Patent Grant
11046126
The present disclosure relates to a pneumatic tire having a conductive portion for discharging static electricity and a method for manufacturing the same.
Recent years, tire treads with silica-rich rubber have been proposed. Since such tire treads show high electric resistance, static electricity tends to be accumulated in vehicle bodies. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2010-115935 discloses a pneumatic tire having a conductive portion for discharging static electricity to the ground. The conductive portion, for example, extends radially outwardly from an inner end to an outer end with an inclination, wherein the outer end is exposed at a ground contact surface of a tread land portion and wherein the inner end is connected to a tire internal structural member to be electricity connected to a rim when the tire is mounted on the rim.
Upon vulcanizing a raw tire, a land portion of the tread rubber defined by a pair of main grooves tends to be being plasticized such that a central region thereof flows axially outwardly toward the pair of main grooves. Thus, an inclined conductive portion between the pair of main grooves, upon vulcanizing, tends to be deformed such that a radially outer end of the conductive portion is pulled toward one of the pair of main grooves, resulting in making an angle between the conductive portion and the ground contact surface smaller, i.e., the angle sharpening. Unfortunately, the tire described above has a problem that rubber separation tends to occur from the outer end exposed at the ground contact surface.
The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances and has an object to provide a pneumatic tire and a method for manufacturing the same capable of suppressing separation of a conductive portion.
According to one aspect of the disclosure, a pneumatic tire includes a tread portion including circumferentially and continuously extending main grooves and land portions divided by the main grooves. In a cross-sectional view of the tire including a tire axis, one of the land portions includes a first edge, a second edge, a ground contact surface extending between the first edge and the second edge and having an arc-shaped profile protruding radially outwardly, and conductive portion made of conductive rubber. The conductive portion extends from a radially inner end to a radially outer end exposed at the ground contact surface with an inclination toward the first edge, wherein the inner end is connected to a tire internal structural member to be electrically connected to a rim when the tire is mounted on the rim, and on the ground contact surface, a central position of the outer end is located on a central position of said one of the land portions in a tire axial direction, or on a side of the first edge with respect to the central position of one of the land portions.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the ground contact surface has a radially maximum height (h1) from a straight line connecting the first edge and the second edge, and the maximum height (h1) may be in a range of from 0.4% to 0.8% of an axial width (W1) of the ground contact surface.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the profile of the ground contact surface may have a radius of curvature in a range of from 350 to 750 mm.
In another aspect of the disclosure, an axial distance from the first edge to the outer end may be in a range of from 0.40 to 0.80 times a depth of one of the main grooves which adjoins the first edge.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the tire internal structural member may include a belt layer disposed in the tread portion and extending along an outer surface of the tread portion.
In another aspect of the disclosure, an acute angle between the conductive portion and the belt layer may be smaller than an acute angle between the conductive portion and the ground contact surface.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the conductive portion may be inclined at an angle of from 40 to 60 degrees with respect to the ground contact surface.
In another aspect of the disclosure, said one of the land portions may be provided with a first lateral groove extending from the first edge and terminating within said one of the land portions and a second lateral groove extending from the second edge and terminating within said one of the land portions.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the first lateral groove may have groove void volume smaller than that of the second lateral groove.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the first lateral groove and the second lateral groove may be inclined with respect to the tire axial direction.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a maximum angle of the first lateral groove with respect to the tire axial direction may be smaller than a maximum angle of the second lateral groove with respect to the tire axial direction.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a maximum groove width of the first lateral groove may be greater than a maximum groove width of the second lateral groove.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the first lateral groove and the second lateral groove may have first inner end and a second inner end, respectively, each terminating within said one of the land portions.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a groove wall of the first inner end may be inclined at a smaller angle with respect to a tire radial direction than that of a groove wall of the second inner end.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the profile of the ground contact surface may include a first profile on a side of the first edge and a second profile on a side of the second edge, and a radius of curvature of the first profile may be greater than that of the second profile.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire, the method includes: forming a raw tire including a tread portion provided with a conductive portion made of a conductive rubber, wherein the conductive portion of the raw tire extends radially outwardly to an outer end exposed at a ground contact surface of the tread portion with an inclination toward a first side in a tire axial direction; and vulcanizing the raw tire using a tire mold having a pair of protrusions for molding main grooves to mold a land portion of the tread portion between the pair of protrusions such that the land portion includes the conductive portion therein, wherein the tire mold includes a ground contact surface molding face for molding a ground contact surface of the land portion between the pair of protrusions, and wherein the ground contact surface molding face is configured as an arc-shaped concave surface to produce rubber flow such that the outer end of the conductive portion, upon vulcanizing, is moved to a central side of the land portion in a tire axial direction.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a radius of curvature of the ground contact surface molding face may be in a range of from 350 to 750 mm.
An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The standard condition is such that the tire 1 is mounted on a standard wheel rim (not illustrated) with a standard pressure, but is loaded with no tire load. In this application including specification and claims, various dimensions, positions and the like of the tire 1 refer to those under the standard condition of the tire unless otherwise noted.
As used herein, the standard wheel rim is a wheel rim officially approved for the tire by standards organizations, wherein the standard wheel rim is the “standard rim” specified in JATMA, the “Measuring Rim” in ETRTO, and the “Design Rim” in TRA or the like, for example.
As used herein, the standard pressure is a standard pressure officially approved for the tire by standards organizations, wherein the standard pressure is the “maximum air pressure” in JATMA, the “Inflation Pressure” in ETRTO, and the maximum pressure given in the “Tire Load Limits at Various Cold Inflation Pressures” table in TRA or the like, for example.
As illustrated in
The first edge 21 and the second edge 22 are defined as outermost ground contact positions of the land portion 15 in an axial direction of the land portion when the tire 1 grounded on a horizontal plane with a standard tire load at zero camber.
As used herein, the standard tire load is a tire load officially approved or recommended for the tire by standards organizations, wherein the standard tire load is the “maximum load capacity” in JATMA, the “Load Capacity” in ETRTO, and the maximum value given in the above-mentioned table in TRA or the like.
The ground contact surface 20 has an arc-shaped profile that protrudes radially outwardly between the first edge 21 and the second edge 22.
The conductive portion 23 is made of conductive rubber. The conductive portion 23 has an electric resistance value such that static electricity accumulated in a vehicle body is discharged to the ground through from the tire internal structural member. Thus, the conductive rubber, for example, preferably has a volume resistivity value less than 1×108 ohm·cm. In this specification, the volume resistivity means a value measured with an ohm meter under the following conditions: applied voltage 500V, temperature 25 degrees C. and humidity 50%, using a specimen of 15 cm×15 cm×2 mm.
The conductive portion 23 includes a radially inner end 24 and a radially outer end 25. The inner end 24 is connected to the belt layer 7, for example. The outer end 25 is exposed at the ground contact surface 20. Further, the conductive portion 23 is inclined from the inner end 24 to the outer end 25 with an inclination toward the first edge 21. Furthermore, on the ground contact surface 20, a central position 25c of the outer end 25 is located on a central position 15c of the land portion 15 in the tire axial direction, or on a side of the first edge 21 with respect to the central position 15c of the land portion 15.
In case that the land portion 15 is vulcanized in such a manner that the ground contact surface 20 thereof has an arc-shaped manner protruding radially outwardly, there is a dominant tendency that plasticized rubber on a side of the ground contact surface 20 flows toward the central position 15c of the land portion 15. On the other hand, the conductive portion 23 is inclined toward the first edge 21 from the inner end 24 to the outer end 25, and the central position 25c of the outer end 25 is located on the central position 15c or on a side of the first edge 21 of the land portion 15. Such a conductive portion 23, upon vulcanizing, receives the above-mentioned rubber flow, resulting in maintaining a sufficient large angle between the ground contact surface 20 and the conductive portion 23. Thus, separation to be generated from the outer end 25 of the conductive portion can be suppressed.
In order to further improve the above effect, a radius Ra of curvature of the arc-shaped profile of the ground contact surface 20 is preferably equal to or more than 350 mm, more preferably equal to or more than 450 mm, but preferably equal to or less than 750 mm, more preferably equal to or less than 550 mm.
The ground contact surface 20 has a radially maximum height h1 from a straight line 26 connecting the first edge 21 and the second edge 22. In order for the ground contact surface 20 to wear uniformly while maintaining the above effect, the maximum height h1 is preferably equal to or more than 0.4%, more preferably equal to or more than 0.5%, but preferably equal to or less than 0.8%, more preferably equal to or less than 0.7% of an axial width W1 of the ground contact surface 20.
In the same point of view, a cross-sectional area Sa of the land portion 15 defined between the straight line 26 and the arc-shaped profile of the ground contact surface 20, for example, is preferably in a range of from 0.7% to 1.4% of a cross-sectional area St of the land portion 15, wherein the area St is an area of the land portion located radially outwardly of a groove bottom reference line 27. The groove bottom reference line 27 is defined as a straight line that connects bottoms of the main grooves 10 arranged on both sides of the land portion 15.
The conductive portion 23, for example, has a substantially constant width. The conductive portion 23 as such may exhibit excellent durability since it may be difficult to receive local damage even if the land portion 15 is subject to receive repeated deformation. Note that the conductive portion 23 is not limited to such an aspect, but has a varying width, for example.
Preferably, the conductive portion 23 is inclined at an acute angle θ1 in a range of from 40 to 60 degrees with respect to the ground contact surface 20 in order to further improve durability thereof.
Preferably, an acute angle θ2 between the conductive portion 23 and the belt layer 7 is smaller than the angle θ1 between the conductive portion 23 and the ground contact surface 20. Specifically, the angle θ2, for example, is preferably in a range of from 30 to 50 degrees. The conductive portion 23 as such may exhibit further improved durability.
In some preferred embodiment of the conductive portion 23, the angle of the conductive portion 23 with respect to the tire axial direction may increase gradually toward radially outwardly. This shape may be obtained vulcanizing a raw tire having straightly extending conductive portion 23 in such a way as to receive the above-mentioned rubber flow.
An axial distance L1 from the first edge 21 to the outer end 25 is preferably equal to or more than 0.40 times, more preferably equal to or more than 0.50 times a depth d1 of the main groove 10 which adjoins the first edge 21, and the distance L1 is also preferably equal to or less than 0.80 times, more preferably equal to or less than 0.70 times the depth d1, in order to exert excellent durability.
In some preferred embodiments, the distance L1 may be set equal to or more than 3.5 mm in order to exert excellent durability.
In this embodiment, the land portion 15 is provided with first lateral grooves 31 each extending from the first edge 21 and terminating within the land portion 15 and second lateral grooves 32 each extending from the second edge 22 and terminating within the land portion 15. The first lateral grooves 31 and the second lateral grooves 32 may improve wet performance while maintaining rigidity of the land portion 15.
Preferably, each of the first lateral grooves 31, for example, has groove void volume smaller than that of each of the second lateral grooves 32. In this embodiment, the first lateral grooves 31 extend from the first edge 21 and terminate without reaching the axial center position 15c of the land portion 15. The second lateral grooves 32 extend from the second edge 22 and terminate beyond the center position 15c, i.e. on the side of the first edge 21. Thus, deformation of a portion of the land portion 15 on a side of the first edge 21 may be reduced relatively, resulting in suppressing damage of the conductive portion 23 being inclined to the first edge 21.
The first lateral grooves 31 and the second lateral grooves 32, for example, are inclined at angles with respect to the tire axial direction. The maximum angle θ3 of the first lateral grooves 31 with respect to the tire axial direction is preferably smaller than the maximum angle θ4 of the second lateral grooves 32 with respect to the tire axial direction. This structure makes it possible to enlarge the angle θ1 of the conductive portion 23, leading to better durability of the conductive portion 25.
In the same point of view, the maximum groove width W2 of the first lateral grooves 31 is greater than the maximum groove width W3 of the second lateral grooves 32. Specifically, the maximum groove width W2 of the first lateral grooves 31, for example, may preferably be in a range of from 1.2 to 1.4 times the maximum groove width W3 of the second lateral groove 32.
Preferably, the land portion 15 is provided with one or more chamfered portions 35.
As illustrated in
In this embodiment, one or more chamfered portions 35 are also provided on a corner of the land portion 15 on the side of the second edge 22. Thus, uneven wear of the land portion 15 may be suppressed further. Since the chamfered portions 35 on the side of the second edge 22 are located away from the outer end 25 of the conductive portion 23, it may not affect the above-mentioned rubber flow around the outer end 25 of the conductive portion 23.
In some preferred embodiments, one chamfered portion 35 and a non-chamfered portion 36 may be arranged in the tire circumferential direction between adjoining lateral grooves in the tire circumferential direction. Thus, since an area of the ground contact surface 20 of the land portion 15 can be sufficient, durability of the land portion and steering stability on dry road condition can be improved in a well-balanced manner while suppressing uneven wear of the land portion 15.
In order to improve the above-mentioned effect while suppressing uneven wear of the land portion 15, the radius Rb of curvature of the first profile 37, for example, is preferably in a range of from 1.5 to 3.0 times a radius Rc of curvature of the second profile 38.
Next, a method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire as described above will be explained below. In this embodiment, the method includes: a step S1 of forming a raw tire; and a step S2 of vulcanizing the raw tire.
Raw Tire Forming Step S1:
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Vulcanizing Step S2:
b illustrate enlarged cross-sectional views of the tread portion during vulcanizing. As illustrated in
The tire mold 46 also includes a ground contact surface molding face 48 for molding a ground contact surface of the land portion 15 between the pair of protrusions 47a and 47b. The ground contact surface molding face 48 is concave in an arc-shaped manner toward radially outwardly of the tire mold. Thus, in the vulcanizing step S2, the ground contact surface molding face 48 may be useful to generate plasticized rubber flow such that the outer end 25 of the conductive portion 23 approaches the axial center position of the land portion 15. The method as described above may keep an axial distance between an axial edge of the land portion 15 and the outer end 25 of the conductive portion 23 sufficiently due to the above-mentioned rubber flow, thereby resulting in suppressing separation to be generated from the outer end 25 of the conductive portion.
In order to improve the above effect further, a radius Rd of curvature of the ground contact surface molding face 48 is preferably in a range of from 350 to 750 mm, for example.
While the particularly preferable embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, but can be modified and carried out in various aspects.
Test tires 225/40R18 having the basic structure as illustrated in
Electric Resistance Value Test:
Using a measurement device as illustrated in
The test detailed steps were conducted in the following order:
Each test tire was made to run on a drum tester continuously with an inner pressure of 360 kPa and a vertical tire load of 4.21 kN, and a running distance of the tire until damage of the conductive portion occurs was measured. In the respective test tires, ten tires were tested, and average runnable distances were calculated. Test results are shown in table 1 using an index of the average runnable distances, wherein Ref. is set to 100. Note that the larger the value, the better the durability of the conductive portion is.
Table 1 shows the test results.
As shown in Table 1, it is confirmed that the example tires suppress separation of the conductive portions while maintaining low electric resistances of the tires.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2017-051637 | Mar 2017 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20130092301 | Ebiko | Apr 2013 | A1 |
| 20140166169 | Tanaka | Jun 2014 | A1 |
| 20170334250 | Mukai | Nov 2017 | A1 |
| 20180194171 | Suzuki | Jul 2018 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2572902 | Mar 2013 | EP |
| 2837511 | Feb 2015 | EP |
| 2010-115935 | May 2010 | JP |
| 2013-184551 | Sep 2013 | JP |
| Entry |
|---|
| Extended European Search Report, dated Jul. 24, 2018, for European Application No. 18159300.5. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20180264897 A1 | Sep 2018 | US |
