Tire with recycled rubber in crown

Abstract

A tire is provided having a crown with a bottom tread layer having a recycled portion including recycled rubber and a native portion including native rubber. A buffer layer of the crown has a recovery section including recovery rubber and a native section including native rubber. The plurality of belt layers are located in the radial direction between the bottom tread layer and the buffer layer. The native portion engages a first belt of the plurality of belts and is located proximate a first axial end of the first belt of the plurality of belts. The native section engages a second one of the plurality of belts and is located proximate a second axial end of the second one of the plurality of belts.

Description

Statement regarding federally funded research or development

[0001] This invention was completed with government support under the Advanced Manufacturing Office Award No. DE-EE0007897 granted by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) of the U.S. Department of Energy. The government holds certain rights to this invention. Technical Field

[0002] The subject matter of this invention relates to a tire comprising recycled rubber. More specifically, this application relates to a tread design characterized in that both virgin bead filler and recycled bead filler are strategically placed to maintain tire performance. Background Technology

[0003] Once tires exceed their service life, they cease use and enter their end-of-life period. Approximately 50% of tires are burned to produce tire-derived fuels after reaching their end-of-life. Of the remaining end-of-life tires, some are reused in shredded rubber products, others are used in civil engineering applications, and the rest are ground up and sent to landfills. To reduce the environmental impact of end-of-life tires, it might be desirable to reuse the rubber from these tires in the manufacture of new tires. However, only a small amount of recycled rubber is used in new tires because it has been shown that adding a large amount of recycled rubber to new tires reduces functional properties such as strain modulus and tensile strength. Therefore, using recycled rubber instead of new virgin rubber in newly manufactured tires may reduce tire performance. This disadvantage limits the applicability of recycled rubber in newly manufactured tires. Therefore, it is desirable to design a tire that allows recycled rubber to be incorporated into newly manufactured tires without reducing the performance of the new tires due to this incorporation. Attached Figure Description

[0004] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the complete and feasible disclosure of the invention for those skilled in the art, including its best mode, is set forth in the specification, wherein:

[0005] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of a heavy truck tire.

[0006] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the radial section of a truck tire according to an exemplary embodiment, wherein the cross-section of all items is how the tire looks when mounted to the rim.

[0007] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The embodiment is shown in close-up cross-sectional view of the bead, sidewall, and a portion of the crown.

[0008] Figure 4This is a cross-sectional view of the bead, sidewall, and a portion of the crown according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0009] Figure 5 It is a cross-sectional view of the bead, sidewall, and a portion of the crown according to yet another exemplary embodiment.

[0010] The same or similar reference numerals are used in different accompanying drawings to represent the same or similar features. Detailed Implementation

[0011] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, with one or more examples of embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided to illustrate the invention and is not intended to limit the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to obtain a third embodiment. The invention is intended to include these and other modifications and variations.

[0012] The present invention provides a tire 10 having recycled rubber incorporated into a tread 26 in a manner that does not compromise durability and longevity. In this regard, the tread 26 has a base tread layer 84 having both a recycled portion 86 and a virgin portion 88. The recycled portion 86 contains recycled rubber, and the virgin portion 88 includes virgin rubber but does not contain recycled rubber. Also located within the tread 26 is a buffer layer 92, which similarly has both a recycled section 94 and a virgin section 96. The recycled section 94 includes recycled rubber, and the virgin section 96 includes virgin rubber but does not contain recycled rubber. This arrangement of the base tread layer 84 and the buffer layer 92 allows recycled rubber to be incorporated into a newly manufactured tire 10 without degrading the performance of the tire 10.

[0013] Figure 1A tire 10 is shown, which is a heavy-duty truck tire 10. The tire 10 can be a steering tire, drive tire, trailer tire, or all-position tire. The tire 10 includes a carcass 22 on which a tread 20 is provided. The carcass 22 may include a sidewall 36, a bead 24, and a portion of a crown 26. The bead 24 is the portion of the carcass 22 at its inner radial end closest to the central axis 12. The central axis 12 of the tire 10 extends through the center of the carcass 22, and the axial direction 16 of the tire 10 is parallel to the central axis 12. The radial direction 14 of the tire 10 is perpendicular to the central axis 12, and in the radial direction 14, the tread 20 is located further from the central axis 12 than the carcass 22. The tread 20 extends around the entire carcass 22 in the circumferential direction 18 of the tire 10 and is 360 degrees around the central axis 12. Although described as being used with a heavy-duty truck tire 10, the tire 10 provided according to the invention can be any type of tire 10, such as a light vehicle tire, a light truck tire, a bus tire, or any other type of tire 10. However, there are certain embodiments in which the tire 10 is a heavy-duty truck tire 10. As used herein, a direction described as outward or inward in the radial direction 14 means being further away from or closer to something in the radial direction 14 relative to the central axis 12. A direction described as being inside or outside in the axial direction 16 means being closer to or further away from the centerline of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16, which is located in... Figure 2 The center is represented by line 14 in the radial direction.

[0014] Figure 2This is a radial section of a tire 10 according to an exemplary embodiment. Various structures made of different materials, sometimes referred to as products, may be present throughout the tire 10. The tread 20 of the tire 10 is shown as being furthest from the axial center of the tire 10 in the radial direction 14. The crown 26 of the tire 10 is the part of the tire 10 that engages with the road surface, and specifically, the tread 20 is designed for engaging the ground. The crown 26 is located at the center of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16, and a pair of sidewalls 36 extend from the crown 26 in the radial direction 14. The bead 24 is located at the end of the sidewalls 36 in the radial direction 14 and is closest to the central axis 12 in the radial direction 14. The crown 26 includes a plurality of belt layers located below the tread 20 in the radial direction 14 and includes belts for reinforcing and maintaining the shape of the tire 10. The reinforcing belts of the belt layers may cross each other, and in some cases, these reinforcing belts may be arranged at an angle of 20 degrees to each other. Although four belt layers 100, 104, 108, and 112 are present, any number of belt layers may be present in other embodiments. The belt layers may include reinforcing belts made of steel. The carcass 22 or skeleton extends from the tread 20 and includes the sidewall 36 of the tire 10, which terminates in a pair of bead 24 arranged on a rim for mounting to a wheel of a vehicle.

[0015] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 The left side of the tire 10 allows for a more detailed view of the various components. The tread 20 is located within the crown 26 and, through its compound and design, provides durability to the tire 10. The tread 20 engages with the ground and provides traction, wear resistance, and rolling resistance to the tire 10. The crown 26 includes a bottom tread layer 84, which lies beneath the tread 20 in the radial direction 14 and engages with both the tread 20 and the belt layer. The bottom tread layer 84 extends along the entire crown 26 in the axial direction 16 and is made of a rubber of a different type than that constituting the tread 20. The bottom tread layer 84 can be made of a material that minimizes heat generated from the steel belts in the tread 20 and belt layer. The bottom tread layer 84 can also act as an oil migration barrier, providing desired tackiness and exhibiting low hysteresis. However, these properties can be eliminated or modified as needed in various tires 10.

[0016] The tread layer 84 has a recycled portion 86 made of recycled rubber and a virgin portion 88 made of virgin rubber. The recycled portion 86 has a larger volume and a larger cross-sectional area compared to the virgin portion 88. The recycled portion 86 is a single continuous piece within the tire 10, but the virgin portion 88 is made of two different pieces, one on the left side of the tire 10 and the other on the right side. The recycled portion 86 is located at the center of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16 and extends further outward in the axial direction 16 than the virgin segment 88. The virgin portion 88 is not located at the center of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16. The recycled portion 86 engages with the tread 20, while the virgin portion 88 does not engage with the tread 20. Both the recycled portion 86 and the virgin portion 88 engage with the belt layer.

[0017] The tread 26 also includes a buffer layer 92, which sits atop the reinforcing ply 32 within the tread 26 and provides a flat surface on which the belt layer can be disposed. A large portion of the buffer layer 92 may be made of a recycled section 94 comprising recycled rubber, and a smaller portion of the buffer layer 92 may be made of a virgin section 96 made of virgin rubber. The virgin section 96 does not contact the reinforcing ply 32 but contacts the belt layer 104 and the belt edge layer 90. The recycled section 94 has a larger material volume than the virgin section 96 in the tire 10, and the recycled section 94 is made of a single piece and extends axially in the direction 16 across the entire width of the tread 26 and into the sidewall 36. The recycled section 94 is located at the center of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16, while the virgin section 96 is not located at the center of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16. Conversely, the original section 96 is made of two spaced-apart pieces, one on the left side of the tread 26 and the other on the right side. The recycling section 94 extends beyond the original section 96, such that it extends outwards on both the left and right sides of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16. The buffer layer 92 does not contact the underlay tread layer 84.

[0018] Figure 2 and Figure 3The embodiment includes four belt layers 100, 104, 108, and 112, wherein steel belts provide reinforcement in the crown 26 to improve wear and cornering ability. The steel belts allow the tire 10 to maintain its shape. Belt edge layers 90 act as wedges between the belt layers and the underbody tread layer 84 to dampen stress and provide durability for the tire 10. The first belt layer 100 is the belt layer furthest from the center of the tire 10 in the radial direction 14 and engages the underbody tread layer 84 but not the buffer layer 92. The first belt layer 100 extends axially across the center of the tire 10 to the other side. The first axial end 102 of the first belt layer 100 is the end of the first belt layer 100 and is the portion furthest from the center of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16. The first axial end 102 engages the virgin portion 88 and not the recycled portion 86. The virgin portion 88 is closer to the first axial end 102 than the recycled portion 86, and extends both inside and outside the first axial end 102 in the axial direction 16. The placement of the virgin portion 88 at the first axial end 102 protects the end of the first belt layer 100 from the effects of rubber products containing recycled rubber, thus maintaining the intended cured tire durability.

[0019] The second belt layer 104 also extends through the tire 10 in the axial direction 16, such that it is located at the center of the tire 10. The second axial end 106 is located at the end of the second belt layer 104 and is the outermost portion of the second belt layer 104 in the axial direction 16. The second axial end 106 engages the belt edge layer 90 made of virgin rubber. The virgin section 96 is closer to the second axial end 106 than the recycle section 94. The virgin section 96 extends both inside and outside the second axial end 106, and the second axial end 106 does not engage with the recycle section 94. With this arrangement, the virgin rubber surrounds and engages the second axial end 106 to protect the end of the second belt layer 104. Both the recycle section 94 and the virgin section 96 engage the second belt layer 104.

[0020] A third belt layer 108 with a third axial end 110 is present, and this third belt layer is located in the radial direction 14 between the first belt layer 100 and the second belt layer 104. The third belt layer 108 extends to the other side of the tire 10 such that it is located at the center of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16. The third belt layer 108 engages the first belt layer 100 and the second belt layer 104, the belt edge layer 90, and the virgin portion 88. The third axial end 110 engages the virgin portion 88 and does not engage with the recycled portion 86. The third axial end 110 is closer to the virgin portion 88 than the recycled portion 86 and is protected by the presence of virgin rubber in its vicinity, such that the edge of the third belt layer 108 is not exposed to engagement with any recycled rubber. The belt edge layer 90 extends in the radial direction 14 between the second belt layer 104 and the third belt layer 108. A portion of the third belt layer 108 engages the recycled section 94, and the third belt layer 108 is not engaged with the underlay tread layer 84 at all.

[0021] A fourth belt layer 112 is also present in the tire 10 and has a fourth axial end 114, which is the outermost portion of the fourth belt layer 112 in the axial direction 16. The fourth belt layer 112 does not extend to the center of the tire 10 and is made of two pieces within the tire 10, instead of being a single piece like the other belt layers 100, 104, and 108. The fourth axial end engages the recycle section 94 and does not engage the virgin section 96. The fourth belt layer 112 engages the second belt layer 104 and is the belt layer closest to the central axis 12 of the tire 10 in the radial direction 14. The fourth belt layer 112 does not engage with the underlayment tread layer 84, the first belt layer 100, and the third belt layer 108. The fourth belt layer 112 does not engage any virgin rubber, and the only two components of the tire 10 that engage the fourth belt layer 112 are the recycle section 94 and the second belt layer 104. Therefore, in various embodiments of tire 10, it is the case that not all ends of the belt layer are bonded to virgin rubber, but at least some ends are bonded to virgin rubber without being bonded to recycled rubber.

[0022] Figure 3 and Figure 4 Another component of the tire 10 shown is a tread wall 82, which is located at the axial end of the tread 20 and extends therefrom to the sidewall 54. The tread wall 82 is made of a different rubber composition than the tread 20 and joins the tread 20, the base tread layer 84, the native layer 56 of the sidewall 54, and the recycled layer 58 of the sidewall 54. The tread wall 82 forms part of the outer surface of the tire 10 and covers and joins the recycled portion 86.

[0023] Bead cores 28 are located in each bead of bead 24 and are present to provide strength and clamping force within the bead 24 to hold it to the rim. The left bead 24 may be a mirror image of the right bead 24, and both bead 24 may have a product made of the same material. Some tissues / products are located only within the bead 24, while others are located within and extend from it. For example, an inner liner 68 is located inside the bead 24 and extends to the inner and outer sides of the bead 24, then extends upward along the sidewall 36. The inner liner 68 then extends in the axial direction 16 across the entire inner side of the crown 26, then extends into the right sidewall of the carcass 22 and forms the inner side of that sidewall. The inner liner 68 then terminates inside the right bead 24 and is arranged in a similar mirror manner to its presence in the left bead 24. The inner liner 68 is a product of the tire 10, extending from one bead 24 to the other and made of a fluid-impermeable material, thereby retaining fluid between the tire 10 and the rim to maintain the inflation pressure of the tire 10. The inner liner 68 controls air retention, has low-temperature crack resistance, and good resistance to flexural fatigue. The inner liner 68 can be made of a single layer or can be multilayered. In the disclosed embodiment, the inner liner 68 is made of two layers. The inner liner 68 forms the inner and outer surfaces 52 of the sidewall 36.

[0024] Tire 10 includes a structure designated as reinforcing ply 32, which is located within one bead of bead 28 and extends through sidewall 36 and crown 26 to reach the other bead 28. The reinforcing ply 32 is wound around bead core 28 and is designated as a reverse-wrapped carcass ply 34 in the axial direction 16 outward from bead core 28. The reinforcing ply 32 has a main portion located within bead 24 and inside the reverse-wrapped carcass ply 34 in the axial direction 16. The main portion extends to bead core 28 until the position of the reinforcing ply 32 closest to the central axis 12 in the radial direction 14. At this location closest to the central axis 12 in the radial direction 14, the reinforcing ply 32 is then referred to as the reverse ply 34, which extends from this point to its outward radial end 60, which is the portion of the reverse ply 34 furthest from the central axis 12 in the radial direction 14. Thus, in some embodiments, both the main portion and the reverse ply 34 are wrapped around the bead core 28, and both can engage the bead core 28. In the bead 24, the reverse ply 34 may be completely outside the main portion in the axial direction 16, but this arrangement is not always necessary. The main portion of the reinforcing ply 32 and its reverse ply 34 may be continuous with each other, with no interruption between them in the reinforcing ply 32. The reinforcing ply 32 provides strength and flexibility to the tire 10 and is a support structure for bearing the inflation pressure of the tire 10's load. The reinforcing ply 32 is a composite material comprising metal cords and compounded rubber. The reinforcing ply 32 is stiffer than the filler rubber 30 in its cord direction. The reinforcing ply 32 extends below the belt layer from the bead 24, through the sidewall 36, and then into the opposite sidewall 36 and downward into the bead 24 on the right side of the tire 10.

[0025] The relative position in the axial direction 16 can be described relative to the inner and outer positions. The innermost point of the tire 10 can be... Figure 2 The radial direction line 14 shown is located at the center of the tire 10 along the axial direction 16. Figure 2 The center of tire 10 is located inside the two bead 24 in the axial direction 16. Therefore, as used herein, describing an object as being inside another object in the axial direction 16 means that it is positioned closer to the radial line 14, as... Figure 2 As shown or as will be positioned in other figures. Furthermore, as used herein, describing an object as being outside another object in the axial direction 16 means that it is positioned in the axial direction 16 further away from the radial direction line 14, as... Figure 2As shown or as will be positioned in other figures. As another example, the reinforcing layer 38 is located outside the bead core 28 in the axial direction 16. Relative positioning in the radial direction 14 can be described with respect to the central axis 12, wherein an object may be closer to or further away from the central axis 12 in the radial direction 14 than other objects. Although the central axis 12 is not shown in every figure due to size limitations, it should be understood that when describing something as being closer to or further away in the radial direction 14, the position of the central axis 12, as will be seen, should be referenced to determine the relative positioning.

[0026] The bead core 28 is composed of one or more steel bars 72. The bead core 28, with its bars 72, serves to hold the tire 10 to the rim and maintain strength to withstand the internal stresses from inflation on the rim to prevent slippage. The bead core 28 is surrounded by filler rubber 30, and in some cases, may be completely surrounded by filler rubber 30 in all directions. In some embodiments, the bead core 28 is surrounded by a winding structure that may be made of nylon. The bars 72 constituting the bead core 28 are shown as a single piece with a rectangular cross-sectional shape. This single piece may actually be a plurality of bars arranged together in a rectangular shape. In other embodiments, the bead core 28 may be composed of multiple components, and these components may have any cross-sectional shape. The winding structure is wound around the filler rubber 30 to isolate the bars 72 and the filler rubber 30 from other elements of the tire 10, such as the reinforcing ply 32 and the filler. The winding structure can have a stiffness of 14 MPa and can be made of a compound and fabric (in some cases, it can be a nylon cord layer), the filler 30 can be a compound and can have a stiffness of 28 MPa, and the strut 72 can be made of steel or aluminum and can have a stiffness of 30,000,000 MPa in some embodiments. The bead core 28 can be lightweight, allowing for the use of smaller struts to improve the performance characteristics of the tire 10.

[0027] The bead filler 62 is located between the reinforcing layer 38 and the reverse carcass ply 34 and bonds both the reinforcing layer and the reverse carcass ply. The bead filler 62 also bonds the reverse carcass ply 34, the strip 48, and the bead layer. The bead filler 62 consists of a first layer and a second layer, which can be made of the same material. The reason the bead filler 62 consists of two layers is that it may be easier during manufacturing. The first and second layers may consist only of virgin rubber and exclude recycled rubber. In other embodiments, portions of the first and second layers may include both virgin and recycled rubber.

[0028] The strip 48 surrounds the outward radial end 40 of the reinforcing layer 38 such that it does not engage with the bead filler 62. The strip 48 may be present on the outward radial end 40 when the reinforcing layer 38 is assembled into the green tire 10 before curing. In this respect, the strip 48 may be wrapped around the outward radial end 40 before and after the reinforcing layer 38 is assembled into the tire 10. Although the strip 48 is shown to be present, it should be understood that in other exemplary embodiments of the tire 10, the strip 48 is not present in the tire 10. The provided configuration of the bead 24 allows for the elimination of the strip 48 at the ends of all products, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of the tire 10.

[0029] The reinforcing layer 38 may be made of a combination of steel and rubber, and the rubber may have a stiffness of 10 MPa. The bead 24 includes a wear strip 46 located on the outside of the bead 24 and designed to engage with the rim. The wear strip 46 engages with the reinforcing layer 38, but no other arrangement is required. Figure 3 The reinforcing layer 38 extends outward in the radial direction 14 to have a portion in the radial direction 14 outside the bead core 28 and the reverse body ply 34.

[0030] The bead layer 42 is a rubber product of the tire 10, having bonded reinforcing layer 38 and located between reinforcing layer 38 and wear strip 46. The bead layer 42 extends outward in the radial direction 14 to an outward radial end, bonding strip 48, bead filler 62, and sidewall 54, the outward radial end being the furthest outward position of the bead layer 42 from the central axis 12 in the radial direction 14. The bead layer 42 may extend to the sidewall 36 of the tire 10 and, in some cases, may be located within the sidewall 36. The bead layer 42 does not form any part of the outer surface of the tire 10, does not extend to the crown 26 to be located below the belt layer, and does not extend to the right sidewall or right bead.

[0031] This application describes the stiffness of a product or material. The stiffness referred to is Young's modulus, which is the stiffness of an elastic material or the modulus of elasticity. The stiffness provided is measured in megapascals (MPa). The stiffness material property referred to in this discussion is MA10. This stiffness property can be calculated using the French standard NF T 46-002 of September 1988.

[0032] The sidewall 36 includes a sidewall 54 made of a virgin layer 56 and a recycled layer 58. The virgin layer 56 and the recycled layer 58 comprise rubber such that the virgin layer 56 contains no recycled rubber, and the recycled layer 58 contains no virgin rubber and only recycled rubber. The virgin layer 56 forms at least a portion of the outwardly extending surface 50 of the sidewall 36. The sidewall 54 may be located solely in the sidewall 36, or it may be located in both the sidewall 36 and the bead 24, or it may be located in both the sidewall 36 and the crown 26. In some embodiments, the sidewall 54 may be located in the crown 26, the sidewall 36, and the bead 24. The sidewall 54 does not extend through the crown 26 to another sidewall. The recycled layer 58 does not form any portion of the outwardly extending surface 50 and is part of the sidewall 54 entirely contained within the interior of the tire 10, not forming any portion of any outer surface of the tire 10. Other embodiments of the tire 10 exist where the sidewall 54 does not include any recycled rubber. In these cases, the recycled layer 58 is instead made of virgin rubber, such that the sidewall 54 comprises both layers 56 and 58 and is entirely made of virgin rubber without any recycled rubber. Therefore, it should be understood that there are embodiments in which no recycled rubber exists in the sidewall 36, such that the recycled bead filler 64 is physically present, but is part of the virgin bead filler 62 and is made of the same material as the virgin bead filler 62, which is entirely virgin rubber without any recycled rubber.

[0033] The virgin ply 56 engages with the wear strip 46, the recycled ply 58, and the tread sidewall 82, but not with any of the other described portions of the tire 10. The recycled ply 58 engages with the virgin ply 56, the wear strip 46, the bead ply 42, the reinforcing ply 32, the buffer ply 92 (in some cases, the recycled section 94 of the buffer ply 92), the belt edge ply 90, the bottom tread ply 84 (in some cases, the recycled portion 86 of the bottom tread ply 84), and the tread sidewall 82, but not with any of the other described portions of the tire 10. While various portions of the tire 10 have been described as being made of recycled rubber, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the only recycled rubber present in the tire 10 is located in the recycled sections 94 and 86. In these cases, such rubber in all other portions of the tire 10 that have rubber is virgin rubber. In some embodiments, the recycled rubber is present in the crown 26 but not in the bead 24 and the sidewall 36. In other embodiments, the recycled rubber is present only in the crown 26 and sidewall 36, but not in the bead 24. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the recycled rubber is present in the crown 26 and bead 24, but not in the sidewall 36. In other embodiments, the crown 26, sidewall 36, and bead 24 all include some recycled rubber.

[0034] In various embodiments of tire 10, the volume of the total material constituting the virgin portion 88 and the virgin segment 96 is equal to, greater than, or less than the volume of the total material constituting the recycled portion 86 and the recycled segment 94. In this regard, when taking a cross-section of the tire crown 26 (such as...) Figures 2 to 5 When considering the cross-section shown, the volume can be determined as a comparison of the area of ​​the original portion 88 of the crown 26 plus the area of ​​the original segment 96 with the area of ​​the recycled portion 86 of the crown 26 plus the area of ​​the recycled segment 94. The tread layer 84 and the buffer layer 92 may not form any part of any outer surface of the tire 10 and may be entirely contained within the tire 10 and not visible from the outside. The recycled rubber in the crown 26 may be more than the combined amount in the sidewall 36 and the bead 24. In other embodiments, the recycled rubber in the crown 26 may be less than the amount of recycled rubber in the combination of the sidewall 36 and the bead 24.

[0035] Figure 4 An alternative exemplary embodiment of tire 10 is shown, which also includes a crown 26 having a virgin portion 88 and a virgin section 96, as well as a recycled portion 86 and a recycled section 94. Figure 4 Implementation plan and Figure 2 The difference between the implementation schemes of / 3 lies in the configuration of the underbody tread layer 84 and the buffer layer 92. Apart from these differences, which will be discussed shortly, the remaining configuration of tire 10 is the same as described above. Figure 2 The implementation scheme for / 3 is the same, and this information does not need to be repeated. Figure 4 In one embodiment, the bottom tread layer 84 includes a recycled portion 86 that engages the tread 20 and the tread wall 82 but not the belt edge layer 90 and the first belt layer 100. The virgin portion 88 is made of a single piece and extends along the entire crown 26 in the axial direction 16. The virgin portion 88 engages the recycled portion 86, the first belt layer 100 and the third belt layer 108, the belt edge layer 90, the tread wall 82, and the recycled layer 58. Figure 2 Similar to the implementation of / 3, the virgin portion 88 does not engage with the virgin segment 96. Both the first axial end 102 and the third axial end 110 engage with the virgin portion 88, and the virgin portion 88 extends along a large portion of the length of the belt edge layer 90 in the axial direction 16, so as to be located outside the belt edge layer 90 in the axial direction 16. The first axial end 102 and the third axial end 110 are again closer to the virgin rubber than the recycled rubber, and are engaged only with and surrounded by the virgin rubber.

[0036] exist Figure 4 In the implementation scheme, the configuration of buffer layer 92 is consistent with... Figure 2The implementation of / 3 differs. The recycled section 94 is again made of a single piece and is centered in the axial direction 16, while the virgin section 96 is again made of two pieces, but extends a longer distance in the axial direction 16. The virgin section 96 joins the fourth belt layer 112, the reinforcing cord layer 32, the recycled section 94, the recycled layer 58, the belt edge layer 90, and the second belt layer 104. In this implementation, the virgin section 96 joins the fourth axial end 114, and the fourth axial end 114 is closer to and surrounded by the virgin rubber, rather than closer to and surrounded by the recycled rubber. The second axial end 106 again joins the virgin rubber, is surrounded by the virgin rubber, and is closer to the virgin rubber than the recycled rubber. The virgin section 96 and the virgin portion 88 are not joined to each other and are separated at one point only by the recycled layer 58 and at another point only by the belt edge layer 90. Figure 4 The design of this embodiment is characterized in that the virgin rubber in the tread 26 protects the axial ends 102, 106, 110, and 114, such that the recycled rubber does not contact these elements and is spaced apart from them, with the virgin rubber being closer to these elements than the recycled rubber. In the remainder of the tire, the sidewall 36 has a virgin layer 56 with virgin rubber and a recycled layer 58 made of recycled rubber. The bead 24 has only virgin rubber and no recycled rubber. In this respect, the bead 24 has two layers of virgin bead filler 62 made of virgin rubber, but no recycled rubber.

[0037] Figure 5 Another embodiment of tire 10 is shown. The tread 26, having a virgin portion 88, a virgin section 96, a recycled portion 86, and a recycled section 94, is similar to the previously described embodiment. Figure 4The arrangement is similar to that discussed in the implementation plan and does not need to be repeated. The sidewall 36 is again configured with a virgin layer 56 made of virgin rubber and a recycled layer 58 made of recycled rubber. However, the bead 24 is configured to have both virgin and recycled rubber, such that the crown 26, sidewall 36, and bead 24 all include recycled rubber in addition to virgin rubber. The bead 24 has two layers of recycled bead filler 64, which include only recycled rubber and no virgin rubber. These two layers are divided into two parts, with each layer close to the bead core 28. One layer of the recycled bead filler 64 is bonded to a nylon wrapper, and the other layer of the recycled bead filler 64 is located between the reinforcing layer 38 and the reverse-wrapped carcass ply 34. Adjacent to and in contact with these two layers of recycled bead filler 64 is a virgin bead filler 62, which is also divided into two layers. Both the outward radial ends 40 and 60 are bonded to the virgin bead filler 62 and not to the recycled bead filler 64. The outward radial ends 40 and 60 are closer to and surrounded by virgin rubber rather than recycled rubber. Another portion of the recycled bead filler 64 is located radially outside the virgin bead filler 62, and this other portion of the recycled bead filler also consists of two layers. This radially outward portion of the recycled bead filler 64 engages the bead layer 42, the virgin bead filler 62, and the reinforcing ply 32, and does not contact any other part of the tire 10. In the tire 10, recycled rubber is present in the crown 26, bead 24, and sidewall 36, but strategically positioned therein such that it is not located at certain locations in these components 26, 24, 36 where virgin rubber is present.

[0038] The arrangement disclosed herein, which strategically places virgin and recycled rubber, protects the ends of the belt layers in the tread 26 from the effects of rubber products containing recycled rubber. This protection allows the tread 26 to maintain the intended durability of the cured tire 10. As disclosed in the various embodiments herein, the tire 10 is made of multiple layers, and these products can be layered into the tire 10 using a co-extrusion process. Other combinations of layers can be produced by mixing and matching the disclosed arrangements.

[0039] The various embodiments disclosed herein can incorporate any type of recycled rubber into the recycling section 86 and the recycling segment 94 (or other components including recycled rubber as disclosed herein), such that the recycling section 86 and the recycling segment 94 can incorporate any type of recycled rubber. The recycled rubber may be included only in the tread 26 and need not be included in other parts of the tire 10 (such as the sidewall 36 or the bead 24). The volume of the tread 26 may include 1% to 10%, 10% to 30%, 12% to 15%, 5% to 15%, 15% to 25%, 20% to 30%, 25% to 35%, 12%, 15%, 20%, 10%, or 12% to 20%, or up to 15% of recycled rubber. In other embodiments, the volume of the tread 26 may include 15% to 20%, 15% to 25%, 20% to 30%, 25% to 35%, 30% to 40%, 40% to 50%, or 45% to 50% of recycled rubber. Therefore, in other arrangements, recycled rubber can constitute different amounts of the volume of the crown 26. The volume can be determined by taking a cross-section of the crown 26 and comparing the area of ​​the recycled rubber with the total area of ​​the cross-section of the crown 26. If there is some confusion regarding which parts constitute the crown and which constitute the sidewall because the crown 26 and sidewall 36 are continuous, then the sidewall 36 can therefore be defined as the portion of the tire 10 that forms the sidewall 36, as measured from the radially outward end of the bead filler 62 to the radially inward end of the tread layer 84. This length in the radial direction 14 will be the height of the sidewall 36, and the full width of one sidewall of the tire 10 in the axial direction 16 will be its width. This area can be measured to determine the volume of recycled rubber therein.

[0040] In some embodiments, a new tire 10 for light vehicles may include 12% recycled rubber in the tread 26, and a new tire 10 for commercial vehicles may include 15% recycled rubber in the tread 26. The recycled rubber can be incorporated into the tread 26 in the geometry described herein without reducing the performance of the tire 10 or increasing manufacturing costs. By using a multi-layer strategy, with the underbody tread layer 84 composed of two sections 86, 88 and the buffer layer 92 composed of two segments 94, 96, the durability and resilience of the existing tread 26 can be maintained while incorporating the recycled rubber. The multi-layer arrangement and placement of the recycled rubber allows the tread 26 of the tire 10 to maintain product performance even when it includes recycled materials.

[0041] The recycled section 86 and recycled segment 94, as well as any other portion of the tire 10 described herein as having recycled rubber, can be any type of recycled rubber, which is a rubber product that has been cured and previously used in products such as tires or rubber hoses. The rubber in the recycled section 86 and recycled segment 94 is always vulcanized rubber and can be reprocessed vulcanized rubber from a tire placed in the current tire 10. In some embodiments, the recycled rubber is micronized rubber powder (MRP) obtained from old tires. In some embodiments, the micronized rubber powder is a micronized rubber composition with a particle size in the range of 40 mesh to 200 mesh, wherein the micronized rubber composition contains at least 10% by weight of solution styrene-butadiene rubber. In some arrangements, the tread 26 is 10% to 30% MRP by volume. Micronized rubber powder can be as provided in U.S. Patent No. 9,815,974 entitled “recycled micronized rubber formulation having improved abrasion resistance,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0042] Although the subject matter of the invention has been described in detail with respect to specific embodiments and methods, it should be understood that modifications, variations, and equivalents of such embodiments can be readily conceived by those skilled in the art upon understanding the foregoing. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure is by way of example rather than limitation, and this disclosure does not exclude obvious such modifications, variations, and / or additions to the subject matter.

Claims

1. A tire having a central axis, a radial direction, and an axial direction, the tire comprising: Tire crown, the tire crown having a tread configured for engaging the road; Sidewall, which extends from the crown; and A bead, the bead extending from the tire sidewall; The tread has a base tread layer, the base tread layer has a recycled portion including recycled rubber, and the base tread layer has a virgin portion including virgin rubber; The tire crown has a buffer layer, the buffer layer has a recycled section including recycled rubber, and the buffer layer has a virgin section including virgin rubber; A plurality of belt layers are located in the radial direction between the tread layer and the buffer layer, wherein the native portion engages with a first belt layer of the plurality of belt layers and is located near a first axial end of the first belt layer of the plurality of belt layers, wherein the native segment engages with a second belt layer of the plurality of belt layers and is located near a second axial end of the second belt layer of the plurality of belt layers.

2. The tire of claim 1, wherein the original portion engages with the first axial end of the first belt layer, and wherein the recycled portion engages with the first belt layer but does not engage with the first axial end of the first belt layer; Both the original portion and the recycled portion are engaged with the second belt layer, but neither is engaged with the second axial end of the second belt layer.

3. The tire according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tread has a belt edge layer comprising native rubber, wherein the belt edge layer engages the second axial end of the second belt layer; The belt edge layer joins the native portion and the recycled portion, and the belt edge layer joins the native segment and the recycled segment.

4. The tire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a third belt layer of the plurality of belt layers is located between the first belt layer and the second belt layer in the radial direction, wherein the third belt layer has a third axial end end that engages the virgin portion and does not engage with the recycled portion and the buffer layer; The fourth belt layer of the plurality of belt layers is located inside the first belt layer, the second belt layer and the third belt layer in the radial direction, wherein the fourth belt layer has a fourth axial end that engages the recycling section and does not engage with the original section and the tread layer.

5. The tire of claim 1, wherein the first axial end of the first belt layer engages the virgin portion, and wherein the first belt layer does not engage with the recycled portion; The second axial end of the second belt layer is not engaged with the recycling section and the original section, and the second belt layer engages both the recycling section and the original section.

6. The tire of claim 1 or 5, wherein the tread has a belt edge layer comprising virgin rubber, wherein the belt edge layer engages the virgin portion and does not engage the recycled portion; The belt edge layer engages the original segment but not the recycled portion, and the belt edge layer engages the second axial end of the second belt layer.

7. The tire according to claim 1, 5 or 6, wherein a third belt layer of the plurality of belt layers is located between the first belt layer and the second belt layer in the radial direction, wherein the third belt layer has a third axial end that engages the virgin portion and does not engage with the recycled portion and the buffer layer; The fourth belt layer of the plurality of belt layers is located inside the first belt layer, the second belt layer and the third belt layer in the radial direction, wherein the fourth belt layer has a fourth axial end that engages the virgin section and does not engage the recycle section and the tread layer, wherein the fourth belt layer engages the recycle section.

8. The tire according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the sidewall has an outward surface and an inward surface, wherein the sidewall has a side surface forming at least a portion of the outward surface, wherein the side surface has a virgin layer and a recycled layer, wherein the virgin layer forms at least a portion of the outward surface and wherein the recycled layer does not form any portion of the outward surface, wherein the virgin layer comprises virgin rubber and wherein the recycled layer comprises recycled rubber.

9. The tire of claim 8, wherein the sidewall has a reinforcing ply layer that engages the recycled layer, wherein the reinforcing ply layer extends into the bead and into the crown, wherein the reinforcing ply layer is wound around a portion of the bead core of the bead; The sidewall has an inner liner forming the inner and outer surfaces, wherein the inner liner extends into the bead and into the crown.

10. The tire of claim 9, wherein the inner liner is bonded to the reinforcing ply, and wherein the reinforcing ply and the sidewalls do not form any portion of the inner and outer surfaces, wherein the reinforcing ply and the inner liner comprise virgin rubber and do not include any recycled rubber.

11. The tire according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the recycled layer engages the recycled portion and the recycled section, and does not engage with the virgin portion and the virgin section; The original layer is not bonded to the undercarriage layer and the buffer layer.

12. The tire according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the recycled layer engages the original section, the original portion and the belt edge layer of the tread, and wherein the recycled layer does not engage with the recycled portion and the recycled section; The original layer is not bonded to the undercarriage layer and the buffer layer.

13. The tire according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the bead has a bead core having a bar and a filler rubber, wherein a reinforcing ply is wound around a portion of the bead core and has a main portion and a reverse-wrap carcass ply extending from the main portion and located outside the bead core in the axial direction, wherein the reverse-wrap carcass ply has an outwardly radial end; The bead has a native bead filler having a portion located radially outside the bead core in the radial direction and axially outside the reinforcing ply in the axial direction, wherein the native bead filler comprises native rubber. The bead has a recycled bead filler having a portion located radially outside the bead core in the radial direction and axially outside the reinforcing ply in the axial direction, wherein the recycled bead filler comprises recycled rubber. The bead has a reinforcing layer, the reinforcing layer having a portion located outside the reverse-wrapped carcass ply in the axial direction, and the reinforcing layer having an outward radial end; The outward radial ends of the reverse-wrapped tire cord ply are closer to the original bead filler than the recycled bead filler, and the outward radial ends of the reverse-wrapped tire cord ply do not engage with the recycled bead filler. The outward radial ends of the reinforcing layer are closer to the original bead filler than the recycled bead filler, and the outward radial ends of the reinforcing layer do not engage with the recycled bead filler.

14. The tire according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein 10% to 30% of the volume of the tread is made of micronized rubber powder present in the recycled portion and the recycled section.

15. The tire of claim 14, wherein 12% to 15% of the volume of the tread is made of micronized rubber powder present in the recycled portion and the recycled section.

16. The tire according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the recycling portion and the recycling section comprise a micronized rubber composition with a particle size in the range of 40 mesh to 200 mesh, wherein the micronized rubber composition comprises at least 10% by weight of solution styrene-butadiene rubber.

Images