Abstract: The present invention includes methods and apparatus for controlling the abrasion of a tire surface. Particular embodiments provide an abrading tool for abrading a surface of a tire, the tool comprising means for rotating an abrading wheel, an abrading wheel rotatably attached to the means for rotating, and a depth guide secured to the means for rotating, wherein the depth guide includes a pair of freely rotatable, spaced apart guide wheels. Further embodiments include a depth guide configured for use with an abrading tool which includes a abrading wheel and a means for rotating the abrading wheel, the depth guide comprising a mounting member securable to the means for rotating and a pair of freely rotatable, spaced apart guide wheels rotatably attached to the mounting member. Particular embodiments further include a method for preparing a portion of a tire for repair.

Abstract: A sulphur-containing and sulphonated 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 is a functionalized polymer that has a structure corresponding to a formula (I): E1-Ar1—X1—(CF2)n—X2—Ar2-E2??(I) in which: n is in a range from 1 to 20; X1 and X2, which are identical or different, represent S, SO, or SO2; Ar1, Ar2, which are identical or different, represent a phenylene group, at least one of Ar1 and Ar2 bearing a sulphonic (—SO3H) group or a sulphonate (—SO3M) group, in which M represents an alkali metal cation; and E1 and E2, which are identical or different, represent an electrophilic group such as a halogen, specifically fluorine or chlorine.

Abstract: A tire made of rubbery material comprising a sidewall and a pattern formed on this sidewall. This pattern comprises a plurality of openings and intermediate zones separating these openings. In order for the pattern to contrast with the sidewall, the openings occupy at least 60% of the pattern, these openings being distributed through the pattern at a density at least equal to five openings per square millimetre (mm2), these openings having equivalent diameters of between 0.03 mm and 0.5 mm. A mold element for making the openings and and method of making the pattern using a laser.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire tread that maintains a good level of water drainage performance up to the final stage of wear of a tread part formed with a plurality of flexible fences which are disposed inside at least one main groove extending from the bottom surface of the main groove and obstructing at least 70% of the cross-sectional area of the main groove, the flexible fences comprising an inside portion having a connecting part which is connected to the main groove, and an outside portion which is radially outside a predetermined height D1 from the bottom surface of the main groove, and the average angle of inclination of the inside portion with respect to a line perpendicular to the surface of the tread part in contact with the road surface is greater than the average angle of inclination of the outside portion.

Abstract: A system and related method for improving tire uniformity includes providing a number (n) of test tires manufactured in a known order and identifying at least one candidate cyclic process effect with a corresponding frequency of introduction (f). A given uniformity parameter, such as radial or lateral run-out, balance, mass variation, radial lateral or tangential force variation, is measured for each tire in the test set, and measured data points are combined into a concatenated composite waveform. At least one process harmonic associated with each identified cyclic process effect is separated from the tire harmonics, for example, by Fourier transformation with identification of the process harmonics as positive integer multiples of the mth harmonic of the measured uniformity parameter where m=n/f. Once the process harmonics are extracted, filtered uniformity measurements can be provided or new tires can be built with the process effect minimized.

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 positive-displacement pump (10) includes a pump body (12) delimiting a rubber pressurizing chamber (14), and a feeder (16) for feeding the chamber (14) with rubber. The feeder (16) includes a worm (42) able to rotate about a main axis (X) with respect to the pump body (12) and an absorption body (50) that absorbs pressure in the pressurizing chamber (14) and is axially secured to the worm (42). The absorption body (50) is distinct from the worm (42), and has a surface (54) delimiting the pressurizing chamber (14) and arranged axially in line with the worm (42).

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: Method for cutting to length a strip formed of preassembled products comprising one or more rubber profiled elements superposed in part on a reinforcing ply made up of threads coated in rubber and making an angle (a) with the longitudinal direction of the strip, during which method the following steps are performed: a cutting means is run between two threads of the reinforcing ply, the discrepancy between the actual cutting line (A?B?C?) and a theoretical cutting line (ABC) is measured, and the point of intersection of the actual cutting line (B?) with a reference longitudinal line (XX?) placed on the strip is determined, the actual cutting line (B?C?) of that part of the rubber profiled elements that are not superposed with the reinforcing ply is longitudinally offset (Z) with respect to the theoretical cutting line (BC) so that the said actual cutting line (B?C?) meets the reference longitudinal line (XX?) at the point of intersection (B?) of the actual cutting line of the reinforcing ply (A?B?) with the

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method that allows the automatic and hands-free threading of a calender set of rolls comprising one or more pairs of rolls that have a nip between them by preventing the skim from sticking to a roll undesirably as it exits the nip. This is particularly useful during startup or when the continuous running of skim through the calender is interrupted or broken. This method also comprises steps that help prevent the interruption of the calendering process including the breaking of the skim being processed. The steps for startup include running the rolls to which the elastomeric mix is desired to stick at slower speeds than other rolls. The steps for maintaining continuous running of the calender after startup include running the rolls to which the elastomeric mix is desired to stick at faster speeds than other rolls.

Abstract: A tyre, which is designed to be able to run flat, includes a carcass reinforcement. The carcass reinforcement includes at least one reinforcing element. Each reinforcing element includes at least one multifilament plied strand made of aramid and at least one multifilament plied strand made of polyester. The at least one multifilament plied strand made of aramid and the at least one multifilament plied strand made of polyester are twisted together.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire tread having a reinforcing part on front surface side walls of a block to improve performance on ice while improving performance on snow, and a pneumatic tire having such a tread, wherein the difference G between a distance Rt measured from the tire axis of rotation to the outermost side of the upper surface of the block and a distance Re measured from the tire axis of rotation to two front surface edges is between 0.2 mm and 2.0 mm in a new article, the distance from the axis of rotation to any point in the region of the block upper surface excluding the front surface edge is greater than Re, and the distance between the portion at the outermost side of the reinforcing part measured in the radial direction and the front surface edge is no greater than 2.0 mm.

Abstract: Methods for producing a rubber composition for a tire component that include preparing a methylene acceptor block by mixing a first highly unsaturated diene elastomer with a methylene acceptor. This mixture is then cooled and may then be used or may be stored for later use in producing a rubber composition. Such methods may further include mixing a non- productive mix, the non-productive mix comprising a second highly unsaturated diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler and the methylene acceptor block. The methylene acceptor block itself comprises no or essentially no reinforcing filler. To prepare for the addition of the vulcanization agent, such methods, include cooling the non-productive mix and then mixing a vulcanizing agent and a methylene donor into the cooled non-productive mix to produce a productive mix.

Abstract: Device intended for extracting weft threads (T) arranged transversely in a straight grain reinforcing ply (F) comprising a hook capable of gripping a weft thread (T) by performing an alternating movement between a high position and a low position, characterized in that the hook engages with a disengageable anvil capable of moving along the path (XX?) of the hook so that when the device is in operation, the anvil is engaged in contact with the hook during all or part of the descending movement of said hook, forming a clamp capable of holding a section of weft between the hook and the anvil the anvil is disengaged from contact with said hook during the remainder of the travel of the hook, so as to enable the hook to engage a weft thread (T) and to release a section of weft (T).

Abstract: A tire is disclosed that includes at least one annular bead wire forming a body of revolution about a reference axis. A carcass ply of generally toroidal shape about the same axis as the bead wire has a portion that is folded around the wire. A materials interface is defined at least in part by the junction between a rubber first mass and a second mass that includes an electronic member. By way of example, the electronic member is a passive radiofrequency identification transponder. The interface extends from a free edge of the folded portion of the carcass ply radially away from the reference axis to a circumferential junction line between the interface and the carcass ply.

Abstract: A method for processing an image of a surface of a tire under inspection is described. A three-dimensional digital image of the surface is captured and, for each point of the captured image, a grey-level value corresponding to an elevation is assigned to the point. Utilizing a first morphological operator that uses a rectangular key element, a closure-type first transformation of the image of the surface is carried out. Utilizing a second morphological operator that uses a rectangular key element, an opening-type second transformation of the surface is carried out. For each point of the image, a grey-level value equal to a minimum value between a grey-level value at that point obtained in a preceding step and a grey-level value at that point is assigned, so as to eliminate false measurement points.

Abstract: A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement, comprised of at least one layer of metal reinforcing elements, said tire comprising a crown reinforcement, which is itself covered radially with a tread, said tread being joined to two beads via two sidewalls. The metal reinforcing elements of at least one layer of the carcass reinforcement are non-hooped cords having, in the permeability test, a flow rate of less than 20 cm3/min and at least one layer of the carcass reinforcement being provided on at least one side with textile threads oriented mainly along a direction parallel to that of the metal reinforcing elements of said at least one carcass reinforcement layer, said textile threads being corrugated about this main direction.