Abstract: A tire mold having a sidewall molding surface with a negative irregular rough surface texture pattern extending circumferentially along the sidewall molding surface so as to mold at least one annular exterior surface of a tire sidewall of a tire with an irregular rough surface texture, the negative irregular rough surface texture pattern defining recessed portions disposed non-uniformly between raised portions, the recessed portions having a depth of at least 0.1 millimeters.

Abstract: A method of mounting a tire on a vehicle includes providing a tire having a first side, a second side, and a circumferential tread disposed about the tire. The first side defines a first forward rotation direction that is a rotation of the tire in a counterclockwise direction when the tire is mounted on a vehicle in a first orientation and viewed from the first side. The second side defines a second forward rotation direction of the tire that is a rotation of the tire in the counterclockwise direction when the tire is mounted on the vehicle in a second orientation opposite the first orientation and viewed from the first side. The circumferential tread includes a plurality of tread elements. At least one of the tread elements includes a sipe arrangement that causes the tire to exhibit a first tire performance when the tire is mounted on the vehicle in the first orientation and rotated in the first forward rotation direction.

Abstract: Mold assemblies include a mold section having a mold axis. The mold assembly includes a curing bladder assembly supported on the mold section in radially-offset relation to the mold axis. The curing bladder assembly includes a bladder wall that defines a bladder chamber. The bladder wall includes first and second end wall portions as well as first and second edge wall portions extending longitudinally between the first and second end wall portions. In some cases, the bladder wall further includes first and second side wall portions extending longitudinally between the first and second end wall portions and laterally between the first and second edge wall portions. Methods of manufacturing non-pneumatic tires that includes mold assemblies are also included.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are tire tread rubber compositions comprising a specified elastomer component, reinforcing silica filler, a specified hydrocarbon resin, a cure package, and optionally oil. The elastomer component includes at least one styrene-butadiene rubber having a silica-reactive functional group; and natural rubber, polyisoprene, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A tire sealant layer comprising a rubber portion with an upper surface and a lower surface, and a barrier layer upon the lower surface of the rubber portion is disclosed. The rubber portion comprises a mixture of 100 parts of at least one rubber, 90-500 parts of at least one tackifier, optionally one or more extenders, optionally at least one hydroscopic substance, and a cure package. Also disclosed is a process for producing a sealant layer-tire inner liner combination as well as a sealant layer-containing tire and related processes involving the sealant layer-containing tire.

Abstract: A modular non-pneumatic tire includes a first annular tire module and a second annular tire module coaxial with the first annular tire module. The first annular tire module includes a first inner ring, a first outer ring coaxial with the first inner ring, first support structure extending between the first inner ring and the first outer ring, and a first circumferential tread extending about the first outer ring. The second annular tire module includes a second inner ring, a second outer ring coaxial with the second inner ring, second support structure extending between the second inner ring and the second outer ring, and a second circumferential tread extending about the second outer ring. The first and second circumferential treads are asymmetrical. The first circumferential tread has a first orientation and the second circumferential tread has a second orientation that is different from the first orientation.

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. The base also includes a plurality of mechanical attachment elements arranged side-by-side in a row. 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 side-by side positions in row. The base further includes a plurality of electrical contacts arranged side-by-side in a row. Each module has an electrical contact that is configured to releasably electrically connect with any one of the electrical contacts on the base, whereby the modules are interchangeably electrically connectable with the base in side-by-side positions in a row.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a tire having a tread or sidewall comprising a rubber composition including at least one specified rubber, at least one reinforcing carbon black filler, and a whey protein component. The whey protein component is in an amount sufficient to provide about 0.1 to about 10 phr whey protein.

Abstract: An electronics assembly is provided for use with a tire. The assembly includes a plurality of printed circuit boards, each of which includes an electronic device configured to sense a condition of the tire. Attachment pegs are provided to attach the printed circuit boards together in stacked positions that are spaced apart by the attachment pegs. Each attachment peg has a lower end portion configured to attach to any one of the printed circuit boards. Each attachment peg further has an upper end portion configured to attach to any other one of the printed circuit boards. This enables the printed circuit boards to be attached interchangeably between the stacked positions.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an inner ring having an axis of rotation and an outer ring having a plurality of circumferential reinforcements. The non-pneumatic tire further includes support structure extending from the inner ring to the outer ring. The non-pneumatic tire also includes a circumferential tread extending about the outer ring. The circumferential tread includes a tread reinforcement layer spaced from a bottom of the circumferential tread.

Abstract: A method of applying an air barrier to an inner surface of a tire includes placing the tire in a tire trimming machine, rotating the tire in the tire trimming machine as a part of a tire trimming operation, and while performing the tire trimming operation spraying the air barrier material onto the inner surface of the tire.

Abstract: A rim assembly for a non-pneumatic tire has at least two rim components including: a first rim component having a first rim flange and a first lip, and a second rim component having a second rim flange and a second lip. The rim assembly further includes a plurality of lateral rim component support structures configured to extend through a plurality of openings of a tire support structure. The rim assembly also includes a first plurality of fasteners securing the plurality of lateral rim component support structures to the first rim flange, and a second plurality of fasteners securing the plurality of lateral rim component support structures to the second rim flange.

Abstract: Systems and methods of machine learning for splice improvement. A system can receive, from one or more sensors, one or more values corresponding to manufacture of a tire by the one or more pieces of tire manufacturing equipment. The systems can determine one or more metrics based on the one or more values. The systems can generate a matrix based on the one or more values and the one or more metrics. The systems can predict, via input of the matrix into a machine learning model, a value for a splice tolerance metric. The systems can determine, based on the value for the splice tolerance metric, a parameter of at least one piece of equipment to adjust. The systems can provide a command to adjust the piece of equipment responsive to the value of the splice tolerance metric.

Abstract: A process for preparing a polydiene having increased viscosity and reduced cold flow that includes polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer in the presence of a lanthanide-containing compound to form an intermediate polymer, and then adding a non-organometallic trimellitate ester compound as a coupling agent to raise the viscosity of the intermediate polymer. The coupling agent is added to the intermediate polymer mixture in an amount of about 0.01 to about 0.15 parts per hundred monomer (phm) of the starting monomer amount.

Abstract: A tire health estimation system and method includes aggregating model generation data over time, and iteratively generating tire health models based thereon. The model generation data correlates various combinations of a first set of input values for a given type of tire to each of various tire health variables for each of various tire components. A second set of the input values is measured and/or determined for an actual tire, wherein an appropriate model is selected for at least one tire health variable and at least one tire component based on the second set. Respective tire health variables are estimated for the tire components via the selected model(s) and based on the second set of input values, and an output signal is generated corresponding to a health of the tire based on a comparison of the estimated tire health variables.