AIR TIRES FOR QUIET DRIVING

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle pneumatic tire which results in low noise levels when used on a vehicle.

[0002] The subject matter of the invention is defined in the attached claims.

[0003] With a growing awareness of sustainable economic practices, there is a continuing need to minimize the environmental impact of road traffic. In addition to fuel consumption and the associated greenhouse gas emissions, the noise pollution caused by vehicles during operation plays a key role. Modern vehicle tires can make an important contribution to solving this problem, as they significantly influence the vehicle's contact with the road surface and can substantially reduce noise levels.

[0004] It is known from the prior art that the noise generated during the operation of vehicle tires is generally particularly low when tires with a high overall mass are used, for example, those with additional rubber layers, such as belts arranged between the carcass and the tread. However, the increased weight of such tires is often perceived as a disadvantage with regard to fuel consumption, and other tire characteristics, such as rolling resistance, can also be adversely affected by the increased tire mass. Therefore, there is a fundamental need to design the lightest possible vehicle tires, ideally without the use of additional belts.

[0005] Against this background, experts are aware of the inherent conflict between the weight of a tire and the associated fuel consumption on the one hand, and the need for quiet vehicle operation on the other. This conflict is further exacerbated by the fact that the belt plies regularly used to reduce noise also often make a significant contribution to the mechanical stability of the tire. Therefore, lighter tires that do not use belt plies also face the challenge of achieving the required mechanical properties for their respective applications without them.

[0006] A tire designed to reduce potential noise while minimizing its impact on other tire characteristics is disclosed in DE 102018214951 A1. Further prior art is disclosed in DE 112017002439 T5, DE 112017002418 T5, DE 975379 C, US 3568749 A, JP 2005022537 A, EP3904118 A1, KR 20210002910 A, US 2019 / 152262 A1, EP 3895908 A1, EP 2794244 A1, and US 3327753 A.

[0007] The primary objective of the present invention was to eliminate or at least reduce the disadvantages known from the prior art.

[0008] In this respect, the object of the present invention was to optimize the conflict of objectives described above between the mass of the tire and the noise generated during operation.

[0009] One object of the present invention was to provide a vehicle pneumatic tire which, despite its low weight, has excellent mechanical properties and is particularly suitable for demanding applications, for example in the high-speed range.

[0010] A requirement for the present invention was that the specified vehicle pneumatic tire should have the advantageous properties described above without the use of additional belt layers.

[0011] It was a supplementary objective of the present invention that the vehicle pneumatic tire to be specified should be manufacturable in a simple manner and using equipment and materials that are already regularly used in the tire industry.

[0012] It was a supplementary objective of the present invention that the specified vehicle pneumatic tires should be suitable for a wide range of vehicle types and should exhibit high flexibility with regard to the materials used.

[0013] The inventors of the present invention have now realized that the problems described above can surprisingly be solved if, in the construction of the carcass, a strictly radial structure is deviated from in the central area typically arranged under the tread, and a separate damping layer is additionally arranged below the tire carcass in this area, as defined in the claims.

[0014] By combining these design measures, it is possible to synergistically resolve the conflicting objectives between optimizing the weight of the vehicle tire and minimizing noise. The combination of the angled carcass with the damping layer located below the carcass advantageously results in a vehicle tire with excellent mechanical properties, suitable even for demanding applications without the need for additional belt bands between the tire carcass and the tread.

[0015] The aforementioned problems are solved accordingly by the subject matter of the invention as defined in the claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims and the following descriptions.

[0016] Such embodiments, which are hereinafter referred to as preferred, are combined in particularly preferred embodiments with features of other embodiments referred to as preferred. Combinations of two or more of the embodiments referred to below as particularly preferred are therefore especially preferred. Also preferred are embodiments in which a feature of one embodiment, referred to as preferred to any degree, is combined with one or more further features of other embodiments, which are referred to as preferred to any degree.

[0017] The invention relates to a vehicle pneumatic tire, comprising: a) a tire carcass comprising a first side region, a second side region and a central region arranged between them, comprising at least one carcass ply with a plurality of rubberized reinforcing elements, each extending through the first side region, the second side region and the central region of the tire carcass, b) a tread radially outside the tire carcass relative to the tire carcass, c) a tire inner layer radially inside the tire carcass relative to the tire carcass, and d) a damping layer radially inside the tire carcass relative to the tire carcass, comprising a rubber material, wherein the damping layer is arranged between the tire carcass and the tire inner layer, or wherein the damping layer is arranged on the radially inside side of the tire inner layer, characterized in that the tread is arranged directly on the radially outer side of the tire carcass, wherein at least a part of the rubberized reinforcing elements of the carcass layer, with respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire, has an angle in the range of 80° to 90° in the first lateral area and in the second lateral area and an angle in the range of 5° to 75° in the central area.

[0018] Vehicle pneumatic tires are known to those skilled in the art in their basic structure and typically comprise a tire carcass. Such tire carcasses are formed from one or more carcass layers, each comprising a plurality of rubberized, i.e., embedded in a cross-linked rubber compound, reinforcing elements. A vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred in principle, wherein the vehicle pneumatic tire is a passenger car tire.

[0019] InIn accordance with expert understanding, regularly rotationally symmetrical vehicle pneumatic tires are products whose structure is expediently described relative to the radial direction, i.e., the direction pointing radially outwards from the center of the vehicle pneumatic tire, so that the radial direction is usually perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the vehicle pneumatic tire.

[0020] The vehicle pneumatic tire has a tread as its outer layer, i.e., located radially outside, which can be designed depending on the intended use and optionally provided with a profile. A vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is generally preferred, wherein the tread has a profile on its radially outer surface.

[0021] Below the tire carcass, i.e., radially inward, the vehicle tire comprises an inner layer. Such inner layers are familiar to those skilled in the art and regularly serve to seal the interior of the vehicle tire airtight. A vehicle tire according to the invention is generally preferred in which the radially inward side of the tire carcass is at least partially covered by the inner layer.

[0022] Another relevant reference direction, which the expert regularly uses to describe the structure of corresponding vehicle pneumatic tires, is the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire. In In accordance with expert understanding, this refers to the respective tangent at each point on the circumference of the circle, which forms a right angle with the radial direction, i.e., the connection between the respective point and the center of the tire.

[0023] In conventional radial tires, the rubberized reinforcing elements of the carcass plies run essentially radially. This means that, across the entire width of the carcass, the rubberized reinforcing elements form an angle of approximately 90° with the circumferential direction of the tire. Accordingly, in a conventional radial tire, each rubberized reinforcing element lies essentially within the same circular segment when viewed from above. This dimension is also referred to by those skilled in the art as the cord angle of the reinforcing elements present in the carcass ply. Although defining these cord angles as a function of the circumferential direction may seem cumbersome at first glance, it is readily possible for someone skilled in the art to determine the cord angle, i.e., the relative angle of the reinforcing element to the circumferential direction.

[0024] In the pneumatic tire according to the invention, the carcass is now divided into at least three theoretical areas: the first side area, the central area, and the second side area. The central area can advantageously be the part of the tire carcass located below the tread in the pneumatic tire, whereas the first and second side areas, for example, form the carcass in the sidewall area of ​​the pneumatic tire. According to the invention, the strictly radial construction of the pneumatic tire is deviated from by using a largely radial arrangement of the reinforcing elements, i.e., with a cord angle of 80° to 90°, only in the first and second side areas. Within the central area of ​​the carcass, however, a cord angle in the range of 5° to 75° is used, resulting in a tire carcass that can be described as a partially angled tire carcass.

[0025] Furthermore, the vehicle pneumatic tires according to the invention also feature a specific damping layer that is arranged radially inside the tire carcass relative to the tire carcass, and thus lies on the side of the tire carcass that is located inside the vehicle pneumatic tire during subsequent operation. The combination of the specific guidance of the rubberized reinforcing elements in the tire carcass with a separate damping layer according to the invention advantageously makes it possible to resolve the aforementioned conflicting objectives in an excellent manner and thereby obtain vehicle pneumatic tires that possess outstanding mechanical properties, enabling their use in various high-performance applications.

[0026] According to the inventors, it is particularly advantageous if the rubber coating of the reinforcing elements is made of a different material than the damping material used in the damping layer, since the use of different materials allows for optimization of the tire's mechanical properties via the carcass layer while simultaneously optimizing noise emissions. A preferred vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention therefore includes a rubber coating material in at least one carcass layer, wherein the rubber coating material and the rubber material are different from each other, and preferably have different moduli of elasticity.

[0027] Advantageously, materials commonly used in tire manufacturing can be employed as rubber lining materials or rubber materials for the damping layer, as well as for the tread and the inner tire layer. These materials can be advantageously obtained from vulcanizable rubber compounds by vulcanization. In most cases, a pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred, wherein the rubber material of the damping layer and / or the rubber lining material of the carcass layer can be produced by vulcanizing a vulcanizable rubber compound, the vulcanizable rubber compound preferably comprising at least one diene rubber and at least one filler.

[0028] Even though a partially inclined orientation of the reinforcing elements in the carcass layer can improve mechanical properties and reduce weight while maintaining good noise characteristics, the inventors believe it is advantageous for all reinforcing elements in the carcass layer to follow the aforementioned pattern. This can be effectively achieved by ensuring that the reinforcing elements in the carcass layer run essentially parallel to each other. A preferred vehicle tire according to the invention is therefore one in which the rubberized reinforcing elements in at least one carcass layer, and preferably in all carcass layers, run essentially parallel to each other within the carcass layer.A preferred option is a vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention, wherein all of the rubberized reinforcing elements of the carcass layer have an angle in the range of 80° to 90° in the first side area and in the second side area with respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire, and an angle in the range of 5° to 75° in the central area.

[0029] In principle, the damping layer can be designed in various ways, and it could, at least in principle, also include its own reinforcing elements. However, the inventors believe it is more advantageous to make the inner damping layer essentially entirely of the rubber material and, in particular, to dispense with reinforcing elements within the material. According to the inventors, the influence of reinforcing elements in this material on the mechanical properties of the pneumatic tire would, in most cases, be too small to justify impairing the damping effect of the rubber material or increasing its weight. Therefore, a pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred in which the radially inner damping layer consists of the rubber material and / or in which the damping layer does not include any reinforcing elements.

[0030] In principle, it would be conceivable to provide the damping layer only in parts of the tire or to use a segmented damping layer. However, this is not preferred with regard to the achievable reduction in noise emissions, nor with regard to the ease of manufacturing such pneumatic tires. A pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred, wherein the radially inner damping layer extends over the entire circumference of the tire. Those skilled in the art are aware that, in most cases, an unwanted imbalance should be avoided when positioning the damping layer in the tire.

[0031] In the course of their own development, the inventors were able to identify particularly suitable thickness ranges for the damping layer. Specifically, a vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred, wherein the radially inner damping layer has a thickness in the radial direction of 0.5 to 5.0 mm, preferably in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 mm.

[0032] For most applications, it will be advantageous to arrange a continuous damping layer beneath the tire carcass, extending, for example, under the entire contact patch of the vehicle tire during normal operation. Alternatively, however, it is also possible to provide two or more damping layers, which then expediently run as a ring-shaped structure spatially spaced apart beneath the tire carcass. This advantageously allows the damping characteristics to be specifically tailored to the tread used. This is particularly beneficial when using multi-component treads with different tread compounds, as it further minimizes weight by placing the damping layers only where they have the greatest effect.In this context, a vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred, wherein the vehicle pneumatic tire comprises two or more damping layers located radially inside the tire carcass relative to the tire carcass, wherein the two or more radially inside damping layers are preferably spaced apart from each other, and wherein the two or more radially inside damping layers are particularly preferably arranged such that the plane of symmetry running parallel to the direction of rotation through the vehicle pneumatic tire is essentially not broken.

[0033] Beyond the cord angles defined above, the inventors of the present invention have succeeded in identifying particularly suitable angles for guiding the rubberized reinforcement elements in the side areas or in the central area, which, in combination with the damping layer provided according to the invention, result in particularly good tire properties and a particularly pronounced reduction in noise.A preferred vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is one in which at least a part of the rubberized reinforcing elements of the carcass layer has an angle in the range of 85° to 90°, preferably in the range of 88° to 90°, in the first side area and in the second side area with respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire, and / or in which at least a part of the rubberized reinforcing elements of the carcass layer has an angle in the range of 10° to 70°, preferably in the range of 15° to 55°, particularly preferably in the range of 20° to 35°, in respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire.

[0034] Advantageously, the damping layer in the vehicle tire according to the invention can be flexibly positioned. Positioning it between the tire carcass and the inner tire liner allows the damping layer to be fixed particularly firmly within the tire assembly, and depending on the arrangement, can also provide additional protection against unwanted punctures of the inner tire liner. Alternatively or additionally, the damping layer can also be applied to the inner tire liner so that it lies radially inside it. This design is often easier to handle from a manufacturing perspective and also allows for the retrofitting of previously manufactured vehicle tires with a corresponding damping layer.According to the invention, a pneumatic tire is thus a vehicle tire wherein the damping layer is arranged between the tire carcass and the inner tire liner, and / or wherein the damping layer is arranged on the radially inner side of the inner tire liner. It follows from the foregoing that in particularly preferred embodiments, two or more damping layers can also be provided, which may also be placed at different locations within the pneumatic tire. Therefore, a pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred, wherein the pneumatic tire comprises two or more damping layers located radially inner to the tire carcass.

[0035] Advantageously and according to the invention, it is possible to achieve good mechanical properties with the vehicle pneumatic tires according to the invention without the use of additional layers, for example belt layers, which are arranged between the tread and the tire carcass. Nevertheless, for certain applications not according to the invention, it may be advantageous to provide further layers between the tire carcass and the tread, for example, to further dampen the vehicle pneumatic tire with regard to noise generation and / or to further optimize the mechanical properties. In the inventors' opinion, however, to resolve the aforementioned conflict of objectives, it is optimal if, when using further layers in vehicle pneumatic tires not according to the invention, only exactly one additional layer is used.Besides the adverse effect on tire weight, the use of several additional layers may otherwise lead to a situation where the relative noise reduction achieved by means of the damping layer no longer sufficiently justifies the weight increase caused by the damping layer. Therefore, a non-inventive pneumatic tire is conceivable in which at least one further layer, preferably exactly one further layer, is arranged between the tread and the tire carcass.

[0036] Further layers include, in particular, belt layers whose reinforcing elements preferably also run obliquely to the circumferential direction of the vehicle tire, or so-called "cap-ply" layers whose reinforcing elements run essentially parallel to the circumferential direction of the vehicle tire. A vehicle tire as disclosed above, but not according to the invention, is therefore preferred, wherein at least one of the further layers is a belt layer, and wherein the further layer preferably comprises rubberized reinforcing elements which, particularly preferably, have an angle in the range of 10° to 70°, more preferably in the range of 15° to 55°, and even more preferably in the range of 20° to 35° with respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle tire.Preferably, or alternatively, a vehicle pneumatic tire as disclosed above, not according to the invention, wherein at least one of the further layers is a cap-ply layer, wherein the further layer preferably comprises rubberized reinforcing elements which particularly preferably have an angle in the range of 0° to 5° with respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire.

[0037] It is evident from the foregoing that, in the inventors' opinion, such pneumatic vehicle tires according to the invention are particularly advantageous in which no additional layers are used, so that the tread is applied directly to the tire carcass. Therefore, according to the invention, a pneumatic vehicle tire is provided in which the tread is arranged directly on the radially outer side of the tire carcass.

[0038] With a view to optimal noise reduction and the optimization of the mechanical properties of the vehicle tire, the inventors believe it is advantageous to arrange the tread radially above the central area, i.e., above the area where the rubberized reinforcing elements have a lower cord angle. In a particularly preferred embodiment, which the inventors believe results in particularly favorable damping behavior, the damping layer is also arranged below the central area, so that in particularly preferred embodiments, at least a layered structure consisting of the tread, the central area of ​​the tire carcass, and the damping layer is obtained.A preferred vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is therefore one in which the tread is arranged at least partially, preferably completely, above the central area in a radially outward direction, and / or in which the damping layer is arranged at least partially, preferably completely, below the central area in a radially outward direction.

[0039] In principle, the pneumatic tire according to the invention is flexible with regard to the reinforcing elements used. However, in the inventors' opinion, metallic reinforcing elements, for example steel cords, are preferred for the carcass layers with regard to the required mechanical properties. Therefore, a pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred in which the reinforcing elements are textile reinforcing elements or metallic reinforcing elements, preferably metallic reinforcing elements, and particularly preferably steel cords.

[0040] If textile reinforcement is to be used for certain applications, the inventors propose particularly suitable textile reinforcements. A preferred example is a vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention, wherein the rubberized reinforcements are selected from the group consisting of textile reinforcements with at least one yarn, the yarn preferably consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of aramid, polyethylene terephthalate, polyetherketone, polyketone, polyethylene naphthalate, rayon, viscose, carbon fibers, natural fibers, glass fibers and PBO (poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole)), preferably selected from the group consisting of aramid and polyethylene terephthalate.

[0041] The inventors have succeeded in identifying particularly suitable size relationships with regard to the dimensioning of the damping layer and the central area, i.e., the area where smaller cord angles are used. In accordance with expert understanding, the width of the contact patch refers to the width of the area provided for the pneumatic tire when the standard operating pressure is set on an average vehicle with an average load. Specifying this dimension is not a problem for someone skilled in the art. Alternatively, the definition based on the tread width, which can be easily determined during the manufacturing process of the pneumatic tire, allows for a definition that is particularly easy to implement. As explained above,Experience has shown that the differences between the width of the contact patch and the width of the tread are rather small, so that roughly the same ratios can be set. A preferred vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is therefore one in which the quotient formed by the width of the tread divided by the width of the central area, in each case transverse to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire, is in the range of 0.7 to 2, preferably in the range of 0.8 to 1.6, particularly preferably in the range of 0.9 to 1.2, and most preferably in the range of 0.95 to 1.05, and / or wherein the quotient formed by the width of the contact patch divided by the width of the central area, in each case transverse to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire, is in the range of 0.7 to 2, preferably in the range of 0.8 to 1.6, particularly preferably in the range of 0.9 to 1.2, and most preferably in the range of 0.95 to 1.05.and / or wherein the quotient formed from the width of the damping layer divided by the width of the central area, in each case transverse to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire, lies in the range of 0.6 to 1.4, preferably in the range of 0.7 to 1.2, particularly preferably in the range of 0.8 to 1.1, most preferably in the range of 0.9 to 1.0.

[0042] Although promising damping layers can, in principle, be obtained with all rubber materials, the inventors believe it is particularly advantageous to specifically adjust the Young's modulus of the rubber material used as the damping layer, with rubber materials in the lower modulus range proving especially beneficial. Furthermore, the inventors have succeeded in identifying suitable ranges for the hardness of the rubber materials used as damping layers, which, in addition to excellent noise reduction, also result in particularly advantageous mechanical properties of the vehicle tires. A preferred vehicle tire according to the invention is therefore one in which the rubber material of the damping layer has a Young's modulus in the range of 2 to 15 MPa, preferably in the range of 3 to 12 MPa, and most preferably in the range of 4 to 8 MPa.Additionally or alternatively, a vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred, wherein the rubber material of the damping layer has a Shore A hardness of 60 or less, preferably 55 or less, particularly preferably 50 or less.

[0043] It can be seen as an advantage of the method according to the invention that several carcass layers can also be used in the tire carcass. However, it is preferred that all carcass layers used have a structure as defined above, i.e., with an inclined profile in the central area.

[0044] A preferred vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is therefore one in which the tire carcass comprises two or more carcass layers, wherein in each carcass layer at least a part of the rubberized reinforcing elements, preferably all rubberized reinforcing elements, have an angle in the range of 80° to 90° in the first side area and in the second side area with respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire and an angle in the range of 5° to 75° in the central area.

[0045] When using two or more carcass plies, it is particularly advantageous if the angles of the rubberized reinforcing elements in the central area, relative to the circumferential direction, differ between the carcass plies, thus creating a network or grid of rubberized reinforcing elements in the projection. A particularly preferred embodiment is one in which the rubberized reinforcing elements of the two carcass plies are arranged essentially opposite to each other, so that they intersect at an angle of nearly 90°. According to the inventors, this embodiment achieves the best results, particularly with regard to the mechanical properties of the vehicle tires.A preferred vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention comprises at least two carcass layers, wherein the rubberized reinforcing elements of the two carcass layers have different angles in the central region with respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire, wherein the angle preferably differs by more than 10°, more preferably by more than 20°, and more preferably by more than 30°, and / or wherein the tire carcass comprises two carcass layers, wherein the rubberized reinforcing elements of the two carcass layers have an angle relative to each other in the central region in the range of 30° to 90°, preferably in the range of 40° to 80°, more preferably in the range of 50° to 70°, and most preferably in the range of 55° to 65°.

[0046] For most applications as vehicle pneumatic tires, it is advantageous for the vehicle pneumatic tires to have a bead with a bead core in the sidewall areas, particularly in the radially innermost parts of the tire carcass, which can, for example, be designed as a cable core. A vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is preferred in that the first sidewall area and / or the second sidewall area of ​​the tire carcass comprises a bead, preferably comprising a bead core, and the carcass ply is preferably arranged around the bead.

[0047] The carcass plies can be folded around this bead, resulting in a fold on both sides of the carcass, referred to here as the first fold area and the second fold area, respectively. In conventional radial tires, the reinforcing elements in these fold areas also run essentially ideally radially. However, in the inventors' opinion, with regard to the resulting sidewall stability, it is particularly advantageous to have a cord angle in the fold areas that differs from the cord angle in the side areas, with cord angles being particularly preferred that are also set in the central area. A particularly preferred tire carcass thus comprises two angled fold areas, two radial side areas, and one angled central area.A preferred option is therefore a vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention, wherein the tire carcass additionally comprises a first helix area connected to the first side area and a second helix area connected to the second side area, wherein at least a part of the rubberized reinforcing elements of the carcass layer, with respect to the circumferential direction of the vehicle pneumatic tire, has an angle in the range of 5° to 75°, preferably in the range of 15° to 55°, particularly preferably in the range of 20° to 35°.

[0048] Regardless of whether the contact patches themselves are designed with a reduced cord angle, it is explicitly preferred, with a view to the long-term durability of the vehicle pneumatic tires according to the invention, if separate sidewalls are arranged on the sidewalls of the tire carcass, which protect the underlying tire carcass against environmental influences. A vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention is therefore preferred in which sidewalls made of a rubber material are arranged on the outside of the first sidewall and / or the second sidewall of the tire carcass.

[0049] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained and described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention in a first embodiment; Fig. 2 a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle pneumatic tire not according to the invention in a second embodiment; Fig. 3 a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle pneumatic tire according to the invention in a third embodiment; Fig. 4 a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle pneumatic tire not according to the invention in a fourth embodiment; and Fig. 5 a schematic explanation of the course of the rubberized reinforcing elements in the various areas of the tire carcass.

[0050] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle pneumatic tire 10 according to the invention in a preferred embodiment. The radial direction is indicated by the central arrow, while the direction of rotation points towards the viewer. The tire carcass 12 comprises a first side region 14a, a second side region 16a, and a central region 18a arranged between them, with the individual carcass ply 20a extending through these regions. The rubberized reinforcing elements are those shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 The example shown involves metallic reinforcement elements, namely stainless steel cords.

[0051] Above the tire carcass 12, i.e., radially outward, is the tread 22, whereas the inner tire layer 24 runs below the tire carcass. The rubberized reinforcing elements 28 of the carcass layer 20a have an angle of approximately 89° to 90° relative to the circumferential direction of the vehicle tire 10 in the first side area 14a and in the second side area 16a. In the central area 18a, which is approximately 5% wider than the tread 22 or the intended contact patch, the rubberized reinforcing elements 28 of the carcass layer 20a run at an angle of approximately 32° to 33° relative to the circumferential direction.

[0052] In the Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment of the vehicle pneumatic tire 10 according to the invention, the damping layer 26 is arranged between the tire carcass 12 and the inner tire layer 24 and is positioned so that it lies completely below the central area 18a. In the exemplary embodiment proposed here, the modulus of elasticity of the rubber material processed in the damping layer 26 is 5 MPa.

[0053] The in Figure 1 The vehicle pneumatic tire 10 shown according to the invention is essentially rotationally symmetrical, so that the damping layer 26 shown extends over the entire circumference of the vehicle pneumatic tire 10, so that essentially the same cross-section results at all points of the vehicle pneumatic tire 10.

[0054] In the example shown, the damping layer 26 consists entirely of the rubber material and includes no additional reinforcing elements. In this example, the thickness of the damping layer 26 is approximately 1.5 mm, with the rubber material having a Shore A hardness of approximately 48.

[0055] The in Figure 2 The embodiment of the vehicle pneumatic tire 10 shown, which is not according to the invention, largely corresponds to the one shown in Figure 1 in the illustrated embodiment. The difference lies in the fact that a further layer 30 is arranged between the tread 22 and the tire carcass 12 above the central area 18a. This further layer 30 can be, for example, a belt layer or a cap-ply layer, which differ primarily in the orientation of the contained rubberized reinforcing elements relative to the circumferential direction.

[0056] The embodiments of Figures 3 and 4largely correspond to the embodiments of the Figures 1 and 2 The difference lies in the fact that two carcass layers 20a, 20b are provided in each case, which in the corresponding areas of the tire carcass 12 have a first side area 14a, 14b, a second side area 16, 16b, and a central area 18a, 18b. In the side areas, the rubberized reinforcing elements 28 are oriented as described above in both cases. However, the orientation of the rubberized reinforcing elements 28 differs in the central area 20a, 20b such that the rubberized reinforcing elements essentially have a reversed orientation, so that the textile reinforcing elements 28 of the carcass layers 20a, 20b intersect at an angle of approximately 64° in the top view.

[0057] Figure 5Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of the arrangement of the rubberized reinforcing elements in a tire carcass 12, as they exist in the manufacture of vehicle pneumatic tires 10, for example, before the tire carcass 12 is crowned and the tread 22 is applied. The first side area 14a, the second side area 16a, and the central area 18a are indicated by curly brackets. Dashed lines indicate the area in which the damping layer 26 would be located beneath the corresponding tire carcass 12. The direction of rotation of the future vehicle pneumatic tire 10 is indicated by the directional arrow. It is clearly visible how the reinforcing elements 28 in the first side area 14a and in the second side area 16a form an angle of 90° with the direction of rotation, i.e., they run orthogonally to it.In contrast, the reinforcing beams 28 in the central area 18a continue to run parallel to each other, but at a smaller angle relative to the direction of rotation, having an angle of approximately 52° with the direction of rotation in the example shown. Reference symbol list

[0058] 10 Vehicle pneumatic tire 12 Tire carcass 14a, 14 Top sidewall 16a, 16b Second sidewall 18a, 18b Central area 20a, 20b Carcass layer 22 Tread 24 Inner tire layer 26 Damping layer 28 Strengthening element 30 Other layer

Claims

1. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10), comprising: a) a tyre carcass (12) having a first side region (14a, 14b), a second side region (16a, 16b) and a central region (18a, 18b) arranged in between, comprising at least one carcass ply (20a, 20b) having a multiplicity of rubberized strength members (28), which each extend through the first side region (14a, 14b), the second side region (16a, 16b) and the central region (18a, 18b) of the tyre carcass (12), b) a tread (22) which is situated radially at the outside relative to the tyre carcass (12), b) a tyre inner layer (24) which is situated radially at the inside relative to the tyre carcass (12), and d) a damping ply (26) which is situated radially at the inside relative to the tyre carcass (12) and which comprises a rubber material, wherein the damping ply (26) is arranged between the tyre carcass (12) and the tyre inner layer (24), or wherein the damping ply (26) is arranged on the side radially at the inside of the tyre inner layer (24), characterized in that the tread (22) is arranged directly on the side radially at the outside of the tyre carcass (12), wherein at least a proportion of the rubberized strength members (28) of the carcass ply (20a, 20b) have, in the first side region (14a, 14b) and in the second side region (16a, 16b), an angle in the range of 80° to 90°, and in the central region (18a, 18b), an angle in the range of 5° to 75°, in relation to the circumferential direction of the pneumatic vehicle tyre (10).

2. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10) according to Claim 1, wherein at least a proportion of the rubberized strength members (28) of the carcass ply (20a, 20b) have, in the first side region (14a, 14b) and in the second side region (16a, 16b), an angle in the range of 85° to 90°, preferably in the range of 88° to 90°, in relation to the circumferential direction of the pneumatic vehicle tyre (10).

3. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10) according to either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein at least a proportion of the rubberized strength members (28) of the carcass ply (20a, 20b) have, in the central region (18, 18b), an angle in the range of 10° to 70°, preferably in the range of 15° to 55°, particularly preferably in the range of 20° to 35°, in relation to the circumferential direction of the pneumatic vehicle tyre (10).

4. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the damping ply (26) in the radially outwardly facing direction is at least partially, preferably completely, arranged below the central region (18a, 18b).

5. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the tread (22) in the radially outwardly facing direction is at least partially, preferably completely, above the central region (18a, 18b).

6. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the quotient formed from the width of the contact surface divided by the width of the central region (18a, 18b) lies in the range of 0.7 to 2, preferably in the range of 0.8 to 1.6, particularly preferably in the range of 0.9 to 1.2, very particularly preferably in the range of 0.95 to 1.05, in each case transversely to the circumferential direction of the pneumatic vehicle tyre (10), and / or wherein the quotient formed from the width of the damping ply (26) divided by the width of the central region (18a, 18b) lies in the range of 0.6 to 1.4, preferably in the range of 0.7 to 1.2, particularly preferably in the range of 0.8 to 1.1, very particularly preferably in the range of 0.9 to 1.0, in each case transversely to the circumferential direction of the pneumatic vehicle tyre (10).

7. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the rubber material of the damping ply (26) has a modulus of elasticity in the range of 2 to 15 MPa, preferably in the range of 3 to 12 MPa, particularly preferably in the range of 4 to 8 MPa.

8. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10) according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the tyre carcass (12) comprises two or more carcass plies (20a, 20b), wherein in each carcass ply (20a, 20b) at least a proportion of the rubberized strength members (28), preferably all of the rubberized strength members (28) have, in the first side region (14a, 14b) and in the second side region (16a, 16b), an angle in the range of 80° to 90°, and, in the central region (18a, 18b), an angle in the range of 5° to 75°, in relation to the circumferential direction of the pneumatic vehicle tyre (10).

9. Pneumatic vehicle tyre (10) according to Claim 8, wherein the tyre carcass (12) comprises two carcass plies (20a, 20b), wherein the rubberized strength members (28) of the two carcass plies (20a, 20b) have, in the central region (18a, 18b), an angle in the range of 30° to 90°, preferably in the range of 40° to 80°, particularly preferably in the range of 50° to 70°, very particularly preferably in the range of 55° to 65°, relative to each other.