PNEUMATIC TIRE FOR PASSENGER VEHICLE
20170225513 · 2017-08-10
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
B60C9/185
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C2009/2038
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C2009/2032
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C2009/2012
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C9/2009
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C2009/1842
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C9/18
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C15/06
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C2009/2016
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C9/20
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60C2009/2019
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
B60C9/20
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
The pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle includes on a tread portion a main belt formed of at least two inclined belt layers formed of a rubberized layer of cords extending in a manner inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction, and a reinforcing belt formed of at least one circumferential belt layer formed of a rubberized layer of cords extending along the tire circumferential direction, the reinforcing belt arranged on a tire radial outer side of the main belt, the main belt and the reinforcing belt arranged spanning from a tire equatorial plain of the tread portion to shoulder portion sides, wherein a thickness between the cords of two of the inclined belt layers adjacent to each other is larger in the shoulder portions than in a central portion of the tread portion.
Claims
1. A pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle, comprising on a tread portion a main belt formed of at least two inclined belt layers formed of a rubberized layer of cords extending in a manner inclined with respect to a tire circumferential direction, and a reinforcing belt formed of at least one circumferential belt layer formed of a rubberized layer of cords extending along the tire circumferential direction, the reinforcing belt arranged on a tire radial outer side of the main belt, the main belt and the reinforcing belt arranged spanning from a tire equatorial plain of the tread portion to shoulder portion sides, wherein a thickness between the cords of two of the inclined belt layers adjacent to each other is larger in the shoulder portions than in a central portion of the tread portion.
2. The pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the two inclined belt layers adjacent to each other have regions R on the shoulder portions on both tire widthwise sides, in which the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers in the shoulder portions is 0.6 mm or more larger than a minimum value of the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers in the central portion, and a total width of the regions R is 10% to 50% with respect to a width of an overlapping range in which the two inclined belt layers overlap each other.
3. The pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers adjacent to each other in the central portion has a minimum value of 0.8 mm or less.
4. The pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the tensile rigidity of the reinforcing belt is larger in the reinforcing belt located on a portion, in which the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers adjacent to each other is larger than the central portion, than the reinforcing belt located on the central portion.
5. The pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers adjacent to each other in the central portion has a minimum value of 0.8 mm or less.
6. The pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the tensile rigidity of the reinforcing belt is larger in the reinforcing belt located on a portion, in which the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers adjacent to each other is larger than the central portion, than the reinforcing belt located on the central portion.
7. The pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the tensile rigidity of the reinforcing belt is larger in the reinforcing belt located on a portion, in which the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers adjacent to each other is larger than the central portion, than the reinforcing belt located on the central portion.
8. The pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the tensile rigidity of the reinforcing belt is larger in the reinforcing belt located on a portion, in which the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers adjacent to each other is larger than the central portion, than the reinforcing belt located on the central portion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025]
[0026]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of this disclosure will be described based on the drawings.
[0028]
[0029] As illustrated in
[0030] As illustrated in
[0031] As illustrated in the enlarged cross-sectional view in the tread portion 4 of
[0032] As illustrated in
[0033] In the present embodiment, the reinforcing belt 6 has one circumferential belt layer (hereinafter referred to as “the first circumferential belt layer” as well) 61 arranged spanning from the tire equatorial plain CL of the tread portion 4 to the shoulder portion 4s sides. Moreover, in addition to the first circumferential belt layer 61, the reinforcing belt 6 has a pair of circumferential belt layers (hereinafter referred to as “the second circumferential belt layers”) 62, which are arranged on the tire radial outer sides of the first circumferential belt layer 61, on the shoulder portions 4s on both tire widthwise sides of the tread portion 4, in a manner separated from each other in the tire width direction. Therefore, in the present embodiment, there are two circumferential belt layers 60 of the reinforcing belt 6 in the shoulder portions 4s, and one in the central portion 4c. Moreover, the second circumferential belt layers 62 is arranged on the tire radial outer side of the first circumferential belt layer 61, but may be arranged on the tire radial inner side of the first circumferential belt layer 61 as well.
[0034] As illustrated in
[0035] In the present embodiment, among the main belt 5 and the reinforcing belt 6, the thickness between cords of an inclined belt layer 50 and a circumferential belt layer 60 adjacent to each other (the second inclined belt layer 52 and the first circumferential belt layer 61 in the drawing) may be set constant in the entire tire width direction. Here, the “thickness between the cords” refers to a length in the tire widthwise cross-sectional view, measured from the tire radial outer side edges of the cords of the inclined belt layers 50 to the tire radial inner side edge of the circumferential belt layer 60, along the direction perpendicular to the inclined belt layers 50.
[0036] The material of the cords of the main belt 5 is preferably steel cord, without being limited thereto. Moreover, the material of the cords of the reinforcing belt 6 is preferably cords formed of organic fibers, which may be cords formed of organic fibers such as nylon and the like, hybrid cords of aramid and nylon, etc., without being limited thereto. Here, in the present embodiment, each inclined belt layer 50 for forming the main belt 5 uses the same belt plies, and similarly, each circumferential belt layer 60 for forming the reinforcing belt 6 use the same belt plies, but different belt plies may also be used for forming the layers.
[0037] Here, the effect of the tire 1 of the present embodiment is described below.
[0038] For example, in a conventional tire, in which the thickness between cords of two inclined belt layers adjacent to each other is constant from the central portion to the shoulder portions of the tread portion, there was a tendency of load dependence that the cornering force varies depending on the load, in particular, the cornering force is increased at high load. Then, having intensively studied methods for reducing the load dependence of cornering force, we discovered the following reasons for occurrence of the load dependence of cornering force. That is, the footprint area of the tire to the road surface at high load is larger than the footprint area of the tire at low load, and thus a larger cornering force is transferred between the road surface and the tire. In order to reduce the cornering force at high load, it is necessary to reduce the in-surface flexural rigidity of the belt portion, while there was a risk that if the rigidity of the belt portion is reduced, the cornering force at low load would be greatly reduced as well.
[0039] Then, in this disclosure, as illustrated in
[0040] Here, in this disclosure, it is possible to achieve reduction of the load dependence of cornering force via a simple method, which is to comparatively increase the thickness t between the cords of the inclined belt layers 50 in the shoulder portions 4s. Therefore, it is unnecessary to greatly vary the structure of the tire 1 except for the main belt 5. Further, it is possible to comparatively reduce the shear stress between the layers by increasing the thickness t between cords in the shoulder portions 4s, and thus it is possible to reduce the rolling resistance of the tire 1 as well.
[0041] Here, in the present embodiment, it is preferable that the two inclined belt layers 50 adjacent to each other have regions R on the shoulder portions 4s on both tire widthwise sides, in which the thickness t2 between the cords of the two inclined belt layers 50 in the shoulder portions 4s is 0.6 mm or more larger than the thickness t1 of the central portion 4c (the minimum value of the thickness t1 when it varies; the same below); and a total width of the regions R is 10% to 50% with respect to a width of an overlapping range D (in the present embodiment, the width of the second inclined belt layer 52 with a comparatively smaller width) in which the two inclined belt layers 50 overlap each other.
[0042] According to this configuration, it is possible to further effectively reduce the load dependence of cornering force. Specifically, due to the existence of the regions R, it is possible to effectively reduce the in-surface flexural rigidity of the main belt 5 of the shoulder portions 4s, and by setting the total width of the regions R to 10% or more with respect to the width of the overlapping range D, it is possible to sufficiently reduce the cornering force at high load. Further, if the total width of the regions R is excessively large, there is a risk of reduction of the cornering force at low load. Therefore, by setting the total width of the regions R to 50% or less with respect to the width of the overlapping range D, it is possible to sufficiently ensure the cornering force at low load as well. Further, from the same viewpoint, the total width of the regions Ron the aforementioned both tire widthwise sides is preferably 25% to 35% with respect to the width of the overlapping range D in which the two inclined belt layers 50 overlap each other.
[0043] Here, in the case where the thickness t2 between the cords of the two inclined belt layers 50 adjacent to each other and the thickness t1 in the central portion 4c is less than 0.6 mm, there is a risk that it is impossible to effectively reduce the load dependence of cornering force.
[0044] Moreover, if the thickness t2 of the portion in the shoulder portions 4s, of which the thickness t between the cords of two inclined belt layers 50 adjacent to each other is comparatively large, is excessively large, there is a risk that the tread rubber on the outer side of the main belt 5 becomes thin, which reduces the wear resistance. Therefore, the difference between the thickness t2 between the cords of the two inclined belt layers 50 adjacent to each other in the shoulder portions 4s and the thickness t1 between the cords in the central portion 4c is preferably set to 3.0 mm or less.
[0045] In the present embodiment, as mentioned above, since the inclined belt layers 50 are formed of a rubberized layer obtained by covering cords with a coating rubber, in the shoulder portions 4s, for example, by arranging a rubber sandwiched between the coating rubbers of two inclined belt layers 50 adjacent to each other, it is possible to increase the thickness t between the cords comparatively in the shoulder portions 4s. Moreover, in this case, the elastic modulus of the sandwiched rubber is preferably set smaller than the elastic modulus of the coating rubber. According to this configuration, it is possible to effectively reduce the cornering force at high load.
[0046] Further, the elastic modulus of the coating rubber is preferably 5 MPa to 8 MPa, and the elastic modulus of the sandwiched rubber is preferably 1.0 MPa to 5 MPa. Here, the elastic modulus refers to the “100% modulus”, which is a tensile stress at 100% elongation measured by preparing a JIS No. 3 dumbbell sample, and performing tensile test at the conditions of temperature: 30° C., speed: 500±25 mm/min, according to JIS K6251.
[0047] In the tire 1 of the present embodiment, the thickness t1 between the cords of the two inclined belt layers 50 adjacent to each other in the central portion 4c preferably has a minimum value of 0.8 mm or less. According to this configuration, it is possible to improve the in-surface flexural rigidity of the belt 5 in the central portion 4c, which affects the cornering force both at low load and at high load. Therefore, it is possible to improve the entire cornering force at low load and at high load.
[0048] Here, a smaller minimum value of the thickness t1 is capable of further improving the entire cornering force, but in order to stably produce the main belt 5, 0.2 mm or more is preferable.
[0049] Here, since the reinforcing belt 6 is formed of at least one circumferential belt layer 60 as mentioned above, it is preferable that the tensile rigidity of the reinforcing belt 6 is larger in the reinforcing belt 6 located on the portion, in which the thickness t between the cords of the two inclined belt layers 50 adjacent to each other is larger than the central portion 4c, than in the reinforcing belt 6 located on the central portion 4c. Specifically, the tensile rigidity of the portion of the reinforcing belt 6 located on the tire radial outer side of the portion of the inclined belt layer 50, of which the thickness t between the cords is comparatively large, is comparatively large. According to this configuration, it is possible to improve the durability of the main belt 5. Specifically, since within the shoulder portions 4s, tire diameter growth is likely to occur in the portion in which the thickness t between the cords is comparatively large, by comparatively increasing the tensile rigidity of the reinforcing belt 6 located on this portion, it is possible to suppress the diameter growth and improve the durability of the tire 1.
[0050] Further, from the same viewpoint, it is preferable that within the shoulder portions 4s, the tensile rigidity of the reinforcing belt 6 located on the portion in which the thickness t is comparatively large is two times or more to the reinforcing belt 6 located on the central portion 4c.
[0051] In the present embodiment, as illustrated in
[0052] Moreover, the variation of the tensile rigidity of the reinforcing belt 6 was performed by varying the number of the circumferential belt layers 60 in the present embodiment, while on the other hand, the tensile rigidity may be varied, for example, by forming the reinforcing belt 6 with merely circumferential belt layers 60 arranged spanning from the tire equatorial plain CL to the shoulder portion 4s sides, and varying the number of cords included in the circumferential belt layers 60 located on the portion in which the thickness t between the cords of the inclined belt layers 51 is comparatively large, or varying the Young's modulus of the cords, etc.
[0053] From the aforementioned viewpoint, the reinforcing belt 6 preferably satisfies X≦200 in the entire width direction of the reinforcing belt 6 when defined as X=Y×n×m, where Y is the Young's modulus (GPa) of the cords used in its circumferential belt layers 60, n is the number of cords per 50 mm of the tire widthwise width, and m is the number of circumferential belt layers 60. According to this configuration, due to the excessively high rigidity of the reinforcing belt 6, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the reduction effect of the load dependence of the cornering force due to the main belt 5.
[0054] In the present embodiment, it is preferable that as illustrated in
[0055] Here, although not illustrated in
[0056] The foregoing has explained an embodiment of this disclosure with reference to the drawings. However, the pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle of this disclosure is not particularly limited to the aforementioned examples, and appropriate changes may be made to the pneumatic tire of this disclosure.
EXAMPLES
[0057] This disclosure will be described further in detail by Examples hereinafter without being restricted thereto by any means.
[0058] In order to ensure the effect of this disclosure, tires of the following examples and comparative examples were experimentally produced.
[0059] The tire of Example 1 has a tire size of 225/50R17, and includes a main belt formed of two inclined belt layers (first and second inclined belt layers) of which cords cross each other between the layers, and a reinforcing belt arranged on the tire radial outer side of the main belt. Moreover, the reinforcing belt is formed of one first circumferential belt layer arranged spanning from the tire equatorial plain of the tread portion to the shoulder portions sides, and a pair of second circumferential belt layers arranged on the tire radial outer side of the first circumferential belt layer, on the shoulder portions on both tire widthwise sides of the tread portion, and separated from each other. Further, the thicknesses, etc. of the shoulder portions and the central portion between the cords of the two inclined belt layers were as shown in Table 1. Here, the coating rubbers of each belt layer have a thickness of 1.0 mm and an elastic modulus of 6.1 MPa.
[0060] The tires of Examples 2 to 7 are similar as the tire of Example 1, except for the variation of dimensions as shown in Table 1.
[0061] The tire of Comparative Example 1 is similar as the tire of Example 1, except that the thickness between the cords is constant among the shoulder portions and the central portion.
[0062] The cornering forces of each aforementioned tire of the examples and comparative examples were evaluated according to the following method.
<Cornering Force>
[0063] The tires of each embodiment and comparative example were mounted to a rim (size: 7.5J-17), applied with an internal pressure of 220 kPa, and then installed to a vehicle, and subjected to measurement on a flat belt type cornering testing machine. Here, measured was the cornering force obtained at a belt speed of the testing machine of 100 km/h under two different load conditions, i.e., under the load conditions respectively corresponding to 80% (high load) and 30% (low load) of a maximum load capability at applicable size and ply rating. Table 1 shows the results of index evaluation, with the cornering force of the tire of Comparative Example 1 at low load as 100. A larger value shows a larger cornering force.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparative Example 1 Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Example 5 Example 6 Example 7 First inclined belt Inclination angle (°)*1 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 layer Width (mm)*2 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 195 Second inclined belt Inclination angle (°)*1 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 layer Width (mm)*2 180 180 180 180 180 180 180 180 Width of region R (mm) — 54 54 54 54 18 90 54 Width of overlapping range with respect to — 30 30 30 30 10 50 30 total width of region R (%) Width between cords Central portion (mm) 1 1 0.8 1 1 1 1 1 Shoulder portion (mm) 1 2.5 2.3 2.5 1.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 Thickness difference 0 1.5 1.5 1.5 0.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 Elastic modulus of rubber sandwiched between — 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.5 thick portion (MPa) First belt reinforcing Width (mm)*2 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 layer Rigidity 100 100 100 80 100 100 100 100 Second belt Width (mm)*2 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 reinforcing Rigidity 200 200 200 240 200 200 200 200 Cornering force At low load 100.0 104.8 105.9 104.6 102.0 100.0 102.8 105.0 At high load 245.8 239.9 244.0 241.2 244.0 239.7 246.9 233.0 Cornering force ratio 2.46 2.29 2.40 2.31 2.39 2.40 2.40 2.22 *1The angle of the cords to the tire circumferential direction *2The width of each belt layer
[0064] As shown in Table 1, it is understood that each tire of Examples 1 to 7 has a cornering force ratio (a ratio of cornering forces at low load and at high load) smaller than the tire of Comparative Example 1, and thus has a sufficiently reduced load dependence of cornering force. Moreover, comparing the tires of Examples 1, 4 to 6 to the tire of Comparative example 1, it is understood that by having the regions R on the shoulder portions on both tire widthwise sides, of which the thickness t between the cords of the two inclined belt layers is 0.6 mm or more larger than the minimum value t1 of the thickness between the cords of the two inclined belt layers in the central portion, and setting the total width of the regions R to 10% to 50% to the width of the overlapping range in which the two inclined belt layers overlap each other, it is possible to reduce the load dependence of cornering force by 3%, which is an improvement with particularly desirable effect in actual vehicle.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0065] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle capable of sufficiently reducing the load dependence of cornering force.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0066] 1 pneumatic tire for passenger vehicle
[0067] 2 bead portion
[0068] 21 bead core
[0069] 3 carcass
[0070] 4 tread portion
[0071] 41 tread
[0072] 4s shoulder portion
[0073] 4c central portion
[0074] 5 main belt
[0075] 50 inclined belt layer
[0076] 51 first inclined belt layer
[0077] 52 second inclined belt layer
[0078] 6 reinforcing belt
[0079] 60 circumferential belt layer
[0080] 61 first circumferential belt layer
[0081] 62 second circumferential belt layer
[0082] θ1 inclination angle
[0083] CL tire equatorial plain
[0084] D overlapping range
[0085] d distance
[0086] R region
[0087] TW tread width
[0088] t, t1, t2 thickness between cords