Characterized By Belt Or Breaker Structure Patents (Class 152/526)
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20110315294
    Abstract: In the manufacture of a tyre, a belt structure is made by means of strip-like segments or elements, each comprising parallel cords embedded in an elastomeric layer, sequentially laid along the circumferential extension of a toroidal support, in such a manner that: each strip-like element is laid in a laying trajectory defining, at each point, a laying angle; at each point of the laying trajectory a laying gap is formed between adjacent strip-like elements, the laying trajectory being formed starting from preselected laying angles on the shoulder and on the crown of the tyre, the laying gap between adjacent strip-like elements varying along at least one section of the laying trajectory between crown and shoulder so as to cause variation of the laying angle and to obtain the preselected angles on the shoulder and on the crown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Pierangelo Misani, Mariani Fiorenzo, Marco Cantu'
  • Patent number: 8083877
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire containing a tread, a carcass having at least one belt ply disposed below the tread, and a cap ply located between the carcass and the tread. The cap ply comprises at least one layer of an open construction leno weave tape having a pair of warp yarns in the longitudinal direction and a weft yarn in the weft direction. The pair of warp yarns comprises a first warp yarn and a second warp yarn, where the second warp yarn has a force of elongation of between about 1 and 40% the force of elongation of the first warp yarn, where the second warp yarn is in tension, and where the second warp yarn has an elongation at break of greater than 2%. The leno weave tape is disposed in a flat pattern around the circumference of the carcass in the area of the belt ply. A method of making a pneumatic tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Dany F. Michiels, Johann Peschek, Willy Delanoy, Boudewijn Snauwaert
  • Patent number: 8082963
    Abstract: A two-piece tire assembly with a removable tread belt for installing about the circumference of a tire carcass is provided. The inner surface of the tread belt follows a non-linear, preferably arcuate profile with a radius of curvature R across the tread belt wherein the distance DL as measured from the axis of rotation to the inner surface of the tread belt extends a distance DO at the equatorial plane and curves radially inwardly to a distance DE at each belt edge such that DE?0.9*DO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Archie Arsavir Takfor Andonian, Kevin Christopher Legge, Robert Anthony Neubauer
  • Publication number: 20110308686
    Abstract: A tire comprising a crown reinforcement which is itself capped radially with a tread, the crown reinforcement containing at least one layer of circumferential reinforcing elements distributed axially at a variable pitch. The layer of circumferential reinforcing elements comprising five parts, these being a central part, two intermediate parts and two axially exterior parts, the pitch in the central part being in the range between 1 and 1.5 times the pitch of the axially exterior parts and the pitch in an intermediate part being in the range between 1.6 and 2 times the pitch of the axially exterior parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Christelle Chaulet, Richard Audigier, Chris Boyer
  • Publication number: 20110308685
    Abstract: A belt structure for a two-wheeled vehicle made by means of strip-like segments or elements, each including parallel cords embedded in an elastomeric layer, sequentially laid along the circumferential extension of a toroidal support so as to form a reinforcing layer having a continuous circumferential extension around a geometric rotation axis of the toroidal support, wherein each strip-like element is laid in a laying trajectory defining, at each point, a laying angle; at each point of the laying trajectory a laying gap is formed between adjacent strip-like elements; the laying trajectory is formed starting from preselected laying angles on the shoulder and on the crown of the tyre; the laying gap between adjacent strip-like elements varies along at least one length of said laying trajectory between crown and shoulder so as to cause variation of the laying angle and obtain the preselected angles on the shoulder and on the crown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Pierangelo Misani, Fiorenzo Mariani, Marco Cantu
  • Publication number: 20110303336
    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: April 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ueyoko
  • Patent number: 8069891
    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 at least two working layers having different axial widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Jean Coue, Robert Radulescu, François Barbarin
  • Publication number: 20110290397
    Abstract: A steel cord (10) adapted for the reinforcement of rubber products, the steel cord comprises a core (12) and a layer of filaments (14) with round cross-sections twisted around the core (12). The core (12) comprises a flat wire at a waveform, which lies in the plane of the flat wire. The wire is obtainable by first crimping a round wire and thereafter flattening the crimped wire. The filaments of the layer do not substantially contact each other to make spaces between each other to insure adequate rubber penetration into the cords. The steel cord has improvements on elongation at break.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Javier Del Río Rodriguez, Johan Pille, Lieven Loncke
  • Publication number: 20110284144
    Abstract: Without decreasing the strength in the axial direction of the cord, and without increasing the thickness in the radial direction, a steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article, which improves durability against cut, as well as a construction vehicle tire utilizing the steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article as a reinforcing material is provided. A steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article is formed by twisting a plurality of sheath strands 2 formed by twisting a plurality of wires around a core strand 1 formed by twisting a plurality of wires, wherein the core strand 1 is constituted of a 4-layer-twisted structure and the diameter of the steel cord is 5 mm or larger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8056596
    Abstract: A tire carcass to be used with any type of tire is shown herein. A tire carcass includes a first ply portion, a second ply portion, each ply portion having an inner sidewall ply, an outer sidewall ply, a first end, a second end, and a bead core, a bridge portion, wherein the first ends of the ply portions are separated by the bridge portion, and at least two bridge plies, wherein the bridge plies span the bridge portion, wherein each of the bridge plies have a first end and a second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire + Rubber Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Anthony Neubauer, Robert Allen Losey, Keith Carl Trares, Joseph Kevin Hubbell, Ping Zhang, Robert Bernard Nelson, Cynthia Nelson, legal representative
  • Publication number: 20110253280
    Abstract: A steel cord for reinforcing rubber articles in which sheath wires are not deviated and which has an excellent rubber penetration property and a tire which has an excellent durability using the steel cord is provided. A steel cord for reinforcing rubber articles composed of a core 10 composed of two untwisted steel wires 1 and six sheath wires 2 which are twisted around the core 10 is disclosed. The average of gap distances between the adjacent sheath wires 2 is 24 ?m or larger, and the occupancy of the sheath wires 6 disposed around the core 10 with respect to a sheath wire disposition area is 80% or larger. A pneumatic tire in which the steel cord is applied on both a carcass and (a) belt layer(s) or applied on either the carcass or the belt layer(s) is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20110253279
    Abstract: A tyre includes a carcass structure including at least one carcass ply and a belt structure including at least one belt layer. The carcass ply includes a plurality of metallic cords. Each of the metallic cords includes a plurality of strands. Each strand of the plurality of strands includes a plurality of filaments having a diameter between 0.06 and 0.15 mm. The strands are disposed so as to form a cord structure having a cross section in which a substantially circular layer of outer strands is disposed around a central strand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Guido Luigi Daghini, Marco Cipparrone, Marcio Massami Takimoto
  • Publication number: 20110240198
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire capable of reducing rolling resistance, while maintaining good durability of a belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasutaka Suda, Hiroshi Nakata, Yusuko Yoshikawa, Takashi Ono, Makoto Tsuruta
  • Publication number: 20110220263
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread, a carcass with belt plies disposed below the tread, and a cap ply layer between the tread and the belt plies of the carcass. The cap ply is a cap ply tape containing at least one layer of fabric selected from the group consisting of woven, knit, and nonwoven having a first side and a second side, a resorcinol formaldehyde latex (RFL) coating on both the first and second side of the fabric, and a patterned coating of an adhesion promoter on at least a first side of the fabric overlaying a portion of the RFL coating. The tape is wound in a flat helically wound around the belt plies and covered with a tread of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventor: Danny F. Michiels
  • Patent number: 8016006
    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. The tire comprises additionally in each shoulder at least one layer of reinforcement elements which are parallel to each other in the layer and are oriented circumferentially, the axially inner end of said additional layer being radially adjacent to the edge of a working crown layer, at least part of said additional layer being radially and/or axially adjacent to the edge of the axially widest working crown layer and the axially outer end of said additional layer being radially internal to the axially widest working crown layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Jean Coue, Robert Radulescu, François Barbarin
  • Patent number: 8011404
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a motorcycle in which partial abrasion is suppressed by making the slip component of a tread lubber in the circumferential direction of tire as uniform as possible in the ground contacting plane. A cushion rubber layer 38 having elastic modulus lower than that of the tread rubber 30 is arranged on a spiral belt layer 22, and an inclination belt layer 24 including a cord inclining at an angle of 45 to 90 degrees to the circumferential direction of the tire is arranged on the cushion rubber layer 38. Consequently, shear deformation of the cushion rubber layer 38 during traveling can be transmitted to the tread rubber 30 after being smoothed by the inclination belt layer 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ishiyama, Masafumi Koide
  • Patent number: 8006733
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire containing a tread, a carcass having at least one belt ply disposed below the tread, and a cap ply located between the carcass and the tread. The cap ply comprises at least one layer of an open construction leno weave tape having a pair of warp yarns in the longitudinal direction and a weft yarn in the weft direction. The pair of warp yarns comprises a first warp yarn and a second warp yarn, where the second warp yarn has a force of elongation of between about 1 and 40% the force of elongation of the first warp yarn, where the second warp yarn is in tension, and where the second warp yarn has an elongation at break of greater than 2%. The leno weave tape is disposed in a flat pattern around the circumference of the carcass in the area of the belt ply. A method of making a pneumatic tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Dany F. Michiels, Johann Peschek, Willy Delanoy, Peter Eeckhout, Boudewijn Snauwaert
  • Patent number: 7998297
    Abstract: A tire structural member fabricating method fabricates a tire structural member by successively and contiguously attaching strips 1 to the convex outer surface having an outwardly convex cross section of a forming drum 11 by a strip feed device 21 such that the strips 1 extend obliquely to the center axis C of the forming drum 11. The strip feed device 21 moves parallel to the center axis C of the forming drum 11 at a fixed speed V and feeds strips 1 successively onto the outer surface of the forming drum 11. A controller 40 controls the rotation of the forming drum 11 such that the angular velocity ? of the forming drum 11 varies gradually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuo Mizota
  • Patent number: 7987882
    Abstract: A heavy-duty pneumatic tire capable of sufficiently suppressing the amount of strain occurring in side edges of a belt layer is sufficiently suppressed, despite the required increase in width of the narrow belt layers on the inner layer side, so as to effectively prevent separation of the belt layer and, hence, separation of the belt. The tire includes two narrow belt layers (1B, 2B) on the inner layer side, and two wide belt layers (3B, 4B) on the outer layer side, which are larger in width than the narrow belt layers. The narrow belt layers and the wide belt layers are sequentially arranged on the outer circumferential side of a crown region of a radial carcass (5). The innermost narrow belt layer (1B) has side edges that are convex radially outwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuomi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20110174420
    Abstract: A tire (1) comprising a crown reinforcing belt, formed of a plurality of reinforcing plies (13, 14) superposed on one another, each reinforcing ply resulting from the circumferential winding of one or more ply portions, in which tire the faces of the circumferential ends of the said portions (13, 14) are butted together to form a butt joint (130, 140).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicants: SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Henry Hinc
  • Patent number: 7980279
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire is vulcanized in a segmented mold having a tread molding surface defined by circumferentially arranged segments. The tread portion is molded by the tread molding surface during vulcanization of the tire, wherein the stretch of the belt layer in the tire radial direction during vulcanization is in a range of from 3.2 to 5.2%. the tread portion is provided with an axially outermost circumferential groove at an axial distance from the tire equator which distance is in a range of from 50% to 68% of one half of the tread width. The footprint shape satisfies the following conditions: (1) 1.05=<SL0/SL70=<1.18; and (2) 0.95=<SL70/SL97=<1.05, wherein SL0, SL70 and SL97 are the circumferential lengths of the footprint shape measured at axial distances of 0%, 70% and 97%, respectively, of one half of the tread width from the tire equator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shingo Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110146875
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a belt structure and a torus shaped carcass having a first inner radius and an outer radius, wherein the carcass is comprised of three or more layers of ply, wherein each layer of ply is formed from a rubberized strip of one or more cords, the strips being wound in an geodesic pattern having the cord extend across the carcass from a first shoulder to a second shoulder in a path that has at least one point tangent to the first inner radius located in the bead area of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Allen Losey, Samuel Patrick Landers, Thulasiram Gobinath
  • Publication number: 20110146874
    Abstract: A method of making a tire comprising the steps of providing a core; forming a first layer of ply by winding a strip of one or more rubber coated cords onto the core in a geodesic pattern extending from a first shoulder to a second shoulder opposite said first shoulder and being tangent to the bead at a location between said first shoulder and said second shoulder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Robert Allen Losey, Samuel Patrick Landers, Thulasiram Gobinath, Luis Antonio Cabrera
  • Publication number: 20110126956
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire (2) includes a tread (4), a sidewall (6), a bead (8), a carcass (10), a belt (12), a band (14), a reinforcing layer (16), and an inner liner (18). The tread (4) has a shoulder main groove (24). The reinforcing layer (16) is present locally in an axial direction. The reinforcing layer (16) is positioned between the carcass (10) and the belt (12) in a radial direction. The reinforcing layer (16) is positioned on an inside in the radial direction with respect to the shoulder main groove (24). The reinforcing layer (16) is formed by a large number of cords provided in parallel and a topping rubber. The respective cords are extended substantially in the axial direction. A width (Wr) of the reinforcing layer (16) is equal to or higher than 200% of a width (Wg) of the shoulder main groove (24) and is equal to or lower than 500% of the width (Wg) of the shoulder main groove (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi Matsui, Chunliang He
  • Patent number: 7950430
    Abstract: Pneumatic tires for aircraft service having a belt package with shoulder reinforcement. The tire includes a belt reinforcing structure or belt package having multiple cut belts, multiple spiral wound belt layers positioned radially between the cut belts and the tread, and multiple spiral wound shoulder layers proximate the shoulder. The spiral wound belt layers and the spiral wound shoulder layers are formed by a continuous cord-reinforced strip having a strip width. The spiral wound belt layers are characterized by a first winding pitch of approximately one strip width per revolution and the spiral wound shoulder layers are characterized by a second winding pitch of less than one strip width per revolution. Alternatively, the spiral wound shoulder layers may be formed with a tiered arrangement by shifting the starting location for successive spiral wound belt layers laterally so that the side edges are not coincident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Roel Domingo Villanueva, John Joseph Slivka
  • Publication number: 20110120613
    Abstract: A proper balance between ride comfort and steering stability is achieved. A pneumatic tire (1) has a band layer (9) comprising a band ply (9A) where band cords are arranged at an angle of not more than 5 deg. with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire on the radially outer side of a belt layer (7). The band layer (9) is formed of a crown band ply (9C) and a shoulder band ply (9S), wherein the crown band ply is arranged in the central portion of the belt layer (7) and composed of low modulus cords (9Y1) and the shoulder band ply is composed of high modulus cords (9Y2) and arranged in both sides thereof. A tread rubber (2G) is formed of a soft crown rubber portion (2C) arranged in the radially outer side of the crown band ply (9C) and a hard shoulder rubber portion (2S) arranged in the radially outer side of the shoulder band ply (9S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2008
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Yoshinaka, Masahiro Hanya
  • Patent number: 7938158
    Abstract: A puncture resistant pneumatic tire has a tread portion and a pair of lateral tread edges. A belt package is located radially inward of the tread portion and a carcass structure has at least one body ply which extends between and is turned up around a pair of bead cores. A protective band extends circumferentially about the tire radially beneath the tread portion and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced metal rods, each of which extends in a lateral direction between the tread edges. The protective band may be located radially inward or outward of a spiral ply layer and the rods may be arranged in a staggered laterally offset layered relationship. The rods have a circular cross-section with a diameter of between 1/16 inch and ¼ inch and a length of between 7 inches and 8 inches and will deflect and dislodge the pointed end of road debris before it completely punctures the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventor: David R. Stewart
  • Patent number: 7931062
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire containing a tread, a carcass having at least one belt ply disposed below the tread, and a cap ply located between the carcass and the tread. The cap ply comprises at least one layer of an open construction leno weave tape having a pair of warp yarns in the longitudinal direction and a weft yarn in the weft direction. The pair of warp yarns comprises a first warp yarn and a second warp yarn, where the second warp yarn has a force of elongation of between about 1 and 40% the force of elongation of the first warp yarn, where the second warp yarn is in tension, and where the second warp yarn has an elongation at break of greater than 2%. The leno weave tape is disposed in a flat pattern around the circumference of the carcass in the area of the belt ply. A method of making a pneumatic tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Dany F. Michiels, Johann Peschek, Willy Delanoy, Peter Eeckhout, Boudewijn Snauwaert
  • Patent number: 7926532
    Abstract: A tire for a two-wheeled motorcycle includes a continuous carcass-type reinforcement structure, having reinforcement elements and anchored on each side to a bead. Each bead extends radially by a sidewall, which meets up radially with a tread. Under the tread is a crown reinforcement structure including at least one working layer, and which does not comprise any circumferentially oriented reinforcement elements. Over the profile of the tire in a radial plane, in its part outside of the two points of tangency of the curvilinear abscissa of the carcass-type reinforcement structure with perpendiculars to the axis of rotation at least one layer of working reinforcement elements is at least partially radially to the inside of the part of the carcass-type reinforcement structure radially to the outside of the two points of tangency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Pascal Prost, Alain Valle
  • Patent number: 7918259
    Abstract: This invention provides a pneumatic tire having a highly improved steering stability, wherein a reinforcing layer formed by spirally winding a strip-shaped triaxial fabric or triaxial fabric-rubber composite having a width W satisfying a relation of the following formula (I): W?2/3×31/2×(2b/a+d)??(I) [wherein d=4×(D/(??))1/2×10?2, D is a thickness (total dtex) of cord constituting the triaxial fabric, ? is a density (g/cm3) of the cord constituting the triaxial fabric, and a is weaving density (cords/b mm) in one axis constituting the three axes] in a circumferential direction of the tire is disposed in one or more of a bead portion 1, a sidewall portion 2 and a belt portion 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiko Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7918258
    Abstract: A tire for a two-wheeled motorized vehicle includes a carcass-type reinforcement structure, having reinforcement elements anchored on each side to a bead. Each bead extends radially by a sidewall, which meets up radially with a tread. Under the tread is a crown reinforcement structure including at least one working layer of working reinforcement elements, and a layer of circumferentially oriented reinforcement elements disposed radially to the outside of the carcass-type reinforcement structure. Over the profile of the tire in a radial plane, radially to the outside of the two points of tangency of the curvilinear abscissa of the carcass-type reinforcement structure with perpendiculars to the axis of rotation, at least one layer of working reinforcement elements is at least partially radially to the inside of the part of the carcass-type reinforcement structure radially to the outside of the two points of tangency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Pascal Prost, Alain Valle
  • Publication number: 20110056606
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire has a pair of opposing bead portions 14, each bead portion 14 has a bead core 23 and a bead apex 24; at least one carcass reinforcing ply 12 having radially oriented steel cords 22, the at least one carcass reinforcing ply 12 has a main portion 18 and two turnups 20, one turnup 20 extending from each end of the main portion 18 and having a terminal end 21, the carcass reinforcing ply main portion 18 extends between the opposing bead cores 23 and turnups 20 are located axially outward of the bead core 23 and a portion of the bead apex 24; and two pairs of steel cord reinforced chippers, one pair adjacent each turnup, each pair having one inner chipper 40 being adjacent and on an axially inner side of the turnup 20 and one outer chipper 30 being adjacent on an axially outer side of the turnup 20, the inner and outer chippers 40, 30 being adjacent the turnup 20 each have a terminal end 41, 31 extending radially outward of the terminal end 21 of the turnup 20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CMPANY
    Inventor: Peter Johann Cornelius Maus
  • Patent number: 7902289
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition for coating a belt layer steel cord, which inhibits separation from the steel cord when running the tire. Specifically, the present invention provides a rubber composition for coating a belt layer steel cord comprising (A) 2.5 to 4 parts by weight of sulfur, (B) 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of resorcin or modified resorcin condensate, (C) 0.3 to 3 parts by weight of partial condensate of hexamethylol melamine pentamethyl ether or partial condensate of hexa methoxy methylol melamine, and (D) organic acid cobalt, based on 100 parts by weight of a rubber component; wherein the cobalt content in the organic acid cobalt (D) is 0.05 to 0.8 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the rubber component, and a steel cord obtained by coating with the rubber composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyazaki
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20110048607
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a carcass layer mounted between a pair of bead portions, at least two layers of a belt layer disposed on an outer circumferential side of the carcass layer corresponding to a tread portion, and a belt reinforcing layer having a strip material including at least one fiber cord wrapped spirally in a tire circumferential direction on an outer circumferential side of the belt layers, wherein the belt reinforcing layer has a center portion reinforcing layer for reinforcing a center portion of the belt layers and edge portion reinforcing layers for reinforcing edge portions of the belt layers, the center portion reinforcing layer and the edge portion reinforcing layers are mutually separated, a width of the center portion reinforcing layer is from 5% to 25% of a width of a belt layer having a smallest width, and a width of the edge portion reinforcing layers is from 10% to 35% of the width of the belt layer having the smallest width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Hideki Seto, Ryoji Hanada
  • Patent number: 7874334
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire for a motorcycle capable of satisfying all of high-speed durability, turning performance and slide controllability. The invention relates to a pneumatic tire 10 for a motorcycle having a bead core 12, a carcass 14, a tread rubber 18, a side rubber 26 and a spiral belt 30. The number of cords Nmc in the spiral belt 30 in the center area is set to 30 to 70/50 mm, and the number of cords Nms in the spiral belt 30 in the shoulder area is set to 10 to 45/50 mm (Nmc/Nms=1.5 to 3.0). The tread rubber 18 is set to tan ?/E?=0.06 to 0.14 MPa?1 in the center area CA and the tread rubber 18 is set to tan ?/E?=0.12 to 0.16 MPa?1 in the shoulder area SA (TEc/TEs=0.4 to 0.9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Takashi Hirano
  • Patent number: 7857025
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has two belt layers, each having a plurality of strip pieces formed by pulling together and rubberizing a plurality of steel cords. Strip piece width, strip piece thickness, belt layer cord angle with respect to a tire circumferential direction, numbers of the strip pieces of inner and outer belt layers, and circumferential lengths of the inner and outer belt layers are respectively denoted by A, G, ?, N1, N2, L1 and L2. N2 is equal to N1, and N1 is an integer satisfying L1=N1×A/sin ?. The inner belt layer is formed by joining the N1 strip pieces so each side of each strip piece is butted with one side of another strip piece. The outer belt layer is formed by aligning the N2 strip pieces on the inner belt layer in the tire circumferential direction with spaces of width 2?G/N2 disposed between adjacent strip pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kabe, Tsuneo Morikawa
  • Patent number: 7851015
    Abstract: An apparatus and process are used to make a ready-to-apply tape from greige fabric. This tape can be used as cap plies, breakers and reinforcement in the carcass of tires. The tape is made by dipping a greige mini-fabric which comprises a plurality of single end cords in a solvent-based cement. The cement, which comprises solvent and an elastomeric composition, is dried so that the majority of the solvent evaporates. The elastomeric composition remains, encapsulating the fabric, thereby forming the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Inventor: Walter Terschueren
  • Patent number: 7836929
    Abstract: A tire, which has a maximum section width, an upper section above the maximum section width, and a lower section below the maximum section width, includes a circumferential tread, a pair of sidewalls, and a pair of bead portions. The tire further includes at least one carcass ply extending circumferentially about the tire from one bead portion to the other and first and second reinforcement plies extending circumferentially about the tire. The first and second reinforcement plies are provided between the at least one carcass ply and at least one of the sidewalls of the tire. The first and second reinforcement plies include lower ends that terminate in the lower section of the tire and upper ends that terminate in the upper section of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Inventors: Jie Jin, Michael Crano
  • Publication number: 20100282391
    Abstract: Since a protecting layer 43 embedded with reinforcing cords 41 is disposed between a tread 35 and a belt reinforcing layer 31, both of the protecting layer 43 and the belt reinforcing layer 31 decentrally bear a large bending force generated when a pneumatic tire 11 runs on a sharp projection or a difference in level. As a result, even if reinforcing elements 33 in the belt reinforcing layer 31 are extended by large tension due to fill internal pressure, increase of strain generated in the reinforcing elements 33 can be effectively suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Ishiyama, Masafumi Koide
  • Patent number: 7828028
    Abstract: Providing a pneumatic tire for two-wheeled vehicle which is capable of enhancing the braking performance and the high-speed turning performance, while assuring the ride comfort. The carcass has a semi-radial construction, whereby the necessary and minimum rigidity is ensured with the ride comfort being assured. In the crown part of the semi-radial bias carcass 16, a belt layer 26, which is a crossed belt layer, is provided, and inside of the tread end parts, a radial reinforcement band layer 22 in which a plurality of reinforcement cords 24 extending in the radial direction are arranged is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Shinji Aoki
  • Patent number: 7823614
    Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic tire wherein at least one of a carcass (4) and a belt (6) comprises a layer of steel cords covered with a coating rubber, and as the coating rubber covering the steel cords in at least one of the carcass (4) and the belt (6) is used a rubber composition comprising a rubber component (A), 1-10 parts by mass of sulfur (B) and 0.1-10 parts by mass of a compound (C) including a substituted benzene ring, a compound (D1) having a particular structure or a composition (D2) consisting essentially of such a compound based on 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, and as the steel cord is used a steel cord formed by twisting a plurality of steel wires each plated on its peripheral face with a brass and having an amount of phosphorus as an oxide in a surface layer region from a surface of the plated brass to a depth of 5 nm inward in a radial direction of the wire controlled to not more than 1.5 atomic %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunori Kaneda
  • Patent number: 7823615
    Abstract: A tire (2) includes a belt (12) provided on a carcass (10) and a band (14) for covering the belt (12). The band (14) includes a full band (36) and a pair of edge bands (38) provided in the vicinity of a shoulder and positioned on an outside in a radial direction of the full band (36). The full band (36) has a first band cord (40) wound spirally in a substantially circumferential direction. The edge band (38) has a second band cord (44) wound spirally in the substantially circumferential direction. A modulus of the second band cord (44) is higher than that of the first band cord (40). In the tire (2), it is preferable that an outer end (50) of the full band (36) should be provided on an outside of an outer end (48) of the belt (12) in an axial direction. An outer end (52) of the edge band (38) is identical to the outer end (48) of the belt (12) or is provided on an inside thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masumi Suzuki