Tire tread and a tire comprising a tread

Abstract

In a first aspect of the present invention, a tire tread is provided, the tread comprising a tread cap comprising a first rubber compound for contacting the road when driving, at least one circumferential groove reinforcement forming at least one of the grooves in the tread cap, the groove reinforcement comprising a second rubber compound for reinforcing an area adjacent the grooves formed by the groove reinforcement, wherein the groove reinforcement comprises for at least one of the grooves formed by the groove reinforcement two groove sidewall layers, each sidewall layer extending from the outer radial surface of the unworn tread down into the direction of the bottom of the groove formed by the groove reinforcement and wherein each sidewall layer has an essentially uniform thickness along its length, and wherein the groove reinforcement comprises a groove support portion forming a bottom portion of the groove and having a radially inner base side as well as a radially outer top side, wherein the groove support portion tapers from its base side to its top side.

Claims

1. A tire tread having circumferential grooves, each circumferential groove having a bottom, and an outer radial surface, the tread further comprising: a tread cap comprising a first rubber compound which is adapted to be ground contacting when driving, at least one circumferential groove reinforcement forming at least one reinforced groove in the tread cap, the groove reinforcement comprising a second rubber compound for reinforcing an area adjacent the grooves formed by the groove reinforcement, wherein the groove reinforcement comprises for at least one reinforced groove formed by the groove reinforcement: two groove sidewall layers, each of the two groove sidewall layers extending from the outer radial surface of the tread down into the direction of the bottom of the groove formed by the groove reinforcement and wherein each of the two groove sidewall layers of the groove reinforcement has an essentially uniform thickness along its length, and a groove support portion forming a bottom portion of the groove and having a radially inner base side as well as a radially outer top side, wherein the groove support portion tapers from its base side to its top side, wherein the groove support portion has an essentially trapezoidal shape tapering from the base side to the top side wherein the base side and the top side are interconnected at their lateral edges by lateral sides, wherein the lateral sides are at an angle ? to the base side which is smaller than 90?, wherein the support portion has a radial height which is at least 15% of the distance between the bottom of the groove and the inner radial side of the tread base layer as measured radially below the reinforced groove, and wherein the angle ? between the lateral side of the support portion and each of the two groove sidewall layers of the groove reinforcement is smaller than 180?.

2. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein the tread further comprises a tread base layer arranged radially inwards of the tread cap, the tread base layer comprising a third rubber compound, wherein the groove reinforcement extends in a radially inner direction at least onto the radially outer surface of the base layer.

3. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein the groove support portion extends in a radially outer direction at most up to 1 mm above the upper radial surface of a tread wear indicator of the groove reinforced by the groove reinforcement, and wherein the sidewall layers having essentially uniform thickness extend to the radial outer side of the tapering groove support portion.

4. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein the groove support portion and the sidewall layers are integrally formed.

5. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein the base side is longer than the top side, and wherein the groove support portion further has two lateral sides connecting the base side and the top side, and wherein the angle between at least one of the lateral sides and the base side is at most 85?.

6. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein the tread further has a tread base layer arranged radially inwards of the tread cap and the groove reinforcement, wherein the radial height of the groove support portion is at least 50% larger than the radial distance between the bottom of the groove and a radial upper side of the tread base layer.

7. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein the base side of the support portion is from 1.1 to 5 times longer than the axial width of the bottom of the reinforced groove.

8. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein the sidewall layer has an essentially uniform thickness which is within the range of 0.5 mm to 4 mm.

9. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein the groove sidewall layers extend from the top of the unworn tread at least over 70% of the depth of the groove when viewed in parallel to the sidewall of the groove.

10. The tire tread of claim 1, wherein a ratio between thickness of the sidewall layer and length of the sidewall layer having essentially uniform thickness is at most 1:10.

11. The tread of claim 1, wherein all grooves of the tire tread are reinforced with said groove reinforcement.

12. The tread of claim 1, wherein both sidewall layers have essentially the same thickness.

13. The tread according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the sidewall layers and a line connecting an axial edge of the top side and an axial edge of the base side at said sidewall layer intersect with an angle of between 175? and 90?.

14. The tread of claim 1, wherein the groove reinforcement compound has a Shore A hardness of at least 75 and an elongation at break of at least 300%, and wherein the tread cap compound has a Shore A hardness of between 40 and 75, and wherein the Shore A hardness of the groove reinforcement compound is higher than the Shore A hardness of the tread cap compound.

15. The tread according to claim 1, wherein the support portion has a radial height which is at least 20% of the distance between the bottom of the groove and the inner radial side of the tread base layer as measured radially below the reinforced groove.

16. The tread according to claim 1, wherein the tread cap is comprised of a rubber which is softer than rubber of the groove reinforcement and wherein the rubber in the tread base is softer than the rubber in the tread cap.

17. The tread according to claim 16 wherein the tread cap is comprised of a thio-functionalized tin coupled solution styrene-butadiene rubber and natural rubber, wherein the groove reinforcement is comprised of polybutadiene rubber and styrene-butadiene rubber, and wherein the tread base is comprised of polybutadiene rubber, natural rubber, and a pre-silanized silica.

18. A tire having a tread comprising: a tread cap comprising a first rubber compound which is adapted to be ground contacting when driving, at least one circumferential groove reinforcement forming at least one groove in the tread cap having a bottom and an outer radial surface, the groove reinforcement comprising a second rubber compound for reinforcing an area adjacent the grooves formed by the groove reinforcement, wherein the groove reinforcement comprises for at least one of the grooves formed by the groove reinforcement: two groove sidewall layers, each of the two groove sidewall layers extending from the outer radial surface of the tread down into the direction of the bottom of the groove formed by the groove reinforcement and wherein each of the two groove sidewall layers has an essentially uniform thickness along its length, and a groove support portion forming a bottom portion of the groove and having a radially inner base side as well as a radially outer top side, wherein the groove support portion tapers from its base side to its top side, wherein the groove support portion has an essentially trapezoidal shape tapering from the base side to the top side wherein the base side and the top side are interconnected at their lateral edges by lateral sides, wherein the lateral sides are at an angle ? to the base side which is smaller than 90?, wherein the support portion has a radial height which is at least 15% of the distance between the bottom of the groove and the inner radial side of the tread base layer as measured radially below the reinforced groove, and wherein the angle ? between the lateral side of the support portion and each of the two groove sidewall layers of the groove reinforcement is smaller than 180?.

19. The tire of claim 18, wherein the tire is a pneumatic tire.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The structure, operation and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon contemplation of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 represents a schematic cross section of a tire tread comprising a groove reinforcement in accordance with the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 represents a schematic cross section of a tire tread comprising a groove reinforcement in accordance with another prior art example;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section of a tire tread in accordance with a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is showing a detail of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a part of a cross section of a tire tread in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention with support portions of the groove reinforcement extending up to the height of a tread wear indicator;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a cross section of another embodiment of a tire tread in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention which has a plurality of separate groove reinforcements;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a cross section of another embodiment of a tire tread in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, having a plurality of groove reinforcements, with one reinforcement extending over the axial width of two grooves;

(9) FIG. 8a shows a schematic partial top view of an unworn tire tread of the prior art tread shown in FIG. 1;

(10) FIG. 8b shows a schematic partial top view of a worn tire tread of the prior art tread shown in FIG. 1;

(11) FIG. 9a shows a schematic partial top view of an unworn tire tread in accordance with the example of the invention in accordance with FIG. 3;

(12) FIG. 9b shows a schematic partial top view of a worn tire tread in accordance with the example of the invention in accordance with FIG. 3;

(13) FIG. 10 shows a schematic cross section of a tire tread in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention, in which the tread cap compound in the three center ribs is different from the tread cap compound in a shoulder area of the tire;

(14) FIG. 11 shows a schematic cross section of a tire tread in accordance with still another embodiment of the invention, in which the tread cap compound in the center rib is different from the tread cap compound in the two adjacent ribs and both said tread cap compounds being different from the tread cap compound in the shoulder ribs; and

(15) FIG. 12 shows another schematic cross section of a tire tread similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 but having a tread base layer with cushion portions in the shoulder area of the tire.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(16) FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of a tire tread 10 in accordance with the prior art. Tread 10 has a tread cap 2 with a plurality of circumferential ribs and/or tread blocks 8 between circumferential grooves 5. Moreover, said tread 10 has a tread base 4. The tread base 4 or tread base layer 4 is made of a different compound than the cap 2 and it supports the tread cap 2 on a radially inner side of the tread 10. The tread base layer 4 has also extensions in axially outer regions 7 of the shoulder regions 6 of the tire, in other words in the skirt regions 7 of the tread 10. The grooves 5 are reinforced by a plurality of axially or laterally separated groove reinforcements 3. In other words, the groove reinforcements form or encase the bottoms of the grooves 5 as well as at least parts of their sidewalls, i.e. the sidewalls of the ribs or blocks 8. The portions of the groove reinforcements 3 covering the groove sidewalls are tapering and have a decreasing thickness along their length in an outer radial direction. The equatorial plane EP of the tire tread is indicated by dashed lines. Although FIG. 1 describes prior art, and for the sake of simplicity, the description of elements also present in figures in accordance with embodiments of the invention may apply also to these embodiments and their understanding.

(17) FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of another prior art tread 10. In contrast to FIG. 1, the groove reinforcement 3 is formed integrally over the axial width of multiple grooves. Again, the portions of the groove reinforcement 3 covering the sidewalls of the ribs or parts thereof do not have an essentially uniform thickness along their length but taper in an outer radial direction.

(18) FIG. 3 shows a first example of a tread 110 in accordance with the invention. The tread 110 has a tread cap made of tread cap compound 102, a plurality of tread blocks and/or ribs 108 largely made of tread cap compound 102, a shoulder portion 106, a skirt portion 107 and a plurality of circumferential tread grooves 105 which are formed in the tread cap by the groove reinforcement 103. In other words, one may also say that the groove reinforcement 103 is embedded in the tread cap 102. Radially below the tread cap 102 there is a tread base layer 104 supporting the radially above groove reinforcement 103 and tread cap 102. In contrast to the prior art discussed herein, the groove reinforcement in accordance with the present example of the invention comprises layers of essentially uniform thickness forming the groove sidewalls as further discussed in the detailed view of FIG. 4. Optionally, and in general, the groove reinforcement 103 may have a portion 111 extending in a radially inner direction through the tread base layer 4. This may be of particular interest when the groove reinforcement is electrically conductive such that the groove reinforcement may serve as electrically conductive passage from the tread's surface to a belt area of the tire which is radially below the tread base layer. For example, the groove reinforcement compound may have a carbon black amount of more than 40 phr, thereby rendering the compound sufficiently electrically conductive. This may be of particular interest if the tread cap and/or base layer compounds are high silica compounds which are not as such sufficiently electrically conductive. Such a conductive passage could also be provided in other embodiments of the invention.

(19) In the example shown in FIG. 3, the tread 110 has only one reinforcement covering multiple adjacent grooves 105. However, the tire could have multiple groove reinforcements which do not form an integral reinforcement as also shown in other parts of the present disclosure.

(20) The three compounds in the example of FIG. 3 may all exhibit a different level of stiffness. In particular, the groove reinforcement 103 may be relatively stiff, the compound of the cap 102 softer and, as another option, the compound of the tread base 104 even softer than the compound of the tread cap 102. This arrangement can help to advantageously balance the behavior of the tread 110. For instance, the stiffness of the groove reinforcement may help to improve the cornering stiffness and/or tread wear characteristics of the tire. At the same time, the tread cap compound can have desired grip properties and has a moderate stiffness between the stiffness values of the groove reinforcement 3 and the base layer 4.

(21) In addition to the above-mentioned different stiffness values, the shape and or extension of the reinforcement 3, cap compound 2 and base layer 4 can help to further improve the above-mentioned effects. Further examples are given in the description of FIG. 12.

(22) In the example of FIG. 3, and in other examples mentioned herein, the groove reinforcement 103 extends from the radially outermost surface of the tread 110 beyond the bottom of the grooves 105 into the direction of the base layer 104. The groove reinforcement 103 is integrally formed over the axial width of multiple grooves 105, in this example over all four grooves 105.

(23) FIG. 4 shows a detail of the tread 110 already depicted in FIG. 3. The thickness d.sub.p of the sidewall layers 120 of the groove reinforcement 103 (extending in the circumferential direction c) is constant over the height of the groove, in this specific example down to the bottom 125 of the reinforced groove. The groove reinforcement 103 has below the bottom 125 of the reinforced grooves 105 a support portion 130 which has a top side 132, in this example forming the bottom of the groove and a base side 134, wherein the support portion 130 tapers from the bottom side 134 to the top side 132. Both sides 132, 134 are interconnected at their lateral edges by lateral sides 133. The lateral sides have in the example an angle ? between an axial direction a or the axial base side 134 which is smaller than 90?. In other words, the groove support portion 130 tapers from its base side 134 to its top side 132. The support portion 130 may for example have a radial height of h.sub.bp which is at least 15% or 20% of the distance h.sub.g between the bottom 125 of the groove and the inner radial side of the tread base layer 104 measured radially below the reinforced groove 105. As the support portion 130 of the groove reinforcement 103 tapers in an outer radial direction r, there is an angle ? between the lateral side 133 of the support portion 130 and the sidewall layer 120 of the groove reinforcement which is smaller than 180?, preferably smaller than 175? which improves support of the groove 105. While in the example of FIG. 4 the support portion 130 extends in an outer radial direction until the bottom 125 of the reinforced groove 105, this extension could be different as for instance shown in the example of FIG. 5.

(24) FIG. 4 indicates schematically the radial direction r, the circumferential direction c and the axial direction a. It shall be understood that the axial direction a extends in two orientations. In general, the terms radial, axial and circumferential are used as common in the field of tires. In particular, the term circumferential shall be understood as the circumferential direction of a tire.

(25) FIG. 5 shows another partial cross section of a tire tread 210 in accordance with another example of the present invention. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the groove reinforcement 203 of FIG. 5 has a support portion 230 which extends in an outer radial direction r essentially up to a tread wear indicator (TWI) height. For the sake of clarity, a tread wear indicator 240 has only been shown in an adjacent groove. Such an indicator could have the radial height h.sub.t of 1.6 mm, or between 1.4 mm and 1.8 mm. It is emphasized that the support portion 230 could also extend radially beyond the tread wear indicator 240 (e.g. up to 1 mm above the tread wear indicator 240). In other words, the sidewall layers 220 could extend (with essentially uniform thickness) from the radially outer surface of the tread 210 at least down to a position which is about 1 mm radially above the tread wear indicator 240. This may still allow relatively uniform wear and performance until the tire is almost worn down to the tread wear indicator's upper surface. Independent of how the present invention is implemented, a main idea is to provide groove reinforcement sidewall layers which are essentially uniform in thickness during wear of the tire. This is in contrast to prior art which has typically tapering shapes of the reinforcement of the groove reinforcement or even no reinforcement at all in a portion close to the outer surface of the tread. Compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the support portion 230 of FIG. 4 with its base side 234 and top side 232 connected by lateral sides 233 is thicker in the radial direction as indicated by height h.sub.bp. In particular, the groove support portion 230 extends radially beyond the bottom of the groove 225.

(26) FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment of a tread 310 in accordance with the present invention. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, it has a tread cap having a shoulder region 306, ribs/blocks 308, grooves 305, a base layer 304, and a conductive passage 311. In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 3, the embodiment of FIG. 6 has a plurality of separate groove reinforcements 303 having each a support portion supporting two opposing sidewall layers of the groove reinforcement 303 and forming the reinforced groove 305. Although not indicated in FIG. 6, the support portions could extend until or above an upper side or a tread wear indicator as shown in the context of FIG. 5. Typically, the base side of the support portion is axially at least 50% broader than the bottom of the reinforced groove 305. For instance, the support portion extends essentially in a radial inner direction down to the upper side of the base layer 304.

(27) FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment of a tread 410 in which the two center grooves 405 are reinforced by a mutual reinforcement 403 extending over the axial width of both grooves. Separately from that reinforcement there are two single reinforcements 303, each reinforcing one of the axially outer grooves. Apart from that, tread 410 has also the tread cap with tread cap compound 402, shoulder regions 406, ribs/blocks 408, a conductive passage 411 through the base layer 404, as also shown in other embodiments herein.

(28) In order to further demonstrate some effects of the present invention in comparison with the prior art, FIGS. 8 and 9 show top views of a tire tread of prior art tires and a tire in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 8 shows top views of an unworn tread 10 (FIG. 8a) and the same tread 10 in a worn state (FIG. 8b) of the prior art tread already shown in FIG. 1. As visible in FIG. 8a, the unworn surface of the tread 10 shows almost only the tread cap with tread cap compound 2. Only the two center grooves 5 show adjacent circumferential stripes of groove reinforcement compound of the groove reinforcements 3. When the same tread 10 is worn, the image appears different as shown in FIG. 8b. Now all four grooves 5 have on each side the groove reinforcement compound of the groove reinforcement 3 broadly visible such that the remaining width of the tread cap compound of the tread cap between the grooves 5, i.e. in the area of the ribs 8 is axially smaller than in the unworn state. This may have however an undesirable impact on the properties and/or performance of the tire. In particular, the properties of the tread surface at the interface between the road and the tire may change significantly.

(29) FIG. 9 refers to the embodiment of FIG. 3 which is an example in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 9a shows a schematic top view of the unworn tread 110 and FIG. 9b of the worn tread 110. As visible in FIG. 9a, all four grooves 105 have on each of their lateral sides a sidewall layer of groove reinforcement material of the groove reinforcement 3. Tread ribs are made of the cap compound of the cap 102. Turning now to FIG. 9b, there is no significant change compared to FIG. 9a visible. In contrast to the change in FIG. 8b compared to FIG. 8a there is no significant change in the lateral tread cap compound width in the ribs 108 in FIG. 9b compared to FIG. 9a. All four grooves 105 are still axially encased by the reinforcement 103.

(30) FIG. 10 shows another cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a tread 510 in accordance with the present invention. Most elements of the embodiment are similar to those already discussed in relation to FIG. 3. Thus, the tread 510 has a tread cap, shoulders 506, ribs/blocks 508, a reinforcement 503, a conductive passage 511 as well as a base layer 504. As a difference over other embodiments discussed herein, the tread cap compound 512 in the three central ribs 508 is different from the tread cap compound 502 in the shoulder area. However, the center ribs are still covered by the sidewall layers made of groove reinforcement compound. In general, one, two, three, four or a plurality of center ribs may comprise a different compound than shoulder ribs while reinforced by the sidewall layers of the groove reinforcement. In this embodiment (but also in other embodiments mentioned herein), the groove reinforcement 503 encases also the compound of the center ribs. This may be of particular interest if the rib compounds tends to smear out of its initial position during molding and/or curing. In many cases, it shall be avoided that the material of the cap compound gets into the grooves or in particular to the groove bottom where it may trigger cracks over the lifetime of the tire. The essentially uniform layer of groove reinforcement compound extending from the top of the tread avoids such undesired behavior.

(31) FIG. 11 discloses a tread 610 with similar arrangement as shown in FIG. 10 with the main difference of having a third cap compound in the tread 610. In particular, the center rib comprises a first tread cap compound 622 while the two laterally adjacent ribs have a different, second tread cap compound 612 and the shoulder ribs even a further, third tread cap compound 602. Apart from this difference the tire has shoulder regions 606, a groove reinforcement 603, a conductive passage 611, a base layer 604.

(32) As shown in FIG. 12, the tread 710, still in accordance with an example of the invention, has a special base layer 704 in its construction. While the tread cap 702, radially upper areas of the shoulder regions 706, ribs/blocks 708, the groove reinforcement 703 and the conductive passage 711 are similar to the corresponding elements previously described with reference to FIG. 3, the base layer 704 has a different shape. The shape of the base layer 704 and its properties are described in more detail herein below. In particular, the base layer 704 has portions which extend in a radially outer direction in the skirt area 707 of the tire. These areas have an essentially triangular cross-sectional shape and could also be described as wings. The base layer 704 may have a relatively small radial thickness in an axial center portion of the tire, e.g. less than 15% or less than 10% of the maximum radial tread thickness of the tread base layer 704 or less than 30%, or preferably less than 20%, of the radial distance between the bottom of the axial center groove(s) to the radially inner side of the base layer 704 at the respective position. The tread base layer 704 has also a radially thicker portion, called here a cushion or cushioning portion 709, 709 between the central thin portion and the axially outermost region of the tread base 704 or tread 710.

(33) The cushion portion 709, 709 has a (maximum) thickness which is about between 110% and 30%, preferably between 95% and 50%, of the radial distance between the groove bottom of the center groove(s) and the radially inner side of the base layer 704 at the respective position of the groove(s). The cushion portion 709, 709 may extend axially over at least 30% (preferably at least 40% and/or at most 80%) of the distance d.sub.S, d.sub.S between an axial outer edge of the base layer 704 in the shoulder region 706 and the groove closest to that shoulder region 706. In other words, the cushion portion 709, 709 may be considered as a circumferential portion of the base layer 704 which has a larger thickness than a portion of the base layer 704 adjacent the equatorial plane or in a portion radially below the grooves. In the example of FIG. 12, each of the two shoulders of the tire has a cushion portion 709, 709 with a different shape. The tire could also have the same shape of the cushion portion 709, 709 on both sides instead. Said distance d.sub.S, d.sub.S (as indicated in FIG. 12) may also be understood as the axial distance between the axially outer edge of the base layer 704 and the radial projection of the groove bottom onto the radially inner side of the base layer 704.

(34) The cushion portion 709 may have essentially a trapezoidal shape having a radially inner broader support portion and a radially outer narrower portion. In other words, the cushion portion may taper in the radial outer direction. Similarly, the base layer 704 may taper in the skirt portion 707 in the radially outer direction. Moreover, the base layer 704 may extend in the skirt portion 707 beyond the maximum radial thickness of the cushion portion 9 as shown in FIG. 12. As shown for cushion portion 709, the latter may also have an essentially triangular shape and/or may increase in radial thickness from the adjacent skirt portion 707 towards the adjacent groove reinforcement 703 supporting the adjacent groove.

(35) While the present invention does not focus on the chemical composition of the tread compounds in the groove reinforcement, tread cap compounds or tread base layers, a few examples are given herein below. Those shall however not be understood as necessarily limiting the invention to these examples. In this context, Table 1 provides examples of suitable base layer compounds. However, it shall be re-emphasized that the main focus of the invention is not directed to the specific compounds used. These base layer compound examples shall not automatically limit the invention.

(36) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Base layer compound examples Sample number i ii iii iv Polybutadiene 65 50 0 0 Natural Rubber 35 50 100 100 Carbon Black 50 45 0 0 Pre-Silanized Silica.sup.1 0 0 30 30 Phenol Formaldehyde resins 3 0 5 5 TDAE Oil 11.3 16 10 45 Waxes 2 1.5 3.8 3.8 Antidegradants 7 5.5 6.7 6.7 Stearic Acid 1 0.75 1 1 Sulfenamide Accelerator 0.6 1.4 0.9 0.9 Zinc oxide 3.5 2 2 2 Sulfur 2.8 1.9 2.5 2.5 .sup.1Agilon 400? pre-silanized silica from PPG Industries.
Table 2 shows Shore A hardness values of the samples shown above in Table 1.

(37) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Base layer compound examples Sample number i ii iii iv Shore A Hardness .sup.a 49 54 29 17 .sup.a Shore A hardness measured according to ASTM D2240.

(38) Table 3 gives examples of suitable tread cap compounds. As mentioned already in the context of tread base layer compounds, it is emphasized again that such tread cap compounds mentioned herein are essentially considered as examples while other tread cap compounds could be used as long as they fall within the scope of the present invention.

(39) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Tread cap compound examples Sample number v vi vii Functionalized SSBR .sup.1 60 49 0 Natural Rubber 40 21 60 ESBR.sup.2 0 0 40 Non-functionalized SSBR.sup.3 0 30 0 Tackifier Resin.sup.4 0 0 6 Carbon Black 3 1 0 Silica 80 66 30 Oils 16 12 0 Waxes 1.5 2 1.5 Fatty Acid Soap 0 0 2 Silane 6.4 5.2 5 Fatty Acid 0 0 3 Antidegradants 3.5 0 3.5 Stearic Acid 2 4 0 Sulfenamide Accelerator 2.4 2.4 3 Dithiophosphate Zinc Salt 0.8 0.8 0 Zinc oxide 3 3 3 Sulfur 1.5 1.5 1.2 Diphenylguanidine 0 0 1.5 .sup.1 Thio-functionalized, tin coupled, solution polymerized copolymer of butadiene and styrene .sup.2Emulsion Styrene Butadiene Rubber, 50.8% (by weight) styrene, 8.2% vinyl 1,2; 4.2% cis 1,4; 36.8% trans 1,4; Tg (inflection) = ?13? C.; 1% styrene sequences ?5; from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company .sup.3Non-functionalized solution polymerized copolymer of butadiene and styrene .sup.4unreactive alkylphenol/formaldehyde resin, as SP 1068 from SI Group
Table 4 shows Shore A hardness values of the example compositions of Table 3.

(40) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Tread cap compound examples Sample number v vi vii Shore A Hardness .sup.a 50 55 60 .sup.a Shore A hardness measured according to ASTM D2240.

(41) Examples for suitable groove reinforcement rubber compounds may for instance be found in U.S. Pat. No. 10,427,463 B2, see in particular in Examples 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 10,427,463 B2 are incorporated herein by reference for the purpose of describing such suitable groove reinforcement rubber formulations that can be utilized in the practice of this invention. Such compounds have a high Shore A hardness which are covered by the ranges of some embodiments of the subject invention as delineated herein. For the sake of illustration, two of the examples of that publication are listed herein below in Tables 5 to 8 Moreover, the whole content of U.S. Pat. No. 10,427,463 B2 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

(42) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Groove reinforcement compounds Sample number 1 2 3 4 polybutadiene 10 10 10 10 styrene-butadiene copolymer 97.5 97.5 97.5 97.5 (oil extended) carbon black 50 50 50 50 silica 20 20 20 20 silane 2 2 2 2 phenol-formaldehyde resin.sup.1 20 20 20 20 hexamethylene tetramine 3 3 3 3 styrene-alpha methyl styrene resin.sup.2 8 12 16 8 carbamic resin.sup.3 0 0 0 4 wax 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 antioxidants 3 3 3 3 stearic acid 3 3 3 3 processing aid 2 2 2 2 zinc oxide 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 sulfur 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 N-tertbutyl-2benzothiazolesulfenamide 1.63 1.63 1.63 1.63 N-Cyclohexylthiophthalimide 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 .sup.1SMD 30207 from Schenectedy Chemicals .sup.2Resin 2336 from Eastman .sup.3Alnovol? UF410, from Allnex
Table 6 shows high Shore A hardness values above 80 as well as considerable elongation at break values over 300% for the compounds 1 to 4 of Table 5.

(43) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Groove reinforcement compounds Sample number 1 2 3 4 Shore A .sup.a 83.3 81.8 83 85.6 Elongation at break (%) .sup.b 329 359 390 426 .sup.a Shore A hardness measured according to ASTM D2240. .sup.b Ring sample test based on ASTM D412 and DIN 53504.

(44) Table 7 lists further examples of potential compounds that could be used as groove reinforcement rubber compounds.

(45) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Groove reinforcement compounds continued Sample number 5 6 7 8 9 Polybutadiene 20 20 20 20 20 Natural Rubber 80 80 80 80 80 Carbon Black 50 50 50 50 50 Waxes 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 Antidegradant 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 Ricon 184.sup.5 0 15 0 35 0 Ricon 100.sup.6 0 0 15 0 35 Oil 15 0 0 0 0 Stearic Acid 3 3 3 3 3 Silica 20 20 20 20 20 silane disulfide 2 2 2 2 2 phenol formaldehyde resin 20 20 20 20 20 fatty acid soap 2 2 2 2 2 hexamethylenetetramine 3 3 3 3 3 Antidegradant 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Sulfenamide Accelerator 2.36 2.36 2.36 2.36 2.36 zinc oxide 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 sulfur 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 vulcanization inhibitor 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 .sup.5liquid styrene-butadiene, Mn = 8600 .sup.6liquid styrene-butadiene, Mn = 4000

(46) Table 8 shows again high Shore A hardness values as well as considerable elongation at break values for the materials 5-9 of Table 7.

(47) TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Groove reinforcement compounds continued Sample number 5 6 7 8 9 Shore A Hardness 86 85.4 86.6 89.3 90.6 Elongation at Break (%) 508 518 508 481 502

(48) As visible in these examples for the groove reinforcement compounds, Shore A hardness values may, if desired, be higher than in the base layer compound or the tread cap compound. Moreover, elongation at break is higher than 300% in all samples. However, this shall not be indispensable for the scope of the present invention.

(49) In general, the tread cap layer, the groove reinforcement and the tread base layer may be extruded together to form the tread as known to the person skilled in the art of extrusion and/or tire building. Thus, as non-limiting examples, gear pumps and/or triplex or quadruplex extruders could be used.

(50) Variations in the present invention are possible in light of the provided description. While certain representative embodiments, examples and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the subject invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that changes may be made in the particular example embodiments described which will be within scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims. In any case the above described embodiments and examples shall not be understood in a limiting sense. In particular, the features of the above embodiments may also be replaced or combined with one another.