Abstract: A process for producing a rubber compound for tires, where the ingredients of the rubber compound include: a polymer base containing an unsaturated chain which can be crosslinked with sulphur-based systems; at least one silica-based reinforcing filler; a silica-binding agent including a silane containing at least one sulphur atom; and a vulcanizing system. The process includes the steps of feeding the polymer base, the silica-based reinforcing filler, and the silica-binding agent ingredients continuously into a path for mixing and advancing an ingredient blend, wherein the mixing and advancing of the blend take place together. The path includes an initial stretch, an intermediate stretch, and a final stretch; each stretch defined between respective inlet and outlet sections.

Abstract: A tire (1) for motor-vehicle wheels comprises a tread band (10) and a belt structure (6), the tread band being molded with a raised pattern having a circumferential groove (11). In the absence of load and inflating pressure, the tire is characterized in that the belt structure in a cross-section of the tire has an axial profile comprising three distinct portions, first (14) and second (15) side portions and one central portion (16) interposed between the side portions. The side portions are concave at a radially internal position, in which the concavity is defined for each portion by a respective center and a respective radius of curvature. The central portion is concave at a radially external position where the concavity center of the central portion lies in the center line plane of the circumferential groove, in which the depth of the radially external concavity is canceled under the effect of the normal inflating pressure of the tire.

Abstract: A vulcanizable rubber composition is described comprising a cross-linkable unsaturated chain polymeric base, wherein is incorporated at least one organic compound, solid at room temperature, selected from the group comprising: amorphous or semicrystalline polymers, oligomers, low-molecular weight organic substances and mixtures thereof, which compound is substantially insoluble in the polymeric base and shows a first or second order transition temperature of from 80 to 160° C. Such rubber composition allows the manufacture of treads with either a low rolling resistance at the temperature of normal use of the tire (40°-70° C.), or a high grip when the tread is subjected to thermal stresses exceeding such temperatures.

Abstract: In a tire for motor-vehicles, an auxiliary support element (9) is interposed between a carcass ply (3) and a belt structure (6). The support element is employed during the manufacturing step of the belt structure (6) in order to stably retain, on the sectors of a comb drum (10), coils (7a) consecutively formed by winding of an inextensible cord (7) therearound. The auxiliary support element (9) is made in the form of an elastomeric sheet containing short aramid fibers in an amount included between 1 and 10 parts by weight per 100 parts of elastomeric material, to increase the stretchability of said element without impairing its adhesiveness. The introduction of the short aramid fibers in the blend enables the thickness of the auxiliary support element (9) to be reduced to about 0.075 mm.

Abstract: Process for the manufacture of a reinforcing fabric for articles made from rubber, such as pneumatic tires, conveyor belts, flexible tubes, and similar, comprising a plurality of metal cords orientated parallel to each other in a single direction and in which each cord comprises metal wires wound spirally around each other, wherein at least one of the wires of the cord consists of a shape memory material.

Abstract: A vulcanizable rubber composition for treads of vehicle tires, comprises:

Abstract: Reinforcing fabric for articles made from elastomeric material, particularly for pneumatic tires, comprising a plurality of filamentary elements having at least tensile strength, parallel and adjacent to each other in a plane, lying in a predetermined direction. The reinforcing elements, preferably cords, are incorporated in an elastomeric material and constitute at most the 40% of the volume of the fabric.

Abstract: A metal cord for reinforcing articles made from elastomeric material comprises a plurality of metal wires wound spirally around each other. At least one of the metal wires is formed from a shape memory material, has capacities of recovering a previously memorized shape, and is deformed from the memorized shape. The shape memory wire of the cord has the recovery capacities substantially active in a first heat cycle and degraded to at least a significant predetermined extent after the first heat cycle. One or more such metal cords may be incorporated in pneumatic tires, reinforcing fabric, and other articles, including by means of processes described herein.

Abstract: A tire tread band for medium/heavy duty motor-vehicles having circumferential grooves confining three pairs of respectively center, intermediate and shoulder ribs. Respective tread blocks are defined along the center and intermediate ribs and they are confined by transverse cuts. The center cuts impart a cusp-shaped end conformation and a hollow-shaped end conformation to the respective blocks, and the shapes of said end portions mutually match. The intermediate cuts run in the linear extension of the center cuts to give the respective blocks a rhomboidal configuration. The tire can be alternately associated with a driving axle or a driven axle, by merely reversing its direction of rotation, so that the following results are selectively achieved: an increase in the traction capability by the intermediate blocks or an increase in the directional capability as a result of the mutual wedging between the center blocks at the ground-contacting area.

Abstract: The described tread band (1) has laterally opposite transverse channels (6), each having a substantially rectilinear end stretch (6a) extending with an appropriate inclination from a respective outer side edge (1a), a connecting stretch (6c) of curvilinear extension and an inner end stretch (6b) terminating beyond the equatorial plane (X) and having a slightly inclined orientation relative the latter. The connecting stretch (6c) of each transverse channel (6) opens into the connecting stretch of a laterally opposite transverse channel, to define a transverse groove (3) of undulated extension. Also provided are two longitudinal grooves (2) consisting of substantially rectilinear stretches (2a) each extending between two transverse grooves (3) in a direction inclined to the equatorial plane (X). L-shaped auxiliary channels (8) are interposed in an alternate sequence relative to the transverse channels (6) defining grooves (3).

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of tire for high speed two-wheeled vehicles comprising making a cylindrical sleeve, attaching annular bead wires to the axial ends of said sleeve and shaping the sleeve into a toroidal configuration. A belt structure made of coils of cords is applied to the crown of said toroidal configuration. The belt is reinforced with HE cords which can be deformed to enable the tire carcass to be so largely expanded into the mold to achieve completely molding of a tread band.

Abstract: A tread pattern for motor vehicle winter tires having transverse grooves symmetrically converging toward an equatorial plane "X" of the tire. A pair of circumferential grooves (3) respectively defined by oblique stretches (3a) have an orientation converging toward the equatorial plane "X", in a direction opposite to the rolling direction "D" according to which the transverse grooves (2) converge. Grip hollows (6) of increasing width in a direction opposite to the rolling direction, are formed astride of each transverse groove (2), at two contiguous center blocks (4). A central separation cut (7) between the center blocks (4) defines therein separation walls (7a) arranged to come into mutual contact when in the ground contacting area.

Abstract: In a tire for motor-vehicles, an auxiliary support element (9) is interposed between a carcass ply (3) and a belt structure (6). The support element is employed during the manufacturing step of the belt structure (6) in order to stably retain, on the sectors of a comb drum (10), coils (7a) consecutively formed by winding of an inextensible cord (7) therearound. The auxiliary support element (9) is made in the form of an elastomeric sheet containing short aramid fibers in an amount included between 1 and 10 parts by weight per 100 parts of elastomeric material, to increase the stretchability of said element without impairing its adhesiveness. The introduction of the short aramid fibers in the blend enables the thickness of the auxiliary support element (9) to be reduced to about 0.075 mm.

Abstract: A pair of high-transverse-curvature tires for two-wheeled vehicles is provided, in which the belt structure of the rear tire comprises a layer of inextensible cords disposed at a substantially zero angle with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire, preferably wound on a sheet of elastomeric material reinforced with aramid pulp, whereas the belt structure of the front tire comprises at least one radially outer layer of inextensible cords disposed at a substantially zero angle with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire and distributed with an axially variable density, and preferably another reinforcing layer at a radially underlying position. The zero-degree cords preferably are metallic cords of the high-elongation type, made of high-carbon steel.

Abstract: A tread for motor-vehicle tires has a raised pattern formed of a plurality of shaped blocks 7 distributed in circumferential rows 3, 4, 5, 6 disposed in parallel and in side by side relation. The number of the shaped blocks 7 arranged in each row gradually increases while moving from the equatorial plane X--X to the axial outer side edges 1a of the tread 1. Thus a gradual increase in the longitudinal stiffness of the shaped blocks 7 is achieved on passing from the side edges 1a of the tread 1 to the equatorial plane X--X, which brings about a reduction in the mobility of said blocks on the road contact patch and lower rolling noise.

Abstract: In a vulcanization mold (2) for vehicle tires the rubber blend deposits are cleaned off by the action of one or more laser beams (9) supplied in the form of short-duration and high-energy pulses, which beams cause separation of the rubber blend by effect of the shock wave generated by them and hitting the operating surfaces of the mold (2). Each laser beam (9) is guided by a scanning unit (21a, 21b) mounted on a rotating column (16) for distributing the beam action over the whole circumferential extension of the mold.

Abstract: In a process for producing a vulcanizable rubber composition containing silica and having a low content of carbon black, at least a silica-based reinforcing filler and ad least a silane-based coupling agent are added to and intimately mixed with other ingredients of the composition in subsequent steps, at a temperature of from 165.degree. and 180.degree. C. and between 1100 and 160.degree. C. respectively. The rubber composition so obtained has an improved silica dispersion, constant physico-mechanical characteristics and a better drawability and is particularly suitable for the manufacture of treads for tires with low rolling resistance.

Abstract: A tire for motor vehicles includes a belt structure (3) which has consecutively overlapped first and second belt strips (5, 6) and a pair of side straps (7) overlying the second belt strip (6) adjacent to the side edges (6a) of the second belt strip. Each side strip (7) is made up of at least one cord circumferentially wound in a plurality of coils to form two radially superposed layers of coils disposed in axial side by side relation. The first belt strip (5), located adjacent to the carcass structure (2), substantially has the same width as the tread band (4), and laterally projects from the second belt strip (6) radially overlapped therewith. The second belt strip (6) has side flaps (6b) projecting from the side straps (7) and spaced apart from the first belt strip (5) by a spacing which progressively grows with distance away from the outer edges (7a) of the side straps themselves.

Abstract: A tire for a vehicle, that is representable by a dynamic rigid-ring tire model with concentrated parameters, has construction features that are substantially equivalent to concentrated parameters that fall within the following intervals corresponding to preselected indices of comfort:rb=100-300 (Ns/m)rbt=2-40 (Nms/rad)rcz=100-350 (Ns/m)rct=10-90 (Nms/rad)Ckx=18,000-70,000 (N),where rb is a radial foundation dampening of said dynamic tire model; rbt is a torsional foundation dampening of said dynamic tire model; rcz is a residual radial dampening of said dynamic tire model; rct is a residual torsional dampening of said dynamic tire model; and Ckx is a slipping stiffness of a brush model of said tread.