A belt containing steel cords, the steel cords containing strands made of steel filaments wherein the largest diameter filaments are at least intermittently positioned at the radially outer side of the steel cord. Such a configuration can be obtained by using steel cord constructions wherein the thickest filaments are positioned outside of the steel cord which is contrary to the current practice. In a further embodiment the largest diameter filaments fill up some or all of the valleys of the strands at their radially outer side. These monofilaments thus have the same lay length and direction as the strands in the steel cord. The advantage of putting the largest filaments at the outside is that they will break first and thus will be readily detectable by electrical, magnetic or visual means. In this way a belt is provided that can be monitored easier and more conveniently than prior art belts.

A belt containing steel cords, the steel cords containing strands made of steel filaments wherein the largest diameter filaments are at least intermittently positioned at the radially outer side of the steel cord. Such a configuration can be obtained by using steel cord constructions wherein the thickest filaments are positioned outside of the steel cord which is contrary to the current practice. In a further embodiment the largest diameter filaments fill up some or all of the valleys of the strands at their radially outer side. These monofilaments thus have the same lay length and direction as the strands in the steel cord. The advantage of putting the largest filaments at the outside is that they will break first and thus will be readily detectable by electrical, magnetic or visual means. In this way a belt is provided that can be monitored easier and more conveniently than prior art belts.

A steel cord for the reinforcement of elastomer products such as elevator belts, conveyor belts, synchronous or timing belts or hoses or tyres is presented. The steel cord comprises strands and monofilaments made of steel filaments. The strands themselves are also made of steel filaments twisted together. The strands form the outer layer of the steel cord. The monofilaments are twisted into the cord with the same lay length and direction as the strands and are positioned in the valleys between the strands on the radial outer side of the steel cord. The steel cord has the advantage that it has a better fill factor and a rounder aspect. Furthermore the monofilaments may act as an early wear indicator of the elastomer product.

A steel cord for the reinforcement of elastomer products such as elevator belts, conveyor belts, synchronous or timing belts or hoses or tyres is presented. The steel cord comprises strands and monofilaments made of steel filaments. The strands themselves are also made of steel filaments twisted together. The strands form the outer layer of the steel cord. The monofilaments are twisted into the cord with the same lay length and direction as the strands and are positioned in the valleys between the strands on the radial outer side of the steel cord. The steel cord has the advantage that it has a better fill factor and a rounder aspect. Furthermore the monofilaments may act as an early wear indicator of the elastomer product.

A steel cord containing a core layer and an sheath layer, the core layer containing a plurality of core wires with a number of n and the sheath layer comprises a plurality of sheath wires with a number of m, and the steel cord has a flat cross-section with a major axis and a minor axis, the flat cross-section has a flat ratio being the ratio of the length of the major axis and the length of the minor axis, the flat ratio is more than 1.2, the steel cord has a breaking load being BL.sub.cord, the core wires and the sheath wires have a sum breaking load being Sum BL.sub.wires when the core wires and the sheath wires are un-twisted from the steel cord, BL.sub.cord and Sum BL.sub.wires satisfies the following formula: BL.sub.cord/Sum BL.sub.wires >96%. The steel cord has higher breaking load.

A steel cord containing a core layer and an sheath layer, the core layer containing a plurality of core wires with a number of n and the sheath layer comprises a plurality of sheath wires with a number of m, and the steel cord has a flat cross-section with a major axis and a minor axis, the flat cross-section has a flat ratio being the ratio of the length of the major axis and the length of the minor axis, the flat ratio is more than 1.2, the steel cord has a breaking load being BL.sub.cord, the core wires and the sheath wires have a sum breaking load being Sum BL.sub.wires when the core wires and the sheath wires are un-twisted from the steel cord, BL.sub.cord and Sum BL.sub.wires satisfies the following formula: BL.sub.cord/Sum BL.sub.wires >96%. The steel cord has higher breaking load.

Rubber article-reinforcing steel cord in which corrosion resistance is improved without an increase in weight. In a rubber article-reinforcing steel cord (1), plural sheath strands (3) each formed by twisting together plural steel filaments are twisted together around at least one core strand (2) formed by twisting together plural steel filaments. Core strand (2) and sheath strands (3) are each formed by twisting together one or two core filaments (2c) and (3c) and plural sheath filaments (2s) and (3s), respectively, and a relationship represented by the following Formula (1) is satisfied when a wire diameter of core filament(s) (2c) of core strand (2), a wire diameter of sheath filaments (2s), a wire diameter of core filaments (3c) of sheath strands (3), and a wire diameter of sheath filaments (3s) are defined as dcc, dcs, dsc and dss, respectively: dcc>dcsdsc>dss (1).

Rubber article-reinforcing steel cord in which corrosion resistance is improved without an increase in weight. In a rubber article-reinforcing steel cord (1), plural sheath strands (3) each formed by twisting together plural steel filaments are twisted together around at least one core strand (2) formed by twisting together plural steel filaments. Core strand (2) and sheath strands (3) are each formed by twisting together one or two core filaments (2c) and (3c) and plural sheath filaments (2s) and (3s), respectively, and a relationship represented by the following Formula (1) is satisfied when a wire diameter of core filament(s) (2c) of core strand (2), a wire diameter of sheath filaments (2s), a wire diameter of core filaments (3c) of sheath strands (3), and a wire diameter of sheath filaments (3s) are defined as dcc, dcs, dsc and dss, respectively: dcc>dcsdsc>dss (1).

A cord (50) comprises: an internal strand (TI) comprising an internal layer (C1), and an external layer (C3); and L>1 external strands (TE) comprising an internal layer (C1) of Q=1 internal wire (F1), an intermediate layer (C2) of M intermediate wires (F2) wound around the internal layer (C1) with a pitch p2, and an external layer (C3) of N external wires (F3) wound around the intermediate layer (C2) with a pitch p3. The external layer (CE) of the cord is wound around the internal layer (CI) of the cord in a direction of winding of the cord (50). Each external layer (C3, C3) of each internal and external strand (TI, TE) is wound in the same direction of winding that is the opposite to the direction of winding of the cord (50). The external layer (CE) of the cord (50) is desaturated, and 0.36(p3p2)/p30.57.

A cord (50) comprises: an internal strand (TI) comprising an internal layer (C1), and an external layer (C3); and L>1 external strands (TE) comprising an internal layer (C1) of Q=1 internal wire (F1), an intermediate layer (C2) of M intermediate wires (F2) wound around the internal layer (C1) with a pitch p2, and an external layer (C3) of N external wires (F3) wound around the intermediate layer (C2) with a pitch p3. The external layer (CE) of the cord is wound around the internal layer (CI) of the cord in a direction of winding of the cord (50). Each external layer (C3, C3) of each internal and external strand (TI, TE) is wound in the same direction of winding that is the opposite to the direction of winding of the cord (50). The external layer (CE) of the cord (50) is desaturated, and 0.36(p3p2)/p30.57.