Run-flat tire

Patent 7201196 Issued on April 10, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date:

February 14, 2025. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Radial tire having sidewalls reinforced with a rubbery mixture having a high modulus
Patent #: 4067372
Issued on: 01/10/1978
Inventor: Masson

Pneumatic run flat tire for motorcycles
Patent #: 4263955
Issued on: 04/28/1981
Inventor: Ikeda

Pneumatic safety tire
Patent #: 5217549
Issued on: 06/08/1993
Inventor: Johnson

Pneumatic tire with crown reinforcing rubber layer and side reinforcing rubber layers
Patent #: 5988247
Issued on: 11/23/1999
Inventor: Tanaka

Run-flat tire with side-reinforcing rubber pad and fibrous layer
Patent #: 6269857
Issued on: 08/07/2001
Inventor: Kanai, et al.

Runflat tire with steel cord bead reinforcing layer
Patent #: 6609550
Issued on: 08/26/2003
Inventor: Suzuki

Discontinuous ply for runflat tire construction Patent #: 6712108
Issued on: 03/30/2004
Inventor: Koeune, et al.

Inventor

Suzuki, Kazuya

Assignee

Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.

Application

No. 11056181 filed on 02/14/2005

US Classes:

152/517, With sidewall insert to facilitate load support in emergency152/554, Characterized by the extent of the fold up into the sidewall of the tire relative to the other tire dimensions152/555Sidewall stiffening or reinforcing means other than main carcass plies or foldups thereof about beads

Examiners

Primary: Johnstone, Adrienne C.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP

Foreign Patent References

198 46 854 DE 04/01/2000
0 507 184 EP 10/01/1992
05286319 JP 11/01/1993
06171325 JP 06/01/1994
08002220 JP 01/01/1996
09058229 JP 03/01/1997
11227424 JP 08/01/1999
11245635 JP 09/01/1999
2000-142042 JP 05/01/2000
2002211216 JP 07/01/2002
2002301914 JP 10/01/2002
WO-00/46048 WO 08/01/2000

International Classes

B60C 17/00
B60C 13/00
B60C 15/00

Abstract

A run-flat tire comprises a carcass comprising at least one carcass ply of cords extending between a pair of bead portions through a tread portion and sidewall portions, a sidewall reinforcing rubber layer disposed in each sidewall portion and tapering towards its radially inner end and outer end from a central portion to have a crescent shape in a meridian section of the tire, and a reinforcing cord layer disposed axially outside of each sidewall reinforcing rubber layer and comprising at least one reinforcing ply with cords inclined with respect to a radial direction of the tire.

Other References

English machine translation of Japanese Patent Application 9-58229 A.
English machine translation of Japanese Patent Application 11-245635 A.
Mechanics of Pneumatic Tires, ed. Samuel Clark, U.S. Department of Transportation, Aug. 1981, pp. 146-151.