With Cushioning Or Other Special Rubber Ply Layer Patents (Class 152/532)
  • Patent number: 7712499
    Abstract: In the pneumatic radial tire of the present invention, a total strength K0 of a belt layer 20 in a circumferential direction of the tire per unit of width at a tire equator surface position P0 is set greater than a total strength of the belt layer 20 in the circumferential direction of the tire per unit of width at a width position P2 corresponding to ? of a maximum width of the belt layer having the tire equator surface CL as a center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Yano, Hiroyuki Mori, Masaaki Nakamura, Seiji Itai
  • Publication number: 20100108227
    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: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: JOHN KOTANIDES, JR.
  • Patent number: 7677287
    Abstract: A belt layer 7 of a heavy load radial tire includes second and third belt plies 7B and 7C in which belt cords are arranged at an angle in a range of 10 to 45° with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire, and a fourth belt ply 7D which is disposed outside of the second and third belt plies 7B and 7C and which is spirally wound in the circumferential direction of the tire. When ply widths of the belt plies 7B to 7D are defined as W2 to W4 and a tread ground-contact width is defined as Tw, the following relations are established: 0.85Tw?W2, 0.85Tw?W3, (W2?W3)?14 mm, W4?40 mm. A distance K between a tire equator and an outer end of the fourth belt ply 7D is in a range of 35% to 40% of the tread ground-contact width Tw. A reinforcing rubber layer 10 having the maximum thickness T1 of not less than 3.0 mm and a complex elastic modulus E* of in a range of 6.0 to 12.0 MPa is disposed between outer ends of the second and third belt plies 7B and 7C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Manno, Yukihide Ouya
  • Publication number: 20100032073
    Abstract: Provided are: a noise reduction device with an improved adhesion of objects formed of a porous material and with a reduced processing time; a method of manufacturing the noise reduction device; and a pneumatic tire including the noise reduction device. The noise reduction device of the present invention includes: objects formed of a porous material; a band member for attaching the objects to the inner surface of a tire at two positions spaced at substantially equal intervals in the tire circumferential direction; and locking members formed of a thermoplastic resin. The band member is formed of a thermoplastic resin. Each object is disposed at a predetermined position in the tire circumferential direction, between the band member and the corresponding locking members. The locking members are bonded to the band member through the objects by thermal fusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanno, Yasuji Akiyoshi, Hiroshi Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20100024947
    Abstract: A tire having a strip layer between breaker and ply using a rubber composition for a strip layer between breaker and ply capable of improving tensile strength at break and elongation at break, capable of also lessening the lowering rate of fracture property after thermal aging, and also being excellent in separation resistance property is provided. A tire having a strip layer between breaker and ply using a rubber composition for a strip layer between breaker and ply comprising (A) 2.0 to 3.9 parts by mass of sulfur, (B) 0.5 to 4 parts by mass of a cresol resin, a modified cresol resin, resorcinol or a modified resorcinol condensate and (C) 0.3 to 3 parts by mass of a partial condensate of hexamethylolmelaminepentamethylether or a partial condensate of hexamethoxymethylolmelamine, based on 100 parts by mass of a diene rubber component, wherein the thickness of the strip layer between breaker and ply is 0.3 to 3.9 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventor: Tatsuya MIYAZAKI
  • Patent number: 7631676
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a split ply carcass member with the ends of the split carcass ply spaced apart in the central crown portion of the tire and a central rubber layer spanning the gap between the split carcass ply ends, wherein said central rubber layer is reinforced with at least one of micro and macro reinforcing fillers. Said central rubber layer may additionally contain continuous cord reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Paul Harry Sandstrom, Ping Zhang, Joseph Kevin Hubbell, James Joseph Golden, Robert Anthony Neubauer, Keith Carl Trares
  • Publication number: 20090277557
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire that inhibits any fatigue rupture at an edge portion of a circumferential-direction reinforcing belt layer and also inhibits any separation at an edge portion of crossed belt layers. In the pneumatic tire, at least two crossed belt layers are disposed on the outer circumferential side of a carcass layer in a tread portion. At least one circumferential-direction reinforcing belt layer with a width smaller than those of the crossed belt layers is disposed between the crossed belt layers. Moreover, a stress relaxation layer of a rubber composition having a fixed thickness is disposed between the crossed belt layers while lying adjacent to an edge portion of and outside, in the width directions of, the circumferential-direction reinforcing belt layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuo Suzuki, Satoru Isobe, Kazuyuki Kabe
  • Patent number: 7575031
    Abstract: A heavy duty radial tire comprises a belt layer having first and third plies of cords arranged at an angle of 10 to 45° relative to the tire equator, and a second ply of cords arranged at an angle of at most 5° relative to the tire equator, the widths W1 and W3 of the first and third plies are at least 85% of a ground contact width Tw and the width W2 of the second ply is at least 70% of the width Tw and is smaller than the widths W1 and W3; and a pair of reinforcing rubber layers disposed between the first and third plies so as to extend axially outwardly from the axially outer ends of the second ply comprising an axially inner portion having E*1 of 8.0 to 14.0 MPa, and an axially outer portion having E*2 of 6.0 to 12.0 MPa smaller than E*1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Manno, Yukihide Ohya
  • Patent number: 7562684
    Abstract: The durability is improved by using as a carcass ply cord or a belt cord of a tire a cord formed by twisting plural steel filaments having a tensile strength of not less than 2700 N/mm2, and a total elongation at break of the cord of 3.0-7.0% without sacrificing the excellent ride comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Sumito Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20090139628
    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: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventor: Jean Coue
  • Publication number: 20090133796
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire and a process to retread a tire is provided. The retreaded tire has a carcass and a crown region, wherein the crown region comprises a belt reinforcement structure located between the carcass and a tread. The retreaded tire further comprises a cementless cushion layer located radially outward of said belt reinforcement structure, and one or more reinforcement plies located radially outward of the cementless cushion layer. The one or more reinforcement plies is formed from a substantially continuous strip of reinforced elastomer which is wound from one side of the crown to the other side in a substantially continuous manner. The reinforcement ply may be formed from spirally winding the strip about the carcass, or one or more reinforcement plies may be formed from winding the strip about the carcass in a zigzag pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Antony Harding, David Charles Wagner, Robert Cornelis van de Pas, Larry Lee Mershon
  • Patent number: 7500501
    Abstract: A tire includes comprising a radial carcass reinforcement surmounted radially by a crown reinforcement including a working reinforcement. The working reinforcement includes two working crown plies of calendered inextensible metalic reinforcement elements and rubber mix, and a protective ply of metalllic reinforcements. The metallic reinforcement elements of the working crown plies are parallel to each other within each working crown ply and are crossed from one working crown ply to the next, forming with the circumferential direction angles ?1 and ?2 of between 10° and 45°. The working crown plies include a radially inner working crown ply having an axial with L3 which is greater than L2. A layer P of cohesive rubber mixes is arranged between at least the ends of the working crown plies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Stèphane Callamand, Lucien Bondu
  • Patent number: 7461678
    Abstract: A tire includes a radial carcass reinforcement surmounted radially by a crown reinforcement including a working reinforcement having two working crown plies of calendered inextensible metallic reinforcement elements and rubber mix. The reinforcement elements are parallel to each other within each ply and are crossed from one ply to the next, forming with the circumferential direction respective angles ?1 and ?2 of between 10° and 45°. The working crown plies have respective axial widths L1 and L2. The tire also includes a protective ply of metallic reinforcement elements with an axial width L3 such that L2<L3, L2 being the width of the working ply adjacent to the protective ply. A layer of cohesive rubber mix GB is arranged radially internal to the working reinforcement such that the axially outer end of the layer GB is at a distance from the equatorial plane greater than L1/2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Stèphane Callamand, Philippe Gervais
  • Publication number: 20080264543
    Abstract: A tire includes at least two inserts made of a crosslinked elastromeric material applied in a radially external position with respect to the belt structure in proximity of the axially external edges of the belt structure, each insert including an axially inner portion which is interposed between the belt structure and the tread band, and is tapered toward the equatorial plane of the tire; and an axially outer portion which is interposed between the carcass structure and the corresponding sidewall and is tapered toward the rotational axis of the tire, wherein the crosslinked elastomeric material has a dynamic elastic modulus, measured at 70° C., lower than 7 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2004
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Fabio Montanaro, Mario Martin, Gaetano Lo Presti
  • Patent number: 7441576
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a carcass 1 comprised of one or more carcass plies toroidally extending between a pair of bead portions, a tread rubber 2 arranged at an outer peripheral side of a crown portion of the carcass 1, a belt 5 arranged between the tread rubber 2 and the carcass 1 and comprised of two belt layers 3, 4, cords 10 of which layers being crossed with each other and extending in an inclination angle of 45-80° with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire, and one or more circumferential strengthening layers 6, 7 arranged at an inner peripheral side of the belt 5 and containing wavy or zigzag cords 9 extended substantially in the circumferential direction of the tire, in which a width L of a belt layer 7 located at the inner peripheral side is made larger than a width M of the circumferential strengthening layer and a width N of a belt layer located at the outer peripheral side is made smaller than the width M of the circumferential strengthening layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Takaya Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 7438103
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire that improves riding comfort under normal driving conditions, and improves durability under run-flat conditions, while inhibiting a weight increase. This pneumatic tire includes a carcass layer and belt layer. The carcass layer contains two or more carcass plies constituted of organic fiber cords. The belt layer contains at least two belt plies, each arranged radially outwards from the carcass layer of the tire in a tread part. The tread part includes a tread reinforcement rubber layer that is located between the radially outer carcass ply and the radially inner belt ply. Each side wall part includes a side reinforcement rubber layer having a crescent-shaped cross-section, located inwards from the axially inner carcass ply. At least one of the carcass plies constituting the carcass layer is folded back about bead cores respectively of bead parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ichiro Akiyama
  • Patent number: 7438104
    Abstract: A rubber-covered belt ply forms a belt layer. At least a majority of metal wires in the ply exist as metal wire bundles in which a plurality of metal wires of circular cross-sections and substantially equal wire diameters are aligned in parallel without being twisted together, the metal wire bundles being aligned planarly and in parallel with intervals between the metal wire bundles in a transverse direction. At least one layer, which is a cap layer in which organic fibers are covered with rubber and/or a reinforcing layer which is formed of rubber or whose main component is rubber, is disposed between the belt layer and a tread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Morii, Sumito Nakagawa, Naohiko Obana
  • Patent number: 7432337
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition for coating carcass cord improving adhesive property to the carcass cord and further suppressing the crack growth, heat generation and lowering of rubber property, and a carcass cord coated thereby. A rubber composition for coating carcass cord comprising 3 to 10 parts by weight of zinc oxide, 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of resorcin condensate or modified resorcin condensate and 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of partial condensate of hexamethylol melamine pentamethyl ether or partial condensate of hexa methoxy methylol melamine based on 100 parts by weight of a rubber component comprising 40 to 80% by weight of natural rubber or isoprene rubber, 10 to 30% by weight of butadiene rubber and 10 to 40% by weight of styrene butadiene rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20080142132
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle tire, especially utility vehicle tire, comprising a tread which has a tread cap (9) and a tread base (8), both produced from a rubber mixture, and a multilayer ply structure (3, 4, 5, 6) with at least one undertread strip (7, 7?) covering the ply edges and separating the same from the tread base, said undertread strip being likewise produced from a rubber mixture. The aim of the invention is to reduce temperature and heat build-up in the area of the ply edges. For this purpose, the tread base (8) has a heat conductivity that is by at least 20% higher than that of the tread cap (9) and a heat conductivity that is by at least 10% higher than that of the one or more undertread strips (7, 7?), and the tread base (8) contains at least 25 phr of acetylene black.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Jens Kleffmann, Matthias Haufe, Christian Weber
  • Publication number: 20080093003
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a split ply carcass member with the ends of the split carcass ply spaced apart in the central crown portion of the tire and a central rubber layer spanning the gap between the split carcass ply ends, wherein said central rubber layer is reinforced with at least one of micro and macro reinforcing fillers. Said central rubber layer may additionally contain continuous cord reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Paul Harry Sandstrom, Ping Zhang, Joseph Kevin Hubbell, James Joseph Golden, Robert Anthony Neubauer, Keith Carl Trares
  • Patent number: 7306021
    Abstract: A belt durability is improved by effectively suppressing an interlayer separation between each widthwise outer end portion of a belt reinforcing layer 41 and a belt layer 34, in which each widthwise outer end 45 of one widest-width inner belt ply 35a is located outward from each widthwise outer end 46 of widest-width reinforcing plies 42a, 42b in the widthwise direction and hence reinforcing elements of the belt plies are not crossed with each other at the outside from the each widthwise outer end 46 in the widthwise direction. Therefore, the each widthwise outer end portion of the inner belt ply 35a is easily reduced in the widthwise direction, whereby shearing deformation in section to the each widthwise outer end portion of the reinforcing ply 42a, 42b is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Tsuruta
  • Publication number: 20070277918
    Abstract: The invention is directed to increasing the endurance of a tire by providing an oxidation shield strip located in the vicinity of a critical area of the tire. The oxidation shield strip acts as a local oxygen diffusion barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Ellwood, John Baldwin, David Bauer, David Rohweder
  • Patent number: 7281553
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial ply tire incorporating a crown reinforcing structure comprises at least one reinforcing hoop located approximately on the equatorial plane and disposed radially inward of the tread and radially outward of the carcass structure. The hoop is surrounded or encased by a layer of elastomeric transition material providing a flexible structural connection between the hoop and the adjacent carcass structure and belt structure. The hoop may have a substantially lenticular shape, or a complex shape with two thickened sections or lobes connected by a thin waist-like section, or a shape and a location that is asymmetric with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire, and may be made by winding a thin strip of material such as UHMWPE in an elastomeric matrix. The hoop may replace the belt structure of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Alain Emile Francois Roesgen, Laurent Colantonio, Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce
  • Patent number: 7258149
    Abstract: A tire containing a carcass ply formed along a tread portion, a shoulder portion and a sidewall portion. The carcass ply is reinforced by a belt ply and a band ply and the belt ply includes a fold-back portion. A buffer layer is formed between the belt ply and the band ply. A dimension (SW) of the inner end of the fold-back portion is set to be 20% to 40% of a tread width (TW). A width (JW) of the band ply is set to be 20% to 65% of the tread width (TW). A dimension of the overlap of the fold-back portion and the band ply is set to be equal to or smaller than 15 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7252128
    Abstract: A tire includes a radial carcass reinforcement radially surmounted by a crown reinforcement composed of at least two working crown plies formed of metallic reinforcement elements crossed from one ply to the next and forming with the circumferential direction angles of between 10 and 35°. Also provided is at least one additional reinforcement, formed of at least two circumferentially oriented layers of metallic elements of a compacted diameter at most equal to 0.6 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Oliver Ferlin
  • Publication number: 20070169870
    Abstract: A belt layer 7 of a heavy load radial tire includes second and third belt plies 7B and 7C in which belt cords are arranged at an angle in a range of 10 to 45° with respect to a circumferential direction of the tire, and a fourth belt ply 7D which is disposed outside of the second and third belt plies 7B and 7C and which is spirally wound in the circumferential direction of the tire. When ply widths of the belt plies 7B to 7D are defined as W2 to W4 and at read ground-contact width is defined as Tw, the following relations are established: 0.85Tw?W2, 0.85Tw?W3, (W2?W3)?14 mm, W4?40 mm. A distance K between a tire equator and an outer end of the fourth belt ply 7D is in a range of 35% to 40% of the tread ground-contact width Tw. A reinforcing rubber layer 10 having the maximum thickness T1 of not less than 3.0 mm and a complex elastic modulus E* of in a range of 6.0 to 12.0 MPa is disposed between outer ends of the second and third belt plies 7B and 7C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Inventors: Akira Manno, Yukihide Ouya
  • Patent number: 7243695
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire in which at least one first profiled element P of rubber mix separates the axially widest ply of reinforcement elements from at least one end of a second ply, axially narrower than the axially widest ply, the axially outer end of said first profiled element P being located at a distance from the equatorial plane of the tire which is less than the distance between said plane and the end of the axially widest ply of reinforcement elements, said profiled element P being radially separated at least in part from the liner C of said axially narrower ply of reinforcement elements by a second profiled element of rubber mix G, and said first and second profiled elements of rubber mix P and G and said liner C having secant modules of elasticity under tension at 10% elongation MP, MG, MC respectively such that MC?MG>MP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Philippe Gervais, Lucien Bondu
  • Patent number: 7165584
    Abstract: A tire comprising a tread, where the tread includes a vulcanized rubber, from about 5 to about 80 parts by weight of a nylon-containing block copolymer per 100 parts by weight of the vulcanized rubber, and from about 1 to about 100 parts by weight filler per 100 parts by weight of the vulcanized rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Chenchy Jeffrey Lin, William L Hergenrother, Terrence E Hogan, Shunji Araki
  • Patent number: 7094302
    Abstract: A method of forming a belt structure for a tire includes forming at least one laying layer of elastomer material on an outer surface of a support mandrel and helically winding up at least one continuous bare cord on the at least one laying layer to form a plurality of coils. The at least one laying layer is formed by laying down at least one first continuous strip element of elastomer material in a form of helical coils. The helical coils of the at least one first strip element are axially distributed on an outer surface of the support mandrel. The support mandrel is conformed in shape to an outer surface of a carcass structure of the tire. The coils of the at least one cord are disposed axially in side-by-side relationship. The tire may be a tire for a motorcycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giancarlo Armellin, Pierangelo Misani
  • Patent number: 7077182
    Abstract: A run-flat tire comprises: a carcass comprising a carcass ply of cords extending between bead portions and turned up around a bead core in each bead portion from the inside to outside of the tire so as to form a pair of turnup portions and a main portion therebetween a belt disposed radially outside the carcass in the tread portion and a reinforcing rubber layer comprising a pair of side parts each provided between the main portion and the turnup portion and extending from the bead core to the proximity of axially outer edge of the belt, and a center part disposed between the carcass and the belt and connected to the side parts of both side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoya Nagahara, Takayuki Shibata
  • Patent number: 7060146
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire comprises assembling unvulcanized rubber components to make a green tire, vulcanizing the green tire, and winding an unvulcanized rubber tape so that the windings collectively have a predetermined cross sectional shape for at least one of the unvulcanized rubber components to thereby make said at least one of the unvulcanized rubber components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuji Ikeda, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Naohiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7036541
    Abstract: A standard grounding surface shape F0 becomes a maximum grounding length Lc at a tire equator C and becomes a shortest grounding length Lm between the tire equator C and a grounding edge TE. The shortest grounding length Lm is located in a region away from the tire equator C by a distance of 0.5 to 0.9 times of a tread half width TW. A rubber thickness t1 between the carcass cord and the belt cord is gradually increased outward in the axial direction of the tire from the tire equator, and the rubber thickness t1 in a half width position Q which is away from the tire equator by a distance of 0.55 times of the tread half width TW is set to 0.5 to 3.0 mm. A ratio t2q/t2c between a tread entire thickness t2c in the half width position Q and a tread entire thickness t2c in the tire equator is set to 1.01±0.05.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoto Maruoka, Minoru Nishi, Atsushi Yamahira, Satoshi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 7021350
    Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic run-flat tire. The tire has at least one carcass reinforcing ply, at least one pair of sidewall wedge inserts, and a belt reinforcing structure. The belt reinforcing structure is formed from at least a pair of cross cord belt reinforcing plies. Located radially outward of the carcass reinforcing ply is a porous elastomeric layer. The porous elastomeric layer has a porosity level of 20 to 80%, preferably 40–70%, of the total volume of the porous elastomeric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Laurent Luigi Domenico Colantonio, Anne Therese Peronnet-Paquin, Walter Dale Allen, Frank Philpott, Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce, Giorgio Agostini
  • Patent number: 6976518
    Abstract: In a pneumatic radial tire comprising a belt of at least two belt layers, in which the belt comprises a maximum-width belt layer containing many cords slantly arranged with respect to an equatorial plane of the tire and a narrow-width belt layer arranged at the outside of the maximum-width belt layer in the radial direction and containing many cords arranged in an oppositely inclined direction to the cords of the maximum-width belt layer, the belt end separation is controlled by arranging a reinforcing layer containing many cords arranged in an oppositely inclined direction to the cords of the maximum-width belt layer so as to overlap with an outer end portion of the maximum-width belt layer located outward from an outer end. of the narrow-width belt layer in the widthwise direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Kuninobu Kadota
  • Patent number: 6938659
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a crown-reinforcing insert which extends from under the tread substantially, such as at least one-third of the sidewall height, into the sidewall of the tire. Apexes extend from the beads substantially, such as at least one-third of the sidewall height, into the sidewall of the tire, thereby effecting a substantial, such as at least one-third of the sidewall height, “overlap” between end portions of the crown-reinforcing insert and the apexes. Additionally, at least one belt extends from under the tread substantially into the sidewall, and the turn-ups of at least some of the plies extend quite high, such as at least one-third of the sidewall height, into the sidewall. This combination of features yields superior runflat performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Thomas Wood Whitney
  • Patent number: 6938657
    Abstract: A tire for a vehicle wheel, capable of withstanding the load at low pressure or zero pressure, includes a carcass, a crown, two axially opposed sidewalls, two bead cores, two compression-resistant annular reinforcing elements, and, optionally, a belt structure. The annular reinforcing elements are made of material having high rigidity and very low elastic hysteresis. Each annular reinforcing element is in or adjacent to a zone joining the crown to a sidewall and in a first plane parallel to an equatorial plane of the tire. Each bead core is in a second plane parallel to the equatorial plane. The distance between the first planes is greater than or equal to the distance between the second planes. A camber of an arc between a bead core and an intersection of a carcass ply line with a cylindrical surface passing through the reinforcing elements does not exceed 15% of the arc length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gian Carlo Cucco, Piero Misani, Alessandro Volpi, Guido Riva
  • Patent number: 6889736
    Abstract: There is provided a pneumatic tire having an aspect ratio of not less than 60 and considerably improving run flat durability as compared with the conventional type of the run flat tire, wherein at least one cushion rubber layer having a loss tangent lower than a loss tangent (tan ?) of a coating rubber for cords of a carcass ply is arranged between an end portion of a belt and a reinforcing rubber layer in a shoulder region and between mutually adjacent tire constitutional members. And also, when the carcass is comprised of plural plies, at least one ply is separated off in a zone beneath the belt, whereby the ride comfort against vibrations can be more improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuomi Kobayashi, Tomohisa Nishikawa, Kenji Matsuo, Hiroki Sawada
  • Patent number: 6883571
    Abstract: A tire comprising at least one reinforcement structure of carcass type anchored on each side of the tire in a bead, a crown reinforcement, sidewalls meeting up radially towards the outside with a tread, the carcass-type reinforcement structure extending circumferentially from the bead towards said sidewall and being discontinuous over at least a portion of the crown of the tire, said crown reinforcement comprising on the one hand at least one primary reinforcement structure covering substantially the entire width of the crown and on the other hand at least one series of circumferential reinforcements also covering substantially the entire width of the crown, said series of circumferential reinforcements comprising a portion of lateral circumferential reinforcements disposed radially to the outside relative to said primary reinforcement structures and a portion of median circumferential reinforcements disposed radially to the inside relative to said primary reinforcement structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: David Jardine, Pascal Auxerre
  • Patent number: 6883570
    Abstract: A tire comprising at least one reinforcement structure of carcass type anchored on each side of the tire in a bead, a crown reinforcement, each bead being extended radially towards the outside by a sidewall, said reinforcement structure being discontinuous over at least a portion of the crown of the tire, said crown reinforcement comprising on the one hand at least one primary reinforcement structure covering substantially the entire width of the crown and comprising on the one hand, on each side of the tire, a lateral primary reinforcement structure portion disposed radially outside the adjacent carcass-type reinforcement structure portion and on the other hand a median primary reinforcement structure portion disposed radially more to the inside than the lateral primary reinforcement structure portions and at least one substantially axial row of median circumferential reinforcements disposed radially to the outside, substantially adjacent the median primary reinforcement structure portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: David Jardine, Pascal Auxerre
  • Patent number: 6868878
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire constructed with an electrically conductive tire tread that defines a channel extending radially inward through a tread base rubber having a relatively high electrical resistivity so as to provide a conductivity path to a belt layer within the tire. In certain embodiments, a conductivity path extending from the belt layer through a belt cushion section to a carcass section of the tire is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Ibrahim Janajreh, Glenn Gordon, Pierre Andreani
  • Patent number: 6820666
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire for vehicle wheels includes a radial carcass, a tread band, sidewalls and beads, and a belt structure. The tread band is provided with grooves on its surface for coming into contact with the ground and situated on a radial outer surface of the carcass. The sidewalls and beads anchor the tire on a wheel rim. The belt structure is disposed between the tread band and the carcass. Additionally, a fiber-reinforced elastomeric intermediate layer is placed between the belt structure and the tread band. Methods for manufacturing the pneumatic tire are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Nahmias Nanni, Antonio Brunacci, Claudio Zanichelli
  • Publication number: 20040211504
    Abstract: A tire having a crown, two sidewalls and two beads, a carcass reinforcement anchored in the two tire beads and a belt reinforcement, the belt reinforcement including at least two superposed reinforcing plies formed by cords parallel in each ply and criss-crossed from one to the other forming with the circumferential direction angles (&agr;, &bgr;) ranging between 10° and 70° and characterized in that, there is provided, between the two superposed reinforcing plies, at least two axially adjacent rubber decoupling layers with different mechanical properties and in that each of the two rubber decoupling layers is in contact with the cords of the two superposed reinforcing layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Pedro Costa Pereira, Yves Herbelleau
  • Patent number: 6805177
    Abstract: A high performance tire includes a carcass provided with at least one carcass ply, a belt including two or more layers of reinforcing cords parallel to each other in a layer and crossed with respect to those of an adjacent layer, applied circumferentially on the carcass, a radially-external layer of circumferentially-oriented reinforcing cords applied on the belt, and a tread band comprising an underlayer and an external layer. The underlayer may have a hardness which is substantially constant over a temperature range between 23° C. and 100° C. The underlayer may also have an elastic modulus which is substantially constant over a temperature range between 70° C. and 100° C. Additionally, the underlayer may be made from an elastomer compound comprising reinforcing fibers and hardening resins. Further, the underlayer may have a hardness and an elastic modulus which remain substantially constant between 70° C. and 100° C. A method for making the tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Nahmias Nanni, Antonio Serra, Antonio Brunacci
  • Patent number: 6792986
    Abstract: The present invention is a crown-stiffening underlay structure comprised of a flat strip of elastomeric material reinforced with essentially inextensible cords. The cord-reinforced flat strip is wrapped helically around the green tire carcass prior to blowup into the characteristic toroidal shape of a tire carcass. In one embodiment, the underlay structure is disposed between breakers and the radial ply structure. In another embodiment, the underlay is disposed between the radial ply structure and the innerliner. In another embodiment, the afore described underlay structure has an additional and structurally contiguous beam made of elastomeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Walter Dale Allen, Laurent Colantonio, Frank Philpott
  • Patent number: 6786261
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a carcass, a belt comprised of at least two belt layers, a belt reinforcement arranged between the carcass and the belt and comprised of at least one belt reinforcing layer, and a tread rubber, in which a widthwise outer end of a widest-width belt reinforcing layer is arranged outward from a widthwise outer end of a widest-width belt layer among the belt layers, and a restraining rubber having a width of not less than 4 mm and a JIS hardness not less than a JIS hardness of a coating rubber for the widest-width belt reinforcing layer is arranged outward from the widthwise outer end of the widest-width belt reinforcing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 6776205
    Abstract: A tire having a crown, two sidewalls and two beads, a carcass reinforcement anchored in the two tire beads and a belt reinforcement, the belt reinforcement including at least two superposed reinforcing plies formed by cords parallel in each ply and criss-crossed from one to the other forming with the circumferential direction angles (&agr;, &bgr;) ranging between 10° and 70° and characterized in that, there is provided, between the two superposed reinforcing plies, at least two axially adjacent rubber decoupling layers with different mechanical properties and in that each of the two rubber decoupling layers is in contact with the cords of the two superposed reinforcing layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Pedro Costa Pereira, Yves Herbelleau
  • Publication number: 20040144468
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition in which increase in elastic modulus due to thermal fatigue is small, change in properties is prevented and durability is significantly improved and a pneumatic tire having a strip comprising the rubber composition. More specifically, the present invention provides a rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of (A) a rubber component comprising natural rubber and/or isoprene rubber, 4 to 6 parts by weight of (B) sulfur, 0.5 to 2.0 parts by weight of (C) a resin containing resorcin or a derivative thereof, 0.5 to 2.0 parts by weight of (D) a compound capable of donating a methylene group, and (E) a cobalt metallic salt. The present invention also provides a pneumatic tire having a strip comprising the rubber composition, which is located on a breaker edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Yoichi Mizuno, Hirotoshi Ohtsuki, Michio Hirayama, Hirokazu Ishida
  • Patent number: 6766840
    Abstract: The invention concerns a tire whose crown contains a ply of circumferentially oriented cords. That ply is so arranged that in sensitive zones, as, for example, at the side ends of the adjacent crown reinforcing ply, the laying pitch of the circumferentially oriented cords is markedly increased. That considerably lessens the risk of damage to the circumferentially oriented cords in those zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Pedro Costa Pereira, David Jardine
  • Publication number: 20040140035
    Abstract: An automobile pneumatic tire comprises a multiple-ply carcass extending in-between two bead rings having allocated bead fillers, a belt arrangement between the plies of the carcass and a tread strip, and rubber reinforcement plies in the sidewall sections assuming a supporting function where the tire is deflated. A first rubber reinforcement ply is inside a first ply of the carcass, a second rubber reinforcement ply is between the first ply of the carcass and the second ply of the carcass, and a third rubber reinforcement ply is between the second ply of the carcass and a third ply of the carcass. The three rubber reinforcement plies extend down with their ends staggered in relation to each other from the bead core area to the edge area of the belt ply. The three rubber plies have different heights in radial direction and different thickness over the height of the sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicant: Dunlop GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Gerresheim, Karlheinz Baumann, Gunter Dietrich
  • Publication number: 20040084125
    Abstract: To assure a positive camber thrust for a radial-ply tire including a belt of four or more plies on a carcass with rubber pads interposed therebetween, the width of the outermost belt ply is increased over the width of the adjacent belt ply and the ratio of the difference found by subtracting the tread width from the maximum belt ply width to the difference between the maximum tire width and the tread width is not less than 01 and not more than 0.4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakasai, Junichi Ohashi