Abstract: A winter tire includes a tread portion provided with first inclined main grooves extending from a first tread edge near a tire equator, second inclined main grooves extending from a second tread edge near the tire equator, a first inner longitudinal groove connecting a pair of first inclined main grooves at the vicinity of the tire equator and a second inner longitudinal groove connecting a pair of second inclined main grooves at the vicinity of the tire equator. Each of the first inclined main grooves includes an axially first inner end portion extending along an axial direction of the tire to the second inner longitudinal groove, and each of the second inclined main grooves includes an axially second inner end portion extending along the axial direction of the tire to the first inner longitudinal groove.

Abstract: A method of making a glass sheet includes treating a refractory block material comprising at least one multivalent component with a vehicle comprising at least one redox altering component or precursor. The method also includes flowing molten glass over the refractory block material, wherein the treatment of the refractory block material with the vehicle comprising at least one redox altering component or precursor reduces the amount of oxygen production resulting from interaction between the at least one multivalent component and the molten glass.

Abstract: The pneumatic tire of this disclosure comprises on a tread surface a widthwise outermost land portion partitioned by an outermost circumferential main groove and a tread edge, wherein: the widthwise outermost land portion has a plurality of side sipes extending to a tread widthwise outer side in a manner spaced from each other in the tread circumferential direction; the widthwise outermost land portion has an inner circumferential sipe and an outer circumferential sipe, the inner circumferential sipe extending in the tread circumferential direction, the outer circumferential sipe being positioned on a tread widthwise side outer than the inner circumferential sipe and extending in the tread circumferential direction; and, when h1 is a groove depth of the outermost circumferential main groove, h2 is a sipe depth of the inner circumferential sipe, and h3 is a sipe depth of the outer circumferential sipe, h1, h2 and h3 satisfy: h1>h>h2.

Abstract: An optical fiber alignment device includes an image-capturing device capturing images of end surfaces of two optical fibers; an image-analyzing device obtaining position coordinates of two or more cores in the end surfaces from the image captured by the image-capturing device for each of the two optical fibers; a calculation device substituting the position coordinates of the cores obtained for each of the optical fibers in a theoretical equation that represents a total sum of axial deviation losses at the time of splicing the cores to each other, the calculation device obtaining a positional relationship between the end surfaces of the optical fibers from the theoretical equation such that the total sum of the axial deviation losses becomes a minimum; and a driving device arranging the optical fibers such that the end surfaces of the optical fibers satisfy the positional relationship obtained by the calculation device.

Abstract: A tire includes primary inclined grooves and auxiliary inclined grooves. Each primary inclined groove has a first gently inclined portion and a first steeply inclined portion. Each auxiliary inclined groove has a second gently inclined portion and a second steeply inclined portion. Each primary inclined groove does not communicate with a circumferential groove on the tire equator line side and extends beyond a tread edge outward in a tire width direction. Each auxiliary inclined groove does not communicate with the circumferential groove on the tire equator line side, and does not reach the tread edge but terminates on the tire equator line side.

Abstract: A method for producing, without a mold, a shaped glass article having a predefined geometry is provided. The method includes providing a starting glass, supporting the starting glass, heating a portion of the starting glass so that in the portion a predetermined spatial viscosity distribution of the starting glass is obtained from 109 to 104 dPa·s and so that at points where the starting glass is supported a predetermined spatial viscosity distribution of the starting glass does not fall below 1013 dPa·s, and deforming the heated starting glass by action of an external force until the predefined geometry of the glass article is obtained.

Abstract: A soda-lime-silica glass container and related methods of manufacturing. A black-strikable glass composition having a base glass portion and a latent colorant portion is prepared. The base glass portion includes soda-lime-silica glass materials and one or more blue colorant materials, and the latent colorant portion includes cuprous oxide (Cu2O), stannous oxide (SnO), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and carbon (C). Glass containers may be formed from the black-strikable glass composition, and these glass containers may be heated to a temperature greater than 600 degrees Celsius to strike black therein. The glass containers formed from the black-strikable glass composition may be inspected—before or after striking—by infrared inspection equipment.

Abstract: Optical preforms and methods for forming optical preforms are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for producing an optical preform includes compressing silica-based glass soot to form a porous optical preform comprising a soot compact. The porous optical preform is heated to a dwell temperature greater than or equal to 100° C. Thereafter, the porous optical preform is humidified at the dwell temperature in a water-containing atmosphere having a dew point greater than or equal to 30° C. to form a humidified porous optical preform. The soot compact portion of the humidified porous optical preform generally comprises greater than or equal to 0.5 wt. % water.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having at least one carcass reinforcement comprising reinforcers, surmounted radially on the outside by a crown reinforcement, itself radially on the inside of a tread, said crown reinforcement being made up of at least one layer of reinforcement elements, said tread being connected to two beads by way of two sidewalls, said beads being intended to come into contact with a rim flange having a rim flange top C, each bead having at least one circumferential reinforcement element, said carcass reinforcement comprising an end at each bead, the end of the carcass reinforcement being turned up once in an outward radial direction of the tire and about said bead wire, so as to form a turnup, then being folded in said radially inward direction so as to form a fold forming a radially external end and three adjacent parts along an axial axis made up of a central part, of an axially internal lateral part, and of an axially external lateral part.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a first shallow groove extending in a zigzag manner at the shoulder rib and second shallow grooves extending in the tire width direction and arranged at regular intervals in the tire circumferential direction at inner mediate ribs and center rib or ribs. A wall of each section divided by the second shallow grooves includes a central wall surface extending from one end on an interior widthwise of a center main groove to an other end on an exterior widthwise of the center main groove, a first wall surface extending from the one end of the central wall surface, and a second wall surface extending from the other end of the central wall surface. The first wall surfaces of the inner mediate ribs and the first wall surfaces of the center rib or ribs are mutually opposed across the center main groove.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fused cast refractory material based on aluminium oxide, zirconium dioxide and silicon dioxide, and a use of such a material.

Abstract: A glass molding apparatus includes at least one molding part including a molding cast configured to mold a glass, a transfer roller part including a plurality of transfer rollers below the molding part, the transfer rollers being arranged along a first direction, being configured to rotate in a first rotation direction to transfer the molding part along the first direction, and being configured to apply heat to the molding part, and a plurality of pressure parts configured to apply pressure to the molding part.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire (1) includes a tread portion (2) having at least one heat-dissipating recess portion (9). The recess portion (9) includes an opening edge (10) and an inner wall portion (11). The opening edge (10) includes a linear first edge (10a) and second edge (10b) opposite each other. The inner wall portion (11) includes a first wall surface (11a) extending from the first edge (10a) to a bottom portion (9a) at the deepest position of the recess portion (9), and a second wall surface (11b) extending from the second edge (10b) to the bottom portion (9a). An inclination angle ([theta]1) of the first wall surface (11a) with respect to a first normal (12a) to a contact surface passing the first edge (10a) is greater than an inclination angle ([theta]2) of a second wall surface (22b) with respect to a second normal (23b) to the contact surface passing the second edge (21b).

Abstract: A splicer and a method for fusion-splicing optical fibers are provided, in which the disconnection of a fusion spliced portion of optical fibers can be prevented when the windbreak cover is opened upon fusion splicing. A method for fusion-splicing optical fibers includes: holding optical fibers on optical fiber holders which are arranged on a pair of movable stages, respectively and covering the holders with a windbreak cover; and butting the optical fibers each other by bringing the pair of movable stages mutually closer; fusion-splicing the butted optical fibers together; and loosening, before opening the windbreak cover 4, the tension applied to optical fibers between the fiber holding parts and positions at which the windbreak cover contacts with the optical fibers.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a recess formed on a groove wall surface of a circumferential groove opposite to a widthwise groove. A wall surface defined by the recess includes an inclined surface inclined towards the widthwise groove from a tire radial direction outer side towards a tire radial direction inner side and a curved surface connecting a tire radial direction inner end of the inclined surface to a bottom defined by the recess, the curved surface having a center of curvature on the side of the widthwise groove. As a connection point between the inclined surface and the curved surface is at a position in the tire circumferential direction at which a width W of the recess in the tire width direction is smaller, the connection point is located further inward in the tire radial direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for producing a tube of glass by zonewise heating and softening of a hollow cylinder by a movable heating zone while rotating about its rotation axis. The glass tube is continuously formed by radial expansion of the softened region under action of centrifugal force and/or internal overpressure applied in the hollow-cylinder bore. The method and apparatus make it possible to deform the hollow cylinder in a single or a small number of forming steps into a glass tube having a larger outer diameter and high dimensional accuracy by determining a circumferential position at which the wall thickness is comparatively small, and during heating and softening of the rotating hollow cylinder a coolant is dispensed from a coolant source onto the deformation zone only when or predominantly when the circumferential position having the comparatively small wall thickness passes the coolant source.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing a glass ribbon includes a convection cooling device including at least one vacuum source configured to promote convection cooling of the glass ribbon by forcing a cooling fluid to flow along the glass ribbon. In further examples, methods of producing glass ribbon include the step of creating a vacuum to promote convection cooling of the glass ribbon by forcing a cooling fluid to flow along the glass ribbon.

Abstract: A method of cutting a glass article includes translating a laser beam relative to a first surface of the glass article. The laser beam includes a beam waist having a center. The center of the beam waist of the laser beam is positioned at or below a second surface of the glass article. The laser beam creates a plurality of defects along a score line in the glass article such that the plurality of defects extends a distance into the glass article, and at least some individual defects of the plurality of defects are non-orthogonal to the first surface of the glass article and are biased in a direction of translation of the laser beam. Glass articles having edge defects are also disclosed.

Abstract: Processes and systems for producing glass fibers having regions devoid of glass using submerged combustion melters, including feeding a vitrifiable feed material into a feed inlet of a melting zone of a melter vessel, and heating the vitrifiable material with at least one burner directing combustion products of an oxidant and a first fuel into the melting zone under a level of the molten material in the zone. One or more of the burners is configured to impart heat and turbulence to the molten material, producing a turbulent molten material comprising a plurality of bubbles suspended in the molten material, the bubbles comprising at least some of the combustion products, and optionally other gas species introduced by the burners. The molten material and bubbles are drawn through a bushing fluidly connected to a forehearth to produce a glass fiber comprising a plurality of interior regions substantially devoid of glass.

Abstract: At the time of temporary firing for fixing a glass layer 3 to a glass member 4, the glass layer 3 is irradiated with laser light L2 having a ring-shaped irradiation region. At this time, in a width direction of the glass layer 3, two peaks M in a beam profile of the laser light L2 respectively overlap both edge parts 3b of the glass layer 3. This allows a center part 3a and each of both edge parts 3b of the glass layer 3 to be irradiated for shorter and longer times with a part having a relatively high intensity in the laser light L2, respectively. As a consequence, the amount of heat input by irradiation with the laser light L2 is homogenized between the center part 3a and both edge parts 3b in the glass layer 3, whereby the whole glass layer 3 is molten appropriately.