IP Library Granted Patent US 11,214,101
Granted Patent B2
US 11,214,101 · App. 15/038,348 · Granted Jan 4, 2022

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Atsushi Tanno (Hiratsuka, JP)
B60C19/002B29D30/0061B32B3/085B32B3/28B32B5/18B32B7/12B60C1/00B60C5/00B60C11/00B60C13/00B60C15/00B32B2307/102B32B2307/536B32B2307/54B32B2433/00B32B2605/08
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,214,101
App. No.
15/038,348
Granted
Jan 4, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pneumatic tire according to the present technology is a pneumatic tire provided with a tread section, sidewall sections, and bead sections, a belt-shaped sound-absorbing member being bonded via an adhesive layer to an inner surface of the tire in a region corresponding to the tread section along the circumferential direction of the tire, wherein a bonding surface of the sound-absorbing member is provided with a bonded region that is bonded to the inner surface of the tire and an unbonded region that is not bonded to the inner surface of the tire, and the bonded region is divided by the unbonded region into a plurality of divisions along the circumferential direction of the tire.

Claims (27)

1. A pneumatic tire provided with a ring-shaped tread section that extends in a circumferential direction of the tire, a pair of side wall sections disposed on both sides of the tread section, and a pair of bead sections disposed to the inside of the side wall sections with respect to a radial direction of the tire, a belt-shaped sound-absorbing member being bonded via an adhesive layer to an inner surface of the tire in a region corresponding to the tread section along the circumferential direction of the tire, the tire being characterized in that

a bonding surface of the sound-absorbing member is provided with a bonded region in which the sound-absorbing member is bonded to the inner surface of the tire and at least one unbonded region in which the sound-absorbing member is not bonded to the inner surface of the tire, and the bonded region is divided by the at least one unbonded region into a plurality of divisions along the circumferential direction of the tire, wherein the bonding surface of the sound absorbing member is in contact with the inner surface of the tire at the at least one unbonded region and wherein a profile of the at least one unbonded region and the bonded region of the bonding surface matches a profile of an inner surface of the sound-absorbing member opposite the bonding surface; wherein:

a volume of the sound-absorbing member is more than 20% of a volume of a cavity formed within the tire when the tire is mounted on a rim;

the sound-absorbing member comprises at least one cut-out section in at least one location along the circumferential direction of the tire; and

the at least one cut-out section and the at least one unbonded region are disposed at intervals around the circumferential direction of the tire, and, defining n as a total number of cut-out sections and unbonded regions, a reference angle α as 360°/n, and a tolerance angle β as 90°/n, an angle θ at which the at least one cut-out section and the at least one unbonded region are disposed satisfies a relationship α−β≥θ≥α+β.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the at least one unbonded region has a shape that overlaps an imaginary straight line orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the tire along an entire width of the sound-absorbing member.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein

the bonded region is divided by the at least one unbonded region into a plurality of divisions along a widthwise direction of the tire.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein

the sound-absorbing member is constituted by a single sound-absorbing member extending in the circumferential direction of the tire, the sound-absorbing member being of uniform thickness at least within a range corresponding to the bonding surface of the sound-absorbing member as seen in a cross-section orthogonal to a lengthwise direction thereof, and having a constant cross-sectional shape along the lengthwise direction.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the bonded region is divided by the at least one unbonded region into a plurality of divisions along a widthwise direction of the tire.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein

the sound-absorbing member is constituted by a single sound-absorbing member extending in the circumferential direction of the tire, the sound-absorbing member being of uniform thickness at least within a range corresponding to the bonding surface of the sound-absorbing member as seen in a cross-section orthogonal to a lengthwise direction thereof, and having a constant cross-sectional shape along the lengthwise direction.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the sound-absorbing member has a hardness of 60 to 170 N, and a tensile strength of 60 to 180 kPa.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein the adhesive layer is constituted by double-sided adhesive tape, and has a peeling adhesive strength in a range of 8 to 40 N/20 mm.

9. The pneumatic tire according to claim 8 , wherein the sound-absorbing member is constituted by a porous material containing open cells.

10. The pneumatic tire according to claim 9 , wherein the porous material is polyurethane foam.

11. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is constituted by double-sided adhesive tape, and has a peeling adhesive strength in a range of 8 to 40 N/20 mm.

12. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the sound-absorbing member is constituted by a porous material containing open cells.

13. The pneumatic tire according to claim 12 , wherein the porous material is polyurethane foam.

14. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between divisions of the bonded regions by the at least one unbonded region is from 10 to 80 mm.

15. A pneumatic tire provided with a ring-shaped tread section that extends in a circumferential direction of the tire, a pair of side wall sections disposed on both sides of the tread section, and a pair of bead sections disposed to the inside of the side wall sections with respect to a radial direction of the tire, a belt-shaped sound-absorbing member being bonded via an adhesive layer to an inner surface of the tire in a region corresponding to the tread section along the circumferential direction of the tire, the tire being characterized in that

a bonding surface of the sound-absorbing member is provided with a bonded region in which the sound-absorbing member is bonded to the inner surface of the tire and at least one unbonded region in which the sound-absorbing member is not bonded to the inner surface of the tire, and the bonded region is divided by the at least one unbonded region into a plurality of divisions along the circumferential direction of the tire, wherein the bonding surface of the sound absorbing member is in contact with the inner surface of the tire at the at least one unbonded region and wherein a profile of the at least one unbonded region and the bonded region of the bonding surface matches a profile of an inner surface of the sound-absorbing member opposite the bonding surface; wherein

the sound-absorbing member comprises at least one cut-out section in at least one location along the circumferential direction of the tire; and

at least one cut-out section and at least one unbonded region are disposed at intervals around the circumferential direction of the tire, and, defining n as a total number of cut-out sections and unbonded regions, a reference angle α as 360°/n, and a tolerance angle β as 90°/n, an angle θ at which the at least one cut-out section and the at least unbonded region are disposed satisfies a relationship α−β≥θ≥α+θ.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ADDRESS FOR ASSIGNEE Recorded Nov 18, 2023
From: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065626/0740 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2016
From: TANNO, ATSUSHI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 038660/0478 →