Vehicle tires

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle tire (1) with a belt assembly (2) having at least two superimposed belt layers made of reinforcing elements, in particular cords, embedded in a belt rubber, running parallel to each other, wherein the belt layers have a radially inner working position (4) and a radially outer working position (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle tire with a belt assembly comprising at least two superimposed belt layers made of reinforcing elements embedded in a belt rubber, running parallel to each other, wherein the belt layers have a radially inner working position and a radially outer working position.

[0002] Vehicle tires are subject to various aging and wear mechanisms. One relevant mechanism, particularly in commercial vehicle tires, is the reaching of the durability of the belt plies, especially in their lateral edge areas. Here, the deformation of the belt plies during operation promotes wear, which can further lead to cracks in the groove base of, for example, circumferential grooves.

[0003] The invention is based on the objective of improving the belt durability of a vehicle tire and counteracting the formation of cracks in the groove base, while not negatively affecting and preferably reducing the rolling resistance of the tire.

[0004] This problem is solved with a vehicle tire according to the features of claim 1. The dependent claims relate to particularly advantageous further developments of the invention.

[0005] According to the invention, a vehicle tire, in particular a commercial vehicle tire, is provided with a belt assembly comprising at least two superimposed belt layers made of parallel reinforcing elements, in particular cords, embedded in a belt rubber, wherein the belt layers have a radially inner working layer and a radially outer working layer, wherein a circumferential reinforcement layer is arranged radially within the radially outer working layer at two lateral end regions of the radially inner working layer and / or the radially outer working layer, extending around the circumference of the tire. The circumferential reinforcement layer increases the radial stiffness in the shoulder region of the vehicle tire and thereby reduces expansion of the shoulder region.The flexing work during the tire tread's passage is reduced, thereby reducing wear and tear or aging of the belt layers in the shoulder area as well as cracking in the groove base.

[0006] The cap ply, also known as the circumferential reinforcement layer, consists of reinforcing elements wound around the circumference of the tire. The lateral end sections of the cap ply are located at the tire's outer edges and vary in size depending on the tire size. For commercial vehicles, these end sections typically range from 15 mm to 60 mm in diameter.

[0007] A preferred embodiment provides that the circumferential reinforcement layer is arranged radially inside and directly adjacent to the radially outer working position, or between the radially outer and radially inner working positions, or radially inside or radially outside and directly adjacent to the radially inner working position. These arrangements of the circumferential reinforcement layer, which can also be combined, achieve a particularly effective increase in radial stiffness.

[0008] Another preferred embodiment provides that the circumferential reinforcement layer has a lateral extent of at least 5 mm, preferably at least 8 mm, and more preferably at least 12 mm, wherein the circumferential reinforcement layer extent is a maximum of 100 mm, preferably 95 mm, and more preferably 90 mm, with the lateral ends of the radially outer working layer and / or the radially inner working layer being arranged within the area of ​​the circumferential reinforcement layer extent. This lateral extent and arrangement of the circumferential reinforcement layer effectively increases the stiffness in the area of ​​the lateral ends of the working layers, which are subject to particularly large movements during operation and thereby cause cracks in the surrounding rubber.

[0009] Another preferred embodiment provides that the circumferential reinforcement layer consists of a steel or a textile material, preferably a composite material, in particular nylon and aramid.

[0010] Another preferred embodiment provides that the diameter of reinforcing materials, in particular cords, for forming the reinforcing layer is at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.3 mm, with the diameter preferably being a maximum of 2.0 mm, more preferably a maximum of 1.0 mm.

[0011] Another preferred embodiment provides that the belt assembly has at least three belt layers and preferably exactly three belt layers, and thus the radially inner working layer, the radially outer working layer and a protective layer.

[0012] Another preferred embodiment provides that the radially inner working position and the radially outer working position have an angle of greater than ±10°, preferably greater than ±13°, more preferably greater than ±16° and less than ±40°, preferably less than ±35°, more preferably less than ±30°, more preferably less than ±25° and more preferably less than ±20° relative to the protective position and the circumferential direction, respectively, wherein the radially inner working position runs in the opposite direction to the radially outer working position. It has been shown that angles of less than ±40° produce a higher stiffness of the vehicle tire in the circumferential direction.

[0013] Another preferred embodiment provides that the belt assembly has exactly four belt layers, namely the radially inner working layer, the radially outer working layer, the protective layer and a barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer is preferably narrower in the axial direction than the working layers and wherein the reinforcing elements of the barrier layer run at an angle of 40° to 70°, in particular 45° to 65°, preferably up to 60°, and most preferably up to 55°, relative to the circumferential direction.

[0014] Another preferred embodiment provides that the circumferential reinforcement layer has several, in particular two or three, layers, wherein the individual layers are spaced apart from each other, in particular in the radial and / or lateral direction.

[0015] Another preferred embodiment provides that the circumferential reinforcement layer has several, in particular two or three, layers that are in direct contact with each other.

[0016] The invention allows for numerous embodiments. To further illustrate its basic principle, one of these is shown in the drawing and described below. This shows in Fig. 1. A vehicle tire with a belt bandage.

[0017] Fig. Figure 1 shows a vehicle tire 1 with a belt assembly 2, comprising three superimposed belt layers: a protective layer 3, arranged radially inside a radially inner working layer 4 and a radially outer working layer 5. The belt assembly 2 consists of parallel reinforcing cords embedded in a belt rubber lining. Radially within the radially outer working layer, at the lateral end regions of the working layers 4, 5 and the protective layer 3, circumferential reinforcement layers 6 are arranged extending around the tire circumference. Fig.Figure 1 shows four circumferential reinforcement layers 6 at different positions, either in contact with the outer working layer 5 or arranged between the two working layers 4 and 5, but without being in contact with them. Furthermore, circumferential reinforcement layers 6 are shown that are arranged radially inside or radially outside the inner working layer 4 and are in contact with it. These positions of the circumferential reinforcement layer 6 are possible positions that the circumferential reinforcement layers 6 can have, whereby a vehicle tire 1 necessarily has only one circumferential reinforcement layer 6, but several circumferential reinforcement layers 6 can also be provided.

[0018] The lateral extent of the circumferential reinforcement layers 6, consisting of nylon and aramid, is 8 mm. Reference symbol list 1 vehicle tire 2 belt bandage 3 0° position 4 radial inner working position 5 radial outer working position 6. Circumferential reinforcement layer

Claims

[1] Vehicle tires (1), in particular commercial vehicle tires, with a belt assembly (2) comprising at least two superimposed belt layers made of reinforcing elements, in particular cords, embedded in a belt rubber, which run parallel to each other, wherein the belt layers have a radially inner working position (4) and a radially outer working position (5), characterized by , that a circumferential reinforcement layer (6) is arranged radially within the radial outer working position (5) at two lateral end regions of the radial inner working position (4) and / or the radial outer working position (5) extending around the tire circumference. [2] Vehicle tires (1) according to claim 1, characterized by, that the circumferential reinforcement layer (6) is arranged radially inside and immediately adjacent to the radially outer working position (5) or between the radially outer working position (5) and the radially inner working position (4) or radially inside or radially outside and immediately adjacent to the radially inner working position (4). [3] Vehicle tires (1) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized by , that the circumferential reinforcement layer (6) has a circumferential reinforcement layer extent of at least 5 mm, preferably at least 8 mm, more preferably at least 12 mm in the lateral direction, wherein the circumferential reinforcement layer extent is a maximum of 100 mm, preferably 95 mm and more preferably 90 mm, wherein the lateral ends of the radially outer working position (5) are arranged radially and / or the radially inner working position (4) in the region of the circumferential reinforcement layer extent. [4] Vehicle tires (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the circumferential reinforcement layer (6) consists of a steel or a textile material, preferably a composite material, in particular nylon and aramid. [5] Vehicle tires (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the diameter of reinforcing elements, in particular cords, for forming the reinforcing layer is at least 0.2 mm, preferably at least 0.3 mm, wherein the diameter is preferably a maximum of 2.0 mm, more preferably a maximum of 1.0 mm. [6] Vehicle tires (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the belt bandage (2) has at least three belt layers and preferably exactly three belt layers and thus the radially inner working layer (4), the radially outer working layer (5) and a protective layer (3). [7] Vehicle tires (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the radially inner working position (4) and the radially outer working position (5) have an angle of greater than + / - 10°, preferably greater than + / - 13°, more preferably greater than + / - 16° and less than + / - 40°, preferably less than + / - 35°, more preferably less than + / - 30°, more preferably less than + / - 25° and more preferably less than + / - 20° relative to the protective position (3), wherein the radially inner working position (4) runs in the opposite direction to the radially outer working position (5). [8] Vehicle tires (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the belt assembly (2) has exactly four belt layers, namely the radially inner working layer (4), the radially outer working layer (5), the protective layer (3) and a barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer is preferably narrower in the axial direction than the working layers (4, 5) and wherein the reinforcing elements of the barrier layer run - each relative to the circumferential direction - at an angle of 40° to 70°, in particular 45° to 65°, preferably up to 60°, particularly preferably up to 55°, and preferably rising at the same rate as the reinforcing elements of the radially inner working layer (4). [9] Vehicle tires (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the circumferential reinforcement layer (6) has several, in particular two or three, layers, wherein the individual layers are spaced apart from each other, in particular in the radial and / or lateral direction. [10] Vehicle tires (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by, that the circumferential reinforcement layer (6) has several, in particular two or three, layers that are in direct contact with each other.

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