Abstract: A tire tread mold which allows more flexibility in the design of tread patterns and which reduces the risks of blades being damaged during molding operations is needed. Such a mold has a tread mold portion which is divided in into a plurality of mold segments having an inner face curved along the circumferential direction according to an arc angle ?, each of the mold segments including laterally extending blades forming projections from their inner face; wherein the mold segments have a first end portion, a second end portion and a central portion; wherein laterally extending blades of the central portion extend in the operating direction, and wherein laterally extending blades of the end portions are inclined blades that extend in a direction forming an angle ? with the operating direction, wherein with angle ? being less than half of angle ?.

Abstract: A tire mold comprising a tread mold portion divided into mold segments having transverse edges which are movable between (i) an opened position, wherein the mold segments are spaced apart, and (ii) a closed position, wherein neighboring mold segments are in contact with each other, each of the mold segments comprising blades; wherein at least a first one of the mold segments has laterally extending blades located at a first transverse edge, wherein at least a second neighboring one of the mold segments has laterally extending blades located at a second transverse edge adjacent to the first transverse edge of the first one of said the mold segments, and when in the closed position said the laterally extending blades of the first one of the mold segments interlock between the laterally extending blades of the second one of said the mold segments.

Abstract: A tire having a high contrast design pattern is described, wherein one design has a first set of spaced apart wavy lines oriented in a first direction, and a second set of spaced apart wavy lines oriented in a first direction, wherein the first set of wavy lines is out of phase with the second set of wavy lines. A second high contrast design pattern is described, and is formed of a plurality of circles, wherein the plurality of circles do not overlap with each other and are tangent to each other.

Abstract: In a particular implementation, a system for drying lignin may include a mixer configured to receive lignin and one or more types of desiccant beads and to mix the lignin with the one or more types of desiccant beads. The one or more types of desiccant beads may be configured to reduce a moisture content of the lignin by adsorbing moisture from the lignin into the one or more types of desiccant beads. The system may further include a separator coupled to the mixer and configured to separate the lignin from the one or more types of desiccant beads.

Abstract: A process for molding a tire within a tire mold having movable elements displaceable to bring the tire mold into an open position or a closed position. The tire mold comprises upper and lower side members; mold segments defining a mold cavity; and sealing means for sealing the mold cavity. The process comprises steps of providing a tire mold having one or more closing seal members; placing the green tire into the mold cavity; placing one or more closing seal members next to a cooperating surface so as to face it without contacting it, by bringing the tire mold into a partial closure position; and drawing a vacuum on the mold cavity causing the one or more closing seal members to be moved or deformed by suction until they are in contact with the cooperating surface so that the mold cavity is sealed in an airtight manner.

Abstract: A tire mold having moveable elements displaceable to bring the tire mold into an open or into a closed position. The mold comprises upper and lower side members; a plurality of mold segments defining a mold cavity; a vacuum device for removing gas from the mold cavity; and sealing means with closing seal members configured to cooperate with associated cooperating surfaces for sealing the mold cavity by contact with each other. The one or more closing seal members and the associated cooperating surfaces are moveable relative to each other upon displacement of the one or more moveable elements. Said one or more closing seal members are placed in a position in which they are facing their associated cooperating surfaces without contacting them both in a partial closure position of the tire mold and in the closed position of the tire mold when the vacuum device is not activated.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to oral care mouthpieces and methods of forming oral care mouthpieces. A disclosed oral care mouthpiece includes a base shaped to a dental arch. The base elastically deforms in response to pressure variations in the mouthpiece, The mouthpiece also includes a set of one or more supports attached to the base and placed to allow the base to elastically deform in response to the pressure variations in the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece also includes a set of oral care elements attached to the set of one or more supports and placed to transmit pressure to the dental arch when the base elastically deforms in response to the pressure variations in the mouthpiece.

Abstract: The subject invention relates to a mold segment comprising a tread molding element for manufacturing a tire wherein the tread molding element comprises a shell and an infill, wherein the shell has a first wall with a negative tread pattern extending from its external surface for molding the tread, a second wall opposed to the first wall, and lateral walls; wherein the infill is a fluid-permeable structure defining a fluid-permeable infill; and wherein at least one of a lateral wall and the second wall comprises at least one fluid passage passing through the lateral wall or the second wall.

Abstract: This invention discloses a tire mold comprising a tread mold portion divided into mold segments having transverse edges which are movable between (i) an opened position, wherein the mold segments are spaced apart, and (ii) a closed position, wherein neighboring mold segments are in contact with each other, each of the mold segments comprising blades; wherein at least a first one of said mold segments has laterally extending blades located at a first transverse edge, wherein at least a second neighboring one of said mold segments has laterally extending blades located at a second transverse edge adjacent to the first transverse edge of the first one of said mold segments, and when in the closed position said laterally extending blades of the first one of said mold segments interlock between the laterally extending blades of the second one of said mold segments.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tire having a directional tread pattern with a first shoulder region, a central region, and a second shoulder region, the tire having a plurality of studs in the first shoulder region, the second shoulder region, and the central region; wherein at least some of the plurality of the studs in the central shoulder region extends longitudinally into the tread member in a direction inclined relative to the normal of the outer surface of the tread member by an angle in the circumferential direction of the tire, and wherein at least some of the studs in the first shoulder region and the second shoulder region extend longitudinally into the tread in a direction inclined relative to the normal of the outer surface of the tread in a direction different from the studs in the central region.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to oral care mouthpieces and methods of forming oral care mouthpieces. A disclosed oral care mouthpiece includes a base shaped to a dental arch. The base elastically deforms in response to pressure variations in the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece also includes a set of one or more supports attached to the base and placed to allow the base to elastically deform in response to the pressure variations in the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece also includes a set of oral care elements attached to the set of one or more supports and placed to transmit pressure to the dental arch when the base elastically deforms in response to the pressure variations in the mouthpiece.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to oral care implements and device and their methods of manufacture. A disclosed oral care implement includes a substrate having a first mounting surface and a second surface which is different than the first mounting surface, and a plurality of oral care elements extending from the first mounting surface. The oral care elements each form at least one return path through the first mounting surface. The plurality of oral care elements are attached to the second surface.

Abstract: A stud is inserted into a tread portion of a tire. The first stud includes a tip end protruding from the tread portion for contacting a surface, the tip end comprising a radially outer portion with a first surface, a second surface, a third surface, a fourth surface, a fifth surface, a sixth surface, and a seventh surface, the first surface defining an irregular quadrilateral and extending radially inward from the fourth surface toward a planar side of the tip end; and a base including a flanged bottom portion provided on an end opposite the tip end and extending radially outward, a stump portion provided between the bottom portion and the tip end, and a shank portion interconnecting the stump portion and the bottom portion, the base being embedded and secured in the tread portion of the tire in which the first stud is installed, the bottom portion having a tear-drop shape comprising three planar sides and one semi-cylindrical side.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to oral care mouthpieces and methods of forming oral care mouthpieces. A disclosed oral care mouthpiece includes a base shaped to a dental arch. The base elastically deforms in response to pressure variations in the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece also includes a set of one or more supports attached to the base and placed to allow the base to elastically deform in response to the pressure variations in the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece also includes a set of oral care elements attached to the set of one or more supports and placed to transmit pressure to the dental arch when the base elastically deforms in response to the pressure variations in the mouthpiece.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to oral care appliances and methods of forming oral care appliances. A disclosed oral care mouthpiece includes a flexible membrane and a set of oral care elements attached to the flexible membrane. The set of oral care elements have a composition with a hardness of at least 50 Shore Type A (shA). Each oral care elements in the set of oral care elements has a minimum stiffness value higher than 4×10?8 newton meters and lower than 6×10?3 newton meters. The stiffness value and hardness of the oral care elements are both critical values for the disclosed appliances and methods. The stiffness value can be expressed as the product of the Young modulus of the oral care element and the moment of inertia of the oral care element divided by the length of the oral care element.

Abstract: In a first aspect of the invention, an anti-skid tire stud is provided, the stud having a body made of polymer-based material, wherein the stud body comprises a top portion comprising polymer-based material having a first color, a bottom portion comprising polymer-based material having a second color, and wherein the stud further comprises a pin extending out of the top portion for contacting the road. In a second aspect of the invention, the invention relates to a tire comprising such anti-skid tire studs.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to oral care mouthpieces and methods of forming oral care mouthpieces. A disclosed oral care mouthpiece includes a base shaped to a dental arch. The base elastically deforms in response to pressure variations in the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece also includes a set of one or more supports attached to the base and placed to allow the base to elastically deform in response to the pressure variations in the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece also includes a set of oral care elements attached to the set of one or more supports and placed to transmit pressure to the dental arch when the base elastically deforms in response to the pressure variations in the mouthpiece.

Abstract: A bearing alignment assembly comprises an outer ring. An inner ring assembly is disposed radially inwardly of the outer ring and cooperating therewith to form a roller volume. The inner ring assembly has a forward inner ring and an adjacent aft inner ring cooperating to provide an inner surface of the inner ring assembly. The forward inner ring includes axial grooves extending axially along and circumferentially spaced around a forward portion of the inner circumferential surface of the inner ring assembly.