Arrangement Of Grooves Or Ribs In Sidewall Patents (Class 152/523)
-
Patent number: 7387144Abstract: A tire is provided with at least one textured marking on an outer surface of a sidewall of the tire. The at least one textured marking includes crumb rubber adhered to the sidewall of the tire.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2005Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLCInventor: Francis J. Byrne
-
Publication number: 20080110543Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic radial tire, and more particularly, to a pneumatic radial tire with water-splash control rib, wherein by optimizing the profile of the ring-shaped water-splash control rib on the sidewall along the circumference of the tire, the water-splash control, the increase in heat radiation, and the durability of the tire will be improved. A preferred aspect of the present pneumatic radial tire with water-splash control rib is that the layer of belts deposited under the tread and a ring-shaped water-splash control rib (100) formed on the sidewall, wherein the upper profile of the rib is positioned above the continuation line (Ca) which extends the average profile of the outmost layer of belts which is divided in to upper and lower profile.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: KUMHO TIRE CO., INCInventors: Kang-Jong Song, Sung-Wan Park, Kang Byeon
-
Publication number: 20080087362Abstract: Vehicle pneumatic tire includes a carcass having sidewalls and a tread rubber. A sidewall area is covered on an outside by a sidewall rubber strip. A moiré pattern is arranged on the sidewall rubber strip and is formed by a superimposition of at least two linear non-identical families of curves. A first family of curves of the at least two linear non-identical families of curves is formed by undulatory curves having regular wave form. A second family of curves of the at least two linear non-identical families of curves is formed by undulatory curves having irregular wave form. This abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2005Publication date: April 17, 2008Applicant: CONTINENTAL AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventor: Markus Metz
-
Patent number: 7281557Abstract: A tire includes at least one carcass-type reinforcement structure anchored on each side in a bead, each bead being extended radially towards the outside by a sidewall having at least one substantially resilient circumferential cord disposed in the substantially median portion of the sidewalls. The carcass-type reinforcement structure includes a ply of carcass cords extending from the bead to the crown within a sidewall. The carcass cords are arranged in such a way that, in a sidewall zone restricted to the median portion of the sidewall, the carcass cords exhibit different respective axial positions, so as to form around the circumference a succession of substantially regular undulations defining an undulating circumferential profile. Outside of the sidewall zone, the carcass cords of the ply do not form undulations. At reduced pressure the undulations tend to straighten out and rigidify the sidewall in such a way as to be able to bear the load.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2005Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A.Inventor: José Merino Lopez
-
Patent number: 7275575Abstract: Disclosed are improved wheels and tires for simulating the appearance of larger-diameter wheels mounted within low-profile tires. The improved tires are intended to be mounted on wheels with an extended outer flange. An embodiment of the tire comprises an outboard tire wall, an inboard tire wall, a tread therebetween, a laterally extending wheel protector, a ledge, and a flange seat. The flange seat is optionally contoured to match the inner face of an outer flange of the improved wheel.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2004Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Tezzen Wheel CorporationInventors: Frank J. Hodges, Sergio Anca
-
Patent number: 7261785Abstract: A process of depositing at least one uncured colored rubber mix forming a contrasting motif on an outer surface of a tire includes preparing a blank of the uncured tire to be moulded, including all the constituents except for the colored rubber mix(es), depositing the colored rubber(s) in at least one cavity formed on a removable insert, each cavity having the general form of the motif to be moulded and having a total volume V2, the total volume of non-vulcanized colored rubber V1 placed in each cavity being less than the volume V0, mounting the insert in a suitable housing provided on the moulding surface of the mould for the tire, engaging the tire blank within the mould, and moulding and vulcanizing the tire.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2003Date of Patent: August 28, 2007Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.Inventor: Frédéric Pialot
-
Publication number: 20070151642Abstract: A pneumatic tire is manufactured by vulcanizing the uncured tire formed by assembling uncured rubber tire components, at least one of which is made by winding a plurality of tapes around an axis while traversing the tapes along the axis, wherein the number of stroke of the traversing of the tapes is increased in a thick portion than in a thin portion of the tire component, and an angle between one end and the other end of each of the tapes around said axis is at most 90 degrees. The respective midpoints between the one end and the other end around the axis, of the tapes are sifted from each other in the circumferential direction of the tire.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2006Publication date: July 5, 2007Inventor: Youjirou Miki
-
Patent number: 7232498Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire comprising raised indicia on a sidewall of the tire, the raised indicia comprising a plurality of superposed layers of a curable elastomer composition.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2004Date of Patent: June 19, 2007Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventors: Rene Jean Zimmer, Claude Ernest Felix Boes, Rene Francois Reuter, Hans-Bernd Fuchs, Wolfgang Albert Lauer, David John Zanzig
-
Patent number: 7204284Abstract: Tire made of a rubber-based material of black color comprising at least one design on an outer surface of the said tire, the material being a diene elastomer or rubber, the design having on its outer surface at least one light diffraction grating formed of a plurality of ridges or grooves of height H arranged parallel to one another with a period P. The process for obtaining a design of variable color on an article made of a rubber-based material of black color, the design being visible in at least one color different from black.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2004Date of Patent: April 17, 2007Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.Inventors: Antoine Paturle, Cédric Delbet
-
Patent number: 7147026Abstract: A tire comprises a sidewall provided with a mark region for displaying at least one mark including at least one of a sold mark and an outline mark, the mark region is provided with serration made up of serration slots and ridges which are drawn up in lines, the mark is formed by discontinuous parts of the serration, wherein the discontinuous parts of the serration are (1) discontinuous parts of serration slots only or (2) discontinuous parts of ridges only or (3) discontinuous parts of serration slots and discontinuous parts of ridges, wherein the discontinuous part of the serration slot is a shallow part formed within the serration slot and having a top face extending across a corresponding part of the mark in substantially parallel with a tire sidewall surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2002Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Tadao Matsumoto
-
Patent number: 7048022Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread designed primarily for off-road activities, comprising large lugs. The tread can be defined as having a central tread width that is divided into a central tread zone and opposing lateral tread zones. The tire also has shoulder regions extending from each lateral tread zone. The tread itself has a plurality of tread elements separated by lateral grooves in the lateral tread zones. The lateral grooves in the lateral tread zones are protected by elongated pads, the pads extending from between a pair of the tread elements and into a shoulder region of the tire. Each pad has a radial height less than the adjacent tread elements and has a base width greater than 50% of the width of the lateral grooves.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2003Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventors: Timothy Michael Rooney, James Joseph Nespo
-
Patent number: 7025102Abstract: A pneumatic tire which comprises a tread portion, a pair of bead portions adapted to a wheel rim, a pair of sidewall portions therebetween, at least one of the sidewall portions provided with an axially protruding rim protector, the rim protector extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction so as to form an annular axially outer surface extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction and a radially inner surface extending radially inwardly from said annular axially outer surface towards the adjacent bead portion, wherein the radially inner surface is provided along the tire circumferential direction with at least one recess having a depth of from 0.5 to 7.0 mm.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2003Date of Patent: April 11, 2006Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Masahiro Hanya
-
Patent number: 6991015Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a non-symmetric pattern in which a land ratio Lo of an outer tread surface portion To facing towards the outside of a vehicle from a tire equator C is set to be larger than a Land ratio Li of an inner tread surface pattern Ti facing towards the inside of the vehicle from the tire equator C; and concave grooves 9 extending substantially in a circumferential direction of the tire, formed in an outer tire side region Yo that is located between a grounding end Eo of the outer tread surface portion To and the maximum width position M of the tire facing towards the outside of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2002Date of Patent: January 31, 2006Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Yutaka Kuroda
-
Patent number: 6983911Abstract: An aviation tire including, a pair of side walls, the side walls having an outer surface, a tread portion spanning a radial outer extremity of the side walls, and a rotating assembly formed on the side wall or the tread portion, the rotating assembly having an increased resistance to wind when located at a lowermost portion of the tire.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2003Date of Patent: January 10, 2006Inventor: Thomas D. Nordquist
-
Patent number: 6983781Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a sidewall surface with serrated portions, each of the serrated portions being formed by aligning numerous serrated concavo-convex stripes thereon, the serrated portions being spirally arranged along a circumferential direction of the tire. The concavo-convex stripes are formed by formation of concave grooves on the sidewall surface. The depth of the concave grooves is 0.3 to 2.0 mm. An interval between adjacent serrated portions is set 5 mm or more when measured along a radial direction of the tire.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2003Date of Patent: January 10, 2006Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masahiro Ebiko
-
Patent number: 6941990Abstract: Pneumatic off-road tires having structure for improving sidewall puncture resistance to penetrating objects. The structure may include multiple deflection pads arranged concentrically about the sidewall or a single deflection pad extending in a spiral about the sidewall. Each deflection pad incorporates inclined surfaces arranged for deflecting penetrating objects in a radial direction so that the likelihood of a sidewall puncture is significantly reduced.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2002Date of Patent: September 13, 2005Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventor: Timothy Michael Rooney
-
Patent number: 6920906Abstract: A pneumatic tire has an aggressive tread pattern for use on both on-road and off-road vehicles having at least a pair of intermediate ribs and a pair of shoulder ribs providing the ground engaging tread lugs. A plurality of circumferentially extending lug groups are formed on and extend outwardly from and along the sidewalls of the tire. Each lug group preferably includes three separate lugs, each lug having a substantially flat outer surface lying in a different plane than the outer surfaces of the other two lugs. Two of the lugs are radially aligned with each other along the sidewall of the tire with the third lug lying intermediate spaced pairs of these aligned lugs. The lugs are formed with sharp corners offset from each other which extend outwardly from the sidewall to different levels.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2002Date of Patent: July 26, 2005Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLCInventors: William B. Allison, James G. Guspodin, David M. Reep, John E. Young
-
Patent number: 6886617Abstract: A tire P with a radial carcass reinforcement (1), intended for mounting on a rim J at least one of whose seats (42) is inclined outwards and is extended axially on the outside by a hump (41) of small height, said hump comprising an axially outer wall (411), and comprising two sidewalls (8) and at least one bead (5) with a heel axially on the inside and a bead toe axially on the outside, said bead (5) being provided with a protective rib T extending in the circumferential direction and axially further away from the equatorial plane than the axially outer wall (411) of the hump (41) of the rim in order to protect said rim J, the profile of the lower face BC connecting the axially outer face AB of the protective rib T and the profile of the bead (5) being totally located radially outside a virtual segment whose ends are on the one hand the radially innermost point B of the axially outer face AB of the rib T, and on the other hand the last point C? of the tire bead which is in contact with the hump of the rim.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2004Date of Patent: May 3, 2005Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.Inventors: Claude Eynard, André Peyrot, Jean-Luc Bouvier, Adam Jara
-
Patent number: 6845796Abstract: A cushion tire is formed from a rubber material without being provided with an airspace inside the tire. An aspect ratio, which is a ratio of a sectional height of a tire with respect to a width of the tire, is set to 15 to 80%. And a number of holes are formed in both bilateral side surfaces of the tire along a circumferential direction thereof.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2001Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignees: Fukuyama Rubber Ind. Co., Ltd., Komatsu Forklift Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yusaku Katoh, Satoru Oda, Hirotaka Ozaki, Nobuo Fujita, Fumio Ikesugi, Kazuo Kawashima, Teruki Aoyagi
-
Patent number: 6843291Abstract: A tire comprising a carcass extending through sidewall regions and a ground contacting tread region and a tread reinforcing breaker disposed radially outward of the carcass in the tread region, inboard and outboard tread regions each extending between the tread circumferential centerline (X) and axially spaced-apart inboard and outboard tread edges (IE,OE), the inboard tread edge (IE) for mounting nearest to the vehicle longitudinal centerline, characterised in that in the condition that the tire is mounted on its scheduled wheelrim and inflated to its scheduled pressure, the axial width (LR) of the tread between its tread edges (OE, IE) is not less than 75% of the maximum tire width (G), the axial width (LC) of the breaker is not less than 97% of the tread width (LR) and the difference in the breaker width (LC) and the tread width (LR) is not more than 25% of the difference between the maximum tire width (G) and the tread width (LR).Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2000Date of Patent: January 18, 2005Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventor: Yves Gaudin
-
Patent number: 6832638Abstract: A pneumatic tire, in which a concave portion adjacent to a convex mark is provided on a surface of a sidewall portion, and a ratio of a volume v of the concave portion to a volume V of the convex mark is set as: 0.8V≦v≦1.2V, alternatively, a convex portion adjacent to a concave mark is provided on the surface of the sidewall portion, and a ratio of a volume w of the convex portion to a volume W of the concave mark is set as: 0.8W≦w≦1.2W, thus suppressing a bend of a carcass layer located under a mark spot of the sidewall portion, and making it possible to maintain a carcass line approximately uniformly on a circumference thereof.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2001Date of Patent: December 21, 2004Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventor: Toshiro Oyama
-
Publication number: 20040238094Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprises: a tread portion defining an overall diameter of the tire under a normally-inflated unloaded state and a ground contacting width under a normally inflated loaded state; a pair of sidewall portions defining an overall width of the tire therebetween under the normally-inflated unloaded state; a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein; a carcass extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and sidewall portions; and a belt disposed radially outside the carcass in the tread portion, wherein the overall diameter of the tire is in a range of from 750 to 820 mm; the ground contacting width is in a range of from 85 to 90% of said overall width of the tire; and the carcass comprises an ultrahigh-turnup ply extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and sidewall portions and turned up around the bead core in each of the bead portion so that the turned-up portions each extend radially outwardly into the tread portion through the sidewall pType: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2004Publication date: December 2, 2004Inventor: Hiroaki Kajita
-
Patent number: 6814117Abstract: A tire having a carcass reinforcement, a crown reinforcement and a tread joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls, the axially outer edges of the single mix of the tread being folded over on to the radially outer edges of the rubber mixes of the sidewalls, and the circular junction J between the sole rubber mix of the tread and the rubber mix of the sidewall being positioned such that its radius RC on the axially outer wall of the tire lies firstly between 0.9 RS+0.1 RB and 0.8 RS+0.2 RB and secondly between RSS and 0.9 RSS+0.1 RB, RS being the equatorial crown radius of the tread, RSS the equatorial radius of the center line of the carcass reinforcement and RB the radius of the bead seat.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2000Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin-Michelin & CieInventor: Noël Morel
-
Patent number: 6807995Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire having a portion thereof such as a sidewall component that glows-in-the-dark due to the presence of a phosphorescent layer thereon. The present invention also relates to a tire having, and to a process for incorporating, a phosphorescent decal on the sidewall component. Very small amounts of phosphorescent material are used, resulting in a low cost safety tire.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2000Date of Patent: October 26, 2004Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Susan Lynn Deevers, Jennifer Leigh Gabor
-
Publication number: 20040187994Abstract: A vehicle tire fabrication method in which a raw tire tube is adhered with two annular hook members and two annular rubber packing members one the inside and an airtight sealing layer and a combination outer tire wall layer on the outside, and then the raw tire thus obtained is put in a vulcanizing mold and vulcanized into a finished vehicle tire, and then the annular rubber packing members are removed from the finished vehicle tire.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2003Publication date: September 30, 2004Inventor: Shut Chen Hsu
-
Publication number: 20040187997Abstract: Tire made of a rubber-based material of black color comprising at least one design on an outer surface of the said tire, the material being a diene elastomer or rubber, the design having on its outer surface at least one light diffraction grating formed of a plurality of ridges or grooves of height H arranged parallel to one another with a period P. The process for obtaining a design of variable color on an article made of a rubber-based material of black color, the design being visible in at least one color different from black.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.Inventors: Antoine Paturle, Cedric Delbet
-
Patent number: 6789591Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions each with a bead core and a bead apex therein, each sidewall portion provided on the outer face with means of escaping air between the tire and a mold for vulcanizing the tire, wherein the air escape means comprises a circumferentially extending vent emboss line disposed adjacently to a radially outer end of the bead apex and a circumferentially extending vent groove adjoining the radially outside of the vent emboss line and having a depth of at least 0.15 mm. Preferably, the vent groove has a width of from 5 to 10 mm and a depth of from 0.2 to 0.5 mm, and the vent emboss line and vent groove are disposed in a lower sidewall region having a substantially straight profile. The bottom of the vent groove may be substantially parallel to the straight profile of the lower sidewall region and the bottom may be provided with emboss marks.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2000Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Akio Ikeda
-
Patent number: 6786258Abstract: A rubber article, such as a tire, composed of at least two rubber mixes with different composition and properties, the said two mixes having a lap joint characterized in that at least one edge of at least one of the two mixes has an end with an oscillatory trace-line.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2001Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.Inventor: Noel Morel
-
Patent number: 6761198Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic rubber tire having a rubber sidewall composition of a lug and groove configuration which is designed to be ground contacting. Such sidewall configuration is of a rubber composition comprised of a blend of natural rubber and cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber which contains specified carbon black reinforcement and silica together with a coupling agent. The tire tread rubber composition differs from the rubber composition of said sidewall lug and groove configuration by being exclusive of silica and coupling agent and carbon black reinforcement exclusive of said specified carbon black.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2001Date of Patent: July 13, 2004Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventors: David John Zanzig, Bernard Matthew Bezilla, Jr., Paul Harry Sandstrom
-
Publication number: 20040123929Abstract: This practical new style is a kind of airplane tire. It designs at least two windears sticking out of the both side of the tirebody. One side of the windear is a concave structure and two sides of which have the same direction. Using this practical new style, the airplane tires are enable to rotate before landing of the plane. This helps the rotating speed of the wheels be equal to or faster the relative movement speed between the airplane and the runway, that makes the wheel speed be consistent with the touchdown speed, eliminate the speed differential between the wheels and the runway, change the sliding drag to the rotating drag so that it can reduce the tearing of the tires and prolong the service life of the wheels.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2004Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventor: Baolu Han
-
Publication number: 20040112497Abstract: Pneumatic off-road tires having structure for improving sidewall puncture resistance to penetrating objects. The structure may include multiple deflection pads arranged concentrically about the sidewall or a single deflection pad extending in a spiral about the sidewall. Each deflection pad incorporates inclined surfaces arranged for deflecting penetrating objects in a radial direction so that the likelihood of a sidewall puncture is significantly reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2002Publication date: June 17, 2004Applicant: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventor: Timothy Michael Rooney
-
Publication number: 20040103974Abstract: An applique having a vulcanizable adhesive layer is co-cured on a rubber article by precuring the applique of predominantly pale natural rubber optionally imprinted with a bar code; coating the upper surface of the applique with a protective self-supporting film of polyamide less than 0.050 mm (2 mils) thick, or a non-self-supporting film of polyurethane less than 25.4 &mgr;m, 0.0254 mm (1 mil) thick; adhering the applique to the article at a chosen location; curing the article in a curing mold; and, removing a cured article from the mold with the protective film adhering to the surface of the applique, the surface of which is essentially free from visually observable cracks. The hot flow of rubber in the curing mold does not substantially change the location of the applique which is embedded in the article. If the film does not remain adhered to a cured tire and drops into the mold, it is difficult to retrieve and, when a subsequent article is cured in the same mold, results in a scrap tire.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2002Publication date: June 3, 2004Inventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Lewis Timothy Lukich, Marvin Wayne Tipton
-
Publication number: 20040084125Abstract: To assure a positive camber thrust for a radial-ply tire including a belt of four or more plies on a carcass with rubber pads interposed therebetween, the width of the outermost belt ply is increased over the width of the adjacent belt ply and the ratio of the difference found by subtracting the tread width from the maximum belt ply width to the difference between the maximum tire width and the tread width is not less than 01 and not more than 0.4.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2003Publication date: May 6, 2004Applicant: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Nakasai, Junichi Ohashi
-
Patent number: 6719029Abstract: Runflat tire construction is optimized for tire ride comfort by reducing tire wall gauges in the tread-shoulder-to-upper-sidewall transition region and compensating with supporting sidewalls that constantly increase in thickness (gauge) from the transition region to a bead/flange area where a chafer extends above a wheel rim flange. Thus the bead and lower sidewall area are reinforced to a maximum and the shoulder area gets only the minimum stiffness necessary to achieve the required runflat performance. Within the context of wall gauges that constantly increase from the transition region to the bead/flange area, a mid-sidewall gauge ratio MSGR, being equal to a mid-sidewall gauge G2 divided by a shoulder gauge G1, is approximately within the range of 1.1 to 1.4, preferably approximately equal to 1.3; and a bead/flange gauge ratio BFGR, being equal to a bead/flange gauge G3 divided by a shoulder gauge G1, is approximately within the range of 1.5 to 1.8, preferably approximately equal to 1.7.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2002Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber CompanyInventor: Roland Close
-
Publication number: 20040060629Abstract: A low or no pressure use indicator for use on a tire is provided. The tire has a crown and a pair of sidewalls that extend from the crown. Each of the sidewalls has a bead located on an end of the sidewall that is opposite from the crown. The low or no pressure use indicator is located on a wall of one of the sidewalls. The low or no pressure use indicator is configured for indicating by a permanent physical change whether the tire has been subjected to an operation condition of an undesirable amount of low tire pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2002Publication date: April 1, 2004Inventors: Walter Lee Willard, Kenneth Johnson, Richard Bryant
-
Patent number: 6709138Abstract: A safety tire with illumination including a tire adapted for operative positioning on a vehicle. The tire has a plurality of treads extending circumferentially around a perimeter thereof, and annular recesses between the treads. Fluorescently colored rubber is disposed within the annular recesses of the plurality of treads of the tire. Fluorescently colored steel belts of a contrasting color extend within the treads to indicate when the tire is unduly worn.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2001Date of Patent: March 23, 2004Inventor: Vernell Johnson
-
Publication number: 20040025998Abstract: Runflat tire construction is optimized for tire ride comfort by reducing tire wall gauges in the tread-shoulder-to-upper-sidewall transition region and compensating with supporting sidewalls that constantly increase in thickness (gauge) from the transition region to a bead/flange area where a chafer extends above a wheel rim flange. Thus the bead and lower sidewall area are reinforced to a maximum and the shoulder area gets only the minimum stiffness necessary to achieve the required runflat performance. Within the context of wall gauges that constantly increase from the transition region to the bead/flange area, a mid-sidewall gauge ratio MSGR, being equal to a mid-sidewall gauge G2 divided by a shoulder gauge G1, is approximately within the range of 1.1 to 1.4, preferably approximately equal to 1.3; and a bead/flange gauge ratio BFGR, being equal to a bead/flange gauge G3 divided by a shoulder gauge G1, is approximately within the range of 1.5 to 1.8, preferably approximately equal to 1.7.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2002Publication date: February 12, 2004Inventor: Roland Close
-
Patent number: 6688358Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a pair of sidewall portions each provided on the axially outer surface thereof with a side protector, the side protector comprising at least two concentric ribs and at least one circumferential groove defined therebetween, the circumferential groove composed of a series of deep parts and shallow parts which alternate in the tire circumferential direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2001Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kazuya Suzuki
-
Patent number: 6688359Abstract: An inner tire used in a dual-chambered tire is provided by an inner tire in which an exterior sidewall of tire provides for two annular rows of overlapping raised facets that extend above the exterior surface of the tire. Each facet defines a right angle with respect to the adjacent sidewall of the tire and provides for an elevated surface having a substantially uniform height with respect to the underlying tire exterior surface. The facets further define a plurality of gaps and passageways that have a constant height and through which pressurized air may flow during the inflation of the outer tire. The air gaps and air passageways defined by the facets have a sufficient depth that the resulting passageways do not collapse when the pressurized inner tire is in engagement with the pressurized outer tire.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2001Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.Inventors: Gary Lunsford Blalock, Matthew J. Forthofer
-
Patent number: 6681823Abstract: A heavy load pneumatic radial tire has the circular fine groove 5 running in the tire circumferential direction at least at one side of the shoulder portion 4 running on both sides of the tread surface 11 of the tread portion 1. The said fine groove 5 has a narrowed area with the central axis 5C of the sectional view of the groove sloping inward in the tire diameter direction from the aperture 51 to the internal part in the tire width direction and an expanded area following thereafter whose groove width expands with a curvature, and the external wall 52 of the said narrowed area slopes outward in the tire diameter direction than the central axis 5C of the said sectional view of the groove and the internal wall 53 of the said fine groove 5 is provided with the convex part 57.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2001Date of Patent: January 27, 2004Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hiroshi Nakamura
-
Publication number: 20040003881Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a sidewall surface with serrated portions, each of the serrated portions being formed by aligning numerous serrated concavo-convex stripes thereon, the serrated portions being spirally arranged along a circumferential direction of the tire. The concavo-convex stripes are formed by formation of concave grooves on the sidewall surface. The depth of the concave grooves is 0.3 to 2.0 mm. An interval between adjacent serrated portions is set 5 mm or more when measured along a radial direction of the tire.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2003Publication date: January 8, 2004Inventor: Masahiro Ebiko
-
Patent number: 6666248Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic tire for a construction vehicle, which enhances a reinforcement effect by protectors provided on a sidewall portion. This pneumatic tire includes: at least two convex-shaped protectors extended in a tire circumferential direction, the protectors being provided in a range of 30 through 65% of a tire cross-sectional height on at least one of sidewall portions; and elastomeric reinforcing members buried inside the protectors, wherein a 100% modulus of the elastomeric reinforcing members is set at 5 through 25 times a 100% modulus of a rubber composition of the sidewall portion adjacent thereto.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2002Date of Patent: December 23, 2003Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventors: Norio Omoto, Shuuichi Fukutani, Daisuke Kanenari
-
Publication number: 20030209302Abstract: A pneumatic tire which comprises a tread portion, a pair of bead portions adapted to a wheel rim, a pair of sidewall portions therebetween, at least one of the sidewall portions provided with an axially protruding rim protector, the rim protector extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction so as to form an annular axially outer surface extending continuously in the tire circumferential direction and a radially inner surface extending radially inwardly from said annular axially outer surface towards the adjacent bead portion, wherein the radially inner surface is provided along the tire circumferential direction with at least one recess having a depth of from 0.5 to 7.0 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2003Publication date: November 13, 2003Inventor: Masahiro Hanya
-
Publication number: 20030205306Abstract: An elastomeric tire for mounting onto a rim that is manufactured by casting or molding methods to include an interior arch shaped cavity that is centered under the tire tread to have at least one hundred forty (140) degrees and not more than one hundred seventy (170) degrees of arc, and with the cavity arch duplicated around the tire exterior, below the tire tread. A uniform tire wall thickness is provided that is selected for a particular anticipated load as the tire will carry, with the tire side wall ends maintained at the rim aligned ends, supporting the load carried by the tire in compression, and with the tire, at atmospheric pressure, providing ride and wear characteristics that are comparable to a pressurized pneumatic tire carrying a like load, and which tire of the invention interior arch shaped cavity can be pressurized to add to its inherent load supporting character to safely support even greater loads.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2003Publication date: November 6, 2003Inventor: Richard A. Steinke
-
Patent number: 6619355Abstract: A pneumatic tire has radially outer black sidewall rubber, radially inner black sidewall rubber, white sidewall rubber therebetween and a wing rubber layer contacting carcass, tread rubber layer and radially outer black sidewall rubber and white sidewall rubber. The radially outer black sidewall rubber extends from the tread edge (P1) to a point (P3) on the tire outer surface, contacts the wing rubber layer extending from the tread edge (P1) to a point (P2), and contacts the white sidewall rubber extending from the point (P2) to the point (P3). The white sidewall rubber is provided between the point (P3) and the point (P4) with a protrusion so that the thickness (DP) of the white sidewall rubber from outer surface to cords of carcass is not less than 4 mm. The maximum thickness (DS) of the radially outer black sidewall rubber is not less than 3 mm at the point (P2).Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2000Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Kazuyuki Niizato
-
Patent number: 6619356Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire comprising a means for indicating the position of a tire among the set of tires of a vehicle. The means is a button, which is fitted in a recess made in the center of a pattern which illustrates the tire positions of the vehicle, so that the position of this particular tire among the set of tires of the vehicle can be indicated unambiguously by turning the button by means of the pattern on the button. The button has a groove and/or an embossment for turning the button by means of a screwdriver with a chisel head, a coin or a pair of pliers, for instance.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2001Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Inventor: Pentti Eromäki
-
Patent number: 6612352Abstract: A tire (1) having sidewalls (3) with an annular strip (8) within which a plurality of ribs (9) is formed. The ribs are disposed in mutual side by side relation and circumferentially distributed. The annular strip (8) is made in the form of a hollow on a sidewall (3) of the tire (1) and is designed to display informative inscriptions (12) the characters of which (13) are defined by projections (19) projecting from the surface of the annular strip.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2000Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Pirelli Coordinamento Pneumatici S.p.A.Inventors: Antonio Barrese, Massimo Battaini
-
Publication number: 20030111150Abstract: The tire has a plurality of radially outer rubber components defining a radially outer surface (S1) exposed to fluids having a relative displacement with respect to the rotating tire. At least one radially outer component has projections, the projections being defined by first sides (2) and second sides (2′) of unequal length. The first sides (2) have a greater length, delimiting therebetween an angle &agr; ranging from 5° to 60° and forming at their intersection an apex (P). The projections protrude by a height (h) from the radially outer surface (S1) from which said first and second sides originate, the height (h) ranging from 0.2 to 100 micrometers. In more than 75% of the projections, any plane tangent to the first side (2) of the projection cuts the radially outer surface (S1) at an acute angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2001Publication date: June 19, 2003Inventors: Rene Jean Zimmer, Claude Ernest Felix Boes
-
Publication number: 20030084979Abstract: A tire comprises a sidewall provided with a mark region for displaying at least one mark including at least one of a sold mark and an outline mark, the mark region is provided with serration made up of serration slots and ridges which are drawn up in lines, the mark is formed by discontinuous parts of the serration, wherein the discontinuous parts of the serration are (1) discontinuous parts of serration slots only or (2) discontinuous parts of ridges only or (3) discontinuous parts of serration slots and discontinuous parts of ridges, wherein the discontinuous part of the serration slot is a shallow part formed within the serration slot and having a top face extending across a corresponding part of the mark in substantially parallel with a tire sidewall surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2002Publication date: May 8, 2003Inventor: Tadao Matsumoto
-
Patent number: 6554038Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement of low H/S ratio, at least one bead provided with an axially outer protuberance, the maximum axial width of which is greater than the space taken up by the rim, characterized in that the protuberance is provided with incisions of a width other than zero, of a depth of at most 5 mm and arranged circumferentially parallel to each other.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Compagnie Générale des Etablissements Michelin - Michelin & CieInventors: Pierre Chandezon, Jean-Jacques Drieux, Olivier Muhlhoff