Abstract: Reinforced elastomeric articles, such as tires, wherein the reinforcement is reticulated bacterial cellulose are provided. Reticulated bacterial cellulose has an average diameter of about 0.1 micron and a substantially infinite aspect ratio. The reinforced article comprises about 2 phr to 10 phr of the cellulose reinforcement.

Abstract: This invention is directed to treating the surfaces of rubber-reinforcing materials with a gas plasma of O.sub.2 and CF.sub.4 to activate the surfaces to make them more receptive to adhesives. Optionally the surfaces of the reinforcing materials may be exposed to a polymerizing gas plasma such as a thio-carbon to coat the surfaces of the reinforcing material with substances that promote adhesion to rubber. The treated surfaces have been shown to adhere directly to rubber when vulcanized in the normal fashion.

Abstract: A new tire construction and method which makes the toe guard integral with the inner liner is provided. A tire is made using an inner liner that has a width substantially equal to the width of a prior art inner liner plus the width of prior art toe guards minus any overlap. The edges of the inner liner, which wrap around the bead, are reinforced so that the edges of the inner liner protect the bead area of the tire against damage caused by the rim or the mounting and dismounting procedure.

Abstract: A tubeless inner tire or shield 14 provides for easy assembly of the shield 14 into the outer tire 12 and over the rim 16 as compared to previous designs. The beads 43 in the shield comprise stranded filaments and the bead portion 40,42 of the shield 14 has increased flexibility. The increased flexibility of the bead portion 40,42 eliminates kinking of the shield 14 upon assembly which could prevent the shield 14 from properly sealing against the rim 16. Air passageways 44 between the inner shield 14 and outer tire 12 are provided on the shield 14 near the bead portion 42. The air passageway 44 includes a protrusion 50 extending from the surface of the shield and has an inclined radially inner surface 58. The inner surface 58 is inclined at an angle of 25.degree. to 60.degree. relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the inner shield 14.

Abstract: A method of mixing micro and macro fibers into a polymer matrix and products made thereby are provided. In the illustrated method, a micro reinforcing polymer is mixed with an elastomeric base polymer and preformed macro fibers are added thereto. In one embodiment, the micro reinforcing polymer forms micro fibers in a resulting elastomeric matrix which is interspersed with macro fibers. A base polymer matrix interspersed with micro reinforcing polymer and macro fibers made according to the invention can be used in reinforced elastomeric products such as tires.

Abstract: A radial ply pneumatic tire (10) has carcass plies (13-15) reinforced by textile cords and folded axially around a pair of axially spaced bead cores (11,12) and a belt structure (30; 330) comprising at least two layers (32-34; 332-334) made of spirally wound strips. The spirally wound strips are reinforced by cords consisting at least in part of aramid yarns. Between each pair of neighboring layers (332-334) of spirally wound strips, a ply (340,341) reinforced by textile cords is interposed. Such a belt structure is more specifically suitable for an aircraft tire.

Abstract: An in situ curometer has been developed to follow the cure of thick articles during molding, by measuring continuously the dynamic mechanical properties (shear modulus and loss angle). The apparatus is designed to provide cure data on curable articles such as rubber products and components in situ, during the curing of the article, to improve manufacturing cure efficiencies. The curometer is a small-scale version of an Oscillating Disk Rheometer, designed to operate through a mold wall. An approximate theoretical treatment has been developed to relate the observed torque and loss angle to the dynamic properties of the rubber compound.

Abstract: Pneumatic tires are rendered less susceptible to blow or blister defects by providing, in at least one cord reinforcement ply of a tire, a plurality of gas absorbing cords with the reinforcement cords and gas absorbing cords lying in the same general plane and with the gas absorbing cords consisting of staple hollow filaments. The gas absorbing cords may be used as fill yarn in weaving fabric employing parallel reinforcement cords.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has an integrated circuit transponder which, upon interrogation by an external RF signal, transmits tire identification and tire pressure data in digitally-coded form. The transponder has an antenna adjacent and thereby coupled by electric or magnetic fields to an annular tensile member comprising a bead of the tire. The antenna has lead wires that preferably are positioned between the innerliner of the tire and its continuous carcass ply. The transponder thus is on the axially inner side of the reinforced carcass ply. A pressure transducer is within the transponder and is responsive, preferably through the innerliner material, to pressure within the tire. If the antenna is a coil, the coil is substantially planar in shape and parallel with the reinforced carcass ply. The transponder and pressure transducer also can be attached to the axially inner side of the innerliner.

Abstract: The invention relates to elastomers and articles reinforced with 5 to 30 phr Chitosan particles having a diameter of 0.5 to 75 microns. In an illustrated embodiment, the Chitosan may be modified with an oxygen reactive group or a nitrogen reactive group to make the Chitosan more reactive with an elastomer. Also provided is an economical method of incorporating very fine Chitosan particles into an elastomer matrix. In the method Chitosan is dissolved in an acid and mixed with a coagulating liquid (for coagulating latex), and the mixture of chitosan/coagulating liquid is mixed with a latex solution to provide an elastomer/chitosan composite. The elastomer/chitosan composite may be used as formed or it can be used as a masterbatch and mixed with more elastomer.

Abstract: A method for making a knotless bead bundle, a bead bundle made according to the method, and a tire made using the knotless bead bundle are provided. In the method a bead ring is made using a plurality of annular turns of wire as is conventional in the art, and the annular turns of wire are wrapped with cord, tape, or other conventional wrapping material which is held on the bead ring without using knots. The wrap is held on the bead ring by using a tie down area that is made by forming a loop in the wrapping material, holding the loop in place by a number of close turns of wrap on the bead ring while leaving a first end of the wrapping material free, wrapping the bead ring 360.degree. around the ring, passing a second end of the wrapping material through the loop, closing the loop by pulling the first end of the wrapping material whereby closing the loop pulls the second end of the wrapping material under the close turns of wrapping material.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has an integrated circuit transponder which, upon interrogation by an external RF signal, transmits tire identification and/or other data in digitally-coded form. The transponder has a coil antenna of small enclosed area as compared to the area enclosed by an annular tensile member comprising a bead of the tire. The annular tensile member, during transponder interrogation, acts as the primary winding of a transformer. The coil antenna is loosely coupled to the primary winding and is the secondary winding of the transformer. The coil antenna is substantially planar in shape, and, when positioned between the innerliner of the tire and its carcass ply, the transponder may include a pressure sensor responsive to tire inflation pressure.

Abstract: A directional pneumatic tire having improved wet traction is provided. The tire has an annular aqua channel and curved lateral grooves to direct water from the footprint to the shoulder area of the tire to help prevent hydroplaning. It has been found that the tire has a unique footprint which appears to characterize its stability. The footprint comprises two substantially trapezoidal contact patches which are oriented base to base and are separated from each other by 10% to 22% of the total tread width.

Abstract: Disclosed is a new urethane polyacrylate having at least one terminal isocyanato acrylic pendent radical. Preferably the molecular chain within the acrylate caps has been extended with a polyhydroxy compound just before final end capping with isocyanato acrylic. The isocyanato acrylic is preferably isocyanato ethyl methacrylate and the urethane is diisocyanate capped polyether and the polyether radical is oxyalkylene. The method for producing the urethane polyacrylate involves end capping a polyol with diisocyanate yielding a reaction product with two reactive equivalents of isocyanate and then capping less than all of the isocyanate with a hydroxyacrylate, after which the remaining isocyanate is reacted with polyol to provide chain extension. The chain extending polyol is then capped with a isocyanato acrylic.

Abstract: A display device illustrates the ability of a tire which is designed for rain traction to move through a fluid as compared to a standard tire. The display device comprises a sealed rectangular box having a bottom, two sides, two ends and a lid. Pivoting means is associated with the box which is adapted to alternately rotate one end of the box higher than the other. A fluid contained within the box to provide resistance to the movement of objects through the box and means are provided for observing the movement of objects in the box. In the illustrated embodiment, an object made to resemble a standard radial tire, and an object in the shape of a tire with a deep, wide center groove (a rain tire) are enclosed in the box. In its operation, the box is tilted on the pivot so that one end of the box is raised higher than the other, and the objects are observed as they traverse to the lower end of the box.

Abstract: A cut resistant pneumatic tire is provided. The tire has embedded in its sidewalls and/or tread, short lengths of adhesive coated monofilament nylon fibers. Adhesion between the rubber of the tire and the adhesive coated fibers provides a stiffer, more cut resistant composition.

Abstract: An elastomer masterbatch or a compounded productive elastomer stock is made using a twin screw extruder to mix elastomer components in multiple mixing zones at controlled temperatures. Elastomer and other ingredients are fed into the twin screw extruder continuously through precise loss-in-weight or volumetric feeders. The degradation temperature and/or cross linking temperature of the elastomer determines the rate at which the elastomer can be processed, since friction created during mixing heats the elastomer. Accordingly, the maximum rate of compounding is a function of the torque limit, cooling efficiency, and conveying capacity of the extruder. The conveying capacity and torque limit are also a function of the size of the extruder. The viscosity of the elastomer compound in the extruder, as measured by a Mooney viscosimeter (ASTM D1646), is typically in the range of about 20 to 250 units (ML(1+4)100C).

Abstract: A radial ply pneumatic tire (10) has an overlay structure (19) disposed radially outwardly of the belt reinforcing structure (14). The overlay structure (19) comprises side by side cables of 420/2 nylon having a cable twist of not greater than seven turns per inch.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for predicting tire traction characteristics of tread compounds are provided. The method makes possible the determination of such characteristics without building tires. Also, the compounds can be easily characterized for a large number of different road surfaces and many different weather conditions. In the method, about 2 to 10 gms of tread compound is molded into a sample which can be tested for traction on the apparatus. Peak traction, slide traction and other traction characteristics of the compound can be correlated with traction properties of known compounds, thereby establishing the expected traction properties of the test compound in a tire.

Abstract: A combination mixing and discharge capsule for storing separate ingredients which are to be mixed together prior to use and including a container body for one ingredient closed at one end by a slidable piston and the opposite end being displaceably received in a cup-shaped cap which forms a second compartment with a perforated wall of the container body opposite the end containing the piston for receiving a frangible pillow containing a liquid second ingredient to be mixed with the ingredient in the body. The cap has a discharge nozzle extending axially therefrom and when the cap is displaced farther onto the body the innermost wall of the pillow is burst to cause the discharge of the liquid ingredient through the perforated wall end into the container body for mixing with the ingredient therein.