Abstract: Tire tread comprising a tread surface intended to come into contact with a roadway, this tread comprising at least one sipe extending in a main direction D and of mean width E, this sipe comprising in the main direction D at least one part sipe of shallow depth HF and at least one part sipe of great depth HG, the depth HF being less than the depth HG, each part sipe of shallow depth and each part sipe of great depth comprising an end region, this tread further comprising at least one insert oriented in a direction different from the main direction D of the sipe, this insert being positioned wholly within the thickness of the tread so as to be situated radially on the inside of a part sipe of shallow depth HF, this tread being such that at least the part sipe of shallow depth HF situated radially on the outside of the insert is provided, at its end region, with a widening forming a channel of maximum width W, this maximum width W being greater than the mean width E of the sipe.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to an improved design that provides better hydroplaning performance for a tire, and, more specifically, to a tire that has a variable pressure shear band located below its tread that provides increased structural stiffness to the tire, helping the tire to resist deformation when the tire encounters water, thereby decreasing the tendency of the tire to hydroplane. Advantageously, the variable pressure shear band can improve the hydroplaning performance and rolling resistance simultaneously without degrading wear performance.

Abstract: Tires in use wear in a host of ways. One negative manner in which tires, especially truck tires, may wear is in an irregular fashion. When this phenomenon happens, the tread of the tire may become unusable, forcing the user to replace the tire, which is undesirable. This patent application poses a new and useful way of preventing irregular wear involving the use of hidden sipes or tread blocks. In some embodiments, these hidden sipes or tread blocks are found in tread blocks or ribs adjacent other tread blocks or ribs that have been determined to be susceptible to irregular wear. In other embodiments, the hidden sipes or tread blocks are formed by a sipe blade that has a connecting member to which two y-branched members are attached, and further comprising dividing members that connect between the y-branched members.

Abstract: An aromatic perfluoroalkane monomer is provided that can be used for the manufacture of a polymer membrane for a PEM-type fuel cell. The perfluoroalkane monomer has a structure corresponding to a formula (I): Z1—Ar3—C(O)—Ar1—(CF2)n—Ar2—C(O)—Ar4—Z2??(I) in which: n is in a range from 1 to 20; Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, Ar4 which are identical or different, represent a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group; and Z1 and Z2, which are identical or different, represent an electrophilic or nucleophilic polymerizable functional group.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a portion of a tire surface involves comparison with an image of a three-dimensional (“3D”) reference surface. The method includes: extracting contours of graphic elements of an image of a 3D profile of a surface to be inspected; transforming the reference surface by establishing a correspondence between the contours of the graphic elements of the surface to be inspected and contours of identical graphic elements of the reference surface using a series of transformations; associating a B-spline surface, which includes control points, with the graphic elements of the transformed reference surface; and deforming the contours of the graphic elements of the reference surface by modifying positions of the control points of the B- spline surface so as to minimize distances between the contours of the graphic elements of the reference surface and the contours of the graphic elements of the surface to be inspected corresponding thereto.

Abstract: The invention relates to a functionalized diene elastomer composed a) of a specific block copolymer functionalized, at the chain end or in the middle of the chain, by a tin functional group, b) of a specific block copolymer star-branched by tin and c) of a content of less than 15% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the functionalized diene elastomer, of a specific non-tin-functional block copolymer.

Abstract: Inflatable article equipped with an elastomer layer impermeable to inflation gases, said elastomer layer comprising at least, as the predominant elastomer, a thermoplastic SIBS elastomer comprising a polyisobutylene block comprising an amount of units derived from one or more conjugated dienes ranging from 0.5% to 6% by weight relative to the weight of the polyisobutylene block, and, at least one of the ends of the polyisobutylene block, a styrenic block representing at most 16% by weight of the total weight of the block copolymer. Preferably the airtight elastomer layer also comprises, as a plasticizing agent, an extender oil for the SIBS elastomer. The inflatable article of the invention is, in particular, an inner tube or a pneumatic tire for a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for automatic and hands-free threading of an elastomeric mix into a calender set of rolls comprising one or more pairs of rolls that have a nip between them. A wedge is provided with a tip that is positioned downstream from the nip and at a predetermined distance from the nip. As the rolls of the nip are rotated, the tip of the edge removes all, or a desired portion of, the elastomeric mix from a first roll of the nip so as to transfer the elastomeric mix to a second roll of the nip. The tip of the wedge may be placed into contact with the first roll. The wedge may also have an arcuate surface, shaped e.g., like the outer surface of the first roll, and positioned a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the first roll.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the uniformity of a tire by separating uniformity contributions associated discrete effects, such as effects resulting from product joints, from continuous effects are provided. For instance, uniformity contributions associated with the product joints are determined by analyzing a uniformity waveform to process the uniformity waveform into one or more continuous components and at least one joint component. Knowledge of the uniformity contributions associated with product joints in the tire can be used, for instance, to make structural improvements in the manufacture of the tire, to actively manage the joint-making process, and to perform dynamic correction of joint effects.

Abstract: A method of determining relief markings on a tire's sidewall surface includes assigning, to each pixel of a three-dimensional image of the surface, a grey-level value proportional to an elevation point corresponding to the pixel, to obtain a starting image. Using linear structuring elements of successively increasing sizes and oriented circumferentially, a series of successive morphological openings is performed iteratively on the starting surface. An image value obtained after a morphological opening using a structuring element is subtracted from an image value obtained after a morphological opening using a structuring element of an immediately lower size, to obtain a succession of images flattened by differencing. A thresholding operation is performed on the images flattened by differencing, to obtain binary images. A set-theoretic union of values of each of the binary images is performed, to obtain a final binary image in which markings appear in relief.

Abstract: A tyre has a form of a torus that is open radially on an inside portion. The tyre includes inner and outer walls, a crown, two sidewalls, two beads, a crown reinforcement, and a carcass reinforcement anchored in the beads and extending at least from the beads as far as the crown. The inner wall is covered at least in part with an airtight layer, and the airtight layer is covered at least in part with a layer of a self-sealing product. Each of the beads includes an annular reinforcing structure, with each annular reinforcing structure being formed of a plurality of windings of a single metal thread. The windings are arranged in a plurality of radially superposed layers, with each layer having a group of the windings arranged axially in a side by side manner, such that the superposed layers have a hexagonal cross section.

Abstract: Process for the manufacture of an elastomer composition having a self-sealing property which is based on at least (phr meaning parts by weight per 100 parts of solid elastomer): a blend of at least two solid elastomers, a polybutadiene or butadiene copolymer elastomer, referred to as “elastomer A”, and a natural rubber or synthetic polyisoprene elastomer, referred to as “elastomer B”, the elastomer A:elastomer B ratio by weight being within a range from 10:90 to 90:10; between 30 and 90 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; from 0 to less than 30 phr of filler, in which, during a first stage or stage (a), a masterbatch comprising at least the elastomers A and B and between 30 and 90 phr of a hydrocarbon resin is prepared by mixing these various components in a mixer at a “hot compounding” temperature or up to a “hot compounding” temperature which is greater than the softening temperature of the hydrocarbon resin.