JP2014012425A - Pneumatic tire - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pneumatic tire enabling a user to detect an uneven wear of the tire and easily recognize a wear situation of a tread formed on a tire surface.SOLUTION: A tire includes a tread 2 produced by sequentially layering wear indication layers 3a-3n and a surface layer 4, where the layers 3a-3n are disposed on an end portion, in a tire width direction, of a zone of a tire surface, the zone that contacts a road surface when used on a vehicle and are made of members having mutually different colors, while the surface layer 4 is made of the same color as the other zone of the tire surface. The inclusion of a number of wear indication layers having different colors enables a user to grasp the presence of an uneven wear and a degree of the wear correctly.

Description

  The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire used for a vehicle such as an automobile.

  In a pneumatic tire used for a vehicle such as an automobile, a tread having a convex structure is formed on a contact surface with the road surface in order to maintain and improve grip performance on the road surface. In general, the tread is formed of natural rubber, synthetic rubber or the like, like the tire body, and gradually wears due to friction with the road surface or the like, and its function is reduced. For this reason, the vehicle user normally replaces the tire when the tread has worn a certain amount so as not to hinder the operation of the vehicle. Specifically, the tire should be replaced when the tread height reaches about 1.6 mm.

In addition, depending on the usage mode of the vehicle, so-called side-reduction, in which only the grip near the end in the width direction of the tire surface is worn, the steering stability and riding comfort of the vehicle may be impaired. In order to prevent such adverse effects, the vehicle user corrects the distortion of each part of the undercarriage of the vehicle, or changes the position of the tire (front → rear, right → left, etc.), etc. It is necessary to take action.

  However, with regard to wear on the entire tire, it is not easy for a general vehicle user to always know the tread height, and it is difficult to know exactly when the tire should be replaced, regardless of whether it is an expert. It is.

In order to solve the problem related to wear detection, Patent Document 1 discloses that when a tire has reached a degree of wear reaching a replacement time, a harder projection than the tire body is embedded in the tread formed on the tire surface. A tire configured to expose a part (upper end) of a protrusion is disclosed. According to the tire, when a tire needs to be replaced, a protrusion is exposed on the surface of the tire, and the protrusion gives vibration to the vehicle, so that the vehicle user can accurately recognize the tire replacement time. It becomes.

JP 2009-006980 A

  When a pneumatic tire is formed by employing the technology described in Patent Document 1, the vibration strength applied to the vehicle is reduced if the hardness of the protrusion is not sufficient, and the tire replacement time has come to the vehicle user. I can't tell you. On the other hand, if a protrusion with a certain degree of hardness that can give sufficient vibration strength is used, this will cause the vehicle user to feel uncomfortable due to vibrations that occur during vehicle operation. May adversely affect Therefore, although the technique described in Patent Document 1 can theoretically accurately grasp the tire replacement time, it is not practical to actually use the tire.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, there is no way of knowing the wear state of the tire in the stage before the tire replacement time. As described above, the tire grip performance and the like gradually decrease as the tread wears, so the vehicle user needs to drive more carefully as the wear progresses. However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, the vehicle user can only grasp that the wear has progressed to the limit only when the tire needs to be replaced. There is no way to know if you are.

  Furthermore, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the vehicle user is suddenly informed of the tire replacement time, it is necessary to prepare a replacement tire in a hurry, and if the tire cannot be procured quickly, There is a problem that the vehicle cannot be used during that time. That is, if a tire replacement timing can be predicted to some extent, a vehicle user can prepare a replacement tire in advance, but the technique described in Patent Document 1 cannot do this.

  Further, with the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to detect a decrease in the amount. In other words, the purpose of half reduction detection is to maintain the running stability of the vehicle, etc., and in order to achieve this purpose, it is necessary to detect a minute reduction degree. However, since the technique described in Patent Document 1 can be detected only when considerable wear occurs, a sufficient effect cannot be achieved from the viewpoint of maintaining the running stability of the vehicle.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and is a pneumatic tire that detects a so-called tire wear reduction and allows a vehicle user to easily recognize the wear state of a tread formed on the tire surface. The purpose is to provide.

  To achieve the above object, a pneumatic tire according to claim 1 is a first tire comprising a member of a first color different from the surrounding color in at least a part of a tread formed on a contact surface with a road surface. The wear display layer and the first wear detection layer are formed in regions different in the tire radial direction, and are formed of a second wear display layer made of a second color member different from the first color; The first and second wear detection layers are formed at the upper end of the same tread and are sequentially laminated with a surface layer made of members of the same color as the surroundings.

  Further, in the pneumatic tire according to claim 2, in the above invention, the tread on which the first and second wear display layers and the surface layer are formed is an end portion in the tire width direction on the contact surface with the road surface. It is characterized by being arranged in.

  In the pneumatic tire according to claim 3, in the above invention, the first and second wear display layers and the surface layer are each formed with a thickness of approximately 1 mm in a tire radial direction, and the first wear In the lower part of the display layer, a plurality of the first, second, and differently colored members are formed in a region having a height from the root of the tread of about 1.6 mm or more with a thickness of about 1 mm in the tire radial direction. A wear indicator layer is further provided.

  In the pneumatic tire according to claim 4, in the above invention, the first and second wear display layers and the surface layer are formed in a tread disposed at a center in a tire width direction. Features.

  The pneumatic tire according to claim 5 is characterized in that, in the above invention, the first surface layer is formed in a region having a height from the root of the tread of about 5 mm to the upper end.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it is possible to provide the pneumatic tire which a vehicle user can recognize easily what is called wear-out or the wear condition of the tread formed on the tire surface.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a tread constituting a pneumatic tire according to a first embodiment. In Embodiment 1, it is a schematic diagram which shows the area | region where a tread is arrange | positioned. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the tread which comprises the pneumatic tire concerning Embodiment 2. FIG. In Embodiment 2, it is a schematic diagram which shows the area | region where a tread is arrange | positioned.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
First, the pneumatic tire according to the first embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the pneumatic tire 1 according to the first embodiment is different from each other in the tire surface in the tire width direction end portion in the region that contacts the road surface when used in a vehicle. The tread 2 is formed by sequentially laminating the wear display layers 3a to 3n made of the above members and the surface layer 4 made of the same color as the other regions on the tire surface.

The wear display layer 3a is formed of a red member disposed in a region where the height from the root of the tread 2 is less than 1.6 mm.

The wear display layers 3 b to 3 n are configured by members having a height of about 1 mm, which are sequentially stacked on the wear display layer 3. The wear display layers 3b to 3n are configured by members having different colors. Specifically, the wear display layers disposed in a region having a depth of less than 5 mm from the tire surface have a low lightness color, for example, The wear display layer, which is composed of dark blue, dark brown, dark green, dark purple, etc., and is disposed in a region having a depth of 5 mm or more from the tire surface, is composed of a high brightness color, for example, blue, yellow, etc. To do.

The surface layer 4 is made of a member having the same color as the other region on the tire surface, and is preferably formed of the same material and composition as the other region on the tire surface.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement region of the tread 2 in the pneumatic tire 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the tread 2 is disposed in the tire width direction end portion or in the vicinity thereof in a region of the tire surface that contacts the road surface when the tire is used, and is installed in a region that makes a round in the tire circumferential direction. The The width (width) of the tread 2 in the tire width direction is preferably about 2 or 3 mm.

Next, the function of the pneumatic tire according to the first embodiment will be described. Since the pneumatic tire according to the first embodiment has a configuration in which the tread 2 is formed by laminating members of different colors in units of about 1 mm, the degree of wear when wear at the tire end, that is, so-called partial reduction occurs. Can be detected in detail.

  For example, in the case where a partial reduction of about 1 mm occurs from a new state, the surface layer 4 of the tread 2 is worn and the wear display layer 3n is exposed. Since the wear display layer 3n is composed of, for example, a dark blue member, a dark blue color different from other regions is visually recognized in the region where the tread 2 is disposed, and this is reduced for a vehicle user or the like. It is possible to easily grasp what has occurred.

  In addition, the pneumatic tire according to the first embodiment can accurately grasp how much reduction has occurred. That is, the wear display layers 3b to 3n have a configuration in which members having a thickness of about 1 mm are sequentially stacked, and are formed of members having different colors. By adopting such a structure, the vehicle user or the like can confirm which color is exposed on the surface, and which of the wear display layers 3b to 3n is exposed on the surface, that is, how many pieces. It is possible to grasp whether the decrease has occurred with an accuracy of about 1 mm.

  Decrease is an important index indicating a decrease in the stable running performance of the vehicle. From the viewpoint of maintaining a high degree of stable running performance, it is preferable to detect the degree of reduction with high accuracy. In the first embodiment, since the degree of decrement is detected in units of about 1 mm, the vehicle user can easily grasp how much decrement occurs with high accuracy, and thus how much the stability performance is impaired. can do. Furthermore, when solving the cause of the side reduction, for example, it is possible to estimate how much distortion has occurred when correcting the distortion of the axle, and the axle adjustment can be easily performed.

  Further, in the first embodiment, the surface layer 4 formed on the surface of the tread 2 is formed of the same color as the surroundings, preferably the same material. For this reason, in the state in which no reduction occurs, it has a natural appearance similar to that of a conventional pneumatic tire, and the aesthetic appearance is not impaired.

  Further, in the first embodiment, the wear display layers 3b to 3n are formed of a member having a color with a lower brightness in a portion closer to the surface layer 4. For this reason, if a slight reduction occurs, the fact that the reduction has occurred can be recognized by checking in a close state, but the appearance is almost the same as that of a general tire at a considerable distance. That is, the degree of aesthetic loss can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, by adopting such a configuration, as the wear reduction progresses, that is, as the vehicle running performance or the like is greatly impaired, the tires are visually observed for purposes other than confirmation of the wear reduction as well as for vehicle users. It becomes possible for those who have done this to easily recognize the fact that the reduction is progressing. In addition, as the reduction of the tire progresses, the difference in appearance from a general tire becomes more conspicuous, so that the vehicle user is strongly encouraged to correct distortion in the undercarriage and the like. .

  In addition, the pneumatic tire according to the first embodiment has an advantage that it is possible to grasp the degree of normal wear caused by the use of the tire, as a secondary effect, other than a reduction in wear. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the pneumatic tire according to the first embodiment has a configuration in which treads 2 are disposed at both ends in the tire width direction in a region in contact with the road surface during use. When the treads 2 at both ends are worn to the same extent, it is recognized that such wear is not caused by wear reduction but is caused by friction with the road surface as the tire is used. Therefore, the pneumatic tire according to the first embodiment can detect the fact that normal wear has occurred when the treads 2 disposed at both ends are worn to the same extent, and at an appropriate time. There is an advantage that it is possible to deal with tire replacement or the like.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a pneumatic tire according to the second embodiment will be described.

  The pneumatic tire according to the second embodiment has a configuration including a tread 7 for detecting wear generated on the entire tire surface due to friction with a road surface.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the tread 7 disposed in the pneumatic tire according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the pneumatic tire 6 according to the second embodiment has a configuration in which wear detection layers 8 and 9 and a surface layer 10 are sequentially provided in the tire radial direction.

  The wear detection layer 8 is formed of a red member disposed in a region where the height from the root of the tread 7 is less than 1.6 mm. Further, the wear display layer 9 is formed of a yellow member disposed in a region having a height of 1.6 mm or more and less than 5 mm from the base of the tread 7. Further, the surface layer 10 is made of a member having the same color as that of the other region on the tire surface, which is disposed in a region up to 5 mm from the root of the tread 7 to the upper end of the tread.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement region of the tread 7 in the pneumatic tire 6 according to the second embodiment. The tread 7 including the wear detection layers 8 and 9 and the surface layer 10 is disposed in a region 11 formed in a circumferential shape near the center in the tire width direction.

  Next, the function of the pneumatic tire according to the second embodiment will be described. The pneumatic tire according to the second embodiment has the tread 7 provided with the wear detection layers 8 and 9 and the surface layer 10 disposed in the vicinity of the center in the tire width direction, so that the degree of wear on the tire surface can be visually confirmed. It has a function that can be recognized automatically.

  That is, in the pneumatic tire according to the second embodiment, the surface layer 10 is exposed in the tread 7 when the wear on the tire surface is slight, specifically, at the stage where the height of the tread 7 remains 5 mm or more. Visual change does not occur. However, when wear progresses and the height of the tread 7 becomes less than 5 mm, the wear display layer 9 is newly exposed on the surface, so that a yellow linear shape is formed near the center in the width direction of the tire surface. The pattern will be revealed. Further, when wear progresses and the height of the tread 7 becomes less than 1.6 mm, the wear display layer 8 is exposed on the tire surface, and a red line pattern appears near the center of the tire surface in the width direction. Put out.

  As described above, since the pneumatic tire according to the second embodiment has a function of displaying a different pattern on the tire surface according to the degree of wear, the vehicle user or the like visually indicates the degree of progress of wear. This makes it possible to recognize the tire replacement timing and the like.

  Further, in the pneumatic tire according to the second embodiment, at the stage where the degree of wear is slight (wear is 5 mm or less), the surface layer 10 is exposed and thus no change in appearance occurs. This has an advantage that it can be used in the same manner as a conventional tire at a stage where it is not necessary to consider the replacement of the tire.

(Modification)
Although the present invention has been described in the first and second embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the contents shown in the first and second embodiments. For example, in the first embodiment, the heights of the wear detection layers 3b to 3n are set to about 1 mm. However, other heights, for example, about 1.5 mm or about 2 mm can be used. . In the second embodiment, the region where the tread 7 is disposed may be the entire surface without being near the center in the tire width direction on the tire surface.

  Further, for example, in the pneumatic tire according to the first and second embodiments, the configuration in which the treads 2 and 7 are arranged in the circumferential shape is disclosed, but it is not necessary to limit to the configuration. A plurality of treads 2 and 7 may be arranged in a dot shape, or may be arranged in a concentrated manner in a partial area.

  The present invention can be used as a tire used in a vehicle such as an automobile.

1, 6 tires
2, 7 Tread 3a-3n, 8, 9 Wear display layer 4, 10 Surface layer 6, 11 region

Claims (5)

In at least a part of the tread formed on the contact surface with the road surface,
A first wear indicator layer comprising a member of a first color different from the surrounding color;
A second wear display layer formed of a member of a second color different from the first color, formed in a region different from the first wear detection layer in a tire radial direction;
A surface layer formed of a member of the same color as the surrounding, formed on the upper end of the same tread as the first and second wear detection layers;
A pneumatic tire characterized by sequentially laminating.   2. The air according to claim 1, wherein the tread on which the first and second wear display layers and the surface layer are formed is disposed at a tire width direction end portion on a contact surface with a road surface. Enter tire. The first and second wear display layers and the surface layer are each formed with a thickness of approximately 1 mm in the tire radial direction,
In the lower part of the first wear display layer, in a region where the height from the root of the tread is about 1.6 mm or more, the tire has a thickness of about 1 mm in the tire radial direction composed of the first, second and different color members. The pneumatic tire according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of formed wear display layers.   2. The pneumatic tire according to claim 1, wherein the first and second wear display layers and the surface layer are formed in a tread disposed at a center in a tire width direction.   5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 4, wherein the first surface layer is formed in a region having a height from a root of the tread of approximately 5 mm to an upper end.