US 12,220,953 B2
Tire tread band with shim layers
Nihar N. Raje, Nashville, TN (US); Bradley S. Plotner, Canton, OH (US); and Benjamin E. Rimai, Copley, OH (US)
Assigned to Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Nashville, TN (US)
Appl. No. 17/417,887
Filed by Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC, Nashville, TN (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 3, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/012157
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 24, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/142670, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/788,692, filed on Jan. 4, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0072908 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B60C 7/14 (2006.01); B60C 7/18 (2006.01); B60C 7/22 (2006.01); B60C 9/20 (2006.01)
CPC B60C 7/146 (2021.08) [B60C 7/22 (2013.01); B60C 9/2006 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A non-pneumatic tire comprising:
an inner ring having an axis of rotation;
an outer ring coaxial with the inner ring;
support structure extending from the inner ring to the outer ring; and
a circumferential tread extending about the outer ring, the circumferential tread including a shear element,
wherein the shear element includes a lower shim layer, the lower shim layer being a solid steel layer having a thickness between 0.010 inches and 0.300 inches,
wherein the shear element includes an upper shim layer, the upper shim layer being a solid steel layer having a thickness between 0.010 inches and 0.300 inches,
wherein the shear element includes an elastic layer disposed between the lower shim layer and the upper shim layer, the elastic layer having a higher elasticity than the lower shim layer and the upper shim layer, and
wherein the shear element further includes a first middle shim layer and a second middle shim layer.