Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cap strip which provides sealing to the tire by being wound in strips between the tread and the steel belt in pneumatic radial vehicle tires used in motor vehicles.

Background of the Invention

In order to provide sealing in radial vehicle tires used today, the spacing between the carcass and the inner layer is coated with an elastomeric layer. However, the sealing decreases in this kind of tires in time with the effect of centrifugal force. Besides, the tacky nature of elastomeric materials causes difficulties in processing and use. In order to prevent the said problem, the said layer is coated with an extra protective film and this film is removed after the vulcanization process. All these processes are disadvantages in terms of time and cost.

United States Patent document no US2011198010, an application known in the state of the art, discloses an elastomer composition providing sealing vehicle tires. In the said composition, unsaturated diene elastomer and thermoplastic hydrocarbon plasticizer resin is used.

International Patent document no WO2011092124, an application known in the state of the art, discloses an elastomeric layer preventing the tire blowout and providing sealing by being coated inside the tire. The said elastomeric layer is obtained by mixing unsaturated diene elastomer, hydrocarbon resin, filler and thiuram polysulfide.

Summary of the Invention

The objective of the present invention is to provide a self-sealing cap strip which is placed between the tread and the steel belt in tires. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a self-sealing cap strip which prevents the tire blowing out in short time.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a self-sealing cap strip which prevents the tire blowing out as a result of environmental factors such as road and weather conditions.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a self-sealing cap strip which is comprised of polymeric cords and elastomeric filling materials.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The self-sealing cap strip developed to fulfill the objective of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying figures wherein, Figure 1 is the transverse sectional view of the cap strip wherein plastic polymer is used as filling material.

Figure 2 is the transverse sectional view of the cap strip embodiment wherein plastic polymer and elastic polymer is used together as filling material.

Figure 3 is the transverse sectional view of another cap strip embodiment wherein plastic polymer and elastic polymer is used together as filling material.

Figure 4 is the transverse sectional view of another cap strip which is comprised of two layers and wherein plastic polymer and elastic polymer is used together as filling material.

Figure 5 is the transverse sectional view of a two layer cap strip in which the plastic polymer is used as filling material, which is wound as single strip with double layers between the tread and the steel belt.

Figure 6 is the transverse sectional view of a single layers of cap strip in which the plastic polymer is used as filling material, which is wound in double winding steps between the tread and the steel belt. Figure 7 is the transverse sectional view of a three-layer cap strip in which the plastic polymer is used as filling material, which is wound in single winding step between the tread and the steel belt.

Figure 8 is the transverse sectional view of a three-layer cap strip in which the plastic polymer is used as filling material, which is wound as single layers in three winding steps between the tread and the steel belt.

The components in the figures are assigned reference numerals as follows:

1. A self-sealing cap strip package

2. Self-sealing strip layer

3. Cord

4. Filling material

41. Plastic filling material

42. Elastic filling material

S. Tread

K. Steel belt

The inventive self-sealing cap strip package (1) mainly comprises

at least two layers (2) located on top of each other,

cords (3) which are aligned next to each other within the layer (2), at least one filling material (4) which fills the spacings between the cords (3) within the self-sealing layer (2) and enables the cords (3) to stay together. The self-sealing strip layer (2) is a layer which has polymeric cords (3) arranged next to each other and at least one elastomeric filling material (4) by holding the cords (3) together as well as providing sealing. The self- sealing layer (2) is located within the cap strip package (1) as at least two layers on top of each other or single layer strips (2) is wound between the tread (S) and the steel belt (K) as at least two layers. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, 2-3 layer strips(2) is wound between the tread (S) and the steel belt (K) as single strip package or single layer strips (2) is wound as 2-3 layers. The self-sealing strip (2) layer located on the top is wound as strips such that it will have 0-5° degrees with the equatorial plane. The width of the self-sealing strip layer (2), also the width of the self-sealing cap strip package (1), may be smaller or bigger than or equal to the width of the steel belt layer at the bottom._The width of the self- sealing strip layer (2) applied by being wound side to side in strips can vary 8mm to 25mm. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the width of the self- sealing strip layer (2) is 8- 10mm.

The total thickness of the cap strip package (1) which is formed by bringing the self- sealing strip layers (2) on top of each other or winding them can vary between 1 and 5 mm. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the said thickness is l,5-2,5mm.

The cords (3) are manufactured from polymeric material; in the preferred embodiment of the invention, it may be comprised of any material selected from nylon 6.6, nylon 4.6, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and aramide or aramide-nylon, aramide-PET, PET-nylon hybrid materials. The linear densities of cords (3) can vary between 400- 5000dtex. Total count of ends is between 30-120epdm (ends per decimeter).

The polymeric filling material (4) comprises at least one of the plastic polymeric (41) and elastic polymeric materials (42). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, un vulcanized latex and tackiness enhancing agent is used as plastic material (41), and vulcanized latex is used as elastic material (42). The said materials (41, 42) are present within the filling material (4) as layers. In one embodiment of the invention, carbon black and/or silica based reinforcement filling materials (fillers) are used between 0-10% by weight inside the elastomeric filling material (4). In one embodiment of the invention, the filling material (4) is comprised of only plastic material (Figure 1). In another embodiment of the invention, plastic and elastic materials (41, 42) are located inside the filling material (4) one on top of the other as layers (Figure 2). In a further embodiment of the present invention, the elastic material (42) forms the top and bottom of the self- sealing strip layer (2) as a layer above and below the plastic material (41), the plastic material (41) being in the middle (Figure 3).

In one embodiment of the invention, the self- sealing cap strip package (1) is comprised of two layers of self-sealing strips (2) prepared by using only plastic polymer as filling material (4) (Figure 5).

In another embodiment of the invention, the self- sealing cap strip package (1) is formed by winding the self-sealing strip layers (2), which is prepared by using only plastic polymer as filling material (4), in two layers (Figure 6).

In one embodiment of the invention, the self- sealing cap strip package (1) is comprised of three layer-strips (2) prepared by using only plastic polymer as filling material (4) (Figure 7). In another embodiment of the invention, the self- sealing cap strip package (1) is formed by winding the self-sealing strip (2), which is prepared by using only plastic polymer as filling material (4), in three layers (Figure 8).

The said embodiments can be diversified with self-sealing strip layers (2) wherein both plastic and elastic polymeric materials are used. The inventive self- sealing cap strip package (1) is located between the tread (S) and steel belt (K) layers of the tire (L). The said cap strip package (1) prevents the tire to deflate in short time or blow out by its self sealing structure in case the tire is punctured. Therefore, a tire that is not affected from the outer factors is acquired. It is also possible to use the inventive cap strip package (1) together with different sealing layers having total thickness no more than 2mm.

Within the scope of these basic concepts, it is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive self-sealing cap strip packages (1). The invention cannot be limited to the examples described herein; it is essentially as defined in the claims.