US Patent 7523774 Pneumatic tire with high turnup, locked bead construction

A pneumatic radial ply tire for heavier load conditions having a reduced weight, high durability bead area. The pneumatic tire includes a tire bead and a carcass ply folded about the bead to define a main body portion and a turnup portion. The turnup portion is folded around the bead and located adjacent the main body portion radially outward of the bead. The turnup portion has a turnup height of approximately 35-45% of the total section height. A thin rubber strip associated with the bead is disposed between the main body portion and the turnup portion and has an insert height of approximately 25% of the total section height. The pneumatic tire further includes a chafer having a maximum chafer gauge of not more than approximately 1.5 times the thickness of the tire side wall.