Patent ID: 6959744
Filing Date: 2005-11-01
Classification: B60C,C08K

Abstract:
1. A tire having a rubber tread of a co-extruded cap/base layered construction, wherein said tread cap layer is of a lug and groove configuration as a running surface of the tread, wherein said tread base layer underlies said tread cap and is comprised of a carbon black-rich rubber composition and wherein said tread cap is comprised of three distinct, circumferential zones, wherein said tread cap zones are comprised of a central tread zone positioned between two lateral tread zones, wherein said tread zones extend radially inward from the running surface of the tread to said tread base layer, wherein, based upon parts by weight per 100 parts by weight rubber (phr) (A) said tread base layer is comprised of at least one conjugated diene-based elastomer and from about 30 to about 70 phr of rubber reinforcing filler selected from carbon black and precipitated silica wherein said filler is comprised of from about 30 to about 70 phr of said carbon black and from zero to 25 phr of said precipitated silica, and wherein (B) said lateral tread cap zones are comprised of: (C) said central tread cap zone is comprised of a rubber composition positioned between said lateral zones; wherein said central tread cap zone rubber composition is comprised of: wherein said rubber composition of said lateral tread cap zones has low strain modulus G′ value at 10 percent shear strain at 30° C. and 10 Hertz in a range of about 5 to about 50 MPa, a DIN 53516 relative abrasion value (23° C., at 2.5 Newtons load) in a range of about 30 to about 100 and a tan delta value at 0° C. in a range of from 0.05 to about 0.12; and wherein said rubber composition of said central tread cap zone has low strain modulus G′ at 10 percent shear strain at 30° C. and 10 Hertz in a range of about 2 to about 30 MPa and at least 10 percent lower than the low strain G′ modulus of said lateral tread cap zones, a DIN 53516 relative abrasion value (23° C., at 2.5 Newtons load) in a range of about 100 to about 200, and a tan delta value at 0° C. in a range of from 0.12 to about 0.50.