Tire construction having a continuous body ply turn up structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469162-B1
Application number	US-201415038088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A pneumatic tire construction is provided using one or more folded body ply sheets constructed such that upon formation of the tire, the turn-ups in the sidewalls are looped turn-ups such that there are no free turn-up ends in the sidewalls.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic tire, comprising:
first and second sidewalls each having a bead portion;
a circumferential tread area extending between the sidewalls;
first and second beads located in the bead portions of the first and second sidewalls, respectively;
a first folded body ply sheet including two layers, the folded body ply sheet extending across the tread area, down through each sidewall such that the folded body ply sheet forms two body plies in each sidewall, around each of the beads, then back upward into each sidewall to form first and second looped turn-ups in the first and second sidewalls, respectively, such that there are no free turn-up ends of the first folded body ply sheet in the sidewalls; and
first and second inserts received in the looped turn-ups in the first and second sidewalls, respectively, such that a minimum loop radius greater than one-half of a thickness of one layer of the folded body ply sheet is maintained.

2. The tire of claim 1 , wherein:
the body ply sheet is constructed of a body ply skim material having reinforcing cords embedded in the skim material; and
the inserts are formed of the same material as the body ply skim material.

3. The tire of claim 1 , wherein:
the inserts are at least partially cured prior to placement in the looped turn-ups.

4. The tire of claim 1 , wherein:
the body ply sheet is constructed of a body ply skim material having reinforcing cords embedded in the skim material; and
the inserts are formed of an elastomeric material different from the skim material.

5. The tire of claim 1 , wherein:
the inserts have a circular cross-section.

6. The tire of claim 1 , wherein:
the inserts have a tapered cross-section.

7. The tire of claim 1 , wherein:
the minimum loop radius is greater than or equal to the thickness of one layer of the folded body ply sheet.

8. The tire of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the sidewalls is formed with an increased sidewall thickness adjacent the looped turn-ups, as compared to the sidewall thickness above and below the looped turn-ups.

9. The tire of claim 1 , further comprising:
a radially outer second folded body ply sheet forming two additional body plies in each sidewall axially outward of the first two body plies of each sidewall, and forming two additional looped turn-ups in the two sidewalls.

10. The tire of claim 9 , wherein:
the additional looped turn-ups extend to a lower turn-up height than the first and second looped turn-ups.

11. The tire of claim 10 , wherein:
the radially outer second folded body ply sheet has a width less than a width of the first folded body ply sheet prior to application of the folded body ply sheets to the tire.

12. The tire of claim 9 , wherein:
in the first sidewall the first looped turn-up extends to a higher turn-up height than the additional looped turn-up of the first sidewall; and
in the second sidewall the second looped turn-up extends to a lower turn-up height than the additional looped turn-up of the second sidewall.

13. The tire of claim 12 , wherein:
the folded body ply sheets are of equal width prior to application to the tire.

14. The tire of claim 9 , wherein:
the second folded body ply sheet extends around the first and second beads.

15. The tire of claim 9 , further comprising:
third and fourth beads located in the bead portions of the first and second sidewalls, respectively; and
wherein the second folded body ply sheet extends around the third and fourth beads but not around the first and second beads.

16. The tire of claim 1 , further comprising:
a single layer non-folded body ply sheet forming one additional body ply in each sidewall and forming a free turn-up end in each of the sidewalls.

17. A pneumatic tire, comprising:
first and second sidewalls including first and second sidewall bead portions, respectively;
a circumferential tread area extending between the sidewalls;
a lower folded body ply sheet extending across the tread area, down through each sidewall, then turning upward in each of the bead portions, then extending upward into each sidewall, such that the lower folded body ply sheet forms two axially inner body plies in each sidewall, and such that the lower folded body ply sheet forms a looped turn-up in each sidewall;
an upper folded body ply sheet extending across the tread area, down through each sidewall, then turning upward in each of the bead portions, then extending upward into each sidewall, such that the upper folded body ply sheet forms two axially outer body plies in each sidewall, and such that the upper folded body ply sheet forms another looped turn-up in each sidewall; and
an insert received in each of the looped turn-ups, the insert being sized to maintain a minimum loop radius greater than one-half of a thickness of one layer of the respective folded body ply sheet.

18. The tire of claim 17 , further comprising:
first and second beads located in the first and second sidewall bead portions, respectively;
wherein both the lower and upper folded body ply sheets each extend around the first and second beads; and
wherein the looped turn-ups of the lower folded body ply sheet are located axially outward of the looped turn-ups of the upper folded body ply sheet.

19. The tire of claim 18 , wherein:
the axially outer looped turn-ups of the lower folded body ply sheet extend to a higher turn-up height than the looped turn-ups of the upper folded body ply sheet.

20. The tire of claim 19 , wherein:
the upper folded body ply sheet has a width less than a width of the lower folded body ply sheet prior to application of the folded body ply sheets to the tire.

21. The tire of claim 17 , wherein:
the sidewalls each include a zone of increased sidewall thickness adjacent the looped turn-ups.

22. The tire of claim 17 , wherein:
each body ply sheet is constructed of a body ply skim material having reinforcing cords embedded in the skim material; and
the inserts are formed of the same material as the body ply skim material.

23. The tire of claim 17 , wherein:
the inserts are at least partially cured prior to placement in the looped turn-ups.

24. The tire of claim 17 , wherein:
each body ply sheet is constructed of a body ply skim material having reinforcing cords embedded in the skim material; and
the inserts are formed of an elastomeric material different from the skim material.

25. The tire of claim 17 , wherein:
the inserts have a circular cross-section.

26. The tire of claim 17 , wherein:
the inserts have a tapered cross-section.

27. The tire of claim 17 , wherein:
each minimum loop radius is greater than or equal to the thickness of one layer of the respective folded body ply sheet.

28. A pneumatic tire, comprising:
first and second sidewalls including first and second sidewall bead portions, respectively;
a circumferential tread area extending between the sidewalls;
a lower folded body ply sheet extending across the tread area, down through each sidewall, then turning upward in each of the bead portions, then extending upward into each sidewall, such that the lower folded body ply sheet forms two axially inner body plies in each sidewall, and such that the lower folded body ply sheet forms a looped turn-up in each sidewall;
an upper folded body ply sheet extending across the tread area, down through each

Assignees

• Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Llc

Inventors

• Givens Samuel O
• Dorfi Hans R
• Snyder Dennis W
• Varghese Anoop G
• Rethmel Benjamin R
• Steenwyk Brian D

Classifications

• B60C15/05

  multiple, i.e. with two or more cores in each bead · CPC title

• B60C9/08

  the cords extend transversely from bead to bead, i.e. radial ply (B60C9/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60C9/04

  the reinforcing cords of each carcass ply arranged in a substantially parallel relationship · CPC title

• B60C15/0045

  with ply turn-up up to the belt edges, i.e. folded around the bead core and extending to the belt edges · CPC title

• B60C13/009 Primary

  comprising additional bead cores in the sidewall · CPC title