JP2015205591A - pneumatic tire - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pneumatic tire 2 with rolling resistance reduced and capable of preventing TLC.SOLUTION: A tire 2 according to the present invention includes a tread 4, a pair of side walls 6, a pair of beads 10, a carcass 12, a belt 14, and a pair of cushions 28. Each cushion 28 is positioned outside the belt 14 in an axis direction. Each cushion 28 is positioned between an end 58 of the belt 14 and the carcass 12. Each cushion 28 includes a body 60 and a buffer layer 62. The buffer layer 62 is positioned between the body 60 and the end 58 of the belt 14 and between the body 60 and the carcass 12. A loss tangent value of the buffer layer 62 is greater than that of the body 60. A thickness t1 from the end 58 of the belt 14 to the body 60 is 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less. A thickness t2 from the body 60 to the carcass 12 is 1 or more to 3 mm or less.

Description

  The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire. Specifically, the present invention relates to a heavy duty pneumatic tire mounted on a vehicle such as a truck or a bus.

  The tire is provided with a belt to reinforce the carcass. The belt is laminated on the carcass. The end of the belt is located near the end of the tread. In a tire in a running state, distortion concentrates on the end of the belt. In order to suppress the concentration of distortion, a cushion is usually provided between the end of the belt and the carcass.

  In consideration of the environment, the development of fuel-efficient vehicles has been progressing in recent years. A pneumatic tire is attached to the vehicle. The pneumatic tire supports the vehicle body and plays a role of transmitting power to the road surface. The tire affects the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

  Tire development is also progressing from the viewpoint of achieving low fuel consumption of vehicles. This development focuses on reducing tire rolling resistance. From the viewpoint of a small rolling resistance, the use of a rubber material having a small loss tangent is being studied. This is because a rubber material having a small loss tangent suppresses heat generation (energy loss) compared to a rubber material having a large loss tangent. An examination example for applying a rubber material having a small loss tangent to the above-described cushion is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-184537.

JP 2010-184537 A

  The tire carcass includes a number of cords arranged in parallel. The belt, like the carcass, includes a number of parallel cords. Steel cords are used for the carcass and belt of heavy duty tires.

  In heavy duty tires, the hard steel cord is in close proximity to the flexible cushion. For this reason, distortion tends to concentrate on the cushion positioned between the belt and the carcass. In addition, since a rubber material having a small loss tangent is more fragile than a rubber material having a large loss tangent, if a rubber material having a small loss tangent is applied to a cushion, damage such as looseness may occur at the end of the belt. Damage affects tire durability.

  Heavy duty tires are mainly used in commercial vehicles. Since the mileage is long, wear resistance is important in this tire. From the viewpoint of wear resistance, a tread having a large volume may be employed.

  In recent years, highways are becoming increasingly popular in emerging countries. At high speeds, the tread tends to get hot. This heat generation may cause damage called tread loose separation (TLC).

  Heat tends to accumulate in the tread having a large volume as described above. For this reason, from the viewpoint of TLC prevention, a tread having a small volume is employed. It is difficult to achieve both improvement of wear resistance and prevention of TLC only by adjusting the tread volume.

  By improving the composition for the tread, improved wear resistance can be achieved with a small volume of tread. However, in this case, since the tread is likely to generate heat, TLC prevention may not be achieved even though a tread having a small volume is employed.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire that achieves reduction in rolling resistance and prevention of tread loose separation.

  The pneumatic tire according to the present invention has a tread whose outer surface forms a tread surface, a pair of sidewalls each extending substantially inward in the radial direction from the end of the tread, and each of which is radially inward of the sidewalls. A pair of positioned beads, a carcass spanned between one bead and the other bead along the inside of the tread and the sidewall, and a belt laminated with the carcass on the radially inner side of the tread , And a pair of cushions, each positioned outside the belt in the axial direction. The cushion is located between the end of the belt and the carcass. The cushion includes a main body and a buffer layer. The buffer layer is located between the main body and the end of the belt and between the main body and the carcass. The loss tangent of the buffer layer is larger than the loss tangent of the main body. A thickness t1 from the end of the belt to the main body is 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less. A thickness t2 from the main body to the carcass is 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

  Preferably, in the pneumatic tire, the thickness t1 is not less than 2.5 mm and not more than 3.5 mm.

  Preferably, in this pneumatic tire, the thickness t2 is not less than 1.5 mm and not more than 2.5 mm.

  Preferably, in this pneumatic tire, the difference between the loss tangent of the buffer layer and the loss tangent of the main body is 0.05 or more.

  In the pneumatic tire according to the present invention, the cushion includes a main body and a buffer layer. A small loss tangent body can contribute to a reduction in rolling resistance. In this tire, a large loss tangent buffer layer is located between the main body and the end of the belt and between the main body and the carcass. This buffer layer can suppress the concentration of strain on the main body. In this tire, damage at the end of the belt is effectively prevented.

  In this tire, since the main body hardly generates heat, the temperature of the shoulder portion is lower than that of the conventional tire. In this tire, the occurrence of a tread loose casing (TLC) can be prevented without using a small volume tread. Moreover, since a large volume of tread can be adopted, the wear resistance is properly maintained.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the pneumatic tire in which reduction of rolling resistance and prevention of tread loose separation were achieved is obtained.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a pneumatic tire according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the tire of FIG.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with appropriate reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a pneumatic tire 2. In FIG. 1, the vertical direction is the radial direction of the tire 2, the horizontal direction is the axial direction of the tire 2, and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is the circumferential direction of the tire 2. In FIG. 1, an alternate long and short dash line CL represents the equator plane of the tire 2. The shape of the tire 2 is symmetrical with respect to the equator plane except for the tread pattern.

  The tire 2 includes a tread 4, a sidewall 6, a clinch 8, a bead 10, a carcass 12, a belt 14, a filler 16, a cover rubber 18, a strip 20, an inner liner 22, an insulation 24, a chafer 26, and a cushion 28. ing. The tire 2 is a tubeless type. The tire 2 is attached to a truck, a bus or the like. The tire 2 is for heavy loads.

  The tread 4 has a shape protruding outward in the radial direction. The tread 4 forms a tread surface 30 that contacts the road surface. A groove 32 is carved in the tread 4. The groove 32 forms a tread pattern.

  In the tire 2, the tread pattern includes a plurality of main grooves 32. Each main groove 32 extends continuously in the circumferential direction. In FIG. 1, the double arrow W represents the width of the main groove 32. A double-headed arrow D represents the depth of the main groove 32. In the tire 2, the width W of the main groove 32 is 2 mm or more and 15 mm or less. The depth D of the main groove 32 is 11 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

  In the tire 2, a plurality of main grooves 34 are carved in the tread 4, thereby forming a plurality of land portions 36 that are aligned in the axial direction. In the tire 2, each of the land portions 36 is composed of a single unit extending continuously in the circumferential direction. Such a land portion 36 is also referred to as a rib. In other words, the land portion 36 of the tire 2 is composed of ribs extending in the circumferential direction. By forming a plurality of grooves 32 extending substantially in the axial direction in the land portion 36, the land portion 36 may be configured by a plurality of blocks arranged in parallel in the circumferential direction.

  Although not shown, in the tire 2, the tread 4 has a base layer and a cap layer. The cap layer is located on the radially outer side of the base layer. The cap layer is laminated on the base layer. Usually, the base layer is made of a crosslinked rubber having excellent adhesiveness. A typical base rubber for the base layer is natural rubber. Usually, the cap layer is made of a crosslinked rubber having excellent wear resistance, heat resistance and grip properties.

  The sidewall 6 extends substantially inward in the radial direction from the end of the tread 4. A radially outer end of the sidewall 6 is joined to the tread 4. The radially inner end of the sidewall 6 is joined to the clinch 8. This sidewall 6 is made of a crosslinked rubber having excellent cut resistance and weather resistance. The side wall 6 prevents the carcass 12 from being damaged.

  The clinch 8 is located substantially inside the sidewall 6 in the radial direction. The clinch 8 is located outside the beads 10 and the carcass 12 in the axial direction. The clinch 8 contacts the flange of the rim. The clinch 8 is made of a crosslinked rubber having excellent wear resistance.

  The bead 10 is located inside the clinch 8 in the axial direction. The bead 10 includes a core 38, a hard apex 40, and a soft apex 42. The core 38 is ring-shaped and includes a wound non-stretchable wire. A typical material for the wire is steel. The hard apex 40 extends radially outward from the core 38. The hard apex 40 is made of a highly hard crosslinked rubber. The hard apex 40 can prevent the bead 10 from collapsing. The soft apex 42 extends radially outward from the hard apex 40. The soft apex 42 tapers inward and outwards in the radial direction. The soft apex 42 is made of a soft crosslinked rubber. The soft apex 42 can relieve distortion in the bead 10 portion.

  The carcass 12 includes a carcass ply 44. The carcass ply 44 is bridged between the beads 10 on both sides, and extends along the inside of the tread 4 and the sidewall 6. The carcass ply 44 is folded around the core 38 from the inner side in the axial direction to the outer side. By this folding, a main portion 46 and a folding portion 48 are formed in the carcass ply 44. The end of the folded portion 48 is located between the strip 20 and the cover rubber 18 in the axial direction.

  The carcass ply 44 includes a large number of cords arranged in parallel and a topping rubber. The absolute value of the angle formed by each cord with respect to the equator plane is 75 ° to 90 °. In other words, the carcass 12 has a radial structure. The cord material is steel. That is, the carcass ply 44 includes a steel cord. In the tire 2, the carcass 12 may be formed from two or more carcass plies 44.

  The belt 14 is located inside the tread 4 in the radial direction. The belt 14 is located outside the carcass 12 in the radial direction. The belt 14 reinforces the carcass 12. The axial width of the belt 14 is preferably 0.7 times or more the maximum width of the tire 2. In the tire 2, the belt 14 includes a first layer 50, a second layer 52, a third layer 54, and a fourth layer 56. The belt 14 is composed of four layers. The belt 14 may be composed of three layers.

  The first layer 50 forms an inner portion of the belt 14 in the radial direction. The first layer 50 is laminated with the carcass 12 on the equator plane. The second layer 52 is located on the outer side in the radial direction of the first layer 50. The second layer 52 is laminated with the first layer 50. The third layer 54 is located on the radially outer side of the second layer 52. The third layer 54 is laminated with the second layer 52. The fourth layer 56 is located on the radially outer side of the third layer 54. The fourth layer 56 is laminated with the third layer 54. As shown in the drawing, the second layer 52 has the largest width among the four layers forming the belt 14 in the axial direction. In the tire 2, the end of the second layer 52 is the end 58 of the belt 14.

  Although not shown, each of the first layer 50, the second layer 52, the third layer 54, and the fourth layer 56 includes a large number of cords arranged in parallel and a topping rubber. Each cord is inclined with respect to the equator plane. The inclination direction of the cord of the second layer 52 with respect to the equator plane is opposite to the inclination direction of the cord of the first layer 50 with respect to the equator plane. The inclination direction of the cord of the third layer 54 with respect to the equator plane is opposite to the inclination direction of the cord of the second layer 52 with respect to the equator plane. The inclination direction of the cord of the fourth layer 56 with respect to the equator plane is opposite to the inclination direction of the cord of the third layer 54 with respect to the equator plane. In each layer, the absolute value of the angle formed by the cord with respect to the equator plane is 15 ° to 70 °. The cord material is steel. That is, the belt 14 includes a steel cord.

  The filler 16 is located near the bead 10. The filler 16 is laminated with the carcass 12. The filler 16 is folded around the core 38 of the bead 10 inside the carcass ply 44. One end of the filler 16 is located on the outer side in the axial direction of the folded portion 48 of the carcass ply 44. This one end is located between the folded portion 48 and the clinch 8. The other end of the filler 16 is positioned on the inner side in the axial direction of the main portion 46 of the carcass ply 44. The other end is located outside the one end in the radial direction. Although not shown, the filler 16 is composed of a large number of cords arranged in parallel and a topping rubber. Each cord is inclined with respect to the radial direction. The cord material is steel. The filler 16 can suppress the falling of the bead 10 portion.

  The cover rubber 18 is located outside the soft apex 42 in the axial direction. As illustrated, the cover rubber 18 covers the end of the folded portion 48 of the carcass ply 44. The cover rubber 18 is made of a soft crosslinked rubber. The cover rubber 18 relieves stress concentration at the end of the folded portion 48.

  The strip 20 is located between the soft apex 42 and the cover rubber 18 in the axial direction. The strip 20 is made of a soft crosslinked rubber. As is apparent from the figure, the end of the folded portion 48 is laminated on the strip 20. The strip 20 reduces the concentration of distortion at the end of the folded portion 48.

  The inner liner 22 is located inside the carcass 12. The inner liner 22 is joined to the inner surface of the insulation 24. The inner liner 22 is made of a crosslinked rubber. The inner liner 22 is made of rubber having excellent air shielding properties. A typical base rubber of the inner liner 22 is butyl rubber or halogenated butyl rubber. The inner liner 22 holds the internal pressure of the tire 2.

  The insulation 24 is located between the carcass 12 and the inner liner 22. The insulation 24 is made of a crosslinked rubber having excellent adhesiveness. The insulation 24 is firmly joined to the carcass 12 and is also firmly joined to the inner liner 22. The insulation 24 can contribute to prevention of peeling of the inner liner 22 from the tire 2.

  The chafer 26 is located in the vicinity of the bead 10. When the tire 2 is incorporated into the rim, the chafer 26 comes into contact with the rim. By this contact, the vicinity of the bead 10 is protected. In this embodiment, the chafer 26 is integral with the clinch 8. Therefore, the material of the chafer 26 is the same as that of the clinch 8. The chafer 26 may be made of cloth and rubber impregnated in the cloth.

  The cushion 28 is located near the end 58 of the belt 14. The cushion 28 is located outside the belt 14 in the axial direction. As shown, the cushion 28 is located between the end 58 of the belt 14 and the carcass 12. In other words, the cushion 28 is sandwiched between the end 58 portion of the belt 14 and the main portion 46 of the carcass ply 44. The cushion 28 absorbs the stress at the end 58 of the belt 14. The cushion 28 prevents damage at the end 58 of the belt 14.

  In FIG. 1, the double arrow Tc represents the thickness of the cushion 28. This thickness Tc is represented by the maximum thickness of the cushion 28. From the viewpoint of stress absorption, the thickness Tc is preferably 10 mm or more. From the viewpoint of rigidity, the thickness Tc is preferably 20 mm or less.

  FIG. 2 shows a part of the tire 2 shown in FIG. FIG. 2 shows a shoulder portion of the tire 2. In FIG. 2, the vertical direction is the radial direction of the tire 2, the horizontal direction is the axial direction of the tire 2, and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is the circumferential direction of the tire 2. In the tire 2, the cushion 28 includes a main body 60 and a buffer layer 62.

  The main body 60 has a shape that tapers inward in the axial direction from the boundary 64 between the cushion 28 and the tread 4. The buffer layer 62 is located inside the main body 60 in the axial direction. In the tire 2, the axially inner end 66 (also referred to as a front end) of the main body 60 is covered with the buffer layer 62. In the tire 2, the buffer layer 62 is not provided between the main body 60 and the tread 4. A buffer layer 62 may be provided between the main body 60 and the tread 4.

In the tire 2, each of the main body 60 and the buffer layer 62 is made of a crosslinked rubber. The crosslinked rubber of the main body 60 is different from the crosslinked rubber of the buffer layer 62. In particular, the main body 60 and the buffer layer 62 are different in terms of loss tangent. In the present application, the loss tangent (also referred to as tan δ) is measured in accordance with the provisions of “JIS K 6394”. The measurement conditions are as follows.
Viscoelastic spectrometer: "VESF-3" from Iwamoto Seisakusho
Initial strain: 10%
Dynamic strain: ± 1%
Frequency: 10Hz
Deformation mode: Tensile Measurement temperature: 70 ° C

  In the tire 2, the loss tangent of the buffer layer 62 is larger than the loss tangent of the main body 60. In other words, the main body 60 has a small loss tangent, and the buffer layer 62 has a large loss tangent.

  In the main body 60 having a small loss tangent, the energy imparted by the deformation is efficiently used for restoration. The main body 60 hardly generates heat. Since the energy loss is small, the main body 60 can contribute to reduction of rolling resistance. Since the main body 60 hardly generates heat, the temperature of the shoulder portion is lower than that of the conventional tire. In the tire 2, a tread loose casing (TLC) can be prevented without using a small volume tread 4. In addition, since the tread 4 having a large volume can be employed, the wear resistance is appropriately maintained. From this viewpoint, the loss tangent of the main body 60 is preferably 0.10 or less.

  In the buffer layer 62 having a large loss tangent, part of the energy imparted by the deformation is consumed as heat. The buffer layer 62 generates heat more easily than the main body 60. Since stress is relieved by energy consumption, the concentration of strain on the end 58 of the belt 14 is suppressed. The buffer layer 62 can contribute to preventing damage at the end 58 of the belt 14. From this viewpoint, the loss tangent of the buffer layer 62 is preferably larger than 0.10, and more preferably 0.11 or more. From the viewpoint of preventing excessive heat generation, the loss tangent is preferably 0.15 or less.

  In the tire 2, the difference between the loss tangent of the buffer layer 62 and the loss tangent of the main body 60 is preferably 0.05 or more. In the tire 2, the main body 60 having a small loss tangent contributes to reduction of rolling resistance and prevention of TLC, and the buffer layer 62 having a large loss tangent contributes to improvement of durability. In addition, since the tread 4 having a large volume can be employed, the wear resistance is appropriately maintained. From this viewpoint, the difference is more preferably 0.06 or more. From the viewpoint of preventing concentration of strain on the boundary between the main body 60 and the buffer layer 62, it is preferable that the difference in rigidity between the two is appropriately maintained. From this viewpoint, the difference is preferably 0.10 or less.

  In the tire 2, the buffer layer 62 is located between the main body 60 and the end 58 of the belt 14. In other words, a part of the buffer layer 62 is located between the main body 60 and the belt 14. The buffer layer 62 separates the main body 60 and the steel cord included in the belt 14 at an appropriate interval. The buffer layer 62 prevents the main body 60 from approaching the steel cord. As described above, the buffer layer 62 has a large loss tangent. The buffer layer 62 can suppress the concentration of strain on the main body 60. In the tire 2, damage at the end 58 of the belt 14 is prevented.

  In the tire 2, the buffer layer 62 is located between the main body 60 and the carcass 12. In other words, a part of the buffer layer 62 is located between the main body 60 and the carcass 12. The buffer layer 62 separates the main body 60 and the steel cord included in the carcass 12 at an appropriate interval. The buffer layer 62 prevents the main body 60 from approaching the steel cord. As described above, the buffer layer 62 has a large loss tangent. The buffer layer 62 can suppress the concentration of strain on the main body 60. In the tire 2, damage at the end 58 of the belt 14 is prevented.

  In the tire 2 in the running state, the end 58 portion of the belt 14 is easy to move. As is apparent from the drawing, the tip 66 of the main body 60 is located on the inner side of the end 58 of the belt 14 in the axial direction. In the tire 2, the main body 60 and the belt 14 overlap in the radial direction. The main body 60 can effectively suppress the energy loss accompanying the lifting of the belt 14. In the tire 2, the rolling resistance is considerably small. Since the heat generation in the main body 60 is small, TLC is effectively prevented. Since the main body 60 exists up to the boundary 64 between the cushion 28 and the tread 4 that is located further on the outer side in the axial direction than the end 58 of the belt 14, the rolling resistance of the tire 2 is further reduced. TLC is further prevented.

  The main body 60 can contribute to reducing rolling resistance and preventing TLC, and the buffer layer 62 can contribute to preventing damage at the end 58 of the belt 14. In the tire 2, the durability is appropriately maintained even though the low-heat-generating rubber is used for the cushion 28. In addition, since the tread 4 having a large volume can be adopted, the wear resistance of the tire 2 is appropriately maintained. According to the present invention, a pneumatic tire 2 in which reduction of rolling resistance and prevention of tread loose separation is achieved is obtained.

  In FIG. 2, a double arrow t <b> 1 represents the thickness from the end 58 of the belt 14 to the main body 60. The thickness t1 is represented by the shortest distance from the end 58 of the belt 14 to the main body 60.

  In the tire 2, the thickness t1 is 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less. By setting the thickness t1 to be 2 mm or more, the buffer layer 62 located between the end 58 of the belt 14 and the main body 60 has an appropriate volume, so that the buffer layer 62 contributes to the durability of the tire 2. Yes. In this respect, the thickness t1 is preferably 2.0 mm or more, and more preferably 2.5 mm or more. By setting the thickness t1 to 4 mm or less, the main body 60 has an appropriate volume, so that the main body 60 can contribute to reduction of rolling resistance and prevention of TLC. In addition, since the tread 4 having a large volume can be adopted, the wear resistance of the tire 2 is appropriately maintained. In this respect, the thickness t1 is preferably 4.0 mm or less, and more preferably 3.5 mm or less.

  As is apparent from the figure, in the tire 2, the buffer layer 62 positioned between the main body 60 and the belt 14 is substantially uniform from the tip 66 of the main body 60 to the boundary 64 between the cushion 28 and the tread 4. It has a thickness. In the tire 2, it is difficult to form a portion having specific rigidity in the buffer layer 62 located between the main body 60 and the belt 14. The buffer layer 62 can effectively contribute to preventing damage at the end 58 of the belt 14. It should be noted that the buffer layer 62 may be configured so that its thickness gradually increases from the tip 66 of the main body 60 toward the boundary 64 between the main body 60 and the belt 14. The buffer layer 62 may be configured such that its thickness gradually decreases from the tip 66 of the main body 60 toward the boundary 64.

  In FIG. 2, a double arrow t <b> 2 represents a thickness from the main body 60 to the carcass 12. This thickness t2 is represented by the minimum thickness of the buffer layer 62 existing between the main body 60 and the carcass 12.

  In the tire 2, the thickness t2 is 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less. By setting the thickness t2 to be 1 mm or more, the buffer layer 62 located between the main body 60 and the carcass 12 has an appropriate volume, so that the buffer layer 62 can contribute to the durability of the tire 2. In this respect, the thickness t2 is preferably 1.0 mm or more, and more preferably 1.5 mm or more. By setting the thickness t2 to be 3 mm or less, the main body 60 has an appropriate volume, so that the main body 60 can contribute to reduction of rolling resistance and prevention of TLC. In addition, since the tread 4 having a large volume can be adopted, the wear resistance of the tire 2 is appropriately maintained. In this respect, the thickness t2 is preferably equal to or less than 3.0 mm, and more preferably equal to or less than 2.5 mm.

  As apparent from the figure, in the tire 2, the buffer layer 62 positioned between the main body 60 and the carcass 12 has a thickness from the tip 66 of the main body 60 to the boundary 64 between the cushion 28 layer and the tread 4. It is comprised so that it may increase gradually gradually. In the tire 2, it is difficult to form a portion having a specific rigidity in the buffer layer 62 located between the main body 60 and the carcass 12. The buffer layer 62 can effectively contribute to preventing damage at the end 58 of the belt 14. The buffer layer 62 may have a substantially uniform thickness between the main body 60 and the belt 14.

  In FIG. 2, a double-headed arrow L represents the overlapping length between the main body 60 and the belt 14. This length L is represented by the axial length from the end 58 of the belt 14 to the tip 66 of the main body 60.

  In the tire 2, the overlap length L is preferably 1 mm or more, and more preferably 2 mm or more from the viewpoint that the main body 60 can effectively contribute to reduction of rolling resistance. The length L is preferably as large as possible. However, if the length L exceeds 15 mm, the thickness t1 and / or the thickness t2 is too small, and the durability is deteriorated.

  The tire 2 described above is manufactured as follows. A low cover (uncrosslinked tire 2) is obtained by combining members such as the tread 4 and the sidewall 6 on the drum of the former. In particular, in the manufacturing method of the tire 2, the first strip is formed from the rubber composition for the main body 60 when the cushion 28 is formed. A second strip is formed from the rubber composition for the buffer layer 62. In this manufacturing method, each of the first strip and the second strip is spirally wound in the circumferential direction, and the cushion 28 constituted by the main body 60 and the buffer layer 62 is formed.

  In this manufacturing method, the raw cover is put into a mold. At this time, the bladder is located inside the raw cover. When the bladder is filled with gas, the bladder expands. As a result, the raw cover is deformed. The mold is tightened and the internal pressure of the bladder is increased. The raw cover is pressed between the mold and the bladder. The raw cover is heated by heat conduction from the bladder and the mold. The rubber composition of the raw cover flows by pressurization and heating. The rubber causes a crosslinking reaction by heating, and the tire 2 shown in FIG. 1 is obtained.

  In the present invention, the size and angle of each member of the tire 2 are measured in a state where the tire 2 is incorporated in a regular rim and the tire 2 is filled with air so as to have a regular internal pressure. At the time of measurement, no load is applied to the tire 2. In the present specification, the normal rim means a rim defined in a standard on which the tire 2 depends. “Standard rim” in the JATMA standard, “Design Rim” in the TRA standard, and “Measuring Rim” in the ETRTO standard are regular rims. In the present specification, the normal internal pressure means an internal pressure defined in a standard on which the tire 2 relies. “Maximum air pressure” in JATMA standard, “Maximum value” published in “TIRE LOAD LIMITS AT VARIOUS COLD INFLATION PRESSURES” in TRA standard, and “INFLATION PRESSURE” in ETRTO standard are normal internal pressures. In the case of the passenger car tire 2, the dimensions and angles are measured in a state where the internal pressure is 180 kPa.

  Hereinafter, the effects of the present invention will be clarified by examples. However, the present invention should not be construed in a limited manner based on the description of the examples.

[Example 1]
A heavy-duty pneumatic tire of Example 1 having the basic configuration shown in FIG. 1 and having the specifications shown in Table 1 below was obtained. The size of the tire was 315 / 80R22.5.

  In Example 1, the loss tangent (tan δ) of the buffer layer was set to 0.11. The loss tangent (tan δ) of the main body was set to 0.05. Therefore, the difference between the loss tangent of the buffer layer and the loss tangent of the main body was 0.06.

  In Example 1, the thickness t1 from the end of the belt to the main body was 3.0 mm. The thickness t2 from the main body to the carcass was 2.0 mm. Furthermore, in Example 1, the overlapping length L between the main body and the belt was 10 mm.

[Example 2-5 and Comparative Example 1-2]
Tires of Example 2-5 and Comparative Example 1-2 were obtained in the same manner as Example 1 except that the thickness t1 was as shown in Table 1 below.

[Example 6-9 and Comparative Example 3-4]
Tires of Examples 6-9 and Comparative Example 3-4 were obtained in the same manner as Example 1 except that the thickness t2 was set as shown in Table 2 below.

[Examples 10-13 and Comparative Example 5-6]
Example 10-13 and Comparative Example 5-6 were the same as Example 1 except that the loss tangent of the main body was changed and the difference between the loss tangent of the buffer layer and the loss tangent of the main body was changed as shown in Table 3 below. Tires. In Comparative Example 5, the entire cushion was configured using the rubber composition for the buffer layer of Example 1. In Comparative Example 6, the entire cushion was configured using the rubber composition for the main body of Example 1.

[Examples 14-17]
Tires of Examples 14-17 were obtained in the same manner as Example 1 except that the overlap length L was as shown in Table 4 below.

[Rolling resistance (RR)]
Using a rolling resistance tester, rolling resistance was measured under the following measurement conditions.
Rim used: 9.00 × 22.5 (made of aluminum alloy)
Internal pressure: 850 kPa
Load: 33.34kN
Speed: 80km / h
The results are shown in the following Tables 1 to 4 as indexes with Example 1 as 100. The higher the value, the lower the rolling resistance.

[durability]
The prototype tire was assembled in a regular rim (size = 9.00 × 22.5), and this tire was filled with air so that the internal pressure was 830 kPa. This tire was mounted on the front wheel of a truck (10 tons), and the circuit course was run at a speed of 80 km / h in a fully loaded state. While measuring the depth of the main groove, this running was continued until the depth of the main groove reached 70% (wear rate) of the depth before running. After running, the appearance of the tire was visually observed to check for the occurrence of damage (belt edge loose (BEL) and ply loose (PL)). The results are shown in Tables 1 to 4 below. The case where the occurrence of damage is not recognized is indicated by “OK”. A case where the occurrence of damage is recognized is represented by “NG”.

[Evaluation of TLC]
A tire was incorporated into a regular rim, and the tire was filled with air to obtain a standard internal pressure (830 kPa). This tire was mounted on a drum-type running test machine, and a standard load (longitudinal load of 36.77 kN) was applied to the tire. This tire was run on a drum having a radius of 1.7 m at a speed of 80 km / h. The distance traveled until the tire broke was measured. The results are shown in the following Tables 1 to 4 as indexes with Example 1 as 100. The larger the value, the better the TLC resistance.

  As shown in Tables 1 to 4, the tire of the example has a higher evaluation than the tire of the comparative example. From this evaluation result, the superiority of the present invention is clear.

  The pneumatic tire described above can be applied to various heavy-duty vehicles.

2 ... Tire 4 ... Tread 6 ... Side wall 10 ... Bead 12 ... Carcass 14 ... Belt 28 ... Cushion 30 ... Tread surface 34 ... Main groove 44. ..Carcass ply 46 ... main part 48 ... turned part 50 ... first layer 52 ... second layer 54 ... third layer 56 ... fourth layer 58 ... belt 14 End 60 ... body 62 ... buffer layer 66 ... tip of body 60

Claims (4)

A tread whose outer surface forms a tread surface, a pair of sidewalls each extending substantially inward in the radial direction from an end of the tread, a pair of beads each positioned radially inward of the sidewall, and the tread And a carcass spanned between one bead and the other bead along the inner side of the sidewall, a belt laminated with the carcass on the inner side in the radial direction of the tread, and the outer side in the axial direction of the belt And a pair of cushions located at
The cushion is located between the end of the belt and the carcass;
The cushion includes a main body and a buffer layer,
The buffer layer is located between the body and the end of the belt and between the body and the carcass;
The loss tangent of the buffer layer is larger than the loss tangent of the main body,
The thickness t1 from the end of the belt to the main body is 2 mm or more and 4 mm or less,
A pneumatic tire having a thickness t2 from the main body to the carcass of 1 mm to 3 mm.   The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the thickness t1 is 2.5 mm or more and 3.5 mm or less.   The pneumatic tire according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thickness t2 is 1.5 mm or greater and 2.5 mm or less.   The pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a difference between a loss tangent of the buffer layer and a loss tangent of the main body is 0.05 or more.

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