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 motor vehicle tire is reinforced by at least one carbon steel band that has a very low carbon content and high strength in the work-hardened state The carbon steel comprises (% by weight) between 0.05% and 0.4% of carbon, between 0.5% and 4% of manganese, between 0.1% and 2.5% of silicon, optionally (i) less than 1.5% of aluminium, (ii) less than 0.5% of each of the metals boron, chromium, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and zirconium, and (iii) less than 0.05% of each of the elements phosphorus, sulfur, nitrogen, or rare earth, and the rest is made up of iron and inevitable impurities resulting from the smelting. The microstructure of the work-hardened carbon steel is mainly martensitic or ferritic-martensitic. The strength, denoted Rm, of the strip is greater than 1200 MPa and its elongation at break, denoted At, is between 1% and 5%.

A motor vehicle tire is reinforced by at least one carbon steel band that has a very low carbon content and high strength in the work-hardened state The carbon steel comprises (% by weight) between 0.05% and 0.4% of carbon, between 0.5% and 4% of manganese, between 0.1% and 2.5% of silicon, optionally (i) less than 1.5% of aluminium, (ii) less than 0.5% of each of the metals boron, chromium, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and zirconium, and (iii) less than 0.05% of each of the elements phosphorus, sulfur, nitrogen, or rare earth, and the rest is made up of iron and inevitable impurities resulting from the smelting. The microstructure of the work-hardened carbon steel is mainly martensitic or ferritic-martensitic. The strength, denoted Rm, of the strip is greater than 1200 MPa and its elongation at break, denoted At, is between 1% and 5%.

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.