IP Library Granted Patent US 10,857,841
Granted Patent B2
US 10,857,841 · App. 15/533,970 · Granted Dec 8, 2020

Pneumatic tire

Inventor: Shoei Kakuta (Hiratsuka, JP)
B60C13/02B60C9/1835B60C11/005B60C2009/2064B60C2011/0016B60C2011/0025B60C2013/006B60C2200/065
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,857,841
App. No.
15/533,970
Granted
Dec 8, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pneumatic tire includes a carcass layer, a belt layer disposed outward of the carcass layer, a tread rubber disposed outward of the belt layer in a tire radial direction, sidewall rubbers disposed outward of the carcass layer in a tire width direction, and protectors disposed in regions from tire ground contact edges to maximum tire width positions and protruding from tire profiles. The protectors have a rubber hardness Hs_p in a range of 50≤Hs_p≤60, an elongation at break Eb_p in a range of 500%≤Eb_p≤700%, and an elastic modulus E_p in a range of 3.4 MPa≤E_p≤7.0 MPa.

Claims (49)

1. A pneumatic tire comprising:

a carcass layer;

a belt layer disposed outward of the carcass layer in a radial direction, the belt layer being a laminate of from four to eight belt plies;

belt cushions inserted between end portions of the belt layer and the carcass layer;

belt edge cushions covering the end portions of the belt layer;

a tread rubber disposed outward of the belt layer in the radial direction;

a sidewall rubber disposed outward of the carcass layer in a tire width direction; and

a protector disposed in a region from a tire ground contact edge to a maximum tire width position and protruding from a tire profile;

the protector having a rubber hardness Hs_p ranging from 50 to 60, an elongation at break Eb_p ranging from 500% to 700%, an elastic modulus E_p ranging from 3.4 MPa to 7.0 MPa, and a maximum height H 1 of 25 mm or greater; and

the belt cushions having a rubber hardness Hs_b1 in a range of 52≤Hs_b1≤56, an elongation at break Eb_b1 in a range of 430%≤Eb_b1≤530% and an elastic modulus E_b1 in a ran e of 3.5≤MPa E_b1≤4.0 MPa.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the sidewall rubber and the protector are made from an identical rubber material.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2 , wherein the sidewall rubber and the protector are formed of an integrally molded single member.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3 , wherein a distance D 1 between an outer end portion of the protector in the radial direction and an outer end portion of the sidewall rubber in the radial direction on a tire surface is 5.0 mm or greater.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 4 , wherein a rubber member covering an edge portion of a belt ply constituting the belt layer is formed of a rubber material having lower heat build-up than heat build-up of the sidewall rubber.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 5 , wherein the height H 1 of the protector and a total tire width SW have a relationship of 0.01≤H 1 /SW≤0.06.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 6 , wherein a distance Hp from a measurement point of a rim diameter to the outer end portion of the protector in the radial direction and a tire cross-sectional height SH have a relationship of 0.70≤Hp/SH≤0.80.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 , wherein a shortest distance D 2 between the sidewall rubber and an edge portion of a widest belt ply constituting the belt layer is 10 mm or greater.

9. The pneumatic tire according to claim 8 , wherein the protector has a continuous annular structure in a tire circumferential direction.

10. The pneumatic tire according to claim 8 , wherein the protector is formed of a plurality of blocks aligned discontinuously in a tire circumferential direction.

11. The pneumatic tire according to claim 10 is a tire for construction vehicles.

12. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a distance D 1 between an outer end portion of the protector in the radial direction and an outer end portion of the sidewall rubber in the radial direction on a tire surface is 5.0 mm or greater.

13. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a rubber member covering an edge portion of a belt ply constituting the belt layer is formed of a rubber material having lower heat build-up than heat build-up of the sidewall rubber.

14. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the height H 1 of the protector and a total tire width SW have a relationship of 0.01≤H 1 /SW≤0.06.

15. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a distance Hp from a measurement point of a rim diameter to an outer end portion of the protector in the radial direction and a tire cross-sectional height SH have a relationship of 0.70≤Hp/SH≤0.80.

16. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a shortest distance D 2 between the sidewall rubber and an edge portion of a widest belt ply constituting the belt layer is 10 mm or greater.

17. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the protector has a continuous annular structure in a tire circumferential direction.

18. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the protector is formed of a plurality of blocks aligned discontinuously in a tire circumferential direction.

19. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 is a tire for construction vehicles.

20. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic modulus E_p ranges from 5.0 MPa to 7.0 MPa.

21. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the sidewall rubber is inserted and interposed between the tread rubber and the carcass layer.

22. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the protector has a modulus M_p at 100% elongation ranging from 1.5 MPa to 2.5 MPa.

23. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein:

the pneumatic tire is a construction vehicle tire;

the belt layer is formed by laminating four to eight belt plies formed from steel cords covered by a coating rubber and subjected to a rolling process; and

the height H 1 of the protector and a total tire width SW have a relationship of 0.02≤H 1 /SW≤0.06.

24. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the belt plies of the belt layer are formed from steel cords covered by a coating rubber and subjected to a rolling process.

25. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein a top of the protector in the radial direction does not extend beyond the maximum tire width position.

26. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the belt edge cushions have a rubber hardness Hs_b2 in a range of 55≤Hs_b2≤65, an elongation at break Eb_b2 in a range of 400%≤Eb_b2≤425% and an elastic modulus E_b2 in a range of 5.0 MPa≤E_b2≤13.0 MPa.

27. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 , wherein the sidewall rubber is inserted and interposed between the tread rubber, and the carcass layer and belt edge cushions.

28. A pneumatic tire comprising:

a carcass layer;

a belt layer disposed outward of the carcass layer in a radial direction, the belt layer being a laminate of from four to eight belt plies;

belt cushions inserted between end portions of the belt layer and the carcass layer;

belt edge cushions covering the end portions of the belt layer;

a tread rubber disposed outward of the belt layer in the radial direction;

a sidewall rubber disposed outward of the carcass layer in a tire width direction; and

a protector disposed in a region from a tire ground contact edge to a maximum tire width position and protruding from a tire profile;

the protector having a rubber hardness Hs_p ranging from 50 to 60, an elongation at break Eb_p ranging from 500% to 700%, an elastic modulus E_p ranging from 3.4 MPa to 7.0 MPa, and a maximum height H 1 of 25 mm or greater; and

the belt edge cushions having a rubber hardness Hs_b2 in a range of 55≤Hs_b2≤65, an elongation at break Eb_b2 in a range of 400%≤Eb_b2≤425% and an elastic modulus E_b2 in a range of 5.0 MPa≤E_b2≤13.0 MPa.

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 Jun 7, 2017
From: KAKUTA, SHOEI
To: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 042731/0692 →