Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

Michelin Recherche Et Technique

William Bennett Clayton

Daniel McEachern Hicks

Zachary Alexander Merrill

Calvin Rhett Bradley

Lawrence O Williamson

Wayne Carl Yount

Dave Michael McKibben

Timothy Brett Rhyne

Joseph A Stain

Paul Andrew Mayni

Brian P Gannon

Susan Marie Nelson

Maxime Rolland

Mike Andrews

Lawrence Otis Williamson

A tire constructed with a plurality of reinforcement belts is provided. At least one of the reinforcement belts extends along the axial width of the tire summit and is constructed according to an equilibrium curve that is flat throughout the summit. The reinforcement belts include cable reinforcements that are substantially parallel to the equatorial plane. Substantial reductions in the tension experienced by the cables can be achieved to provide, as a result, improvements in e.g., tread wear.

Tire construction with flattened summit and circumferential reinforcement

A tire is provided having a body ply that is displaced from the conventional equilibrium curve along the shoulder and upper side wall region of the tire in a manner that provides more uniform inflation growth along the crown region so as to reduce differences in rigidity between the center and shoulders of the tire, reduce load sensitivity, and/or decrease the propensity for cracking. A method for designing or constructing such a tire is also provided.

Body ply shape for a tire

The subject matter of the present invention relates generally to a vehicle that has axles with tires mounted thereon with at least one axle that is a lift axle, and more specifically, to a method that optimizes the effective tire rolling resistance by adjusting the load on the tires, resulting in an improvement in the fuel economy of the vehicle. According to one embodiment, the method takes into consideration the rolling resistance characteristics of the tires placed onto the axles of the vehicle and provides an algorithm for optimizing their rolling resistance by raising or lowering the lift axle.

Vehicle fuel economy by optimizing effective tire rolling resistance

A system is provided for automatically adjusting the air pressure of a tire based on variations in loading to improve tread wear. For a particular loading of the tire, the system provides for the determination of a preferred air pressure setting designed to minimize tread wear. This preferred air pressure, P, is determined from an analysis of the longitudinal stresses that occur within the contact patch of the tread.

Tire air pressure optimization system for improving tread wear

Vehicle fuel economy by optimizing effective rolling tire resistance

Tire tread

Growing community of inventors

Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

William Bennett Clayton