# US 10,369,845 B2 · Pneumatic tire

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- Number: US 10,369,845 B2
- Document ID: US10369845B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/434,357
- Filed: 2012-10-10
- Published: 2015-09-17
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-10-10
- Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Masatoshi Nagayoshi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369845B2

## CPC

- B60C 9/20: built-up from rubberised plies each having all cords arranged substantially parallel
- B60C 3/04: characterised by the relative dimensions of the section, e.g. low profile (B60C3/06 takes precedence)
- B60C 9/185: {between adjacent or radially below the belt plies}
- B60C 9/2006: {consisting of steel cord plies only}
- B60C 9/28: characterised by the belt or breaker dimensions or curvature relative to carcass (B60C9/30 takes precedence)
- B60C 11/0008: {characterised by the tread rubber}
- B60C 11/01: Shape of the shoulders between tread and sidewall, e.g. rounded, stepped or cantilevered
- B60C 11/04: in which the raised area of the pattern consists only of continuous circumferential ribs, e.g. zig-zag (B60C11/12, B60C11/13 take precedence)
- B60C 2009/2064: {Modulus; Hardness; Loss modulus or "tangens delta"}
- B60C 2009/2083: {Density in width direction}
- B60C 2009/209: {Tensile strength}
- B60C 2009/2242: {Modulus; Hardness; Loss modulus or "tangens delta"}
- B60C 2009/2261: {Modulus of the cords}
- B60C 2009/2266: {Density of the cords in width direction}
- B60C 2011/0016: {Physical properties or dimensions}
- B60C 2011/0025: {Modulus or tan delta}
- B60C 2011/0033: {Thickness of the tread}
- B60C 2011/0355: {characterised by depth}
- B60C 2200/06: for heavy duty vehicles
- B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES

## Abstract

A pneumatic tire is provided with a carcass layer, a belt layer disposed on the outer side of the carcass layer in a radial direction of the tire, and tread rubber disposed on the outer side of the belt layer in the radial direction of the tire. The belt layer is formed by layering a pair of cross belts having belt angles with absolute values from 10° to 45° inclusive and opposite signs, and a circumferential reinforcing layer having a belt angle within a range of ±5° with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire. A distance (Gcc) from a tread profile to an inner circumferential surface of the tire along a tire equatorial plane and a distance (Gsh) from a tread end (p) to the inner circumferential surface of the tire have a relationship such that 1.10≤Gsh/Gcc.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A pneumatic tire comprising: a carcass layer; a belt layer disposed on an outer side in a radial direction of the tire of the carcass layer; a tread rubber disposed on an outer side in the radial direction of the tire of the belt layer; at least three circumferential main grooves extending in a circumferential direction of the tire; and a plurality of land portions defined by the circumferential main grooves;
the belt layer being formed by layering a pair of cross belts having belt angles with absolute values of 10° to 45° inclusive and opposite signs, and a circumferential reinforcing layer having a belt angle within a range of ±5° with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire, the circumferential reinforcing layer being configured by belt cords formed from steel;
a distance Gcc from a tread profile to an inner circumferential surface of the tire along a tire equatorial plane and a distance Gsh from a tread edge to an inner circumferential surface of the tire having a relationship such that 1.25≤Gsh/Gcc;
defining an intersection between a vertical line drawn from the tread edge to the inner circumferential surface of the tire and a wider cross belt of the pair of cross belts as point Q1 and a base of a vertical line drawn from an outer end of the circumferential reinforcing layer with respect to a widthwise direction of the tire to the wider cross belt as point Q2, a distance Gs from point Q1 to the tread profile and a distance Ge from point Q2 to the tread profile having a relationship such that 1.00≤Gs/Ge;
defining point Q3 as an intersection between a groove centerline of a circumferential main groove nearest the tire equatorial plane and a belt ply out of steel cord belt plies constituting the belt layer that is located furthest outward in the radial direction of the tire as seen in a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tire, a groove depth Dc of the circumferential main groove nearest the tire equatorial plane and a distance Tc from the point Q3 to the tread profile have a relationship such that 1.30≤Tc/Dc≤1.55; and
defining point Q4 as an intersection between a vertical line drawn from an end portion of the circumferential reinforcing layer to the tread profile and a belt ply out of belt plies made of steel cord constituting the belt layer on an outermost side in the radial direction of the tire when viewed as a cross-section from a longitudinal direction of the tire, a groove depth De of the circumferential main groove on an outermost side in the widthwise direction of the tire and a distance Te from point Q4 to the tread profile have a relationship such that 1.35≤Te/De≤1.60;
wherein the pneumatic tire is a heavy duty tire with an aspect ratio of 70% or less.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a tread width TW and a width Ws of the circumferential reinforcing layer have a relationship such that 0.70≤Ws/TW≤0.90.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a width Wb2 of the wider cross belt of the pair of cross belts and a width Wca of the carcass layer have a relationship such that 0.74≤Wb2/Wca≤0.89.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein belt cords of the cross belts are steel wires, and have at least 18 ends per 50 mm and no more than 28 ends per 50 mm.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the belt layer has a large angle belt having a belt angle with an absolute value of 45° to 70° inclusive.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 5, wherein belt cords of the large angle belt are steel wires, and have at least 15 ends per 50 mm and no more than 25 ends per 50 mm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 5, wherein a width Wb1 of the large angle belt and a width Wb3 of a narrower cross belt of the pair of cross belts have a relationship such that 0.85≤Wb1/Wb3≤1.05.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the tread rubber has a hardness of 70 or less.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein belt cords of the circumferential reinforcing layer are steel wires, and have at least 17 ends per 50 mm and not more than 30 ends per 50 mm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein elongation is from 1.0% to 2.5% inclusive when a tensile load of belt cords as components that configure the circumferential reinforcing layer is from 100 N to 300 N.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein elongation is from 0.5% to 2.0% inclusive when a tensile load of belt cords as cured tire components that constitute the circumferential reinforcing layer is from 500 N to 1000 N.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential reinforcing layer is disposed further inward with respect to a tire widthwise direction than right and left edge portions of the narrower of the pair of cross belts, and the tire is provided with:
stress relief rubber disposed between the pair of cross belts and disposed to the outer side of the circumferential reinforcing layer with respect to the widthwise direction of the tire so as to be adjacent to the circumferential reinforcing layer; and
end portion relief rubber disposed between the pair of cross belts and disposed to the outer side of the stress relief rubber with respect to the widthwise direction of the tire at a position corresponding to edge portions of the pair of cross belts so as to be adjacent to the stress relief rubber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 12, wherein a modulus Ein at 100% elongation of the stress relief rubber and a modulus Eco at 100% elongation of coating rubber of the pair of cross belts have a relationship such that Ein<Eco.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 12, wherein the modulus Ein at 100% elongation of the stress relief rubber and the modulus Eco at 100% elongation of coating rubber of the pair of cross belts have a relationship such that 0.6≤Ein/Eco≤0.9.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 12, wherein the modulus Ein at 100% elongation of the stress relief rubber is in a range of 4.0 MPa≤Ein≤5.5 MPa.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential reinforcing layer is disposed further inward with respect to a tire widthwise direction than right and left edge portions of a narrower cross belt of the pair of cross belts; and
a width Wb3 of the narrower cross belt and a distance S from an edge portion of the circumferential reinforcing layer to an edge portion of the narrower cross belt are in a range of 0.03≤S/Wb3.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein 1.50≤Te/De≤1.60.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a difference between the relationships Te/De and Tc/Dc is 0.05 or more.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein 1.45≤Tc/Dc≤1.55 and 1.50≤Te/De≤1.60.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a tread width TW and a width Ws of the circumferential reinforcing layer have a relationship such that 0.70≤Ws/TW≤0.90, and the outer end of the circumferential reinforcing layer is located inside the circumferential main groove on the outermost side in the widthwise direction of the tire.
