Pneumatic Tire and Method of Manufacturing the Same

Abstract

To provide a pneumatic tire that can prevent photoluminescent material from falling off and can maintain visibility and fashionability based on the photoluminescent material over a long period of time when providing a decorative portion decorated with a photoluminescent material in a tire side wall and a method for manufacturing the same. The pneumatic tire of the present technology is a pneumatic tire including a decorative portion in a tire side wall decorated with a photoluminescent material, wherein at least one recess is formed in the decorative portion and the photoluminescent material is adhered within the recess.

1 . A method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire comprising a decorative portion in a tire side wall, the decorative portion being decorated with a reflective material, wherein at least one recess is formed in the decorative portion, and the reflective material is adhered within the at least one recess; the method comprising:
 vulcanizing the pneumatic tire comprising the decorative portion in the tire side wall, the decorative portion having the at least one recess, and adhering the reflective material to the decorative portion having the at least one recess.   
     
     
         2 . The method for manufacturing the pneumatic tire according to  claim 1 , comprising: compression bonding the reflective material to the decorative portion using a rigid body after the adhering of the reflective material to the decorative portion having the at least one recess. 
     
     
         3 . The method for manufacturing the pneumatic tire according to  claim 1 , comprising buffing the decorative portion after the adhering of the reflective material to the decorative portion having the at least one recess, and removing the reflective material that has adhered to sites away from the at least one recess of the decorative portion. 
     
     
         4 . The method for manufacturing the pneumatic tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one recess is a groove. 
     
     
         5 . The method for manufacturing the pneumatic tire according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one recess is a dimple. 
     
     
         6 . The method for manufacturing the pneumatic tire according to  claim 1 , wherein a depth of the at least one recess is not less than 0.2 mm and not more than 2 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The method for manufacturing the pneumatic tire according to  claim 1 , wherein: the at least one recess has an inclined face that inclines relative to a normal line direction of a tire surface, and a ratio of a length of the reflective material to a width of the inclined face of the recess is from 0.3 to 0.95. 
     
     
         8 . The method for manufacturing the pneumatic tire according to  claim 1 , wherein: the at least one recess has a bottom surface parallel to a tire surface, and a ratio of a length of the reflective material to a width of the bottom surface of the recess is from 0.3 to 0.95. 
     
     
         9 . The method for manufacturing the pneumatic tire according to  claim 1 , further comprising a small protrusion that is provided at a position above a maximum depth portion of the at least one recess, protruding into the at least one recess.