Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC

Bridgestone/firestone Research, Inc.

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC

Bridgestone Corporation

Bridgestone/firestone, Inc.

Edward G Markow

Charles D Spragg

James M Kirby

Stephen M Vossberg

Russell W Koch

Thomas W Bell

A run-flat pneumatic tire assembly includes a pneumatic tire having an elastomeric casing and a tire cavity formed therein. A longitudinally-extending and approximately planar length of strip material is helically arranged within the tire cavity to pre-stress the length of strip material for usage of the pneumatic tire during under-inflated and non-inflated conditions. A method of making a run-flat pneumatic tire assembly is also included.

Run-flat pneumatic tire assembly and method

A laminate contains a composite, comprising a high melting point thermoplastic such as polyphenylene or epoxy and high modulus fibers such as carbon or graphite, which is encapsulated with a resin. A primer adheres the encapsulated composite to a rubber material such as a tire tread. Alternatively, an undertread layer adheres the tire tread to the primed encapsulated composite. The laminate can be used as a run flat belt in a tire.

Cured tire including encapsulated high modulus composite

A run flat pneumatic tire has a thin annular band embedded in the crown portion of the tire. The band is formed of a composite material such as tows of fiberglass and/or graphite material impregnated with a resin. The resin coated tows are wound about a mandrel having at least one concave recess to provide the band with an anticlastic shape with an arcuate cross section and a concave surface facing radially outwardly.

Run flat pneumatic tire and anticlastic band element therefor

A run flat pneumatic tire includes a thin annular band embedded in the crown portion of the tire wherein the band is formed with three distinct regions. Radially spaced inner and outer regions are formed of high modulus materials and a central region is formed of a material more elastic than the other two regions providing a band having high interlaminar shear strength. Reinforcing fibers are placed in various orientations in certain of the regions to enable various materials to achieve the required band stiffness for load carrying capability and the interlaminar shear strength at the central axis of the band.

Multi-region band element for run flat tire

A run flat pneumatic tire has a thin annular band embedded in the crown portion of the tire. The band is formed of a multilayer composite formed of wound layers of a material such as fiberglass and/or graphite impregnated with a resin. The band has a radial cross-sectional thickness with a neutral axis extending through the center in an axial direction. The radial thickness of the band decreases from an axial midpoint toward outer ends of the band to provide greater thickness in the center of the band to reduce interlaminar shear fatigue.

Pneumatic tire with variable thickness band element

A band element for mounting in the crown portion of a pneumatic tire to provide run flat ability to the tire in the event of loss of air pressure and to provide increased puncture resistance. The band is formed of flat strips of tape having fibers embedded in a resin matrix which are twisted and then pultrated to provide a rectangular cross sectional configuration. The twisted tape is wrapped about a mandrel and forms either the only layer, or the intermediate layer of a composite band in combination with inner and outer layers of flat tape or wound filament fibers, whereby the fibers in the tape extend across the central axis of the band to reduce interlaminar sheer. In another embodiment, a plurality of dimples or depressions are formed in the individual tape layers to extend a plurality of the fibers across the layer boundaries to reduce interlaminar sheer.

Band element for pneumatic tire and method of making same

A run flat pneumatic tire has a thin annular band embedded in a crown portion of the tire. The band preferably is a composite member formed of a plurality of layers elongated strip material providing the band with inner and outer annular axially extending surfaces terminating in a pair of outer end portions. Either one or both of the outer end portions are tapered toward the other end portion and toward a pair of end edges to reduce interlaminar shear. The end edges can be straight or rounded surfaces and the tapered outer end portions may be coated with fiber filled epoxy coating.

Band element for pneumatic tire

A pneumatic tire is reinforced by a thin annular composite band embedded in the crown portion of the tire to enable the tire to resist compressive forces in the tire when in an uninflated condition. The band is formed of a plurality of wound layers of first and second resin coated fiber tows wherein the first tow is formed of fibers twisted at a greater angle than the fibers in the second tow. Layers of the first tow are located adjacent the neutral axis of the band to provide interlaminar shear strength with the tow layers located adjacent the inner and outer surfaces of the band being formed predominately of the second tow to provide a high level circumferential stiffness. The intermediate tow layers are formed of both type of tows to provide a transition zone between the central interlaminar shear strength and the outer circumferential stiffness.

Run flat pneumatic tire and band element therefor

A method for building a run flat pneumatic tire by precoating a thin high strength annular band of material with a layer of rubber to form a rubber/band composite. The rubber coated band composite is at least partially cured and then assembled between a body ply carcass and a tread package in a usual second stage tire building machine. The band can be encased completely with the rubber or the rubber can be applied only to the outside surface, the inside surface or the end edges of the band or any combination thereof.

Band element and method for building same for a run flat banded tire

A run flat pneumatic tire includes a thin annular monolithic band embedded in the crown portion of the tire wherein the band has a helical cut extending between opposite band edges. The cut has an arcuate length between 45&deg; and 360&deg; and provides a circumferentially expandable band which enhances molding of the tire by enabling the band to expand during molding to minimize porosity and reduce entrapment of air between the band and tread rubber. Alternately, a pair of helically cut bands are joined by an intervening band of rubber and a reinforcing layer of reinforcing cords in a rubber skim may extend about the outer surface of the expandable band or bands.

Expandable band for run flat tire and method of making

A band element for mounting in the crown portion of a pneumatic tire to provide run flat ability to the tire in the event of loss of air pressure and to provide increased puncture resistance is formed of flat strips of tape having fibers embedded in a resin matrix which in one embodiment are twisted and then pultruded to provide a rectangular cross sectional configuration. The twisted tape is wrapped about a mandrel and forms either the only layer, or the intermediate layer of a composite band in combination with inner and outer layers of flat tape or wound filament fibers, whereby the fibers in the tape extend across the central axis of the band to reduce interlaminar sheer. In another embodiment, a plurality of dimples or depressions are formed in the individual tape layers to extend a plurality of the fibers across the layer boundaries to reduce interlaminar sheer.

Pneumatic tire with band element

Pneumatic tire with band element having tapered end portions

A run flat pneumatic tire is reinforced by a thin annular composite band imbedded in the crown portion of the tire in combination with a plurality of radial cords or plies in its sidewalls which have freedom in shear with respect to one another. The band is formed by a plurality of layers of material strips wherein each strip is wound in a helical pattern, with adjacent strips being wound at reverse angles to each other. Each layer is formed under sufficient pressure and at an elevated temperature whereby the band is prestressed in tension which decreases the maximum stress at the footprint area of the tire. The invention furthermore incorporates the method of imparting the prestress on the annular band during its manufacture.

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Jensen Beach, FL, United States of America

Edward G Markow