180 m2/g or more and a BET specific surface area of 185 m2/g or more, and the silane coupling agent contains a mercapto group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Hattori, Ai Matsuura, Michio Hirayama, Kenichi Uesaka
  • Publication number: 20140196822
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a pneumatic tire 2 from which static electricity is easily discharged. [Solution] The tire 2 includes penetration portions 8, an under tread 6, a belt 16, a carcass 16, and clinches 12. The carcass 16 includes a large number of cords aligned with each other, and a conductive topping rubber. The electric resistance Rc of the carcass which is represented by the following mathematical formula is less than 1.0×108?. Rc=?/g/(2×3.14×r)×L×10 In the mathematical formula, ? is the volume resistivity (?·cm) of the topping rubber of the carcass, g is the minimum thickness (mm) of the topping rubber, r is the distance (m) from the axis of the tire to an outer end, in the radial direction, of the clinch, and L is the length (m) of the carcass from an end of the reinforcing layer to the outer end, in the radial direction, of the clinch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Michio Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8455582
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a tire rubber composition excellent in performances such as silica dispersibility and processability. The present invention relates to a tire rubber composition, comprising: a rubber component; silica; and a silane coupling agent, wherein the silica has a CTAB specific surface area of 180 m2/g or more and a BET specific surface area of 185 m2/g or more, and the silane coupling agent is a copolymer comprising units A represented by formula (1) and units B represented by formula (2), and the proportion of the units B is 1 to 70 mol % of the total molar amount of the units A and the units B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Hattori, Ai Matsuura, Michio Hirayama, Kenichi Uesaka
  • Publication number: 20130036790
    Abstract: A method for estimating wear resistance of a tread portion of a tire comprises: a tire manufacturing step in which the tire to be evaluated is manufactured; a rubber seat sampling step in which an evaluation rubber seat is cut out from the tread portion of the tire to include a part of the tread surface; an abrasion step in which the rubber seat is subjected to abrasion by the use of an indoor wear testing machine; and a wear resistance estimating step in which the wear resistance of the tire is estimated based on a state of the wear of the rubber seat caused in the abrasion step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventor: Michio HIRAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20130012660
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tire rubber composition with which the grip performance, the abrasion resistance, and the performance in terms of rolling resistance are improved in a balanced manner. The present invention relates to a tire rubber composition comprising: a modified diene rubber A which is modified with a specific acrylamide compound; and a modified diene rubber B which is modified with a specific modifying compound alone or together with a specific silicon or tin compound, a weight average molecular weight of a total of the modified diene rubbers A and B being 300,000 to 1,400,000.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventor: Michio HIRAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20120283354
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tire rubber composition which has good silica dispersibility and improves in terms of the reinforcement, the abrasion resistance, the mechanical strength, the rolling resistance, the wet grip performance, and the handling stability on a dry road surface in a balanced manner; and provides a pneumatic tire produced using the tire rubber composition. The present invention relates to a tire rubber composition, comprising: a rubber component; a first silica; and a second silica, wherein the first silica has a CTAB specific surface area of 180 m2/g or more, a BET specific surface area of 185 m2/g or more, and an aggregate size of 45 nm or more, and the second silica has a CTAB specific surface area of 95 m2/g or less, and a BET specific surface area of 100 m2/g or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Takayuki Hattori, Ai Matsuura, Yoji Imoto, Michio Hirayama, Kenichi Uesaka
  • Publication number: 20120214918
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition for a tire in which the reaction rate between a silane coupling agent and silica is increased to enhance the fuel economy and the abrasion resistance, and a pneumatic tire comprising a component of any kind produced using the rubber composition for a tire. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for a tire, comprising: silica; a silane coupling agent; and at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy acid, itaconic acid, and a salt thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Minagawa, Michio Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20110136961
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a tire rubber composition excellent in performances such as silica dispersibility and processability. The present invention relates to a tire rubber composition, comprising: a rubber component that contains an epoxidized natural rubber; silica; and a silane coupling agent, wherein the amount of the epoxidized natural rubber in 100% by mass of the rubber component is 15% by mass or more, the silica has a CTAB specific surface area of 180 m2/g or more and a BET specific surface area of 185 m2/g or more, and the silane coupling agent contains a mercapto group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Takayuki Hattori, Ai Matsuura, Michio Hirayama, Kenichi Uesaka
  • Publication number: 20110136962
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a tire rubber composition excellent in performances such as silica dispersibility and processability. The present invention relates to a tire rubber composition, comprising: a rubber component; silica; and a silane coupling agent, wherein the silica has a CTAB specific surface area of 180 m2/g or more and a BET specific surface area of 185 m2/g or more, and the silane coupling agent is a copolymer comprising units A represented by formula (1) and units B represented by formula (2), and the proportion of the units B is 1 to 70 mol % of the total molar amount of the units A and the units B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Takayuki HATTORI, Ai Matsuura, Michio Hirayama, Kenichi Uesaka
  • Patent number: 7766062
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire that can improve maneuver stability while maintaining riding comfort is provided. The pneumatic radial tire has a tire tread including at least two layers of a base tread and a cap tread arranged externally in a radial direction of the base tread. The base tread is formed by a base tread rubber composition including at least 2-20 parts by weight of a kraft paper ground product relative to 100 parts by weight of a rubber component. The base tread has its ratio E*a/E*b of a complex elastic modulus in a circumferential direction E*a to a complex elastic modulus in a tire radial direction E*b set to be at least 1.5, each of the complex elastic moduli E*a and E*b being measured at a temperature of 70° C., a frequency of 10 Hz, and a dynamic strain of ±1% at a tire maximum width position in a state where the tire is attached to a rim and filled to a prescribed internal pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20090005481
    Abstract: A rubber composition for a tire comprising a rubber component containing at least one of a natural rubber and an epoxidized natural rubber, not less than 15 parts by mass of silica based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, and not less than 0.5 part by mass of calcium stearate based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, a tire member made using the rubber composition for a tire, and a tire made using the tire member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ishida, Michio Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20060229396
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition in which increase in elastic modulus due to thermal fatigue is small, change in properties over time is prevented, durability is significantly improved, and the pneumatic tire has a strip which includes the rubber composition. More specifically, the present invention provides a rubber composition which includes 100 parts by weight of (A) a rubber component which includes natural rubber and/or isoprene rubber, 4 to 6 parts by weight of (B) sulfur, 0.5 to 2.0 parts by weight of (C) a resin containing resorcin or a derivative thereof, 0.5 to 2.0 parts by weight of (D) a compound capable of donating a methylene group, and (E) a cobalt metallic salt. The present invention also provides a pneumatic tire having a strip with the above-described rubber composition, which is located on a breaker edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventors: Yoichi Mizuno, Hirotoshi Ohtsuki, Michio Hirayama, Hirokazu Ishida
  • Publication number: 20060174987
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire that can improve maneuver stability while maintaining riding comfort is provided. The pneumatic radial tire has a tire tread including at least two layers of a base tread and a cap tread arranged externally in a radial direction of the base tread. The base tread is formed by a base tread rubber composition including at least 2-20 parts by weight of a kraft paper ground product relative to 100 parts by weight of a rubber component. The base tread has its ratio E*a/E*b of a complex elastic modulus in a circumferential direction E*a to a complex elastic modulus in a tire radial direction E*b set to be at least 1.5, each of the complex elastic moduli E*a and E*b being measured at a temperature of 70° C., a frequency of 10 Hz, and a dynamic strain of ±1 % at a tire maximum width position in a state where the tire is attached to a rim and filled to a prescribed internal pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventor: Michio Hirayama
  • Patent number: 7040369
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic radial tire, in which rolling resistance is reduced and durability is improved without losing toe-chip resistance when assembling the rim. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pneumatic radial tire having a chafer comprising a rubber composition having complex modulus of 9 to 13 MPa measured under conditions of temperature of 70° C., frequency of 10 Hz and dynamic strain of ±2%, loss tangent of 0.08 to 0.11 and tensile elongation at break of at least 230% measured according to JIS-K6251.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Michio Hirayama