JP2009269446A - Pneumatic tire and method of manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a novel pneumatic tire with superior controllability and stability and ride comfort by minimizing an increase in mass and a decrease in fuel efficiency while having a superior puncture preventing function by arranging a layer of a sealant material in the inner face of a tread and achieving favorable work efficiency in rim assembly, and to provide a method of manufacturing therefor. <P>SOLUTION: This pneumatic tire comprises the sealant material in a gel state arranged in the inner face of the tread section of the tire. The sealant material is filled and arranged in a cylinder formed of a thermoplastic resin or a resin film including a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending elastomer in the thermoplastic resin as a main ingredient. In a process of molding the pneumatic tire, in the tread inner face section of a green tire, the cylindrical film formed of the thermoplastic resin or the resin film including the thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending the elastomer in the thermoplastic resin as a main ingredient is attached, and the sealant is filled in the cylinder before or after vulcanization in this method of manufacturing the pneumatic tire. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire having a puncture prevention function.

  More specifically, in a pneumatic tire with a sealant material layer on the inner surface of the tread to provide a puncture-preventing function, good rim assembly workability is achieved, and an increase in mass and a decrease in fuel efficiency are minimized. Further, the present invention relates to a novel pneumatic tire that further improves handling stability and riding comfort performance.

  Conventionally, as a pneumatic tire having a puncture-preventing function, a tire having a sealant layer arranged along the inner surface of the tire is known, and a tire having a sealant layer has a tread portion stuck with a foreign object such as a nail. The sealant material functions so as to automatically block the puncture hole when it hits (Patent Document 1).

However, the sealant material generally has high adhesiveness and fluidity, and there is a drawback that the rim assembly work for assembling the tire to the rim, foreign matter adheres during storage, and the sealant material sticks to the rim assembly machine was there. As countermeasures, it has been proposed to provide a protective layer (such as a rubber layer or oil paper) for preventing adhesion inside the sealant material, or to divide the sealant material layer by partition walls (Patent Document 2). In these methods, the rim assembling work is complicated, and there is a drawback that the fuel efficiency performance (rolling resistance) of the tire is lowered due to a reduction in work efficiency and an increase in the mass of the entire tire.
JP-A-9-187869 JP 2006-142925 A

  In view of the above-mentioned points, the object of the present invention is to provide an excellent puncture prevention function by arranging a layer of a sealant material on the inner surface of the tread, to realize good rim assembly workability, and to increase mass. The present invention is to provide a novel pneumatic tire having excellent steering stability and riding comfort performance while minimizing a decrease in fuel consumption performance and a manufacturing method thereof.

The pneumatic tire of the present invention that achieves the above-described object has the following configuration.
(1) In a pneumatic tire having a gel sealant material arranged on the inner surface of a tread portion of the tire, the sealant material is mainly composed of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. A pneumatic tire that is filled and arranged in a cylinder formed of a resin film.
Moreover, in the pneumatic tire of the present invention, more specifically, preferably, the pneumatic tire has any one of the following configurations (2) to (6).
(2) The pneumatic according to (1) above, wherein the length of the sealant material filled in the cylinder in the tire width direction is 80 to 120% of the width of the belt reinforcing layer tire.
(3) The pneumatic tire according to (1) or (2), wherein the sealant material has a thickness in the tire radial direction of 2 to 10 mm.
(4) The (1) to (3) above, wherein the gel-like sealant material is divided into a plurality of pieces and held by partition bands extending continuously or intermittently in the tire circumferential direction. The pneumatic tire according to any one of the above.
(5) Inner made of a film mainly composed of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin on the outer peripheral side of a tire formed of a resin film filled with the sealant material. The pneumatic tire according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein a liner is provided.
(6) The gel-like sealant material is filled in a cylinder formed from a three-layer resin film composed mainly of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. The two layers of the sealant material constitute the layers, and the two layers of the sealant material extend in the tire circumferential direction and are separated from each other by partition bands that are present in the respective layers. The pneumatic tire according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the pneumatic tire is divided into a plurality of pieces and held.
Moreover, the manufacturing method of the pneumatic tire of this invention which achieves the objective mentioned above has the structure of the following (7) or (8).
(7) Both ends of a cylindrical resin film formed into a cylindrical shape using a resin film mainly composed of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin are joined together. The annular body is affixed to the inner surface of the tread portion of the green tire on a tire molding drum, and then a gel sealant material is filled into the cylinder formed of the resin film, and the green tire is subjected to a vulcanization process. A method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire.
(8) A ring formed by joining both ends of a tubular resin film formed into a tubular shape using a thermoplastic resin or a resin film mainly composed of a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. The body is affixed to the inner surface of the tread portion of the green tire on a tire molding drum, and then the green tire is subjected to a vulcanization process to form a tire, and then the gel is formed in a cylinder formed of the resin film. A method for producing a pneumatic tire, comprising filling a sealant material.

In the method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire according to the present invention, more specifically, preferably, it has the following configuration (9).
(9) The above (7) or (8), wherein the tire is molded using a film made of the same resin as the cylindrical resin film filled with the sealant material as an inner liner material of the tire. Method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire.

  According to the pneumatic tire of the present invention according to claim 1, while having an excellent anti-puncture function by disposing a layer of the sealant material on the inner surface of the tread, good rim assembling workability is realized, and mass of A novel pneumatic tire having excellent handling stability and riding comfort performance while minimizing an increase and a decrease in fuel consumption performance is provided.

  According to the pneumatic tire manufacturing method of the present invention according to claim 7 or claim 8, an excellent puncture prevention function is provided by disposing a sealant material layer on the inner surface of the tread, and good rim assembly workability is achieved. The present invention can provide a novel method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire having excellent steering stability and riding comfort performance while minimizing an increase in mass and a decrease in fuel efficiency.

  Hereinafter, the pneumatic tire of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a principal part of a pneumatic tire according to the present invention in a meridian cross-sectional view. A pneumatic tire 1 according to the present invention includes a gel-like sealant material 6 disposed on the inner surface of a tread portion 2. The sealant material 6 has a layer and is filled in a cylinder formed of a resin film 7 or 7 ′ composed mainly of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. It is characterized by being arranged. In FIG. 1, 3 is a belt layer, 4 is a carcass layer, and 5 is an inner liner.

  In the pneumatic tire of the present invention, the sealant material is a tubular film formed by the resin films 7 and 7 'mainly composed of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. By filling the inside of the cylinder, it will be stably held on the inner surface of the tire, preventing an increase in mass, and further improving the steering stability and ride comfort performance by increasing the rigidity in the tire circumferential direction be able to. In the present invention, the thickness of the resin films 7 and 7 'mainly composed of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin is preferably 10 to 300 μm, more preferably 10 to 200 μm. It is.

  As the thermoplastic resin constituting the resin film forming the cylinder, for example, polyamide resin [for example, nylon 6 (N6), nylon 66 (N66), nylon 46 (N46), nylon 11 (N11), nylon 12 ( N12), nylon 610 (N610), nylon 612 (N612), nylon 6/66 copolymer (N6 / 66), nylon 6/66/610 copolymer (N6 / 66/610), nylon MXD6 (MXD6) Nylon 6T, Nylon 6 / 6T copolymer, Nylon 66 / PP copolymer, Nylon 66 / PPS copolymer] and their N-alkoxyalkylated products such as nylon 6 methoxymethylated product, nylon 6/610 Copolymer methoxymethylated product, nylon 612 methoxymethylated product, polyester tree [For example, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene isophthalate (PEI), PET / PEI copolymer, polyarylate (PAR), polybutylene naphthalate (PBN), liquid crystal polyester, polyoxyalkylene Aromatic polyester such as diimide diacid / polybutylene terephthalate copolymer], polynitrile resin [for example, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polymethacrylonitrile, acrylonitrile / styrene copolymer (AS), (meth) acrylonitrile / styrene Copolymer, (meth) acrylonitrile / styrene / butadiene copolymer], polymethacrylate resin [for example, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethyl methacrylate], polyvinyl resin [For example, vinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), vinyl alcohol / ethylene copolymer (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PDVC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), vinyl chloride / vinylidene chloride copolymer, vinylidene chloride / methyl Acrylate copolymer, vinylidene chloride / acrylonitrile copolymer (ETFE)], cellulose resin [eg, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate], fluorine resin [eg, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) Polychlorofluoroethylene (PCTFE), tetrafluoroethylene / ethylene copolymer], imide resin [for example, aromatic polyimide (PI)] and the like can be preferably used.

  The thermoplastic elastomer composition used in the present invention can be constituted by blending the above-described thermoplastic resin and elastomer.

  Examples of the elastomer constituting the thermoplastic elastomer composition include diene rubbers and hydrogenated products thereof [eg, natural rubber (NR), isoprene rubber (IR), epoxidized natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), butadiene] Rubber (BR, high cis BR and low cis BR), nitrile rubber (NBR), hydrogenated NBR, hydrogenated SBR], olefin rubber [for example, ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM, EPM), maleic acid modified ethylene propylene rubber ( M-EPM), butyl rubber (IIR), isobutylene and aromatic vinyl or diene monomer copolymer, acrylic rubber (ACM), ionomer], halogen-containing rubber [eg, Br-IIR, CI-IIR, isobutylene paramethylstyrene Copolymer bromide (Br-IPMS), black Plain rubber (CR), hydrin rubber (CHR), chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber (CSM), chlorinated polyethylene rubber (CM), maleic acid modified chlorinated polyethylene rubber (M-CM)], silicone rubber [eg methyl vinyl silicone rubber , Dimethyl silicone rubber, methyl phenyl vinyl silicone rubber], sulfur-containing rubber (for example, polysulfide rubber), fluorine rubber (for example, vinylidene fluoride rubber, fluorine-containing vinyl ether rubber, tetrafluoroethylene-propylene rubber, fluorine-containing silicon) Rubber, fluorine-containing phosphazene rubber), thermoplastic elastomer (for example, styrene elastomer, olefin elastomer, ester elastomer, urethane elastomer, polyamido elastomer) and the like are preferable. It is possible to use.

  When the above-mentioned specific thermoplastic resin and elastomer are different in compatibility, they can be made compatible by using an appropriate compatibilizing agent as the third component. By mixing the compatibilizer with the blend system, the interfacial tension between the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer decreases, and as a result, the rubber particle size forming the dispersion layer becomes finer, so the characteristics of both components are more It will be expressed effectively. Such a compatibilizing agent generally includes a copolymer having a structure of both or one of a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer, or an epoxy group, a carbonyl group, a halogen group, and an amino group that can react with the thermoplastic resin or elastomer. In addition, a copolymer having a oxazoline group, a hydroxyl group and the like can be taken. These may be selected according to the type of thermoplastic resin and elastomer to be mixed, but those commonly used include styrene / ethylene butylene block copolymer (SEBS) and its maleic acid modification, EPDM, EPM, EPDM / styrene or EPDM / acrylonitrile graft copolymer and its maleic acid modified product, styrene / maleic acid copolymer, reactive phenoxin and the like can be mentioned. The blending amount of the compatibilizer is preferably 0.5 to 10 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the polymer component (the total of the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer).

  In the thermoplastic elastomer composition, the composition ratio between the specific thermoplastic resin and the elastomer is not particularly limited, and is appropriately set so as to have a structure in which the elastomer is dispersed as a discontinuous phase in the thermoplastic resin matrix. A preferable range is a weight ratio of 90/10 to 30/70.

  In the present invention, the thermoplastic resin and the thermoplastic elastomer composition can be mixed with other polymers such as the compatibilizer described above. The purpose of mixing other polymers is to improve the compatibility between the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer, to improve the molding processability of the material, to improve the heat resistance, to reduce the cost, etc. Examples of the material that can be used include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), ABS, SBS, and polycarbonate (PC). In addition, fillers (calcium carbonate, titanium oxide, alumina, etc.) generally incorporated into polymer blends, reinforcing agents such as carbon black and white carbon, softeners, plasticizers, processing aids, pigments, dyes, and aging An inhibitor or the like can be appropriately blended.

  The elastomer can also be dynamically vulcanized when mixed with the thermoplastic resin. The vulcanizing agent, vulcanization aid, vulcanization conditions (temperature, time), and the like in the case of dynamic vulcanization may be appropriately determined according to the composition of the elastomer to be added, and are not particularly limited.

  A general rubber vulcanizing agent (crosslinking agent) can be used as the vulcanizing agent. Specific examples of the ionic vulcanizing agent include powdered sulfur, precipitated sulfur, highly dispersible sulfur, surface-treated sulfur, insoluble sulfur, dimorpholine disulfide, alkylphenol disulfide, and the like. 4 phr [hereinafter, “phr” refers to parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the elastomer component. same as below. ] Can be used.

  Organic peroxide vulcanizing agents include benzoyl peroxide, t-butyl hydroperoxide, 2,4-dichlorobenzoyl peroxide, 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di (t-butyl peroxide). Oxy) hexane, 2,5-dimethylhexane-2,5-di (peroxylbenzoate) and the like are exemplified, and for example, about 1 to 20 phr can be used.

  Furthermore, examples of the phenol resin-based vulcanizing agent include bromides of alkyl phenol resins, mixed crosslinking systems containing halogen donors such as tin chloride and chloroprene, and alkyl phenol resins. For example, about 1 to 20 phr is used. Can do.

  In addition, zinc white (about 5 phr), magnesium oxide (about 4 phr), risurge (about 10 to 20 phr), p-quinonedioxime, p-dibenzoylquinonedioxime, tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone, poly-p- Examples include dinitrosobenzene (about 2 to 10 phr) and methylene dianiline (about 0.2 to 10 phr).

  Moreover, you may add a vulcanization accelerator as needed. Examples of the vulcanization accelerator include general vulcanization accelerators such as aldehyde / ammonia, guanidine, thiazole, sulfenamide, thiuram, dithioate, thiourea, etc. About 2 phr can be used.

  Specifically, as the aldehyde / ammonia vulcanization accelerator, hexamethylenetetramine and the like, as the guanidinium vulcanization accelerator, diphenyl guanidine, etc., as the thiazole vulcanization accelerator, dibenzothiazyl disulfide ( DM), 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and its Zn salt, cyclohexylamine salt and the like, sulfenamide vulcanization accelerators include cyclohexylbenzothiazylsulfenamide (CBS), N-oxydiethylenebenzothiazyl-2- As thiuram vulcanization accelerators such as sulfenamide, Nt-butyl-2-benzothiazole sulfenamide, 2- (thymolpolynyldithio) benzothiazole, tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD), tetraethyl Thiuram disulfide, tetrame Examples of dithioate-based vulcanization accelerators such as lutiuram monosulfide (TMTM) and dipentamethylene thiuram tetrasulfide include Zn-dimethyldithiocarbamate, Zn-diethyldithiocarbamate, Zn-di-n-butyldithiocarbamate, Zn -Ethyl phenyl dithiocarbamate, Te-diethyl dithiocarbamate, Cu-dimethyldithiocarbamate, Fe-dimethyldithiocarbamate, pipecoline pipecolyldithiocarbamate, etc. Examples of thiourea vulcanization accelerators include ethylenethiourea and diethylthiourea be able to.

  Moreover, as a vulcanization | cure acceleration | stimulation adjuvant, the general rubber adjuvant can be used together, for example, zinc white (about 5 phr), stearic acid, oleic acid, and these Zn salts (about 2-4 phr). Etc. can be used.

  A method for producing a thermoplastic elastomer composition includes a thermoplastic resin in which a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer (unvulcanized in the case of rubber) are melt-kneaded in advance using a twin-screw kneading extruder or the like to form a continuous phase (matrix). By dispersing the elastomer as a dispersed phase (domain) in it. When the elastomer is vulcanized, a vulcanizing agent may be added under kneading to dynamically vulcanize the elastomer. Further, various compounding agents (excluding the vulcanizing agent) for the thermoplastic resin or elastomer may be added during the kneading, but it is preferable to mix them in advance before kneading. The kneading machine used for kneading the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer is not particularly limited, and a screw extruder, a kneader, a Banbury mixer, a biaxial kneading extruder, or the like can be used. Among them, it is preferable to use a twin-screw kneading extruder for kneading the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer and for dynamic vulcanization of the elastomer. Further, two or more types of kneaders may be used and kneaded sequentially. As conditions for melt kneading, the temperature may be higher than the temperature at which the thermoplastic resin melts.

  The polymer composition produced by the above-described method may be formed into a desired shape by an ordinary thermoplastic resin molding method such as injection molding or extrusion molding. For example, if it is molded into a cylindrical resin film as shown in FIG. 5 to be described later, extrusion molding is performed from a mouth slit opened in a circular shape, and after the molding is completed, the cylindrical shape is crushed. Can be obtained.

  The thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by the above method has a structure in which an elastomer is dispersed as a discontinuous phase in a matrix of a thermoplastic resin. Based on this structure, it can have both sufficient flexibility and sufficient rigidity due to the effect of the resin layer as a continuous phase, and it can be molded in the same manner as a thermoplastic resin, regardless of the amount of elastomer. Sex can be obtained. The Young's modulus in the standard atmosphere as defined by JIS K7100 of the thermoplastic resin and the thermoplastic elastomer composition is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1 to 500 MPa, more preferably 50 to 500 MPa. .

  The sealant material used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and a gel-like sealant material conventionally used for puncture tires can be used.

In the present invention, the width W _{1 in} the tire width direction of the sealant material 6 and the cylindrical resin films 7 and 7 ′ shown in FIG. 2 is preferably 80 to 120% of the width W ₂ of the belt reinforcing layer 3. Tire width direction of the length of the sealant material 6 (width) W ₁ is not preferable because the hard drop and circumferential stiffness of the puncture repair property can be obtained when less than 80% of the width W ₂ of the belt reinforcing layer 3 On the other hand, when it is larger than 120%, the fuel consumption performance decreases due to the increase in mass, which is not preferable. More preferably, the value is in the range of 90 to 110%.

“The length (width) W ₁ of the sealant material 6 in the tire width direction is 80 to 120% of the width W ₂ of the belt reinforcing layer 3” means “the total length of the region where the sealant material exists ( width) "is means to be within the scope of 80% to 120% of the width _{W 2.}

  Moreover, it is preferable that the tire radial direction thickness T of the sealant material 6 is 2 to 10 mm. If it is thinner than 2 mm, it may be difficult to exert puncture repair performance due to the size and shape of puncture holes, etc., and if it is thicker than 10 mm, the puncture repair performance will be extremely high, but the mass will increase. This is not preferable because it causes a decrease in fuel efficiency.

  In the present invention, preferably, as shown in the model diagram of FIG. 3, the gel-like sealant material 6 is divided into a plurality of pieces and held by partition bands 9 extending in the tire circumferential direction. is there. The partition band 9 may be continuously present in the tire circumferential direction, or may be intermittently present so that the sealant material can move at the discontinuous portion. It may be.

  The partition band 9 is fused by using a rod-shaped heater or the like during an operation process in which each of the two-layered cylindrical resin films 7 and 7 'is attached to the tire inner surface in a tire molding process or the like. Can be manufactured.

  In the pneumatic tire of the present invention, whether or not to use an inner liner is not particularly limited, but when an inner liner layer is provided, as shown in FIG. 1, a cylindrical resin film in which a sealant material is enclosed It is preferable that an inner liner is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the tire, and the inner liner is also composed of a thermoplastic resin or a film composed mainly of a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. This is because the thermoplastic resin or the thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in the thermoplastic resin is preferable because of its excellent sealing property and fastness to the tire body.

  In order to manufacture the pneumatic tire of the present invention, as shown in a perspective view in FIG. 5 as a model, a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition in which an elastomer is blended in a thermoplastic resin is used as a main component. A cylindrical resin film having a cylindrical three-dimensional structure is manufactured by using an extrusion molding machine or the like, and the cylindrical shape is further crushed from the side surface to form a two-layer film having a rectangular outer shape. The length L of the cylindrical film is a length corresponding to the entire circumferential length of the inner surface of the tread portion to which the cylindrical film is to be attached. Good. And the pneumatic tire concerning this invention is manufactured with the method of the following (A) or (B).

  (A) Using a two-layer film in which the cylindrical shape is crushed from the side surface and the outer shape is rectangular, both ends of the cylinder are joined to form an annular body, and on the tire molding drum, Adhering to the inner surface of the tread part, and then filling the cylindrical resin film with a gel sealant material using an injection needle, etc., and the hole of the injection needle is heat-sealed with a patch of thermoplastic resin, etc. The green tire is closed and subjected to a vulcanization step to obtain a pneumatic tire according to the present invention.

  (B) Using a two-layer film in which the cylindrical shape is crushed from the side surface and the outer shape is rectangular, both ends of the cylinder are joined to form an annular body, and the annular body is formed on a tire molding drum. Affixed to the inner surface of the tread portion of the green tire, and then molded into a tire by subjecting the green tire to a vulcanization process. After that, a gel sealant material was injected into the cylinder of the cylindrical resin film using an injection needle or the like. The hole of the injection needle is closed by heat sealing with a thermoplastic resin patch to obtain a pneumatic tire according to the present invention.

  Moreover, in this invention, a cylindrical resin film is not restricted only when it consists of a 2 layer film, For example, a 3 layer may be sufficient. In that case, the sealant material is sealed in the two-layer space between the three layers. The structure is schematically shown in FIG. In this structure, two layers 6 of the sealant material are formed, and each of the two layers of the sealant material extends in the tire circumferential direction as described also in FIG. Each is divided and held by the partition bands 10 and 11. This structure makes it difficult for the sealant material, which is a gel-like substance, to flow, and it is always arranged in a substantially uniform thickness without being partially interrupted. Since it is divided into two layers, it becomes even more effective. In order to obtain a three-layer structure, a cylindrical resin film is crushed into two layers, and a further layer of resin film is stacked and joined. Further, when it is desired to form a multilayered cylindrical resin film, two or more cylindrical films shown in FIG. 5 may be used in an overlapping manner.

  Further, a film made of the same resin as a cylindrical resin film filled with a sealant material may be used as the inner liner material. In that case, the cylindrical resin film has a structure in which the inner surface portion of the tread portion is partitioned by a partition band or the like and is filled with a sealant material. Instead, the resin film may be used as an inner liner by allowing the resin film to exist in a single layer or a plurality of layers through the shoulder portion to the vicinity of the bead portion.

  Conventional tire that does not use sealant material (Comparative Example 1), conventional puncture tire that uses sealand material but does not use a resin sheet (Comparative Example 2), and pneumatic tire of the present invention The total of six pneumatic tires (Examples 1 to 3) whose width and thickness of the sealant material were changed in size were evaluated with respect to puncture repairability, tire mass, fuel consumption performance, driving stability, and riding comfort performance It was.

  The pneumatic tire according to the present invention is manufactured by the method (B) described above.

  The tire size was 195 / 65R15, and the test vehicle was a small passenger car (displacement: 2000 cc). The fuel consumption performance was evaluated by detecting a rolling resistance value of 40 to 150 km / h by applying a constant load to the tire on the rotating drum. Specifically, the rolling resistance value was measured between 40 and 150 km / h, and the total of the rolling resistance values was obtained and compared and evaluated.

  Puncture repairability was evaluated in three stages: ○ (good), △ (normal), and × (poor), by evaluating the reduction in internal pressure when a tire was pierced with a 3 mm diameter nail and left to stand.

  The tire mass is indexed with a conventional pneumatic tire (Comparative Example 1) as 100, and the smaller the value, the lighter and better the tire mass.

  The fuel efficiency is indexed with a conventional pneumatic tire (Comparative Example 1) as 100, and the smaller the value, the better. Steering stability and riding comfort performance are evaluated by index evaluation using a conventional pneumatic tire (Comparative Example 1) as 100, and the larger the numerical value, the better.

The evaluation results are shown in Table 1.
The pneumatic tire according to the present invention has a good balance with respect to the evaluation items described above, and can be judged to be excellent overall. In particular, Example 3 is satisfactory in terms of tire mass, fuel consumption performance, handling stability and riding comfort performance while having excellent puncture repairability, and is extremely excellent overall. It was a thing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of a pneumatic tire according to the present invention in a meridian cross section. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the principal meridian shown for explaining one embodiment of the pneumatic tire according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the principal meridian shown for explaining another embodiment of the pneumatic tire according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a principal meridian cross-sectional view shown to explain another embodiment of the pneumatic tire according to the present invention. FIG. 5 shows the production of a cylindrical resin film having a cylindrical three-dimensional structure composed mainly of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin, using an extrusion molding machine, Furthermore, it is a schematic model perspective view explaining the example which crushes this cylindrical shape from a side surface, and makes it a two-layer film with a rectangular external shape.

Explanation of symbols

1: Pneumatic tie 2: Tread part 3: Belt layer 4: Carcass layer 5: Inner liner 6: Sealant material 7, 7 ': Cylindrical resin film 8: Belt edge cover layer 9: Partition band 10: Resin film 11: Divider 12: Divider

Claims (9)

  In a pneumatic tire having a gel sealant material disposed on the inner surface of a tread portion of a tire, the sealant material is a resin mainly composed of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. A pneumatic tire characterized in that it is filled and arranged in a cylinder formed of a film.   The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein a length of the sealant material filled in the cylinder in the tire width direction is 80 to 120% of a width of the belt reinforcing layer.   The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a thickness of the sealant material in a radial direction of the tire is 2 to 10 mm.   The gel-like sealant material is divided into a plurality of pieces and held by partition bands extending continuously or intermittently in the tire circumferential direction. Pneumatic tire.   An inner liner made of a thermoplastic resin or a film composed mainly of a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin is disposed on the outer peripheral side of a tire formed of a resin film filled with the sealant material. The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pneumatic tire is formed.   The gel-like sealant material is filled in a cylinder formed of a thermoplastic resin composition or a three-layer resin film mainly composed of a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. A sealant material layer is formed, and the two-layer sealant material extends in the tire circumferential direction and is divided into a plurality in each layer by partition bands that are shifted from each other. The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pneumatic tire is divided and held.   An annular body formed by joining both ends of a cylindrical resin film formed into a cylindrical shape using a thermoplastic resin or a resin film mainly composed of a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. In addition, it is affixed to the inner surface of the tread portion of the green tire on a tire molding drum, and then filled with a gel-like sealant material in a cylinder formed of the resin film, and further subjected to the vulcanization process. A method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire.   An annular body formed by joining both ends of a cylindrical resin film formed into a cylindrical shape by using a resin film mainly composed of a thermoplastic elastomer composition in which a thermoplastic resin or an elastomer is blended with a thermoplastic resin, Affixed to the inner surface of the tread portion of the green tire on a tire molding drum, and then subjected to tire molding by subjecting the green tire to a vulcanization process, and then a gel sealant material in a cylinder formed of the resin film The manufacturing method of the pneumatic tire characterized by filling.   9. The production of a pneumatic tire according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a film made of the same resin as a cylindrical resin film filled with the sealant material is used as an inner liner material of a tire to form a tire. Method.