Tire with toroidal element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015083296-A1
Application number	US-201414487391-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 16, 2014
Priority date	Sep 24, 2013
Publication date	Mar 26, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tire includes a tread formed in a crown region of the tire and sidewall regions extending from the crown region to bead areas. The tire further includes a toroidal element extending across a crown region of the tire, and further extending along at least a portion of each sidewall region of the tire. The toroidal element has a central region located between inner and outer regions. The central region is more elastic than the inner and outer regions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tire having a crown region and a pair of sidewall regions, the tire comprising:
a pair of beads, including a first bead and a second bead; a body ply having a main portion which extends circumferentially about the tire from the first bead to the second bead, a first turned-up portion around the first bead, and a second turned-up portion around the second bead,
wherein the first turned-up portion has a first end in the crown region of the tire,
wherein the second turned-up portion has a second end in the crown region of the tire, and
wherein the first turned-up portion overlaps the second turned-up portion; a toroidal element,
wherein the toroidal element includes an outer region formed by the body ply turned-up portions, an inner region formed by the body ply main portion, and a central region formed by an inner rubber component located between the main portion of the body ply and the turned-up portions of the body ply,
wherein at least a portion of the central region has a greater elasticity than either the inner or outer regions,
wherein the toroidal element extends across the crown region of the tire, and
wherein the toroidal element extends along at least a portion of at least one sidewall region of the tire.

2 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein the central region of the toroidal element includes at least one high stiffness layer between a pair of lower stiffness layers.

3 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein the toroidal element extends from the first bead to the second bead.

4 . The tire of claim 1 , wherein the toroidal element has a thickness T and the inner and outer regions have a thickness T 1 and T 2 , respectively, wherein T is at least three times greater than T 1 , and wherein T is at least three times greater than T 2 .

5 . The tire of claim 4 , wherein T 1 =T 2 .

6 . A tire comprising:
a tread formed in a crown region of the tire; sidewall regions extending from the crown region to bead areas; a toroidal element extending across a crown region of the tire, and further extending along at least a portion of each sidewall region of the tire, the toroidal element having a central region located between inner and outer regions, wherein the central region is more elastic than the inner and outer regions.

7 . The tire of claim 6 , wherein the central region of the toroidal element includes a layer of rubber having a mechanical modulus in a range of 9.7×10 6 Pa to 2.8×10 7 Pa at 15% strain and a Shore A hardness in a range of 70 to 97.

8 . The tire of claim 6 , wherein the central region of the toroidal element includes a layer of rubber having a loss modulus (tan δ) in a range of 0.03 to 0.20 measured at 100° C., 7% deflection and 10 Hz.

9 . The tire of claim 6 , wherein the central region of the toroidal element is constructed of a resin material selected from the group consisting of Polyphenylsulfate, Polyetherimide, and an epoxy adhesive.

10 . The tire of claim 6 , wherein the central region of the toroidal element is a plurality of layers of non-reinforced resin tape.

11 . The tire of claim 6 , wherein each of the inner and outer regions of the toroidal element is formed of a reinforced resin material.

12 . The tire of claim 6 , wherein the toroidal element extends from a first bead area to a second bead area.

13 . The tire of claim 6 , further comprising a body ply,
wherein the body ply includes a main portion forming the inner region of the toroidal element, which extends circumferentially about the tire from a first bead area to a second bead area, wherein the body ply further includes a first turned-up portion and a second turned-up portion forming the outer region of the toroidal element, wherein the first turned-up portion has a first end in the crown region of the tire, wherein the second turned-up portion has a second end in the crown region of the tire, and wherein the first turned-up portion does not overlap the second turned-up portion, and at least one additional ply spans at least a portion of the crown region, partially overlapping the first and second turned-up ends.

14 . The tire of claim 6 , further comprising a body ply,
wherein the body ply includes a main portion forming the inner region of the toroidal element, which extends circumferentially about the tire from a first bead area to a second bead area, wherein the body ply further includes a first turned-up portion and a second turned-up portion forming the outer region of the toroidal element, and wherein the first turned-up portion at least partially overlaps the second turned-up portion.

15 . A non-pneumatic tire comprising:
a pair of bead regions; a tread formed in a crown region of the non-pneumatic tire; sidewall regions extending from the crown region to the bead regions; a toroidal element extending across a crown region of the non-pneumatic tire, and further extending along at least a portion of each sidewall region of the non-pneumatic tire, the toroidal element having a pair of inextensible plies with rubber disposed between the inextensible plies.

16 . The non-pneumatic tire of claim 15 , wherein the inextensible plies wrap around a first bead and a second bead in the pair of bead regions.

17 . The non-pneumatic tire of claim 15 , further comprising a belt disposed in the crown region of the non-pneumatic tire above the toroidal element.

18 . The non-pneumatic tire of claim 15 , wherein the toroidal element has a first thickness in a crown region, and a second thickness greater than the first thickness in a region outside the belt.

19 . The non-pneumatic tire of claim 15 , wherein the toroidal element has a first thickness in a crown region, and a second thickness less than the first thickness in a region outside the belt.

20 . The non-pneumatic tire of claim 15 , wherein the toroidal element extends from a first of the pair of bead regions to a second of the pair of bead regions.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Americas Tire

Inventors

• Asper Robert

Classifications

• B60C2017/0081

  comprising special reinforcing means in the crown area · CPC title

• B60C2017/0072

  Thickness · CPC title

• B60C2017/0063

  Modulus; Hardness; Loss modulus or "tangens delta" · CPC title

• B60C2009/1878

  with flat cushions or shear layers between the carcass and the belt · CPC title

• B60C17/0018

  two or more inserts in each sidewall portion · CPC title