Abstract: A wheel having a controlled and compensated pressure includes: a rim associated with a tank adapted to be filled with a fluid to a first pressure; a tyre mounted on the rim and having an inner volume inflated to an operating pressure, the operating pressure being lower than the first pressure; at least one primary valve adapted to regulate communication between the tank and the inner volume of the tyre; the primary valve including at least one elastic element operatively associated with a closure member designed to open and close a port of the primary valve to bring the tank into communication with the tyre, when the pressure of the tyre is lower than the operating pressure, the elastic element having an elastic constant showing a variation of 10% to 40% within a temperature range between about ?50° C. and about 50° C. A one-way valve hinders the fluid from flowing back from the tyre to the tank in the absence of pressure within the tank.

Abstract: A method for controlling the deformation of a surface of a sail of a sailing boat during a direction change manoeuvre, includes arranging at least one inflatable batten into a respective seat formed on a side surface of the sail, the at least one batten being inflated at a predetermined working pressure as to impart to said at least one inflatable batten a bending stiffness having, with no bending load, a predetermined value, carrying out a manoeuvre, for changing the direction of the sailing boat, wherein in a first part of manoeuvre the at least one batten is subjected to the action of an increasing bending load, and in a second part of the manoeuvre, the bending load ends its action on the at least one batten, during the manoeuvre the mechanical properties of the at least one batten being changed so that as the bending load increases in the first part of the manoeuvre, the value of the bending stiffness of the at least one batten decreases considerably, and as the action of the bending load ends in the sec

Abstract: A wheel having a controlled pressure includes a rim associated with a tank adapted to be filled with a fluid to a first pressure; a tyre mounted on the rim and having an inner volume inflated to an operating pressure at a reference temperature, the operating pressure being lower than the first pressure; and at least one valve assembly adapted to establish a communication between the tank, the inner volume of the tyre and the external environment. The valve assembly includes a command valve, an exhaust valve and a compensation valve operatively associated with each other. The command valve controls communication between the tank and the inner volume of the tyre. The exhaust valve is connected to the external environment, to the inner volume, to the command valve and to the compensation valve. The compensation valve is connected to the exhaust valve and the command valve.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a vehicle tire includes means for preparing and toroidally shaping a carcass structure, preparing and arranging a belt structure as a crown around the carcass structure, and wrapping a tread around the belt structure. The means for preparing the belt structure includes an extrusion apparatus for forming a sheet of rubber-coated fabric including a plurality of reinforcing cords substantially parallel to one another, means for conveying the sheet, a first cutting device for cutting the sheet to obtain a plurality of strips, a device for transferring the strips, a device for splicing the strips to form a substantially continuous belt assembly, means for conveying the strips and the belt assembly, second and third cutting devices, means for conveying the belt strips and portions of the belt strips, and at least one assembly drum adapted to support the portions of the belt strips.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a belt structure of a vehicle tire includes the steps of preparing a belt assembly, cutting the belt assembly to obtain first and second substantially-continuous belt strips, supplying the first and second belt strips to at least one assembly drum, and superposing on the at least one assembly drum portions of the first and second belt strips to obtain a belt structure comprising radially-superposed portions of the first and second belt strips.

Abstract: A method and a plant for manufacturing a belt structure of a green tire are described, wherein the portions (49a, 49b) of the belt strips (19a, 19b) constituting the belt structure are produced in a substantially continuous manner immediately upstream of at least one assembly drum (50, 51).