Tire Characterized By The Dimension Or Profile Of The Cross Sectional Shape Patents (Class 152/454)
  • Patent number: 5634993
    Abstract: A tire (1) a mounting rim (2) therefor, and a prop ring (3) for supporting the tread (10) of the tire when running at low or zero pressure. The tire (1) has a radial ply casing (13) on which the points that are furthest apart axially are radially apart close to seats (12B) of outwardly sloping beads (12). The seats (12B) engage sloping seats (23', 23") on the rim (2), which may have at least one mounting well (22), at least one cylindrical portion (21) for receiving the elongatable and circumferentially unstretchable rubber supporting ring (3) and a rim flange (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin-Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Drieux, Jean-Charles Lacour, Olivier Muhlhoff, Jean-Pierre Pompier
  • Patent number: 5634995
    Abstract: A radial tire for a heavy load having an aspect ratio of 80% or less, mountable to a standard 15.degree. tapered rim, has a pair of tire beads, each of which includes an assembly of elements which improve the durability of the bead. Each of the tire beads includes a bead core, a cord reinforced carcass ply, the carcass ply being turned up around the bead core in each tire bead from inside to outside to terminate in a radially outer edge thus forming a carcass ply main portion and a pair of carcass ply turnup portions and a steel cord reinforcing filler which has a portion which extends from the bead core both axially and radially outward thereof to terminate in a radially outer edge, and satisfying the following relationships for each of the tire beads: 7.35<(W.sub.1 /D).ltoreq.9.85 wherein W.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuo Kimura
  • Patent number: 5630893
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a vehicle comprises a carcass ply extending between two bead regions and passing through a tread region which extends between two tread contact edges, a tread region reinforcing breaker radially outwards of the carcass in the tread region and a ground contacting tread surface curved in the axial direction wherein the outer surface of the widest breaker ply when the tire is mounted in its design wheel rim and normally inflated has a curved shape in the tire axial direction and has a continuously decreasing radius from a point B to the adjacent edge of the breaker wherein point B is at a distance SP in the axial direction from the tire circumferential centerline equal to 20% of the distance from the tread center to the adjacent tread contact edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
    Inventors: Arthur R. Williams, Nigel G. Nock, David H. Clarke
  • Patent number: 5630892
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a vehicle comprises a carcass ply extending between two bead regions and passing through a tread region which extends between two tread contact edges, a tread region reinforcing breaker radially outwards of the carcass in the tread region and a ground contacting tread surface curved in the axial direction wherein the curvature of the outer tread surface when the tire is mounted on its design wheel rim and normally inflated has a continuously decreasing radius from a point P which is at a distance SP in the axial direction from the tire circumferential center line equal to 20% of the distance from the tread center to the adjacent tread contact edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
    Inventors: Arthur R. Williams, Nigel G. Nock, David H. Clarke
  • Patent number: 5626695
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire for a small-size passenger car having substantially the same structure as in the conventional tire includes a pair of bead portions each with a monostrand bead core of a particular cross-sectional shape made by spiral winding of a rubberized steel wire having a particular diameter. The bead core has a particular ratio of distance between center points of adjacent steel wire windings to the diameter of the steel wire and a length overlapping a winding start point of the steel wire with a winding terminal point thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiko Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5622576
    Abstract: An improved off-the-road pneumatic tire designed to be mounted on an associated design rim having a flange portion is described. The rim flange has an axially inward surface contacting the axially outward portion of the bead area of the tire. Each bead portion has a surface contacting a radially inner portion of the rim flange. The surface and the flange initially cease contact and diverge from one another at a location in the cross-section of the tire and rim and in a region of the flange in which a line L1 tangent to the flange surface and passing through the axis forms an angle greater than 0.degree. and less than or equal to 15.degree. with a radial line L2 passing through the point of divergence and perpendicular to the axis. The tire has a steel reinforced radial ply which extends between and wraps about each bead. The ply has an inflection point located radially between a radially outward surface of the bead and a radially outward surface of the rim flange portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jolan F. Lobb, Michael W. Cook, Dale E. Wells, Steven Z. Lewkowicz
  • Patent number: 5620538
    Abstract: A racing tire for oval race courses, wherein a profile of an outer region of a tread portion which is positioned to be further axially outward toward an outer side of a race course than a center line of the tire and a profile of an inner region of the tread portion which is positioned to be further axially inward toward an inner side of the race course than the same center line are asymmetrical, an outer diameter and thickness of the outer region of the tread portion being larger than an outer diameter and thickness of the inner region of the tread portion, a difference between the outer diameters of portions of the tire spaced from the center line of the tire in the opposite widthwise directions from the center line by a distance corresponding to 45% of a maximum width of the tire being set to 0.5-5.0% of the outer diameter of a portion of the tire on the center line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Oshima
  • Patent number: 5616195
    Abstract: An improved pneumatic radial ply truck tire 10 having an aspect ratio below 0.70 is designed to replace two conventional truck tires on the trailer axle of semi-trailers. These tires 10 are commonly referred to as Super Single Tires. The improved tire 10 has a radially outer tread surface 30 which is defined by three radii of curvature R.sub.1, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 on each side of the tread centerline C.sub.L. Radii R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are internal to the tire 10 whereas radius R.sub.3 is external to the tire 10 and defines the outer surface 30C of the tread shoulder region. The combination of curvatures 30A, 30B and 30C yields a substantially rectangular contact patch greatly improving the treadwear rates of the tire 10. The tire 10 has the radius R.sub.2 in the range of 1.3 to 2 times the radius of curvature R.sub.1, the external radius R.sub.3 is in the range of 0.7 to 2.5 times the first radius of curvature R.sub.1, preferably in the range of 1.0 to 2.5 times R.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Michel E. J. Marquet, Phuoc T. Le
  • Patent number: 5599409
    Abstract: A vehicle tire and wheel assembly for use in high brake heat generated service has an overall tire diameter (TD) of approximately 43 inches and an overall wheel diameter (WD) of approximately 24.5 inches to provide a ratio of approximately 1.76. The tire section height (H) is approximately 9.2 inches and the tire section width (W) is approximately 11.5 inches. The tire is of a radial construction containing steel reinforcing cords.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc.
    Inventor: Traian Benchea
  • Patent number: 5595619
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread part with two wide circumferential grooves having a width GW of 35 mm or more and extending in either side of the tire's equator so as to divide the tread part into a pair of shoulder parts and a central part. The central part has a surface utilizing successive convex curves of a pair of inner groove walls and a central ground-contacting surface. When the tire is mounted on a regular rim, inflated with regular internal pressure and applied with normal load, widths SW1, SW2 of shoulder ground-contacting areas Fs1, Fs2 where the shoulder parts contact with the ground are different to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5565047
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with an improved carcass line which reduces the transmission of vibration during running to reduce the road noise. In a meridian section of tire when mounted on a standard rim but not inflated, the carcass line defined by the thickness center line of the carcass comprises a tread crown part, a pair of upper sidewall parts radially outward of the maximum carcass width position, and a pair of shoulder parts between the tread crown part and the upper sidewall parts. The tread crown part has a first single radius of curvature R1, the upper sidewall parts has a second single radius of curvature R2, and the shoulder parts has a third single radius of curvature R3. The third radius of curvature R3 is in the range of from 0.003 to 0.03 times the first radius of curvature R1, the third radius of curvature R3 is in the range of from 0.05 to 0.5 times the second radius of curvature R2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5556488
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire formed of a plurality of independent pneuic sectors (S) intended to be mounted on a single rim (J) but removable individually from said rim (J), they being inflatable individually or together. The sectors (S) include at least one reinforcing armoring (4) anchored on at least one circumferential bead wire (10) in each circumferential bead, which is the bead mounted on the wheel rim (J), the reinforcing armoring (4) being radially adjacent to a reinforcement armoring (8) of the tread (2). The circumferential bead wires (10) are connected to meridian bead wires (11) located in the sidewalls (50) of the circumferentially adjacent sectors (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Compagnie G en erale des Etablissements Michelin - Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Jean Gergele, Armand Le Gall, Jean-Pierre Pompier, Michel Remond
  • Patent number: 5553646
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic radial tire has an outer profile of a tread portion in radial section of the tire having a given composite arc shape as a function of the internal structure of the tire, particularly a belt structure including at least two belt layers inclusive of main cross belt layers of steel cords.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Shuji Ando, Yoichi Honbo
  • Patent number: 5547005
    Abstract: A radial tire having a carcass extending from a tread through sidewalls to a bead core in each of two bead parts and turned up around the bead cores. The tire includes a belt layer disposed on the outside of the tire in the tire radial direction of the carcass in the tread portion and a cut breaker disposed between the carcass and the belt layer. Each carcass ply has cords that are buried in topping rubber and arranged independently in parallel to each other within the same plane without linking wefts. In a region from the bead bottom to the turned up end of the carcass, the distance between cords in adjacent carcass plies is within a range of 1/4 to 2 times a diameter K1 of the carcass cord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ueyoko, Mikio Takatsu
  • Patent number: 5533793
    Abstract: An agricultural wheel assembly constructed of a plastic wheel half and a metal half releasably secured together for use with agricultural row crop planters and grain drills. The plastic wheel half has a smooth flat or shallow cup for eliminating the problems related to "rooster tailing". The metal wheel half having a deep cut configuration for clearance when mounted on the agricultural equipment and exhibiting structural strength above and beyond that of the plastic wheel half. The wheel halves are releasably but tightly locked together. An improved clincher base tire for the plastic-metal wheel assembly having an offset tire lip for depth/gauge control and a base having a dependent nose adapted to be snugly received at the juncture of the wheel halves for substantially eliminating soil infiltration between the tire and the wheel assembly when mounted on the plastic half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: Gleason Corporation
    Inventor: Perry Walker
  • Patent number: 5529105
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprising a pair of bead portions and sidewall portions and a tread portion connecting the sidewalls. At least one radial carcass layer reinforcing said portions is positioned between two beads embedded in the bead portions. A belt comprises at least two layers having cords crossing each other from one layer to the next, a cap circumferentially wound having organic fiber cords therein and reinforcing rubber layers in an entire region of the side wall portions supporting a load of the tire having a crescent shaped cross section along an inner side of the carcass. At least one tie-element layer resisting force generated in width directions of the tire and having many cords oriented substantially orthogonally with respect to an equatorial plane of the tire is arranged between the belt and the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Hayashi, Shizuo Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 5529103
    Abstract: An improved off-the-road pneumatic tire designed to be mounted on an associated design rim having a flange portion is described. The rim flange has an axially inward surface contacting the axially outward portion of the bead area of the tire. Each bead portion has a surface contacting a radially inner portion of the rim flange. The surface and the flange initially cease contact and diverge from one another at a location in the cross-section of the tire and rim and in a region of the flange in which a line L1 tangent to the flange surface and passing through the axis forms an angle greater than 0.degree. and less than or equal to 15.degree. with a radial line L2 passing through the point of divergence and perpendicular to the axis. The tire has a steel reinforced radial ply which extends between and wraps about each bead. The ply has an inflection point located radially between a radially outward surface of the bead and a radially outward surface of the rim flange portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jolan F. Lobb, Michael W. Cook, Dale E. Wells, Steven Z. Lewkowicz
  • Patent number: 5529102
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: David R. Watkins, Nigel G. Nock, Michael Jackson
  • Patent number: 5522443
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire for high speed and heavy duty use, in which durability of the bead and lower sidewall region is improved. The tire includes: a carcass comprising a radial ply of cords turned up around bead cores from the axially inside to the outside, the carcass cords rubberized with a topping rubber having a 100% modulus of 40 to 70 kg/cm.sup.2, an elongation at rupture of 200 to 350%, and a stress at rupture of 150 to 300 kg/cm.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ueyoko, Hiroshi Hoshino, Mikio Takatsu
  • Patent number: 5513686
    Abstract: A tire structure with radial carcass reinforcement for heavy vehicles and rticularly a tire bead structure which makes it possible to have, on unmodified rims, sidewalls the radii of curvature of which are sufficiently great to avoid premature fatigue of the constituent reinforcement elements of the carcass as a result of the flexing cycles generated by travel. The said tire structure has at least one bead wire (2) which is located radially to the outside of the rim flange (J) and around which the turn-up (1') of the carcass (1) is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Establissments Michelin-Michelin & Cie
    Inventor: Christian Diernaz
  • Patent number: 5511599
    Abstract: The run-flat tire includes thickened load bearing sidewall portions, a belt package plus a cap ply, three pairs of sidewall rubber crescent-shaped reinforcing members, a specially designed bead seat area with a rim seat ply and three carcass layers. The three carcass layers are positioned between the crescent-shaped members in each load bearing sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Walter L. Willard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5505242
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprising an annular tread, a pair of sidewalls, an annular bead, a carcass, and an annular belt, when mounted on a standard rim to specifications and inflated with a standard pressure, staisfies the following condition:.theta.1.ltoreq.30 degrees and .theta.2.ltoreq.30 degrees, wherein .theta.1 and .theta.2 are the acute angles formed by lines P1 and P2, respectively, with respect to an imaginary straight line D which extends radially from the axial outer end point (62) of a rim flange (61) in a plane containing the rotating axis of the tire, the lines P1 and P2 being tangential to the outer surface profile (22) of either sidewall at points E1 and E2 where the outer surface profile (22) intersects with the straight line D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Narahara
  • Patent number: 5503205
    Abstract: A radial tire improved in the ground pressure distribution, in which the thickness (A) of the tread rubber at the tire equator is larger than the thickness (B) at an effective belt edge point (P), a belt edge camber height (CH) is in the range of from 0.5 to 0.75 times a shoulder camber height (SH), and the belt edge camber height (CH) is in the range of from 0.5 to 0.75 times a carcass camber height (KH), wherein the belt edge camber height (CH) is the radial distance between the effective belt edge point (P) and an axially inner point (Q) located axially inward of the point P by an axial distance of 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chieko Aoki, Kazuo Asano
  • Patent number: 5479977
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having an improved carcass structure capable of increasing the sidewall rigidity, the tire (1) comprising a carcass (8) composed of an inner carcass ply (9) and an outer carcass ply (10), the inner carcass ply having a pair of edges turned up around the bead cores (5) from the axially inside to outside of the tire, each turned up portion thereof extending radially outwardly beyond the maximum tire width point (B), a bead apex (6) disposed between the main portion and the turned up portion, the outer carcass ply having a pair of edges each disposed between the bead apex and each turned up portion of the inner carcass ply, the edges of the outer carcass ply terminated radially outward of the radially inner end of the bead core, each sidewall portion provided with at least one steel cord reinforcing layer (11a, 11b, 11c) made of parallel steel cords.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Tamano, Motoo Hayashi, Kiyonori Sasaoka, Kazuya Suzuki, Hirotsugu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5476129
    Abstract: A radial tire for aircraft, which aims to prevent damage at the bead portion thereof, wherein the modulus MS of sidewall rubber at 100% elongation, modulus MS2 of 2nd stiffener rubber at 100% elongation, modulus MC of rubber chafer rubber at 100% elongation and modulus MS1 of 1st stiffener rubber at 100% elongation have the relationship of MS<MS2<MC<MS1; and a point C is located between a point A and a point B, where the points A and B are tire surface points which depart from rim flange when the tire is mounted on a normal rim and inflated at normal inflation pressure and loaded with 100% weight and 200% weight respectively of normal load, and the point C is the foot of a perpendicular to the tire surface from the radially outermost point of the 1st stiffener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1995
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Shoyama
  • Patent number: 5465773
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire for heavy duty vehicles comprises a radial carcass, a belt, a belt reinforcing layer and a tread, in which the belt has a particular structure formed by using a rubberized strip containing one or more cords therein, and the belt reinforcing layer comprised of at least one rubberized cord ply in a region corresponding to at least each side region of the tread, and the belt and the belt reinforcing layer satisfy a ratio h/h.sub.0 of not more than 65%. In the tire of the above structure, the occurrence of shoulder wear is controlled together with the avoidance of belt end separation and the durability is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Kuninobu Kadota, Hiroyuki Koseki, Kenji Toyoda
  • Patent number: 5464051
    Abstract: An improved radial ply pneumatic tire 30 is described. The improved tire 30 has a first annular surface 23 located between the heel 22B and toe 22A of each bead 33 and a second surface 24 extending radially outwardly from the bead heel 22B. The first surface 23 is designed to be in contact with the bead seat 42 of the design rim 40 when the tire 30 is mounted and inflated to normal pressure. The first annular surface 23, when the tire 30 is unmounted, forms an average angle .beta. with the axis of the tire, when the beads 33 are axially spaced a distance D equal to the design rim width as defined herein. The average angle .beta. is in the range of at least one-half degree and less than three degrees greater than the angle formed between the mating bead seat 42 of the design rim 40 and the axis of the tire. The second surface 24 is designed to be in contact with an annular flange 44 portion of the design rim 40 when the tire is mounted and inflated to normal pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Richard C. Beard, Michael D. Kachner
  • Patent number: 5458173
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire, which is improved in high speed durability, maintaining the required tread rubber thickness for mud and snow tires, is disclosed. The tire comprises a radial carcass and a belt including a breaker. The breaker comprises an inner ply and an outer ply, each composed of steel cords laid at an angle of 16 to 26 degrees to the tire equator. The outer breaker ply has a width WB2 of 0.7 to 0.75 times the tire cross sectional width TW. The inner breaker ply has a width WB1 of 1.03 to 1.10 times said width WB2 of the radially outer breaker ply. The tread profile comprises a crown portion defined by a circular arc having a single radius Rc of curvature of 1.4 to 2.6 times the tire cross sectional width TW and having the center on the tire equatorial plane, and a pair of tread shoulder portions continuing from the axially outer ends of said tread crown portion, each defined by a circular arc having a single radius Rs of curvature of 0.10 to 0.20 times the tire cross sectional width TW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumikazu Yamashita
  • Patent number: 5458175
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a pneumatic tire that can be mounted on a rim (wheel) to assure good engagement with the rim while preventing the occurrence of rim offsets. The bead portion 4a (as indicated by a solid line in FIG. 1) on the front side of a tire 1 which is later mounted on the rim has a bead base diameter .phi..sub.1, a toe portion angle .phi..sub.1, a contact angle .alpha..sub.1 , and a heel portion radius R.sub.1, whereas the bead portion 4b (as indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 1) on the back side of the tire which is first mounted on the rim has a bead base diameter .phi..sub.2, a toe portion angle .theta..sub.2, a contact angle .alpha..sub.2 and a heel portion radius R.sub.2. The bead portion 4a on the front side has a different shape than the bead portion 4b on the back side and the following two relationships hold between the two bead portions; the angle of .theta..sub.2 of the toe portion on the back side should be greater than the angle .theta..sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Matsuura, Kenji Tagashira
  • Patent number: 5458176
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the magnitude of a uniformity characteristic in a cured tire and the tire produced thereby. A signal is generated which is indicative of the magnitude of the uniformity characteristic. The signal is also indicative of the location on the tire to be corrected. At least a portion of one carcass reinforcing member of the tire is permanently deformed a predetermined amount at the location indicated by the signal to correct the uniformity characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Timothy B. Rhyne
  • Patent number: 5445202
    Abstract: An improved radial ply pneumatic passenger tire 30 having a conical shaped lower sidewall 21B in the unloaded uninflated and mounted state. The angular relationships relative the design rim flange 44 and the bead 33,533,63 permit the lower sidewall 21B of the tire 30 to rotate slightly upon mounting to the design rim 40, thereby improving the stiffness and handling characteristics of the tire 30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Gia V. Nguyen, Roland A. Terver
  • Patent number: 5441093
    Abstract: A motorcycle radial tire which comprises a tread curved so that the maximum cross section width of the tire lies between the tread edges, a carcass having at least one ply of organic fiber cords extending between beads of the tire and turned up around bead cores disposed one in each bead, a belt disposed radially outside the carcass and comprising a breaker and a band, the breaker comprising a first ply disposed adjacently to the carcass and a second ply disposed on the radially outside of the first ply, the first and second breaker plies made of parallel cords inclined with respect to the tire equator so that the first ply cords cross the second ply cords, the edges of the first breaker ply folded back upon the second breaker ply so that a space is provided between the axially inner edges of the folded portions, the band disposed radially outside the breaker to extend over said space, the band comprising a ply of organic fiber cords wound spirally at an angle of not more than 5 degrees with respect to the ti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Shirasyouji, Eiji Nakasaki
  • Patent number: 5437321
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a belt reinforcing structure comprising a folded belt ply and a spirally wound structure extending transversely between the folded edges of folded portions of the folded belt ply. No cut belts are used in the assembly. In an illustrated embodiment, both the folded belt ply and the spirally wound ply are reinforced with aramid cords. Also, a plurality of spirally wound plies can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Michel Breny
  • Patent number: 5435369
    Abstract: A medium pneumatic truck tire (10), has a belt package (18) comprising a plurality of belt plies (20, 22, 24, 26). The tread (16) of the tire is 200 to 380 mm wide (8 inches to 15 inches). In the shoulder area (31) of the tire, an overlay strip (32) is abutted against belt edge (34) of top belt (26) and is disposed over belt edge (33) of the adjacent belt (24). The overlay strip (32) is applied in two layers, and the reinforcing cords (38) therein have an angle of about 0.degree. with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire (10). The overlay strip (32) is about 51 mm (2 inches) wide and has an overlap splice of about 40 mm (1.5 inches). The overlay strip (32) overlaps belt edge (36) by 15 to 20 mm (0.5 to 0.75 inch).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Pedro Yap, Alan P. Dale, Guy Dauphin
  • Patent number: 5433257
    Abstract: The bead durability of the heavy duty pneumatic radial tire for truck and bus is improved by arranging a rubber stock composed of three rubbers A, B and C each having particular properties between a carcass ply and its turnup portion in the bead portion and/or rendering the turnup portion of the carcass ply in the bead portion into a particular arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Shigehito Kishinami, Hiroshi Ueda, Fumio Bamba
  • Patent number: 5431209
    Abstract: A passenger radial tire which comprises a tread portion, a pair of axially spaced bead portions, a pair of sidewall portions extending therebetween, a pair of bead cores disposed one in each bead portion, and a carcass extending between the bead portions and turned up around the bead cores from the axially inside to the outside thereof to form two turned up portions and one main portion therebetween, wherein in at least the sidewall portions no bead apex exists to thereby the carcass turned up portions are located adjacently to the carcass main portion, and in each bead portion a bead reinforcement extending radially outwardly into the sidewall portion is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinzo Kajiwara, Hideaki Yoshikawa, Hideaki Sugihara, Masayuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5429169
    Abstract: A radial tire for motorcycle has a belt layer of cords with modulus of elasticity of 600 kg/mm.sup.2 or more wound spirally on a carcass nearly parallel to the tire equator, and a bead apex rubber disposed on a bead core between a carcass main portion extending from a tread to a bead core and a carcass turned up portion. The bead apex rubber consists of a soft apex part SA with JISA hardness of 50 to 60 degrees extending radially outward from the bead core, and a hard apex part HA with JISA hardness of 70 to 95 degrees extending radially outward from the soft apex part SA. A height h1 the soft apex part SA from a bead base is 0.20 to 0.40 times a height h0 of the tread end, and a height h2 of the hard apex part HA is 0.50 to 1.25 times the height h0 of the tread end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Igarashi, Toru Fukumoto, Kazuhiro Hirose, Ryozo Okada
  • Patent number: 5429168
    Abstract: An improved off-the-road pneumatic tire designed to be mounted on an associated design rim having a flange portion is described. The rim flange has an axially inward surface contacting the axially outward portion of the bead area of the tire. Each bead portion has a surface contacting a radially inner portion of the rim flange. The surface and the flange initially cease contact and diverge from one another at a location in the cross-section of the tire and rim and in a region of the flange in which a line L1 tangent to the flange surface and passing through the axis forms an angle greater than 0.degree. and less than or equal 15.degree. to with radial line L2 passing through the point of divergence and perpendicular to the axis. The tire has a steel reinforced radial ply which extends between and wraps about each bead. The ply has an inflection point located radially between a radially outward surface of the bead and a radially outward surface of the rim flange portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jolan F. Lobb, Michael W. Cook, Dale E. Wells, Steven Z. Lewkowicz
  • Patent number: 5427164
    Abstract: A radial tire for a four wheeled vehicle comprising a reinforced carcass ply extending between two bead regions through sidewall regions to a tread region and a reinforcing breaker disposed in the tread region extending circumferentially around the tire radially outside the carcass ply wherein the tread region is substantially curved in cross-section and has a camber value C/L of between 0.25 to 0.75. The breaker includes at least two plies of reinforcing fabric, a narrower breaker ply which is radially innermost and a wider breaker ply which is radially outermost, and each of the breaker plies except the outermost ply has adjacent to each of its lateral edges a circumferentially extending support strip which extends laterally outward from the edge of the breaker ply to at least the lateral position of the edge of the widest breaker ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
    Inventors: Arthur R. Williams, David R. Watkins
  • Patent number: 5427176
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprising a pair of bead portions and sidewall portions and a tread portion connecting the sidewalls. At least one radial carcass layer reinforcing said portions is positioned between two beads embedded in the bead portions. A belt comprises at least two layers having cords crossing each other from one layer to the next, a cap circumferentially wound having organic fiber cords therein and reinforcing rubber layers in an entire region of the side wall portions supporting a load of the tire having a crescent shaped cross section along an inner side of the carcass. At least one tie-element layer resisting force generated in width directions of the tire and having many cords oriented substantially orthogonally with respect to an equatorial plane of the tire is arranged between the belt and the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Hayashi, Shizuo Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 5427166
    Abstract: The weight, space and convenience advantages of a run-flat tire can be substantial. This is especially true for the urban-economy car or family type vehicles which have limited space available for a spare tire and inadequate space for the removed flat tire. These vehicles also have higher comfort requirements that must be addressed. The mini-spare solution to the flat tire problem has very limited performance capabilities. Other solutions include major modifications in the rim and/or the tire, which are not cost effective or compatible with a conversion to standard tires on the same rims.The run-flat tire of this invention includes thickened sidewall portions, a belt package with a cap ply, lower sidewall rubber support portions, a specially designed bead seat area with a rim seat ply and three carcass layers. The classical problems of inflated vs. deflated performance tradeoffs in ride comfort, handling, radial stiffness and endurance of the tire are substantially improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Walter L. Willard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5423366
    Abstract: A heavy duty radial tire improved in bead durability and airtightness, which comprises a pair of axially spaced bead portions having a bead base to fit with a 15.degree. tapered bead seat of its regular rim, and a bead core disposed in each of the bead portions, the bead core having a polygonal cross sectional shape having an axially inner vertex point (Q1) and an axially outer vertex point (Q2) and a side (L1) extending between the points (Q1 and Q2), the side (L1) being adjacent to and substantially parallel with the bead base, the maximum section width (CW) of the bead core in the direction parallel with the side (L1) being in the range of 0.063 to 0.105 times the rim width (RW) between the bead heel points (P), the axial distance (A) of the axially inner point (Q1) from the bead heel point (P) being 0.073 to 0.125 times the rim width (RW).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Munemitsu Yamada, Atsushi Yamahira
  • Patent number: 5421390
    Abstract: In order to improve the fatigue strength of the bottom (80) of the groove ) which is located axially between the two treads (1A) (1B) of the of the same tire and which extends radially over a reinforcement wire (7) which is located axially at the level of the equatorial plane (XX') of the tire, and below which the carcass reinforcement (10) passes, said groove (8) has a special meridian configuration in combination with the radial position of the center of gravity of the reinforcement wire (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin-Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Francois Gerard, Patrice Peyraud
  • Patent number: 5415216
    Abstract: A passenger radial tire which comprises a tread portion, a pair of axially spaced bead portions, a pair of sidewall portions extending therebetween, a pair of bead cores disposed one in each bead portion, and a carcass extending between the bead portions and turned up around the bead cores from the axially inside to the outside thereof to form two turned up portions and one main portion therebetween, wherein in at least the sidewall portions no bead apex exists and the carcass turned up portions are located adjacently to the carcass man portion, and in each bead portion a bead reinforcement extending radially outwardly into the sidewall portion is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinzo Kajiwara, Hideaki Yoshikawa, Hideaki Sugihara, Masayuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5411069
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire has a double crown structure that an annular recess portion is arranged in a tread at a given region in a widthwise direction thereof, in which the tread is divided into a central region, a pair of middle regions and a pair of side regions and at least one auxiliary reinforcing cord layer is arranged on a belt so as to substantially envelop a crown portion of a carcass and a full radially outer surface of the belt, provided that a stretching ratio of the cords in the auxiliary reinforcing cord layer in the central region and side regions is equal to or more than that in the middle regions, whereby high-speed durability is improved together with excellent drainage while controlling the increase of tire weight and cost as much as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Tsuda
  • Patent number: 5411068
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire in which a tread weight .alpha. per unit ground contact area is selected to be not greater than 1.80.times.10.sup.-3 kg/cm.sup.2, a cord reinforcing ply which extends up to a location outside of a top end of a bead filler in a radial direction of the tire is disposed in a bead portion and a cord angle .theta. of the cord reinforcing ply relative to a circumferential direction of the tire is selected to be 25.degree.-80.degree., a height RH of the cord reinforcing ply from a rim base up to the top end of the cord reinforcing ply, which is measured in the radial direction of the tire, is selected to satisfy the ratio, RH/SH=0.28-0.65, with SH being a cross-sectional height of the tire, and a height FH of the bead filler from the rim base up to the top end of the bead filler, which is measured in the radial direction of the tire, is selected to satisfy the ratio, FH/SH=0.11-0.28, with SH being the cross-sectional height of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1995
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiko Kogure
  • Patent number: 5394915
    Abstract: A tire for heavy load with a aspect ratio of 80% or less has five ribs which are a center rib extending on a tire equator, a pair of outer ribs extending along a tread edge and a pair of intermediate ribs each extending between the center rib and the outer ribs. An outer end line of the intermediate rib extends in the circumferential direction in zigzags. In a state of 5% internal pressure, a distance (X) from the tire equator line to a center line (Q) of the zigzagged outer end line is in a range of 0.25 to 0.275 times the tread width (WT). A tread radius of curvature R under the state of 5% internal pressure and a difference (Y=y2-y1) satisfy the following equation (1):-0.001R+0.4 mm.ltoreq.Y.ltoreq.-0.00357R+2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Takada
  • Patent number: 5388627
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a tread rubber layer disposed radially outside a carcass, a sidewall rubber layer disposed axially outside the carcass in each sidewall portion, the sidewall rubber layer softer than the tread rubber layer, a protective rubber layer disposed on the outer surface of the sidewall rubber layer, the protective rubber layer made of a fiber-reinforced rubber composition contains 10 to 50 parts by weight of short fibrous reinforcements, 20 to 70 parts by weight of carbon black, and 100 parts by weight of rubber base consisting of 20 to 100 parts by weight of natural rubber or isoprene rubber and 80 to 0 parts by weight of butadiene rubber, the short fibrous reinforcements oriented in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoko Nakada
  • Patent number: 5388626
    Abstract: A radial tire which mitigates reactions when running across protrusions to thereby avoid damage to the vehicle. The tire prevents rim touch, an indirect contact of the inner face of the tread portion with a flange of the rim or a direct contact of the tread portion with the bead portion. The tire has sidewall portions which are bulged-out to satisfy certain equations. An increase in sidewall thickness and carcass rigidity is avoided with the radial tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Asano, Mitsushige Idei, Tomoko Ookimoto
  • Patent number: 5386863
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire to be fitted on a wheel wherein a position, in which a disc is connected to a rim, is offset from the cneter of width of the rim toward the outer surface of the wheel, characterized in that a ratio (Ho/Hi) of an attenuation coefficient Ho (=Go.times.tan.delta.o) determined on the basis of an average thickness Go of an outer side wall of the tire on the outer side of the wheel and a loss factor tan.delta.o of the rubber of this side wall to that Hi (=Gi.times.tan.delta.i) determined on the basis of an average thickness Gi of an inner side wall of the tire on the inner side of the wheel and a loss factor tan.delta.i of the rubber of this side wall is set in the range of 1.2-6.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hashimura, Masakazu Okihara, Yusaku Miyazaki, Zenichiro Shida, Naoyuki Katsura, Tomohiko Kogure