Abstract: One or more embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for forming a continuous strip of a first compound that is encapsulated by a second compound. The apparatus allows the mixture ratio of the first compound to the second compound to vary. The first compound may be a sealant, and the second compound may be a rubber.

Abstract: A system is provided for estimating a tread depth of a tire supporting a vehicle. The tire includes a pair of sidewalls extending to a tread. The system includes a sensor unit, which includes a time of flight sensor. The sensor includes an emitter that emits a first pulse to an outer surface of the tread and a lens that captures the reflected first pulse. A processor measures a time from emission to capture of the first pulse, and calculates a tread surface distance from the time. The emitter emits a second pulse to a base of a tread groove and the lens captures the reflected second pulse. The processor measures a time from emission to capture of the second pulse, and calculates a reference distance from the time. The processor determines a depth of the tread from a difference between the tread surface distance and the reference distance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a footwear with a rubber sole where such sole is comprised of a rubber composition which contains zinc rosinate. The zinc rosin is provided to include zinc rosinate as a product formed in situ within the rubber composition of zinc oxide and freely added rosin acid. The footwear rubber sole is intended for ground engagement. In one embodiment, the rubber composition for the rubber sole further contains triglyceride vegetable oil. In one embodiment, the rubber composition for the rubber sole additionally contains a traction promoting resin.

Abstract: A tire includes a tread formed with tread elements that include a dual angled chamfer. The tire includes a pair of sidewalls extending radially outward to a ground-engaging tread. A plurality of circumferentially-extending grooves extend about the tread and define a plurality of ribs. A plurality of laterally-extending grooves cooperate with the circumferential grooves to divide the ribs into tread elements. A plurality of selected tread elements are formed with a dual angled chamfer. Each of the selected tread elements includes a body, a radially outer, ground-engaging surface, a chamfer side, and a dual angled chamfer that is formed in the body between the ground-engaging surface and the chamfer side.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making an asymmetric polysulfide, comprising the step of simultaneously reacting an olefinically unsaturated compound, elemental sulfur, and a thiol in the presence of a catalytic amount of a base to produce the asymmetric polysulfide.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a vulcanizable rubber composition, the vulcanization rubber composition comprising: 1) 100 parts by weight of elastomer consisting of 25 to 35 phr of a styrene-butadiene rubber, 25 to 35 phr of a polybutadiene, and 35 to 45 phr of a natural rubber or synthetic polyisoprene, wherein the styrene-butadiene rubber is a functionalized solution polymerized styrene-butadiene elastomer having a glass transition temperature Tg(A) ranging from ?30 to ?10° C. and having at least one functional group; the natural rubber or synthetic polyisoprene has a Tg(B) ranging from ?60 to ?70° C.; and the polybutadiene is a cis 1,4 polybutadiene having a Tg(C) ranging from ?110 to ?90° C., wherein Tg(A)?Tg(B)?25° C., and Tg(B)?Tg(C)?25° C.; 2) 60 to 80 phr of a prehydrophobated silica; 3) 1 to 10 phr of carbon black; 4) 1 to 3 phr of rubber processing oil; and 5) 5 to 25 phr of at least one hydrocarbon resin having a Tg?20° C.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a tread comprising a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), (A) 100 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber having a glass transition temperature (Tg) ranging from ?85° C. to ?50° C.; (B) from 1 to 30 phr of a process oil; (C) from 20 to 80 phr of a hydrocarbon resin having a Tg of at least 30° C.; and (D) from 90 to 150 phr of silica.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel silane disulfide vegetable oils, a method of making the oils, their use in rubber compositions, and their use in tires.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a tread comprising a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), (A) from about 45 to about 100 phr of a low-cis polybutadiene having a vinyl-1,2 content ranging from 5 to 30 percent and a Tg ranging from ?95° C. to ?70° C.; (B) from about 0 to about 40 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber having a glass transition temperature (Tg) ranging from ?85° C. to ?50° C.; (C) from 0 to 30 phr of natural rubber or synthetic polyisoprene; (D) from 0 to 20 phr of a process oil; (E) from 55 to 80 phr of a resin having an aromatic hydrogen content ranging from 3 to 30 mole percent, the resin having a Tg greater than 30° C.; and (F) from 110 to 160 phr of silica.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel functionalized vegetable oils, a method of making the oils, their use in rubber compositions, and their use in tires.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire tread comprising a tread cap comprising at least one tread cap rubber compound, at least three circumferential grooves, wherein at least portions of the sidewalls and the bottom of each of said grooves are formed by a circumferential groove reinforcement, and wherein a first groove reinforcement of a groove laterally next to the equatorial plane of the tire comprises a first reinforcement rubber compound which has a higher hardness than the tread cap rubber compound, and wherein a second groove reinforcement of a groove with a larger lateral distance to the equatorial plane of the tire than the first groove, comprises a second reinforcement rubber compound which has a higher hardness than the tread cap rubber compound and a lower hardness than the second reinforcement rubber compound.