With Sidewall Insert To Facilitate Load Support In Emergency Patents (Class 152/517)
  • Patent number: 8590586
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a carcass comprising a reinforcing ply structure extending between a pair of bead portions, a pair of sidewalls, a tread, a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread, and an insert located in each sidewall. Each sidewall is located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions. Each insert has a first segment constructed of a first material and a second segment constructed of a second material. The first material has a different stiffness than the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Bing Jiang
  • Publication number: 20130292023
    Abstract: Tire components including bead area components and sidewall supports for a run-flat pneumatic tire that are constructed of a material based upon a cross-linkable rubber composition. The cross-linkable rubber composition includes, per 100 parts by weight of rubber (phr)* between 10 phr—and 90 phr—of a polyisoprene rubber and between 10 phr—and 90 phr of a polybutadiene rubber. The rubber composition further includes between 60 phr and 100 phr of a thermal carbon black having a nitrogen surface area of between 5 m2/g and 15 m2/g and a DBP absorption of between 30 cm3/100 g and 55 cm3/100 g. The rubber composition is cured with a sulfur curing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ESTABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Brian R Bergman
  • Patent number: 8573272
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a carcass, a tread, a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread, and an insert located in each sidewall. Each insert comprises a plurality of separate rib members. The carcass includes a reinforcing ply structure extending between a pair of bead portions and a pair of sidewalls. Each sidewall is located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Damien Albert Ghislain Schreurs, Michael Spiro Markoff, Massimo Di Giacomo Russo, Anne Therese Peronnet-Paquin, David Gilbert Wieczorek
  • Patent number: 8567465
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a carcass with a reinforcing ply structure extending between a pair of bead portions and a pair of sidewalls, a tread, a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread, and two inserts. Each insert is located in each sidewall. Each sidewall is located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions. Each insert has a first material and a second material. The first material has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the second material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Bing Jiang
  • Patent number: 8539999
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire having a pair of spaced apart bead components, a connecting carcass between said bead components, and a rubber chafer positioned around at least a portion of each of said bead components and intended for contacting a rigid rim of a wheel, wherein said chafer comprises an outer skin layer intended for contacting the rigid rim and an inner core layer disposed radially inward of the skin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Matthieu Pingenat, Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce, Massimo Di Giacomo Russo, Isabelle Lea Louise Marie Lambert, Pierre Bernard Raoul Brochet
  • Patent number: 8528612
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a useful inner structural supporter type run flat tire having enough structural strength for controlling the steering wheel to some extent when the tire goes flat and having easy structure for installing to the rim wheel. A wheel 10 has a flange 11 with a bead part of a tubeless tire fitted thereto and a container 12 having a diameter smaller than that of the flange 11, and comprises a rim valve for adjusting the air pressure of the tubeless tire, and a second rim valve for adjusting air pressure in an inner tire 20. The inner tire 20 is stored in the container 12. While the inner tire 20 is stored in the container 12, the tubeless tire 30 is fitted to the flange of the tire wheel 10, air is fed into the inner tire 20 via the second rim valve until the air pressure reaches a predetermined value, so the inner tire 20 is inflated inside the tubeless tire 30, and an inner tire is provided as the inner tire in the outer tubeless tire space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8522844
    Abstract: To provide a pneumatic tire having a tire side portion with an enhanced durability according to the present invention, a run flat tire (1) has a turbulent generating concavo-convex part (5) composed of grooves and ribs and extending along at least part of a tire side portion, and a pattern is set to the turbulent generating concavo-convex part (5), in which for the turbulent generating concavo-convex part (5), letting h be a height, p be a pitch, and w be a width, a relationship is met such that 1.0?p/h?50.0, and 1.0?(p?w)/w?100.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20130199688
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a belt cross-sectional width BW as a total width in a tire width direction of a belt layer and a distance Wl as a distance in the tire width direction from an edge on the tread portion side of a run flat liner to an edge of the belt layer. The belt cross-sectional width BW and the distance Wl are such that 0.25?Wl/(BW/2)?0.45 is satisfied. A thickness Wr in each of the side wall portions of the pneumatic tire is a thickness in the tire width direction of the run flat liner at a maximum width position, a thickness Ws is a thickness in the tire width direction of a rubber layer at the maximum width position, and the thickness Wr and the thickness Ws are such that 1.2?Wr/Ws?1.9 is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8499807
    Abstract: A reinforcing rubber layer having a falcated cross-section disposed on an inner side in a tire width direction of the carcass layer in a side wall portion. An angle ?, with respect to the total tire width SW and a tire cross-section height SH, satisfies a relationship (SH/SW×6+3)°???(SH/SW×6+8)°. Additionally, a height H1 of a bead filler is from 15 to 35% of the tire cross-section height SH and a height H2 of a maximum thickness position of the reinforcing rubber layer is from 35 to 55% of the tire cross-section height SH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsurou Shinzawa
  • Publication number: 20130160912
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising: a functionalized elastomer comprising a polymeric backbone chain derived from a monomer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and optionally at least one vinyl aromatic monomer; and a functional group bonded to the backbone chain, the functional group comprising a multidentate ligand capable of complexing with a metal ion; and an encapsulated metal salt. The invention is further directed to a pneumatic runflat tire comprising a sidewall insert, the insert comprising the rubber composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventors: Ralf Mruk, Frank Schmitz, Robert Fokko Roskamp, Christian Jean-Marie Kaes
  • Patent number: 8469071
    Abstract: A run flat tire in which the maximum tire width position when the tire is in an inflated state, the inclination angle formed by the line S? tangent to the tire outer wall in the tire shoulder region, the curving form of the tread surface, the relationship between the thickness Ga of the outer side rubber taken on a line X normal to the rim line and centered on the carcass layer 5 and the maximum thickness Gb of the outer side rubber in an upper region of the bead portion 2, the relationship of the thickness Gc of the inner side rubber taken on a line X normal to the rim line and centered on the carcass layer 5 and the thickness Ga of the outer side rubber are each stipulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 8397777
    Abstract: A run-flat tire capable of reducing weight and enhancing its uniformity. The run-flat tire 1 provides a toroidal carcass 6 extending from a tread portion 2 to the bead core of each bead portion 4 through each of sidewall portions 3 and a pair of side reinforcing rubbers 9 arranged inside the carcass 6 and extending along the sidewall portions 3 in the tire radial direction inwardly and outwardly. In the outer surface of the tread portion 2, pattern elements are arranged, thereby forming a pitch pattern. Each of the side reinforcing rubber 9 provides with recesses 11 circumferentially spaced on the inner surface of side reinforcing rubber facing the tire cavity. The total number (n) of recesses 11 on each of the side reinforcing rubber 9 is 0.70 to 1.30 times the total number of pattern elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsui, Chieko Aoki, Takaaki Ishida
  • Publication number: 20130056124
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a carcass with a reinforcing ply structure extending between a pair of bead portions and a pair of sidewalls, a tread, a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread, and two inserts. Each insert is located in each sidewall. Each sidewall is located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions. Each insert has a first material and a second material. The first material has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than the second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventor: Bing Jiang
  • Publication number: 20130056125
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a carcass comprising a reinforcing ply structure extending between a pair of bead portions, a pair of sidewalls, a tread, a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread, and an insert located in each sidewall. Each sidewall is located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions. Each insert has a first segment constructed of a first material and a second segment constructed of a second material. The first material has a different stiffness than the second material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventor: Bing Jiang
  • Patent number: 8376008
    Abstract: The present invention provides a run-flat tire that can improve both of ride quality and run-flat performance. The run-flat tire of the present invention comprises a sidewall-reinforcing layer prepared by using a rubber composition comprising non-metallic short fibers having an average fiber diameter of 1 to 100 ?m and an average fiber length of 0.1 to 20 mm in an amount of 5 to 120 parts by weight on the basis of 100 parts by weight of a diene rubber, the non-metallic short fibers being oriented in the circumferential direction of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiko Kikuchi, Kazuo Hochi
  • Publication number: 20130037193
    Abstract: A run flat tire with reinforced sides, wherein inner and outer rubber thickness ratios centered on a carcass layer in a side wall portion are stipulated and a side filler extending in the tire radial direction is embedded on the outer wall surface side of the side wail portion. In this run flat tire, the modulus of the side filler/modulus of a side reinforcing layer, the modulus of a rim cushion/a modulus of the side filler, the cross-sectional area of a bead filler/cross-sectional area of the side filler, the cross-sectional area of the side filler/cross-sectional area of the side reinforcing layer, the rubber hardness of the side reinforcing layer, and the material of belt cover layers are each stipulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20130037194
    Abstract: A vehicle is fitted with a run-flat tire provided with: a carcass extending from a tread through a sidewall to a bead core of a bead assembly; and a side-reinforcement rubber layer that has a crescent-shaped cross-section and is disposed inside the carcass in the sidewall. A heat-conducting member having a coefficient of thermal conductivity of at least 0.3 W/(m·K) is disposed on the inner surface of the tire. The run-flat tire is further provided with a cooling device that cools the run-flat tire by blasting a fluid onto the fun-flat tire and/or the wheel rim.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidehiko Hino, Masahiro Hanya
  • Publication number: 20130025761
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire in which the driving stability is improved without compromising durability. Provided is a pneumatic tire composed of tread portions, a pair of side wall portions extending from side portions of the tread portions to inward in the tire radial direction, and bead portions connected to the inner end in the tire radial direction of the side wall portions, which are reinforced by a carcass composed of one or more carcass plies composed of cellulose fiber cord covered with a coating rubber. The tensile modulus of elasticity of the cellulose fiber cord under a stress load of 29.4N per cord at a temperature of 180° C. is 40 cN/dtex or higher, and all of the carcass cords are turned up around each bead core embedded at the pair of bead portions from the inside toward the outside of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuya Yoshimi
  • Patent number: 8281836
    Abstract: Provided is a run flat tire having an enhanced ride comfort in running on general road surfaces and an enhanced driving stability on snowy road surfaces at the time when the tire is not punctured, as well as an enhanced maneuverability, particularly starting ability, on icy road surfaces in run-flat running where the tire is punctured. Three belt layers (8, 9, 10) are disposed on an outer circumferential side of a carcass layer (6) in a tread portion (4). In addition, as to the three belt layers, the cord angle ? of the innermost belt layer (8) with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire is set at 15° to 30°, the cord angle ? of the intermediate belt layer (9) with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire is set at not less than 40°, and the cord angle ? of the outermost belt layer (10) with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire is set at 35° to 70°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Sugitani, Yoshimasa Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8281835
    Abstract: A run-flat support assembly for a wheel rim of a pneumatic tired wheel and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a tubular support structure is positioned in a tire cavity of the pneumatic tired wheel and coupled to the wheel rim to turn concurrently with an axis of rotation of the wheel rim. A skeletal structure is disposed within the tubular support structure. Circumferentially spaced linkages are displaceably secured to respective mounting races of a body of the skeletal structure. Each of the circumferentially spaced linkages is adapted to plastically fail at a pre-determined moment load in a run-flat condition, thereby pivoting relative to the respective mounting race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Dynamic Runflats, Inc.
    Inventor: William W. Gardetto
  • Publication number: 20120234450
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a pneumatic runflat tire comprising a sidewall insert, the sidewall insert comprising an axially layered thermoplastic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Ralf Mruk, Annette Lechtenboehmer
  • Publication number: 20120193007
    Abstract: Provided is a run-flat tire in which the ride quality and the run-flat durability during normal running are highly combined. The tire is provided with a reinforcing cord layer covering the radial carcass at least from the belt end to the maximum width portion of the tire side portion; the cord constituting the reinforcing cord layer is nylon 66 cord, cellulose fiber cord, PET cord, PEN cord or aramid/nylon 66 hybrid cord, and has a cord angle of less than 10° with respect to the tire radius direction; and the elastic modulus of the cord pulled out from the tire at a temperature of 25° C. under the conditions of a load of 3 N is not higher than 40 cN/dtex, and the thermal shrinkage stress ? (cN/dtex) at a temperature of 177° C. and the elastic modulus E (cN/dtex) at a temperature of 177° C. under the conditions of a load of 10 N satisfy the following conditions: ?+0.025E?0.36, 40?E?8, and ??0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 8215357
    Abstract: This invention provides a pneumatic tire provided with a carcass (4) comprised of one or more carcass plies formed by covering plural reinforcing cords arranged in parallel with a coating rubber and a pair of side reinforcing rubber layers (5) each having a crescent shape in section and disposed at an inside of the carcass, wherein ride comfort during usual running and durability during run-flat running are improved by applying a cord including a polyketone fiber and satisfying conditions of equation (I): ???0.01×E+1.2 and equation (II): ??0.02 [wherein ? is a heat shrinkage stress (cN/dtex) at 177° C. and E is an elastic modulus (cN/dtex) at 25° C. under a load of 49 N] to the reinforcing cord and a rubber composition having a loss tangent (tan ?) at 25° C. and 1% strain of less than 0.12 and a viscosity (G?) at 130° C. during unvulcanization of not less than 50 MPa to the coating rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yokokura, Humihiro Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8205652
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a self-supporting tire. More specifically, the tire has a carcass, a tread, and a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread. The carcass is comprised of a reinforcing ply structure extending between a pair of bead portions, a pair of sidewalls, each sidewall located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions, and a pair of inserts located in each sidewall. A first insert and second insert are located between the innerliner and the ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Thierry Paul-Marie Gabriel Koeune, Christian Jean-Marie Kaes, Laurent Roger Andre Dubos
  • Publication number: 20120152426
    Abstract: Provided is a run-flat tire in which a side-reinforcing rubber is arranged on the inside of the carcass in the tire width direction on both sidewall portions. The carcass plies include cords made of a material having a heat shrinkage rate of 2% to 8% at 177° C., and the run-flat tire further includes a reinforcing cord layer which includes cords made of a material having a heat shrinkage rate of less than 2% at 177° C., the reinforcing cord layer being arranged on the outside of the side-reinforcing rubber in the tire width direction on both sidewall portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Maehara
  • Publication number: 20120152425
    Abstract: Provided is a run-flat tire in which a higher compatibility between the riding comfort and the run-flat travel durability during normal travelling can be attained. Provided is a run-flat tire comprising a bead portion 1, a side wall portion 2, a tread portion 3, a carcass 4 composed of one or more carcass plies extending toroidally between the pair of bead portions to reinforce these portions, and a side reinforcing rubber layer 5 having a crescent cross-sectional shape arranged on the inside of the carcass at the side wall portion. The carcass ply cord is a hybrid cord formed by twisting a filament composed of cellulose fibers and a filament composed of nylon, the thermal shrinkage stress (cN/dtex) of the hybrid cord at 177° C. after an adhesive treatment is not less than 0.20 cN/dtex, and the thermal shrinkage stress (cN/dtex) of the hybrid cord at 177° C. drawn from a tire product is not less than 0.10 cN/dtex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGSTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Kawashima, Hiroyuki Mori
  • Publication number: 20120138204
    Abstract: A run-flat tire (1) provided with a pair of bead portions (10) including at least bead cores (10a), a carcass (12), and reinforcing rubber layers (40) having a crescent cross-portion along with the tread width direction (W) and the tire diameter direction (D). The run-flat tire (1) is provided with side reinforcing layers (14) provided along the reinforcing rubber layers (40), and also with turned-back bead reinforcing layers (16) provided along the bead portions (10) and each turned back around the bead core (10a) from the inside to the outside in the tread width direction (W). The turned-back bead reinforcing layers (16) are each provided with a bead reinforcing layer main portion (16A) positioned inside the bead portion (10) in the tread width direction (W), and also with a turned-back portion (16B) communicating to the bead-reinforcing layer main portion (16A) and turned back around the bead core (10a) from the inside to the outside in the tread width direction (W).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Wakiyama
  • Publication number: 20120067486
    Abstract: Provided is a run-flat tire having a substantially-crescent-shaped cross section, which makes it possible to achieve both durability at the time of run-flat travel and ride comfort at the time of travel at a normal inner pressure. A rigidity reducing portion 20 that reduces a tire rigidity in the width direction extends in the circumferential direction on a surface of a tread rubber 1 in an area located on the inner side than an end 5a of a belt in the tire width direction and on the outer side than a road-contacting end 15 in the tire width direction under a 75% load state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keita Yumii, Hiraki Iwasa
  • Publication number: 20110284143
    Abstract: A side wall reinforced run flat tire, wherein a second carcass layer that does not reach a bead core is disposed along the outer peripheral surface of a carcass layer. A position of an outer peripheral edge of a bead filler, a relationship between a rubber thickness Gc of the inner side and a rubber thickness Ga of an outer side taken on the line X normal to the rim line and centered on the carcass layer, a relationship between the rubber thicknesses Ga and Gb of the side wall rubber in an upper region of a bead portion, and a position of a folded up end of the carcass layer are each stipulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 8028733
    Abstract: A green tire includes a surface layer defining a green tire surface and made up of a plurality of windings of an unvulcanized rubber tape. A part of each of the windings is exposed on the green tire surface so that the exposed part has a width of from 50% to 80% of the width W1 of the rubber tape. Each of the windings has a substantially rhomboid cross section and has one end at an acute angle corner exposed on the green tire surface and the other end at the opposing acute angle corner. An angle theta of a diagonal line of the rhomboid drawn between the one end and the other end is not more than 30 degrees with respect to a tangential line to a profile line of the green tire surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakamoto, Toshiaki Ono, Toshiyuki Mafune, Takamichi Sagawa
  • Patent number: 8002006
    Abstract: A runflat tire comprises a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions each having a bead core therein, a carcass extending between the bead cores, and a sidewall reinforcing rubber disposed axially inside the carcass in each sidewall portion, wherein each sidewall reinforcing rubber is provided with a plurality of grooves extending on an axially inner surface thereof, each groove has a radially outer end and a radially inner end within the inner surface of the sidewall reinforcing rubber, the grooves are arranged in a circumferential direction of the tire, a length of the groove is in a range of from 30 to 50 mm, a width of the groove is in a range of from 10 to 20 mm and a circumferential pitch of the groove is in a range of from 25 to 60 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Mitarai, Takaaki Ishida
  • Publication number: 20110146871
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a self-supporting tire. More specifically, the tire has a carcass, a tread, and a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread. The carcass is comprised of a reinforcing ply structure extending between a pair of bead portions and having a geodesic configuration. The tire further includes a pair of sidewalls, each sidewall located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions, and a pair of inserts located in each sidewall. A first insert and second insert are located between the innerliner and the ply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Richard Frank Laske, Robert Allen Losey, Thulasiram Gobinath, Samuel Patrick Landers
  • Publication number: 20110083780
    Abstract: Provided is a run-flat tire which has an excellent run-flat performance and at the same time excels in high-speed straight running stability in the non-punctured state, a steering stability on both of a dry road surface and a wet road surface and a fuel efficient performance. A run-flat tire is provided wherein at least two crossing belt layers which are composed of rubberized steel cords and a tread rubber are disposed in the mentioned order, and wherein a reinforcing rubber is provided in the inside portion of carcass. The steel cords have a single-twisted structure or a core/single layer sheath structure with 6 to 10 steel wires having a wire diameter of 0.10 to 0.20 mm, the end count of the steel cords is not smaller than 40 cords/50 mm, the distance between the adjacent steel cords in the belt layer is not smaller than 0.3 mm, and the dynamic storage modulus E? (MPa) at a temperature of 30° C. and the loss tangent tan ? at a temperature of 60° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoji Hayashi, Takao Morii
  • Publication number: 20110083779
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread with shoulders, a belt structure located below the tread, and a carcass with two sidewalls, two inextensible annular beads, and a radial ply structure. The shoulders of the tire have a continuous curving radially outer profile so that the shoulders transition smoothly from the tread profile to the tire sidewalls; ideally, the locus of the radii defining the shoulder are located on the inner side of the tire. The tire has a belt structure formed of an annular layer of parallel cords directly adjacent to the radial ply structure, the annular layer having a pair of opposing annular edges and a continuous radius curve profile. Located radially inward of the axial edges of the annular layer of the belt structure is an annular reinforcing strip layer. The strip has a width of not greater than 30 mm and extends axially outward of the annular layer edges by a distance of not more than 10 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventor: Wojciech Franciszek Baran
  • Patent number: 7918257
    Abstract: In the invention, a run-flat tire including a pair of bead portions having an annular first bead, sidewall portions respectively extending to an outer side in a tire diametrical direction from the bead portions, reinforce rubber layers arranged in the sidewall portions, a tread portion connecting outer peripheral side ends of the sidewall portions via shoulder portions, wherein the run-flat tire includes an annular inflating portion provided on the outside in a tire width direction of the bead portion arranged on the outside of the vehicle, and having an inner circumferential side face opposing to an outer circumferential curved side face of a rim flange when a regular rim is fixed; and an annular second bead arranged at the annular inflating portion, wherein the reinforce rubber layer arranged on the outside of the vehicle has a rubber hardness of 60 to 82 degree, the reinforce rubber layer arranged on the inside of the vehicle has a rubber hardness of 65 to 90 degree, and the reinforce rubber layer arranged
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Segawa, Kazutaka Hana
  • Patent number: 7905264
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a sidewall reinforcing rubber disposed axially inside the carcass in each of the sidewall portion, and in order improving the ride comfort during normal running without deteriorating runflat performance, the axially inner surface of the sidewall reinforcing rubber is provided with a circumferentially extending groove. When the tire is deflated, the groove in the ground contacting patch is closed and the sidewall reinforcing rubber supports the tire load. When the tire is inflated-normally, as the sidewall portion can be bent around the groove, the ride comfort is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Ishida, Fumikazu Yamashita, Akira Kamigoro, Yasuaki Kuniyasu, Yurie Tanami
  • Publication number: 20110056605
    Abstract: A run-flat tire (11) comprising a crown comprising a crown reinforcement (21, 22) surmounted by a tread (30); two sidewalls (40) extending the crown radially inward; two beads (50) radially inward to the sidewalls and each comprising an annular reinforcing structure (60); at least one carcass reinforcement (71, 72) anchored in each of the beads and extending from the beads through the sidewalls toward the crown; and at least one sidewall insert (80) axially on the inside of the carcass reinforcement, comprising at least one polymer compound; wherein at least one sidewall of the tire further comprises: at least one additional sidewall reinforcement (90) comprising reinforcing elements, positioned axially on the outside of the carcass reinforcement, the radially inside end (91) of the additional sidewall reinforcement being, in any radial section, radially on the inside of the axial straight line (100) that passes through those points in the sidewalls at which the carcass reinforcement has its greatest axial wi
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicants: Societe de Tecnologie Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: François Hottebart
  • Patent number: 7900672
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread with shoulders, a belt structure, a carcass, and a radial ply structure. The shoulders have a continuous curving radially outer profile so that the shoulders transition smoothly from the tread profile to the tire sidewalls. The locus of the radii defining the shoulder is located on the inner side of the tire. The tire has a belt structure formed of an annular layer of parallel cords directly adjacent to the radial ply structure, the annular layer having a pair of opposing annular edges and a continuous radius curve profile. Located radially inward of the axial edges of the annular layer is an annular reinforcing strip layer. The strip has a width of not greater than 30 mm and extends axially outward by a distance of not more than 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Woiciech Franciszek Baran
  • Patent number: 7886790
    Abstract: This invention relates to a tire having an improved durability in the run-flat running without damaging the ride comfort in the usual running, and more particularly to a run-flat tire comprising a sidewall portion provided with a side reinforcing rubber layer having a crescent shape at section wherein a cord layer including a polyketone fiber cord satisfying the following conditions of the following equations (I) and (II): ???0.01×E+1.2??(I) ??0.02??(II) [wherein ? is a thermal shrinkage stress at 177° C. (cN/dtex) and E is an elastic modulus at 25° C. under a load of 49 N (cN/dtex)] is disposed in at least a part of a region A ranging from a belt end to a maximum width part of a tire side portion and a region B ranging from a neighborhood of a bead core to a bead filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yokokura, Hidenobu Akahane, Yugo Zuigyo, Daisuke Maehara, Masahiko Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20110005655
    Abstract: A runflat tire improved in durability which and increased in running distance and velocity at the time of puncture is provided. A side portion reinforcing layer (11) for a runflat tire, the layer being made of a rubber composition prepared by blending 0.1 to 50 parts by mass of a reinforcing material of polyparaphenylene terephthalamide based on 100 parts by mass of a rubber component comprising 20 to 80% by mass of a natural rubber and/or a polyisoprene rubber and 80 to 20% by mass of a polybutadiene rubber, and a runflat tire using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventor: Yoji Imoto
  • Publication number: 20110000597
    Abstract: A run-flat tire (12) comprising: a crown; two sidewalls (40); two beads (50) each one comprising at least one annular reinforcing structure (60); a carcass reinforcement (71, 72) anchored in each of the beads by wrapping it around the annular reinforcing structure so as to form an incoming portion (711) extending from the crown through the sidewalls towards the bead and a wrapped-around portion (712); and at least one sidewall insert (80); at least one sidewall of the tire further comprising at least one additional sidewall reinforcement (90) positioned axially on the inside of the carcass reinforcement and extending radially at least between a radial height H1 of 30 mm, H1 being measured from the radially innermost point of the annular reinforcing structure; and a radial height H2 equal to 30% of the height H of the tire; and a layer (110) of polymeric composition positioned between the additional sidewall reinforcement and the carcass reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: François Hottebart
  • Publication number: 20100288410
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire provided with run-flat reinforcing layers 10 in left and right sidewall portions 2 that enable run-flat traveling. A tread reinforcing layer 12 formed from a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition including a blend of a thermoplastic resin component and an elastomer component is provided on an inner side of a tread portion 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventor: Masakazu Mori
  • Publication number: 20100263779
    Abstract: Pneumatic vehicle tire, in particular a run-flat tire, having a carcass, a tread, and two tire beads, having a respective bead core, which are provided for fixing the tire in an associated wheel rim by the fact that the beads overlap with the associated wheel rim. According to the invention, to avoid relative motion between the tire bead and the wheel rim when the tire is subjected to impact load, the bead is designed in such a way in the nonloaded state mounted on the wheel rim the bead does not overlap with the wheel rim in the contact region of the wheel rim flange above the bead core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Joachim Riegel, Minoru Nishi, Anton Haring
  • Publication number: 20100236683
    Abstract: A run-flat tire capable of reducing weight and enhancing its uniformity. The run-flat tire 1 provides a troidal carcass 6 extending from a tread portion 2 to the bead core of each bead portion 4 through each of sidewall portions 3 and a pair of side reinforcing rubbers 9 arranged inside the carcass 6 and extending along the sidewall portions 3 in the tire radial direction inwardly and outwardly. In the outer surface of the tread portion 2, pattern elements are arranged, thereby forming a pitch pattern. Each of the side reinforcing rubber 9 provides with recesses 11 circumferentially spaced on the inner surface of side reinforcing rubber facing the tire cavity. The total number (n) of recesses 11 on each of the side reinforcing rubber 9 is 0.70 to 1.30 times the total number of pattern elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsui, Chieko Aoki, Takaaki Ishida
  • Patent number: 7789119
    Abstract: A pneumatic runflat tire including at least one sidewall insert, the at least one sidewall insert including a heterogenous rubber compound comprising first rubber and second rubber composition phases, wherein the second rubber phase is further vulcanizable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Giorgio Agostini, Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce, Christian Kaes, Marc Weydert, Frank Schmitz, Leon Jean Mathias Gregorius, Anne Therese Peronnet-Paquin, Mercedes Maria Diaz-Scharfe
  • Publication number: 20100147433
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a self-supporting tire. More specifically, the tire has a carcass, a tread, and a belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of the carcass and radially inward of the tread. The carcass is comprised of a reinforcing ply extending between a pair of bead portions, a pair of sidewalls, each sidewall located radially outward of one of the pair of bead portions, and a pair of inserts located in each sidewall. The first insert is positioned between an innerliner and the first reinforcing ply, and the second insert is positioned axially outward of the first reinforcing ply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Thierry Paul-Marie Gabriel Koeune, Tony Raymond Gery Deroo
  • Publication number: 20100132866
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a rubber composition for a sidewall reinforcing layer or a sidewall, which has sufficient thermal conductivity and low heat build-up property as well as excellent rigidity and run-flat durability. The present invention also aims to provide a pneumatic tire such as a run-flat tire, which has a sidewall reinforcing layer or sidewall that is produced using the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for a sidewall reinforcing layer or a sidewall, which contains a diene rubber and a coal-pitch based carbon fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventor: Yoji IMOTO
  • Publication number: 20100126648
    Abstract: In order to provide a safety tire which is improved in a riding comfort characteristic to a large extent while maintaining run flat durability at a practicable level, assumed is a constitution of a safety tire A comprising a left and right pair of the bead parts 1, at least one carcass layer 2 coupled from one of the bead parts 1 to the other one thereof, the tread part 3 and the reinforcing belt 4 disposed at the outside in a tire radial direction of the carcass layer 2, a pair of the side wall parts 5 disposed left and right at the tread part 3, an inner liner layer 6 located at the inside of the carcass layer 2 and a pair of an annular side reinforcing rubber layers 7 having a crescent cross-section which are located between the carcass layer 2 and the inner liner layer 6 in a part corresponding to the side wall part, wherein in the side reinforcing rubber layer 7, an elastic modulus is gradually reduced in a range of 0.1 to 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kanji Fujiki
  • Patent number: 7721780
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a single carcass ply, at least one belt ply disposed radially outward of the carcass ply in a crown portion of the tire, and at least one insert located adjacent the carcass ply in a sidewall portion, the insert providing support for the tire load to enable the tire to operate in underinflated conditions. The carcass ply is comprised of at least one composite cord. The composite cord is formed of at least two first yarns twisted helically about at least one second yarn. The first yarns and the second yarn having different modulus of elasticity, the first yarns having a modulus greater than the modulus of the second yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Yves Donckels, Serge Julien Auguste Imhoff, René François Reuter, Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce, Massimo Di Giacomo Russo
  • Publication number: 20100116400
    Abstract: A run-flat tire is provided in which the tire uniformity is improved, as well as the durability during run-flat traveling may be improved drastically without deteriorating the ride quality during normal traveling. The run-flat tire comprises a side reinforcing rubber layer having a crescent-shaped meridional cross section which layer extends all over or almost all over the both side portions along the inside of the carcass ply. The carcass ply cord contains at least 50% by mass of polyketone fibers, has a heat shrinkage force of 0.1 to 1.8 cN/dtex as a cord subjected to a dipping process, and the heat shrinkage rate of the polyketone fiber in a dry heat treatment at a temperature of 150° C. for 30 minutes is in a range of 0.3 to 6.5%; and the carcass ply includes a weft which crosses the cords arranged approximately along the radial directions, and the weft is cut at a plurality of points at regular intervals along the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Yokokura, Yugo Zuigyo