Tire with reinforced tread

• US 10,160,265 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation), Bridgestone Corporation
• Inventors: Givens, Samuel O., Snyder, Dennis W., Harris, Bradley J., Sawyer, Steven M., Kosmac, Kevin J., Parker, Jeffrey D., Uchiyama, Masataka, Shimizu, Nobuo, Shoun, Leonard M., Schreiner, Matthew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hug, Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/107,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20170021673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 1522094, 1522095, 1521542
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0681 Parts of pneumatic tyres; accessories, auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 1/0016 Compositions of the tread
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/00 Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0008 characterised by the tread rubber
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/005 with cap and base layers
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/1346 covered by a rubber different from the tread rubber
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2011/0016 Physical properties or dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2200/08 for agricultural vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/12 built-up with rubberised layers of discrete fibres or filaments

Abstract

A tire includes a circumferential tread constructed of a base material. The circumferential tread has a plurality of bars, each of the plurality of bars having a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces. The circumferential tread further has a plurality of valleys disposed between the plurality of bars. A reinforcement layer covers at least some of the plurality of valleys and an outer layer covers at least a portion of the reinforcement layer.

Claims

1. A tire comprising:

a pair of sidewalls;

a circumferential tread constructed of a base rubber, the circumferential tread having a plurality of bars and a plurality of valleys disposed between the plurality of bars;

a first fabric reinforcement layer disposed on the circumferential tread, such that the first fabric reinforcement layer covers the plurality of bars and the plurality of valleys, the first fabric reinforcement layer having a first color; and

a second fabric reinforcement layer disposed on the first fabric reinforcement layer, such that the second fabric reinforcement layer covers the first fabric reinforcement layer, the second fabric reinforcement layer having a second color different than the first color so as to facilitate visual detection of wear of the tire,

wherein at least one of the first and second fabric reinforcement layers has a hardness that is at least 10% greater than the hardness of the base rubber.

2. The tire of claim 1, wherein the first fabric reinforcement layer has a nominal thickness of between 1 millimeters and 10 millimeters.

3. The tire of claim 1, further comprising an outer layer disposed on the second fabric reinforcement layer.

4. The tire of claim 3, wherein the outer layer is constructed of the same material as the base rubber.

5. The tire of claim 3, wherein the outer layer is a polymeric laminate having a hardness greater than a hardness of the base rubber.

6. The tire of claim 1, wherein the first fabric reinforcement layer covers at least one of the pair of sidewalls.

7. The tire of claim 1, wherein the first fabric reinforcement layer has a greater hardness than the base rubber.

8. A tire, comprising:

a pair of sidewalls;

a circumferential tread constructed of a base rubber, the circumferential tread having a plurality of bars and a plurality of valleys disposed between the plurality of bars; and

a fabric reinforcement layer disposed on the circumferential tread, such that the fabric reinforcement layer covers the plurality of bars and the plurality of valleys,

wherein the fabric reinforcement layer has a hardness that is at least 10% greater than the hardness of the base rubber.

9. A tire comprising:

a circumferential tread constructed of a base material,

wherein the circumferential tread has a plurality of bars, each of the plurality of bars having a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces, and

wherein the circumferential tread further has a plurality of valleys disposed between the plurality of bars;

a first reinforcement layer covering at least some of the plurality of valleys, the first reinforcement layer having a first color;

a second reinforcement layer disposed on the first reinforcement layer, such that the second reinforcement layer covers the first reinforcement layer, the second reinforcement layer having a second color different than the first color so as to facilitate visual detection of wear of the tire; and

an outer layer covering at least a portion of the second reinforcement layer,

wherein at least one of the first and second fabric reinforcement layers has a hardness that is at least 10% greater than the hardness of the base material.

10. The tire of claim 9, wherein the first reinforcement layer covers at least some sidewalls of at least some of the plurality of bars.

11. The tire of claim 9, wherein the first reinforcement layer covers at least some of the top surfaces of at least some of the plurality of bars.

12. The tire of claim 9, wherein the first reinforcement layer has a greater hardness than the base material.

13. The tire of claim 9, wherein the outer layer covers the entire second reinforcement layer.

14. The tire of claim 9, wherein the tire is constructed by stitching the first reinforcement layer to a green tire.

15. The tire of claim 9, wherein the first reinforcement layer is a fabric reinforcement layer.

16. An agricultural tire comprising:

a pair of sidewalls;

a circumferential tread constructed of a base rubber,

wherein the circumferential tread has a plurality of bars, each of the plurality of bars having a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces, and

wherein the circumferential tread further has a plurality of valleys disposed between the plurality of bars;

a first reinforcement layer disposed on the circumferential tread, such that the first reinforcement layer covers at least a portion of the side surfaces of the plurality of bars and further covers the plurality of valleys, the first reinforcement layer having a first color;

a second reinforcement layer disposed on the first reinforcement layer, such that the second reinforcement layer covers the first reinforcement layer, the second reinforcement layer having a second color different than the first color so as to facilitate visual detection of wear of the tire; and

an outer layer disposed on at a least a portion of the second reinforcement layer,

wherein at least one of the first and second fabric reinforcement layers has a hardness that is at least 10% greater than the hardness of the base rubber.

17. The agricultural tire of claim 16, wherein the base rubber has a lower hardness than the first reinforcement layer.

18. The agricultural tire of claim 16, wherein the base rubber has a lower hardness than the outer layer.

19. The agricultural tire of claim 16, wherein the first reinforcement layer includes fabric cords.

20. The agricultural tire of claim 16, wherein the first reinforcement layer includes chopped fiber.