Tread Patents (Class 152/209.1)
  • Patent number: 11919340
    Abstract: An improved resilient composite structure for connecting two surfaces together where the structure includes an elastomeric joint body connected to one of the two surfaces and at least one reinforcement membrane at one end of the resilient composite structure, where the reinforcement membrane wraps around the end of the resilient composite structure such that one end of the reinforcement membrane is positioned along a side of the resilient composite structure and the other end of the reinforcement membrane is positioned on the opposite side of the resilient composite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Kevin Corbett Miles, Steven M Cron, Ryan Michael Gaylo
  • Patent number: 11826975
    Abstract: The invention provides a molded article containing a specific fluororesin and having excellent hydrophilicity. The molded article containing the fluororesin has a melt flow rate of 1.00 g/10 min or lower and a water contact angle of 90° or smaller. The fluororesin contains at least one copolymer selected from the group consisting of a copolymer containing a tetrafluoroethylene unit and a perfluoro(alkylvinylether) unit and a copolymer containing a tetrafluoroethylene unit and a hexafluoropropylene unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Imamura, Tatsuya Funaoka, Takeshi Shimono
  • Patent number: 11794525
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion that includes a first circumferential groove and a first land portion. A groove bottom portion of the first circumferential groove includes a groove bottom reference surface and a plurality of projections projecting outwardly in a tire radial direction from the groove bottom reference surface. The first land portion has at least one first lateral groove extending from the first circumferential groove and terminating within the first land portion. In a tread plan view, an entirety of a first lateral groove extension region obtained by extending a connection portion of the first lateral groove at the first circumferential groove to the groove bottom portion of the first circumferential groove so as to be parallel to a tire axial direction is formed on the groove bottom reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Sho Nakajima, Koichi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11697313
    Abstract: A tyre for running on rough terrain has a tread portion including a plurality of blocks and tread crossing grooves extending between a first tread edge and a second tread edge without intersecting the blocks. Each of the tread crossing grooves includes a soil discharging space having a width of at least 10 mm or more and extending linearly so as to connect between the first tread edge and the second tread edge. The soil discharging space is inclined at an angle of 30 degrees or more and 50 degrees or less with respect to a tyre axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Yukiko Hinami
  • Patent number: 11654718
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes: an inner annular portion; an outer annular portion; a plurality of coupling portions which couple the inner annular portion and the outer annular portion to each other and are provided independently of one another in a tire circumferential direction; at least one annular overall reinforcing layer embedded entirely in the outer annular portion in a tire width direction; and at least one annular partial reinforcing layer embedded only in a part of the outer annular portion in the tire width direction, wherein the outer annular portion includes a connecting region to which the plurality of coupling portions are connected, and a non-connecting region to which the plurality of coupling portions are not connected, in the tire width direction, and wherein the partial reinforcing layer overlaps the non-connecting region in a tire radial direction when viewed from the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Noriyuki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11633992
    Abstract: The tire can achieve both cut resistance and mud drainage performance of the sidewall. The tire includes: a tread; sidewalls; and a plurality of side block groups on at least one of the sidewalls. Each of the side block groups protrudes from the sidewall reference plane. Each of the side block groups includes: a first side block; and a second side block. In each of said plurality of side block groups, the fi3 . . . 3rst side block 2 has a groove 23 extending from the second side block 3 toward an inside of the first side block in the tire circumferential direction D3, In each of said plurality of side block groups, the second side block 3 has a slope 35c whose height from the reference plane S2 becomes lower toward the first side block, such that the slope extends into the groove of the first side block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshiki Sato
  • Patent number: 11628689
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes: an inner annular portion; an outer annular portion; a plurality of coupling portions which couple the inner annular portion and the outer annular portion to each other and are provided independently of one another in a tire circumferential direction; at least one annular overall reinforcing layer embedded entirely in the outer annular portion in a tire width direction; and at least one annular partial reinforcing layer embedded only in a part of the outer annular portion in the tire width direction, wherein the outer annular portion includes a connecting region to which the plurality of coupling portions are connected, and a non-connecting region to which the plurality of coupling portions are not connected, in the tire width direction, and wherein the partial reinforcing layer overlaps the non-connecting region in a tire radial direction when viewed from the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Noriyuki Tsuji
  • Patent number: 11547174
    Abstract: The invention relates to footwear with a rubber sole and to such rubber sole where the sole is provided with a rubber composition which contains dual precipitated silica moieties. The dual precipitated silica moieties are provided in a sense of being comprised of hydrophilic precipitated silica and hydrophobic precipitated silica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Paul Harry Sandstrom
  • Patent number: 11518195
    Abstract: An off-road tyre includes a tread portion being provided on a tread edge side with shoulder blocks arranged in a tyre circumferential direction. The shoulder blocks include at least one first shoulder block and at least one second shoulder block having a circumferential length greater than that of the at least one first shoulder block. The at least one first shoulder block includes a first ground contact surface, a second ground contact surface protruding outwardly from the first ground contact surface in a block height direction, and a first shallow groove extending between the first ground contact surface and the second ground contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Miwa
  • Patent number: 11505010
    Abstract: A pneumatic tires includes a tread, a pair of sidewalls, and a pair of bead portions that are arranged at intervals wider than a rim width of a corresponding regular rim in a non-rim-assembled state. Each of the pair of the bead portions includes a bead base at an inner diameter side end, a bead heel, and a bead back surface extending from an outer diameter side end of the bead heel, to the outer diameter side. In the non-rim-assembled state, the bead back surface is formed with a recess that is recessed inward in the width direction. In a rim-assembled state, the bead back surface is in close contact with substantially the entire surface of a radial portion of a rim flange of a regular rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Arakawa, Noriyuki Tsuji, Yutaka Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 11433711
    Abstract: In a tire having a composite groove provided on a shoulder land portion, the durability of the shoulder land portion is improved. The tire includes a tread portion. The tread portion includes a first shoulder land portion including a first tread edge. The first shoulder land portion has a shoulder composite groove, and a recess formed on a buttress surface. The recess includes an opening edge on the buttress surface, a bottom surface along the buttress surface, and an inner wall surface connecting the opening edge to the bottom surface. The shoulder composite groove includes, in a transverse cross section thereof, a sipe element having a width not greater than 1.5 mm and extending in a tire radial direction, and a groove element connected to an inner side in the tire radial direction of the sipe element and having a width greater than 1.5 mm. The groove element is open at the bottom surface of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaoka, Yoshiaki Kanematsu
  • Patent number: 11383558
    Abstract: A tyre has a tread portion provided with a rib. The rib is provided with a lateral groove extending so as to completely cross the rib. The lateral groove includes a first curved portion and a second curved portion. The first curved portion extends from a first end in a curved shape convex in a first direction in a tyre circumferential direction. The second curved portion extends from the second end in a curved shape convex in a second direction in the tyre circumferential direction. A groove width of the first curved portion is gradually increased over the entire length thereof as it goes toward the first end, or a groove width of the second curved portion is gradually increased over the entire length thereof as it goes toward the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kitano
  • Patent number: 11364748
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes lug grooves in a tread surface of a shoulder land, the lug grooves crossing a circumferential direction and terminating at a first side within the shoulder land and passing through a contact edge at a second side; and a notch formed on an opening edge of the lug grooves, the notch being cutout from the tread surface cut radially inward. The lug grooves have a width decreasing from the first to the second side, an end position of the lug grooves is disposed from a main groove from 5% to 35% of a lateral dimension from the main groove to the ground contact edge, and a maximum groove width position is disposed from the main groove 40% or less of the lateral dimension from the main groove to the ground contact edge; and the notch has a width that increases from the first to the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Furusawa
  • Patent number: 11352455
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a functionalized elastomer, comprising the step of polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer in the presence of a lanthanide-based coordination polymerization catalyst activated with a functionalized aluminum reagent of formula 1 where R is a linear or branched alkane group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and R1 is phenylene, or a linear or branched alkane diyl group containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms, or a combination of one or more phenylene groups and one or more linear or branched alkane diyl groups containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms; Q is of formula 2 where R5, R6 and R7 are independently a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a group of formula 3 where R3 and R4 are independently phenyl or a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or R3 and R4 taken together with the nitrogen atom represent a nitrogen containing heterocyclic group containing from 4 to 12 carbon atoms; or R5, R6 and R7 taken
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Seth Cody Ensign, Margaret Flook Vielhaber
  • Patent number: 11352459
    Abstract: A tire has an outer sidewall, said outer sidewall comprising at least one composition comprising an elastomeric matrix which predominantly comprises by weight one or more thermoplastic elastomers comprising at least one elastomer block and at least one thermoplastic block, the elastomer block(s) being saturated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Emmanuel Custodero, Baptiste Foglieni, Christophe Chouvel
  • Patent number: 11338618
    Abstract: The present invention includes tire treads having a plurality of sipes (14) where at least one of the opposing sides of the sipe thickness includes a plurality of projections (18, 36) and recesses (20, 38) and a method for forming the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Sadi Kose, Robert Cecil Lawson
  • Patent number: 11312842
    Abstract: Provided is a rubber composition having a high vulcanization rate and excellent in storage stability. The rubber composition contains a rubber component that contains at least one type of a dienic rubber, a filler, a vulcanizing agent, a compound represented by a formula (1), a compound represented by a formula (2), and a vulcanization accelerator except the compound represented by the formula (1), wherein the total amount of the vulcanization accelerator and the compound represented by the formula (1) is 1.3 to 2.0 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daijiro Nagano
  • Patent number: 11267291
    Abstract: A tire comprises a tread portion 2 comprising at least a first main groove 3 and a second main groove 4 extending continuously in a tire circumferential direction. The first main groove 3 comprises a first oblique portion 11 inclined with respect to the tire circumferential direction and a second oblique portion 12 connected with the first oblique portion and inclined in an opposite direction to the first oblique portion 11. The second main groove 4 comprises a third oblique portion 13 inclined in a same direction as the first oblique portion 11 with respect to the tire circumferential direction, a fourth oblique portion 14 inclined in an opposite direction to the third oblique portion 13, and a longitudinal groove portion 15 disposed between the third and fourth oblique portions 13 and 14 so that they are not directly connected and extending along the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Takano
  • Patent number: 11261281
    Abstract: A block polymer comprising a first block and a second block is provided. The first block contains aromatic ?-mono-olefin units, and the second block contains both 1,3-diene units and mono-olefin units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: François Jean-Baptiste-Dit-Dominique, Vincent Lafaquiere
  • Patent number: 11235618
    Abstract: A heavy-duty pneumatic tire includes a section width being equal to or less than 335 mm, an aspect ratio being equal to or less than 55%, and a toroidal carcass extending between axially spaced bead portions through a tread portion and sidewall portions. The carcass includes a carcass ply which includes a main portion and a turn-up portion turned up around a bead core of each bead portion. A belt layer is disposed radially outward of the carcass in the tread portion, wherein a radially outer end of the turn-up portion is located between the main portion and the belt layer in the tread portion. A sheeted rubber layer is disposed between the main portion and the turn-up portions in each sidewall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Kanaya, Yoshiyuki Takada, Mitsuharu Koya
  • Patent number: 11077720
    Abstract: Different sized, first and second domes are stacked, one atop the other on the surface of a rib or tread block of a tire. The lower, first dome spans a larger area of the tread. In one embodiment, the first dome covers the entire tread block or extends laterally across a rib. The upper, second dome is located on top of the first dome and spans only a portion of the first dome. The domes are either concentric or offset, or can be elliptical with the major axes of the ellipses oriented such that the major axes are optimized for a specific tread block or rib geometry. The major axes of the ellipses may be oriented parallel to or perpendicular to an axis of stiffness of the tread block or rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
    Inventor: Jeremy J. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 11041066
    Abstract: A rubber composition for a tire tread is a rubber composition containing from 66 to 110 parts by weight of a filler containing not less than 50 wt. % of a silica per 100 parts by weight of a diene rubber containing not less than 40 wt. % of a terminal-modified styrene-butadiene rubber, from 8 to 35 wt. % of a natural rubber, and from 15 to 40 wt. % of a butadiene rubber; the terminal-modified styrene-butadiene rubber having a terminal functional group derived from a compound reacting with silanol groups; a styrene unit content thereof being from 38 to 48 wt. %; an oil-extended oil content thereof being less than 30 wt. %; a ratio (BR/NR) of a compounded amount of the butadiene rubber (BR) to the natural rubber (NR) being more than 1.0 and not more than 2.5; and an embrittlement temperature of the rubber composition being not more than ?45° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Inventor: Miyuki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11007822
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire for running on rough terrain comprises a tread portion provided with blocks each having a polygonal ground contacting top surface. The blocks include a twist block having a twisted portion from the top surface toward the radially inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Miwa
  • Patent number: 10988563
    Abstract: An elastomeric composition and method incorporating a hydrocarbon polymer modifier with improved permanence. The composition comprises elastomer, filler and silane-functionalized hydrocarbon polymer modifier (Si-HPM) made in a pre-reaction adapted to couple the Si-HPM to the elastomer, filler or both, wherein the Si-HPM comprises an interpolymer of monomers chosen from piperylenes, cyclic pentadienes, aromatics, limonenes, pinenes, amylenes, and combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Edward J. Blok, Anthony J. Dias, Robert J. Claassen, II, Eugene R. Uhl
  • Patent number: 10920036
    Abstract: The present invention relates to vulcanizable compositions on the basis of hydrogenated nitrile rubber, a mineral filer with specific surface area (N2 surface area) smaller than 10 m2/g comprising at least 40% by weight silicate (SiO2) and at least 10% by weight aluminium oxide (Al2O3), a sodium silicate and a crosslinking system on the basis of free-radical donors. The invention further relates to the production of these vulcanizable compositions, and also to vulcanized products which are produced therefrom and their use in particular in gaskets, belts, roll coverings, hoses and cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: ARLANXEO DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Susanna Lieber, Ulrich Frenzel, Karola Schneiders
  • Patent number: 10919244
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for molding non-pneumatic wheels is provided. The exemplary method and apparatus allow for the use of the same molding system to manufacture wheels with different hub constructions. Different configurations of removable mold elements are utilized within the same molding system to provide wheels with different hub constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Robert Gaut, Brian D. Wilson, Karl Mohrmann
  • Patent number: 10920003
    Abstract: Provided is a multi-component copolymer comprising conjugated diene units, non-conjugated olefin units and aromatic vinyl units, wherein: a peak top molecular weight of chain parts, divided by the conjugated diene units and each containing one or more of the non-conjugated olefin units and/or one or more of the aromatic vinyl units, is less than 2,000. A rubber composition comprising the multi-component copolymer, a crosslinked rubber composition, and a rubber article comprising the crosslinked rubber composition are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Madoka Kimura, Shigeki Oishi, Tomoe Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10882360
    Abstract: A tire for running on rough terrain for which an intended tire rotational direction is specified, comprises: a tread portion 2 provided with a first block 11 having a ground contacting top surface 16, and a base cross sectional shape 17. The ground contacting top surface 16 has a polygonal shape having a heel-side oblique edge 21 inclined with respect to the tire axial direction. The base cross sectional shape 17 is a polygon having a heel-side axial edge 22 extending in the tire axial direction. In the top view of the first block, an angle ?a formed between the heel-side oblique edge 21 and the heel-side axial edge 22 is in a range from 5 to 45 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takuya Miwa
  • Patent number: 10870744
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sulfur-crosslinkable rubber mixture, to a vulcanizate thereof and to a vehicle tire. The sulfur-crosslinkable rubber mixture contains at least the following constituents: at least one diene rubber; and 10 to 300 phr of at least one silica; and 1 to 22 phf of at least one silane A having general empirical formula A-I) (R1)oSi—R2—(S—R3)q—Sx—(R3—S)q—R2—Si(R1)o; and??A-I) 0.5 to 30 phf of at least one silane B having general empirical formula B-I) (R1)oSi—R2—(S—R3)u—S—R2—Si(R1)o??B-I) wherein x is an integer from 2 to 10, q is 0, 1, 2 or 3 and u is 1, 2 or 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Julia Schoeffel, Norbert Mueller, Carla Recker
  • Patent number: 10865292
    Abstract: A vulcanizable composition for preparing bead filler, the composition comprising a vulcanized rubber; and a vinyl aromatic-containing block copolymer compound, where the vinyl aromatic-containing copolymer is defined by the formula II d-Vo-D-V?-???II where each V is independently a polyvinyl aromatic block, D is a polydiene block, w is a hydrogen atom, a functional group, or a polymeric segment or block, and where d is a polydiene block, and where the overall vinyl content of the block copolymer is greater than 65%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Firestone Polymers, LLC
    Inventors: Paul N. Hamilton, Amy M. Randall, Terrence E. Hogan, Benjamin C. Galizio, Steven R. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 10845271
    Abstract: Method and related apparatus for analysing a surface of a tyre, includes: acquiring one or more digital images of a surface portion having a pattern that includes a scheme that is repeated substantially equal thereto in a plurality of positions; identifying a plurality of first regions of said one or more digital images, each corresponding to a respective scheme sub-portion; identifying a respective plurality of regions homologous to each first region, wherein the respective scheme sub-portion is substantially identical to the respective scheme sub-portion of each first region; calculating a model of the respective scheme sub-portion, where each pixel is associated with a mean value of the values associated with the pixels of each first region and of the respective homologous regions having the same relative coordinates of said each pixel; and obtaining a pattern model using the calculated scheme sub-portion models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Ghidotti Piovan, Valeriano Ballardini, Vincenzo Boffa, Fabio Regoli, Luigi Di Stefano
  • Patent number: 10815323
    Abstract: A silane-modified polymer having a polyisoprene skeleton and a hydrolyzable silyl group is useful as a rubber compounding ingredient. When added to a rubber composition, it is effective for improving the wet grip and substantially reducing the hysteresis loss of the cured rubber composition. Low fuel consumption tires may be manufactured from the rubber composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Munenao Hirokami
  • Patent number: 10787042
    Abstract: The tire comprises a carcass reinforcement which extends into sidewalls. The tire is also provided with a protection device that protects against external attack. The protection device comprises a plurality of raised elements of height H that are arranged in the circumferential direction. The tire is also constructed such that each raised element is formed of at least two parts which are at least partially disjointed from one another along a separation zone. The separation zone is oriented substantially in the circumferential direction. Each part is able to come into contact with another part of the same raised element when one of the parts comes into contact with an external obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE, S.A.
    Inventors: Benoit Buffetaud, Gilles Godeau, Laurence Lapra, Mathieu Vandaele
  • Patent number: 10780661
    Abstract: The molding element has a molding surface forming a contact face and a groove forming rib portion forming the groove comprising two opposed rib side faces and a rib top face connecting two rib side faces. The groove forming rib portion provides at least one cavity opening to the rib top face and to at least one of the rib side faces. The cavity has two opposed cavity faces. The molding element comprises at least one cutting means extending and/or projecting in a direction the groove forming rib portion extends for cutting a material filled in the cavity during demolding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Anthony Gueugneau, Romain Calvel, Bernard Villeneuve, Khotchakorn Pengsaloong
  • Patent number: 10773553
    Abstract: To provide a pneumatic tire with which a magnitude of a lateral force can be adjusted without changing the structure of a tread portion. In a pneumatic tire, an outer profile shape of the pneumatic tire is formed in left and right symmetry with respect to a tire equator, and a thickness of the pneumatic tire from an outer surface to an inner surface is set in left and right asymmetry with respect to the tire equator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaaki Ohara
  • Patent number: 10766213
    Abstract: Provided is a rubber composition for a sealant which can be vulcanized at low temperature and is suitable in a retentivity, an adhering property, followability and a fluidity and which is excellent in a sealing property, wherein the rubber composition is prepared by blending 100 parts by mass of a rubber component containing butyl rubber and/or EPDM, 2 to 10 parts by mass of zinc oxide, 1 to 5 parts by mass of a thiuram vulcanization accelerator, satisfying the thiuram vulcanization accelerator: the zinc oxide=1:1 to 1:3, and 150 parts by mass or more of liquid polybutene or a process oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kentaro Kayashima
  • Patent number: 10759225
    Abstract: A rubber composition contains a diene rubber containing a styrene-butadiene copolymer component formed from at least one type of styrene-butadiene copolymers, and a reinforcing filler. The styrene-butadiene copolymer(s) satisfy: (1) a bonded styrene content is from 5 to 50 wt. %; (2) a total of styrene content of an ozone-decomposed component S1 having one styrene-derived unit and styrene content of an ozone-decomposed component S1V1 having one styrene-derived unit and one 1,2-bonded butadiene-derived unit is less than 80 wt. % of the bonded styrene content and a total of styrene content of the ozone-decomposed component S1V1 is less than 10 wt. % of the bonded styrene content; (3) an integrated intensity of an ozone-decomposed component S1V2 having one styrene-derived unit and two 1,2-bonded butadiene-derived units is 15% or greater of an integrated intensity of all ozone-decomposed products containing a styrene-derived unit; and (4) a vinyl content of butadiene moiety is 50% or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuko Sekine, Makoto Ashiura, Ryosuke Sakai, Fumito Yatsuyanagi
  • Patent number: 10731020
    Abstract: A rubber composition for vulcanization molding which can be manufactured into a rubber product with good dimensional stability, good appearance and sufficiently light weight, a process for manufacturing the same, and applications thereof. A rubber composition for vulcanization molding containing hollow particles and a base rubber, wherein the hollow particles are composed of a thermoplastic resin shell and a thermally vaporizable blowing agent encapsulated therein and have a specified further expansion ratio, and the base rubber has a Mooney viscosity ML (1+4) ranging from 5 to 90 at 100° C. Also disclosed is a process for manufacturing the rubber composition, hollow particles used for manufacturing the rubber composition, a masterbatch including the hollow particles and a rubber product manufactured from the rubber composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: MATSUMOTO YUSHI-SEIYAKU CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoya Tayagaki, Katsushi Miki
  • Patent number: 10711121
    Abstract: A rubber composition has: at least three types of diene polymers forming a plurality of polymer phases immiscible with each other; and silica, wherein: a diene polymer (B), of which glass transition temperature (Tg) is neither the highest nor the lowest among the diene polymers each having content of ?10% by mass with respect to the total mass of the diene polymers, has been modified by a compound containing silicon atom; the diene polymer (B) satisfies formula (i) shown below: St+Vi/2?33??(i) (In the formula, “St” represents content of bonded styrene (mass %) of the diene polymer (B) and “Vi” represents vinyl bond content (mass %) of a conjugated diene compound part of the diene polymer (B)); and the silica has content of ?25 parts by mass with respect to the total mass or 100 parts by mass of the diene polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideyuki Nukaga
  • Patent number: 10703837
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a functionalized elastomer, comprising the step of polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer in the presence of a lanthanide-based coordination polymerization catalyst activated with a functionalized aluminum reagent of formula 1 where R is a linear or branched alkane group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and R1 is phenylene, or a linear or branched alkane diyl group containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms, or a combination of one or more phenylene groups and one or more linear or branched alkane diyl groups containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms; Q is of formula 2 where R3 and R4 are independently phenyl or a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or R3 and R4 taken together with the nitrogen atom represent a nitrogen containing heterocyclic group containing from 4 to 12 carbon atom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Inventors: Stefan Mecking, Margaret Flook Vielhaber, Inigo Göttker-Schnetmann, Philip Kenyon
  • Patent number: 10682889
    Abstract: A tire for an autonomous vehicle includes a pair of sidewalls that extend to a ground-engaging tread. The tread includes a plurality of hexagonally-shaped tread elements, and the tire includes an outer diameter that is at least four times larger than a width of the tread. Selected hexagonally-shaped tread elements may be formed with features to increase traction on icy roads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Sebastien Willy Fontaine, Armand Rene Gabriel Leconte, Frederic Ngo
  • Patent number: 10675917
    Abstract: A tire comprises center blocks 4 comprising a first center lateral groove 5A and a second center closed sipe 6a opposed to each other in a tire axial direction, and a second center lateral groove 5B and a first center closed sipe 6b axially opposed to each other. Lengths thereof satisfy the followings: LA/LA0?½, LB/LB0?½, Lb/Lb0 in a range of from ? to ?, La/La0 in a range of from ? to ?, LA<La, (LA+La)<LA0, LB<Lb, and (LB+Lb)<LB0. The center blocks 4 comprise a high rigidity region extending continuously between penetrating sipes 3 and between a first imaginary line passing through terminating ends of the first center lateral groove and the first center closed sipe and a second imaginary line passing through terminating ends of the second center lateral groove and the second center closed sipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Aya Wakizono, Hiroshi Yamaoka
  • Patent number: 10662318
    Abstract: Provided in the present invention is a rubber composition for tires which is improved in a dispersibility of silica in a rubber blended with a large amount of silica having so far made it difficult to be kneaded with the rubber and which makes it possible to carry out simultaneously using silica having a large particle diameter and blending a large amount of silica. Used in the present invention is a rubber composition for tires comprising a natural rubber and/or diene base rubber component, a glycerin fatty acid ester composition containing glycerin fatty acid monoester, and silica, wherein a BET specific surface area of the silica is 100 m2/g or more and 130 m2/g or less, and the rubber composition for tires contains 80 parts by mass or more of the silica based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasushi Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 10603957
    Abstract: A tire tread is provided that in an unworn state includes one or more tread features having a layer of a relatively softer, higher grip rubber material. This layer is formed from a first rubber composition that is provided as a skim or relatively thin layer at the contact surface of the tread feature. This skim provides the grip needed as the tire starts to warm up but can then wear away after an initial period of use so that the contact surface is eventually formed from a second rubber composition. This second rubber composition, in turn, provides the desired level of grip and acceptable wear at the higher temperatures that occur as the tire heats up from use. The layer of skim can be profiled depending upon the application and performance characteristics needed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Walter Lee Willard, Jr., John Christopher Church
  • Patent number: 10570623
    Abstract: A temporary tread insert and method for installation in a stairway framework during building construction. The temporary tread insert includes an insert body having an upper tread surface, a bottom surface and opposed side surfaces. A front end of the insert body has a substantially bullnose shaped curved surface. The upper tread surface has a notched surface extending along the upper tread surface. Also disclosed is the method of inserting the temporary tread insert into the stair pan of a stairway framework, where the stair pan includes a bullnose at a front end of the stair pan, and the bullnose has a portion extending laterally a distance into the stair pan. The temporary tread insert includes a notched surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Protex Products LLC
    Inventors: Brad Wells, William A. Depel
  • Patent number: 10538045
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for molding non-pneumatic wheels is provided. The exemplary method and apparatus allow for the use of the same molding system to manufacture wheels with different hub constructions. Different configurations of removable mold elements are utilized within the same molding system to provide wheels with different hub constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Robert Gaut, Brian D. Wilson, Karl Mohrmann
  • Patent number: 10500903
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, land portions have a plurality of sipes and at least one row of land portions in an inner side region is provided with sipes having a 3D structure. Also, the snow traction index (STI) with respect to the tire circumferential direction throughout the entire tread portion is in the range of 100?STI. Also, the sipe component (STI_s_out) of the snow traction index (STI) in an outer side region and the sipe component (STI_s_in) of the snow traction index (STI) in the inner side region have the relationship of 1.1?STI_s_in/STI_s_out. Also, the peripheral length ratio PLR_out of the three-dimensional structure portion in the outer side region and the peripheral length ratio PLR_in of the three-dimensional structure portion in the inner side region have the relationship of 1.1?PLR_in/PLR_out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Kohtaro Matsushita
  • Patent number: 10500901
    Abstract: A motorcycle pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including a crown region, a pair of middle regions and a pair of shoulder regions upon a tread development width of the tread portion being divided equally into five regions. The tread portion is provided with a pair of circumferentially and continuously extending crown main grooves within the crown region to include a tire equator therebetween and a plurality of inclined grooves each extending from the crown region to the shoulder region in each side of the tire equator without communicating with the crown main grooves. Each of the inclined grooves includes a straight portion extending straightly in the middle region and an arc portion extending in an arc shape in the shoulder region while increasing an angle with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire axially outwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takuro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10494510
    Abstract: Provided are a rubber composition for tires that achieves a balanced improvement in fuel economy, abrasion resistance, and performance on ice, and a pneumatic tire formed from the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for tires containing predetermined amounts of natural rubber, polybutadiene rubber, silica, and a silane coupling agent represented by a specific formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Seiji Hatano, Yuka Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 10494511
    Abstract: Provided is a rubber composition containing a diene rubber including a styrene-butadiene copolymer component including at least one type of styrene-butadiene copolymer and a reinforcing filler. The bonded styrene content is from 5 to 50 wt. %. The total amount of styrene of an ozone decomposed component S1 including one styrene-derived unit and an ozone decomposed component S1V1 including one styrene-derived unit and one 1,2-bonded butadiene-derived unit is less than 80 wt. % of the amount of bonded styrene. The total amount of styrene of the decomposed component S1V1 is not less than 10 wt. % of the amount of bonded styrene. The integrated intensity of an ozone decomposed component S1V2 including one styrene-derived unit and two 1,2-bonded butadiene-derived units is not less than 15% of the integrated intensity of all decomposed components including styrene-derived units. The vinyl content of a butadiene portion is not less than 20% and less than 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuko Sekine, Makoto Ashiura, Ryosuke Sakai, Fumito Yatsuyanagi