Abstract: A pneumatic tire with a built-in self-sealing layer is described. The tire includes an outer rubbery tread, a carcass reinforcement, a gastight layer located at an inside position relative to the carcass reinforcement, a protective layer positioned innermost, and a self-sealing layer adjacent to the protective layer and located at an inside position relative to the gastight layer. The protective layer is a chlorinated thermoplastic polymer film.

Abstract: Method for preparing a silica/natural rubber masterbatch, including: doping the silica with magnesium; preparing at least one dispersion of the resulting doped silica in water; bringing a natural rubber field latex into contact with the aqueous doped-silica dispersion and mixing them together so as to obtain a coagulum; recovering the coagulum; and drying the recovered coagulum so as to obtain the masterbatch.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber composition based on at least one diene elastomer, a reinforcing filler including at least carbon black, having a specific surface area CTAB greater than or equal to 130 m2/g, a plasticizing hydrocarbon resin, the vitreous transition temperature of which, Tg, is greater than 20° C. and the softening point of which is less than 170° C., and a cross linking system, the dispersion of the filler in the elastomeric matrix having a Z score greater than or equal to 70.

Abstract: In a method of fast analysis of relief elements featuring on an inner surface of a tyre, a three-dimensional image of the surface is captured, and each pixel of the image is assigned a greyscale value proportional to a topographical elevation of a point corresponding to the pixel, so as to obtain a starting image. The image is transformed into an orthogonal reference frame (OXY) in which an abscissa axis (OX) represents circumferential values and an ordinate axis (OY) represents radial values. Each point of the surface, i.e., each pixel, is assigned an altitude gradient value (f(p)) by comparing an elevation of the point with an elevation of a discrete and reduced number of points arranged on a straight line passing through a pixel being considered (p) and oriented in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for preventing output of an input signal is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a signal control unit comprising a signal buffering unit having an input and an output, the signal buffering unit arranged to receive an input signal and pass the input signal to the output when the signal buffering unit is powered, wherein a negative power supply terminal of the signal buffering unit is arranged to be supplied by a first power source having a voltage. The signal control unit also comprises a boost circuit arranged to boost the voltage of the first power source to a boosted voltage higher than the voltage of the first power source and supply either the voltage of the first power source or the boosted voltage to a positive power supply terminal of the signal buffering unit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus for constraining a tread in a desired arrangement about a tire carcass during retreading operations. Such methods include the steps of providing a annular tire carcass configured for receiving a tread. Such methods also include the step of arranging a tread annularly about the precured tire carcass in a desired position to form an assembled retreaded tire. Such methods further include the step of arranging a retread curing membrane about an outer side of the tread, the curing membrane including an interior surface arranged to engage the outer side of the tread and including one or more protrusions extending from the membrane interior surface and into a void of the outer side of the tread. In other embodiments, a separate insert containing protrusions is arranged between a curing membrane and a tire tread for retread curing operations.

Abstract: A retread tire and methods for its manufacture, the retread tire having a precured tread band bonded to a prepared bonding surface of a base portion of the tire. The precured tread band includes a back face bonded to the prepared bonding surface of the base portion of the tire and a tread groove bottom portion that extends below the back face of the tread band. The tread groove bottom portion may optionally include a void portion of the tread groove and may include the bottom wall of the tread groove and/or just the side walls of the bottom portion of the tread groove. Also included may be a base groove formed in the base portion of the tire and open to the prepared bonding surface of the tire, wherein the tread groove bottom of the tread groove is embedded within the base groove.

Abstract: A circuit for an electrical load comprises a passive transformer, the secondary of which is connected to power cells for each phase according to the transformer tappings. Each power cell comprises a low cost but efficient power factor correction circuit to produce lower harmonics on the transformer.

Abstract: Preparation of a masterbatch of diene elastomer and silica including preparing at least one silica dispersion in water; bringing into contact and mixing an elastomer latex and the aqueous silica dispersion in the presence of a metal salt having an at least divalent metal element, in order to obtain a coagulum; and recovering the coagulum and drying same in order to obtain the masterbatch. The metal cation molar ration, defined as the number of moles of metal cations of the metal salt per BET unit area of the silica, is between 9.375*10?7 and 1.875*10?5 mol/m2.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tyre (10) for a road vehicle, which has a predetermined direction of rotation and comprises fins (16) for modifying the drag and/or lift of the vehicle, arranged on a sidewall (12) of the tyre, forming an angle (?) in a projection plane perpendicular to the axis of the tyre, (?) belonging to the domain [?3?/8, ??/12] or [0, +3?/8]. Each fin (16) extends within a range ]Dm, DM[ of distances from the axis (X) of the tyre, the height of the fin varying continuously as a function of the distance from the axis of revolution (X) of the tyre, while every point of maximum height of the fin is at a distance from the axis (X) of the tyre which is less than or equal to Dm+0.40(DM?Dm).

Abstract: Particular embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus for deforming a tire sidewall. Such methods include the step of providing a tire having at least one sidewall connected to a corresponding bead. A further step includes constraining at least one of the sidewall and bead from moving laterally toward the other. Yet another step of such methods includes engaging the sidewall with an inclined member. Another step of such methods includes moving at lest one of the sidewall and bead in a lateral direction away from the other until the sidewall is laterally deformed into a laterally deformed configuration.

Abstract: A screw actuated press unit for mounting parts with press fit includes a casing, an actuating screw rotationally journalled in the casing and coupled to a rotation motor, a nut assembly cooperating with the actuating screw, a thrust rod rigidly connected to the nut assembly and extending out of the casing for connection to a work piece, and a locking device effective to rotationally lock the nut assembly to the casing at rotation of the actuation screw, wherein the lock device includes at least three roller studs mounted on and radially extending from the nut assembly and arranged to guidingly cooperate with two parallel guide rails at the edges of an axially extending slot in the casing . The roller studs are spring biased in opposite directions in contact with the guide rails so as to eliminate rotational play between the nut assembly and the casing.

Abstract: Preparation of a masterbatch of diene elastomer and silica including preparing at least one silica dispersion in water; bringing into contact and mixing an elastomer latex and the aqueous silica dispersion in the presence of a metal salt in order to obtain a coagulum; and recovering the coagulum and drying the recovered coagulum in order to obtain the masterbatch. The molar content of zinc cations, defined as the number of moles of zinc cations of the zinc salt per BET unit area of the silica, is between 1.19*10?6 and 5.62*10?6 mol/m2.

Abstract: Tire tread comprising a plurality of elements forming relief, each element comprising a contact face, a plurality of elements of the tread being provided with at least one incision, this incision opening onto the contact face in order to form second edges parallel with one another and with an average orientation at most equal to 45° with the direction of the axis of rotation of the tire provided with this tread, each incision also opening onto two lateral surfaces of the element so as to form strips having a length L and a width d, this width d being less than the length L, each strip comprising at least one cavity entirely contained in the strip and of which the largest dimension is oriented so as to be in the direction of the length of the strip inside which it is formed, each cavity having a length Lc, measured along its largest dimension, which is between 10% and 90% of the length L of the strip, the total of the lengths Lc of all the cavities of one and the same strip being more than 10% of the length L

Abstract: A pneumatic impulse wrench for tightening screw joints includes a housing with a pressure air inlet passage, an exhaust air outlet passage, a rotation motor, a hydraulic impulse generator, and is connected to a stationary programmable control unit. The impulse wrench also includes a torque indicating mechanism connected to the control unit for feeding back electric signals responsive to the output torque of the wrench, an electromagnetically activated inlet valve arranged in the air inlet passage, and an electromagnetically activated exhaust valve which controls the exhaust air flow from the motor. The exhaust valve is a proportional valve activated by a linearly operated electromagnetic actuator and arranged to continuously adapt the exhaust air flow and, hence, the motor power to the characteristics of the actual screw joint being tightened in response to feed back signals from the torque indicating mechanism and in accordance with a programmed tightening strategy.

Abstract: Methods, computer programs, and apparatus for applying a layer of cushion gum to a tire casing in preparation for the retreading of the tire casing, the steps of the methods including selecting one of a plurality recipes for applying cushion gum based on one of a size, model and shape of the tire casing; pressurizing the tire casing to a predetermined pressure based on the recipe; crushing the tire casing by an extruder head a predetermined percentage of the tire casing radius or a predetermined distance, the predetermined percentage based on the recipe; and extruding the cushion gum from the extruder head. The extruder head may be translatable by way of a screw drive.

Abstract: A ground fault detection circuit comprising a fuse and a fuse detect circuit. The fuse and the fuse detect circuit are arranged to be coupled in parallel between a reference point and a second point of a monitored circuit for which ground faults are to be detected. The fuse detect circuit is further arranged to detect a fuse break indicative of a ground fault condition and disable at least a portion of the monitored circuit.