The present invention discloses a pneumatic tire.

The pneumatic tire includes a bead portion and a rim flange provided outside the bead portion. The rim flange is made of a rubber resistant to ozone and fatigue and a hardness reinforcing rubber portion is interposed between the rim flange and the bead portion. The pneumatic tire of the present invention avoids a change in the physical properties of the flange rubber, ozone cracks caused by ozone present in the air, and fatigue cracks caused by frequent flexion and extension to achieve improved handling stability and straight ahead ability.

A knife for cutting a bead apex for a vehicle tire may include a blade having a first face with a first surface, a cutting edge located at an end of the first surface and positioned for engagement with the bead apex, and a plurality of serrations extending from the first surface of the blade.

A method and apparatus for forming an apex or an apex in combination with a bead, the method comprising the steps of: winding a strip of rubber onto a rotatable platen to form an apex, wherein the rotatable platen may further include a radially expandable bead chuck for supporting a bead. The rotatable platen may optionally include a nonstick coating such as titanium nitride and optionally include one or more radially oriented bars. The optional one or more radially oriented bars may be movable into a first position flush with the outer surface of the platen, and movable into a second position that preferably is nonflush and protrudes from the outer surface of the platen. The rotatable platen is further optionally retractable from the bead chuck to facilitate removal of the apex from the apparatus.

To solve problems of complication and malfunction of the device's structure, an increase in the process time, and malfunction caused by catching of a front end portion of a bead apex rubber.

A bead apex rubber forming method comprises a forming step P1, a connecting space opening step P2, a connecting space closing step P3, and a connecting step P4. In a rear closed state R of a molding chamber 11, the forming step P1 injects unvulcanized rubber G while a bead core A is being rotated, and forms a bead apex rubber B having a front end portion Bf. when the front end portion Bf approaches a rear shutter part 9, the connecting space opening step P2 removes a second lateral surface S2 together with the rear shutter part 9, and forms, between the front end portion Bf and a rear end portion Br, a connecting space J whose second side surface S2 side is opened. The connecting space closing step P3 closes the connecting space 3 by disposing a third lateral surface S3 extending between the rear end portion Br and the front end portion Bf. The connecting step P4 injects the unvulcanized rubber into the connecting space J closed, and connects between the rear end portion Br and the front end portion Bf integrally.

A system for stitching a bead apex includes an upper assembly including an upper elongated member, an upper arm coupled to the upper elongated member, and an upper stitching wheel coupled to the upper arm. The system also includes a lower assembly including a lower elongated member, a lower arm coupled to the lower elongated member, and a lower stitching wheel coupled to the lower arm. The upper assembly further includes a non-locking actuator coupled to the upper arm, wherein the non-locking actuator is configured to move the upper arm about the first pivot point to move the upper stitching wheel to an operative configuration, wherein the non-locking actuator is configured to permit movement of the upper stitching wheel in a Y-direction between at least a first position and a second position while in the operative configuration

A tire (1) has two annular beads, a toroidal body ply (2) which is wound about the two beads (3) to form two turn-ups, and two bead fillers (8). Each bead filler (8) contacts a bead (3) and is at least partly enclosed in a turn-up (4) of the body ply (2), and comprises an elastomer filler strip (9) which is wound about the bead (3) and is interposed between the bead (3) and the body ply (2) and has two opposite ends (10, 11) located on opposite sides of the bead (3) and contacting each other. An outer end (11) of the filler strip (9) of each bead filler (8) is folded into a U about the corresponding end of the body ply (2) so as to enclose the end of the body ply (2).

A device for manufacturing a multiple layer rubber strip including a first rubber strip and a second rubber strip, the device includes a first rubber extruder for extruding the first rubber strip, a second rubber extruder for extruding the second rubber strip, a first conveyor for conveying the first rubber strip extruded from the first extruder to a downstream side in a convey direction, and a second conveyor for conveying the second rubber strip extruded from the second extruder to a downstream side in the convey direction. The second conveyor is located upwardly of the first conveyor and has a downstream conveyor end which positions above a conveying surface of the first conveyor such that the second rubber strip delivered from the downstream conveyor end meets and overlaps the first rubber strip on the first conveyor at a joining location to form the single multiple layer rubber strip.

A system for handling a bead apex includes a first jaw having open and closed states, which is configured to engage a first surface of a bead apex in the closed state. The system further includes a second jaw having open and closed states, and a plurality of grippers coupled to the second jaw, wherein each of the plurality of grippers comprises a body. At least one of the plurality of grippers includes a pivot shoe rotatably attached to the body of the at least one of the plurality of grippers, wherein the pivot shoe is rotatable with respect to the body of the at least one of the plurality of grippers. The pivot shoe is configured to engage a second surface of the bead apex in the closed state of the second jaw.

A method and apparatus for forming an apex or an apex in combination with a bead, the method comprising the steps of: winding a strip of rubber onto a rotatable platen to form an apex, wherein the rotatable platen may further include a radially expandable bead chuck for supporting a bead. The rotatable platen may optionally include a nonstick coating such as titanium nitride and optionally include one or more radially oriented bars. The optional one or more radially oriented bars may be movable into a first position flush with the outer surface of the platen, and movable into a second position that preferably is nonflush and protrudes from the outer surface of the platen. The rotatable platen is further optionally retractable from the bead chuck to facilitate removal of the apex from the apparatus.

In one general aspect, the present disclosure provides a bead-apex assembly for a vehicle tire. The bead-apex assembly may include a bead with an outer diameter surface, and an apex with a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having an inner diameter located adjacent to the outer diameter surface of the bead, and the second layer having an inner diameter located adjacent to an outer diameter of the first layer.