Characterized By The Extent Of The Fold Up Into The Sidewall Of The Tire Relative To The Other Tire Dimensions Patents (Class 152/554)
  • Publication number: 20090126849
    Abstract: A tire for a heavy vehicle, comprising a radial carcass reinforcement surmounted radially by a working crown reinforcement, the carcass reinforcement comprising at least one ply of reinforcing members which is anchored in each of the beads by being wrapped around a bead wire in order to form a ply turn-up. The radially outer end of the ply turn-up is at a distance from the radially outer part of the bead wire of less than 40% of the height of the sidewall, said tire includes at least one complementary ply of radially oriented reinforcing members having compressive and tensile moduli at least 1.5 times lower than those of the carcass reinforcement ply, and said complementary ply is axially adjacent to the ply turn-up of the carcass ply over a distance greater than 15% of the height of the sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventor: Pierre Durif
  • Patent number: 7523774
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial ply tire for heavier load conditions having a reduced weight, high durability bead area. The pneumatic tire includes a tire bead and a carcass ply folded about the bead to define a main body portion and a turnup portion. The turnup portion is folded around the bead and located adjacent the main body portion radially outward of the bead. The turnup portion has a turnup height of approximately 35-45% of the total section height. A thin rubber strip associated with the bead is disposed between the main body portion and the turnup portion and has an insert height of approximately 25% of the total section height. The pneumatic tire further includes a chafer having a maximum chafer gauge of not more than approximately 1.5 times the thickness of the tire side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Lahure, Olivier de Barsy, Xavier Sebastien Benolt Fraipont
  • Patent number: 7503360
    Abstract: A high aspect ratio agricultural pneumatic tire has a carcass including a pair of bead portions each having a bead core and two pair of first and second carcass plies of synthetic cords oriented radially and wrapped from the inside of each bead core around to an axially outer turnup end. The first pair of plies is radially inward and adjacent the second pair of plies between the bead cores and having the turnup ends T1, T1? wrapped about the bead cores and the turnup ends T2, T2? of the second pair of plies. The turnup end of the first pair of plies extends outwardly and radially along the bead filler wherein T1, T1? are located between 60% and 80% of the radial location Y of maximum section width (SW) of the tire and T2, T2? are located between 30% and 50% of Y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Kevin Michael Rielly, Thomas Edward McGaffick
  • Patent number: 7493928
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire comprises a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein, the bead core with an aspect ratio (HC1/WC) of from 0.43 to 0.58, and a carcass comprising a carcass ply of cords extending between the 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, the turnup portion comprising a turnup main-part extending along an axially inner surface, a radially inner surface and an axially outer surface of the bead core smoothly, and a turnup sub-part extending from the turnup main-part toward the main portion near the radially outer surface of the bead core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Yoshikawa, Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Patent number: 7478658
    Abstract: A tire having a section height, a maximum section width, an upper section above the maximum section width, and a lower section below the maximum section width is provided. The tire includes a circumferential tread, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of bead regions each having a bead core, and at least one carcass ply extending circumferentially about the tire from one bead region to the other. The at least one carcass ply is wound outwardly about at least one of the bead cores and extends toward the tread to form a turn-up portion that terminates at a turn-up end. The turn-up portion includes a concave segment that begins in the bead region and ends short of the turn-up end or at the turn-up end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Jie Jin, Richard Wright
  • Patent number: 7461679
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire having a bead wind structure and comprising a bead reinforcing layer 15 having a U-shaped cross section disposed in each bead portion 4, wherein the axially outer portion 15o of the bead reinforcing layer 15 and its radially outer end Pe are protected by an axially inner rubber 20 disposed between the carcass main portion 6a and the outer portion 15o and an axially outer rubber 30 disposed between the outer portion 15o and the axially outer surface TS of the tire, in which the inner rubber 20 includes a first low modulus rubber portion 21 having a complex elastic modulus of 3.0 to 6.0 MPa, the thickness Ti of the inner rubber 20 measured on a first base line X1 drawn from the radially outer end Pe at right angles to the carcass main portion 6a is from 7.0 to 13.0 mm and the ti/Ti ratio of a thickness ti of the first low modulus rubber portion 21 on the first base line X1 to the thickness Ti is at least 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Patent number: 7441577
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 10 has a carcass ply 12 or plies 12, 14 with a locked tie-in construction and a wrap-around toeguard 18. Each wrap-around toeguard 18 is a non cord reinforced elastomeric unitary strip wound 360 degree in a singular annular bead. The wrap-around toeguard cord reinforced unitary strip 18 can be formed of a single elastomeric composition having a shore hardness D of greater than 40. Alternatively the wrap-around toeguard may additionally include an apex portion 29 and a chafer portion 27 along with the toeguard portion 28, each portion 27, 29 being co-extruded or otherwise hot formed and shaped with the toeguard portion 28 to form the unitary strip 18 and can have distinct elastomeric composition relative to the toeguard portion 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co
    Inventors: James Oral Hunt, Michael Christopher Kulton, Paul Bryson Allen, Timothy Lee Fry
  • Patent number: 7416002
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a pair of shoulder portions extending between a tread portion and opposed sidewall portions. The tire has at least one ply of a composite fabric. The composite fabric has three layers with the middle layer comprising a plurality of straight warp yarns wherein the three layers are bound together with binder yarns. At a minimum, the composite fabric ply is located in the tire shoulders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jenny Zhaoxia Yu, David Mark Frantz, Leonard James Reiter, Robert Anthony Neubauer
  • Patent number: 7387146
    Abstract: A heavy duty tire including bead portions each with a bead core, and a carcass ply containing a main portion extending between bead portions and a pair of edge portions wound around the bead cores, the wound edge portion including a turnback part extending axially inwardly from a position on the axially outside of the bead core and an auxiliary cord layer disposed on the radially outside of the turnback part, whereby the end of the turnback part is positioned at a distance of from 2.0 to 8.0 mm from the radially outer surface of the bead core. In a normally inflated unloaded state of the tire, the turnback part is curved such that the diameter of the turnback part decreases continuously from the end to the position in the axial outside of the bead core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyohito Maruoka, Minoru Nishi
  • Publication number: 20080023119
    Abstract: A tire having a section height, a maximum section width, an upper section above the maximum section width, and a lower section below the maximum section width is provided. The tire includes a circumferential tread, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of bead regions each having a bead core, and at least one carcass ply extending circumferentially about the tire from one bead region to the other. The at least one carcass ply is wound outwardly about at least one of the bead cores and extends toward the tread to form a turn-up portion that terminates at a turn-up end. The turn-up portion includes a concave segment that begins in the bead region and ends short of the turn-up end or at the turn-up end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Jie Jin, Richard Wright
  • Patent number: 7308924
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire which includes a tread portion defining an overall diameter of the tire under a normally-inflated unloaded state and a ground contacting width under a normally inflated loaded state; a pair of sidewall portions defining an overall width of the tire there between under the normally-inflated unloaded state; a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein; a carcass extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and, sidewall portions; and a belt disposed radially outside the carcass in the tread portion, wherein the overall diameter of the tire is in the range of from 750 to 820 mm; the ground contacting width is in the range of from 85 to 90% of said overall width of the tire; and the carcass comprises an ultrahigh-turnup ply extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and sidewall portions and turned up around the bead core in each of the bead portions so that the turned-up portions each extend radially outwardly into the tread portion through the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Kajita
  • Patent number: 7234495
    Abstract: An underground mine tire 20 having a nominal bead diameter of 20.0 inches or less has a carcass, a tread 25 and a pair of rubber sidewalls 23, each extending along the outer periphery of the carcass 21 below the tread 25. The tire 20 has a nominal bead width D greater than 8.50 inches and an overall diameter of less than 55 inches. The carcass 21 has at least one radial steel cord reinforced ply 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Maurice Jacob Frank, Steven Michael Wilton, Lance Reed Wilkinson, Brian Ernest McMahon, Nicholas Lynn Sticklen
  • Patent number: 7225846
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire with a rubber lump applied to the bead part, and more particularly, to a pneumatic tire wherein the bead part is reinforced by applying a rubber lump on the side surface of the lower portion of the bead with a carcass ply. A flipper, which provides reinforcement, can also be used. The carcass play is spirally wound through the upper, side and lower portion of said rubber lump to an arbitrary point of the upper portion of said bead so that by minimizing the movement of the bead by way of the carcass ply or the flipper, the bead portion of the tire is not easily broken away from the rim when air is evacuated from the tire which is installed on a special rim that does not have a flange, or while driving with a tire with low air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Kumho Tire Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Doh-Zong Chung, Bok-Soo Park, Myung-Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 7213627
    Abstract: A tire which includes a carcass ply and a band ply for reinforcing the carcass ply, the carcass ply having an inner ply and an outer ply which are provided in a radial direction, the inner ply being wound from an inside toward an outside in the axial direction of a bead core to constitute a fold-back portion and the outer ply being provided to cover the inner ply. A width (JW) of the band ply is set to be 80% to 98% of a tread width (TW) and an overlap dimension (LW) of the fold-back portion and the band ply is set to be 15% to 35% of the width (JW) of the band ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Matsunami
  • Patent number: 7204285
    Abstract: A radial motorcycle tire comprises a tread portion with a pair of tread edges, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein, and a band disposed in the tread portion and composed of windings of at least one cord wound at an angle of not more than 5 degrees with respect to the tire equator. The tread portion is provided radially inside the band with at least two layers of cords comprising a radially outermost first layer and a radially inner second layer next to the first layer, wherein with respect to the tire equator, the cords of the first layer are inclined to a direction at an angle of from 65 to 90 degrees, and the cords of the second layer are inclined to the same direction as the first layer at an angle of from 65 to 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsushige Idei
  • Patent number: 7201198
    Abstract: A tire (10) includes a carcass (14). The carcass (14) has a first ply (17) and a pair of second plies (18) and (19). The first ply (17) is wound around a bead core (22) and is folded back outward. This portion constitutes an overlapping portion (24). The second plies (18) and (19) are inserted in the overlapping portion (24) and are extended along the first ply (17). A height (h1) of the overlapping portion (24) is set to be 50% or more of a height (H) of the first ply (17). A minimum height (h2) of the second plies (18) and (19) is set to be 8% or more of the height (H) of the first ply. A width (J) of a belt (15) is set to be 80% or more of a width (W) of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ochiai
  • Patent number: 7201196
    Abstract: A run-flat tire comprises a carcass comprising at least one carcass ply of cords extending between a pair of bead portions through a tread portion and sidewall portions, a sidewall reinforcing rubber layer disposed in each sidewall portion and tapering towards its radially inner end and outer end from a central portion to have a crescent shape in a meridian section of the tire, and a reinforcing cord layer disposed axially outside of each sidewall reinforcing rubber layer and comprising at least one reinforcing ply with cords inclined with respect to a radial direction of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7191812
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire, comprising a bead part (4) having a bead reinforcement layer (10) continuously extending from the inside part (10a) of a bead core (5) positioned on the axial inside of the tire to the outside part (10c) thereof on the axial outside of the tire through a bottom part (10b) passing the radial inside of the tire, the bead reinforcement layer (10) further comprising reinforcement cords (11) arranged at an angle of 20 to 60° relative to the circumferential direction of the tire, the outside part (10c) further comprising a main part (C1) extending to an area (Y) adjacent to a bead apex rubber (8) and a folded part (C2) folded up at the radial outer end (Ce) thereof, wherein the folded part (C2) terminates on the radial inside of the radial outer surface (5s) of the bead core (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7152647
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion with tread edges, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein, and a carcass ply of cords comprising a main portion extending between the bead cores through the tread portion and sidewall portions and a wound portion wound around the bead core in each said bead portion from the inside to the outside of the tire, and an edge of the wound portion is disposed between the bead core and a bead apex rubber disposed radially outside the bead core to be secured therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyohito Maruoka, Minoru Nishi, Atsushi Yamahira
  • Patent number: 7137425
    Abstract: A high-performance, low-profile tire for four-wheeled passenger car comprises a carcass comprised of at least two carcass cord plies each extending between a pair of bead cores and wound around the respective bead core from an inside of the tire toward an outside thereof, a belt, a tread rubber, a bead apex extending outward from the bead core in the radial direction of the tire and having a tapered sectional form, a flipper arranged outside the carcass in the radial direction of the tire and wound around the bead core and bead apex from an inside of the tire toward an outside thereof, and at least one bead-side reinforcing layer arranged to pass between a turnup portion of the flipper and the bead apex and extend up to a vicinity of a tire maximum width, and has an aspect ratio of 35–55%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 7093635
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial ply tire 100 for use on aircraft has a radial reinforced carcass 20 having at least one axially inner ply 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D of textile cords 21 wound around a pair of bead cores 33. The improved bead structure 30 has a flipper 50 having an axially inner leg LI and axially outer leg LE. The ends LI, LE of the flippers 50 are above the bead core height Bh and below the apex A of an elastomeric strip 40 satisfying the relation Bh<LE<0.7 D and Bh<LI<0.7 D. Additionally, the tire carcass 20 has at least one axially outer ply 2E, 2F of textile cords 21 extending from bead 30 to bead 30 along the turn-ups 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D of the axially inner plies 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D. The plies 21 are closely spaced along the natural ply path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ueyoko
  • 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: 6969440
    Abstract: A cylindrical body ply is mounted around a cylindrical bladder, and annular beads are set on both axial end portions of the body ply. In this state, while the spacing between both axial ends of the body ply is narrowed, an axial intermediate portion of the body ply is increased in diameter by the bladder. Subsequently, bending members formed of rigid bodies are radially moved from the inside to the outside of the body ply to bend both axial end portions of the body ply by the bending members. The bent portions of the body ply wrap around corresponding beads. With the use of the body ply manufactured in this way in a tire, the resulting tire can be reduced in the manufacturing cost and weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigemasa Takagi
  • Patent number: 6962183
    Abstract: In a pneumatic tire, a cord spacing between an axially outer cord layer and an axially inner cord layer such as: a turnup portion and a main portion of a carcass ply; or a bead reinforcing cord layer and a carcass ply turnup portion, is increased from the radially inside to the outside of the tire to improve the durability of the bead portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Ueyoko, Tsuneyuki Nakagawa, Minoru Nishi, Tomoyasu Shibata, Kazumi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6941992
    Abstract: A carcass structure for a vehicle wheel tyre includes at least one carcass ply comprising thread elements substantially disposed transversely of a circumferential extension of the carcass structure, and at least one pair of annular reinforcing structures disposed close to respective inner circumferential edges of the at least one carcass ply. Each of the annular reinforcing structures includes at least one first circumferentially-inextensible annular insert formed of at least one first elongated element extending in concentric coils, and at least one second circumferentially-inextensible annular insert formed of at least one second elongated element extending in concentric coils. The at least one carcass ply has end flaps each turned back around an inner circumferential edge of a respective first annular insert and each axially interposed between respective first and second annular inserts. A method of manufacturing the carcass structure is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventor: Renato Caretta
  • 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: 6913053
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread portion, a pair of axially spaced bead areas and a pair of sidewalls. A body ply carcass extends axially between the bead areas and contains three body ply layers which turn-up about the bead areas from inside to outside. Two of the body ply layers are of equal axial lengths with the third body ply layer being considerably less or greater than the other two layers. The highest turn-up end of at least one of the body ply layers has a height of between 42% and 55% of the tire section height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Reep, Ronald I. Clunk
  • Patent number: 6901983
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a carcass folded turned up around a bead core, a belt layer arranged outside of a crown portion of the carcass to have an overlapping portion with the carcass folded portion, a first reinforcing rubber layer arranged between a carcass body portion and the carcass folded portion, and a second reinforcing rubber layer arranged inside the carcass body portion, wherein an overlapping width W1 from an upper end position RE of the first reinforcing rubber layer to an end BE of the belt layer is specified; an overlapping width W2 from an upper end position RF of the second reinforcing rubber layer to the end BE of the belt layer is specified; and thickness RW of the second reinforcing rubber layer on a line TL connecting the end BE of the belt layer and a tread end TE is specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: The Ohtsu Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takehiko Murata
  • Patent number: 6845798
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a locked bead type of tire construction where the turnup ends (242a, 242b) of the carcass plies (242) are tuned up around an elastomeric torus (246a, 246b) located outwardly from and adjacent to the bead cores (244a, 244b) so that the locked end sections (250a, 250b) of the plies are folded back and placed radially inward of the bead cores so they are anchored chored between the bead cores and the turnup ends of the carcass plies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
    Inventor: Jean-Marie Jules Joseph Koeune
  • Patent number: 6834700
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire wherein both end portions of at least one layer of a carcass layer are turned up around right and left bead cores from the inside to the outside of the tire, and at least two layers of belt layers formed by arranging reinforcing cords in such a fashion that their inclining directions with respect to a tire circumferential direction cross one another in mutually opposite directions between the layers are disposed on the outer circumferential side of the carcass layer of a tread portion. A carcass strength coefficient K defined by the formula (1) in the specification is 0.15 to 0.35 N/mm·kPa at portions on the tread portion center side of positions P which are away by 10% of a belt width of a belt layer having the second greatest width from both edges thereof towards its inside, and is 0.5 N/mm·kPa at portions from the positions P to the bead portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zenichiro Shida, Yoshiaki Hashimura
  • Patent number: 6834698
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprising a carcass, a belt layer, and a bead apex rubber. The carcass includes an inner carcass ply and an outer carcass ply that passes outside of the inner carcass. The bead portions are provided with a U-shaped first bead reinforcing layer and a second bead reinforcing layer. And the tire is suitable for use as a high performance tire being capable of improving initial response characteristics at the time of steering and of achieving cuts in running times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Suzuki, Kyoko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6834699
    Abstract: A tire, designed to carry heavy loads, having a radial carcass reinforcement formed of at least one ply of inelastic reinforcing elements and anchored in each bead to a bead wire so as to form a turn-up whose end is a radial distance HRNC away from the base of the bead, each bead being reinforced by at least two additional reinforcement armatures, at least one first armature being formed of radial reinforcement elements and at least one second armature being formed of elements that make with the circumferential direction an angle &agr; such that 0°≦&agr;≦45°, the first reinforcement armature being formed of radial elements and being wrapped around the bead wire outside the carcass reinforcement while the second armature is not wrapped around the said bead wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements, Michelin-Michelin & CIE
    Inventor: Patrick Corsi
  • Publication number: 20040250938
    Abstract: A tire (10) comprises a carcass ply (15) and a band ply (16) for reinforcing the carcass ply (15). The carcass ply (15) has an inner ply (17) and an outer ply (18) which are provided in a radial direction. The inner ply (17) is wound from an inside toward an outside in the axial direction of a bead core (22) to constitute a fold-back portion (19). The outer ply (18) is provided to cover the inner ply (17). A width (JW) of the band ply (16) is set to be 80% to 98% of a tread width (TW). An overlap dimension (LW) of the fold-back portion (19) and the band ply (16) is set to be 15% to 35% of the width (JW) of the band ply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Matsunami
  • Publication number: 20040238094
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire comprises: a tread portion defining an overall diameter of the tire under a normally-inflated unloaded state and a ground contacting width under a normally inflated loaded state; a pair of sidewall portions defining an overall width of the tire therebetween under the normally-inflated unloaded state; a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein; a carcass extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and sidewall portions; and a belt disposed radially outside the carcass in the tread portion, wherein the overall diameter of the tire is in a range of from 750 to 820 mm; the ground contacting width is in a range of from 85 to 90% of said overall width of the tire; and the carcass comprises an ultrahigh-turnup ply extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and sidewall portions and turned up around the bead core in each of the bead portion so that the turned-up portions each extend radially outwardly into the tread portion through the sidewall p
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Hiroaki Kajita
  • Publication number: 20040226644
    Abstract: The innermost carcass ply of a runflat tire (50) having a radial carcass ply is a discontinuous ply (52) that includes two portions (52a,52b) each disposed within one of the sidewalls (43,45). In one embodiment, each of the two discontinuous ply portions is composed of two layers (64,66) of cross-biased cords (65,67) which are disposed between the two wedge inserts (58b,59b) in each sidewall. In another embodiment, the two portions (72a,72b) of the discontinuous ply (72) are composed of wavy metal cords. In a third embodiment, a runflat tire incorporating either embodiment of the discontinuous ply (92a,92b) is built using the locked, tie-in construction for the carcass ply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Jean-Marie Koeune, Jean-Claude Lahure, Xavier Fraipont
  • Publication number: 20040221938
    Abstract: A tyre (10) includes a carcass (14). The carcass (14) has a first ply (17) and a pair of second plies (18) and (19). The first ply (17) is wound around a bead core (22) and is folded back outward. This portion constitutes an overlapping portion (24). The second plies (18) and (19) are inserted in the overlapping portion (24) and are extended along the first ply (17). A height (h1) of the overlapping portion (24) is set to be 50% or more of a height (H) of the first ply (17). A minimum height (h2) of the second plies (18) and (19) is set to be 8% or more of the height (H) of the first ply. A width (J) of a belt (15) is set to be 80% or more of a width (W) of the tyre.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ochiai
  • Patent number: 6807996
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a bead core and a rubber bead apex provided in each bead portion, and a carcass comprising a carcass ply turned up around the bead core from the inside to the outside of the tire to form a pair of turned up portions and a main portion therebetween. The bead apex is made of hard rubber disposed between the main portion and turned up portion and extending radially outwards from the bead core. The length (LA) of the bead apex is in a range of from 0.1 to 0.25 times the tire section height (H). A reinforcing cord layer is disposed along the axially inside of the turned up portion. The radially outer end (FU) of the reinforcing cord layer is positioned radially outside the radially outer end (BU) of the bead apex but radially inside the maximum tire section width point (M). The radially inner end (FD) of the reinforcing cord layer is positioned radially outside the radially outer end of the bead core but radially inside the radially outer end (BU) of the bead apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Wada
  • Patent number: 6802351
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions and a pair of bead portions and a radial carcass of at least one rubberized carcass ply containing steel cord therein and wound around the bead core to form a part or a whole of a wound portion of the carcass ply as a wind contact part along the peripheral face of the bead core, wherein at least one steel cord reinforcing layer is arranged in the bead portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kimura, Hiroyuki Kato, Takaya Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 6779574
    Abstract: A tire with radial carcass reinforcement having beads with a heel portion on an axially inner side and a toe portion on an axially outer side includes two carcass reinforcement plies for tension in higher sidewall tires. The bead includes at least one bead wire coated with a rubber mix, a wedge formed of a rubber mix disposed axially outward of the at least one bead wire, and at least one rubber filler located axially and radially outward of the bead wire and wedge. The wedge is defined by two sides extending at an acute angle axially from an apex A located beneath the section of the at least one bead wire, the rubber mix forming the wedge having a Shore A hardness of at least 65 and greater than the Shore A hardness of the at least one rubber filler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Vanstory Teeple, James Endicott, Jean-Luc Bouvier, Pierre Fraisse, Jean-Claude Faure
  • Patent number: 6752186
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a carcass ply turned up around a bead core in each bead portion to form a pair of turnup portions and a main portion therebetween, and a rubber bead apex disposed between each turnup portion and main portion. Each turnup portion extends radially outwardly beyond a radially outer end of the bead apex to have a part adjoining the main portion. The profile in a tire sidewall portion and bead portion comprises a first linear portion and a second linear portion, the first linear portion extending radially outwards from a point P in substantially parallel to the tire equatorial plane, and the second linear portion extending radially inwards from the point P while inclining axially inwards at an angle of from +15 to +60 degrees with respect to the tire equatorial plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ueyoko
  • Patent number: 6742559
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire which includes a carcass having a carcass main extending from a bead core in one of the bead portions to a bead core in the other bead portion, and a pair of carcass turnups extending axially outside the carcass main; a tread rubber disposed in the tread portion; a sidewall rubber disposed in each of the sidewall portions; and a wing rubber interposed between the tread rubber and sidewall rubber. Each of the carcass turnups extends from axially outside of the bead core to a point in the sidewall portion. While extending from axially outside of the bead core to the point in the sidewall portion, the carcass turnup approaches the carcass main and adjoins the carcass main from a first radial height to a second radial height and then separates from the carcass main from said second radial height so as to form a separating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Wako Iwamura
  • Patent number: 6719030
    Abstract: The pneumatic tire has a single carcass ply reinforced with parallel metallic cords, each cord composed of at least one filament having a tensile strength of at least (−2000×D+4400 MPa) ×95%, where D is the filament diameter in millimeters. The turnup portion of the single carcass ply 12 in the bead portion of a pneumatic tire is interposed between the bead core 11 and a toe guard 18, and the radially outer edge of each turnup portion being in contact with the main portion of the carcass ply and extending to an end point 0.5 to 4.0 inches (12.7 to 101.6 mm) radially outward of the bead core. The toe guard 18 has a first and second end and each end is disposed directly adjacent to the carcass ply. The first end 18a of the toe guard is located on the axially inner side of the main portion of the carcass ply at a location about 0.4 to 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Amit Prakash, Donald Woodrow Gilliam, Gary Edwin Tubb
  • Publication number: 20040055687
    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: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventor: Thomas Wood Whitney
  • Patent number: 6705371
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire includes a bead portion having a plurality of bead cores, and one or plural radial carcass plies wound up from a tire inner side toward an outer side at the respective bead cores. One-half or more of the number of end portion(s) of the radial carcass ply (plies) wound up on the bead cores is/are positioned at each bead core within a range of 35 to 55% of a tire section height as measured from the reference line of the tire section height. In accordance with this structure, rigidity from the bead portion to a side portion of the tire markedly improves. Accordingly, even when the tire is large and a load applied thereto is increased, deformation of the bead portion in the loaded state is suppressed, a strain level of the bead portion is reduced, and excellent durability of the bead portion is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Toshifumi Ikuno
  • Publication number: 20040007303
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire for heavy duty use applications, having at least one sidewall of formed an increased thickness, for providing better tire sidewall wear and increased re-use of the tire's internal carcass, the tire's enhanced thickness sidewall having a relief area formed by at least one radius relief portion adjacent that sidewall's bead to prevent the associated rim flange edge from cutting into the enhanced thickened sidewall, and a sharp angled return sidewall portion adjacent the portion tread sidewall. The increased thickened sidewall, ranging between approximately 2.0 and 3.5 inches, provides maximum thickness in the area of maximum sidewall flexing during use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Publication date: January 15, 2004
    Inventor: Jordan Fishman
  • Patent number: 6668887
    Abstract: A vehicle tire is described having at least one carcass ply extending between bead regions, a tread region (1) and a belt arrangement (3) disposed between the carcass and the tread as well as a tread profile provided in the tread region having at least one overwide circumferential groove (2) disposed in particular away from the middle and on the inner side of the tire, with the tire region disposed beneath the overwide circumferential groove, which has in particular a width of more than 30 mm, being formed with additional localised reinforcement in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Dunlop GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Gerresheim, Klaus Riehl, Saburo Miyabe, Hans-Joachim Winter
  • Publication number: 20030217801
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread portion, a pair of axially spaced bead areas and a pair of sidewalls. A body ply carcass extends axially between the bead areas and contains three body ply layers which turn-up about the bead areas from inside to outside. Two of the body ply layers are of equal axial lengths with the third body ply layer being considerably less or greater than the other two layers. The highest turn-up end of at least one of the body ply layers has a height of between 42% and 55% of the tire section height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventors: David M. Reep, Ronald I. Clunk
  • Patent number: 6648041
    Abstract: A pneumatic radial ply tire 100 for use on aircraft has a radial reinforced carcass 20 having at least one axially inner ply 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D of textile cords 21 wound around a pair of bead cores 33. The improved bead structure 30 has a flipper 50 having an axially inner leg LI and axially outer leg LE. The ends LI, LE of the flippers 50 are above the bead core height Bh and below the apex A of an elastomeric strip 40 satisfying the relation Bh<LE<0.7D and Bh<LI<0.7D. Additionally, the tire carcass 20 has at least one axially outer ply 2E, 2F of textile cords 21 extending from bead 30 to bead 30 along the turn-ups 20A, 20B, 20C and 20D of the axially inner plies 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D. The plies 21 are closely spaced along the natural ply path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Ueyoko
  • Publication number: 20030173013
    Abstract: A radial motorcycle tire comprises a tread portion with a pair of tread edges, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions each with a bead core therein, and a band disposed in the tread portion and composed of windings of at least one cord wound at an angle of not more than 5 degrees with respect to the tire equator. The tread portion is provided radially inside the band with at least two layers of cords comprising a radially outermost first layer and a radially inner second layer next to the first layer, wherein with respect to the tire equator, the cords of the first layer are inclined to a direction at an angle of from 65 to 90 degrees, and the cords of the second layer are inclined to the same direction as the first layer at an angle of from 65 to 90 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventor: Mitsushige Idei
  • Patent number: 6595256
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a body having a plurality of main body cords. The tire includes an upper section above the maximum section width and a lower section below the maximum section width. The modulus of the body cords is configured to be larger in the lower section than in the upper section. This modulus ratio decreases the rolling resistance of the tire. The increased modulus in the lower section is achieved by providing a body cord insert wrapped around the bead core and bead filler. The ends of the body cord insert are disposed against each other so that the entire bead filler is surrounded. The body cord insert extends substantially over the entire lower section of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC
    Inventors: Carolyn W. Bernstorf, Jean-Yea Chen, Jie Jin, Masahiro Takayama, Hidetoshi Yokota