Composite layer tire
AssigneeBridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorsAndrew V. HAIDET, Douglas B. COSTLOW
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A green tire includes a plurality of sheets of green rubber having a substantially circular shape, wherein each sheet of green rubber includes an upper ring and a lower ring, and each sheet of green rubber further includes a plurality of spoke portions extending from the upper ring to the lower ring. The green tire further includes a plurality of reinforcements. Each reinforcement is disposed between adjacent sheets of green rubber. At least one reinforcement is sandwiched between the upper rings of adjacent sheets of green rubber, and at least one reinforcement is sandwiched between the spoke portions of adjacent sheets of green rubber.
Claims20
A method of making a tire, the method comprising:
- forming a first sheet of polymeric material having a substantially circular shape,
- wherein the first sheet of polymeric material includes a first upper ring and a first lower ring, and
- wherein the first sheet of polymeric material further includes a first plurality of spoke portions extending from the first upper ring to the first lower ring;
- placing a reinforcement on the first sheet of polymeric material, including placing the reinforcement on at least a portion of the first upper ring;
- forming a second sheet of polymeric material having a substantially circular shape;
- placing the second sheet of polymeric material on the first sheet of polymeric material such that the reinforcement is sandwiched between the first sheet of polymeric material and the second sheet of polymeric material;
- and
- placing additional sheets of polymeric material having substantially circular shapes and placing additional reinforcements on the second sheet of polymeric material, until a tire is built having a predetermined width.
A green tire comprising:
- a plurality of sheets of green rubber having a substantially circular shape,
- wherein each sheet of green rubber includes an upper ring and a lower ring, and
- wherein each sheet of green rubber further includes a plurality of spoke portions extending from the upper ring to the lower ring;
- and
- a plurality of reinforcements, each reinforcement being disposed between adjacent sheets of green rubber,
- wherein at least one reinforcement is sandwiched between the upper rings of adjacent sheets of green rubber, and
- wherein at least one reinforcement is sandwiched between the spoke portions of adjacent sheets of green rubber.
A green tire comprising:
- a plurality of sheets of green rubber having a substantially circular shape,
- wherein each sheet of green rubber includes an upper ring and a lower ring, and
- wherein each sheet of green rubber further includes a plurality of spoke portions extending from the upper ring to the lower ring;
- and
- a plurality of reinforcements, each reinforcement being disposed between adjacent sheets of green rubber,
- wherein at least one reinforcement is sandwiched between the upper rings of adjacent sheets of green rubber, and
- wherein at least one reinforcement is sandwiched between the lower rings of adjacent sheets of green rubber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.