U.S. patent application number 10/277646 was filed with the patent office on 2003-02-27 for pneumatic tire having layer of rubber disposed between the body and belt package.
Invention is credited to Clothiaux, John Daniel, Reinhardt, Andrew Karl, Vossberg, Steven Michael, Yokota, Hidetoshi.
Application Number | 20030037855 10/277646 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24234678 |
Filed Date | 2003-02-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030037855 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yokota, Hidetoshi ; et
al. |
February 27, 2003 |
Pneumatic tire having layer of rubber disposed between the body and
belt package
Abstract
A pneumatic tire includes a body, a belt package, and a tread
package. The tire includes a layer of rubber disposed between the
body and the tread package. The layer of rubber creates a thickness
of between about 0.5 millimeters and about 1.5 millimeters between
the cords in the body and the cords in the belt package. The layer
of rubber is fabricated from a rubber having a stiffness greater
than the rubber in the body of the tire. This configuration
provides a tire having improved cornering coefficient, reduced
vibrational levels, and less coarse road noise with only a small
increase in rolling loss.
Inventors: |
Yokota, Hidetoshi;
(Kawasaki, JP) ; Clothiaux, John Daniel; (Hudson,
OH) ; Reinhardt, Andrew Karl; (Akron, OH) ;
Vossberg, Steven Michael; (Medina, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMAS ROBERT KINGSBURY
BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE, INC.
1200 FIRESTONE PARKWAY
AKRON
OH
44317
US
|
Family ID: |
24234678 |
Appl. No.: |
10/277646 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10277646 |
Oct 22, 2002 |
|
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09559705 |
Apr 27, 2000 |
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6470938 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
152/532 ;
152/525; 152/537; 152/564 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60C 9/18 20130101; Y10T
152/10864 20150115; Y10T 152/1081 20150115; B60C 2009/1842
20130101; Y10T 152/10765 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
152/532 ;
152/525; 152/537; 152/564 |
International
Class: |
B60C 009/02; B60C
013/00; B60C 009/18 |
Claims
1. A pneumatic tire for an on-the-road passenger vehicle, the tire
comprising: a body having at least one layer of radially-disposed
body cords; a belt package having at least two layers of
reinforcing cords; the reinforcing cords encased in rubber; the two
layers of rubber-encased reinforcing cords disposed adjacent one
another over the axial extent of belt package; a tread package
connected to the belt package; and a gage of rubber disposed
between the belt package and the body; the gage of rubber spacing
the body cords from the reinforcing cords a distance in the range
of 0.5 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters; the gage of rubber extending
entirely under the belt package.
2. The tire of claim 1, wherein the body includes rubber disposed
adjacent the body cords; at least a portion of the gage being
fabricated from a rubber having a stiffness greater than the
stiffness of the rubber in the body.
3. The tire of claim 1, wherein the gage of rubber having the
thickness in the range of 0.5 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters has
substantially the same width as the belt package.
4. The tire of claim 1, wherein the body includes rubber adjacent
the body cord and the belt package includes rubber adjacent the
reinforcing cord; the gage of rubber including a portion of the
rubber adjacent the body cord, a portion of the rubber adjacent the
reinforcing cord, and a layer of rubber disposed between the
portions of rubber.
5. The tire of claim 4, wherein the layer of rubber is
substantially the same width as the belt package.
6. The tire of claim 1, wherein the body includes rubber adjacent
the body cord and the belt package includes rubber adjacent the
reinforcing cord; the gage of rubber being formed from a portion of
the rubber of the belt package and a portion of the rubber of the
body.
7. The tire of claim 1, wherein the body includes rubber adjacent
the body cord and the belt package includes rubber adjacent the
reinforcing cord; more than half of the thickness of the gage of
rubber being formed from the rubber of the belt package.
8. A pneumatic tire for an on-the-road passenger vehicle, the tire
comprising: a body having a layer of radially-disposed body cords;
a belt package having two layers of reinforcing cords; the
reinforcing cords encased in rubber; the two layers of
rubber-encased reinforcing cords disposed adjacent one another over
the axial extent of belt package; a tread package connected to the
belt package; and a gage of rubber disposed between the belt
package and the body cords; the gage of rubber spacing the body
cords from the reinforcing cords a distance in the range of 0.5
millimeters to 1.5 millimeters; the gage of rubber extending
entirely under the belt package.
9. The tire of claim 8, wherein the body includes rubber disposed
adjacent the body cords; at least a portion of the gage being
fabricated from a rubber having a stiffness greater than the
stiffness of the rubber in the body.
10. The tire of claim 8, wherein the gage of rubber having the
thickness in the range of 0.5 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters has
substantially the same width as the belt package.
11. The tire of claim 8, wherein the body includes rubber adjacent
the body cord and the belt package includes rubber adjacent the
reinforcing cord; the gage of rubber including a portion of the
rubber adjacent the body cord, a portion of the rubber adjacent the
reinforcing cord, and a layer of rubber disposed between the
portions of rubber.
12. The tire of claim 11, wherein the layer of rubber is
substantially the same width as the belt package.
13. The tire of claim 8, wherein the body includes rubber adjacent
the body cord and the belt package includes rubber adjacent the
reinforcing cord; the gage of rubber being formed from a portion of
the rubber of the belt package and a portion of the rubber of the
body.
14. The tire of claim 8, wherein the body includes rubber adjacent
the body cord and the belt package includes rubber adjacent the
reinforcing cord; more than half of the thickness of the gage of
rubber being formed from the rubber of the belt package.
15. In an on-the-road pneumatic tire comprising a body having at
least one layer of radially-disposed body cords; a belt package
having at least two layers of reinforcing cords; the reinforcing
cords encased in rubber; the two layers of rubber-encased
reinforcing cords disposed adjacent one another over the axial
extent of belt package; a tread package connected to the belt
package; the improvement comprising: a gage of rubber disposed
between the belt package and the body; the gage of rubber spacing
the body cords from the reinforcing cords a distance in the range
of 0.5 millimeters to 1.5 millimeters; the gage of rubber extending
entirely under the belt package.
16. The improvement of claim 15, wherein the body includes rubber
disposed adjacent the body cords; the gage being fabricated from a
rubber having a stiffness greater than the stiffness of the rubber
in the body.
17. The improvement of claim 15, wherein the body includes rubber
adjacent the body cord and the belt package includes rubber
adjacent the reinforcing cord; the gage of rubber being formed from
a portion of the rubber of the belt package and a portion of the
rubber of the body.
18. The improvement of claim 15, wherein the body includes rubber
adjacent the body cord and the belt package includes rubber
adjacent the reinforcing cord; more than half of the thickness of
the gage of rubber being formed from the rubber of the belt
package.
19. The improvement of claim 15, wherein the body includes rubber
adjacent the body cord and the belt package includes rubber
adjacent the reinforcing cord; the gage of rubber including a
portion of the rubber adjacent the body cord, a portion of the
rubber adjacent the reinforcing cord, and a layer of rubber
disposed between the portions of rubber.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 09/559,705 filed Apr. 27, 2000; the disclosures of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] This invention generally relates to pneumatic tires and,
more particularly, to a pneumatic tire having an extra layer of
rubber that improves tire performance. Specifically, the present
invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having an increased
rubber gage between the tire body and the belt package to improve
the performance of the tire.
[0004] 2. Background Information
[0005] A pneumatic tire used on a typical automobile or truck
includes a basic tire carcass member that may have reinforcing
cords radially disposed in its body. These reinforcing cords
typically radiate out from the center of rotation of the tire. A
reinforcing belt package may be positioned on the outer surface of
the carcass. The reinforcing belt package may include a layer or
layers of reinforcing cords that give the tire strength and
durability. Tires also include a tread package having the tire
tread that is positioned outside the reinforcing belt package.
[0006] In recent times, automobile manufacturers desire tires that
are tuned for a specific automobile model. This requirement has
developed in part because current suspensions are sensitive enough
that tires can make noticeable changes in the ride and handling of
an automobile.
[0007] Tire manufacturers tune tires by varying the materials that
are used in the tire and by varying the configuration of the
elements within a tire. Various tire configurations are known for
improving characteristics such as road noise, ride, rolling
resistance, strength, vibration, and cornering force. Although
various tires are known in the art having configurations directed
to one or more of these characteristics, a tire is desired that has
an improved cornering coefficient, reduced tire vibration levels,
reduced coarse road noise with only a small increase in rolling
resistance.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides a
pneumatic tire configuration having increased rubber gage between
the body ply and the belt package. The rubber gage is sized to
improve the cornering coefficient of the tire while reducing
vibrational levels. The increased gage also improves the coarse
road noise of the tire. These advantages are achieved without an
undesirable increase in rolling loss.
[0009] The invention provides a pneumatic tire, including a body
having at least one layer of body cord; a belt package having at
least one layer of reinforcing cord; a tread package connected to
the belt package; and a gage of rubber disposed between the belt
package and the body; the gage of rubber spacing the body cord from
the reinforcing cord a distance in the range of 0.5 millimeters to
1.5 millimeters.
[0010] The invention also provides a pneumatic tire having an
extruded sidewall that forms the increased rubber gage between the
body ply and the belt package. In one embodiment, the extended
sidewall extends all the way across the tire to connect both
sidewalls. In another embodiment, each sidewall has an insert that
extends partially across the tire to form a pair of opposed belt
edge inserts that increase the rubber gage between the body ply and
belt packages at the edges of the tire.
[0011] The invention provides an improved pneumatic tire having a
body, a belt package and a tread package. The improvement including
a layer of rubber disposed between the body and the belt package
wherein the thickness of the layer of rubber is between 0.5
millimeters and 1.5 millimeters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the
best mode in which applicants have contemplated applying the
principles of the invention, are set forth in the following
description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and
distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of half of a pneumatic tire
having the increased rubber gage between the body and belt package
according to the concepts of the present invention with the other
half of the tire being substantially a mirror image of the half
depicted;
[0014] FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG.
1;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing
an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG.
2;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing
another alternative embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 3A is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG.
3;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a further
alternative embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG.
4;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing yet another
alternative embodiment of the present invention; and
[0022] FIG. 5A is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG.
5.
[0023] Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] The tire of the present invention is indicated generally by
the numeral 10 in the accompanying drawings. Tire 10 generally
includes a body 12, a belt package 14, and a tread package 16. As
is known in the art, body 12 includes a pair of sidewalls 18 having
bead rings 20 and apex fillers 22. Tire 10 also includes an
innerliner 24 that creates a fluid-impervious chamber 26 in tire 10
when tire 10 is mounted on a tire rim (not shown).
[0025] In accordance with the objectives of the present invention,
tire 10 includes a layer of rubber, indicated by the numeral 28,
disposed between body 12 and belt package 14. As is known in the
art, belt package 14 includes a plurality of reinforcing cords 34
embedded within or substantially surrounded by rubber 35. Body 12
includes at least one layer of body cord 32 embedded within or
substantially surrounded by rubber 33. In the preferred embodiment
of the present invention, layer 28 has a thickness of between a
first thickness less than 0.5 millimeters and a second thickness
less than 1.5 millimeters as indicated by the dimension line
labeled by the numeral 29 (FIG. 1A). In the embodiment of the
invention depicted in FIG. 1, thickness 29 spaces the body cords 32
from reinforcing cords 34 by a distance of between about 0.5 and
about 1.5 millimeters as indicated by dimension line 30. Dimension
line 30 includes the entire thickness 29 of layer 28, a portion of
the rubber 33 that encases cords 32, and a portion of the rubber 35
that encases cords 34. It has been found that layer 28 spacing
cords 32 from cords 34 by dimension 30 improves the cornering
characteristics of tire 10 while not degrading the rolling
resistance of tire 10. Such results were unexpected because it was
generally believed that the rolling resistance of tire 10 would
increase with rubber layer 28 positioned between body 12 and belt
package 14. In fact, tests show that the rolling resistance only
undesirably increases once thickness 29 of layer 28 reaches 2
millimeters. It is thus an important aspect of the present
invention that thickness 30 remains between about 0.5 and about 1.5
millimeters.
[0026] Inserting layer 28 in tire 10 to form dimensions discussed
above improves the cornering coefficient, tire vibrational levels,
and coarse road noise of tire 10 while not significantly degrading
the rolling resistance of tire 10. Layer 28 improves these
characteristics independent of the tread pattern used with tire 10
and the aspect ratio of tire 10.
[0027] In accordance with another objective of the present
invention, layer 28 may be fabricated from a rubber that is stiffer
than the rubber used in body 33. The rubber of layer 28 may be
substantially same as the rubber used in belt package 14.
[0028] Layer 28 may be manufactured separately from body 12 and
belt package 14 and positioned in the desired position during the
manufacturing process. In the preferred embodiment of the
invention, layer 28 extends substantially the same width as belt
package 14. Layer 28 may, however, be formed in other widths.
[0029] An alternative embodiment of the tire having the increased
rubber gage between the body and belt package is indicated
generally by the numeral 200 in FIGS. 2 and 2A. In accordance with
one of the objectives of the present invention, tire 200 includes
extra rubber between reinforcing cords 34 and body cords 32 such
that cords 32 are spaced from cords 34 by about 0.5 and about 1.5
millimeters as indicated by the dimension line 30. The extra
thickness of rubber in this embodiment of the invention is achieved
by extending rubber 35 surrounding cords 34 downwardly and
extending rubber 33 surrounding cords 32 upwardly. The proportions
of the thickness of rubber 33 and rubber 35 may vary with a
preferred embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2 and 2A where rubber 33 is
extended 40 to 60 percent of the distance.
[0030] Another alternative embodiment of the tire having the extra
gage of rubber is indicated generally by the numeral 300 in FIG. 3.
In accordance with one of the objectives of the invention, cords 32
are separated from cords 34 by an extra gage of rubber such that
cords 32 are separated from cords 34 by a distance between about
0.5 and about 1.5 millimeters as indicated by the dimension line
30. In this embodiment, distance 30 is achieved by extending rubber
35 surrounding cords 34 downwardly until it abuts rubber 33
encapsulating cords 32.
[0031] A further embodiment of the tire of the present invention is
indicated generally by the numeral 400 in FIGS. 4 and 4A. The
structure of embodiment 400 is similar to the structure of tire 10
depicted in FIGS. 1 and 1A except that the extra gage of rubber
does not extend entirely across tread package 16. As shown in FIG.
4, the extra gage of rubber only extends partially across tread
package 16 from side wall 18 towards the center line (CL) of tire
400. In the preferred embodiment, gage 28 extends approximately
two-thirds of the distance from sidewall 18 to centerline CL. Extra
gage 28 cooperates with rubber 33 and 35 to space cords 32 from
cords 34 a distance of between about 0.5 and about 1.5 millimeters
at their widest portion with the distance tapering as the cords
move toward the center of tire 400.
[0032] FIG. 5 depicts yet another embodiment of a tire of the
present invention as indicated generally by the numeral 500. Tire
500 has a similar structure to tire 10 except that rubber 28 is
formed integrally with the rubber of sidewall 18 and extends
entirely across tire from an inner location indicated by the
numeral 502 to the opposite inner location on the other side of the
tire. Layer 28 thus may be extruded or calendered as a single layer
of rubber and draped entirely across the width of tire 500. Layer
28 is configured to provide similar spacing as tire 10 depicted in
FIGS. 1 and 1A.
[0033] Accordingly, the improved tire having increasing gage below
the belt package is simplified, provides an effective, safe,
inexpensive, and efficient device which achieves all the enumerated
objectives, provides for eliminating difficulties encountered with
prior devices, and solves problems and obtains new results in the
art.
[0034] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used
for brevity, clearness and understanding; but no unnecessary
limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of
the prior art, because such terms are used for descriptive purposes
and are intended to be broadly construed.
[0035] Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention
is by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited
to the exact details shown or described.
[0036] Having now described the features, discoveries and
principles of the invention, the manner in which the improved tire
having increasing gage below the belt package is construed and
used, the characteristics of the construction, and the
advantageous, new and useful results obtained; the new and useful
structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts and
combinations, are set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *