IP Library Granted Patent US 7,578,330
Granted Patent B2
US 7,578,330 · App. 11/414,340 · Granted Aug 25, 2009

Tire and tire manufacturing process

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,578,330
App. No.
11/414,340
Granted
Aug 25, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention concerns a tire comprising beads each containing at least one circumferential reinforcement structure; a crown comprising a reinforcement structure surmounted radially towards the outside by a tread; on either side of the crown, a sidewall providing the connection to each bead; at least one carcass reinforcement extending from one bead to the other, passing through the crown, and anchored to at least one circumferential reinforcement structure within each bead, the carcass reinforcement being formed of at least one rubberized ply comprising reinforcing threads extending substantially radially, that is to say forming an angle of between 80° and 100° with the circumferential direction; at least one junction zone formed by superposition of the ply on itself, this zone being oriented substantially radially; at least one cover strip covering part of a junction zone, each cover strip being formed of a rubber composition reinforced by a plurality of reinforcing threads, the reinforcing threads of each cover strip having a substantially radial orientation, wherein, viewed in radial section, each cover strip extends between a point close to the axial end of the reinforcement structure of the crown and a point located radially to the inside of the axially outermost point of the tire.

Claims (30)

1. A tire comprising

beads each containing at least one circumferential reinforcement structure;

a crown comprising a reinforcement structure surmounted radially towards the outside by a tread;

on either side of the crown, a sidewall providing the connection to each bead;

at least one carcass reinforcement extending from one bead to the other, passing through the crown, and anchored to at least one circumferential reinforcement structure within each bead, the carcass reinforcement being formed of at least one rubberized ply comprising reinforcing threads extending substantially radially, that is to say forming an angle of between 80° and 100° with the circumferential direction;

at least one junction zone formed by superposition of the ply on itself, this zone being oriented substantially radially;

at least one cover strip covering part of a junction zone, each cover strip being formed of a rubber composition reinforced by a plurality of reinforcing threads,

the reinforcing threads of each cover strip having a substantially radial orientation, wherein each cover strip includes first and second edges spaced apart on opposite circumferential sides of the junction zone and the width of each cover strip, measured in the circumferential direction, is less than four times the greatest width of the junction zone in its part covered by said cover strip;

wherein, viewed in radial section, each cover strip includes first and second ends, the first end disposed at a point located radially to the inside of the axially outermost part of one sidewall of the tire and a second end located at a point close to the axial end of the crown's reinforcement structure located nearest to that sidewall.

2. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the width of each cover strip, measured in the circumferential direction, is greater than the greatest width of the junction zone in its part covered by said cover strip.

3. The tire of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of each cover strip on the molded tire is between 0.6 and 1.5 mm.

4. The tire of claim 1 , wherein at least one cover strip has the same constitution as at least one ply of the carcass reinforcement.

5. A process for manufacturing a tire on a drum, the tire comprising:

beads each containing at least one circumferential reinforcement structure;

a crown comprising a reinforcement structure surmounted radially towards the outside by a tread;

at least one carcass reinforcement extending from one bead to the other, passing through the crown, and anchored to at least one circumferential reinforcement structure within each bead, the carcass reinforcement being formed of at least one rubberized ply comprising reinforcing threads extending substantially radially;

at least one junction zone formed by superposition of the ply on itself, this zone being oriented substantially radially; and

at least one cover strip covering part of a junction zone, each cover strip being formed of a rubber composition reinforced by a plurality of reinforcing threads; the process comprising the stages consisting of:

Winding the ply around the drum so as to obtain covering of the edges of the ply which are parallel to the axis of the drum;

Forming, on the covering end of the ply, one or more tabs each intended to form a cover strip and located such that, after building of the tire, each cover strip covers part of a junction zone and extends, viewed in radial section, between a point close to the axial end of the reinforcement structure of the crown and a point located radially to the inside of the axially outermost point of the tire;

Folding the tabs over by folding them along the line defined by the edge of the ply from which they project.

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the tabs are formed before the ply is wound around the drum.

7. A tire comprising

beads each containing at least one circumferential reinforcement structure;

a crown comprising a reinforcement structure surmounted radially towards the outside by a tread;

on either side of the crown, a sidewall providing the connection to each bead;

at least one carcass reinforcement extending from one bead to the other, passing through the crown, and anchored to at least one circumferential reinforcement structure within each bead, the carcass reinforcement being formed of at least one rubberized ply comprising reinforcing threads extending substantially radially, that is to say forming an angle of between 80° and 100° with the circumferential direction;

at least one junction zone formed by superposition of the ply on itself, this zone being oriented substantially radially, wherein the ply includes a covering end forming a radially outer layer of the junction zone;

at least one cover strip covering part of a junction zone, each cover strip being formed of a rubber composition reinforced by a plurality of reinforcing threads, the reinforcing threads of each cover strip having a substantially radial orientation;

wherein the covering end of the ply includes an edge from which one or more tabs project which are folded about the edge and back onto the covering end, to form said at least one cover strip.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2020
From: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
To: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
Reel/Frame 052863/0624 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2006
From: VIALLE, JEAN-YVES
To: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
Reel/Frame 017840/0967 →