Abstract: The invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a vulcanization rubber composition, the vulcanizable rubber composition comprising: from 30 to 90 phr of a first functionalized styrene-butadiene rubber having a glass transition temperature Tg1 ranging from ?70 to ?50° C.; from 10 to 50 phr of a second functionalized styrene-butadiene rubber having a glass transition temperature Tg2 ranging from ?110 to ?70° C.; wherein Tg2?Tg1 is at least 10° C.; from 0 to 40 phr of at least one additional elastomer; from 50 to 150 phr of silica; from 0 to 50 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; and from 10 to 50 phr of an oil.

Abstract: A sulfur-vulcanizable rubber compound comprises a silane functionalized diene elastomer, a silane coupling agent, and a silica filler. The silane coupling agent excludes an active sulfur moiety. The rubber compound is a reaction product of a siloxyl condensation reaction between the silane functionalized diene elastomer and the non-sulfur containing silane coupling agent. The coupling agent comprises at least one end terminating group reactive with a hydroxyl group contained on the silica filler and a silane moiety contained on a diene-based elastomer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a 3D-printed tire segment model having a tread portion comprising a plurality of grooves, ribs and/or tread blocks, and a plurality of blades extending out of the ribs and/or tread blocks, wherein the tire segment model is made of a 3D-printed polymer. Moreover, the present invention is drawn to a method of making a tire mold segment, including the step of 3D-printing the above tire segment model with a polymer.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to methods for characterizing a multi-layered tire tread. In one example, a method comprises providing a first rubber composition having a first refractive index and providing a second rubber composition having a second refractive index. The method further comprises determining a difference between the first refractive index and the second refractive index and comparing the difference to a threshold refractive index. In addition, the method comprises adding a refractive index modifier to the first rubber composition and/or second rubber composition in case the comparison provides that the difference is lower than the threshold refractive index, so that the difference is greater than, or equal to, the threshold refractive index.

Abstract: A tire high temperature forecasting system includes at least one tire that supports a vehicle, and at least one sensor mounted on the tire for measuring a temperature of the tire. An electronic memory capacity is in a unit mounted on the tire for storing tire identification information. A processor is in electronic communication with the sensor and the electronic memory capacity, in which the processor receives and correlates the measured temperature, a time of the temperature measurement, and the tire identification information. Transmission means transmit the measured temperature, a time of the temperature measurement, and the tire identification information to a remote processor. The remote processor executes a forecasting model, and the forecasting model generates a forecast estimate. If the forecast estimate includes a predicted high temperature that is greater than a predetermined high temperature threshold for the tire, an alert is generated by the forecasting model.

Abstract: The subject invention discloses an improved method for making pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica from rice hull ash silica. This process is renewable, highly efficient, and incorporates virtually all of the silica coupling agent used in making the pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica into the final product. The subject invention more specifically reveals a method for making pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica comprising: (1) dispersing silica into water under conditions of agitation to made an aqueous silica slurry; (2) adding a phase transfer agent to the aqueous silica slurry; (3) adding a silica coupling agent to the aqueous silica slurry; (4) maintaining the aqueous slurry at a temperature of at least 20° C. for a time which is sufficient for the silica coupling agent to react with the silica to produce the pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica; and (5) recovering the pre-hydrophobated precipitated silica from the aqueous silica slurry.

Abstract: A rubber composition for incorporation in an engineered article comprises, based on 100 parts by weight (phr) ethylene-propylene-diene copolymer (EPDM) elastomer, from about 5 phr to about 100 phr reinforcing filler preferably comprising a prehydrophobated precipitated silica. In the contemplated embodiment, the EPDM has a diene content that is greater than five percent (5%). The diene also contains branching.

Abstract: The present invention is directed a tire comprising two rubber components which are co-cured together. The first rubber component comprises from 70 phr to 100 phr of a hydrogenated styrene butadiene rubber, 0 phr to 15 phr of a polybutadiene, 5 phr to 20 phr of a polyoctenamer, and 40 phr to 160 phr of a first filler. The second rubber component comprises 90 phr to 100 phr of a diene-based elastomer; and 20 phr to 160 phr of a second filler. Moreover, the present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising a hydrogenated styrene butadiene rubber, 5 phr to 20 phr of a polyoctenamer, and 40 phr to 160 phr of a reinforcing filler.

Abstract: A tire mold comprising a tread mold portion divided into mold segments having transverse edges which are movable between (i) an opened position, wherein the mold segments are spaced apart, and (ii) a closed position, wherein neighboring mold segments are in contact with each other, each of the mold segments comprising blades; wherein at least a first one of the mold segments has laterally extending blades located at a first transverse edge, wherein at least a second neighboring one of the mold segments has laterally extending blades located at a second transverse edge adjacent to the first transverse edge of the first one of said the mold segments, and when in the closed position said the laterally extending blades of the first one of the mold segments interlock between the laterally extending blades of the second one of said the mold segments.

Abstract: This invention is based upon the unexpected finding that the reaction product of polyisobutylene and a silane can be incorporated into tire sealant formulations to greatly reduce the level of hysteresis exhibited by such sealant formulations which decreases the rolling resistance of the tire to improve fuel economy. This is made possible by the further unexpected fining that silanes will react with polyisobutylene by a reaction which is initiated with a peroxide. This invention more specifically discloses a sealant composition which is particularly useful in manufacturing self-sealing tires and which is comprised of (a) the reaction product of polyisobutylene and a silane; and (b) a reinforcing filler. The sealant compositions also contain a peroxide to facilitate partial degradation of the polyisobutylene rubber during the curing of the tire.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising 100 phr of one or more diene-based elastomers, 30 phr to 200 phr of a filler, and a benzoxazine which is the reaction of (i) a diphenol comprising two phenol groups and a bridge covalently connecting the two phenol groups, (ii) an aldehyde derivative, and (iii) an amine, wherein the bridge is connected to at least one of the phenol groups at a meta position of said at least one phenol group. The present invention is also directed to a rubber product comprising such a rubber composition and the use of such rubber products in tire components.

Abstract: In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a rubber composition comprising 70 phr to 90 phr of styrene butadiene rubber, wherein said styrene butadiene rubber comprises a first styrene butadiene rubber having a glass transition temperature within a range of ?49° C. to ?15° C. and a second styrene butadiene rubber having a glass transition temperature within a range of ?50° C. to ?89° C. Furthermore, the rubber composition comprises from 10 phr to 30 phr of one or more of natural rubber and synthetic polyisoprene rubber, 100 phr to 200 phr of silica, and at least 25 phr of at least one terpene resin having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at most 1000 g/mol. Moreover, the invention is directed to a tire comprising such a rubber composition, in particular in the tread of the tire.

Abstract: A nonpneumatic tire has at least one spoke loop structure connected to a shear band, wherein the spoke loop structure has a plurality of loops extending inward from the shear band, and wherein each loop is connected to a wheel. A method for forming the nonpneumatic tire includes the step of forming a base and loop subassembly by providing a base having a plurality of grooves, inserting a layer of elastomer strip into each groove and forming a loop between each of the grooves; and inserting the base and loop subassembly which has a plurality of flexible loops extending inward from a shearband so that the base is positioned adjacent the shear band; curing the base and loop subassembly formed from a strip of elastomeric material into the shearband; providing a wheel, and then connecting each loop to the wheel.

Abstract: The subject invention reveals a tire tread having a circumferential tread cap with circumferential grooves, wherein the tread cap rubber compound has a Shore A hardness from 45 to 75. Moreover, the tread comprises at least one circumferential groove reinforcement reinforcing at least a bottom portion of at least one of the grooves and comprising a groove reinforcement rubber compound, wherein the groove reinforcement rubber compound has a Shore A hardness from 70 to 100. The tread also comprises a circumferential tread base layer arranged radially inwards of the tread cap and comprising a tread base layer compound, wherein the tread base layer compound has a Shore A hardness from 15 to 60, and wherein the Shore A hardness of the tread cap compound is higher than the Shore A hardness of the tread base layer compound.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a carcass and a belt reinforcing structure, the belt reinforcing structure comprising: a zigzag belt reinforcing structure formed of a strip of reinforcement cords, the strip of reinforcement cords being inclined at 5 to 30 degrees relative to the centerplane of the tire extending in alternation to turnaround points at each lateral edge, wherein the strip of cords is formed from two different cords made of different materials.