Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for estimating tread depth remaining on a tire mounted on a vehicle. One or more sensors are provided for detecting operational data associated with the vehicle and tire measurements corresponding to ambient temperature and contained air temperature, which may be directly measured or derived from measured tire pressure. A thermal mass of the tire is estimated based on at least the detected operational data and tire conditions, and a current tread depth of the tire is estimated based at least in part on the respective estimated thermal mass. In certain embodiments, the thermal mass estimation may be performed using heat transfer models limited to measurements captured during a cooling down phase of the tire while the vehicle is not moving, thereby simplifying calculation of a corresponding time constant.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring having an axis of rotation and an outer ring coaxial with the inner ring. The non-pneumatic tire further includes support structure extending from the inner ring to the outer ring. The support structure is constructed of a thermoplastic material and having reinforcement cords embedded therein. The non-pneumatic tire also includes a circumferential tread extending about the outer ring.

Abstract: A tire includes a central region configured to be mounted to a wheel and a crown region including a circumferential tread and a shear element disposed below the circumferential tread. The shear element includes an upper reinforcement layer, a lower reinforcement layer, and an elastic region disposed between the upper reinforcement layer and the lower reinforcement layer. A radial distance between the upper reinforcement layer and the lower reinforcement layer varies along an axial width of the tire. The tire also includes an intermediate region extending from the central region to the crown region.

Abstract: A tire electronics assembly includes a base and a plurality of modules. The base is mechanically attached to the tire and includes an electronic device. A plurality of mechanical attachment elements are arranged on the base in a circular array. Each module includes an electronic device and a mechanical attachment element. Each mechanical attachment element on a module is configured to releasably mechanically attach to any one of the mechanical attachment elements on the base. In this configuration, the modules are interchangeably mechanically attachable to the base in the circular array. The base further includes a plurality of electrical terminals arranged in a circular array. Each module has an electrical terminal that is configured to releasably electrically connect with any one of the electrical terminals on the base, whereby the modules are interchangeably electrically connectable with the base in the circular array.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to actinic radiation curable polymeric mixtures, cured polymeric mixtures, tires and tire components made from the foregoing, and related processes.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to tire innerliner compositions comprising an elastomer component comprising halogenated butyl rubber; at least one terpene phenol resin; filler component comprising calcium carbonate; and at least one curative. The at least one terpene phenol resin has a softening point from 100° C. to 160° C. and a hydroxyl value from 40 to 200.

Abstract: A tire and membrane system includes a tire, an electronics package, and a membrane body attached to the electronics package. A width of the membrane body is less than 120% of a width of a tread of the tire. A length of the membrane body is less than 50% of a circumference of the tire. A bottom surface of the membrane body is configured to lie flat against an inner surface of the tire. The membrane body is not attached to the tire.

Abstract: A green tire includes a plurality of sheets of green rubber having a substantially circular shape, with each sheet having a tread region disposed along a circumference. A plurality of objects are sandwiched between adjacent sheets of green rubber in the tread region. Each object is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of steel, polyester, nylon, carbon fiber, aramid, fiber glass, cotton, hemp, polyurethane and other plastic, other synthetic or natural fibers and other metal materials.

Abstract: Systems and methods of for tire maintenance using machine learning are provided. The system receives one or more values comprising sensor data and a unique identifier associated with the tire. The system can retrieve historical inspection data associated with the unique identifier of the tire. The system can generate a matrix comprising a first dimension based on timestamps and a second dimension based on the one or more values and the historical inspection data. The system can predict, via input of the matrix into a machine learning model constructed, an output matrix comprising an indication to perform a type of maintenance and at least one tire maintenance category. The system can provide the indication to perform the type of maintenance for the tire during the time interval and the at least one tire maintenance category.

Abstract: A tire includes a pair of beads and a crown region including a circumferential tread disposed radially above a circumferential belt. The tire further includes a pair sidewalls extending from the pair of beads to the crown region. A body ply wraps around the pair of beads and terminates in a pair of turn up ends in the crown region, below the middle 30% of the circumferential belt. A conductive substance is disposed along a strip of the body ply.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method as disclosed enables predicting of vertical loads on a vehicle tire. Thermal characteristics for a particular vehicle-tire combination are retrievably stored, the thermal characteristics determined as corresponding to a range of temperature values further correlated with a plurality of operating conditions, and the plurality of operating conditions comprising at least a vertical load. A model for predicting transient temperature behavior is generated (e.g., empirically trained) based on one or more tire-specific time constants. During operation of the vehicle-tire combination and responsive to at least a first temperature value, a computing device residing on the vehicle or otherwise cloud-based in nature is configured to determine a predicted vertical load based on a predicted second temperature value from the model and further based on the retrievably stored one or more thermal characteristics.

Abstract: A real time tire pressure sensing system includes sensors to collectively generate signals corresponding to a contained tire air temperature, a contained inflation pressure, and an ambient temperature associated with a tire mounted on a vehicle. A processor determines an effective tire inflation pressure based on the generated signals and further at least on a calculated moving average of the ambient temperature (e.g., over a defined time period such as 24 hours) and generates real time notifications associated with the determined effective tire inflation pressure to specified user interfaces. At least one sensor may be an inflation pressure sensor configured to generate event-based signals corresponding to detected changes per unit pressure. The processor may further generate real time feedback control signals to an automatic tire inflation device, based on the determined effective tire inflation pressure, or enable and prompt manual control of the tire inflation device via the user interface.

Abstract: A system for powering an electronic device within a tire is provided, the system comprising: a generator; an electrically conductive wheel coated in a non-conductive coating, the wheel including rim lips, wherein one of the rim lips includes a conductive area; the tire including bead portions, sidewalls, shoulders, a tread oriented in a tread region, and an inner surface; a conductive element extending from a bead portion, and in contact with the inner surface; an electronic device within the vehicle tire; and a ground path extending through a thickness of the vehicle tire from the inner surface to an exterior surface in a contact patch of the tread; wherein the generator is electrically connected to the electrically conductive wheel; wherein the electronic device is electrically connected to the conductive element and the ground path; and wherein the conducive element contacts the conductive area.

Abstract: A web structure for a non-pneumatic tire includes a first corrugated ring having a first plurality of peaks and a first plurality of valleys. The first corrugated ring is a pre-strained, thermoplastic elastomer resin ring. The web structure further includes a second corrugated ring having a second plurality of peaks and a second plurality of valleys. The second corrugated ring is a pre-strained, thermoplastic elastomer resin ring. The second plurality of valleys are affixed to the first plurality of peaks by welding or an adhesive.

Abstract: A tire includes a pair of beads and a plurality of body plies extending between the pair of beads, including at least a first body ply and a second body ply. The first body ply wraps around each of the pair of beads, and has a first pair of turn up portions having a first height. The second body ply wraps around each of the pair of beads, and has a second pair of turn up portions having a second height greater than the first height. Each of the second pair of turn up portions is axially inside each of the first turn up portions. The tire also includes a circumferential belt disposed radially above the plurality of body plies, a circumferential tread disposed radially above the circumferential belt, and a pair of sidewalls extending between the pair of beads and the circumferential tread. The tire also has a pair of stabilizer ply inserts, including a first stabilizer ply insert and a second stabilizer ply insert.