The disclosure provides a sling including a sleeve, a first eye formed by a first splice, and a second eye formed by a second splice. The sleeve includes braided strands and has a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion between. The sleeve also defines a hollow inner volume. The first splice is made by the first end portion extending into and along part of the hollow inner volume proximate the first eye. The second splice is made by the second end portion extending into and along part of the hollow inner volume proximate the second eye. A hollow load bearing portion is defined in the intermediate portion between the first splice and the second splice.

A suspension wire structure comprises a conductive wire, a plurality of supporting stranded wires and a protective layer. The conductive wire has a first strand made of a first material. The plurality of supporting stranded wires surround the conductive wire, and each of the supporting stranded wires has a plurality of supporting strands made of a second material. The protective layer covers the surface of the conductive wire and is located between the conductive wire and the plurality of supporting stranded wires. The plurality of supporting stranded wires and the protective layer are conductive, and the protective layer is made of a third material. The first material, the second material and the third material are different from each other.

A suspension wire structure comprises a conductive wire, a plurality of supporting stranded wires and a protective layer. The conductive wire has a first strand made of a first material. The plurality of supporting stranded wires surround the conductive wire, and each of the supporting stranded wires has a plurality of supporting strands made of a second material. The protective layer covers the surface of the conductive wire and is located between the conductive wire and the plurality of supporting stranded wires. The plurality of supporting stranded wires and the protective layer are conductive, and the protective layer is made of a third material. The first material, the second material and the third material are different from each other.

Disclosed are a metal wire, a manufacturing method therefor, and a tire. The metal wire is made by twisting a filament; an outer peripheral surface of the filament is covered with a Cu-M-Zn alloy coating; the outer peripheral surface of the filament is also covered with a Cu—Zn alloy coating; the metal wire is made of at least one filament; an area covered by the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 10%-90% of an area of the outer peripheral surface of the filament, and the rest is the Cu—Zn alloy coating; M in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is selected from one or two of Co, Ni, Mn, or Mo; the mass fraction of Cu in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 58%-72%, the mass fraction of M in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 0.5%-5%, and the balance in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is Zn and inevitable impurities.

Disclosed are a metal wire, a manufacturing method therefor, and a tire. The metal wire is made by twisting a filament; an outer peripheral surface of the filament is covered with a Cu-M-Zn alloy coating; the outer peripheral surface of the filament is also covered with a Cu—Zn alloy coating; the metal wire is made of at least one filament; an area covered by the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 10%-90% of an area of the outer peripheral surface of the filament, and the rest is the Cu—Zn alloy coating; M in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is selected from one or two of Co, Ni, Mn, or Mo; the mass fraction of Cu in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 58%-72%, the mass fraction of M in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 0.5%-5%, and the balance in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is Zn and inevitable impurities.

A steel cord for rubber reinforcement comprises a first group of core filaments (105) having a number of m and a second group of sheath filaments (110) having a number of n, m is three or four, the core filaments (105) are forming a helix, the core filaments (105) are not twisted together and being substantially parallel or the core filaments (105) have a twist pitch being more than 300 mm; the second group and the first group are twisted with each other, and the sheath filaments (110) are forming a flattened helix in the same direction of the helix of the core filaments (105), and the sheath filaments (110) have a cord twist pitch, at any cross-section of the steel cord, at least one interstice between two adjacent core filaments (105) is present. The steel cord has improved abrasion resistance and can contribute to the reduction of the weight of the tire.

A steel cord for rubber reinforcement comprises a first group of core filaments (105) having a number of m and a second group of sheath filaments (110) having a number of n, m is three or four, the core filaments (105) are forming a helix, the core filaments (105) are not twisted together and being substantially parallel or the core filaments (105) have a twist pitch being more than 300 mm; the second group and the first group are twisted with each other, and the sheath filaments (110) are forming a flattened helix in the same direction of the helix of the core filaments (105), and the sheath filaments (110) have a cord twist pitch, at any cross-section of the steel cord, at least one interstice between two adjacent core filaments (105) is present. The steel cord has improved abrasion resistance and can contribute to the reduction of the weight of the tire.

A method of producing an Al plated steel wire comprises a first step of continuously immersing a material steel wire formed of a steel core into a molten Al plating bath and then withdrawing the material steel wire to a gas phase space. The material steel wire plated with a plating metal is brought into contact with a contact member at the plating bath rising portion to produce the Al plated steel wire, the Al plated steel wire having an average diameter D.sub.A (mm) and a minimum diameter D.sub.MIN (mm) in the longitudinal direction of the wire satisfying the following expression (1)
(D.sub.AD.sub.MIN)/D.sub.A0.10,(1).
The Al plated steel wire is then wound.

A method of producing an Al plated steel wire comprises a first step of continuously immersing a material steel wire formed of a steel core into a molten Al plating bath and then withdrawing the material steel wire to a gas phase space. The material steel wire plated with a plating metal is brought into contact with a contact member at the plating bath rising portion to produce the Al plated steel wire, the Al plated steel wire having an average diameter D.sub.A (mm) and a minimum diameter D.sub.MIN (mm) in the longitudinal direction of the wire satisfying the following expression (1)
(D.sub.AD.sub.MIN)/D.sub.A0.10,(1).
The Al plated steel wire is then wound.

There is provided a steel cord including a steel wire and a plating layer that covers the steel wire and has Cu, Zn, and Co, wherein Cu and Zn are alloyed and a region covered with Co and a region not covered with Co are mixed on the outermost surface of the plating layer.