AIRCRAFT PNEUMATIC TIRE

Abstract

A first belt cord made of organic fibers of a spirally wound belt layer extends at an angle of equal to or less than 5° relative to a tire equatorial plane, a second belt cord made of organic fibers of a zigzag belt layer extends at an inclination of an angle of 2° to 45° relative to the tire equatorial plane, to folding back points where the second belt cord is folded back at each width directional end edge of the zigzag belt layer, and a relation of N.sub.95>N.sub.50 is satisfied. N.sub.50 is the number of stacked belt layers of the spirally wound belt layers, at 50% of half the length of a maximum belt width of belt layers from the tire equatorial plane. N.sub.95 is the number of stacked belt layers of the spirally wound belt layers, at 95% of half the length of the maximum belt.

Claims

1. An aircraft pneumatic tire comprising: a pair of bead cores (6); a radial carcass (7) including at least one carcass ply (7a) extending toroidally between both the bead cores (6); and a belt layer (10) that is disposed on an outer circumferential side of a crown region of the radial carcass (7) and reinforces the radial carcass (7), characterized in that the belt layer (10) includes a spirally wound belt layer (20) in which a ribbon-shaped first strip material (26) with a first belt cord (26a) including organic fibers and being covered with rubber has a spirally wound structure, and a prescribed plurality of layers (21, 22, 23, 24, 25) are laid on one another, and a zigzag belt layer (30) in which a ribbon-shaped second strip material (36) with a second belt cord (36a) including organic fibers and being covered with rubber has a structure of being wound and extending in a circumferential direction while bending zigzag by being folded back at width directional end edges (30a) to an outer circumferential side of the spirally wound belt layer (20), the first belt cord (26a) of the spirally wound belt layer (20) extends at an angle of equal to or less than 5° relative to a tire equatorial plane (CL), the second belt cord (36a) of the zigzag belt layer (30) extends at an inclination of an angle of 2° to 45° relative to the tire equatorial plane (CL), to folding back points (36b) where the second belt cord (36a) is folded back at each width directional end edge (30a) of the zigzag belt layer (30), and a relation of
N95>N50 is satisfied, where N50 is the number of stacked belt layers of the spirally wound belt layer (20) at a distance of 50% of half the length of a maximum belt width (Wb) of the belt layers (10) from the tire equatorial plane (CL), and N95 is the number of stacked belt layers of the spirally wound belt layer (20) at a distance of 95% of half the length of the maximum belt width (Wb) from the tire equatorial plane (CL).

2. The aircraft pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein N95 and N50 satisfy a relation of
N95=N50+1.

3. The aircraft pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein an innermost side layer (21) located on a most inner side in a tire radial direction, of the plurality of spirally wound belt layers (20), is disposed on one side of the tire equatorial plane (CL) in a tire width direction, an inner end portion (21a) on an inner side in the tire width direction, of end portions (21a, 21b) of the innermost side layer (21) in the tire width direction, is located with a predetermined spacing Ws1 from the tire equatorial plane (CL), an outer end portion (21b) on an outer side in the tire width direction, of the end portions (21a, 21b) of the innermost side layer (21), is located on a tire width directionally outer side than the inner end portion (21a) of the innermost side layer (21), an outermost side layer (25) located on the most outer side in the tire radial direction, of the plurality of spirally wound belt layers (20), is disposed on one side or the other side relative to the tire equatorial plane (CL) in the tire width direction, an inner end portion (25a) on an inner side in the tire width direction, of end portions (25a, 25b) of the outermost side layer (25) in the tire width direction, is located with a predetermined spacing Ws2 from the tire equatorial plane (CL), and an outer end portion (25b) on an outer side in the tire width direction, of the end portions (25a, 25b) of the outermost side layer (25), is located on a tire width directionally outer side than the inner end portion (25a) of the outermost side layer (25).

4. The aircraft pneumatic tire according to claim 3, wherein the maximum belt width (Wb) of the belt layer (10), Ws1, and Ws2 satisfy the relations of
0.7≤Ws1/(Wb/2)≤0.9, and
0.7≤Ws2/(Wb/2)≤0.9.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 is a width direction sectional view in a state in which an aircraft pneumatic tire according to a first embodiment of the present invention is assembled in a prescribed rim and provided with a prescribed internal pressure.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a width direction sectional view in which major parts on one side of the aircraft pneumatic tire of FIG. 1 are enlarged.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a width direction sectional view in which major parts on the other side of the aircraft pneumatic tire of FIG. 1 are enlarged.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a partial development view depicting a formation example of a spirally wound belt layer.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a partial development view depicting a formation example of a zigzag belt layer.

[0036] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram depicting the manner of winding a spirally wound belt layer of an aircraft pneumatic tire of Prior Art Example 1.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram depicting the manner of winding a spirally wound belt layer of an aircraft pneumatic tire of Prior Art Example 2.

[0038] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram depicting the manner of winding a spirally wound belt layer of an aircraft pneumatic tire of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram depicting the manner of winding a spirally wound belt layer of an aircraft pneumatic tire of another embodiment of the present invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0040] A first embodiment of an aircraft pneumatic tire according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 5 and 8. FIG. 1 depicts a sectional view in a tire width direction of an aircraft pneumatic tire 1 (hereinafter referred to as the tire 1) of the first embodiment of the present invention. The tire 1 is assembled on an applied rim 40.

[0041] In the figure, symbol CL corresponds to the center in the tire width direction, and indicates a tire equatorial plane which is a plane orthogonal to the tire rotational axis. The tire width direction is a direction parallel to the tire rotational axis, and the tire radial direction is a direction approaching or spacing away from the tire rotational axis, orthogonally to the tire rotational axis.

[0042] The tire 1 includes bead sections 5 in which a pair of left and right ring-shaped bead cores 6 are embedded, a radial carcass 7 arranged to extend toroidally between the pair of bead cores 6, belt layers 10 in circumferential contact with the radial direction outside of the radial carcass 7, a tread section 3 having a tread rubber 38 in circumferential contact with an outer circumferential surface of the belt layers 10, and side wall sections 4 covering side parts of the tire 1.

[0043] The radial carcass 7 has one or more carcass plies 7a stacked on one another; for example, four to seven carcass plies 7a are stacked, and both end portions thereof are fixed to the periphery of the bead cores 6 by being wound up from the inner side to the outer side of the radial direction. In the tire 1 of the present embodiment, seven carcass plies 7a including nylon cords are stacked.

[0044] On the tire radial directional outer side of a crown region 7b of the radial carcass 7, the belt layers 10 are provided. The belt layers 10 include spirally wound belt layers 20 wound around an outer circumferential surface of the radial carcass 7, zigzag belt layers 30 laid on an outer circumference of the spirally wound belt layers 20, and a protective belt layer 37 wound around an outer circumference of the zigzag belt layer. A tread rubber 38 is attached to an outer circumferential surface of the protective belt layer 37, to form a tread section 3. The maximum belt width in the width direction of the belt layers 10 is defined as Wb, and both edges of the belt layers 10 in the width direction are defined as width directional end edges 10a.

[0045] As depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, the spirally wound belt layers 20 and the zigzag belt layers 30 are respectively made of spiral winding strips 26 as ribbon-shaped first strip materials and zigzag winding strips 36 as ribbon-shaped second strip materials, which are wound in a predetermined manner of winding respectively. The spiral winding strips 26 and the zigzag winding strips 36 are one or a plurality of organic fiber-made belt cords 26a and 36a covered with rubber and formed in a ribbon shape with predetermined widths.

[0046] As the organic fiber-made belt cords 26a and 36a used for the spiral winding strips 26 and zigzag winding strips 36, in the present embodiment, organic fiber cords of an aromatic polyamide such as aramid are used. Alternatively, hybrid fiber cords produced by combining an aromatic polyamide such as aramid and an aliphatic polyamide such as nylon can also be used.

[0047] The hybrid cord of the aliphatic polyamide fiber and the aromatic polyamide fiber may be a twined combination of yarn of an aliphatic polyamide fiber and yarn of an aromatic polyamide fiber or may be twined yarn obtained by twining preliminarily hybridized yarn of an aliphatic polyamide fiber and an aromatic polyamide fiber.

[0048] As depicted in FIGS. 1 to 4 and 8, the spirally wound belt layers 20 of the tire 1 of the present embodiment are formed by winding the spiral winding strip 26 in the crown region 7b of the radial carcass 7 of a raw tire, with a predetermined deviation in the tire width circumferential direction, in a helical shape in the tire circumferential direction, in such a manner as not to generate gaps between itself and the adjacent spiral winding strips 26. The spiral winding strips 26 are wound such that the angle of the belt cord 26a thereof has an angle of equal to or less than 5° relative to the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0049] When the spiral winding strip 26 starts to be wound in the crown region 7b of the radial carcass 7, the winding is not started from the position of the width directional end edge 10a of the belt layers 10 in the tire width direction, but, as depicted in FIG. 1, the winding is started with a predetermined spacing of Ws1 from the tire equatorial plane CL. For the spirally wound belt layers 20, the position of a width directional end edge 20a is preliminarily determined in the tire width direction, the spirally wound belt layer 20 is gradually wound spirally toward the width directional end edge 20a, and a first layer 21 is provided as an innermost side layer located on the most inner side in the tire radial direction.

[0050] As depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4, the spiral winding strip 26 is folded back when wound to the width directional end edge 20a of the spirally wound belt layer 20, starts to be wound around an outer circumferential surface of the first layer 21, is wound toward the width directional end edge 20a on the other side, and is sequentially folded back and stacked, whereby a second layer 22, a third layer 23, a fourth layer 24, and a fifth layer 25 of the spirally wound belt layers 20 are stacked. In the present embodiment, the spirally wound belt layers 20 includes five layers of the first layer 21, the second layer 22, the third layer 23, the fourth layer 24, and the fifth layer 25 from the inside of the tire radial direction. While the spirally wound belt layers 20 have a five-layer structure in the present embodiment, the number of the layers can be modified, as required.

[0051] As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4, at the fifth layer 25 as the outermost side layer located on the most outer side in the tire radial direction, the spiral winding strip 26 is wound toward the tire equatorial plane CL from the width directional end edge 20a on the other side opposite to the one side on which the first layer 21 is provided relative to the tire equatorial plane CL, and the winding is finished at a position with a predetermined spacing Ws.sub.2 from the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0052] Ws.sub.1 and Ws.sub.2 are set longer than at least 50% of half the length of the maximum belt width Wb of the belt layers 10. In other words, as depicted in FIG. 1, the first layer 21 and the fifth layer 25 are provided to be located on the width directionally outer side than the half of the width directional end edge 10a of the belt layers 10 from the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0053] More preferably, Ws.sub.1 and Ws.sub.2 are 70% to 90% of half the length of the maximum belt width Wb, and satisfy the relation of

0.7≤Ws.sub.1/(Wb/2)≤0.9, and

0.7≤Ws.sub.2/(Wb/2)≤0.9.

[0054] In other words, the spiral winding strip 26 is wound, to provide the spirally wound belt layers 20, such that an inner end portion 21a of the first layer 21 and an inner end portion 25a of the fifth layer 25 are located at a position spaced by 70% to 90% of half the length of the maximum belt width Wb from the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0055] Since the spirally wound belt layers 20 are produced by winding the spiral winding strip 26 as described above, as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spirally wound belt layers 20 have four layers in a tire side part region on the width directionally outer side than the inner end portion 21a of the first layer 21 and on the width directionally outer side than the inner end portion 25a of the fifth layer 25, and have three layers in a tire central region between the inner end portion 21a of the first layer 21 and the inner end portion 25a of the fifth layer 25.

[0056] With such a configuration, the relation of

N.sub.95>N.sub.50

is satisfied, where N.sub.50 is the number of stacked belt layers of the spirally wound belt layers 20 at a distance of 50% of half the length of the maximum belt width Wb of the belt layers 10 from the tire equatorial plane CL, and N.sub.95 is the number of stacked belt layers of the spirally wound belt layers 20 at a distance of 95% of half the length of the maximum belt width Wb from the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0057] Further, the spirally wound belt layers 20 in the present embodiment satisfy the relation of

N.sub.95=N.sub.50+1.

[0058] The zigzag belt layers 30 are configured by winding, by a predetermined method, a ribbon-shaped zigzag winding strip 36 with a predetermined width that is formed by arranging or aligning one or a plurality of organic fiber-made belt cords 36a and covering them with rubber, as depicted in FIG. 5. As the material of the belt cords 36a, aramid is used. While aramid is used in the present embodiment, the zigzag winding strip 36 extends in the circumferential direction while being folded back at width directional end edges 30a of the predetermined zigzag belt layer 30 and being bent in a zigzag shape, to stack a prescribed plurality of layers; in the present embodiment, four layers are stacked. The zigzag winding strip 36 is wound with deviation by a desired amount in the circumferential direction so as not to generate gaps between itself and the adjacent zigzag winding strips 36.

[0059] After the raw tire is produced in such a state that the spirally wound belt layers 20, the zigzag belt layers 30, and the protective belt layer 37 are wound on the circumferential directionally outer side of the crown region 7b of the radial carcass 7 and the tread rubber 38 is wound around the outer circumferential surface thereof in this way, the raw tire is subjected to vulcanization molding, whereby the tire 1 of the present embodiment is obtained.

[0060] Since the spirally wound belt layers 20 in the tire 1 of the present embodiment are configured as described above, the number of stacked layers of the spirally wound belt layers 20 can be reduced in a tire central region, to thereby realize a reduction in weight of the tire, and the number of stacked layers of the spirally wound belt layers 20 can be increased in the tire side part regions, to thereby enhance the fatigue resistance performance of the belt cords 26a and to enhance durability of the tire 1.

[0061] Further, since N.sub.95 and N.sub.50 are set such as to satisfy the relation of N.sub.95=N.sub.50+1, the spiral winding strip 26 can easily be wound continuously.

[0062] In addition, Ws.sub.1 and Ws.sub.2 are set such as to satisfy the relation of

0.7≤Ws.sub.1/(Wb/2)≤0.9, and

0.7≤Ws.sub.2/(Wb/2)≤0.9.

[0063] In other words, Ws.sub.1 and Ws.sub.2 are set to be between 70% and 90% of half the length of the maximum belt width Wb. Since the inner end portion 21a of the first layer 21 and the inner end portion 25a of the fifth layer 25 are located on the outer side of the position of 70% of the half of the maximum belt width Wb from the tire equatorial plane CL, the spirally wound belt layers 20 can be more reduced in weight, and a sufficient reduction in weight of the tire as a whole can be realized. In addition, since the inner end portion 21a of the first layer 21 and the inner end portion 25a of the fifth layer 25 are located on the inner side of the position of 90% of the half of the maximum belt width Wb from the tire equatorial plane CL, the region in which the number of stacked layers of the belt layers 10 is great can be secured sufficiently, a tensile/compressive strain of the tire side part regions of the spirally wound belt layers 20 can be sufficiently restrained, fatigue of the belt cords 26a can be reduced, and durability of the tire 1 as a whole can be enhanced.

Examples

[0064] For each of tires having the abovementioned configuration and a size of 52×21.OR22, of Prior Art Examples 1 and 2 and Examples 1 to 5 of which the specifications are set forth in Table 1 and those of Prior Art Examples 3 and 4 and Examples 6 to 10 of which the specifications are set forth in Table 3, tire mass and belt cord strength after drum traveling are obtained, and the results are set forth in terms of indices in Tables 2 and 4.

[0065] The tires set forth in Tables 1 and 3 all include the radial carcass 7 in which seven layers of carcass plies 7a including nylon cord are stacked and the belt layers 10 having the spirally wound belt layers 20 and the zigzag belt layers 30. In the tires set forth in Table 1, aramid is used as a belt cord material of the spiral winding strip 26 and the zigzag winding strip 36. In the tires set forth in Table 3, a hybrid cord of aramid and nylon is used as the belt cord material of the spiral winding strip 26 and the zigzag winding strip 36.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Prior Prior Art Art Example Example Example Example Example Example 1 Example 2 1 2 3 4 5 Number of (Wb/2) × 50% 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 spirally position wound belt (Wb/2) × 95% 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 layers position Strip winding start 0.70 0.70 0.95 0.90 0.80 0.70 0.60 position (Ws.sub.1(Wb/2)) Number of zigzag 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 belt layers Belt cord material Aramid Aramid Aramid Aramid Aramid Aramid Aramid Manner of winding First Second Third Third Third Third Third spirally wound layers

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Prior Prior Art Art Example Example Example Example Example Example 1 Example 1 1 2 3 4 5 Tire mass 100 97.8 98.2 98.3 98.4 98.5 98.6 Cord 100 80 100 105 107 109 109 strength after drum traveling

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Prior Prior Art Art Example Example Example Example Example Example 3 Example 4 6 7 8 9 10 Number of (Wb/2) × 50% 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 spirally position wound belt (Wb/2) × 95% 2 2 6 6 6 6 6 layers position Strip winding start 0.70 0.70 0.95 0.90 0.80 0.70 0.60 position (Ws.sub.1(Wb/2)) Number of zigzag 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 belt layers Belt cord material Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid Hybrid Manner of winding First Second Fourth Fourth Fourth Fourth Fourth spirally wound layers

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Prior Prior Art Art Example Example Example Example Example Example 3 Example 4 6 7 8 9 10 Tire mass 100 97.8 98.2 98.3 98.4 98.5 98.6 Cord 100 90 100 103 105 106 107 strength after drum traveling

[0066] The number of layers of the spirally wound belt layers 20 is measured at a position of 50% of the half of the maximum belt width Wb of the belt layers 10 from the tire equatorial plane CL and at a position of 95% of the half of the maximum belt width Wb of the belt layers 10 from the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0067] The ribbon winding start position is indicated by a proportion obtained by dividing the distance Ws.sub.1 from the tire equatorial plane CL to the inner end portion 21a of the first layer 21 of the spirally wound belt layers 20 by half the length of the maximum belt width Wb of the belt layers 10 from the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0068] The manner of winding the spiral winding strip 26 of the spirally wound belt layers 20 in each of various tires is selectively indicated by any of the first, second, third, and fourth manners. The first to fourth manners of winding are schematically depicted respectively in FIGS. 6 to 9. In these winding schematic diagrams, the left-right direction is the tire width direction, and going upward in the figures is going outward in the tire radial direction.

[0069] As depicted in FIG. 6, the first manner of winding is a winding such that the number of layers of the spirally wound belt layers 20 gradually increases in going from a side part region toward a central region of the spirally wound belt layers 20. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the second manner of winding is a winding such that the number of layers of the spirally wound belt layers 20 is greater in the tire central region than in the tire side part region. As depicted in FIG. 8, the third manner of winding, which is the manner of winding in the tire 1 of the embodiment of the present invention, is a manner of winding such that the number of layers of the spirally wound belt layers 20 is greater in the tire side part region than in the tire central region. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the fourth manner of winding is a manner of winding such that the spiral winding strip 26 is started to be wound from a position with the distance Ws.sub.1 from the tire equatorial plane CL on one side in the tire width direction, as a first layer of the innermost side layers, and is folded back at the width directional end edge 20a of the spirally wound belt layers 20, and a second layer is stacked. Further, at the other side in the tire width direction, the spiral winding strip 26 is folded back after being wound to the width directional end edge 20a of the spirally wound belt layer 20, and a third layer and a fourth layer are folded back without being wound to the tire equatorial plane CL on the other side and are wound again to the width directional end edge 20a and then folded back. Fifth to seventh layers are folded back after being wound to the width directional end edge 20a, and an eighth layer is finished being wound at a position with a distance of Ws.sub.2 from the tire equatorial plane CL.

[0070] As for tire mass, a test of producing, on a trial basis, ten tires for each kind of tires, measuring the mass of each tire, and determining an average of the masses of the ten tires is conducted. The test results for Prior Art Example 2 and Examples 1 to 5 are represented in terms of index with the mass of the tire of Prior Art Example 1 as 100, and are compared. The test results for Prior Art Example 4 and Examples 6 to 10 are represented in terms of index with the mass of the tire of Prior Art Example 3 as 100, and are compared. A lower index means a lighter tire mass, and indicates that the tire is higher in performance. A higher index means an increase in mass, and a lower index means a decrease in mass and indicates realization of a reduction in weight of the tire.

[0071] The belt cord strength after drum traveling is measured as follows. Each tire is attached to a prescribed rim, is filled with air to a prescribed internal pressure, and is subjected to a drum test. After drum traveling for a predetermined distance under a load and a speed in simulation of a market, the tire is dissected, the belt cord of the spirally wound belt layer is taken out and subjected to measurement of strength, and the strength is evaluated. The test results for Prior Art Example 2 and Examples 1 to 5 are represented in terms of index with the strength of the cord taken out from the tire of Prior Art Example 1 as 100, and are compared. The test results for Prior Art Example 4 and Examples 6 to 10 are represented in terms of index with the strength of the cord taken out from the tire of Prior Art Example 3 as 100, and are compared. A higher index means small fatigue and good fatigue resistance performance of the belt cord, and indicates that the tire is higher in durability.

[0072] While the manner of winding the spiral winding strip 26 of the spirally wound belt layers 20 in Examples 1 to 5 of the present invention is the third manner of winding as depicted in FIG. 8, those of the other Examples of the present invention are configured as described above. Thus, by increasing the number of stacked layers in the tire side part regions of the spirally wound belt layers 10 and decreasing the number of stacked layers in the tire central region thereof, it is possible to enhance fatigue resistance of the belt cord and to enhance durability of the tire, while contriving a reduction in weight of the tire.

[0073] While the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it is natural that the modes of the present invention are not limited to the abovementioned embodiment, and include the modes carried out in various forms within the scope of the gist of the invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0074] 1: Aircraft pneumatic tire [0075] 3: Tread section [0076] 4: Side wall section [0077] 5: Bead section [0078] 6: Bead core [0079] 7: Radial carcass [0080] 7a: Carcass ply [0081] 7b: Crown region [0082] 10: Belt layer [0083] 10a: Width directional end edge [0084] 20: Spirally wound belt layer [0085] 21: First layer [0086] 21a: Inner end portion [0087] 21b: Outer end portion [0088] 22: Second layer [0089] 23: Third layer [0090] 24: Fourth layer [0091] 25: Fifth layer [0092] 25a: Inner end portion [0093] 25b: Outer end portion [0094] 26: Spiral winding strip [0095] 26a: Belt cord [0096] 30: Zigzag belt layer [0097] 31: First layer [0098] 32: Second layer [0099] 33: Third layer [0100] 34: Fourth layer [0101] 36: Zigzag winding strip [0102] 36a: Belt cord [0103] 37: Protective belt layer [0104] 38: Tread rubber [0105] 40: Applied rim.