Bead Characterized By The Chemical Composition And Or Physical Properties Of Elastomers Or The Like Patents (Class 152/547)
  • Patent number: 6221936
    Abstract: This invention is based upon the unexpected discovery that uintahite can be incorporated into tire component rubber to improve the physical properties thereof. For example, by incorporating uintahite into tire tread rubber compositions, tires with improved tear and puncture resistance can be manufactured. Since uintahite is a relatively low cost material, its incorporation into tires also reduces cost. For instance, uintahite can be incorporated into a wide variety of tire rubber compounds used in the tread (including the base and the cap), sidewall, apex, chafer, bead coat, toeguard, innerliner, ply coat, gum strips, coverstrip, overlay and wedge stocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jay Gordon Bryson, Neil Arthur Maly
  • Patent number: 6202726
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a sidewall rubber insert axially inward of at least one carcass ply. Such insert may, for example, be an apex extending radially outward from the bead core region of the tire into the tire sidewall. Alternatively, it may be positioned higher in the sidewall portion of the tire and away from the bead core. Such insert is a rubber composition containing a dispersion of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and a dispersion of a starch composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce, Georges Marcel Thielen, Marc Jules Alexis Henoumont
  • Patent number: 6179028
    Abstract: A tire with a radial carcass reinforcement, when viewed in meridian section, includes a first bead, the seat of which is inclined towards the outside, the heel of the bead being axially on the inside and being reinforced by at least a reinforcement ring, the toe of the bead being axially on the outside and having a rubber wedge section made of rubber mix, the wedge being defined by two sides, the said rubber mix having a Shore A hardness greater than the Shore A hardness(es) of the rubber mixes located axially and radially above the bead ring and above the rubber wedge section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin - Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Drieux, Olivier Muhlhoff
  • Patent number: 6179029
    Abstract: A tire wherein the reinforcing cords of the carcass, in the part situated between the anchoring zone of the carcass and the sidewall, are in contact with at least one layer of cushion compound having a high modulus of elasticity on the axially outer side and a low modulus of elasticity on the axially inner side and in the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Compagnie G{acute over (e)}n{acute over (e)}rale des Etablissements Michelin - Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Pedro Costa Pereira, Jacques Barraud, Jean-Yves Denoueix, Bernard Guerinon, Yves Herbelleau
  • Patent number: 6156143
    Abstract: Disclosed is the use of a brominated polymer derived from isobutylene and p-methylstyrene monomers to decrease the spider flow of various rubber components used in the carcass of an uncured pneumatic tire. The amount of the brominated polymer utilized is in a range of about 3 to about 15 phr. The various components include the ply coat, wire coat, tread cushion, belt-edge gumstrip, apex, chipper, and barrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Neil Arthur Maly, Lewis Timothy Lukich, Paul Harry Sandstrom
  • Patent number: 6138732
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a carcass of at least one rubberized ply of a radial arrangement, a belt comprised of two or more cross cord layers, a pair of thick reinforcing strip rubbers located at an inner face side of the carcass and a bead filler rubber, in which the reinforcing strip rubber and bead filler rubber have specified JIS hardness and rebound resilience, hardness ratio and maximum gauge ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuomi Kobayashi, Tomohisa Nishikawa, Kenji Matsuo
  • Patent number: 6138733
    Abstract: A bead portion durability of a pneumatic radial tire for large-size vehicle is improved by disposing a combination of a first protection rubber layer A having a 100% modulus of 25-40 kgf/cm.sup.2 and a second protection rubber layer B having a 100% modulus of 30-50 kgf/cm.sup.2 in given places of the bead portion so as to locate an inner end of the first protection rubber layer A in the radial direction of the tire between an outer end of a curved face of the bead heel in the radial direction and an end of a curved face of a rim flange and locate an outer end of the second protection rubber layer B in the radial direction of the tire at such a position outward in the radial direction of the tire that an inclination angle defined between a line segment connecting this end to a curvature center of the curved face of the rim flange and a phantom line passing through the curvature center and in parallel to a rotating axis of the tire is not less than 20.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6135182
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic radial tire comprises a carcass ply wound around a bead core from inside toward outside to form a turnup portion, a rubber chafer arranged at an outer surface side of the turnup portion, and a reinforcing rubber arranged between a portion of the rubber chafer and the turnup portion, in which the reinforcing rubber is made of an anisotropic material having different properties at least between the circumferential direction and the radial direction of the tire, and 100% moduli M.sub.1, M.sub.2 of the reinforcing rubber in the circumferential and radial directions and 100% modulus M.sub.3 of a coating rubber for the carcass ply satisfy relationships of M.sub.1 /M.sub.2 >1.1 and M.sub.2 /M.sub.3 <1.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichi Nagai
  • Patent number: 6129128
    Abstract: A heavy duty radial tire comprises a radial carcass ply turned up around bead cores from the axially inside to outside of the tire, and a steel cord bead reinforcing ply disposed along the axially outer surface of the carcass ply turnup portion. The height of the carcass ply turnup portions is 1.5 to 3.5 times the rim flange height. The bead reinforcing ply extends so that the radially inner end is disposed on the radially inside of a straight line drawn between the axially inner extreme end and the axially outer extreme end of a bead core, and the radially outer end is spaced apart from the radially outer end of the turnup portion by a radial distance of from 5 to 20 mm. The radially outer ends of the turnup portions and the radially outer ends of the bead reinforcing plies are each covered with a cap made of hard rubber having a JIS-A hardness of 75 to 85 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuhiro Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 6116313
    Abstract: A tire in which the beads have a slip layer over part of their surface to make them slip more readily over the seats of the wheel rim upon removal after use and thus reduce the risk of damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissementis Michelin-Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Pedro Costa Pereira, Jean-Jacques Pradelle
  • Patent number: 6116312
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic radial tire comprises a bead portion provided with a wire chafer having an outer end located outward over an outer end of a turnup portion of a carcass ply in a radial direction of the tire, in which a bead core embedded in the bead portion has a given bending rigidity and has an excellent cornering property without degrading a rim assembling operability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiya Miyazono
  • Patent number: 6109321
    Abstract: A tire having a crown, two sidewalls and two beads, a carcass casing anchd in the two beads and having cords worked back and forth next to each other aligned circumferentially with, in each bead, loops each connecting back and forth cord portions, and in each bead, carcass casing anchoring cords oriented circumferentially and axially bordering the circumferential rows of the back and forth arrangement of carcass casing cords, wherein the carcass casing consists of cords forming two or three circumferential rows separated, at least in the beads and the sidewalls, by a filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Establissements Michelin-Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Pedro Costa Pereira, Yves Herbelleau
  • Patent number: 6109320
    Abstract: A heavy duty radial tire having improved bead durability accommodated to a standard 15 degree taper center drop rim comprises a pair of bead cores disposed one in each bead portion, a steel cord radial carcass ply turned up around the bead cores from the axially inside to the outside, a hard rubber bead apex disposed between the carcass ply main portion and each turnup portion, a bead reinforcing layer of reinforcing cords disposed axially outside each carcass ply turnup portion, and a rubber strip disposed between each turnup portion and the bead reinforcing layer, the rubber strip being harder than the bead apex, and the difference B-D of the inside diameter B of the bead cores from the rim diameter D of the rim is in the range of from -4 to 1 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyazaki, Kiyoshi Ueyoko
  • Patent number: 6089294
    Abstract: A rubber element for tire comprising a bead core which is generally an annular shape, and an apex which is generally an annular shape and attached to the bead core. The apex comprises a first portion whose sectional configuration is generally a rectangle, and a second portion whose sectional configuration is generally a semiellipse and integrally molded on an outer face of the first portion. An inner face of the first portion of the apex is attached to an outer face of the bead core, whereby the apex and the bead core are united.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Suzuki, Nagayoshi Jumonji
  • Patent number: 6082423
    Abstract: A very light weight tire 10 has at least one radial ply 38 and a rayon belt structure 36, having two single cut belt layers 50, 51 covered by an overlay 59 having cords 80 selected from the group of aramid, rayon, PEN, PET and PVA. The tire 10 has a very thin or reduced gauge (t) undertead 13. The tire 10 can be made having very low rolling resistance due to the combination of casing structure and the reduced rubber mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Alain Emile Francois Roesgen, Atte Smits, Marie-Rita Catherine Amelie Thise-Fourgon, Eric Gerard Marie Packbier, David Paterson Craig
  • Patent number: 6073669
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic tire comprises a pair of bead portions with a bead toe, a bead core disposed in each bead portion, a carcass comprising at least one ply of cords extending between the bead portions and turned up around the bead cores, an inner liner made of an airtight rubber compound disposed inside the carcass along the inner surface of the tire, the inner liner extending from one of the bead portion to the other and terminating before the bead toe, a chafer made of a hard rubber compound disposed in each bead portion along the bead base, the chafer extending axially inwardly to the bead toe, and an adhesiveness improvement rubber layer disposed between inner liner and chafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Takada, Takako Kitamura
  • Patent number: 6044885
    Abstract: In a pneumatic radial tire for trucks and buses mounted on an approved 15.degree. drop center rim, an outer surface portion of a composite side-rubber and/or an envelope surface of the bead core among members constituting the bead portion of the tire has a curved shape concavedly directed toward the outside of the tire at a region opposite to an inner curved surface of a slantly rising portion in a flange of the approved rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Kenshiro Kato
  • Patent number: 6016857
    Abstract: A very light weight tire 10 has at least one radial ply 38 and a aramid belt structure 36, having two single cut belt layers 50,51 covered by an overlay 59 having cords 80 selected from the group of aramid, rayon, PEN, PET and PVA. The tire 10 has a very thin or reduced gauge (t) undertead 13. The tire 10 can be made having very low rolling resistance due to the combination of casing structure and the reduced rubber mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Alain Emile Francois Roesgen, Atte Smits, Marie-Rita Catherine Amelie Thise-Fourgon, Eric Gerard Marie Packbier, David Paterson Craig
  • Patent number: 6016858
    Abstract: A very light weight tire 10 has at least one radial ply 38 and a fiberglass belt structure 36 covered by an overlay 59 having cords 80 selected from the group of aramid, rayon, PEN, PET and PVA. The tire 10 has a very thin or reduced gauge (t) undertead 13. The tire 10 can be made having very low rolling resistance due to the combination of casing structure and the reduced rubber mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Alain Emile Francois Roesgen, Atte Smits, Marie-Rita Catherine Amelie Thise-Fourgon, Eric Gerard Marie Packbier, David Paterson Craig
  • Patent number: 6011093
    Abstract: This invention is based upon the unexpected discovery that uintahite can be incorporated into tire component rubber to improve the physical properties thereof. For example, by incorporating uintahite into tire tread rubber compositions, tires with improved tear and puncture resistance can be manufactured. Since uintahite is a relatively low cost material, its incorporation into tires also reduces cost. For instance, uintahite can be incorporated into a wide variety of tire rubber compounds used in the tread (including the base and the cap), sidewall, apex, chafer, bead coat, toeguard, innerliner, ply coat, gum strips, coverstrip, overlay and wedge stocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Neil Arthur Maly, Jay Gordon Bryson
  • Patent number: 5997673
    Abstract: In a tire having a tread with cap/base construction, a regulated amount of partially crosslinked natural rubber in a tire tread compound increases the uncured ("green") stiffness, tensile strength and tear resistance of a green compound used for the base without adversely affecting physical properties of the tread after it is cured. Such green stiffness is particularly useful in the construction of a tread for a pneumatic tire, which tread is of cap/base construction because stiffness provides requisite dimensional stability of both cap and base (in the tread) during the curing of the tire. The amount of partially crosslinked natural rubber used in a tread compound depends upon the extent of crosslinking in the natural rubber, the non-crosslinked remainder being virgin latex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Paul Harry Sandstrom, Samson Samuel Apticar, William Paul Francik, David Allan Kindry, Jerry Lawrence Brenner, Kevin James Pyle
  • Patent number: 5979527
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic radial tire comprises a pair of bead portions, a pair of sidewall portions, a tread portion, a radial carcass ply and a belt, in which at least three rubber layers having different hardnesses exist in a zone ranging from the cords in a turnup portion of the carcass ply to an axially outer portion of the bead portion throughout a region of the bead portion corresponding to a line drawn normal to the axially outer portion of the bead portion in a contact area increased portion of the bead portion sandwiched between two contact end positions of an axial outside surface of the bead portion on a flange of a design rim as measured under particular conditions, and the at least three rubber layers are comprised of a coating rubber of the carcass ply and a softest rubber layer and a hardest rubber layer, and the softest rubber layer and hardest rubber layer have particular values of 100% modulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kobayashi, Yuichi Nagai
  • Patent number: 5979528
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic radial tire has a light weight of a bead portion and an excellent bead portion durability and is provided with a bead portion reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of a carcass ply around a bead core, in which the bead portion reinforcing layer is comprised of a single rubberized steel cord layer or of two or three independent rubberized steel cord layer segments. In this case, the steel cords arranged in the bead portion reinforcing layer have two different inclination angles of a given range with respect to a circumferential line of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiya Miyazono
  • Patent number: 5971047
    Abstract: A tire has a carcass reinforcement (1) which, when viewed in meridian secn, is wound in each bead B about a bead wire (2) coated with a rubber mix, passing from the heel to the toe of the bead B, the upturn (10) being located in a profile (3) of rubber mix in the form of a wedge defined by two sides (31 and 32) coming from an apex A located beneath the section of the coated bead wire (2). Advantageously the upturn (10) surrounds in its entirety the contour of the profile (3), forming either a first radially inner side (32), a lateral side (30), and a final radially outer side (31) or a first radially outer side (31), a lateral side (30), and a final radially inner side (32). The tire may form with different rims J high-performance assemblies in the event of travel at low or zero pressure, permitting simple mounting of the tires and optionally of bearing supports S for the tire tread on the rims J.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin-Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Drieux, Olivier Muhlhoff
  • Patent number: 5968294
    Abstract: The run-flat tire has a tread for contacting a ground surface and a belt package with belt plies interior to the tread for support of the tread. A plurality of radially reinforced carcass layers are positioned interior to the belt plies and include at least one carcass layer that extends between spaced apart annular beads. The tire has a pair of sidewalls each extending radially inward from shoulders at lateral edges of the belt package to the annular beads. The sidewalls have a plurality of sidewall stiffening members to support the tire during a loss of inflation pressure. The carcass layers are disposed with the sidewall stiffening members to help support the run-flat tire with a loss of inflation pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Walter Lee Willard, Jr., James Milo Endicott, Jeffrey Scott Craddock
  • Patent number: 5961756
    Abstract: Each bead of a pneumatic tire has the following characteristics:a) it has no bead wire and has an annular element whose tensile strength is ppreciably less than that necessary for a bead wire;b) at least two reinforcing plies are placed in contact with or near this annular element;c) the combination of reinforcing plies has a tensile strength at least equal to that which would be necessary for a bead wire;d) the carcass ply is wrapped around the annular element;e) the outer region of the bead includes a rubber having an elastic loss modulus G" of less than 1 MPa and/or it includes a rubber whose thickness is at most equal to 2 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin-Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Michel Ahouanto, Claude Eynard, Andre Peyrot
  • Patent number: 5958163
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire includes a carcass ply formed from one radial cord layer, a belt and tread disposed at a crown portion radial direction outer side of the carcass ply, and bead fillers and bead reinforcing layers disposed at the bead portions, wherein the carcass ply is formed from a carcass ply main body extending from one bead portion to another, and carcass ply turn-over portions wound about bead cores and extending toward radial direction outer sides. The bead filler is interposed between the carcass ply main body and the carcass ply turn-over portion, and tapers from directly above the bead core toward a radial direction outer side. The bead reinforcing layer is interposed between the carcass ply main body and the bead filler. An upper end of the bead reinforcing layer extends along the carcass ply main body to a position at 30 to 80% of a tire cross-sectional height, and is disposed further toward a radial direction outer side than an upper end of the bead filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Teruhiko Kojima
  • Patent number: 5955531
    Abstract: An improved pneumatic tire having decreased rolling resistance employing at least one tire component selected from the group consisting of subtreads, black sidewall, body ply skims and bead fillers, prepared from a vulcanizable elastomeric composition having reduced hysteresis comprises from about 10 to 100 parts by weight of an elastomer comprising a plurality of polymer molecules, wherein substantially each polymer molecule contains at least one functional group at the site of initiation, and having a hysteresis reduction of at least about 10 percent compared to the same elastomer without a functional group on substantially each polymer molecule; from about 0 to 90 parts by weight of an elastomer having greater hysteresis than the elastomer having reduced hysteresis and selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber and blends thereof; and, from about 20 to about 100 parts by weight of carbon black, per 100 parts of the elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Futamura
  • Patent number: 5938870
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprises a carcass comprising an outer carcass ply made of cords having a first heat-shrinkage-percentage K1 and an inner carcass ply is made of cords having a second heat-shrinkage-percentage K2 different from the first heat-shrinkage-percentage K1, and the cord tension of the inner carcass ply is smaller than the cord tension of the outer carcass ply. A method of making the tire comprises steps of making the outer carcass ply of cords having a first heat-shrinkage-percentage K1, making the inner carcass ply of cords having a second heat-shrinkage-percentage K2, wherein the first heat-shrinkage-percentage K1 at 150 degrees C. is 120 to 160% of the second heat-shrinkage-percentage K2 at 150 degrees C., and heating and vulcanizing a raw tire to heat-shrink the outer carcass ply cords in a larger degree than the inner carcass ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakamoto, Toshihiko Omokawa, Masahiro Hanya
  • Patent number: 5928445
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having an aspect ratio of not more than 55% comprises a carcass composed of a single carcass ply, in which a turnup end portion of the carcass ply is disposed between an end portion of a belt and a crown portion of the carcass ply, and distances L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 from a central position of a bead core to an outer end of a bead filler and to a maximum width of the carcass in the radial direction of the tire satisfy a relationship of L.sub.1 .gtoreq.L.sub.2 and within given ranges with respect to a section height (H) of the tire, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5885388
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a bead core disposed in each of a pair of bead portions and a carcass ply turned up around the bead cores, wherein the bead cores are provided in the radially inner surface with a swell having a radius of curvature in the range of from 0.35 to 2.0 times the width of the bead core. The swell preferably extends all over the width of the bead core whereby no rubber layer is formed between the carcass ply and the radially inner surface of the bead core, and the contact pressure between the tire and rim is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ueyoko, Shinichi Miyazaki, Tetsuhiro Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 5885389
    Abstract: A pneumatic rubber tire with a chafer positioned around at least a portion of its bead component and intended for contacting a rigid rim of a wheel, wherein said chafer is composed of a rubber composition which is based upon a combination of a specified trans 1,4-polybutadiene polymer and a high cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber. The rubber composition for the tire chafer component may also contain cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber and/or styrene/butadiene rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Paul Harry Sandstrom, Neil Arthur Maly
  • Patent number: 5876527
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprises a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions, a carcass of at least one rubberized ply containing cords arranged in a radial direction and consisting of a main carcass body and a turnup portion. A belt is superimposed about a crown portion of the carcass, and a rubber filler is arranged between the main carcass body and the turnup portion above the bead core. The rubber filler is composed of three different rubber stocks, and a hardest rubber stock among these rubber stocks is arranged in at least an outer zone in the radial direction of the tire sandwiching a normal line drawn from the turnup end to the outer surface of the main carcass body at a cross section of the tire and perpendicular to the main carcass body. A rubber stock having a middle hardness is arranged between the outer surface of the main carcass body and the hardest rubber stock as a stress-mitigating rubber layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Tsuruta, Hiroshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5868190
    Abstract: The run-flat tire has a tread for contacting a ground surface and a belt package with belt plies interior to the tread for support of the tread. A plurality of radially reinforced carcass layers are positioned interior to the belt plies and include at least one carcass layer that extends between spaced apart annular beads. The tire has a pair of sidewalls each extending radially inward from shoulders at lateral edges of the belt package to the annular beads. The sidewalls have a plurality of sidewall stiffening members to support the tire during a loss of inflation pressure. The carcass layers are disposed with the sidewall stiffening members to help support the run-flat tire with a loss of inflation pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Walter Lee Willard, Jr., James Milo Endicott, Jeffrey Scott Craddock
  • Patent number: 5820710
    Abstract: A belted tire, especially for motor vehicles, has an inner carcass ply, the end portions of which extend from the inner surface of the tire, about an annular bead core, toward the outer surface of the tire. To form a connection point, the end of the outer section of the carcass ply is placed against the inwardly disposed section. The carcass ply approaches the bead core essentially tangentially, and is disposed thereabout. Between the bead core and the connection point, the two carcass ply sections extend linearly and have essentially the same length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Behnsen, Werner Knauf, Eckhard Kuhlmann
  • Patent number: 5772811
    Abstract: A heavy duty radial tire is to be mounted on a 15 degree drop center rim. In a mounted state that the tire is mounted on the rim and inflated to 0.5 ksc but not loaded, the inside diameter BC of the bead cores at the radially innermost point thereof is set to being not more than the diameter BT at the heel point of the bead portions. In a demounted state that the tire is demounted from a rim, the bead bottom is tapered towards the axial inside of the tire at an angle .theta. of from 1.0 to 1.9 times the angle .alpha. of the tapered bead seat of the rim. In the mounted state, the bead core has a radially inner surface tapered at the substantially same angle as the bead seat, and the axial distance BP of the axially inner end of this tapered inner surface from the bead heel point is set in the range of from 1.3 to 2.1 times the maximum width BW of the bead core measured in the direction parallel to the bead seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ueyoko, Shuichi Sakamoto, Tsuneyuki Nakagawa, Kazuki Numata
  • Patent number: 5759315
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprises a carcass comprising an inner and outer plies, a belt comprising at least one ply of cords laid at an angle of from 0 to 35 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction, and a rubber bead apex disposed in each bead portion. The outer carcass ply comprises a main portion extending continuously between the bead portions, and a pair of turnup portions each turned up around a bead core from the axially inside to outside of the tire. The inner carcass ply is disposed inside and adjacent to the main portion and extending at least from the tread portion to the bead portions. The inner carcass ply is not wrapped around the bead core, and the radially inner end thereof is located radially inward of the radial outer end of the bead apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Suzuki, Nobuaki Minami
  • Patent number: 5746852
    Abstract: A motorcycle tire comprises a tread reinforced between its edges by a breaker assembly and having in its normally inflated fitted condition a camber value C/L of between 0.5 to 0.7, a reinforcing carcass ply of rubber covered cords radially inside the breaker assembly and extending between two bead regions and wrapped in each bead region around an annular bead core to form carcass ply turn-ups, and tire sidewalls between the tread edges and bead regions, wherein under the tread is disposed radially inward of the breaker assembly a secondary carcass ply of rubber covered cords and between the carcass ply and the secondary carcass ply is disposed a rubber member extending from tread edge to tread edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
    Inventors: David Robert Watkins, Nigel Gerard Nock, Michael Jackson
  • Patent number: 5743976
    Abstract: An airplane tire with radial carcass reinforcement (3) comprising at least one ply of turned-up textile cords (3A, 3B, 3C), wound around an axially inner bead ring (T.sub.2) extending axially from the inside to the outside in order to form an axially outer turn-up (30A, 30B, 30C), at least one ply (3D, 3E) of textile cords wound around an axially outer bead ring T.sub.1 extending from the inside to the outside to form a turn-up (30D, 30E), characterized by the fact that the turn-up (30A) of the axially innermost ply (3A) is separated, over a certain radial portion, from the carcass ply (3D) by a profiled member (4) of rubber mix in crescent shape, the maximum thickness e.sub.4 of which is at least equal to 0.5 times the total thickness t of the turn-ups (30A, 30B, 30C) of carcass plies (3A, 3B, 3C) turned-up around the axially inner bead ring T.sub.2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin-Michelin & Cie
    Inventors: Jorge Fernando Pena, Robert Postic, Pierre Roux
  • Patent number: 5733395
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a two-wheeled vehicle has a hard rubber layer having a Shore A hardness of 60.degree. to 90.degree. arranged along the outside of the turn-up portion of a carcass, wherein a ratio (a/H) is within the range of 0.1 to 0.7 in which (a) is the height of the outer end in the tire radial direction of the hard rubber layer measured from the height of a flange of a rim on which the tire is assembled, and (H) is the height of the tread edge of the tread portion measured from the same, and wherein the inner end in the tire radial direction of the hard rubber layer is located inward of the flange height of the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Hidemitsu Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 5725702
    Abstract: A heavy duty pneumatic radial tire comprises a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions containing a pair of bead cores therein, at least one radial carcass ply, and a bead filler comprised of at least two rubber stocks, in which at least a part of an outer surface of a turnup portion of the carcass ply in axial direction of the tire is covered with a deformation-absorbing rubber layer arranged along an upper rubber stock of the bead filler and having a Shore A hardness of not more than 55.degree..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakamura, Hiroyuki Iida, Makoto Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 5702548
    Abstract: The anchoring of the carcass reinforcing elements 1 is assured by circumferential cables 2, with the interposition of a connecting rubber composition 3. The circumferential cable 2 is arranged in several turns forming one or more helices. These circumferential cables have an operational elongation rate A.sub.f =A.sub.e +A.sub.p of more than 4%. This operational elongation rate does not include the specific elongation A.sub.s of the "cable" effect. The maximum stress R.sub.m of the cable 2 is preferably more than 2000 MPa. The cables have undergone a heat treatment which has, in combination, the features of being a recovery annealing treatment and which is carried out directly on cable comprising wires previously separately covered by an adherent coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Sedepro
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Arnaud, Pedro Costa Pereira
  • Patent number: 5698051
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprises a pair of bead cores, a carcass extending toroidally between the bead cores, a stiffener disposed one on each of bead cores and a belt comprising rubberized cord plies and disposed on a crown portion of the carcass, wherein the rubberized cord plies comprise a first rubberized ply having steel cords inclined with respect to the tire equatorial plane and at least one second rubberized ply having organic fiber cords extending substantially in parallel with the tire equatorial plane, the relation between the height H of the stiffener in the radial direction and the section height SH of the tire is given by 0.4 SH.ltoreq.H.ltoreq.0.6 SH, and the average thickness d of the upper portion of the stiffener defined between a height corresponding to 0.35 SH and the top of the stiffener is given by 0.5 mm.ltoreq.d.ltoreq.0.2 D where D is the thickness of the stiffener at the bottom portion adjacent to the bead core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinori Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5669994
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire, particularly a large-size and low-section profile pneumatic radial tire for truck and bus includes a stiffener disposed between a main body portion and each turnup portion of a carcass and constructed with a one-piece molded body of two or more rubber compositions having different hardnesses. A rubber composition having a highest hardness is arranged near to the main body portion of the carcass as a deformation-isolating rubber member having a greatest thickness at a position separated from a perpendicular line (Lv) drawn from an end of the turnup portion toward an outer surface of the carcass main body portion in tire cross-section, at least in a side of the tread portion among both sides sandwiching the perpendicular line (Lv), and a rubber composition having a lower hardness is arranged along an inner surface of the turnup portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1997
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 5660656
    Abstract: The carcass cords extend into the bead where they are anchored with at least one pile of circumferentially oriented cords by a rubber mix having a Shore A hardness of more than 70 interposed between the carcass cords and the circumferentially oriented cords. The carcass may be formed from a single cord which passes forward and back from one bead to the other or by cut cords. In some embodiments, the carcass cords are divided in the bead into two circumferential alignments spaced axially apart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Sedepro
    Inventors: Yves Herbelleauu, Jean-Jacques Pradelle
  • Patent number: 5656108
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprises a carcass comprising an outer carcass ply made of cords having a first heat-shrinkage-percentage K1 and an inner carcass ply is made of cords having a second heat-shrinkage-percentage K2 different from the first heat-shrinkage-percentage K1, and the cord tension of the inner carcass ply is smaller than the cord tension of the outer carcass ply. A method of making the tire comprises steps of making the outer carcass ply of cords having a first heat-shrinkage-percentage K1, making the inner carcass ply of cords having a second heat-shrinkage-percentage K2, wherein the first heat-shrinkage-percentage K1 at 150 degrees C. is 120 to 160% of the second heat-shrinkage-percentage K2 at 150 degrees C., and heating and vulcanizing a raw tire to heat-shrink the outer carcass ply cords in a larger degree than the inner carcass ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakamoto, Toshihiko Omokawa, Masahiro Hanya
  • Patent number: 5639321
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprising a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein, a carcass extending between the bead portions, a belt disposed radially outside the carcass and having a pair of edges, a rubber bead apex disposed in each bead portion and extending radially outwardly from the bead core, portions of the carcass one between each edge of the belt and the maximum tire width position are each provided therein with a rubber spacer disposed between axially adjacent carcass cords so that the cord spacing between the axially adjacent cords is in the range of from 0.55 to 5.5 times the diameter of the cords, whereby steering performance is improved without increasing the tire weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakamoto, Yutaka Kuroda, Katsuhito Miura
  • Patent number: 5626698
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprises a pair of bead cores, at least one radial carcass ply comprised of a main body and a turnup portion, and a stiffener arranged between the main body and each turnup portion wound around each bead core, in which each stiffener is composed of first, second and third stiffener members, and a boundary surface X between the first and second stiffener members is inclined outward in the radial direction so as to approach to the main body and a boundary surface Y between the second and third stiffener members is inclined outward in the radial direction so as to separate away from the main body, and a ply end rubber member made from rubber having a hardness between the hardnesses of the first and third stiffener members is arranged on an outer end region of the turnup portion in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Tsuruta, Yasutoshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 5593522
    Abstract: A pneumatic vehicle tire has two beads each having a bead core and a carcass of at least one layer anchored at the bead cores within the beads. The beads further have bead profiling members. A reinforcement structure is located radially outwardly of the carcass, and a tread is positioned radially outwardly of the reinforcement structure. The carcass is made of aramid cord fabric and the bead cores are made of aramid cords. The reinforcement structure is made of synthetic fiber-reinforced rubber or of aramid cords. The bead profiling members are made of rubber reinforced with synthetic fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Neddenriep, Theodor Frucht
  • Patent number: 5591283
    Abstract: A pneumatic bicycle tire to be operated with an inner tube includes a tread and two sidewalls. A bead is connected to a free end of each one of the sidewalls for mounting the tire on a wheel rim with rim flanges having a maximum standard height limit. Each bead has a bead core. A carcass is embedded in the tire and extends between the beads, wherein free ends of the carcass are wound about the beads. The carcass includes at least one ply. A padding strip is embedded in each sidewall in the vicinity of the beads. The padding strip is positioned along a curved section of the sidewall. The curved section begins at a center of the bead core and has a length equal to 40% to 210% of the maximum standard height limit. The padding strip has a hardness of between 40 and 60 Shore A, a rebound resilience of below 80% measured at a frequency of 2,000 Hz, and a thickness of at least 0.6 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rolf Mahling