Tire and non-pneumatic tire

Abstract

This tire has: an annular tire frame member provided with a bead part, a side part continuous with the outer side of the bead part in the tire radial direction, and a crown part continuous with the inner side of the side part in the tire width direction; a spiral belt that is disposed on the outer side of the crown part in the tire radial direction and is formed by spirally winding, in the tire circumferential direction, a coating cord in which one or a plurality of reinforcement cords are coated with resin or rubber; and an RF tag that is disposed on the outer side of the crown part in the tire radial direction within a second division region positioned on the opposite side in the tire radial direction from a first division region including a region where one end part and the other end part of the coating cord overlap in the tire circumferential direction, among division regions that divide the tire frame member into four parts in the tire circumferential direction.

Description

Tires and non-pneumatic tires

[0001] The present disclosure relates to tires and non-pneumatic tires.

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Tires incorporating an RF tag (also called an RF tag) equipped with an RFID chip and an antenna are known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-87600).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2016-179731 discloses a non-pneumatic tire. The non-pneumatic tire disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2016-179731 includes a mounting body attached to an axle, an outer cylindrical body surrounding the mounting body from the outside in the tire radial direction, a tread portion surrounding the outer cylindrical body from the outside in the tire radial direction, and a connecting member that displaceably connects the mounting body and the outer cylindrical body. Furthermore, the non-pneumatic tire disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2016-179731 has a spiral reinforcing layer bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical body. The spiral reinforcing layer is formed by spirally winding a wire body, which has one cord or multiple parallel cords embedded in a covering, around the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical body.

[0004] A known tire has a spiral belt in which resin-coated cords are spirally wound in the tire circumferential direction, located radially outside the crown portion of a tire frame member. In such tires, the spiral belt is formed by overlapping the winding start and end of the resin-coated cord in the tire circumferential direction. However, in the spiral belt, the region where the winding start and end of the resin-coated cords overlap in the tire circumferential direction has a wider belt width than other regions where the overlapping ends are not present, i.e., the number of resin-coated cords is increased, resulting in increased weight. Such a region of the spiral belt where the weight increases in the tire circumferential direction may degrade tire uniformity.

[0005] In addition, the discloser of the present disclosure came up with the new idea of ​​providing a communication device (e.g., an RF tag, etc.) in a non-pneumatic tire such as that described in JP 2016-179731 A, and discovered a new configuration that can suppress the deterioration of the uniformity of a non-pneumatic tire due to the provision of a communication device, which led to the present disclosure.

[0006] An object of one aspect of the present disclosure is to suppress deterioration of tire uniformity in a tire in which a spiral belt and an RF tag are disposed on the tire radially outer side of a crown portion of a tire frame member.An object of another aspect of the present disclosure is to suppress deterioration of tire uniformity caused by providing a communication device in a non-pneumatic tire.

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is a tire having: an annular tire frame member including a bead portion, a side portion contiguous with the bead portion on the radially outer side of the tire, and a crown portion contiguous with the side portion on the radially inner side of the tire; a spiral belt disposed on the radially outer side of the crown portion and formed by spirally winding a coated cord, in which one or more reinforcing cords are coated with resin or rubber, in the circumferential direction of the tire; and an RF tag disposed in a second divided region disposed on the radially outer side of the crown portion and located on the radially opposite side of a first divided region that divides the tire frame member into four regions in the circumferential direction of the tire and includes a region where one end and the other end of the coated cord overlap in the circumferential direction of the tire.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a non-pneumatic tire comprising: a wheel member attachable to an axle; a ring member attached to the wheel member; a spiral reinforcement layer formed by spirally winding a wire body having one cord or multiple parallel cords embedded in a covering on the outer peripheral surface of the ring member; a tread member surrounding the outside of the spiral reinforcement layer in the tire radial direction; and a communication device held by the ring member, wherein the spiral reinforcement layer includes an overlap region where one end and the other end of the wire body overlap in the tire circumferential direction, and when the tire circumferential region is divided into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant, each having a central angle of 90 degrees with respect to the tire center axis, and the tire circumferential center position of the overlap region is defined to coincide with the tire circumferential center position of the first quadrant, the communication device being held by the ring member so as to be included in the third quadrant that is not adjacent to the first quadrant in the tire circumferential direction.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress deterioration of uniformity in a tire in which a spiral belt and an RF tag are disposed on the tire radially outer side of a crown portion of a tire frame member. Also, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress deterioration of uniformity in a non-pneumatic tire due to the provision of a communication device.

[0010] 1. A cross-sectional view showing one side of a cross section along the tire width direction of a tire according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. 2. A plan view of a spiral belt and crown portion showing a first circumferential region of the tire of FIG. 1. 3. A plan view of a spiral belt and crown portion showing a second circumferential region of the tire of FIG. 1. 4. A cross-sectional view taken along the line 4X-4X of FIG. 3. 5. A side view of the spiral belt and crown portion of the tire of FIG. 1, viewed from the tire width direction. 6. A plan view of an RF tag carried by the tire of FIG. 1. 7. A side view of the RF tag of FIG. 6A. 8. A plan view of a spiral belt and crown portion enlarging the periphery of an RF tag carried by a tire according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 9. A cross-sectional view showing one side of a cross section along the tire width direction of a tire according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 10. A plan view of a spiral belt and crown portion showing the periphery of an RF tag carried by the tire of FIG. 8. 11. A side view of a non-pneumatic tire according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. 12. A diagram showing an enlarged portion of FIG. 10. 13. A cross-sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 11. 14. A diagram showing the communication device shown in FIG. 10 and a reader / writer capable of wireless communication with the communication device. 15. A diagram showing an example of the communication device shown in FIG. 10. Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a state in which the communication device shown in Fig. 14 is covered by a covering member. Fig. 16 is a view showing an overlap region of a spiral reinforcement layer. Fig. 17 is a view showing a modified example of the positional relationship in the tire circumferential direction between the communication device and the overlap region of the spiral reinforcement layer. Fig. 18 is a view showing a modified example of the arrangement of the communication device shown in Fig. 10.

[0011] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment for implementing the technology of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Components indicated by the same reference numerals in each drawing are the same or similar components. Note that duplicated descriptions and reference numerals may be omitted in the embodiments described below. Furthermore, all drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships, ratios, etc. of the elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily match those in reality. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships, ratios, etc. of the elements do not necessarily match between multiple drawings.

[0012] In the drawings, arrow TC indicates the tire circumferential direction, arrow TW indicates the tire width direction, and arrow TR indicates the tire radial direction. Hereinafter, the side closer to the tire rotation axis along the tire radial direction will be referred to as the "tire radially inner side," and the side farther from the tire rotation axis along the tire radial direction will be referred to as the "tire radially outer side." Meanwhile, the side closer to the tire equatorial plane CL along the tire width direction will be referred to as the "tire widthwise inner side," and the side farther from the tire equatorial plane CL along the tire width direction will be referred to as the "tire widthwise outer side." The measurement method for each part follows the method described in the 2023 YEAR BOOK published by JATMA (Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association).

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the tire 10 of this embodiment is a pneumatic tire that is filled with air, and has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially the same as that of a conventional pneumatic tire made of rubber (hereinafter referred to as a "rubber tire" as appropriate).

[0014] (Tire Frame Member) The tire 10 of this embodiment has an annular tire frame member 17 made of resin that forms a frame portion of the tire 10. The tire frame member 17 of this embodiment is formed by joining a pair of tire halves 17A made of a resin material at the tire equatorial plane CL by a joining member 17B.

[0015] The tire frame member 17 includes a pair of bead portions 12 spaced apart in the tire width direction, side portions 14 connected to the tire radially outer sides of the bead portions 12, and a crown portion 16 connected to the tire widthwise inner sides of the side portions 14 and connecting the tire radially outer ends of each side portion 14. The circumferential direction, width direction, and radial direction of the tire frame member 17 correspond to the tire circumferential direction, tire axial direction, and tire radial direction, respectively.

[0016] The tire frame member 17 is formed primarily from a resin material. This resin material does not include vulcanized rubber. Examples of the resin material include thermoplastic resins (including thermoplastic elastomers), thermosetting resins, and other general-purpose resins, as well as engineering plastics (including super engineering plastics).

[0017] Thermoplastic resins (including thermoplastic elastomers) refer to polymeric compounds that soften and flow with increasing temperature and become relatively hard and strong when cooled. In this specification, a distinction is made between thermoplastic elastomers and polymeric compounds that soften and flow with increasing temperature and become relatively hard and strong when cooled, and have rubber-like elasticity, and non-elastomers and polymeric compounds that soften and flow with increasing temperature and become relatively hard and strong when cooled, but do not have rubber-like elasticity, as thermoplastic resins that are not elastomers.

[0018] Examples of thermoplastic resins (including thermoplastic elastomers) include polyolefin thermoplastic elastomers (TPO), polystyrene thermoplastic elastomers (TPS), polyamide thermoplastic elastomers (TPA), polyurethane thermoplastic elastomers (TPU), polyester thermoplastic elastomers (TPC), and dynamically crosslinked thermoplastic elastomers (TPV), as well as polyolefin thermoplastic resins, polystyrene thermoplastic resins, polyamide thermoplastic resins, and polyester thermoplastic resins.

[0019] Furthermore, as the thermoplastic material, for example, a material having a deflection temperature under load (at a load of 0.45 MPa) of 78°C or higher as specified in ISO 75-2 or ASTM D648, a tensile yield strength of 10 MPa or higher as specified in JIS K7113, a tensile elongation at break of 50% or higher as specified in JIS K7113, and a Vicat softening temperature (method A) of 130°C as specified in JIS K7206 can be used.

[0020] A thermosetting resin is a polymer compound that forms a three-dimensional network structure and hardens as the temperature rises. Examples of thermosetting resins include phenolic resin, epoxy resin, melamine resin, and urea resin.

[0021] In addition to the thermoplastic resins (including thermoplastic elastomers) and thermosetting resins described above, general-purpose resins such as (meth)acrylic resins, EVA resins, vinyl chloride resins, fluorine-based resins, and silicone-based resins may also be used as the resin material.

[0022] The tire frame member 17 may be formed from a single resin material, or may be formed from resin materials having different characteristics for each portion of the tire frame member 17 (bead portion 12, side portion 14, crown portion 16, etc.).

[0023] The bead portion 12 is a portion that fits onto a standard rim via a covering rubber 24, and has an annular bead core 18 embedded therein that extends circumferentially along the tire. The bead core 18 is made of a bead cord (not shown) such as a metal cord (e.g., a steel cord), an organic fiber cord, a resin-coated organic fiber cord, or a hard resin. Note that the bead core 18 may be omitted if sufficient rigidity of the bead portion 12 can be ensured.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1 , the side portion 14 is a portion that constitutes the side of the tire 10, and is gently curved from the bead portion 12 toward the crown portion 16 so as to be convex outward in the tire width direction.

[0025] The crown portion 16 is a portion that supports a tread 32 (described later) that is provided on the outer side in the tire radial direction, and an outer surface 16A is made substantially flat along the tire width direction.

[0026] (Spiral belt) A spiral belt 29 is provided on the tire radial outer side of the crown portion 16. This spiral belt 29 is formed by spirally winding a resin-coated cord 28 (an example of a coated cord in the present disclosure) in the tire circumferential direction, in which one or more reinforcing cords 26 are coated with resin 27. Note that in the present embodiment, the spiral belt 29 is formed by the resin-coated cord 28 in which one reinforcing cord 26 is coated with resin 27, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration.

[0027] (Reinforcing Layer) A reinforcing layer 30 is disposed on the outer surface of the tire frame member 17. The reinforcing layer 30 extends along the outer surface of the tire frame member 17 from the inner side in the tire radial direction of the bead core 18 toward the outer side in the tire radial direction, and further extends beyond the tire equatorial plane CL toward the inner side in the tire radial direction of the opposite bead core 18.

[0028] The reinforcing layer 30 includes a plurality of reinforcing cords (not shown) coated with rubber (not shown). The reinforcing cords of the reinforcing layer 30 are monofilaments (single wires) of organic fibers or multifilaments (twisted wires) made of twisted organic fibers, and extend in the radial direction and are arranged in parallel in the tire circumferential direction. The reinforcing cords of the reinforcing layer 30 may be inclined at an angle of 10° or less with respect to the tire radial direction in a side view of the tire.

[0029] The reinforcing layer 30 of this embodiment is formed by bonding plies 30L and 30R (described later), each of which has a plurality of reinforcing cords aligned parallel to one another and coated with (unvulcanized) rubber, to the outer peripheral surface of the molded tire frame member 17. Specifically, the reinforcing layer 30 covers at least the outer surface 14A of the side portion 14.

[0030] Examples of the reinforcing cords that can be used in the reinforcing layer 30 include polyester cords, nylon cords, PET cords, and aromatic polyamide cords. Metals such as steel may also be used as the material for the reinforcing cords in the reinforcing layer 30. The reinforcing layer 30 may be made of reinforcing cords coated with resin instead of rubber.

[0031] (Tread) A rubber tread 32 is disposed on the radially outer side of the reinforcing layer 30. The tread 32 covers the radially outer portion of the reinforcing layer 30. The rubber material constituting the tread 32 is the same as the tread rubber of conventional pneumatic tires and the tread rubber of retread tires. A tread pattern (not shown) is formed on the contact surface of the tread 32 with the road surface.

[0032] 1 and 2 , a covering rubber 24 is provided on the outer surface of the reinforcing layer 30 attached to the tire frame member 17, extending from the outer surface 14A of the side portion 14 on the outer side of the tire to the inner surface 12B of the bead portion 12 on the inner side of the tire. Specifically, the covering rubber 24 is folded back from the outer surface 14A of the side portion 14 to the outer surface 12A of the bead portion 12 toward the inner surface 12B of the bead portion 12.

[0033] An outer end portion of the covering rubber 24 on the outer side in the tire radial direction is sandwiched between the reinforcing layer 30 attached to the tire frame member 17 and an outer end portion of the tread 32 on the outer side in the tire width direction, and is joined (vulcanization bonded) to the tread 32 and the tire frame member 17. In this embodiment, the outer surface of the reinforcing layer 30 attached to the tire frame member 17 is entirely covered by the tread 32 and the covering rubber 24.

[0034] The rubber material that constitutes the covering rubber 24 is a rubber material that has better weather resistance and sealing properties with a standard rim than the tire frame member 17. The rubber material that constitutes the covering rubber 24 is the same as the rubber material used for the sidewalls and bead portions of conventional pneumatic tires made of general rubber.

[0035] 3 and 4, the tire 10 has an RF tag (also called an RFID tag) 40. The RF tag 40 is configured to be capable of wireless communication with a reader (not shown).

[0036] 4, the RF tag 40 is disposed on the outer side of the crown portion 16 in the tire radial direction. Specifically, the RF tag 40 is attached to the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16. In the present embodiment, as an example, the RF tag 40 is welded to the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 5 , the RF tag 40 is disposed in a second divided region DR2 located on the tire radial opposite side of a first divided region DR1 (a first circumferential region CR1 described later) among divided regions DR that divide the tire frame member 17 into four in the tire circumferential direction. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 2 , the RF tag 40 is disposed in at least a portion of a second circumferential region CR2 located on the tire radial opposite side of the first circumferential region CR1, which corresponds to the first circumferential region CR1 where one end 28A and the other end 28B of the resin-coated cord 28 overlap in the tire circumferential direction. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 5 , the second circumferential region CR2 is located on the tire radial opposite side of the first circumferential region CR1. The circumferential length of the first circumferential region CR1 and the circumferential length of the second circumferential region CR2 are the same, and the first circumferential region CR1 corresponds to the second circumferential region CR2. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 , the entire RF tag 40 is disposed in the second circumferential region CR2. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and a portion of the RF tag 40 may protrude from the second circumferential region CR2. Note that in this embodiment, as an example, the center of the first circumferential region CR1 in the tire circumferential direction coincides with the center of the first divided region DR1 in the tire circumferential direction.

[0038] 3 and 4, the RF tag 40 is disposed on the side of the spiral belt 29 (outside in the tire width direction). Specifically, the RF tag 40 is disposed between the end 16E of the crown portion 16 in the tire width direction and the side surface of the spiral belt 29. The RF tag 40 is disposed along the side surface of the spiral belt 29. The RF tag 40 may be in contact with the side surface of the spiral belt 29 or may be separated from the side surface of the spiral belt 29. The RF tag 40 may also be fixed to the side surface of the spiral belt 29 by adhesive or welding.

[0039] In this embodiment, the RFID 40 is disposed on the left side of the spiral belt 29 in Fig. 3, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. The RFID 40 may also be disposed on the right side in Fig. 3.

[0040] In this embodiment, the tire width direction end 16E of the crown portion 16 in the tire 10 is the boundary (inflection point) between the approximately flat outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16 and the curved outer surface 14A of the side portion 14, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and the tire width direction end of the crown portion may be set depending on the tire specifications.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , the RF tag 40 includes a flexible resin case 42, an RFID chip 44, and an antenna 46 housed in the case 42. In this embodiment, a pair of antennas 46 extend in opposite directions from the RFID chip 44. Specifically, the pair of antennas 46 extend in opposite directions along the longitudinal direction of the RF tag 40. In this embodiment, the case 42 is formed from the same type of resin material as the resin material forming the crown portion 16 of the tire frame member 17. As described above, the case 42 is welded to the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16. In this embodiment, the case 42 is plate-shaped and has a substantially rectangular shape with short sides curved in an arc shape in a plan view. However, the shape of the case 42 is not limited to this substantially rectangular shape. The case 42 may also be, for example, a film-like shape.

[0042] Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. In the tire 10 of this embodiment, among the divided regions DR that divide the tire frame member 17 into four in the tire circumferential direction, the RF tag 40 is disposed in the second divided region DR2 located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction to the first divided region DR1, which includes the first circumferential region CR1 in which one end 28A and the other end 28B of the resin-coated cord 28 overlap in the tire circumferential direction. Disposing the RF tag 40 in this manner increases the weight of the second divided region DR2, thereby reducing the weight difference between the first divided region DR1 including the first circumferential region CR1, which is heavier than other regions in the spiral belt 29, and the second divided region DR2. Therefore, in the tire 10, the weight difference between the first divided region DR1 and the second divided region DR2 is smaller than when the RF tag 40 is disposed in the first divided region DR1, for example, and deterioration of uniformity is suppressed. In particular, in the tire 10 of this embodiment, at least a portion of the RF tag 40 is disposed in the second circumferential region CR2 in a plan view of the spiral belt 29 shown in FIG. 3 . Arranging the RF tag 40 in this manner increases the weight of the second circumferential region CR2, thereby reducing the weight difference between the first circumferential region CR1 and the second circumferential region CR2, which are heavier than other regions in the spiral belt 29. Therefore, in the tire 10, the weight difference between the first circumferential region CR1 and the second circumferential region CR2 is reduced, and deterioration of uniformity is suppressed, compared to when, for example, at least a portion of the RF tag 40 is arranged in the first divided region DR1 including the first circumferential region CR1.

[0043] Furthermore, in the tire 10 of this embodiment, the entire RF tag 40 is disposed in the second circumferential region CR2, which further reduces the weight difference between the first circumferential region CR1 and the second circumferential region CR2.

[0044] Furthermore, in the tire 10 of this embodiment, the RF tag 40 is positioned to the side of the spiral belt 29, and therefore, compared to when the RF tag 40 is positioned between the spiral belt 29 and the crown portion 16, the RF tag 40 is not covered by the spiral belt 29, and therefore a decrease in the reception sensitivity of the RF tag 40 is suppressed.

[0045] In the tire 10 of this embodiment, the tire weight can be reduced by coating the reinforcing cords 26 with the resin 27. Furthermore, the tire frame member 17 is formed of a resin material, which further reduces the tire weight. Furthermore, the recyclability of the spiral belt 29 and the tire frame member 17 is improved.

[0046] Furthermore, in the tire 10 of this embodiment, the case 42 that houses the RFID chip 44 and the antenna 46 is welded to the crown portion 16 of the tire frame member 17, so that the RF tag 40 can be easily and firmly attached to the tire frame member 17.

[0047] Furthermore, in the tire 10 of this embodiment, the resin material forming the case 42 of the RF tag 40 is the same type as the resin material forming the tire frame member 17, so that the case 42 can be firmly attached to the crown portion 16 compared to, for example, a configuration in which the resin materials are different types.

[0048] [Other Embodiments] While one example of an embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In the tire 10 of the above-described embodiment, the RF tag 40 is welded to the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. A recess (not shown) formed in the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16 may accommodate part or all of the RF tag 40. By accommodating the RF tag 40 in this recess, the amount by which the RF tag 40 protrudes radially outward from the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16 is reduced. Therefore, even if a crack or the like occurs in the tread 32, the effect of the crack is less likely to reach the RF tag 40.

[0049] In the tire 10 of the above-described embodiment, the RF tag 40 is arranged along the side surface of the spiral belt 29, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, the RF tag 40 may be arranged obliquely with respect to the side surface of the spiral belt 29. Specifically, the RF tag 40 is arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the RF tag 40 is oblique with respect to the side surface of the spiral belt 29 in a plan view. Even in this case, the same effects as those of the tire 10 described above can be achieved.

[0050] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the RF tag 40 is welded to the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and the RF tag 40 may be adhered to the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16 using an adhesive.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the resin material forming the case 42 and the resin material forming the crown portion 16 of the tire frame member 17 are the same type of resin material, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration, and the resin material forming the case 42 and the resin material forming the crown portion 16 of the tire frame member 17 may be different types of resin materials.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the reinforcing layer 30 is configured to include a plurality of reinforcing cords (not shown) coated with rubber (not shown), but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. The reinforcing layer 30 may also be configured to include a plurality of reinforcing cords (not shown) coated with a resin material (not shown).

[0053] The RF tag 40 may be attached to the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16 after the spiral belt 29 is formed on the tire frame member 17 during the manufacture of the tire 10, or may be attached to the outer surface 16A of the crown portion 16 before the spiral belt 29 is formed.

[0054] In the above-described embodiment, the tire frame member 17 is made of a resin material. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. For example, as in the tire 100 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the tire frame member may be made of a material containing vulcanized rubber. Specifically, the tire 100 is a so-called radial tire used for passenger cars, and includes a tire frame member 117, a spiral belt 126, and an RF tag 40. FIG. 8 shows the shape of the tire 100 in its natural state before inflation. The tire frame member 117 includes a bead portion 120, a side portion 122, and a crown portion 124. The tire frame member 117 also includes a carcass 116 made of vulcanized rubber and reinforcing cords, and an annular base ring 138 made of a resin material. The crown portion 124 of the tire frame member 117 is composed of a central portion of the carcass 116 and a base ring 138 arranged on the outer periphery of the central portion. In the tire 100, an outer end 138E of the base ring 138 in the tire width direction corresponds to an outer end of the crown portion 124 in the tire width direction, and the outer surface of the base ring 138 corresponds to the outer surface of the crown portion 124. The resin material constituting the base ring 138 may be the same type of resin material as the resin 132 of the spiral belt 126. The spiral belt 126 is attached (by welding, for example) to the outer surface of the base ring 138. As shown in FIG. 8 , the spiral belt 126 is formed by winding a resin-coated cord 134 (an example of a coated cord disclosed herein) in the tire circumferential direction, in which multiple (e.g., two) reinforcing cords 130 are coated with resin 132. The material constituting the spiral belt 126 may be the same as the material constituting the spiral belt 29. As shown in FIG. 9 , the RF tag 40 is disposed in a second divided region (not shown) that is located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction to a first divided region that is one of four divided regions (not shown) that divide the tire frame member 117 into four in the tire circumferential direction and that includes a region where one end (not shown) and the other end (not shown) of the resin-coated cord 134 overlap in the tire circumferential direction (a first circumferential region (not shown) described later).Specifically, the RF tag 40 is disposed in a region corresponding to a first circumferential region where one end and the other end of the resin-coated cord 134 overlap in the tire circumferential direction, and at least a portion of the RF tag 40 is disposed in a second circumferential region located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction from the first circumferential region. The RF tag 40 is attached to a base ring 138 that constitutes the crown portion 124. A tread 136 made of a rubber material is disposed on the tire radial outer side of the spiral belt 126. Although the tire 100 has a tire frame member 117 formed of a material containing vulcanized rubber, it can achieve the same effects as the tire 10 of the above-described embodiment in which the tire frame member 17 is formed only of a resin material.

[0055] In the tire 10 of the above-described embodiment, the spiral belt 29 is formed by spirally winding a resin-coated cord 28, in which one or more reinforcing cords 26 are coated with resin 27, in the tire circumferential direction, but the present disclosure is not limited to this configuration. For example, a spiral belt (not shown) may be formed by spirally winding a rubber-coated cord (not shown), in which one or more reinforcing cords 26 are coated with rubber, in the tire circumferential direction. Even in this case, the same effects as those of the tire 10 described above can be obtained. Furthermore, a configuration in which a rubber-coated cord is used instead of a resin-coated cord may be applied to the tire 100 described above.

[0056] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of a non-pneumatic tire according to the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals. Hereinafter, a direction parallel to the tire center axis O of a non-pneumatic tire will be referred to as the "tire width direction A." Hereinafter, a direction around the tire center axis O of a non-pneumatic tire will be referred to as the "tire circumferential direction B." Hereinafter, in a cross section perpendicular to the tire center axis O of a non-pneumatic tire, the radial direction of an imaginary circle centered on the tire center axis O will be referred to as the "tire radial direction C."

[0057] Fig. 10 is a side view of a non-pneumatic tire 501 as one embodiment of a non-pneumatic tire according to the present disclosure. Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Fig. 11.

[0058] 10 , a non-pneumatic tire 501 of this embodiment includes a wheel member 502, a ring member 503, a spiral reinforcing layer 504, a tread member 505, and a communication device 506. The non-pneumatic tire 501 is mounted on an axle of various vehicles such as a bicycle, a motorcycle, or an automobile.

[0059] As shown in Figure 10, the wheel member 502 is formed in a disk shape. The ring member 503, the spiral reinforcement layer 504, and the tread member 505 are each formed in an annular shape. The central axis of the wheel member 502, the central axis of the ring member 503, the central axis of the spiral reinforcement layer 504, and the central axis of the tread member 505 are located on a common axis line. In this embodiment, this common axis line is the tire central axis line O.

[0060] In this embodiment, the center positions in the tire width direction A of the wheel member 502, the ring member 503, the spiral reinforcement layer 504, and the tread member 505 are approximately the same. The wheel member 502, the ring member 503, the spiral reinforcement layer 504, and the tread member 505 in this embodiment have a structure that is symmetrical in the tire width direction A as a whole, with respect to the tire equatorial plane CL (see FIG. 12 ) that passes through the center positions in the tire width direction A, but is not limited to this configuration.

[0061] The wheel member 502 is configured to be attachable to an axle. Specifically, the wheel member 502 of this embodiment includes a cylindrical boss 502a that extends in the tire width direction A and to which the axle is fitted, a mounting tubular portion 502b that is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the boss 502a, a support tubular portion 502c that surrounds the outside of the mounting tubular portion 502b in the tire radial direction C and supports the ring member 503 on the outer peripheral surface, and a plurality of spokes 502d that connect the mounting tubular portion 502b and the support tubular portion 502c.

[0062] The boss 502a, the mounting tubular portion 502b, and the support tubular portion 502c are each arranged so that their central axes are aligned with the tire central axis O. The multiple spokes 502d are arranged, for example, at equal intervals in the tire circumferential direction B. Each of the multiple spokes 502d extends radially in the tire radial direction C from the boss 502a as its center.

[0063] The boss 502a, the mounting tube 502b, the support tube 502c, and the spokes 502d may be made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy. The boss 502a, the mounting tube 502b, the support tube 502c, and the spokes 502d may also be made of a resin such as a thermoplastic resin. Furthermore, some of the elements of the boss 502a, the mounting tube 502b, the support tube 502c, and the spokes 502d may be made of metal, and other elements may be made of resin. In this way, the materials of the components of the wheel member 502 are not particularly limited.

[0064] The ring member 503 is attached to the wheel member 502. More specifically, the ring member 503 of this embodiment is fitted onto the outside of the support cylinder portion 502c of the wheel member 502 and is supported on the outer circumferential surface of the support cylinder portion 502c.

[0065] The ring member 503 includes an inner cylindrical body 511 , an outer cylindrical body 512 , and a connecting member 513 .

[0066] The inner cylindrical body 511 is fixed to the wheel member 502. Specifically, the inner cylindrical body 511 of this embodiment is fitted onto the support cylindrical portion 502c of the wheel member 502, and is supported by the outer peripheral surface of the support cylindrical portion 502c over the entire area in the tire circumferential direction B. In this state, the inner cylindrical body 511 of this embodiment is joined to the support cylindrical portion 502c with fastening members such as bolts, thereby being fixed to the support cylindrical portion 502c. The inner cylindrical body 511 is attached to the axle via the wheel member 502.

[0067] The outer cylinder body 512 surrounds the outside of the inner cylinder body 511 in the tire radial direction C. The central axis of the inner cylinder body 511 and the central axis of the outer cylinder body 512 are located on the tire central axis O. In this embodiment, the inner cylinder body 511 and the outer cylinder body 512 are arranged with their respective centers in the tire width direction A aligned with each other.

[0068] The connecting member 513 connects the inner cylindrical body 511 and the outer cylindrical body 512. The connecting member 513 is configured to be elastically deformable between the inner cylindrical body 511 and the outer cylindrical body 512. More specifically, the connecting member 513 is configured to be elastically deformable in the tire radial direction C between the inner cylindrical body 511 and the outer cylindrical body 512.

[0069] As shown in Fig. 10 , a plurality of connecting members 513 of this embodiment are arranged in the tire circumferential direction B. More specifically, a plurality of connecting members 513 of this embodiment are arranged in the tire circumferential direction B at positions between the inner cylindrical body 511 and the outer cylindrical body 512 in the tire radial direction C. These multiple connecting members 513 are arranged spaced apart in the tire circumferential direction B. In other words, two connecting members 513 adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction B are not in contact with each other and are arranged spaced apart in the tire circumferential direction B. Furthermore, the multiple connecting members 513 of this embodiment are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to each other with respect to the tire center axis O.

[0070] The connecting member 513 of this embodiment is a plate-shaped portion disposed so that its thickness direction is in the in-plane direction of a plane perpendicular to the tire center axis O. In the connecting member 513 of this embodiment, the outer end portion 513a, which is connected to the outer cylindrical body 512 and is located on the outside of the tire radial direction C, and the inner end portion 513b, which is connected to the inner cylindrical body 511 and is located on the inside of the tire radial direction C, are disposed at different positions in the tire circumferential direction B. In this manner, the plate-shaped portion serving as the connecting member 513 can be used as a leaf spring that easily elastically deforms in the tire radial direction C. However, the configuration of the connecting member 513 is not limited to that of this embodiment.

[0071] The constituent materials of the inner cylinder 511, the outer cylinder 512, and the connecting member 513 are not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the inner cylinder 511, the outer cylinder 512, and the connecting member 513 are made of resin. From the viewpoint of weight reduction, the inner cylinder 511, the outer cylinder 512, and the connecting member 513 are preferably made of resin. Examples of resin materials that can be used to constitute the inner cylinder 511, the outer cylinder 512, and the connecting member 513 include thermoplastic resins such as polyester and nylon, thermosetting resins such as vinyl ester resin and unsaturated polyester resin, and other synthetic resins. The resin material may further contain reinforcing fibers such as glass, carbon, graphite, aramid, polyethylene, and ceramic. As described below, the communication device 506 in this embodiment is embedded in the outer cylinder 512. In such a case, the inner cylinder body 511 and the connecting member 513 in which the communication device 506 is not embedded may be made of metal, but as mentioned above, from the standpoint of reducing weight, it is preferable that the inner cylinder body 511 and the connecting member 513 are also made of resin.

[0072] In this embodiment, the inner cylinder 511, the outer cylinder 512, and the connecting member 513 are integrally formed from a resin material by injection molding. Injection molding may be a method of simultaneously integrally molding the entire inner cylinder 511, the outer cylinder 512, and the connecting member 513. The resin material may be, for example, a single resin material, a mixture containing two or more resin materials, or a mixture containing one or more resin materials and one or more elastomers. The resin material may further contain additives such as antioxidants, plasticizers, fillers, or pigments. The resin material is preferably a thermoplastic resin. The inner cylinder 511, the outer cylinder 512, and the connecting member 513 may be formed separately and then assembled together.

[0073] The wheel member 502 has a function of connecting the axle and the ring member 503, and the ring member 503 has a function of absorbing vibrations transmitted from the ground to the axle. As such, the wheel member 502 and the ring member 503 have different functions, and therefore may be made of different materials. For example, the ring member 503 may be made of a material with a relatively low elastic modulus to ensure vibration absorption performance, and the wheel member 502 may be made of a material with a higher elastic modulus than the ring member 503 to ensure robustness.

[0074] The ring member 503 of this embodiment is configured by the inner cylinder body 511, the outer cylinder body 512, and the connecting member 513 described above, but is not limited to this configuration. The ring member 503 may further include other parts in addition to the inner cylinder body 511, the outer cylinder body 512, and the connecting member 513.

[0075] The spiral reinforcement layer 504 is formed by spirally winding a wire body 520, in which one cord 521 or multiple parallel cords 521 are embedded in a covering 522, on the outer circumferential surface of the ring member 503. Figure 12 shows, as an example, a wire body 520 in which only one cord 521 is embedded in a covering 522.

[0076] The wires 520 are spirally wound around the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical body 512, which serves as the outer peripheral surface of the ring member 503, so that the wires 520 are adjacent to each other in the tire width direction A on the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical body 512. The coverings 522 at adjacent portions of the wires 520 in the tire width direction A are integrally fixed to each other in the tire width direction A, thereby forming a spiral reinforcement layer 504 on the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical body 512. For ease of explanation, the dashed-two-dot lines in FIG. 12 indicate the boundaries between the coverings 522 before they are fixed. In other words, the spiral reinforcement layer 504 includes a base layer 504a formed by fixing adjacent coverings 522 to each other in the tire width direction A, and one or more cords 521 extending spirally within the base layer 504a. The constituent material of the covering 522 may be, for example, a resin material. The covering 522 may be made of, for example, a rubber composition. The cord 521 may be, for example, a steel cord.

[0077] The spiral reinforcement layer 504 may be bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical body 512 of the ring member 503 over the entire area in the tire circumferential direction B. The adhesion between the spiral reinforcement layer 504 and the outer cylindrical body 512 may be achieved, for example, by welding the wires 520 that form the spiral reinforcement layer 504 to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical body 512. Note that when the covering body 522 is formed of a rubber composition, the adhesion between the spiral reinforcement layer 504 and the outer cylindrical body 512 may be achieved by vulcanization bonding.

[0078] In the non-pneumatic tire 501 of this embodiment, the provision of the spiral reinforcement layer 504 can increase the rigidity of the outer cylindrical body 512 of the ring member 503. This can improve the durability of the non-pneumatic tire 501, for example, even when the non-pneumatic tire 501 is used in an environment where it receives a large input from the road surface or where a protrusion on the road surface pierces the tread member 505 of the non-pneumatic tire 501.

[0079] The tread element 505 surrounds the outside of the spiral reinforcement layer 504 in the tire radial direction C. More specifically, the tread element 505 is formed in a cylindrical shape and covers the entire area from the outside of the spiral reinforcement layer 504 in the tire radial direction C to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder body 512 of the ring element 503 on the outside in the tire radial direction C. The elastic modulus of the constituent material of the tread element 505 is smaller than the elastic modulus of the constituent material of the ring element 503. The outer peripheral surface of the tread element 505 in the tire radial direction C is a tread surface 505a of the non-pneumatic tire 501. As shown in FIG. 12 , the tread surface 505a of the tread element 505 may be a curved surface such that the center side in the tire width direction A is convex outward in the tire radial direction C from both end sides.

[0080] The tread member 505 is formed, for example, from vulcanized rubber obtained by vulcanizing a rubber composition containing natural rubber or the like, or from a thermoplastic material. Examples of thermoplastic materials include thermoplastic elastomers and thermoplastic resins. Examples of thermoplastic elastomers include amide-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPA), ester-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPC), olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPO), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPS), urethane-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPU), crosslinked thermoplastic rubbers (TPV), and other thermoplastic elastomers (TPZ), as specified in JIS K 6418. Examples of thermoplastic resins include urethane resins, olefin resins, vinyl chloride resins, and polyamide resins. From the viewpoint of wear resistance, it is preferable to form the tread member 505 from vulcanized rubber.

[0081] As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 , the communication device 506 of this embodiment is held by the ring member 503. Specifically, the communication device 506 of this embodiment is held by the outer cylinder body 512 of the ring member 503. More specifically, the communication device 506 of this embodiment is embedded in the outer cylinder body 512 of the ring member 503. The communication device 506 may be held in the outer cylinder body 512 by being fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder body 512, for example. However, as in this embodiment, it is preferable that the communication device 506 be embedded in the outer cylinder body 512 of the ring member 503. By embedding the communication device 506 in the outer cylinder body 512, the periphery of the communication device 506 is protected by the outer cylinder body 512, and damage to the communication device 506 while the vehicle is traveling can be suppressed.

[0082] 13 is a diagram showing an RF tag serving as a communication device 506 of this embodiment and a reader / writer 560 capable of wireless communication with the RF tag. As shown in FIG. 13 , the communication device 506 of this embodiment may be a passive RF tag including a memory unit 506a that stores information about the non-pneumatic tire 501, an antenna unit 506b that can transmit and receive information to and from the reader / writer 560 located outside the non-pneumatic tire 501, and a control unit 506c that can write information to the memory unit 506a and read information from the memory unit 506a. Specifically, the RF tag serving as the communication device 506 of this embodiment can receive information transmitted by radio waves or magnetic fields from the antenna unit 560a of the reader / writer 560 via the antenna unit 506b. Electric power is generated in the antenna unit 506b by rectification (in the case of radio waves) or resonance (in the case of magnetic fields), and the memory unit 506a and the control unit 506c perform predetermined operations. For example, the control unit 506c reads information from the storage unit 506a and transmits the information via radio waves or a magnetic field from the antenna unit 506b to the reader / writer 560. The antenna unit 560a of the reader / writer 560 receives radio waves or a magnetic field from an RF tag serving as the communication device 506 of this embodiment. The control unit 560b of the reader / writer 560 can obtain the information stored in the storage unit 506a by extracting the received information. The storage unit 506a and the control unit 506c can be configured, for example, by an integrated circuit (IC chip) including a nonvolatile memory.

[0083] The information stored in the memory unit 506a of the RF tag serving as the communication device 506 of this embodiment is not particularly limited. The memory unit 506a may store, for example, unique identification information for each non-pneumatic tire 501, such as the manufacturer, manufacturing plant, and manufacturing date of the non-pneumatic tire 501, allowing each non-pneumatic tire to be identified. The memory unit 506a may also store tire history information, such as the mileage of the non-pneumatic tire 501, the number of sudden braking events, the number of sudden starts, and the number of sharp turns, as information rewritable by the reader / writer 560. Furthermore, for example, a sensor for detecting tire acceleration or the like may be attached to the non-pneumatic tire 501, and the memory unit 506a may store information detected by the sensor. The RF tag serving as the communication device 506 can acquire information detected by the sensor by wirelessly communicating with the sensor via the antenna unit 506b.

[0084] The communication device 506 is not limited to the RF tag of this embodiment as long as it is capable of wireless communication with a predetermined device outside the non-pneumatic tire 501 .

[0085] 14 and 15 are perspective views showing an RF tag as a communication device 506 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 14, the RF tag as the communication device 506 of this embodiment includes a first antenna 531 and a second antenna 532 constituting an antenna unit 506b, an IC chip 533 constituting a control unit 506c and a memory unit 506a, which is operated by a dielectric electromotive force generated by radio waves received by the first antenna 531 and the second antenna 532, a plate-shaped support member 534 to which the IC chip 533 is attached, and a conductive conductor 535 electrically connecting the IC chip 533 to the first antenna 531 and the second antenna 532. As shown in Fig. 14, the RF tag as the communication device 506 of this embodiment includes elongated first antenna 531 and second antenna 532 protruding in opposite directions from the IC chip 533, sandwiching the IC chip 533 therebetween. As described above, the communication device 506 of this embodiment has an elongated shape in which the longitudinal direction D of the first antenna 531 and the second antenna 532 is the longitudinal direction of the entire communication device 506. Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing a state in which the RF tag serving as the communication device 506 shown in Fig. 14 is covered with a covering member 536. The covering member 536 is formed of resin. In this embodiment, the RF tag serving as the communication device 506, whose periphery is covered with the covering member 536 as shown in Fig. 15, is embedded in the outer cylinder body 512.

[0086] Next, the position in the tire circumferential direction B at which the communication device 506 is held by the ring member 503 will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. Figure 16 is a diagram showing the overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504. Figure 16 shows the overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504 as viewed from the outside in the tire radial direction C. Figure 17 is a diagram showing the positional relationship in the tire circumferential direction B between the communication device 506 and the overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504.

[0087] First, the overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504 shown in Figure 16 will be described. As described above, the spiral reinforcement layer 504 is formed by spirally winding the wire 520 around the outer peripheral surface of the ring member 503 (in this embodiment, around the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder body 512) (see Figure 12). In this case, the wire 520 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the ring member 503 so that one end 520a and the other end 520b of the wire 520 overlap in the tire circumferential direction B. The overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504 is a region in which one end 520a and the other end 520b of the wire 520 overlap in the tire circumferential direction B. In the overlap region X1, a larger number of wires 520 are arranged in parallel in the tire width direction A than in regions other than the overlap region X1 in the tire circumferential direction B.

[0088] 17 , the region in the tire circumferential direction B is divided into a first quadrant Y1, a second quadrant Y2, a third quadrant Y3, and a fourth quadrant Y4, each of which has a central angle of 90 degrees relative to the tire center axis O, and the center position CP of the overlap region X1 in the tire circumferential direction B is defined as coinciding with the center position of the first quadrant Y1 in the tire circumferential direction B. In this case, as shown in FIG. 17 , the communication device 506 is held by the ring member 503 so as to be included in the third quadrant Y3, which is not adjacent to the first quadrant Y1 in the tire circumferential direction B. In other words, the communication device 506 is held by the ring member 503 so as to be at least partially included in the third quadrant Y3. In this manner, the communication device 506 is disposed in the third quadrant Y3, which faces, in the tire radial direction C, the first quadrant Y1, in which the overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504 is located. By doing this, even if the communication device 506 is arranged in only a part of the tire circumferential direction B, a balance is achieved in relation to the overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504, thereby suppressing a decrease in uniformity of the non-pneumatic tire 501.

[0089] 17 , the communication device 506 of this embodiment is held by the ring member 503 so that the entire device is included in the third quadrant Y3. More specifically, the communication device 506 of this embodiment is embedded in the outer cylinder body 512 so that the entire device is included in the third quadrant Y3. In this manner, deterioration in the uniformity of the non-pneumatic tire 501 can be further suppressed.

[0090] 17 , if an area in the tire circumferential direction B that faces the overlap area X1 in the tire radial direction C is defined as an overlap facing area X2, the communication device 506 of this embodiment is held by the ring member 503 so as to be included in the overlap facing area X2. More specifically, the communication device 506 of this embodiment is embedded in the outer cylinder body 512 so as to be included in the overlap facing area X2. In this manner, deterioration of the uniformity of the non-pneumatic tire 501 can be further suppressed.

[0091] From the viewpoint of suppressing deterioration of uniformity, it is particularly preferable that the communication device 506 be held by the ring member 503 so that the entirety of the communication device 506 is included in the overlapping facing region X2, as shown in Fig. 18. In the example shown in Fig. 18, the communication device 506 is embedded in the outer cylinder body 512 so that the entirety of the communication device 506 is included in the overlapping facing region X2.

[0092] As described above, in the non-pneumatic tire 501, in order to suppress deterioration of uniformity, the position of the communication device 506 in the tire circumferential direction B is specified in relation to the position of the overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504 in the tire circumferential direction B.

[0093] Furthermore, although the communication device 506 in this embodiment is held by the outer cylinder 512 by being embedded in the outer cylinder 512, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The communication device 506 may be held by the inner cylinder 511 or the connecting member 513. However, from the viewpoint of suppressing deterioration in uniformity in relation to the overlap region X1 of the spiral reinforcement layer 504, it is preferable that the communication device 506 be held by the outer cylinder 512 as in this embodiment.

[0094] Furthermore, as described above, the RF tag serving as the communication device 506 of this embodiment has an elongated shape. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 , the communication device 506 of this embodiment is held by the ring member 503 so that its longitudinal direction (which is the same direction as the longitudinal direction D of the first antenna 531 and the second antenna 532 in this embodiment, and will hereinafter be referred to as the longitudinal direction D) is aligned with the tire width direction A. The ring member 503 receives force from the road surface when the vehicle is traveling and deforms in the tire radial direction C. At this time, the variation in the amount of deformation in the tire radial direction C depending on the position in the tire circumferential direction B is greater than the variation in the amount of deformation in the tire radial direction C depending on the position in the tire width direction A. Therefore, by holding the elongated communication device 506 in the ring member 503 so that the longitudinal direction D of the communication device 506 is aligned with the tire width direction A, stress concentration on a portion of the communication device 506 in the longitudinal direction D can be suppressed, preventing local deformation, damage, breakage, and the like. In other words, the durability of the communication device 506 can be improved compared to when the longitudinal direction D of the communication device 506 is arranged along the tire circumferential direction B.

[0095] Note that "along the tire width direction A" as used herein does not necessarily mean being parallel to the tire width direction A, but also includes being inclined at an angle of less than 45 degrees with respect to the tire width direction A. However, as in this embodiment, the communication device 506 is preferably disposed so that its longitudinal direction D is parallel to the tire width direction A or approximately parallel to the tire width direction A but inclined at an angle of 5 degrees or less with respect to the tire width direction A.

[0096] 11 and 12 , at least a portion of the communication device 506 of the present embodiment is embedded in the outer cylinder body 512 of the ring member 503 so as to be included in a connection region X3 to which the connecting member 513 is connected of the outer cylinder body 512. Here, the "connection region X3" refers to a region of the outer cylinder body 512 that is covered in the tire radial direction C by a virtual end surface 513a1 of the outer end portion 513a of the connecting member 513 when the outer cylinder body 512 and the connecting member 513 in a connected state are separated into two parts with the virtual inner circumferential surface 512a of the outer cylinder body 512 as the boundary.

[0097] In the outer cylinder body 512, the connecting region X3 has greater rigidity in the tire radial direction C than regions other than the connecting region X3, and can suppress deformation in the tire radial direction C. Therefore, by arranging at least a portion of the communication device 506 in the connecting region X3 of the outer cylinder body 512, deformation and damage to the communication device 506 due to deformation of the outer cylinder body 512 in the tire radial direction C can be suppressed compared to a configuration in which the entire communication device is arranged in a region other than the connecting region X3.

[0098] Furthermore, when the non-pneumatic tire 501 is configured to support the vehicle load by compressively deforming the connecting member 513 in the tire radial direction C at a position between the wheel member 502 and the road surface (a so-called "bottom load" configuration), the region of the outer cylinder body 512 other than the connecting region X3 is more susceptible to buckling deformation due to force from the road surface than the connecting region X3 of the outer cylinder body 512. Therefore, when the non-pneumatic tire 501 is configured as a so-called "bottom load," it is particularly preferable that at least a portion of the communication device 506 be disposed in the connecting region X3 of the outer cylinder body 512. This makes it possible to suppress deformation and damage to the communication device 506 due to buckling deformation of the outer cylinder body 512.

[0099] 11 , from the viewpoint of suppressing deformation and damage to the communication device 506, it is preferable that the communication device 506 be embedded in the outer cylinder body 512 so that at least the center position M1 in the tire circumferential direction B is included in the connecting region X3. Also, from the viewpoint of suppressing deformation and damage to the communication device 506, it is more preferable that the communication device 506 be embedded in the outer cylinder body 512 so that the entire communication device 506 is included in the connecting region X3, as shown in FIG. 19 . Such an arrangement can be easily realized when the connecting member 513 is a plate-shaped portion used as a leaf spring and the communication device 506 has an elongated shape having a longitudinal direction D, by arranging the longitudinal direction D of the communication device 506 along the tire width direction A, as shown in FIG.

[0100] The non-pneumatic tire according to the present disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations shown in the above-described embodiments and modified examples, and various modifications, changes, and combinations are possible without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0101] [Contribution to the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)] The SDGs have been proposed to realize a sustainable society. It is believed that one embodiment of the present disclosure can be a technology that contributes to "No. 12: Responsible Consumption and Production" and "No. 13: Take concrete measures against climate change."

[0102] Next, the following notes are disclosed regarding this embodiment.

[0103] <Supplementary Note 1> [1] A tire having an annular tire frame member including bead portions, side portions contiguous to the outer side of the bead portions in the tire radial direction, and a crown portion contiguous to the inner side of the side portions in the tire width direction; a spiral belt arranged on the outer side of the crown portion in the tire radial direction and formed by spirally winding a coated cord in the tire circumferential direction, the coated cord being one or more reinforcing cords coated with resin or rubber; and an RF tag arranged in a second divided region arranged on the outer side of the crown portion in the tire radial direction, the second divided region being one of four divided regions that divide the tire frame member into four in the tire circumferential direction, and located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction to a first divided region that includes a region where one end and the other end of the coated cord overlap in the tire circumferential direction.

[0104] In the tire [1], an RF tag is disposed in a second divided region that is located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction to a first divided region that includes a region where one end and the other end of the coated cord overlap in the tire circumferential direction, among the divided regions that divide the tire frame member into four in the tire circumferential direction. Therefore, in the tire, for example, the weight difference between the first divided region and the second divided region is smaller than when the RF tag is disposed in the first divided region, and deterioration of uniformity is suppressed.

[0105] [2] The tire described in [1], wherein the RF tag is at least partially disposed in a second circumferential region that corresponds to a first circumferential region where one end and the other end of the coated cord overlap in the tire circumferential direction, and that is located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction from the first circumferential region.

[0106] In the tire [2], at least a part of the RF tag is arranged in a second circumferential region located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction to a first circumferential region where one end and the other end of the coated cord overlap in the tire circumferential direction. Therefore, in the tire, for example, the weight difference between the first circumferential region and the second circumferential region is smaller than when at least a part of the RF tag is arranged in the first circumferential region, and deterioration of uniformity is suppressed.

[0107] [3] The tire according to [2], wherein the entire RF tag is disposed in the second circumferential region.

[0108] In the tire [3], the entire RF tag is disposed in the second circumferential region, so the weight difference between the first circumferential region and the second circumferential region can be further reduced.

[0109] [4] The tire according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the RF tag is disposed on a side of the spiral belt.

[0110] In tire [4], the RF tag is positioned on the side of the spiral belt, and therefore the RF tag is not covered by the spiral belt, compared to when the RF tag is positioned between the spiral belt and the crown portion, for example, and therefore the decrease in the receiving sensitivity of the RF tag is suppressed.

[0111] [5] The tire according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the coated cord is formed by coating the reinforcing cord with a resin.

[0112] In the tire [5], the reinforcing cords are coated with resin, which allows for a reduction in tire weight.

[0113] [6] The tire according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the tire frame member is formed of a resin material.

[0114] In the tire [6], the tire frame members are formed of a resin material, so that the tire weight can be reduced.

[0115] [7] The tire according to [6], wherein the RF tag includes a flexible resin case, and an RFID chip and an antenna housed in the case, and the case is welded to the crown portion.

[0116] In the tire [7], the case that houses the RFID chip and antenna is welded to the crown portion, so that the RF tag can be easily and firmly attached to the tire frame member.

[0117] <Supplementary Note 2> [1] A non-pneumatic tire comprising: a wheel member attachable to an axle; a ring member attached to the wheel member; a spiral reinforcement layer formed by spirally winding a wire body, the wire body having one cord or a plurality of parallel cords embedded in a covering, around an outer circumferential surface of the ring member; a tread member surrounding the outside in the tire radial direction of the spiral reinforcement layer; and a communication device held by the ring member, wherein the spiral reinforcement layer includes an overlap region where one end and the other end of the wire body overlap in the tire circumferential direction, and the tire circumferential region is divided into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant, each having a central angle of 90 degrees with respect to a tire center axis, and when it is defined that the center position of the overlap region in the tire circumferential direction coincides with the center position of the first quadrant in the tire circumferential direction, the communication device is held by the ring member so as to be included in the third quadrant that is not adjacent to the first quadrant in the tire circumferential direction.

[0118] [2] The non-pneumatic tire according to [1], wherein the communication device is held by the ring member so that the communication device is entirely included in the third quadrant.

[0119] [3] The non-pneumatic tire according to [1] or [2], wherein when a region in the tire circumferential direction that faces the overlap region in the tire radial direction is defined as an overlap opposing region, the communication device is held by the ring member so as to be included in the overlap opposing region.

[0120] [4] The non-pneumatic tire according to claim [3], wherein the communication device is held by the ring member so that the entire communication device is included in the overlap facing region.

[0121] [5] The non-pneumatic tire according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the communication device has an elongated shape, and the communication device is held by the ring member so that a longitudinal direction of the communication device is aligned with a tire width direction.

[0122] [6] The non-pneumatic tire according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the ring member comprises: an inner cylindrical body attached to the wheel member; an outer cylindrical body surrounding the outer side of the inner cylindrical body in the tire radial direction; and a connecting member connecting the inner cylindrical body and the outer cylindrical body and elastically deformable between the inner cylindrical body and the outer cylindrical body, and the communication device is held by the outer cylindrical body.

[0123] [7] The non-pneumatic tire according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the communication device is an RF tag.

[0124] All publications, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, or technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0125] In addition, the disclosures of Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2023-209536 filed on December 12, 2023 and 2023-210557 filed on December 13, 2023 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0126] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to tires and non-pneumatic tires.

Claims

1. A tire having an annular tire frame member including a bead portion, a side portion connected to the outside of the bead portion in the tire radial direction, and a crown portion connected to the inside of the side portion in the tire width direction; a spiral belt arranged on the outside of the crown portion in the tire radial direction and formed by winding a coated cord, which is one or more reinforcing cords covered with resin or rubber, in a spiral shape in the tire circumferential direction; and an RF tag arranged in a second divided region arranged on the outside of the crown portion in the tire radial direction, the second divided region being located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction to a first divided region including a region where one end and the other end of the coated cord overlap in the tire circumferential direction, of the divided regions which divide the tire frame member into four in the tire circumferential direction.

2. A tire as described in claim 1, wherein the RF tag is located in a region corresponding to a first circumferential region where one end and the other end of the coated cord overlap in the tire circumferential direction, and at least a portion of the RF tag is located in a second circumferential region located on the opposite side in the tire radial direction to the first circumferential region.

3. The tire according to claim 2, wherein the RF tag is located entirely in the second circumferential region.

4. A tire according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the RF tag is arranged on the side of the spiral belt.

5. A tire according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the coated cord is formed by coating the reinforcing cord with a resin.

6. The tire according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the tire frame member is formed from a resin material.

7. The tire according to claim 6, wherein the RF tag comprises a flexible resin case, and an RFID chip and an antenna housed in the case, and the case is welded to the crown portion.

8. A non-pneumatic tire comprising: a wheel member attachable to an axle; a ring member attached to the wheel member; a spiral reinforcement layer formed by winding a wire body having one cord or a plurality of parallel cords embedded in a covering in a spiral shape around the outer circumferential surface of the ring member; a tread member surrounding the outside in the tire radial direction of the spiral reinforcement layer; and a communication device held by the ring member, wherein the spiral reinforcement layer includes an overlap region where one end and the other end of the wire body overlap in the tire circumferential direction, and the tire circumferential region is divided into a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant, each having a central angle of 90 degrees with respect to a tire center axis, and when the tire circumferential center position of the overlap region is defined to coincide with the tire circumferential center position of the first quadrant, the communication device is held by the ring member so as to be included in the third quadrant that is not adjacent to the first quadrant in the tire circumferential direction.

9. The non-pneumatic tire according to claim 8, wherein said communication device is held by said ring member so that the communication device is entirely contained within said third quadrant.

10. A non-pneumatic tire as described in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein, when the tire circumferential area that faces the overlap area in the tire radial direction is defined as an overlap opposing area, the communication device is held by the ring member so as to be included in the overlap opposing area.

11. The non-pneumatic tire according to claim 10, wherein the communication device is held by the ring member so that the communication device is entirely contained within the overlapping opposing region.

12. A non-pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the communication device has an elongated shape, and the communication device is held by the ring member so that its longitudinal direction is aligned with the tire width direction.

13. A non-pneumatic tire as described in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the ring member comprises: an inner cylinder body attached to the wheel member; an outer cylinder body surrounding the outer side of the inner cylinder body in the tire radial direction; and a connecting member connecting the inner cylinder body and the outer cylinder body and elastically deformable between the inner cylinder body and the outer cylinder body; and the communication device is held by the outer cylinder body.

14. The non-pneumatic tire according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the communication device is an RF tag.

Images