# US 2014/0196826 A1 · Pneumatic Tire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196826 A1 - Document ID: US20140196826A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/238,180 - Filed: 2011-08-12 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-12 - Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hironori Kobayashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196826A1 ## CPC - B60C 9/18: Structure or arrangement of belts or breakers, crown-reinforcing or cushioning layers - 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 11/0332: {by the footprint-ground contacting area of the tyre tread} - 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 2009/2257: {Diameters of the cords; Linear density thereof} - B60C 2009/2266: {Density of the cords in width direction} - B60C 2200/02: for aircrafts - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES ## Abstract This pneumatic tire includes a belt layer including a pair of cross belts and a circumferential reinforcing layer disposed between the cross belts or disposed inward in the tire radial direction of the cross belts and that comprises a steel wire wound spirally at a slant within a ±5° range with respect to a tire circumferential direction, and a tread portion disposed outward in the tire radial direction of the belt layer and that contacts a road surface. The circumferential reinforcing layer has a width in the tire width direction that is not less than 60% and not more than 85% of a maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction of the ground contact patch of the tread portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pneumatic tire comprising: a belt layer including a pair of cross belts and a circumferential reinforcing layer disposed between the cross belts or disposed inward in the tire radial direction of the cross belts and that comprises a steel wire wound spirally at a slant within a ±5° range with respect to a tire circumferential direction, and a tread portion disposed outward in the tire radial direction of the belt layer and that contacts a road surface; wherein when assembled on a regular rim, inflated to a maximum air pressure of a regular inner pressure, provided with a camber angle of 0°, and subjected to 100% of a regular load, a form of a ground contact patch of the tread portion is such that 0.9≦LZ/LC≦1.0, where LC is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction on a tire equatorial plane and LZ is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction of an edge in a tire width direction of the circumferential reinforcing layer; and the circumferential reinforcing layer has a width in the tire width direction that is not less than 60% and not more than 85% of a maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction of the ground contact patch of the tread portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a form of the ground contact patch of the tread portion is such that 0.85≦L90/LC≦1.0, where L90 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 90% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, centered on the tire equatorial plane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a form of the ground contact patch of the tread portion is such that 0.90≦L50/LC≦1.0, where L50 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 50% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, centered on the tire equatorial plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a form of the ground contact patch of the tread portion is such that 0.95≦L98/L90≦1.05, where L90 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 90% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, from the tire equatorial plane; and L98 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 98% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, from the tire equatorial plane. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential reinforcing layer of the belt layer is disposed between the pair of cross belts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a nominal aspect ratio of the tire is not more than 70. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the steel wire is disposed with an end count of not less than 17 wires/50 mm and not more than 30 wires/50 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the steel wire is within a range of not less than 1.2 mm and not more than 2.2 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein the form of the ground contact patch of the tread portion is such that 0.90≦L50/LC≦1.0, where L50 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 50% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, from the tire equatorial plane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein the form of the ground contact patch of the tread portion is such that 0.95≦L98/L90≦1.05, where L90 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 90% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, from the tire equatorial plane; and L98 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 98% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, from the tire equatorial plane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein the circumferential reinforcing layer of the belt layer is disposed between the pair of cross belts. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein a nominal aspect ratio of the tire is not more than 70. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein the steel wire is disposed with an end count of not less than 17 wires/50 mm and not more than 30 wires/50 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, wherein a diameter of the steel wire is within a range of not less than 1.2 mm and not more than 2.2 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein the form of the ground contact patch of the tread portion is such that 0.95≦L98/L90≦1.05, where L90 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 90% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, from the tire equatorial plane; and L98 is a ground contact length in the tire circumferential direction at a location where the ground contact length is 98% of the maximum ground contact width in the tire width direction, from the tire equatorial plane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein the circumferential reinforcing layer of the belt layer is disposed between the pair of cross belts. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein a nominal aspect ratio of the tire is not more than 70. ### Claim 18 (depends on 3) The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein the steel wire is disposed with an end count of not less than 17 wires/50 mm and not more than 30 wires/50 mm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) The pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein a diameter of the steel wire is within a range of not less than 1.2 mm and not more than 2.2 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the pneumatic tire is a pneumatic tire for heavy duty.