Abstract: A method of estimating the available grip margin of a tire of a vehicle rolling on a ground involves: estimating a quantity Rslip ca, i.e., the ratio of the slip contact area and the total contact area of the tire on the ground; determining, in a signal processing unit, the grip potential used P?,used and/or the available grip margin of the tire P?,avail from the quantity and pre-established data corresponding to the type of the tire, where P?,avail=1?P?,used; and recording in a memory the grip potential used and/or the available grip margin of the tire.

Abstract: A crosslinkable or crosslinked rubber composition is described which includes a diene elastomer having a mass content of cyclic vinyl units of greater than 15%, and which may be used to form a tire tread. Also described is a tire tread and a tire incorporating the tread. The composition contains a linear or branched diene elastomer derived from at least one conjugated diene, and a reinforcing filler. The elastomer has cyclic vinyl units according to a mass content of greater than or equal to 15% and a number-average molecular weight of from 30,000 to 350,000 g/mol. The elastomer may be obtained by anionic polymerization of one or more monomers including a conjugated diene in an inert hydrocarbon solvent with a catalytic system including an organolithium initiator and a polar agent with several heteroatoms. The reaction may be performed batchwise where the polar agent:initiator molar ratio is greater than 8, or continuously where the polar agent:initiator molar ratio is greater than or equal to 3.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a linear or branched diene elastomer having cyclic vinyl units. A linear diene elastomer according to the invention results from at least one conjugated diene and it comprises cyclic vinyl units in a mass content of greater than or equal to 15% while having a number-average molecular weight falling within a range of from 10,000 to 300,000 g/mol.

Abstract: The present subject matter discloses devices, systems, and methodologies for harvesting power from environmentally induced vibrations. Piezoelectric devices (24) and structures are disclosed that may be employed in combination with electro-magnetic (100) or capacitive (92, 94) elements to enhance the power harvesting capabilities of the piezoelectric devices (24). The electromagnetic (100) and capacitive (92, 94) elements may be used to assist in maintaining system mechanical resonance in order to maximize energy harvesting capabilities. Power harvesting devices and systems in accordance with the subject technology may concurrently operate as sensors in motion sensitive applications thus providing self-powered monitoring capabilities.

Abstract: A tyre for a vehicle wheel comprising two sidewalls, a tread, beads, the sidewall intended to be positioned on the interior side of the vehicle being shorter than that intended to be positioned on the exterior side of the vehicle, a reinforcement structure extending between the beads and maintained in said beads by anchoring zones, each of the beads comprising a specific and distinct arrangement of the anchoring zone thereof, such that the anchoring zone of the bead intended to be positioned on the exterior side of the vehicle exhibits a greater anchoring capacity than the anchoring zone of the bead intended to be on the interior side of the vehicle. The internal and external anchoring zones are thus arranged in such a manner as to produce, in operation, a rim clamping load which is substantially identical on each side.

Abstract: Inner tube for an inflatable assembly consisting of a tire and of a rim, the said chamber consisting of material of the foam type, characterized in that the said chamber has a length Lc of the normal section of the inner tube greater than the length Lpi of the internal cross section of the corresponding tire mounted on its rim and that in contact with the internal air. This then yields the relationship Lc>Lpi and, in an alternative form, Lc=Lpi.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for balancing a tire during a retreading operation includes measuring the radial runout the buffed tire casing and applying the gum layer and tread strip to compensate for variances in runout. The gum layer is applied so that an overlap or smear is formed at the relative low portion of the casing. The tread strip is applied with the joint at the same low portion in cases where the low portion has a relatively large variance, or at another location if the variance is small or other low portions exist. In addition, the thickness of the gum layer and tread strip may be controlled for further compensation of the runout variance.

Abstract: A shut-down procedure for an electricity delivery system comprising a fuel cell, the cell being fed with pure oxygen as oxidant and delivering an electrical voltage to an electrical power line. The electricity delivery system comprises a fuel gas circuit on the anode side, and a pure oxygen circuit on the cathode side. The shut-down procedure comprises the steps of an initial step during which the oxygen gas feed is interrupted, and an electrical consumption phase during which a hold current is drawn from the fuel cell until the pressure in the oxygen circuit reaches the water vapour pressure.

Abstract: Control of running conditions, and particularly physical parameters of tires are recommended to increase automobile safety. A sensor according to the invention is used to determine various factors such as the temperature or pressure of tires. The sensor is a hybrid resonant passive structure that may be integrated in the vehicle ground connection, and particularly in the rubber of the tire when it is manufactured.

Abstract: A tire includes a radial carcass reinforcement surmounted radially by a crown reinforcement including a working reinforcement having two working crown plies of calendered inextensible metallic reinforcement elements and rubber mix. The reinforcement elements are parallel to each other within each ply and are crossed from one ply to the next, forming with the circumferential direction respective angles ?1 and ?2 of between 10° and 45°. The working crown plies have respective axial widths L1 and L2. The tire also includes a protective ply of metallic reinforcement elements with an axial width L3 such that L2<L3, L2 being the width of the working ply adjacent to the protective ply. A layer of cohesive rubber mix GB is arranged radially internal to the working reinforcement such that the axially outer end of the layer GB is at a distance from the equatorial plane greater than L1/2.

Abstract: Support element designed to be fitted to a rim inside a vehicle tire, for supporting the tread of this tire in the event of loss of inflation pressure, including a base, a cover and an annular body in which each supporting partition of the annular body is in the form of an oblique parallelepiped with two circumferentially oriented outer faces arranged on either side of said support element and two faces inclined relative to the circumferential direction by an angle ?, two adjacent supporting partitions form a V-shaped pattern, and, at the base of the V, two adjacent supporting partitions are separated by a narrow axial slit extending radially through the whole of the annular body.

Abstract: Insert for supporting the tread of a tire and intended to be positioned around the bearing surface of a wheel and including a housing for an electronic module opening radially internally relative to the insert, characterized in that the insert comprises a support part intended to bear the load of the tire under runflat conditions, and an axially adjacent locking part intended to lock one of the beads of the tire onto its wheel seat and in that the housing is positioned in the bead locking part.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preventing rotatory slippage between a tire and wheel assembly, wherein said method comprises: determining a zone of a bead surface having a substantially non-evolutionary surface contact pressure between a bead surface and a rim surface; increasing said surface contact pressure between said bead surface and said rim surface in said determined zone. The invention also includes tires and tire and wheel assemblies that are obtained by the method.

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 system for estimating the maximal grip coefficient ? in the contact area of a tire on a road. A tire tread is fitted with at least one tread sensor for measuring at least the tangential stresses which the tread experiences locally when the tire rolls on the ground. a signal processing unit and means for transmitting to the processing unit at least one signal delivered by the tread sensor are provided. The processing unit comprises means for finding in the signal the values corresponding to the sensor passing through the contact area of the tire on the ground, means for calculating an instantaneous value of a preselected criterion as a function of a series of values chosen from those relating to the sensor passing through the contact area, and means for extracting an estimate of the maximal grip coefficient ? by using the said instantaneous value.

Abstract: An effort transmitted between a vehicle wheel and a wheel support is determined by mounting a tire/wheel assembly for rotation on a wheel support having a dynamic hub rigidly connected on a fixed frame such that the only degree of freedom of the assembly is rotation about the hub axis. The tire is pressed against an excitation device and the resulting fixed support effort transmitted between the wheel and the wheel support is measured. On the basis of the measured fixed support effort, there is calculated a suspended support effort which would be transmitted between the wheel and a wheel support having a degree of freedom of suspension in at least one direction (X, Y, Z) in relation to the excitation device.

Abstract: Device for manufacturing a reinforcement from a thread laid directly in its final position by spraying lengths of the thread onto a receiving surface. The thread lengths are delivered from a conduit to a guide as the conduit rotates about an axis. The guide includes deflectors forming therebetween a slot having a thread inlet orifice and a thread spray (discharge) orifice spaced apart along the guide's height. The separation between the deflectors narrows toward the spray orifice, wherein the deflectors form therebetween an angle in the range of 3° and 7° when measured at any point along the height of the slot.