Tire with tread containing electrically conductive staples

• US 6,220,319 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1998
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Reuter, René François
• Primary Examiner(s): Maki, Steven D.
• Application Number:
  US09/174,970
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 152/152.1, 152/209.5, 152/DIG.2, 152/210, 152/211, 152/212, 152/168, 152/169, 152/209.4, 156/114, 156/123, 156/124, 156/128.1, 156/128.6
• US Class Current: 152/152.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/526 the tread comprising means for discharging the electrostatic charge, e.g. conductive elements or portions having conductivity higher than the tread rubber
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/52 Unvulcanised treads, e.g. on used tyres; Retreading apparatus for forming treads by extrusion B29C48/00; apparatus for vulcanising treads B29C35/02; apparatus characterised by the means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 1/0016 Compositions of the tread
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/08 Electric-charge-dissipating arrangements

Abstract

The invention relates to a rubber tire composed of carbon black reinforced rubber carcass with an outer, circumferential rubber tread construction of a rubber composition having a relatively high electrical resistivity. The tire tread construction has electrically conductive filament stapled through the tread construction and extending between the inner surface of the tread to its outer surface. An electrically conductive path is thereby created through the tread.

Claims

1. A pneumatic tire composed of a carbon black reinforced rubber carcass having two individual sidewalls, and two spaced apart bead portions and a circumferential rubber tread juxtapositioned to said carcass of (a) a unitary rubber composition containing less than 20 phr of carbon black or of (b) a cap/base construction;

wherein said tread cap and/or tread base includes a rubber composition containing less than 20 phr of carbon black;

wherein the outer surface of the unitary tread, or tread cap, is designed to be ground-contacting, and wherein said rubber composition(s) have a high electrical resistivity as evidenced by the tire having an electrical resistivity of at least 20,000 mega-ohms according to Test WDK 110 in the absence of hereinafter provided stapled filaments;

characterized in that said tread has a plurality of unconnected, individual, electrically conductive, spaced apart, open loops of stapled filaments through said tread, and extending around the periphery of said tire, said loops of filaments having a segment extending over a portion of the inner surface of the tread and having their ends terminating at the outer surface of said tread to form an electrically conductive path from the inner surface of the tire and the tire carcass to the outer surface of the tread intended to ground-contacting;

wherein said tire having the stapled tread has an electrical resistivity in a range of about one ohm to about 10,000 mega-ohms according to Test WDK 110;

wherein said stapled filaments consist essentially of carbon fibers and are exclusive of metal wires.

2. The tire of claim 1 wherein the filament is a monofilament.

3. The tire of claim 1 wherein the said filament is a multiplicity of twisted filaments.

4. The tire of claim 1 wherein said tread is of a unitary rubber composition containing less than 20 phr of carbon black.

5. The tire of claim 1 wherein said tread is of a cap/base construction wherein said tread cap rubber composition contains less than 20 phr of carbon black.