Pirelli Coordinamento Pneumatici S.p.a.

Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.a.

Pirelli Tyre S.p.a.

Giancarlo Armellin

Peter Kronthaler

Thomas Zoller

Guido Riva

Guido Giancola

Claude A Hart

A tire for a vehicle wheel includes at least one metallic reinforcing cord comprising a single strand of elementary filaments preformed by sinusoidal waving and wound together. The number of filaments is greater than or equal to 3 and less than or equal to 8. A diameter of each filament is greater than or equal to 0.12 mm and less than or equal to 0.35 mm. A linear density of the at least one reinforcing cord is greater than or equal to 0.18 g/m and less than or equal to 4.0 g/m. A value of a breaking-stress integral of the at least one reinforcing cord is greater than or equal to 5,000 J/m. In a two-wheeled vehicle, the at least one reinforcing cord in a tire for front-mounting may be distributed with a variable density while, in a tire for rear-mounting, the density may be constant.

Tire for a vehicle wheel comprising at least one single strand metallic reinforcing cord

A method of making reinforcing elements for a vehicle tire includes laying down at least one continuous thread element on a support element of the tire according to a deposition path substantially concentric with a rotation axis of the tire. A tire for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure, a belt structure, a pair of sidewalls, a tread band, and reinforcing elements. The reinforcing elements include at least one continuous thread element formed into coils around a rotation axis of the tire. For the method and in the tire, the at least one continuous thread element is superposed on itself at a plurality of crossing points.

Method of making reinforcement elements for a vehicle tyre, and a tyre for a vehicle wheel

A method of building a tyre includes forming a carcass structure comprising at least one carcass ply, applying a belt structure at a radially external position with respect to the at feast one carcass ply, applying a pair of sidewalls at an axially external position with respect to side surfaces of the at least one carcass ply, applying a tread band to the belt structure at a radially external position of the belt structure, and applying annular stiffening inserts against the side surfaces of the at least one carcass ply before applying the sidewalls. Ends of the at least one carcass ply engage respective circumferentially inextensible annular anchoring structures. Each sidewall extends radially away from one of the annular anchoring structures. Each annular insert extends between one of the annular anchoring structures and a corresponding edge of the belt structure. A tyre for a two-wheeled vehicle is also disclosed.

Method of building a tyre and tyre for a two-wheeled vehicle

A method of forming a belt structure for a tire includes forming at least one laying layer of elastomer material on an outer surface of a support mandrel and helically winding up at least one continuous bare cord on the at least one laying layer to form a plurality of coils. The at least one laying layer is formed by laying down at least one first continuous strip element of elastomer material in a form of helical coils. The helical coils of the at least one first strip element are axially distributed on an outer surface of the support mandrel. The support mandrel is conformed in shape to an outer surface of a carcass structure of the tire. The coils of the at least one cord are disposed axially in side-by-side relationship. The tire may be a tire for a motorcycle.

Method of forming a belt structure in a tire, in particular for motorcycle wheels

A high-transverse-curvature tire ( ), in particular to be mounted on the front wheel of a motor-vehicle, which includes a belt structure ( ) including, in a radially external layer ( ), a plurality of circumferential coils ( ), axially arranged side by side, of a cord ( ) wound at a substantially zero angle with respect to the equatorial plane (X&mdash;X) of the tire. An area occupied by rubber blocks ( ) formed in a portion of the tread band ( ), having a length equal to the pitch (p) of the tread pattern and a width equal to the axial development of the tread band ( ), is between % and % of the total area of the portion.

High-transverse-curvature tire, in particular for use in front wheels of motor-vehicles

A method of manufacturing a high transverse-curvature motor-bike tire includes the steps of providing a carcass structure on a main assembly drum, providing at least one strip made of an elastomeric material incorporating a plurality of reinforcing cords on a comb-like drum, radially expanding radially-mobile sectors associated with the drum, circumferentially winding at least one inextensible cord on the at least one strip to form circumferential coils and to define a belt structure, circumferentially associating a tread around the belt structure, and associating the belt structure, together with the tread, around the carcass structure. The at least one cord is wound on the at least one strip at a substantially-null angle with respect to the equatorial plane of the drum according to a winding direction adapted to compression-stress, at least during initial winding, elastomeric material portions interposed between consecutive reinforcing cords incorporated in the at least one strip.

Method of manufacturing a high transverse-curvature motor-bike tire

A high transverse-curvature tire for two-wheeled vehicles includes a carcass structure, a belt structure, and tread. The carcass structure includes at least two superimposed plies provided with reinforcing cords. The belt structure includes radially-outer and radially-inner layers. Each ply's reinforcing cords are essentially parallel to other reinforcing cords of that ply and are oriented along directions inclined with respect to an equatorial plane of the tire. The reinforcing cords of at least two adjacent plies are oriented in opposite directions with respect to the equatorial plane. The carcass structure includes at least one first sheet, located between the at least two plies, made of an elastomeric material incorporating fibrous reinforcing fillers. The plurality of circumferential coils are distributed with a constant density throughout an axial development of the belt structure. The radially-inner layer includes at least one second sheet made of an elastomeric material incorporating fibrous reinforcing fillers.

High transverse-curvature tire for two-wheeled vehicles including specified belt structure

A front tire for two-wheeled vehicles comprising a carcass of toric form having a high transverse curvature and provided with a central crown and two sidewalls terminating in a pair of beads for anchoring to a corresponding mounting rim, a tread band located on the crown and a circumferentially-inextensible belt structure disposed between the carcass and tread band. The belt structure at a radially external position is comprised of a layer of cord coils substantially disposed at a zero angle to the equatorial plane of the tire in axial side-by-side relationship and extended from one axial extremity of the belt to the other axial extremity of the belt. The winding thickness of the cord coils increasingly grows from the equatorial plane to the belt axial extremities.

High-transverse-curvature tire, in particular for a two-wheeled vehicle

A pair of high-transverse-curvature tires for two-wheeled vehicles is provided, in which the belt structure of the rear tire comprises a layer of inextensible cords disposed at a substantially zero angle with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire whereas the belt structure of the front tire comprises at least one radially outer layer of inextensible cords disposed at a substantially zero angle with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire and distributed with an axially variable density. In the belt structure of the front tire the distribution density of the cords preferably continuously increases from the center to the belt ends, starting at the ends from a value of about 6 cords/cm at an area of a width included between 10% and 30% of the axial extension of the belt disposed on either side of the equatorial plane.

Pair of high-transverse-curvature tires for two-wheeled vehicles having different belt structures and method of controlling the behavior of such vehicles on a bend

A high transverse-curvature tire for two-wheeled vehicles includes a carcass structure, a belt structure, and a tread. The carcass structure includes at least two superimposed plies provided with reinforcing cords. The belt structure includes radially-outer and radially-inner layers. The reinforcing cords of each ply are essentially parallel to other reinforcing cords of that ply and are oriented along directions inclined with respect to an equatorial plane of the tire. The reinforcing cords of at least two adjacent superimposed plies are oriented in opposite directions with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire. The carcass structure includes at least one first sheet, located between the at least two superimposed plies, made of an elastomeric material incorporating fibrous reinforcing fillers. The radially-inner layer includes at least one second sheet made of an elastomeric material incorporating fibrous reinforcing fillers.

A high transverse-curvature tire for two wheeled-vehicles comprises a carcass structure, a belt structure including radially-inner and radially-outer layers, and a tread. The radially-inner layer comprises at least one strip made of an elastomeric material incorporating a plurality of reinforcing cords essentially parallel to one another and oriented along directions inclined with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire. The radially-outer layer includes a plurality of circumferential coils, axially arranged side-by-side, of at least one circumferentially-inextensible cord wound at a substantially null angle with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire according to a winding direction adapted to compression-stress elastomeric material portions interposed between consecutive reinforcing cords incorporated in the at least one strip of the radially-inner layer.

High transverse-curvature motor-bike tire

A high-transverse-curvature tire (,), in particular for mounting onto the rear wheel of motor-vehicles, comprises a tread band (,), coaxially extended around a belt structure (,), wherein a plurality of rubber blocks (,), defined between a plurality of grooves (,) extending along a direction substantially transverse to the tire running direction (D), are formed which grooves comprise a bottom (,) connected to opposite inlet (,) and outlet (,) sidewalls. In an equatorial zone (E) of the tread band (,), the inlet wall (,) of the grooves (,) is inclined with respect to the bottom (,) of the same towards the tire rolling direction, and forms an angle (&agr;) of from,&deg; to,&deg; with respect to a plane (&pgr;) tangent to the bottom (,).

High-transverse-curvature tire, in particular for use in rear wheels of motor-vehicles

A tire for two-wheeled vehicles is described, said tire having a transverse curvature coefficient with a value of not less than 0.15, comprising a torus-shaped carcass having structural means which allow improvements in the handling of the vehicle, while leaving unchanged the other performance characteristics, in particular the comfort. These structural means consist in at least one ply of a rubberized fabric provided with textile cords having a count of between 420/2 and 840/2 dtex and a modulus of elasticity of between 100,000 MPa/cm and 200,000 MPa/cm. Preferably the carcass comprises a pair of these rubberized fabric plies reinforced with PEN cords.

Tyre with high transverse curvature coefficient in particular for a two-wheeled vehicle

A high-transverse-curvature tire (1), in particular to be mounted on the front wheel of a motor-vehicle, comprises a belt structure (6) including, in a radially external layer (9a), a plurality of circumferential coils (7a), axially arranged side by side, of a cord (7) wound at a substantially zero angle with respect to the equatorial plane (X--X) of the tire. The area occupied by rubber blocks (10) formed in a portion of the tread band (8) having a length equal to the pitch (p) of the tread pattern and a width equal to the axial development of the tread band (8), is between 70% and 90% of the total area of said portion.

High-transverse-curvature tire, in particular for front wheels of

A pair of high-transverse-curvature tires for two-wheeled vehicles is provided, in which the belt structure of the rear tire comprises a layer of inextensible cords disposed at a substantially zero angle with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire, preferably wound on a sheet of elastomeric material reinforced with aramid pulp, whereas the belt structure of the front tire comprises at least one radially outer layer of inextensible cords disposed at a substantially zero angle with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire and distributed with an axially variable density, and preferably another reinforcing layer at a radially underlying position. The zero-degree cords preferably are metallic cords of the high-elongation type, made of high-carbon steel. In the belt structure of the front tire the distribution density of the cords preferably continuously increases from the center to the belt ends, starting at the ends from a value of about 6 cords/cm at an area of a width included between 10% and 30% of the axial extension of the belt disposed on either side of the equatorial plane.

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Nova Milanese, Italy

Giancarlo Armellin