Characterized By Belt Or Breaker Structure Patents (Class 152/526)
  • Publication number: 20130183483
    Abstract: A reinforced rubber article containing a rubber article and a fibrous layer embedded into the rubber article. The fibrous layer contains monoaxially drawn tape elements having at least a first layer, an upper surface and a lower surface. The first layer comprises a blend of polyester and nylon 6. Methods of forming the reinforced rubber article are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventors: Sujith Nair, Charles W. Prestridge, Joseph R. Royer, Ines El-Majid, Johann Peschek
  • Publication number: 20130160914
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a belt layer 7, a band layer 9, and a noise damper 10 made of a sponge material and attached to a radially inner surface TS of a tread 2. The width WA of the noise damper 10 is of from 40%-70% of a ground contacting width TW of the tread. The band layer 9 has an overlapping portion 12 in which two band plies 9A, 9B are radially overlapped; and the overlapping portion 12 covers an axially outer region of the belt layer 7 with a cover width WB of from 10%-25% the ground contacting width TW. An axially inner end 12i of the overlapping portion 12 is spaced a distance LC of from 5%-20% the ground contacting width TW from an axially outer end E of the noise damper 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Ryo Oba
  • Publication number: 20130146198
    Abstract: A composite wire or thread-based reinforcement is coated with rubber and may be used for reinforcing a finished rubber article, such as a tyre. The reinforcement includes one or more textile or metallic reinforcing wires or threads, and a coating rubber that coats each wire or thread. The coating rubber is formed of a rubber composition that includes at least one diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler, between 10 and 150 phr (parts by weight per hundred parts of elastomer or rubber) of a platy filler, and a crosslinking system. The coating rubber has improved water-barrier properties, thus giving the composite wire or thread-based reinforcement better protection against corrosion or ageing due to penetration of water, for example through tyre tread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Yoonhee Chang, Salvatore Pagano
  • Patent number: 8448682
    Abstract: A tire comprising at least two working layers and at least one layer of circumferential reinforcing elements positioned radially between two working crown layers. At least one layer of circumferential reinforcing elements has an axial width greater than 0.5×S, and is made up of two parts separated axially from one another, and, axially between the two parts of the layer of circumferential reinforcing elements, two working crown layers are coupled over an axial width greater than 0.035×S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Compagnie Generale des Etablissments Michelin
    Inventors: Alain Domingo, Philippe Johnson
  • Publication number: 20130118666
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial aircraft tire is described having a B/A ranging between 60-70%. The tire may further optionally include a tire bead portion having a Ra/Fr1 relationship which ranges from about 1 to about 2.1. The tire may further optionally include a SW/TS ratio which ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.5, wherein SW is the chafer gauge at area A, TS is the total sidewall rubber gauge at area A, wherein A is defined as the region in the sidewall that has a lower radial endpoint defined by the point of contact between the flange and the tire at inflated, unloaded condition, and an upper radial endpoint AH defined by the tire wheel flange point of contact when the tire is at inflated, and at 200% rated load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ueyoko
  • Patent number: 8418736
    Abstract: There are provided a rubber composition for coating a steel cord, containing 100 parts by mass of diene-based rubber; 0.5 to 5 parts by mass of a metal salt of an organic acid; and 30 to 100 parts by mass of a filler, wherein the filler contains 3 to 30 parts by mass of glass beads having a particle diameter of 10 to 100 ?m, relative to 100 parts by mass of the diene-based rubber, and a tire reinforcement belt and a pneumatic tire using the rubber composition. The rubber composition reduces heat generation and improves adhesiveness with a steel cord. A pneumatic tire having a tire reinforcement belt using the rubber composition has excellent steering stability and rolling resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Kunisawa
  • Patent number: 8413698
    Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, which itself is topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls and the axially widest working crown layer being radially internal to the other working crown layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Gaëlle Netzer, Jean Coue
  • Publication number: 20130048183
    Abstract: In tread-width-direction cross section under a standard internal pressure and no load condition, a point B is an outermost point of overlapping area in tread-width-direction, a line CC is a line passing through an outermost point C? of carcass layer in tread-width-direction and extending along tread-width-direction, a point C is a point of tire surface through the line CC, a line segment BW is a line segment extending in tread-width-direction from an equator center line to point B, a line segment CW is a line segment extending along tread-width-direction from equator center line to point C, and a line segment BC is a line segment connecting between point B and C. A ratio BW/CW between a length of BW and CW is not less than 0.6 and not more than 0.8. An angle ? formed by BC and CW is not less than 50° and not more than 70°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Ichihara
  • Patent number: 8376010
    Abstract: A tire for a heavy vehicle with a radial carcass reinforcement of a width in excess of 25 inches comprising at least a working crown reinforcement made up of at least one layer of reinforcing elements oriented substantially circumferentially, radially surmounted by at least two so-called working layers axially wider than the layer of substantially circumferentially oriented reinforcing elements. Each of the working layers is made up of at least two axially separated parts, the distance between the axially inner end of each of the axially outer parts of at least the radially innermost working layer and the end of the radially outermost layer of substantially circumferentially oriented reinforcing elements being less than 45 mm and the gap, in the axial direction, between two parts of each of the working crown layers being greater than 5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Reda El-Berrichi
  • Patent number: 8376009
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic radial tire having improved flat spot resistance without sacrificing its high-speed durability, when a belt auxiliary reinforcement layer thereof is constituted of a hybrid fiber cord including a general-purpose nylon as a low-elastic fiber yarn. In the pneumatic radial tire, the belt auxiliary reinforcement layer is formed by winding an organic fiber cord around the outer periphery of belt layers in the tire circumferential direction. The organic fiber cord constituting the belt auxiliary reinforcement layer is obtained by twisting a highly-elastic fiber yarn with an elastic modulus of 10000 MPa or more and a low-elastic fiber yarn made of nylon 46.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Harikae, Makoto Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8371352
    Abstract: The present invention provides a belt formed of a spirally wound strip member constituted of a few juxtaposed cords and rubber coating thereon, with a structure which can absorb influence of difference in winding diameter at the unit width portion of the strip member without deteriorating productivity of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Itai
  • Publication number: 20130032266
    Abstract: A reinforced rubber article comprising a rubber article and a fibrous layer embedded into the rubber article. The fibrous layer comprises monoaxially drawn fibers having at least a first layer, where the first layer contains a polymer and a plurality of voids. The voids are in an amount of between about 3 and 15 percent by volume of the first layer. Methods of forming the reinforced rubber article are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Sujith Nair, Padmakumar Puthillath, Johann Peschek, Charles W. Prestridge
  • Publication number: 20130032267
    Abstract: A reinforced rubber article comprising a rubber article and a fibrous layer embedded into the rubber article. The fibrous layer contains monoaxially drawn fibers having at least a first layer, where the first layer contains a polymer, a plurality of void-initiating particles, and a plurality of voids. Methods of forming the reinforced rubber article are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Sujith Nair, Padmakumar Puthillath, Charles W. Prestridge, Johann Peschek
  • Publication number: 20130014878
    Abstract: A tire casing is formed on an annular toroidally shaped building surface. The tire casing has a cord attachment elastomeric layer extending over the toroidally shaped building surface to a pair of radial inner ends; a first and second bead stack, each bead stack having an axially inner stack and an axially outer stack the axially inner stack attached to one of the radial inner ends of the first elastomeric layer; one or more continuous lengths of first ply cords, and one or more continuous lengths of second ply cords. The one or more continuous lengths of the first ply cords in combination with the one or more continuous lengths of the second ply cords form a bias angled cord reinforced belt structure, the first ply cords forming one cord reinforced sidewall and the second ply cords forming an opposite cord reinforced sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
    Inventor: Anthony John Scarpitti
  • Publication number: 20120325388
    Abstract: A tire comprising: two beads intended to come into contact with a mounting rim; two sidewalls extending the beads radially outward, the two sidewalls joining in a crown comprising a crown reinforcement extending axially between two axial ends and surmounted by a tread; and a carcass reinforcement anchored in the two beads and extending through the sidewalls to the crown, wherein the crown includes, radially to the inside of the carcass reinforcement, at least one reservoir layer made of a rubber mix having a high antioxidant content, so that at least one reservoir layer is radially plumb with each axial end of the crown reinforcement, wherein said at least one reservoir layer has an antioxidant content equal to or greater than 5 phr but does not exceed 10 phr, and wherein said at least one reservoir layer further includes an oxygen absorbent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: David Lavalle, Philippe Tramond, Eric Berger, Jacques Besson
  • Publication number: 20120318425
    Abstract: A radial tire for a motor vehicle, having: a crown surmounted by a tread provided with at least one radially outer elastomer layer to contact the road when the tire is rolling; two inextensible beads, two sidewalls connecting the beads to the tread, a carcass reinforcement passing into the two sidewalls and anchored in the beads; the crown reinforced by a crown reinforcement or belt placed circumferentially between the carcass reinforcement and the tread; a radially inner elastomer sublayer having a formulation different from that of the outer elastomer layer, placed between the outer layer and the belt, and having a rubber composition having at least one diene elastomer, one reinforcing filler and one thermoplastic styrene copolymer (“TPS elastomer”) which makes possible an increase of the stiffness of the sublayer and improvement of handling performance of the tire, while retaining good hysteresis and rolling resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Béatrice Lopez, Didier Vasseur
  • Publication number: 20120318424
    Abstract: Radial tire having: a crown surmounted by a tread having at least one radially outer elastomer layer which contacts the road when the tire is rolling; two inextensible beads, two sidewalls connecting the beads to the tread, a carcass reinforcement passing into the two sidewalls and anchored in the beads; a crown reinforcement or belt placed circumferentially between the carcass reinforcement and the tread; a radially inner elastomer sublayer, having a formulation different from the formulation of the radially outer elastomer layer, and placed between the radially outer layer and the belt, wherein said sublayer contains a rubber composition having at least one diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler and more than 10 phr of a hydrogenated thermoplastic styrene copolymer, which makes possible substantial improvement in rolling resistance and handling performance compromise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche Et Technique, Compagnie Generale Des Establissements Michelin
    Inventors: Garance Lopitaux, Didier Vasseur, Béatrice Lopez
  • Publication number: 20120312440
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a carcass and a belt reinforcing structure wherein the belt reinforcing structure is a composite belt structure having at least one radially inner spiral layer and at least one zigzag belt reinforcing structure located radially outward of said spiral layer. The zigzag belt width is preferably narrower than the spiral layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ueyoko
  • Patent number: 8322390
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to light weight tire devices comprising a plurality of layers of steel belts. The layers are each a predetermined fraction of the footprint width, and the width of each layer can vary from one layer to another. Some embodiments also include a pair of wedge strips disposed between two reinforcing layers. Furthermore, some embodiments can include a split belt, wherein the gap between the split belts is substantially occupied by a gum strip. Additionally, the belt ply cords can be angled according to one or more patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Inc.
    Inventor: John Kotanides, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8322392
    Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, at least one protective layer being radially to the outside of the working crown layers, said crown reinforcement being topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls. The tire additionally comprises in each shoulder at least one layer of reinforcement elements which are parallel to each other in the additional layer and are oriented circumferentially, the axially inner end of said additional layer being radially adjacent and external to the radially outermost working layer and said axially inner end of the additional layer being radially adjacent and internal to at least part of the protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Jean Coue
  • Publication number: 20120279627
    Abstract: A tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed from at least two bilayers of parallel reinforcing elements in a ply, which bilayers are distributed with a constant pitch and crossed from one ply to another, and which do not have a free end at the edges thereof. Within a radial plane, the surface density of reinforcing elements in a region bounded by the geometric centers of four pairwise adjacent reinforcing elements, belonging in pairs to a bilayer, and forming a quadrilateral, is greater at the center of the tire than at the ends of the bilayers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Michael Cogne, Murielle De-Tullio
  • Publication number: 20120267025
    Abstract: A tyre including a carcass structure includes at least one carcass ply; a belt structure applied in a radially outer position relative to the carcass structure and a tread band applied in a radially outer position relative to the carcass structure. The belt structure preferably includes at least one reinforcing strip incorporating a plurality of reinforcing elements laid substantially in the circumferential direction. The reinforcing elements preferably include at least one high-elongation metal cord. The metal cord includes a plurality of twisted strands and each strand preferably includes a central filament and a plurality of outer filaments arranged to form a single circular outer ring around the central filament, wherein the central filament has a diameter greater than the diameter of the outer filaments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Guido Luigi Daghini, Giuseppe Cereda
  • Publication number: 20120267027
    Abstract: Pneumatic vehicle tire includes at least two bracing plies arranged to intersect each other at an angle and including reinforcements of steel arranged substantially parallel to and at a distance from one another and embedded in a rubber material. Bracing ply reinforcements are oriented at an angle of 18° to 45° with the circumferential direction of the tire. A bracing bandage is also included having at least one ply with reinforcements of a non-metallic material arranged substantially parallel to and at a distance from one another and generally extending a circumferential direction of the tire. Bracing bandage reinforcements include a material with heat shrinkage properties. Under a predetermined extension of 1% in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcements, each bracing ply, has a tension of <17,500 N per dm of width, and the bracing bandage as a whole has a tension of >2,000 N per dm of width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Rafal NOJEK, Viktor BLUEMEL
  • Patent number: 8291951
    Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, which itself is topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls and the axially widest working crown layer being radially internal to the other working crown layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Gaëlle Netzer, Jean Coue
  • Patent number: 8281837
    Abstract: Provided are a pneumatic tire with a durability which is improved by preventing oxygen deterioration of coating rubber of a reinforcement layer, and a method of manufacturing the pneumatic tire. The pneumatic tire according to the present invention is a pneumatic tire including a reinforcement layer having reinforcement cords. In the pneumatic tire, the reinforcement layer is covered with thin films each made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending a thermoplastic resin with an elastomer in a way that the reinforcement is wrapped with the thin films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Hashimoto, Yoshiaki Kirino
  • 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: 8261795
    Abstract: There are provided a pneumatic radial tire of heavy load vehicles, in which durability of a belt is improved. A pneumatic radial tire for heavy load vehicles comprises a pair of bead portions in each of which a bead core is embedded, a radial carcass ply 1 extending from one bead portion to the other bead portion and turned around the bead core from an inner side to an outer side of the bead core in a width direction of the tire and at least six belt layers 2 disposed on an outer side of this radial carcass ply 1 in a radial direction of the tire, wherein the following relations are satisfied: W56>W34>W12, where W12 is a maximum width of first and second belts 2a f the belt layers 2, W34 is a maximum width of third and forth belts 2b of the belt layers 2 and W56 is a maximum width of fifth and sixth belts 2c of the belt layers 2; and 1>D12/D34>0.6, where D12 is a cord diameter of the first and second belts and D34 is a cord diameter of the third and forth belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20120222791
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire 1, in particular a low aspect ratio super single truck tire 1, comprising at least one pair of parallel annular beads, at least one carcass ply 3 wrapped around said beads, a tread 5, first and second sidewalls disposed between said tread 5 and one of said at least one pair of beads, and a crown reinforcing structure disposed between said at least one carcass ply 3 and said tread 5 in a crown area of said tire 1. In accordance with the invention said crown reinforcing structure comprises a first breaker 9 between the at least one carcass ply 3 and the tread 5, as well as four further breakers 11, 13, 15, 17 comprising at least one pair of working breakers between the first breaker 9 and the tread 5, wherein the first breaker 9 is a split breaker comprising two circumferential strips 9 essentially adjacent to the shoulders of the tire, each strip having an axial width comprised between 50% and 70% of the half tread width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
    Inventors: Jean-Michel Alphonse Fernand Gillard, Roland Willibrord Krier, Francois Pierre Georges
  • Publication number: 20120216935
    Abstract: A belt width of an intersecting belt 15a having the maximum belt width is set to 80% or more of the maximum width of a carcass line; a difference in belt widths between the intersecting belt 15a and an intersecting belt 15b is set in the range of 10 mm to 50 mm on one side of the belt in the width direction; the intersecting belt 15a is not narrower than the circumferential belt 14, and the circumferential belt 14 is not narrower than the intersecting belt 15b; and a pneumatic tire according to the present invention has an interposed rubber 16 having a thickness increasing toward the widthwise outer side of the tire to be 3 mm or more, and a side-lower rubber 17 having an elastic modulus less than the elastic modulus of a coating rubber coating the circumferential belt 14.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakata, Hideaki Minowa
  • Patent number: 8251114
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire having an improved driving stability with reduced weight by use of an inner liner layer including a film made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending a thermoplastic resin with an elastomer. A pneumatic tire of the present invention includes: a pair of bead portions; a carcass layer bridged between the pair of bead portions; a belt layer disposed on an outer circumferential side of the carcass layer; an inner liner layer disposed along an inner surface of the carcass layer, the inner liner layer including a film made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition that is obtained by blending a thermoplastic resin with an elastomer; and bead cores buried in the bead portions, respectively. The inner liner layer is wound up around the bead cores from an inner side of the tire to an outer side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120211138
    Abstract: Tyre (10) for a heavy goods vehicle comprising a radial carcass reinforcement (60) anchored in each of the beads (50) to an anchoring structure (700), comprising a circumferential reinforcement (70), the carcass reinforcement (60) being partially wrapped around the anchoring structure (700), the tyre (10) also comprising a coupling reinforcement (150) comprising a first part (151) in contact with the carcass reinforcement (60) and being extended by a second part (152) in contact with the anchoring structure (700) as far as a point (157) radially on the outside of the anchoring structure (700), located axially between the axially innermost point (702) and the axially outermost point (704) of the anchoring structure (700), the tyre (10) also comprising a stiffening reinforcement (160) surrounding the coupling reinforcement (150) and running radially on the inside of the anchoring structure (700) and of the coupling reinforcement (150), wherein the axially outside end point (166) of said stiffening reinforcement
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN
    Inventors: Philippe Johnson, Bopha Grisin, Olivier Lenepveu
  • Patent number: 8245745
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with a main groove extending along a tire circumferential direction, and a land portion comparted by the main groove in a tread surface. A reinforcing member having a cord which is inclined at an angle between 75 and 90 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction is buried in the vicinity of a groove bottom height of the main groove in an inner region of the land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ichiro Shima
  • Publication number: 20120193008
    Abstract: There is provided a pneumatic tire having excellent uneven wear resistance performance, low rolling resistance and durability of side portion's appearance. The pneumatic tire comprises a carcass as a framework consisting of at least one carcass ply troidally extending between bead portions embedded with a pair of bead cores and turned around the bead cores from an inner side to an outer side in a tire width direction, a belt comprising at least one inclined belt layer and a tread successively disposed on a radially outer side of a crown portion of the carcass, wherein a ratio BD/BW is in a range between 0.01 and 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinsaku Katayama
  • Publication number: 20120180925
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming at least one circumferential belt layer of a pneumatic tire comprising: winding the strip for a half length of an outer circumferential length of the crown portion of the carcass along the tire equatorial plane from a widthwise inner side of the belt end region; winding the strip for the remaining half length while shifting the strip for the width of the strip from a widthwise inner to outer side; winding the strip for the outer circumferential length of the crown portion of the carcass along the tire equatorial plane; winding the strip for the half length of the outer circumferential length of the crown portion of the carcass while shifting the strip for the width of the strip from the widthwise outer to inner side; and winding the strip for the remaining half length along the tire equatorial plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke YOSHIKAWA, Hiroshi NAKATA, Takashi OONO, Makoto TSURUTA
  • Publication number: 20120175033
    Abstract: A rubber composition based on at least a diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler and a crosslinking system, characterized in that it comprises at least 10 to 150 phr of a platy filler and from 0.01 to 0.3 phr of a metal salt. This composition has good processing and mechanical properties, and also improved oxygen impermeability properties over a wide temperature range, from ambient temperatures when the tire is stationary up to the temperatures of the tire when it is running. According to one preferred embodiment, the rubber composition described above can be used in the tire as a protective elastomer layer in at least one part of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN
    Inventors: David Lavialle, Jacques Besson
  • Patent number: 8215355
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a belt arranged in such a manner that cords are inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction. A quarter portion is set to a portion which is between 50 to 80% of a belt width around a tire equator line, a center portion is set to a portion which is inside than the quarter portion, and a shoulder portion is set to a portion which is outside than the quarter portion. A relation ?c>?s>?q is satisfied on the assumption that a cord angle in the quarter portion is set to ?q, a cord angle in the center portion is set to ?c, and a cord angle in the shoulder portion is set to ?s, with regard to the cord angle of the belt with respect to the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoto Kashihara
  • Publication number: 20120152428
    Abstract: A tire is provided suppressing air incorporation and raising durability without a detrimental effect on running performance. A tire 10 includes a ring shaped tire case 17 formed from a frame resin material, with a reinforcement layer 28 formed by winding and joining a covered cord member 26, formed by a cord resin material 27 covering a reinforcement cord 26A, on a crown section 16 portion of the tire case 17. Accordingly air incorporation is suppressed and durability is raised without a detrimental effect on running performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kouno, Seiji Kon
  • Patent number: 8168021
    Abstract: A process for assembling a tire, including producing a crown of said tire on a drum of variable diameter of a generally cylindrical form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Jacques Auclair
  • Patent number: 8170780
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for transporting a payload over a surface is provided. A vehicle supports a payload with a support partially enclosed by an enclosure. Two laterally disposed ground-contacting elements are coupled to at least one of the enclosure or support. A motorized drive is coupled to the ground-contacting elements. A controller coupled to the drive governs the operation of the drive at least in response to the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle to dynamically control balancing of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Segway, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Douglas Field, Michael T. Gansler, John D. Heinzmann, Jon M. Stevens
  • Publication number: 20120090756
    Abstract: Pneumatic tire, the belt of which is reinforced by a multilayer laminate comprising at least one multiaxially drawn thermoplastic polymer film, such as for example a biaxially drawn PET film, placed between and in contact with two layers of rubber composition, such as natural rubber. Preferably, the thermoplastic polymer film has, irrespective of the tensile direction considered, a tensile modulus E which is greater than 500 MPa, a maximum tensile stress ?max which is greater than 80 MPa, and an elongation at break Ar greater than 40%. The above thermoplastic polymer film, placed between two layers of diene rubber compositions, can especially be used in the belt of pneumatic tires as a perforation-resistant protective film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN
    Inventor: Christophe Le Clerc
  • Patent number: 8146633
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, 48%?HB/HA?52%, 98%?HC/HA?100%, 108%?WB/WA?115%, and 55%?WC/WA?75% are satisfied, where, when a line from a position A of rim height FH in tire width direction is X-axis and a line in tire radial direction via center crown CL is Y-axis, WA is distance of a half of tire base width, WB is distance from the Y-axis to a maximum width position P of a carcass layer, WC is distance from the Y-axis to an inflection point Q of the carcass layer, HA is distance from the X-axis to a peak R of the carcass layer on the center crown CL, HB is distance from the X-axis to the maximum width position P, and HC is distance from the X-axis to the inflection point Q.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokatsu Maruyama, Satoru Isobe, Hironori Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8146637
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one layer to the other, forming with the circumferential direction angles of between 10° and 45°, which itself is topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls and the crown reinforcement comprising at least one layer of circumferential reinforcement elements of an axial width less than that of at least one of the working crown layers. According to the invention, the ratio of the axial width of at least one layer of circumferential reinforcement elements to the axial width of the tread is greater than 0.6, and preferably greater than 0.65, and the ratio of the axial width of the tread to the maximum axial width of the tire is strictly greater than 0.89.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Radulescu, Guy Cluzel
  • Publication number: 20120073721
    Abstract: A rubber-steel cord composite is provided having nonlinear physical properties even in a rubber characterized by incompressive properties after vulcanization, and hence the rubber-steel cord composite can show low rigidity and flexible properties in a low-strain region and, on the other hand, can show high rigidity in a high-strain region. The rubber-steel cord composite is provided by bundling steel linear objects 1 subjected to spiral shape forming at substantially identical pitches in an approximately identical phase without twisting, the steel cord being embedded in rubber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki ISHIZAKA, Kiyoshi IKEHARA
  • Publication number: 20120067492
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a carcass structure, two sidewalls spaced apart a distance, two beads, a tread disposed radially outward of a crown of the carcass structure, a belt structure interposed radially between the carcass structure and the tread, and a reinforcement structure having cords of ferritic high aluminum TRIPLEX steel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Yann Bernard Duval, Maurice Peter Klinkenberg, Antonio Veneziani
  • Publication number: 20120055604
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire of which rolling resistance is reduced without impairing wear resistance. Specifically, the pneumatic tire of the present invention comprises: a tread portion; a pair of side wall portions; a pair of bead portions; a carcass constituted of at least one carcass ply extending in a toroidal shape between bead cores in the respective bead portions; a belt disposed on the outer peripheral side of a crown region of the carcass and formed by at least one inclined belt layer made of cords extending to be inclined with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire; and a tread rubber disposed on the radially outer side of the belt, wherein a ratio of BD/BW satisfies the following formula: (0.062×tire aspect ratio?0.01)<BD/BW<(0.062×tire aspect ratio+0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Souto Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20120031537
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a resin-extended isoprene rubber comprising (A) a rubber component containing a natural rubber and/or a synthetic isoprene rubber and (B) a thermoplastic resin, wherein a resin slurry liquid prepared by dispersing the component (B) described above in water is mixed with a latex of the rubber component (A) described above, and then the mixture is coagulated and subjected to drying treatment, a rubber composition containing the resin-extended isoprene rubber obtained by the above process and a pneumatic tire prepared by using the above rubber composition for a member for a tread, and provided are a process for producing a resin-extended isoprene rubber in which a natural rubber and/or a synthetic isoprene rubber and a resin are used and in which the above resin is highly dispersed, a rubber composition which contains the resin-extended isoprene rubber obtained by the above process and which can secure a fracture characteristic and the like and a pneumatic
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaaki Izuchi
  • Patent number: 8104525
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread-reinforcing band made of at least one spirally wound cord, wherein the band cord consists of materially identical high-strength high-modulus organic filaments, and the band cord is formed by first twisting each of filament bunches, subjecting the first twisted bunches to a dip-and-stretch treatment, and then twisting the treated bunches together, whereby the load-elongation curve of the band cord comprises a low-modulus zone and a high-modulus zone whose boundary point is in an elongation range of from 1 to 7%, and the ratio EH/EL of a nominal elastic modulus EH of the high-modulus zone and a nominal elastic modulus EL of the low-modulus zone is in a range of from 2.0 to 10.0. Therefore, high-modulus aramid cords, PEN cords and the like can be used to reduce the tire weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Touru Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 8096335
    Abstract: A heavy vehicle tire comprising at least four working plies formed of reinforcing elements which, from one ply to the next, cross one another, and comprising at least one protective ply. The tire is supplemented on each side of the circumferential mid-plane by a single working half-ply the reinforcing elements of which make an angle greater than 30° with the circumferential direction, the half-ply being radially on the inside of and adjacent to the radially outermost continuous working ply, its axially outer end being axially on the outside of the ends of the continuous working plies, and the reinforcing elements of the half-ply, the reinforcing elements of the radially outermost continuous working ply and the reinforcing elements of the protective ply the end of which is axially on the outside of the ends of the working plies being oriented in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Lucien Bondu
  • Publication number: 20120006461
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided with a belt reinforcing layer obtained by spirally winding a reinforcing cord, in a tread side of a belt layer arranged in a tread portion. The method comprises a step of laminating a plurality of cylindrical belt plies including a belt cord extending while inclining with respect to a tire circumferential direction so as to form the belt layer, and a step of spirally winding the reinforcing cord on an outer periphery of the belt layer so as to form the belt reinforcing layer. A winding direction of the reinforcing cord is set to an inverse direction to a direction of inclination of the belt cord of the belt ply positioned in an outermost periphery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Oomiya
  • Patent number: 8091599
    Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, which itself is topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls. The tire comprises additionally at least in each shoulder a layer of reinforcement elements which are oriented circumferentially and have an undulation, the axially inner end of said additional layer being radially adjacent to the edge of a working crown layer, the axially outer end of said additional layer being located at a distance from the equatorial plane of the tire which is at least equal to the distance between said plane and the end of the working layer to which it is adjacent and the distance between said layer and the end of the axially widest working crown layer being greater than 1.5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Gaëlle Netzer, Jean Coue