Reinforcing structure for a rubber article

A pneumatic tire comprising:

• a tread portion and a pair of integral sidewalls;
• and,
• a tread reinforcing structure positioned in the tire underneath said tread portion, comprising:
• an annular first belt reinforcement member having a cord construction such that a plurality of spaced adjacent cords thereof are parallel to each other and are disposed at an angle of +.alpha. degrees with respect to a midcircumferential centerplane of said tire;
• an annular second belt reinforcement member positioned radially outwardly of said first belt, said second belt having a cord construction such that a plurality of spaced adjacent cords thereof are parallel to each other and are disposed at an angle of -.alpha. degrees with respect to said midcircumferential centerplane of said tire;
• and
• an annular third belt reinforcement member positioned between said first and second belts and bonded thereto, said third belt having a cord construction such that a plurality of spaced adjacent cords thereof are parallel to each other and are disposed at an angle of 0.degree. with respect to said midcircumferential centerplane of the tire, said cords of said third belt being made from a material having a lower tensile strength than the material from which said cords of said first and second belts are made, said third ply has a lower tensile strength and is more extensible than said first and second plies, wherein said third belt increases the fatigue resistance of said structure and wherein said first and third belts are of approximately equal width, and said second belt is no wider than said first and third belts.

A reinforcing structure for a rubber article comprising:

• a first annular belt reinforcement member disposed in the article, said first belt having a cord construction including a plurality of spaced parallel cords, said cords being disposed at an angle between 5 degrees and 60 degrees with respect to a midcircumferential centerplane of the article;
• a second annular belt reinforcement member disposed in the article and positioned radially outwardly of said first belt, said second belt having a cord construction including a plurality of spaced parallel cords, said second belt cords being disposed at the same angle as, but in an opposite direction from, said first belt cords;
• and,
• a single third annular belt reinforcement member disposed in the article and positioned between said first and second belt members and bonded thereto, said third belt member having a cord construction with a plurality of spaced parallel cords which are disposed at an angle of 0.degree. with respect to said midcircumferential centerplane of the article, said cords of said third belt being made from a material having a lower tensile strength than the material from which the cords of said first and second belt members are made, said third ply has a lower tensile strength and is more extensible than said first and second plies, wherein said third belt member cooperates with said first and second belt members to increase the fatigue resistance of the structure.