Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to rubber compositions comprising at least one 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. The present disclosure is also directed to methods of preparing such rubber compositions and to tire components containing the rubber compositions disclosed herein.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for estimating and applying vehicle tire traction. Vehicle data (e.g., movement and location-based data) and tire sensor data are collected at a vehicle and transmitted to a remote computing system (e.g., cloud server). A wear status is determined, and traction characteristics determined for at least one tire, based at least on the vehicle data and the determined tire wear status. The predicted tire traction characteristics are transmitted from the remote computing system to an active safety unit associated with the vehicle, or a fleet management system, wherein the recipient is configured to modify vehicle operation settings based on at least the predicted tire traction characteristics. A maximum speed for the vehicle may be defined by the recipient, or a minimum following distance where, e.g., the vehicle is one of multiple vehicles in a defined platoon.

Abstract: A method of making a tire includes forming a first sheet of material having a circular shape. The first sheet of material includes an upper ring and a lower ring. The first sheet of material further includes a plurality of spoke portions extending from the upper ring to the lower ring. A reinforcement is placed on the first of polymeric material, which includes placing the reinforcement on at least a portion of the upper ring. A second sheet of material having a circular shape is formed. The second sheet of material is placed on the first sheet of material such that the reinforcement is sandwiched between the first and second sheets of material. The method further includes placing additional sheets of material and additional reinforcements on the second sheet of material until a tire is built.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire may include a tread, an inner tire surface positioned opposite the tread, and an internal heat exchanger attached to the inner tire surface. The wheel assembly may include a wheel rim, the pneumatic tire, and a pump. The pneumatic tire may be attached to the wheel rim. The pump may be attached to the wheel rim outside of the pneumatic tire and configured to rotate with the wheel rim. The pump may be coupled to the internal heat exchanger through an opening in the wheel rim. The wheel assembly may further include a coolant disposed in the internal heat exchanger and configured to absorb heat from the pneumatic tire. The wheel assembly may also include an external heat exchanger configured to remove heat from the coolant.

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: 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 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.