Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a vehicle includes a carcass reinforced by a carcass ply. The carcass ply enables transmission of a static electrical charge from the vehicle to ground. The pneumatic further includes at least one belt ply disposed radially outward of the carcass ply in a crown portion of the pneumatic tire. The carcass ply includes at least one composite cord having at least one first yarn with at least one second electrically conductive filament wrapped together with the first yarn such that the first yarn has a modulus less than a modulus of the second electrically conductive filament.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a rubber tread comprised of a circumferential outer cap rubber layer which contains a tread running surface and an underlying undertread layer of softer rubber than said outer tread cap rubber layer wherein said undertread layer rubber composition contains short fiber reinforcement.

Abstract: Pneumatic rubber tire with an outer, circumferential tread comprised of specialized cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber based silica/carbon black reinforced rubber composition.

Abstract: This invention relates to a silica reinforcement-containing rubber composition which contains a functionalized polybutadiene rubber to promote a relatively low hysteretic loss to thereby enhance its desirability for tire sidewall and subtread applications in a sense of advantageously promoting reduced tire rolling resistance without significantly compromising various other desirable tire performance parameters.

Abstract: This invention relates to preparation of precipitated silica-containing EPDM based rubber compositions and their use as components of articles of manufacture such as, for example, tires and industrial products. Such preparation relies upon phase mixing of EPDM based rubber compositions which contain particulate reinforcement, such as for example precipitated silica, which may optionally include exfoliated clay reinforcement, to create an enhanced EPDM rubber composition. In one aspect, the invention relates to a pneumatic rubber tire with a visible outer sidewall rubber layer comprised of such rubber composition.

Abstract: Pneumatic rubber tire with an outer, circumferential tread comprised of specialized cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber based silica/carbon black reinforced rubber composition.

Abstract: Pneumatic rubber tire with an outer, circumferential tread comprised of a cis 1,4-polybutadiene-rich and silica-rich rubber composition which contains specified elastomers with spatially defined glass transition temperatures, in conjunction with silica and specified carbon black reinforcement.

Abstract: A method of producing a tire including mixing in a non-productive phase at least one elastomer with a polyamide having a melting temperature of less than 180° C. The polyamide is allowed to heat to at least its melting temperature. During the productive phase, at least one curing agent is added to the elastomeric composition. The curing agent may be a sulfur containing curing agent and/or a non-sulfur containing curing agent. The elastomeric composition may optionally include a crystalline EPDM elastomer. The resulting compositions may then be formed into a tire component which may be built into a tire and cured.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic rubber tire having an integral innerliner of a sulfur cured rubber composition. The innerliner rubber composition is comprised of at least one elastomer selected from bromobutyl rubber and chlorobutyl rubber which also contains a dispersion therein of ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a carcass and an innerliner in direct contact with the carcass, the innerliner comprising a rubber composition comprising: 100 parts by weight of at least one elastomer; and from 25 to 100 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr) of a polyamide having a melting temperature of less than 160° C.; wherein the elastomer exists as a continuous phase and the polyamide is dispersed as a discontinuous phase in the elastomeric continuous phase, and the innerliner is co-vulcanized with the carcass.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising an electronic sensing device at least partially encapsulated by an elastomeric composition, the elastomeric composition comprising: 100 parts by weight of at least one elastomer; and from 25 to 100 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr) of a thermoplastic having a melting temperature ranging of less than 200° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire having a rubber tread of a lug and groove configuration wherein at least a portion of surface of the grooves is comprised of an elastomeric layer having a repellent property.

Abstract: This invention relates to a dual phase rubber composition and pneumatic tire with a rubber sidewall thereof, namely a dual phased non-black colored rubber composition composed of a first pre-formed elastomer phase comprised of butyl-type rubber and EPDM rubber containing a dispersion therein of reinforcing filler comprised of a particulate amorphous precipitated silica and a second pre-formed elastomer phase comprised of a nanocomposite of natural rubber containing a dispersion therein of exfoliated clay platelets. Said exfoliated clay platelets may be substantially oriented within the tire sidewall in a parallel direction to each and may also be substantially oriented in an annular direction about the axis of the tire. The tire sidewall rubber composition may contain at least one additional elastomer which may be included in either or both of said elastomer phases. Such tire sidewall rubber composition may contain a non-black colorant pigment, such as for example a white colored titanium dioxide pigment.

Abstract: A multi-layered veneer for a tire sidewall is disclosed wherein one or more layers of the veneer include at least one pigment to provide a desired visual effect for the tire sidewall. In one embodiment, the multi-layered veneer includes a tie layer and a first thermoplastic layer bonded to the tie layer. The tie layer is capable of bonding the veneer to a sidewall compound of a tire sidewall. The first thermoplastic layer includes a thermoplastic material and the tie layer includes no less than about 80% by weight of a synthetic polymer chosen from EPDM, EPR, polyethylene, or combinations thereof. The synthetic polymers have a Mooney Viscosity (ML 1+4 at 125° C.) from about 5 to about 40, and the EPDM and EPR have an ethylene content of about 70% by weight to about 99% by weight of the polymer. One or more pigments are dispersed in the tie layer and/or the first thermoplastic layer so as to provide the visual effect.

Abstract: This invention relates to preparation of rubber compositions comprised of EPDM and conjugated diene-based elastomer, particularly including cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber, and particularly natural cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber, blends and pneumatic rubber tire with an outer, visible sidewall layer of a rubber composition comprised of such rubber composition. For such preparation, a combination of at least two diverse EPDM elastomers is used together with a phase mixing process comprised of sequential phase mixing or parallel phase mixing in the sense of reinforcement filler and sulfur curatives.

Abstract: An electro-luminescent device is affixed to a tire sidewall and powered by a power source affixed to the wheel or tire. Wire(s) within the device in a preferred configuration emit a light in one or more colors in response to energization by the power source. The electro-luminescent display may be energized by appropriate circuit drivers to flash and may be activated to flash with other triggers such as car alarm systems, audio output, car locators, etc.

Abstract: A multi-layered veneer for a tire sidewall is disclosed wherein one or more layers of the veneer include at least one pigment to provide a desired visual effect for the tire sidewall. In one embodiment, the multi-layered veneer includes a tie layer and a first thermoplastic layer bonded to the tie layer. The tie layer is capable of bonding the veneer to a sidewall compound of a tire sidewall. The first thermoplastic layer includes a thermoplastic material and the tie layer includes no less than about 80% by weight of a synthetic polymer chosen from EPDM, EPR, polyethylene, or combinations thereof. The synthetic polymers have a Mooney Viscosity (ML 1+4 at 125° C.) from about 5 to about 40, and the EPDM and EPR have an ethylene content of about 70% by weight to about 99% by weight of the polymer. One or more pigments are dispersed in the tie layer and/or the first thermoplastic layer so as to provide the visual effect.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a component comprising: at least one rubber selected from polybutadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, synthetic polyisoprene rubber, and natural rubber; and from 1 to 30 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of rubber, of a terpolymer of: ethylene, an ?-olefin, and a non-conjugated diene; the terpolymer having an ethylene content of greater than 80 percent by weight and a Mooney viscosity (ML 1+4 at 125° C.) of from 5 to 25 as measured by ASTM D-1646.

Abstract: A tire comprising a tread portion and a pair of sidewalls is provided wherein the sidewalls are connected to the tread portion by shoulder regions, wherein the tire further include one or more strips of rubber affixed to the inner surface of a green tire. The strip may be annular and may be located near the toe of the bead. The strip is made from a rubber composition having a specific gravity greater than 2. The strip may be ground away as desired in order to balance the tire without the need for weights.

Abstract: This invention relates to preparation of rubber compositions comprised of EPDM and conjugated diene-based elastomer, particularly including cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber, and particularly natural cis 1,4-polyisoprene rubber, blends and pneumatic rubber tire with an outer, visible sidewall layer of a rubber composition comprised of such rubber composition. For such preparation, a combination of at least two diverse EPDM elastomers is used together with a phase mixing process comprised of sequential phase mixing or parallel phase mixing in the sense of reinforcement filler and sulfur curatives.