The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company

Bridgestone/firestone, Inc.

Thomas W Bell

Charles D Spragg

Louis W Shurman

William L Hergenrother

Georg G Bohm

James M Kirby

Edward G Markow

Lynn A Bryant

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.

Run flat banded pneumatic tire

A pneumatic passenger tire has an aspect ratio of greater than 50%, having bead portions with a height of not less than 30% of the tire section height, but no greater than the height of the maximum section width of the tire, and a pair of crescent-shaped sidewall inserts on either side of the belt package, disposed axially inward of the carcass structure, wherein the sidewall insert has a first inner end located at a position between 15% and 45% of height H of the bead portions, and a second outer end which extends to an axial position of not less than 40% of a half width of the outermost belt, as measured from the lateral edge of the belt toward an equatorial plane EP of the tire. The tire construction has sidewall insert is comprised of a sulfur-vulcanizable rubber compound having high compressive flex fatigue, high modulus and low hysterisis subsequent to vulcanization.

Pneumatic tire with sidewall inserts having specified extension

Coextrusion from rubber of hollow tubular structures with filament reinforcement provides composites which can be formed into spliceless bodies for pneumatic tires. The composites can be formed from one, two, three or more rubber stocks and have portions or layers which can form the body plies, sidewalls, innerliners, stabilizer ply inserts and, optionally, abrasion gum strips of tire bodies. Tires made from the bodies formed from coextruded composite structures of this invention are seamless and more uniform than those made from convention tire structural components.

Method for making coextruded seamless tubular tire bodies for use in

A polymeric paint applique is transferred from a substrate to the sidewall of a tire during the curing process. Upon curing, the bond between the tire and the applique is significantly greater than that between the substrate and the applique. The substrate may remain intact with the applique bonded to the tire sidewall until the tire is put into use, serving as a protective layer for the applique.

Process for making a tire having decorative applique

A pneumatic radial ply tire in which the body ply is formed of a low twist yarn having between three and six turns-per-inch. The body ply terminates in relatively low turn-up ends extending along the side walls a distance between 10% and 30% of the tire section height and out of the area of cyclic stress and oscillation in the side walls of the tire. A relatively high, wide and hard bead filler is located within a bead portion of the tire and has a height between 20% and 50% of the tire section height with a width of between 15% and 35% of the bead filler height. The bead filler has a hardness of between 75 and 98 on the Shore A scale. The ply yarn preferably is polyester and the individual low twist strands are arranged in a parallel relationship and is preferably free of transverse cross strands known as wefts or picks. The combination of low twist yarn, low turn-up body ply ends and bead filler size and hardness provides a tire having increased durability and uniformity at a lower cost.

Tire construction utilizing low-twist body ply yarn with low turn-up ends

A pneumatic radial ply tire in which the body ply is formed of a low twist yarn having between two and five turns-per-inch. The body ply terminates in relatively high turn-up ends extending along the side walls a distance between 35% and 65% of the tire section height and out of the area of cyclic stress and oscillation in the side walls of the tire. A relatively high, narrow and hard bead filler is located within a bead portion of the tire and has a height between 20% and 50% of the tire section height with a width of between 5% and 25% of the bead filler height. The bead filler has a hardness of between 75 and 98 on the Shore A scale. The ply yarn preferably is Nylon and the individual low twist strands are arranged in a parallel relationship and is preferably free of transverse cross strands known as wefts or picks. The combination of low twist yarn, high turn-up body ply ends and bead filler size and hardness provides a tire having increased durability and uniformity at a lower cost.

Growing community of inventors

Mogadore, OH, United States of America

Thomas W Bell