Tire and tire manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a technique concerning a tire that is improved in accuracy in positioning an RFID tag more in comparison with a case in which an RFID tag is embedded in a position other than a bead part.SOLUTION: A tire 10 comprises a resin skeleton body 20 that is formed of thermoplastic resin and has a bead part 12, a side part 14 and a crown part 16 and has a recessed portion 80 formed on an inner peripheral surface 50I of a thick part, and an RFID tag 70 stored in recessed portion 80.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tire and a method for manufacturing a tire.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a tire having an annular resin tire skeleton member including a bead portion, a side portion continuous with the outer side in the tire radial direction of the bead portion, and a crown portion continuous with the inner side in the tire width direction of the side portion, and an RFID tag attached to the outer surface of the side portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, since the RFID tag is attached during the tire manufacturing process, the RFID tag may shift from the desired position.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a technology related to a tire with improved positioning accuracy of an RFID tag as compared with the case where the RFID tag is embedded in a location other than the bead portion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A tire according to a first aspect is formed of a thermoplastic resin, has a bead portion, a side portion, and a crown portion, and includes a resin skeleton body having a recess formed in an inner surface in the tire axial direction, and an RFID tag housed in the recess.

[0007] In this tire, in the bead portion, a recessed portion is formed on the inner surface in the tire's axial direction of the resin skeleton, and an RFID tag is accommodated in the recessed portion. Thereby, in the tire according to this aspect, the positioning accuracy of the RFID tag is enhanced as compared with the case where the RFID tag is disposed at a location other than the recessed portion.

[0008] The tire of the second aspect is the tire according to the first aspect, wherein the recessed portion is formed on the inner surface in the tire's axial direction of the bead portion.

[0009] In this tire, since the recessed portion is formed on the inner surface in the tire's axial direction of the bead portion, deformation due to the load of the vehicle is less likely to occur even during the use of the tire. Thereby, according to the tire of this aspect, the durability of the tire is increased as compared with the case where the recessed portion is formed at a location different from the inner side in the tire's axial direction of the bead portion.

[0010] The method for manufacturing a tire of the third aspect includes a step of holding a bead core at the radially inner end of an inner mold using a holding mold, a step of arranging a recess forming core along the inner mold, a step of forming a cavity using an outer mold facing the wall surface of the inner mold with a gap, a step of injecting a resin material into the cavity to form a resin skeleton having a bead portion, a side portion, a crown portion, and a recessed portion, and a step of accommodating an RFID tag in the recessed portion of the formed resin skeleton.

[0011] In this tire, a recessed portion is formed on the inner surface in the tire's axial direction of the resin skeleton, and an RFID tag is accommodated in the recessed portion. Here, when the RFID tag is disposed on the inner surface of the resin skeleton in a tire having an RFID tag, the position where the RFID tag is disposed during manufacturing is difficult to identify. The method for manufacturing a tire according to this aspect forms a recessed portion on the inner surface in the tire's axial direction of the resin skeleton and accommodates the RFID tag in the recessed portion, thereby facilitating the positioning of the RFID tag as compared with the case where the recessed portion is not formed.

[0012] The tire manufacturing method according to the fourth aspect is the tire manufacturing method described in the third aspect, wherein the recess forming core is the holding mold.

[0013] In this tire manufacturing method, the holding mold also serves as a recess forming core for forming the recessed portion of the resin skeleton body. According to the tire manufacturing method according to this aspect, compared with the case where the recess forming core is prepared separately from the holding mold, the number of types of molds is reduced, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technique related to a tire in which the positioning accuracy of the RFID tag is improved as compared with the case where the RFID tag is embedded in a portion other than the bead portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent components and parts are given the same reference numerals. Also, the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for convenience of explanation and may be different from the actual ratios.

[0017] Also, the arrow R shown in each figure indicates the radial direction of the tire 10, the arrow W indicates the width direction (axial direction) of the tire 10, and the arrow θ indicates the circumferential direction of the tire 10. In the present disclosure, the "outer side of the tire" refers to the outer side in both the radial direction and the width direction of the tire, and coincides with the direction in which the arrow R and the arrow W point in each figure.

[0018] Note that the method for measuring the dimensions of each part is based on the method described in the 2023 edition YEAR BOOK issued by JATMA (Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association).

[0019] In the present disclosure, a thermoplastic resin (including a thermoplastic elastomer) refers to a polymer compound that softens, flows, and becomes relatively hard and strong when cooled as the temperature rises. In this specification, among these, a polymer compound that softens, flows, and becomes relatively hard and strong when cooled as the temperature rises and has rubber-like elasticity is defined as a thermoplastic elastomer, and a polymer compound that softens, flows, and becomes relatively hard and strong when cooled as the temperature rises but does not have rubber-like elasticity is distinguished as a thermoplastic resin that is not an elastomer.

[0020] Examples of the thermoplastic resin (including thermoplastic elastomers) include polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPO), polystyrene-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPS), polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPA), polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPU), polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPC), dynamically crosslinked thermoplastic elastomers (TPV), and polyolefin-based thermoplastic resins, polystyrene-based thermoplastic resins, polyamide-based thermoplastic resins, polyester-based thermoplastic resins, and the like.

[0021] (Configuration) Figures 1 and 2 show the tire 10 according to the present disclosure. The tire 10 according to the present disclosure includes a pair of bead portions 12, a side portion 14 extending radially outward from the bead portion 12 of the tire 10, and a crown portion 16 (outer peripheral portion) connecting the radially outer ends of one side portion 14 of the tire 10 and the radially outer ends of the other side portion 14 of the tire 10, and includes a tire skeleton member 17. On the tire skeleton member 17, a belt layer 32 formed of a resin cord member 26 is provided on the radially outer side of the tire 10, and a tread layer 30 is provided on the radially outer side of the belt layer 32 of the tire 10, whereby the tire 10 is formed.

[0022] In the present disclosure, the radial direction, width direction, and circumferential direction of the tire half 17A coincide with the radial direction, width direction, and circumferential direction of the tire 10 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the width direction of the tire 10 showing an example of the configuration of the tire 10 according to the present embodiment.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, the belt layer 32 is formed by winding the resin cord member 26 around the outer periphery of the tire skeleton member 17 in the circumferential direction of the tire 10 and joining it to the tire skeleton member 17. Further, the belt layer 32 is configured by joining portions of the resin cord member 26 adjacent to each other in the width direction of the tire 10. The resin cord member 26 is configured by coating a cord member with a coating resin layer.

[0025] On the radially outer peripheral side of the tire 10 of the belt layer 32, a tread layer 30 made of rubber, which is a material having better abrasion resistance than the resin material constituting the tire skeleton member 17, is disposed.

[0026] In the resin-coated cord member 26, the cord member coated with resin is composed of monofilaments (single wires) such as metal fibers and organic fibers, or multifilaments (twisted wires) obtained by twisting these fibers. Examples of the resin cord member 26 include a monofilament (single wire) composed of a single metal cord, a multifilament (twisted wire) obtained by twisting a plurality of metal cords, and the like.

[0027] Note that in FIG. 2, the cross-sectional shape of the resin cord member 26 (the shape of the cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the resin cord member 26) is substantially rectangular, but the resin cord member 26 according to the present embodiment is not limited thereto and can have various shapes such as a substantially parallelogram.

[0028] The tread layer 30 is a portion provided on the circumferential surface 52C, which is the outer peripheral surface of the tire 10, and is formed by winding a member such as rubber around the belt on the outer side in the radial direction of the tire 10.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2, the tire skeleton member 17 includes a pair of tire halves 17A each having a bead portion 12, a side portion 42, and a resin skeleton body 20 integrally formed by injection molding a thermoplastic resin with a half-width crown portion 44. As shown in FIG. 1, the pair of tire halves 17A are formed by facing each other and joining at the tire equatorial plane portion.

[0030] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the tire half 17A has a bead portion 12, a knitted layer 41, and a resin framework 20 in which the knitted layer 41 is disposed on the outer side in the radial direction of the tire 10 from the bead core 18 to the crown portion 44 and integrated. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the tire 10 according to the present embodiment houses an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag 70. The resin framework 20 is formed of a thermoplastic resin. In the resin framework 20 in the present embodiment, the knitted layer 41 and the bead core 18 are integrated as a primary molded body 34 described later and then integrated with the resin framework 20.

[0031] In the present embodiment, the ranges of the bead portion 12, the side portion 14, and the crown portion 16 are determined based on the dimensions when the tire 10 is used. More specifically, the bead portion 12 is a range where the thickness gradually decreases toward the outer side in the radial direction with respect to the range H from the inner end in the radial direction to the outer end in the radial direction excluding the tread layer 30 and the belt layer 32, and is the portion of the range H1. The side portion 14 is a range where the thickness is approximately equal, and is the portion of the range H2 excluding the range H1 with respect to the range H.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, an annular bead core 18 made of a resin-coated steel cord and having a substantially rectangular cross section as an example is embedded in the bead portion 12. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the bead portion 12 has a thick portion 50 in which the bead core 18 is embedded and which is thicker than the side portion 14, and an inclined portion 48 connecting from the thick portion 50 to the side portion 14.

[0033] The thick portion 50 abuts against a rim flange (not shown) and has a function of preventing the bead portion 12 from coming off the rim flange. The thick portion 50 has an outer peripheral surface 50E of the thick portion that abuts against the flange portion of the rim flange (not shown) in the width direction, a bottom surface 50B of the thick portion that contacts the rim flange (not shown) from the radially outer side, and an inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion that is the inner surface in the width direction with respect to the bottom surface 50B of the thick portion. The bottom surface 50B of the thick portion is along the axis (width direction) of the tire 10 or is inclined so as to approach the central axis of the tire 10 from the heel portion 50H which is the boundary with the outer peripheral surface 50E of the thick portion, toward the inner side in the width direction of the tire 10. Further, the outer peripheral surface 50E of the thick portion is, for example, along the radially outer side from the heel portion 50H or is slightly inclined toward the inner side in the tire width direction. The inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion is, for example, along the radially outer side from the toe portion 50T which is the boundary with the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion or is slightly inclined toward the inner side in the width direction of the tire 10.

[0034] The inclined portion 48 is a portion having a function of dispersing the stress of the side portion 14 that deforms due to a load during use of the tire 10. The outer peripheral surface 48E of the inclined portion 48 connects the outer peripheral surface 50E of the thick portion 50 and the outer peripheral surface of the side portion 14 in a bow shape while being curved so that the tire width direction is slightly recessed. Further, by connecting the inner peripheral surface 48I of the inclined portion 48 with the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion 50 and the inner peripheral surface of the side portion 14, the inclined portion 48 gradually decreases in thickness from the thick portion 50 side (radially inner side) toward the side portion 14 side (radially outer side).

[0035] (RFID tag) As shown in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B), the RFID tag 70 includes a main body chip 72 and an antenna 74. The main body chip 72 includes a processor including a CPU or an MPU and a memory capable of storing various information. The antenna 74 extends from the main body chip 72 to one side and the other side.

[0036] The body chip 72 and the antenna 74 are embedded in a resin coating portion 76 formed of a resin material. The resin material forming the resin coating portion 76 is preferably the same type of material as the resin material forming the resin skeleton body 20. The embedding in the resin coating portion 76 may be sandwiched with a film-like material, or the thickness of the body chip 72 may be absorbed by the thick resin coating portion 76. As shown in FIG. 3(B), the RFID tag 70 has flexibility in the thickness direction. Also, the RFID tag 70 is arranged such that the longitudinal direction in which the antenna 74 extends is along the tire circumferential direction.

[0037] More specifically, the RFID tag 70 is accommodated in any one of a plurality of recessed portions 80 formed along the bead core 18 in the tire circumferential direction.

[0038] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, in the tire half body 17A, a rubber layer 24 is formed on the outer side in the width direction of the tire 10 from the bead portion 12 to the crown portion 44. More specifically, the rubber layer 24 is formed across the outer peripheral surface of the side portion 14 from the crown portion 44, the outer peripheral surface 48E of the inclined portion 48 in the bead portion 12, the outer peripheral surface 50E of the thick portion, the bottom surface 50B of the thick portion, and the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion. Note that the rubber layer 24 is formed while covering the recessed portion 80. In other words, the recessed portion 80 is covered by the rubber layer 24 that covers the side portion 14 of the tire 10. This rubber layer 24 protects the tire half body 17A from sunlight and the like and improves the weather resistance when the tire 10 is incorporated into a wheel.

[0039] (Primary molded body 34) FIG. 4 is a view showing the primary molded body 34 included in the tire half body 17A according to the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, the primary molded body 34 has a knitted fabric layer 41 having a knitted fabric body 36 and a reinforcing body 40, and a bead core 18.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the knitted body 36 is formed of a filamentous first fiber material 38 and has a folded mesh shape continuously formed in the circumferential direction and the radial direction of the tire 10. It has ends on both sides in the radial direction of the tire 10 and is endless in the circumferential direction of the tire 10. That is, the knitted body 36 is a member formed by annular knitting with the first fiber material 38 and has elasticity in the radial direction and the circumferential direction (the vertical and horizontal directions in the drawing in FIG. 5).

[0041] Further, as will be described later, the first fiber material 38 is formed of a material having compatibility with the resin skeleton 20 and the resin coating of the bead core 18. Specifically, it is a material such as a polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer, and a resin of the same type as the resin skeleton 20 is preferably used. In the present disclosure, compatibility refers to the property that the materials of different members are easily mixed with each other in a molten state.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the reinforcing body 40 is formed of a reinforcing fiber material, extends in the tire radial direction, and is equally distributed in the tire circumferential direction by being knitted into the knitted body 36 in the circumferential direction of the tire 10, and is a filamentous member that restricts the elongation of the knitted body 36 in the radial direction of the tire 10. Further, as will be described later, the reinforcing fiber material is formed of a material having no compatibility with the resin skeleton 20. Specifically, materials such as aramid fibers and steel cords, which have a higher softening temperature and higher tensile strength than the first fiber material 38, are adopted. Also, the reinforcing fiber material is not limited to a single material, and an artificial resin such as an aramid fiber or a fibrous body coated with a resin of the same system as the first fiber material 38 on a steel cord or the like may be used. The shape and number of the reinforcing bodies 40 are appropriately determined according to the specifications of the tire 10 to be manufactured. Also, the above-mentioned equal distribution means that it is sufficient if a plurality of reinforcing bodies 40 are at approximately equal intervals when viewed macroscopically. The reinforcing bodies 40 are preferably arranged at about 10 to 60 per millimeter in the tire circumferential direction.

[0043] Note that the knitted fabric body 36 is not limited to any knitting method as long as it has elasticity in the radial and circumferential directions of the tire 10 as described above. As an example, it is formed by knitting. In other words, the primary molded body 34 in the present disclosure has a so-called inlay structure in which a reinforcing fiber material is knitted into the knitted fabric body 36.

[0044] Further, the shape of the knitted fabric body 36 is appropriately determined according to the specifications of the tire 10 to be manufactured, and is set to a shape that is arranged from the bead core 18 to the crown portion 44 in the resin skeleton body 20 (see also FIGS. 6 and 9).

[0045] Note that the resin coating of the bead core 18 and the knitted fabric body 36 are made of mutually compatible materials, and the knitted fabric body 36 and the resin coating of the bead core 18 can be welded together. For this reason, the bead core 18 in the present embodiment is welded to the inner end in the radial direction of the tire 10 in the knitted fabric body 36.

[0046] Subsequently, with appropriate reference to FIGS. 4 to 9, a method for manufacturing a tire half and a method for manufacturing a tire according to the present disclosure will be described. The method for manufacturing a tire half according to the present disclosure includes a primary molding step, a fixing step, a mold clamping step, and an injection step.

[0047] (Primary molding step) In the primary molding step, an annular bead core 18 is integrated with the inner end in the radial direction of the tire 10 in the knitted fabric layer 41 to form a primary formed body.

[0048] (Fixing step) FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the state in which the primary formed body is disposed in the inner mold 52 that expands in the radial direction. In the fixing step, the outer end of the primary formed body in the radial direction of the primary formed body is hung on the outer peripheral surface 52C of the inner mold 52 in the radial direction of the inner mold 52. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the primary molded body 34 is formed into a cylindrical shape by arranging a plurality of parts in the circumferential direction. With respect to the inner mold 52, it is covered so as to cover from one axial side (the right side of the drawing in FIG. 6, the lower side of the drawing in FIG. 7) to the other axial side (the left side of the drawing in FIG. 6, the upper side of the drawing in FIG. 7). Further, a bead core 18 is located on one axial side of the inner mold 52. As shown in FIG. 6, the primary formed body is not fixed on the other axial side. The primary molded body 34 is covered with the inner mold 52 due to the shrinkage of the knitted fabric body 36 in the axial and radial directions of the inner mold 52, and maintains a state along the wall surface (the outer side in the radial direction of the circumferential surface 52C and the side surface 52S) of the inner mold 52.

[0049] Note that on one axial side (inner side) of the inner mold 52, a plurality of slide molds 54 that are movable further toward one axial side from the side surface 52S on one axial side of the inner mold 52 are provided with gaps in the tire circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the slide mold 54 extends in the circumferential direction and is recessed toward one axial side, and the bead core 18 is disposed in the recess of the slide mold 54. As shown in FIG. 8, where the slide mold 54 is not disposed in the tire circumferential direction of the inner mold 52, the bead core 18 is disposed with a gap from the inner mold 52.

[0050] Although not shown in FIG. 6, on one axial side of the inner mold 52, an outer mold 56 that covers one axial side in the radial and axial directions of the inner mold 52 and forms a gap is disposed opposite to the inner mold 52.

[0051] (Mold clamping step) Subsequently, in the mold clamping process, the cavity C is formed using the outer mold 56 that faces the circumferential surface 52C of the inner mold 52 and the side surface 52S of the inner mold 52 with a gap. More specifically, starting from the state shown in FIG. 6, the outer mold 56 that covers the radial direction and one axial side of the inner mold 52 is brought closer from one axial side of the inner mold 52, and a cavity C, which is a gap, is formed between the side surface 52S and the circumferential surface 52C of the inner mold 52 and the inner surface 56I of the outer mold 56. Further, in the state where the cavity C is formed, by moving the slide mold 54 to one axial side, the bead core 18 is pressed against the inner surface 56I of the outer mold 56 as shown in FIG. 7. This cavity C has the same shape as the tire half body 17A according to the present disclosure, and the tire half body 17A is formed by pouring the molten thermoplastic resin into the cavity C as described later.

[0052] That is, in the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 1, the radial direction, the width direction, and the circumferential direction of the inner mold 52 coincide with the radial direction, the width direction, and the circumferential direction of the tire 10.

[0053] Note that in the state shown in FIG. 7, on one axial side of the inner mold 52, a gate portion 58 for injecting the thermoplastic resin described later is formed radially inward with respect to the bead core 18.

[0054] Also, as shown in FIG. 7, the knitted body 36 of the primary molded body 34 is in a state of being hung on the inner mold 52 and extends in the axial direction and the radial direction of the inner mold 52, so a shrinking force acts, and inside the cavity C, it contacts the inner mold 52 from the side surface 52S to the circumferential surface 52C.

[0055] (Injection Process) Subsequently, starting from the state shown in FIG. 7, the molten thermoplastic resin is injected into the cavity C through the gate portion 58. In this case, since the gate portion 58 is provided radially inward of the inner mold 52 than the bead core 18, the knitted fabric body 36 is pressed against the inner surface 56I of the outer mold 56 in the cavity C by the thermoplastic resin melted through the gate portion 58, as shown in FIG. 9. Then, in a state where the knitted fabric body 36 is pressed against the inner surface 56I of the outer mold 56, the thermoplastic resin cools, and the tire half 17A is formed in the cavity C.

[0056] In the tire half 17A in the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 9, the knitted fabric body 36 is cooled in a state of being pressed against the inner surface 56I of the outer mold 56 in the cavity C. For this reason, the knitted fabric body 36 is integrated in a state of being located on the outer side of the tire of the formed resin skeleton 20. More specifically, in the side portion 42 of the resin skeleton 20 (one axial side in the resin skeleton 20), it is preferably integrated in a state of being located on the one axial side rather than the position that is 0.5 times the thickness of the side portion 42 of the resin skeleton 20. Further, in the crown portion 16 of the tire 10 (radially outer side in the resin skeleton 20), it is preferably integrated in a state of being located on the radially outer side rather than the position that is 0.5 times the thickness of the crown portion 16 of the resin skeleton 20.

[0057] Also, as shown in FIG. 9, since the knitted fabric body 36 is pressed against the inner surface 56I of the outer mold 56 in the cavity C, the knitted fabric body 36 is integrated in a state of expanding toward the outer side in the radial direction and the outer side in the circumferential direction of the tire 10. That is, the reinforcing body 40 woven into the knitted fabric body 36 is integrated with the resin skeleton 20 in a state of expanding in the circumferential direction of the tire 10 of the tire half 17A.

[0058] Through the above steps, the tire half 17A according to the present disclosure is manufactured.

[0059] Next, a tire manufacturing method will be described. The tire manufacturing method according to the present disclosure includes an RFID tag placement step, a rubber layer placement step, a joining step, a belt layer placement step, and a tread layer placement step.

[0060] (RFID tag placement step) In the RFID tag placement step, an RFID tag 70 is further placed on a pair of tire halves 17A manufactured by the above-described steps. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, a recess 80 is formed to extend in the circumferential direction on the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick-walled portion formed by the above-described injection step. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, each recess 80 is formed across the bead core 18 in the tire radial direction. This recess 80 is formed side by side with the bead core 18 in the axial direction of the tire because the slide die 54 that holds the bead core 18 functions as a so-called core in the injection step. In other words, the slide die 54 according to the present embodiment is an example of a "holding die" and an example of a "recess-forming core". Although not shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of recesses 80 are formed in the circumferential direction. Further, the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick-walled portion in the present embodiment is an example of the "inner surface in the axial direction" in the present embodiment.

[0061] Then, in the present embodiment, an RFID tag 70 is placed in any one of the recesses 80 formed as shown in FIG. 10. More specifically, after positioning by fitting the RFID tag 70 into any one of the recesses 80, the RFID tag 70 is welded to the tire half 17A inside the recess 80 using a heating device (not shown).

[0062] (Rubber layer placement step) In the rubber layer placement step, a rubber layer 24 is placed on one side in the width direction of a pair of tire halves 17A manufactured by the above-described steps. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 2, the RFID tag 70 and the recess 80 are covered with the rubber layer 24.

[0063] (Joining step) In the joining step, in a pair of tire halves 17A in which the rubber layer 24 is disposed by the above-described steps, the ends corresponding to the inner side in the width direction with respect to the tire equatorial plane (on the side opposite to the direction in which the side portions 42 are formed) are joined together. As an example of the joining method, the other surfaces of the tire halves 17A are welded via a resin material, whereby the tire skeleton member 17 is formed as shown in FIG. 2.

[0064] (Belt layer arranging step) In the belt layer arranging step, an annular belt layer 32 is arranged on the radially outer side of the tire 10 of the tire skeleton member 17 manufactured by the joining step. The belt layer 32 can be formed by winding a resin cord member 26 around the crown portion 44 of the tire skeleton member 17.

[0065] (Tread layer arranging step) In the tread layer arranging step, an annular tread layer is arranged on the radially outer side of the tire skeleton member 17 of the tire 10 manufactured by the belt layer arranging step.

[0066] As an example, the radially outer end of the knitted layer 41 extends to the crown portion 16 of the tire skeleton member 17 and overlaps with the belt layer 32. The overlapping amount with the belt layer 32 is preferably 5 mm or more from the end in the width direction of the belt layer 32 toward the center side in the width direction of the tire 10. Further, the knitted layer 41 may extend to the center in the width direction of the tire 10.

[0067] Through the above steps, the tire 10 of the present embodiment is obtained. And as shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the tire 10 of the present embodiment is disposed between the resin skeleton body 20 and the rubber layer 24 at the bead portion 12.

[0068] Subsequently, the actions and effects obtained by the tire 10 and the tire manufacturing method in the present disclosure will be described.

[0069] (Actions and effects) The tire 10 according to this embodiment has a recessed portion 80 formed in the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion of the resin skeleton 20, and the RFID tag 70 is accommodated in the recessed portion 80. Here, when the RFID tag 70 is arranged on the smooth surface inside the tire axis direction of the resin skeleton 20, the RFID tag 70 is likely to come off the attachment position when the tire 10 is in use (when the vehicle equipped with the tire 10 is running).

[0070] On the other hand, in the tire 10 according to this aspect, since the recessed portion 80 is formed in the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion and the RFID tag 70 is accommodated in the recessed portion 80, the RFID tag 70 is less likely to come off the attachment position in the manufacturing process compared to the case where the RFID tag 70 is arranged at a location other than the recessed portion 80. As a result, in the tire 10 according to this aspect, the positioning accuracy of the RFID tag 70 is improved compared to the case where the RFID tag 70 is arranged at a location other than the recessed portion 80.

[0071] Further, in the tire 10 according to this embodiment, since the recessed portion 80 is formed in the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion of the bead portion 12, deformation due to the load of the vehicle is less likely to occur even when the tire 10 is in use. Thus, according to the tire 10 of this aspect, the durability of the tire 10 is increased compared to the case where the recessed portion 80 is formed at a location other than the bead portion 12.

[0072] Moreover, in this tire 10 according to this embodiment, the recessed portion 80 is formed in the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion of the resin skeleton 20, and the RFID tag 70 is accommodated in the recessed portion 80. Here, when the RFID tag 70 is arranged on the inner surface of the resin skeleton 20 in the tire 10 having the RFID tag 70, the position where the RFID tag 70 is arranged is difficult to identify during manufacturing. The tire manufacturing method according to this aspect forms the recessed portion 80 in the inner peripheral surface 50I of the thick portion of the resin skeleton 20 and accommodates the RFID tag 70 in the recessed portion 80, making it easier to position the RFID tag 70 compared to the case where the recessed portion 80 is not formed.

[0073] In addition, in the tire manufacturing method according to the present embodiment, the slide mold 54 also serves as a recess forming core for forming the recess 80 of the resin skeleton 20. According to the tire manufacturing method according to this aspect, compared with the case where the recess forming core is prepared separately from the slide mold 54, the number of types of molds is reduced, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0074] (First Modification Example) In the above description, in the tire manufacturing method, the holding mold also serves as a recess forming core. However, the tire manufacturing method according to the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, in the injection process, a recess forming core may be separately provided separately from the slide mold 54 so that the recess 80 is formed on the inner surface in the axial direction of the resin skeleton 20.

[0075] For example, as shown in FIG. 11, in the bead portion 12, a recess 180 may be formed on the outer side in the tire radial direction than the bead core 18. In this modification example, it is preferable that the recess 180 is formed in the inner half range of the tire radial direction range in the bead portion 12. This is because if it is in the inner half range of the tire radial direction range in the bead portion 12, deformation is less likely to occur even when the vehicle on which the tire 10 is mounted is running, and the RFID tag 70 is less likely to come off.

[0076] Even in this case, a tire 10 having the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0077] (Other Modification Examples) In the above description, the case where the recess 80 is formed in the bead portion 12 has been described. However, the tire 10 according to the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, if the durability of the tire 10 is not significantly impaired due to stress concentration on the resin skeleton 20 caused by the formation of the recess 80, the recess 80 may be formed in the side portion 14.

[0078] Also, in the above description, the RFID tag 70 was attached to the resin skeleton 20 by being welded to the recess 80, but the tire 10 according to the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the RFID tag 70 may be adhered to the recess 80 by using an adhesive. Even in this case, a tire 10 having the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0079] As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is obvious that those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs can conceive various modification examples or application examples within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and it is naturally understood that these also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0080] 10 Tire, 12 Bead portion, 14 Side portion, 16 Crown portion, 17 Tire skeleton member, 17A Tire half, 18 Bead core, 20 Resin skeleton, 24 Rubber layer, 26 Resin cord member, 30 Tread layer, 32 Belt layer, 34 Primary molded body, 36 Knitted fabric body, 38 First fiber material, 40 Reinforcement, 41 Knitted fabric layer, 42 Side portion, 44 Crown portion, 52 Inner mold, 52C Peripheral surface, 52S Side surface, 54 Slide mold (holding mold, an example of a recess forming core), 56 Outer mold, 56I Inner surface, 58 Gate portion, 60 Air vent, C Cavity, 70 RFID tag, 72 Main body chip, 74 Antenna, 76 Resin coating portion, 80 Recess, 180 Recess

Claims

1. A resin skeleton formed of a thermoplastic resin, having a bead portion, a side portion, and a crown portion, and having a recess formed on the inner surface in the tire axial direction; An RFID tag housed in the recess; A tire comprising the above.

2. The recess is formed on the inner surface in the tire axial direction of the bead portion. The tire according to Claim 1.

3. A step of holding a bead core at the radially inner end in the inner mold using a holding mold; A step of arranging a recess forming core along the inner mold; A step of forming a cavity using an outer mold facing the wall surface of the inner mold with a gap; A step of injecting a resin material into the cavity to form a resin skeleton having a bead portion, a side portion, a crown portion, and a recess; A step of housing an RFID tag in the recess of the formed resin skeleton; A tire manufacturing method comprising the above.

4. The recess forming core is the holding mold. The tire manufacturing method according to Claim 3.

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