Wear Resistance Improvements in Tires Through Patent Methods
45 patents in this list
Updated:
Tire wear resistance is crucial for safety, efficiency, and longevity, especially as demands on vehicle performance grow. Roads are harsh, with sharp debris and varying surfaces constantly testing tire durability. Engineers must address these wear challenges to ensure tires can withstand diverse driving conditions without compromising safety or performance.
Achieving enhanced wear resistance involves balancing flexibility and strength in tire materials and design. From rubber compositions to tread patterns, each element plays a role in combating wear. The complexity lies in optimizing these factors without sacrificing other critical tire properties like grip and comfort.
This page compiles a range of techniques from recent patents, showcasing advancements in rubber compositions, tread designs, and structural reinforcements. These solutions aim to improve wear resistance by utilizing sulfur-rich vulcanizates, innovative tread configurations, and advanced reinforcement structures, ultimately enhancing tire performance and lifespan.
1. Rubber Composition with Sulfur-Rich Inverse Vulcanizate Containing High Carbon and Sulfur Content
Toyo Tire Corporation, 2023
A rubber composition containing an inverse vulcanizate that has improved breaking strength. The inverse vulcanizate contains at least 10% carbon atoms and 30% sulfur atoms. The composition can be used in tires to improve durability. The inverse vulcanizate is a sulfur-rich material that is different from normal vulcanizates and provides enhanced breaking properties.
2. Cross-Linkable Rubber Composition Comprising Natural or Isoprene Rubber, Syndiotactic 1,2 Polybutadiene, and Carbon Black Filler
APOLLO TYRES GLOBAL R&D B.V., 2023
A cross-linkable rubber composition for tire treads with improved rolling resistance and wet grip. It contains natural rubber or isoprene rubber, syndiotactic 1,2 polybutadiene, and carbon black filler. The key is using a small amount of syndiotactic 1,2 polybutadiene rubber along with carbon black. This provides a balance of wet grip and rolling resistance properties when cured, without compromising either.
3. Rubber Composition with Sulfur-Crosslinked Inverse Vulcanizate Featuring Low Glass Transition Temperature
Toyo Tire Corporation, 2023
Rubber composition for tires containing an inverse vulcanizate having a low glass transition temperature. The inverse vulcanizate is a sulfur-crosslinked organic substance. Rubber compositions containing this inverse vulcanizate have improved breaking strength compared to normal vulcanizate rubber. The inverse vulcanizate has a Tg of 60°C or lower.
4. Tire Tread with Multi-Depth Sipe Configuration in Tread Blocks
Bridgestone Europe NV/SA [BE/BE], 2023
Tire tread design with sipes that maintain performance as the tire wears. The tread has sipes with three different depths, forming three levels in the tread blocks. The shallowest sipes are at the top level and the deepest sipes are at the bottom level. This allows the sipes to maintain their biting edges and void volume as the tread wears down, improving wet and snow traction over the life of the tire. The staggered depth levels also prevent damage or tearing when the mold is removed from the tread during manufacturing.
5. Pneumatic Tire with Steel-Reinforced Carcass Featuring Asymmetric Turn-Up Design
KUMHO TIRE CO., INC., 2023
Pneumatic tire with a steel-reinforced carcass that improves durability and running performance. The tire has a unique carcass design that eliminates the need for additional reinforcement members to maintain the carcass turn-up. The carcass extends from the bead up and around the apex that absorbs impacts. The key is that one end of the carcass is closer to the bead than the other end is to the apex. This maintains the turn-up height without additional components, reducing weight and rolling resistance while still preventing the carcass from loosening.
6. Tire with Dual-Arc Carcass Contour and Clip Width Molding Process
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
Heavy-duty tire design and manufacturing to improve bead durability without increasing rolling resistance. The tire has a unique carcass contour and molding process. The carcass contour has an outwardly bulging curved portion connected to an inwardly recessed inversely curved portion. This shape is represented by two tangent arcs. The ratio of distances from the tire equator and bead base to the arcs' inflection point falls within specific ranges. The molding process uses a clip width slightly larger than the rim width to apply pressure evenly during vulcanization.
7. Motorcycle Tire with Specific Tread Reinforcing Layer and Ply Orientations
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 2023
Tire construction for a motorcycle tire that provides improved turning performance and durability compared to conventional motorcycle tires. The tire has a tread reinforcing layer with specific belt and band ply orientations and widths. The inner belt ply has cords angled greater than 5 degrees to the tire circumferential direction. The outer belt ply has cords angled greater than 5 degrees but with a wider width than the inner belt ply. The band ply has cords angled less than or equal to 5 degrees. This combination of belt and band ply angles and widths optimizes cornering force distribution and reduces tire wear for improved turning performance and durability.
8. Pneumatic Tire with Specific Rubber Composition for Inner Liner and Tie Rubber
The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., 2023
A pneumatic tire design that enhances steering stability and crack growth resistance in cold temperatures. The tire uses a specific rubber composition for the inner liner and tie rubber. The inner liner rubber contains carbon black, resin, and zinc oxide in specific amounts along with halogenated butyl rubber. The tie rubber contains diene rubber matching adjacent layers. These compositions balance hardness, adhesion, and low-temperature properties to optimize tire performance.
9. Tire Lugs with Leading and Trailing Face Discontinuities for Stubble Expulsion and Attack Point Reduction
COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2023
Agricultural vehicle tires with lugs that have features to improve traction and reduce stubble damage. The lugs have a discontinuity on the leading face of the outer end to allow residual stubble to be expelled from the tread. They also have a discontinuity on the trailing face that extends inwards towards the adjacent lug to reduce attack points.
10. Tire Tread with Dual Inclined Groove Surfaces for Force Redistribution
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
A tire design that improves braking performance while reducing uneven wear. The tire has a tread with a lateral groove to expel water. The groove has an inclined surface on the groove opening and an opposing inclined surface internally. The angle of the outer inclined surface is 15-30 degrees and the inner inclined surface angle is 5-25 degrees. These angles concentrate braking forces away from the groove opening to reduce uneven wear.
11. Triangulated Layer Reinforcement Structure for Passenger Vehicle Tire
COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2023
A passenger vehicle tire with improved resistance to penetration and puncture while also being lighter weight than conventional tires. The tire reinforcement design uses a triangulated arrangement of the carcass, working, and hooping layers. The carcass layer angle is optimized for flexibility while the hooping layer angle is shallow to provide radial stiffness. The hooping layer has narrow-spaced reinforcements with high strength. The resulting tire has reduced susceptibility to puncture while using less material.
12. Tire Tread with Variable Amplitude Zigzag Sipes
The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD., 2023
A tire with zigzag sipes in the tread that allows for better traction on snow and ice when the tire is worn. The zigzag sipes have a changing amplitude from the sipe opening to the maximum depth, with the maximum amplitude not at the opening. This ensures that as the tire wears, the exposed sipe edges still provide biting edges for traction.
13. Trisulfide Compound with Specific Sulfur Atom Substitution Patterns for Rubber Compositions
SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED, 2023
A compound that improves the abrasion resistance of rubber compositions such as tires. The compound is a trisulfide with specific substitution patterns on the sulfur atoms.
14. Polyisocyanate-Activated Textile Cord Bonding Method for Motor Vehicle Tire Manufacturing
Continental Reifen Deutschland GMBH, Kordsa Teknik Tekstil Anonim Sirketi, 2023
Producing a motor vehicle tire with improved bonding between textile cords and surrounding rubber to enhance tire durability. The method involves dipping the cords in a bath containing polyisocyanates to activate the bonding, instead of using resorcinol-formaldehyde dips. The cords are then coated with a rubber compound containing specific rubber types and carbon blacks. This avoids toxic and environmentally harmful resorcinol-formaldehyde dips while still providing adequate bonding.
15. Tire with Steel Cord Carcass Ply Incorporating Resin Filament with Ionomer and Inorganic Fillers
BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION, 2023
A tire with improved corrosion resistance and durability. The tire includes a cord for the carcass ply made of twisted steel filaments and a resin filament filling the gaps between them. The resin filament contains an ionomer to adhere to the steel and prevent water infiltration. The resin also contains inorganic fillers for reinforcement. Vulcanizing the tire softens the resin which flows to fill the cord gaps and cover the steel. This provides a corrosion-resistant barrier around the steel and prevents fretting between the steel and wrapping filament.
16. Tire Tread with Circumferential Bending Grooves and Specific Rubber Composition Properties
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
A tire with improved resistance to chipping on bad roads at high speed. The tire has a tread with one or more circumferential main grooves that bend and deviate at a bending point. The rubber composition of the tread has specific properties - tan delta at 20C of 0.30 or less, breaking strength at 175C times elongation at 175C divided by 2 equal to or greater than 600.
17. Pneumatic Tire with Tread Regions Comprising Variable Thermal Conductivity Rubber Compositions
SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2023
A pneumatic tire that exhibits excellent grip performance and durability during high-speed running, and also improved fuel efficiency. The tire achieves this by having tread regions with different thermal conductivities. These regions are made of rubber compositions with high and low thermal conductivity. The high thermal conductivity composition dissipates heat generated during high-speed running, preventing overheating and maintaining grip. The low thermal conductivity composition retains heat and provides durability.
18. Pneumatic Tire with Defined Side Rubber Thickness, Loss Tangent, and Dimensional Ratios
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 2023
A pneumatic tire with reduced rolling resistance and improved durability for high-speed driving. The tire has a side rubber thickness of 3mm or less outside the carcass at the widest point, a loss tangent of 0.15 or less for the rubber, and specific dimensional ratios. The ratio of (outer diameter minus 2 times height) to width is at least 470mm, and the aspect ratio is 45% or higher.
19. Tire with Specified Loss Tangent and Complex Elastic Modulus Parameters in Sidewall and Clinch Portions
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 2023
A high fuel efficiency tire with reduced rolling resistance at high speeds and excellent durability. The tire has a sidewall and clinch portion where the loss tangent measured at 70°C and 10 Hz is such that (tan δ sidewall + tan δ clinch) ≤ 0.3 and |tan δ sidewall - tan δ clinch| ≤ 0.07. It also has a sidewall-to-clinch complex elastic modulus difference of (E clinch - E sidewall) ≤ 8.0 MPa.
20. Pneumatic Tire with Reinforcing Rubber Portion Adjacent to Carcass Ply Turnup Section Extending Beyond Inner Rubber Layer
Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., 2023
Pneumatic tire design with improved bead durability and ride comfort. It has a reinforcing rubber portion next to the turnup section of the carcass ply, between the bead and sidewall. This reinforcing rubber portion has a radially outer end that extends beyond the radially outer end of the inner rubber layer. It also has a thicker first portion where the inner and outer rubber layers are laminated, versus a thinner second portion where they are not. The outer rubber layer has a higher loss tangent and complex elastic modulus than the inner layer.
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The evaluated patents show different methods for improving tire wear resistance and striking a balance between durability and other crucial performance factors. The constant attempts to increase tire longevity while upholding performance criteria are reflected in these advancements, which range from sophisticated rubber formulations to improved tread designs.