Pneumatic tire and producing method thereof

• US 8,584,723 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Maki, Steven D
• Assistant Examiner(s): DYE, ROBERT C
• Application Number:
  US13/139,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20110240191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 152/209.2, 152/209.3, 152/526, 152/536, 152/538, 156/123
• US Class Current: 152/209.2
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/1642 by feeding cut-to-length pieces in a direction perpendicular to the core axis and in a plane parallel to the core axis, and placing the pieces side-by-side to form an annular element
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/165 by feeding cut-to-length pieces in a direction parallel to the core axis and placing the pieces side-by-side to form an annular element
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/38 Textile inserts, e.g. cord or canvas layers, for tyres making woven fabrics D03D; Treatment of inserts prior to building the tyre pretreatment of inserts B29B15/00; manufacture of layers comprising fibrous parallel reinforcements of substantial or continuous length B29C70/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0306 Patterns comprising block rows or discontinuous ribs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0318 irregular patterns with particular pitch sequence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2009/2016 comprising cords at an angle of 10 to 30 degrees to the circumferential direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2009/2035 built-up by narrow strips
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2009/2054 being different within the same ply
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2009/2087 with variable density in the same layer
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/023 built up from narrow strips, individual cords or filaments, e.g. using filament winding
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/20 built-up from rubberised plies each having all cords arranged substantially parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10765 Characterized by belt or breaker structure

Abstract

The present invention enhances noise performance and anti-uneven wear performance. A pneumatic tire 1 includes a belt layer 7 including at least one belt ply in which belt cords 15 are arranged at an angle of 10 to 40° with respect to a tire equator C. A tread pattern formed on a surface of the tread portion 2 includes a pitch line 22 in which at least two kinds of pattern-constituting units 21 having different pitches in a circumferential direction of the tire are arranged in the circumferential direction of the tire. The belt cords 15 are arranged relatively densely on an inner side of the pattern-constituting unit 21 having a small pitch, and relatively thinly on an inner side of the pattern-constituting unit 21 having a large pitch.

Claims

1. A pneumatic tire comprising a toroidal carcass extending from a tread portion to a bead core of a bead portion through a side wall portion, and a belt layer including at least one belt ply which is disposed on an outer side of the carcass in a radial direction of the tire and inside of the tread portion, in which belt cords are arranged at an angle of 10 to 40°

with respect to a tire equator, wherein

a tread pattern formed on a surface of the tread portion includes a pitch line in which at least two kinds of pattern-constituting units having different pitches in a circumferential direction of the tire are arranged in the circumferential direction of the tire, and

the belt cords are arranged relatively densely on an inner side of the pattern-constituting unit having a small pitch, and are arranged relatively thinly on an inner side of the pattern-constituting unit having a large pitch.

2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the pitch line is arranged on the tire equator.

3. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the pitch line is arranged on a side closest to a ground-contact end.

4. The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein the tread portion includes a tread pattern having a directivity in which a mounting direction thereof with respect to a vehicle is specified, and the pitch line is located on the outer side of the vehicle when the pneumatic tire is mounted to the vehicle.

5. The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pitch line is a block line in which the pattern-constituting units including one lateral groove and one block which is adjacent to the lateral groove on one side of the lateral groove in the circumferential direction of the tire are arranged.

6. The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pitch line is a land line in which the pattern-constituting units including one lug groove and one land portion sandwiched between the lug grooves are arranged.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a ratio (NL/NS) of an arranging density NL on an inner side of the pattern-constituting unit having the smallest pitch and an arranging density NS on an inner side of the pattern-constituting unit having the largest pitch is 1.20 to 2.00.

8. A producing method of the pneumatic tire according to claim 1, comprising

a green tire forming step of forming a non-vulcanized green tire using a core for forming an annular green tire, and

a vulcanizing step of vulcanizing the green tire by a vulcanizing mold having a forming surface in which the tread pattern is reversed, wherein

the green tire forming step includes a step of forming the belt ply while arranging, in a circumferential direction of the tire, at least two kinds of strip-like belt ply pieces having different arranging densities of the belt cords, and

in the vulcanizing step, a forming surface which forms the pattern-constituting unit having a large pitch on an outer side of the strip-like belt ply piece having a small arranging density, and a forming surface which forms the pattern-constituting unit having a small pitch on an outer side of the strip-like belt ply piece having a large arranging density are positioned and vulcanized.