Tire with reduced bead mass

Abstract: The radial pneumatic tire of this invention has a reduced bead mass and improved rolling resistance. The bead area has a profiled bead filler (24) that extends radially outward from the apex portion (241) with an essentially constant thickness portion (242) and a tapered portion (243). An outer filler strip (26) extends from a point (28) radially inward of the rim flange near the bead core (22) radially outward to a position (27) near the mid height of the tire. In one embodiment the outer filler strip (26) extends radially outward beyond the radial extent F of the bead filler (24).

Description: This invention relates to radial pneumatic tires used for light to heavy vehicles, and more particular to the design of the lower sidewall and bead area to reduce bead mass and rolling resistance with uncompromised load supporting capability. The continued interest by the governing bodies of most countries in saving the amount of fuel consumed by vehicles has resulted in a need to reduce vehicle mass. This is true for all components of the vehicle, including the tires. However, vehicles are going faster, supporting heavier loads and cornering at higher speeds than ever before. As the need to reduce tire mass is stronger, the need to support the same or higher loads with the same size tire remains. Another important need exists to reduce the rolling resistance of tires. Rolling resistance relates directly to fuel consumption and, generally speaking, rolling resistance decreases as tire mass decreases. The problem is that a reduction in tire mass is known to generally yield a reduction in the ability of the tire to support loads. A part of the tire that has increased in mass over the years is the tire beads. The beads react the loads from the tire's contact with a ground surface to the rim of the vehicle. The need of modern vehicles, due to their power and maneuverability, to require higher loads to be reacted by the tire is known in the industry. Increased bead mass is a result of adding additional components and/or making the classical components larger. Historically, this is illustrated by U.S. Patent Nos. 1,918,539; 3,052,275; 4,872,497; and 5,085,260. The U.S. Patent No. 1.918,539 has a very small bead mass, as a result of smaller structural components required to resist a reduced tire loading. The bead core has a cross-woven fabric cover surrounding it and an intermediate layer of cord fabric. This was adequate for the tire loadings of 1931. Additional components are added to the bead in U.S. Patent No. 3,052,275. The carcass layers were anchored around each bead, an apex filler was added above each bead core and an outer filler strip was also added externally of the carcass plies. The tire of U.S. Patent 3,052,275 improved the resistance to ply separation in the bead consistent with the tire loads of 1962. Durability of the tire of U.S. Patent 4,872,497 was improved in the bead area by the addition of a relatively large outer filler strip and a smaller apex filler. The relative dimensions of the apex filler is related to the height of a flange of the vehicle rim in this 1989 patent. The heavy duty radial tire of U.S. Patent 5,085,260 discloses a relatively small apex filler along with a number of carcass layers turned up around the bead core. The length of carcass turn-up portions and the position of the bead core in relation to the rim flange height is used to obtain bead strength. Accuracy in the placement of end points of each carcass layer is important in the teachings of this 1992 patent. Further components were added to the beads to strengthen them and to improve bead endurance in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,726,408, 4,779,659, and 5,007,472. Components include additional textile reinforced plies around the bead core, textile reinforced cord layers to support the outer filler strip and multiple layers of outer filler strips. These components have their role in providing a relatively small bead of sufficient strength and durability. However, they result in a bead construction which is very complicated to manufacture ;and requires extreme care to insure uniformity of the tires. The need to have a relatively small bead capable of ease of manufacture and with adequate strength and durability remains. The use of standard components and manufacturing techniques is essential in having a cost effective product. Changing the shape and dimensions of standard components in the lower sidewall and bead of a tire can change its ability to resist higher forces and moments. One component which can be easily modified is the bead filler. The bead filler has been extended radially into the area of the sidewall in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,640,329; 4,766,940; and 5,048,584. This extension provides improved transverse and radial load supporting capabilities for the tire. The motorcycle tire of U.S. Patent 4,640,329 has a hard bead filler with a gradually decreasing thickness extending into the sidewall portions of the tire. This tire has an improved transverse stiffness and is resistant to cracks in the tread grooves. The bead filler of U.S. Patent No. 4,766,940 extends to a mid-sidewall end position and has a gradually decreasing thickness from the bead core to the end position. An additional layer, including reinforcing cords, closely adheres to the bead filler to improve the steering stability (lateral forces) of the tire. The bead filler of U.S. Patent 5,048,584 also extends radially into the mid-sidewall area of the tire. At least two sets of bead reinforcing layers are added to improve the durability of the bead. An outer filler strip is also used in this tire to partition the reinforcing layers. The need remains to have a lower sidewall and bead which has a reduced mass along with the ability to sustain the same vehicle loads without the addition of reinforcing layers or other non-standard tire components. A coexisting need is a lower rolling resistance of the tire. Both of these needs should be achieved while maintaining a manufacturing process with limited changes or added costs. A tire according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from US-A-4 726 408. The object of the invention is to reduce the overall mass of a tire by removing material from the lower sidewall and bead areas. This is to be accomplished by essentially maintaining the tire's load supporting capabilities. Another object of the invention is to reduce the rolling resistance of a tire by reducing the amount of material having higher energy dissipation characteristics. This is to be accomplished by a reduction of the materials in the lower sidewall and bead areas consistent with the first objective. A further object is to overcome the disadvantages previously discussed where the historical trend is to increase the mass of the tire to help it resist higher loads and to add additional components in the bead area. These objects are achieved by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. The tire of this invention is for mounting on a rim of a vehicle for normal operation of the vehicle. Vehicles include passenger cars, light trucks, trucks and the like. The tire has a tread portion for contacting a ground surface and a belt package interior to the tread for support of the tread. The tire has a pair of sidewall portions where each extend radially inward from a lateral edge of the belt package. A pair of beads each have a bead core and are positioned radially inward of a respective sidewall portion. The tire of this invention also has a outer carcass ply positioned interior to the belt package which extends from bead to bead. The outer carcass ply terminates at each end adjacent to a respective bead core. An inner carcass is positioned interior to the outer carcass ply and extends from bead to bead. Each respective end portion of the inner carcass ply has a turn-up portion that partially encompasses a respective bead core and extends radially outward to an end point outward of a flange of the rim. An innerliner ply is positioned in the tire to the inside of the inner carcass ply and forms the inner surface of the tire. A single bead filler portion of each bead has a first apex part radially outward of the bead core, a second constant thickness part radially outward of the apex part and a third tapered part radially outward of the constant thickness part. The bead filler extends radially outward from a bead reference a distance at least equal to 30 percent of a radial height of the tire from the same bead reference. An outer filler strip of the tire at each bead is positioned axially outside of the carcass plies and the bead filler portion. The outer filler strip extends radially outward from a lower end point radially inward of the flange of the rim to a upper end point radially outward of the bead reference a distance at least 40 percent of the radial height of the tire from the bead reference. Another essential embodiment of this invention is that the bead filler portions extend a radial distance from the bead reference greater that the extend of the carcass turn-up portions and less than the radial extent of the outer filler strips. Further features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates from reading the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of one half of a radial tire for a vehicle according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view illustrating a lower sidewall and bead arrangement of a prior art tire; Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view illustrating a lower sidewall and bead arrangement for one embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view illustrating a lower sidewall and bead arrangement for another embodiment of the invention. The tire of this invention is illustrated in Fig. 1. The tire 10 has a tread 12 that engages the ground surface during running of the vehicle. A belt package 80 helps support the tread and provides resistance to normal and lateral loads on the tire 10. Two sidewall portions 40 connect the belt package 80 and tread 12 with the beads 20 on each axial side 82 of the tire. The tire 10 is symmetrical about the midcircumferential plane M and, when mounted on a rim 70, rotates about an axis A of rotation to provide mobility for the vehicle when contacting a ground surface. The tire has an overall height H above a bead reference D, which is located at a radius R from the rotational axis A, and is parallel to the rotational axis. A bead core 22 helps support the tire on the rim 70 during operation of the vehicle. The bead reference D is tangent to the radial innermost surface of a bead core 22. Inner and outer radial carcass plies 60 extend axially and radially from one bead core 22 to the axially spaced apart other bead core (not shown). One carcass ply terminates at a point adjacent to the bead core and the other carcass ply partially encompasses the bead core 22 and is turned up to a radial distance C above the bead reference D. An innerliner ply 14 helps the tire retain air in its internal cavity 15 and forms the interior surface 16 of the tire 10. The parallel reinforcing members in each carcass ply cross each other from ply to ply are positioned radially at an angle of about 75 to about 90 degrees from the midcircumferential plane M. The carcass reinforcing members are of a metallic or textile material standard in the industry. Two essential components necessary to obtain a tire with reduced bead mass according to this invention are the bead filler portion 24 and the outer filler strip 26. The bead filler portion 24 is a single profiled component having been reduced in thickness to help achieve the objects of this invention. The outer filler strip 26 is profiled and positioned within the tire to help achieve the uncompromised load supporting requirements of the tire. A further discussion and disclosure of these essential components is included later in this description. Many of the materials used for components contained in the tire 10 of this invention are known in the industry. The tread 12 is of any rubber tread compound having a relatively low energy loss during stress cycles and being durable against wear, abrasion and aging. The belt package 80 has at least two belt plies with parallel reinforcing members in each ply that cross one another from ply to ply. Belt reinforcing members are of a metallic or textile material standard in the art. The sidewall rubber 44 and innerliner ply 14 are also made of any material suitable in the art. The bead core 22 is made of a steel material being a bundle of wires circumferentially positioned in a hoop around the rim to keep the tire 10 seated on the rim 70. A bead seat rubber 21 provides the interface contact with the rim 70 and is of any suitable bead seat material standard in the industry. This bead seat rubber extends radially outward into the lower portion of the sidewall, and interfaces the innerliner ply 14 on the axially interior side of the bead core 22. The bead seat rubber 21 may be a combination of components each designed for their particular location requirements. The lower sidewall and bead of this invention replaces those of the prior art tire illustrated in Fig. 2. This typical tire 30 supports the loads of a light truck vehicle and has standard components plus a bead flipper 38. The two carcass plies 60 are divided at the apex bead filler 34 to extend radially inward on both axial sides of the apex filler 34. The interior carcass ply is turned up around the bead core 32 and extends radially outward a distance CP from the bead reference D. The apex filler 34 extends radially outward a distance FP from the bead reference D. An outer filler strip 36 is also required for this prior art tire 30 to sustain the loads from the vehicle. The subsequent illustrations (Figs. 3 and 4) show how the bead mass of the tire 20 of this invention compares with this prior art tire 30. Interior surface 18 defines the envelope of the prior art tire 30 in Fig. 2. The lower sidewall and bead of the tire of one embodiment of this invention is illustrated in Fig. 3. The outer carcass ply 62 extends radially inward to the inside of the bead filler 24 and terminates adjacent to the bead core 22. The inner carcass ply 64 extends radially inward to the inside of the filler 24, is wrapped around the bead core 22 to partially encompass it and is turned up to the outside of the bead filler 24. The carcass turn-up portion 66 extends radially outward of the bead reference D a distance C to an end point 67. The distance C is approximately equal to the distance CP of the prior art tire (Fig. 2). The unique bead filler 24 of the tire 10 of this invention has three different parts. The bead filler 24 is a single component having a first apex part 241, a second constant thickness part 242, and a third tapered part 243. The first apex part 241 extends radially outward from the bead reference a distance F1. Distance F1 is preferably in a range of 10 to 15 percent of the radial height H of the tire 10 (Fig. 1). The second constant thickness part 242 extends radially outward a distance F2 from the bead reference D. The radial extent or length of the constant thickness part 242 is F2-F1. The third tapered part 243 extends radially outward to end point 25 a distance F from the bead reference D. The radial extent or length of the tapered part 243 is F-F2. The radial length F2-F1 of the constant thickness part 242 is in a range of about 30 percent to about 45 percent of the radial extend F of the bead filler 24. The preferred radial length F2-F1 of the constant thickness part 242 is 40 percent of the radial distance F. The preferred radial extend of the bead filler 24, being a distance F from the bead reference D, is not more than approximately 50 percent of the radial height H of the tire 10. The preferred radial distance F is about 45 percent of the radial height H. The thickness T of the constant thickness part 242 of the bead filler 24 is selected to provide adequate bead strength with a reduction in bead mass. Computer modeling of the tire of this invention was used to obtain good stiffness characteristics of the tire without exceeding the allowable stresses of the materials used to construct the tire 10. These models were verified by actual testing. The resulting optimum thickness T of the constant thickness part 242 was determined to be in a range of values of about 0.60 millimeters to about 1.60 millimeters. The most preferred value for a 225/75R16 tire size was 0.80 millimeters, for example. An essential outer filler strip 26 of the tire 10 of this invention is also illustrated in Fig. 3. The position and radial extend of this outer filler strip 26 are determined to provide the necessary structural support to the bead and lower sidewall of the tire for sustaining the vehicle loads. The outer filler strip 26 extends from a lower end point 28, radially inward of the flange 72 of the rim 70 (Fig. 1), radially outward to another upper end point 27. The radial extent L of the upper end point 27 from the bead reference D is not more than 65 percent of the height H of the tire from the bead reference D. The preferred outward radial extent L of the outer filler strip 26 from the bead reference D is 50 percent of the height H of the tire 10. The relative radial position of the end point 25 of the bead filler 24 is radially outward of the end 67 of the carcass turn-up 66 and radially inward of the upper end point 27 of the outer filler strip 26. The radial distance separating end points 25, 67, and 27 is at least 5 millimeters for the tire 10 of this invention. Both the bead filler 24 and the outer filler strip 26 are made of a relatively hard rubber compound material. The radial and lateral stiffness of the tire are increased by a higher modulus of elasticity for the bead filler 24 and outer filler strip 26. A value of as high as approximately 60 megaPascals (MPa) for the modulus of elasticity at a 10 percent unit strain for the material of both components 24 and 26 provides the improved stiffnesses for the tire. This material has a Shore A hardness of approximately 95 degrees. In addition to stiffness, the performance parameters of ride, comfort, and handling are important for the tire 10. Therefore, a value as low as approximately 10 megaPascals for the modulus of elasticity of 10 percent unit strain for the material of both components 24 and 26 can be used as a compromise between stiffness and ride/handling. This lower modulus material has a Shore A hardness of approximately 75 degrees. A further embodiment of the tire 10 of this invention is illustrated in Fig. 4. This embodiment is very similar to the tire 10 illustrated in Fig. 3, except for the position of the outer carcass ply 62. In this embodiment, the outer carcass ply 62 is positioned to the axially outermost side of the bead filler 24 and the inner carcass ply turn-up portion 66. The outer carcass ply extends radially inward to an end point 69 adjacent to the bead core 22 being on the outermost axial side of the bead core. An intermediate portion 68 of the outer carcass ply 62 is in contact with an outermost portion 244 of the bead filler 24. This embodiment has approximately the same performance as the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3, as shown in the example included herein. The tire of this invention, having been described herein, has a bead mass much less than the prior art tires. The dashed line in Fig. 3 illustrates the relative position of the interior surface 18 of the prior art tire 30 of Fig. 2 in respect to the interior surface 16 of the tire 10 of this invention. An identical comparison can be made for the embodiment of the tire 20 illustrated in Fig. 4 where the interior surface 18 of the prior art tire 30 is shown relative to the interior surface 16 of the tire 10 of this invention. A reduction in the total mass of the lower sidewall and bead areas, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, as high as 15 percent was achieved. The tires illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4 were measured and tested to determine their relative mass, rolling resistance, radial stiffness, cornering stiffness, dynamic spring rate, high speed endurance and ride/handling performance. A light truck tire having a standard 225/75R16 size, as determined by the Tire and Rim Association (T&RA) of Copley, Ohio, was selected for each tire. Tire A is the prior art tire having the structure illustrated in Fig. 2. Tire B is the preferred tire 10 as illustrated in Fig. 3 and tire C is the tire 10 illustrated in Fig. 4. The table shows a comparison based on the prior art tire having a base value of 100 for each feature or performance value. The modulus of elasticity of the bead filler 24, 34 as well as the outer filler strip 26, 36 was 10.megaPascals at 10% unit strain for these tires. Feature or Performance Tire A Prior Art Tire B (Fig. 3) Tire C (Fig. 4) Mass (weight) 100 96 95 Rolling Resistance 100 97 97 Radial Stiffness 100 96 95 Cornering Stiffness 100 97 97 Dynamic Spring Rate 100 96 95 High Speed Limit 100 98 97 Ride/Handling Base Worse Better The table shows a reduction in the mass of the tire from 4 to 5 percent with the tires B and C of this invention. The rolling resistance is also decreased by 3 percent for tires B and C of this invention. This rolling resistance can result in a fuel savings as much as one percent for a light truck vehicle. The ability of the tires B and C of this invention to substantially sustain the radial and lateral (cornering) loads from the vehicle are verified by only a 3 to 5 percent reduction in stiffness values. The same result is obtained for the dynamic spring rate comparisons. Endurance of the tires B and C of this invention are measured by a high speed endurance comparison; which shows a 2 to 5 percent reduction. The ability of the tires A & B of this example to have substantially uncompromised load supporting and endurance or performance capabilities is verified. Similar tests with other tire sizes have also shown the improvements and uncompromised performance disclosed for the tire of this invention. The ride, comfort, and handling performance of tire C (Fig. 4) was better than the prior art tire A. Alternately, the ride, comfort, and handling performance of tire B was worse than the prior art tire A. The relative performance values of all the tires A, B, and C were essentially equal in ride, comfort/handling.

Claims: A tire (10) for mounting on a rim (70) of a vehicle comprising: a tread portion (12) for contacting a ground surface; a belt package (80) to support the tread and positioned interior to the tread portion (12). a pair of sidewall portions (40) each extending radially inward from a lateral edge of the belt package (80); a pair of beads (20) each having a bead core (22) and positioned radially inward of a respective sidewall portion; an outer carcass ply (62) positioned interior to the belt package (80) and extending from bead to bead ; an inner carcass ply (64) positioned interior to the outer carcass ply (62) and extending from bead to bead with each respective end portion having a carcass turn-up portion (66) that partially encompasses a respective bead core (22); an innerliner ply (14) positioned to the inside of the inner carcass ply forming the inner surface of the tire ; a single component bead filler (24); and an outer filler strip (26) of each bead positioned axially outside of the carcass plies and the bead filler portion; characterized in that: the respective ends of the outer carcass ply (63) terminate adjacent to each bead core (22); the turn-up portions (66) of the inner carcass ply (64) extend radially outward to an end point (67) positioned radially outward of the flange of the rim; the single component bead fillers (24) have a first apex part (241) radially outward of the bead core (22), a second constant thickness part (242) radially outward of the apex part (241) and a third tapered part (243) radially outward of the constant thickness part (242), wherein said bead filler (24) extends radially outward from a bead reference D a distance F of at least 30 percent of a radial height H of the tire; and the outer filler strips (26) extend radially outward from a lower end point (28), being radially inward of the flange of the rim, to an upper end point (27) being radially outward of the bead reference D a distance L of at least 40 percent of the radial height H of the tire. The tire set forth in claim 1, wherein the bead filler portions (24) extend a radial distance F from the bead reference D greater than the extent of the carcass turn-up portions (66) and less than the extend L of the outer filler strips.(26). The tire set forth in claim 2, wherein the bead filler portions (24) extend a radial distance F above the bead reference D to an end point (25) not more than 50 percent of the radial height H of the tire. The tire set forth in claim 2, wherein the upper end point (27) of each outer filler strip (26) extends a radial distance L above the bead reference D not more than 65 percent of the radial height H of the tire. The tire set forth in claim 1, wherein the second constant thickness part (242) of each bead filler portion (24) has a radial length of about 30 to about 45 percent of the total radial distance F that the bead filler portion (24) extends above the bead reference D. The tire set forth in claim 5, wherein a thickness T of the second constant thickness part (242) of each bead filler portion (24) is in a range of about 0.60 millimeters to about 1.60 millimeters. The tire set forth in claim 7, wherein the thickness T of the second constant thickness part (242) of each bead filler portion (24) is about 0.80 millimeters. The tire set forth in claim 1, wherein the bead filler portions (24) are made of a rubber material having a Shore A hardness of about 95 degrees and a modulus of elasticity at 10 percent unit strain in a range of about 10 to about 60 megaPascals. The tire set forth in claim 1, wherein the outer filler strips (26) are made of a rubber material having a Shore A hardness of about 95 degrees and a modulus of elasticity at 10 percent unit strain in a range of about 10 to about 60 megaPascals. The tire set forth in claim 1, where in the outer carcass ply (62) is positioned axially inside and in contact with the bead filler portion (24) in each respective sidewall and bead. The tire set forth in claim 1, wherein the outer carcass ply (62) is positioned outside and in contact with the bead filler portion (24) and the carcass turn-up portion (66) in each respective sidewall and bead.

Inventors: HODGES EMERY E, HODGES, EMERY E.
Applicants: MICHELIN RECH TECH, MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B60C15
IPC codes: B60C15