Abstract:
A radial ply, passenger vehicle tire has a tread with a substantially flat tread profile, a belt structure, and a carcass comprising two sidewalls, two beads and one or more plies. The one or more plies have a loaded shoulder ply radius that is smaller than the tire's unloaded shoulder ply radius. This design eliminates tread-lift and eliminates the need for decoupling grooves in the shoulder regions of the tread.
Abstract:
Fabric treatment layers (130a, 130b, 132a, 132b) are deployed in the sidewall regions of a runflat tire (100) having a metal-reinforced first ply (120). In one embodiment, parallel cord, reinforced fabric treatment layers (130a, 130b, 132a 132b) sandwich the metal forced first ply (120) and inhibit buckling of the reinforcing cords (70) of the first ply during runflat operation when the ply cords or wires are bearing compression loads. In another embodiment, a single woven fabric treatment layer (170a, 170b) is disposed in each sidewall region (152,154) at a location immediately axially inward of the metal-reinforced first ply (160).
Abstract:
A pneumatic radial ply passenger tire (10) having a tread (12), a casing with two sidewalls (20), two radial plies (38, 40) extending from and wrapped about two annular beads (26) and a belt reinforcement structure (36) located radially between the tread and the plies. Inner ply (38) is reinforced with essentially inextensible metal cords and is designed to carry a compressive load during runflat operation. Outer ply (40) is reinforced with organic-fiber cords designed to withstand tensile stresses during runflat operation. A circumferentially deployed insert (42) is disposed between the inner and outer radial plies (38, 40) in each sidewall (20) adjacent to the shoulder of the tread. The metal cords (41) of inner ply (38) have compressive-load-hearing capacity which reduces the mass of the insert material (42). The metal cords (41) also have thermal conductivity properties that dissipate heat buildup from both ply (38) and insert (42).
Abstract:
A radial ply runflat tire (50) having a tread (52), a carcass (60) with two sidewalls (77,78), one or more radial plies (70,72), two annular beads (36a′,36b′), and a belt structure (56) located radially between the tread and the radial ply structure (58). The tread has laterally disposed tread ribs (64a,64b) whose contours are defined by circular curves intersecting nontangentially with the circular curve that defines the contour of the central portion of the tread. Each sidewall portion (77,78) has a rib (63a,63b) that is out of contact with the road during normal inflation operation and that engages the road during runflat operation. The tread ribs (64a,64b) are separated from the respective sidewall ribs (63a,63b) by decoupling grooves (65a,65b) which overlie the point of nontangential intersection of the circular curves that define the respective contours of the sidewall ribs and the laterally disposed tread ribs. Decoupling grooves (66a,66b) overlie the point of nontangential intersection of the circular curves that define the respective contours of the laterally disposed tread ribs (64a,64b) and the central portion (54) of the tread.
Abstract:
A pneumatic radial ply runflat tire (200) has a tread (210), belt structure (212), a carcass (216), and an underlay (234) disposed between the belt structure and the carcass. The carcass (216) comprises two sidewalls (226), two beads (220), and one or more radial plies (222,224). The tire (200) is characterized by the underlay (234) having reinforcement cords (236) with turns aligned parallel to the tire's equatorial plane, the cords (236) exhibiting negligible modulus of elasticity (“modulus”) below a threshold elongation and high modulus above the threshold elongation. The underlay (234) stiffens the tire during runflat operation but not during normal inflated operation.
Abstract:
A pneumatic tire tread has tread elements formed by circumferential and/or lateral grooves. At least one tread element has a sipe that devolves from a constant width sipe having a three dimensional aspect in at least a portion of the radially outer portion of the sipe to a wider width groove at the base of the tread feature.
Abstract:
A pneumatic tire tread has tread elements formed by circumferential and/or lateral grooves. At least one tread element has a sipe that devolves from a constant width sipe having a three dimensional aspect in at least a portion of the radially outer portion of the sipe to a wider width groove at the base of the tread feature.
Abstract:
A mold and molding device for forming a sunken groove in a tire is provided. The molding device includes a thin flexible wire having one or more molded elastomer elements thereon. The flexible wire is preferably hyperelastic and the molded elastomer is preferably silicone rubber.
Abstract:
A tire with a changing tread pattern is formed by first forming a tire having a tread, the tread having at least one circumferential or lateral groove. A wearable filler, having a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove formed in the tire, is located in the radially outer portion of the circumferential or lateral groove or a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove, and secured within the grooves so as to create a groove void radially inward of the wearable filler, the void being exposed upon wear of the tire tread.
Abstract:
A tire includes a plurality of tread blocks disposed circumferentially around the tire. At least one sipe is formed into at least one of the tread blocks and is defined by first and second confronting sidewalls. The sipe has a cross-sectional profile in a plane generally perpendicular to the top surface of the tread block, which profile has a generally arcuate central portion and first and second ends separated by the central portion. The sidewalls are spaced apart at least one first width at the central portion of the sipe, and are spaced apart at least one second width at the ends, wherein the second width is greater than the first width. In one embodiment, the sipe has a cross-sectional profile having a stepped configuration.