Abstract: This invention discloses a technique for replenishing the level of sealant in self-sealing tires at the time that a puncture in the tire is being repaired or when the tire is being recapped. This technique provides the tire with its original level of self-sealing capabilities and will enhance the possibility of the tire remaining in service until it can be conveniently repaired. This method involves (1) injecting a liquid sealant formulation into the sealant layer of a self-sealing tire through at least one puncture hole therein, and (2) sealing the hole or holes in the supporting carcass and the innerliner of the tire. The sealant utilized is typically liquid polyisobutylene having a weight average molecular weight of 25,000 to 200,000. The sealant formulation used can optionally also contain a colorant or a pigment.

Abstract: Proposed is a tire including a pattern forming area provided on a sidewall to display a pattern of predetermined shape, wherein the pattern forming area is formed by continuously arranging a plurality of hexagon-shaped unit patterns, and the unit patterns existing on the edges of the pattern forming area are cut off in shapes to correspond to the shape of the pattern forming area.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire can include a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, bead portions, and a carcass. At least one sidewall portion can include a first sidewall rubber arranged outside the carcass in a tire axial direction. The first sidewall rubber can include a different color rubber layer and a barrier rubber layer. The different color rubber layer can have a color different from a basic color of an outer surface of the at least one sidewall portion. At least a part of the different color rubber layer can be exposed in the outer surface of the at least one sidewall portion. The barrier rubber layer can be arranged between the different color rubber layer and the carcass. The barrier rubber layer can include a first portion having a rubber compounding to suppress migration of rubber compounding agents on the carcass side to the different color rubber layer.

Abstract: On a pneumatic tire, a sound absorbing member is installed on an inner surface of a tread portion via a surface fastener including a pair including a hook member and a loop member, the hook member including hook-shaped elements on one surface and being fixed to the tire inner surface, and the loop member being provided with loop-shaped elements engageable with the hook-shaped elements and being fixed to the sound absorbing member. In a meridian cross-section, the loop member has at least one section partially fixed in a tire width direction to the sound absorbing member. Given a fixed region in which the loop member is fixed to the sound absorbing member, and a non-fixed region in which the loop member is not fixed to the sound absorbing member, an engaging region in which the loop member and the hook member engage each other is on the non-fixed region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming an apex or an apex in combination with a bead, the method comprising the steps of: winding a strip of rubber onto a rotatable platen to form an apex, wherein the rotatable platen may further include a radially expandable bead chuck for supporting a bead. The rotatable platen may optionally include a nonstick coating such as titanium nitride and optionally include one or more radially oriented bars. The optional one or more radially oriented bars may be movable into a first position flush with the outer surface of the platen, and movable into a second position that preferably is nonflush and protrudes from the outer surface of the platen. The rotatable platen is further optionally retractable from the bead chuck to facilitate removal of the apex from the apparatus.

Abstract: A method includes controlling an additive manufacturing system to fabricate a 3D structure using successive layers of material. The additive manufacturing system includes a build platform having a first region, second region, and overlapping third region between the first and second regions; and multiple sources configured to build (e.g., deposit, bond, melt, solidify) the successive layers of material in the regions of the build platform. Controlling the additive manufacturing system includes controlling the additive manufacturing system to build first, second, and third portions of the 3D structure within the regions of the build platform. Each portion of the 3D structure includes (i) one or more test features that are common to the portions of the 3D structure and (ii) a substrate onto or into which the one or more common test features are formed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a tire having characters such as a brand name, a model name, etc. engraved on a sidewall thereof. The tire of the present disclosure includes a plurality of knurling units that includes: a first knurling part that is convex; a second knurling part that continues from a side of the first knurling part and is convex; a third knurling part that continues from a side of the second knurling part and is convex; and a fourth knurling part that is convex and is continuously connected from a side of the third knurling part to another side of the first knurling part.

Abstract: A method for building tyres is described. An elementary semifinished product is deposited on a building drum rotated by an output end effector of a robotized arm in form of coils forming a component of a tyre. A processor determines a target rotation speed of the building drum and a target value for a speed parameter associated with the rotation. If the target value is not an integer number, the processor: i) determines a drive interval shorter than the effector settling time; ii) calculates first and second values corresponding to integer numbers immediately preceding and immediately following the target value; iii) calculates a speed parameter PWM profile with minimum and maximum values corresponding to the first and second values; and iv) controls the effector according to the PWM profile.

Abstract: A tire includes a central region configured to be mounted to a wheel and a crown region including a circumferential tread and a shear element disposed below the circumferential tread. The shear element includes an upper reinforcement layer, a lower reinforcement layer, and an elastic region disposed between the upper reinforcement layer and the lower reinforcement layer. A radial distance between the upper reinforcement layer and the lower reinforcement layer varies along an axial width of the tire. The tire also includes an intermediate region extending from the central region to the crown region.

Abstract: A tread portion of a pneumatic tire includes a pair of first main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction formed at a position on either outer side in the tire lateral direction of a first land portion including a tire equatorial plane; a pair of second main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction formed at a position outward from the first main grooves in the tire lateral direction; and first lug grooves formed in a second land portion between the first main grooves and the second main grooves, the first lug grooves opening to one of the first main grooves at one end and opening to one of the second main grooves at an other end. The first lug grooves have a groove width of 2 mm or greater and have the same inclination direction in the tire lateral direction with respect to the tire circumferential direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and to a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels, wherein sidewalls (11) are applied on opposite sides of a carcass sleeve (12) placed on a shaping drum (13). The application of the sidewalls (11) comprises: arranging each sidewall (11) as a ring around application levers (24) of a respective support (18), making an axial appendage (35) of the sidewall (11) protrude axially beyond the free ends (25) of the respective application levers (24); radially opening the free ends (25) of the application levers (24) of each support (18) so as to make the respective sidewall (11) radially expand; axially approaching the free ends (25) of the application levers (24) to the respective half-drum (17) up to engaging the axial appendage (35) with the carcass sleeve (12) and radially opening the free ends (25) of the application levers (24) to adhere the sidewalls against the carcass sleeve (12).

Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire. A tread portion includes a plurality of longitudinal grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction, a plurality of lateral grooves extending in a tire lateral direction, and a plurality of blocks defined by the longitudinal grooves and the lateral grooves. Notch portions are formed in portions of a freely-selected pair of blocks adjacent to each other across a longitudinal groove, the portions facing the longitudinal groove. The notch portions face with each other across the longitudinal groove. Each of the notch portions has a notch width and a notch depth larger on a center side in an extension direction of the longitudinal groove than on an outer side in the extension direction of the longitudinal groove.

Abstract: A continuous elongated element of elastomeric material is produced through an extruder at a linear delivery speed and directly fed onto a moving surface of a conveyor without interposition of other devices. The continuous elongated element is advanced on the moving surface along a predetermined direction and at a linear advancing speed different from the linear delivery speed until a proximal end of the conveyor. Subsequently, the continuous elongated element is applied onto a forming support which rotates relative to the proximal end of the conveyor at a peripheral speed different from the linear delivery speed, so as to deform the continuous elongated element and apply it in the form of wound coils onto the forming support in order to form a component of elastomeric material of a tyre.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes, on a tread surface, circumferential main grooves extending in a tread circumferential direction, and land portions defined between circumferential main grooves adjacent in a tread width direction among the circumferential main grooves, or by a circumferential main groove and a tread edge. The land portions include widthwise grooves (and/or widthwise sipes), extending in the tread width direction, each including a gradually decreasing groove (sipe) width portion in which a groove (sipe) width gradually decreases from the tread surface towards an inner side in the tire radial direction, a constant groove (sipe) width portion that extends from the gradually decreasing groove (sipe) width portion towards the inner side in the tire radial direction and has a constant groove (sipe) width, and a branched groove (sipe) portion branching and extending from the constant groove (sipe) width portion towards the inner side in the tire radial direction.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire of the present disclosure includes, on a tread surface, a plurality of circumferential main grooves extending in the tire circumferential direction, and a plurality of land portions defined between circumferential main grooves adjacent in the tire width direction among the plurality of circumferential main grooves or by the circumferential main grooves and tread edges. The land portions include at least one circumferential sipe extending in the tire circumferential direction. The circumferential sipe includes a plurality of widened portions arranged in the tire circumferential direction. In a reference state, each widened portion is formed only from a portion that, from one side towards the other side in the tire circumferential direction, extends from the tread surface inward in the tire radial direction.

Abstract: The present invention is relative to a method for building tyres for vehicle wheels and to a transfer device (16) of an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels. The centring device (16) comprises: an annular support structure (18); gripping elements (19) arranged as a ring on the annular support structure (18) and having gripping surfaces (20) directed radially towards a longitudinal axis (Z-Z) of the transfer device (16); a measurement device (30) mounted on the annular support structure (18). The measurement device (30) is configured for detecting the centring between the transfer device (16) and a drum (12, 13) situated within the transfer device (16). The transfer device (16) is configured for picking up the tyre being processed (14, 15) from the drum (12, 13) on which the tyre being processed is arranged or for depositing a tyre being processed (14, 15) on the drum (12, 13).

Abstract: In order to improve shock burst resistance performance while suppressing a decrease in separation resistance performance, a pneumatic tire includes a tread portion, a belt layer, and a belt cover layer. The belt layer is disposed in the tread portion. The belt cover layer is disposed on an outer side in a tire radial direction of the belt layer. The belt cover layer includes: two layers of full covers disposed between shoulder regions on both sides in a tire width direction and layered in the tire radial direction; and a narrow cover formed with a width in the tire width direction narrower than widths of the full covers. The narrow cover is disposed at a position between the two layers of the full covers and on an inner side in the tire width direction than the shoulder regions.

Abstract: A pre-strained non-pneumatic tire has an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of polymeric connecting elements extending from the inner ring to the outer ring. The pre-strained non-pneumatic tire made by a process that includes forming an initial non-pneumatic tire and straining at least a portion of one of the plurality of polymeric connecting elements.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a pair of sidewall portions. An outer surface in a tire axial direction of at least one of the sidewall portions includes a base surface, at least one first protruding portion protruding more outward in the tire axial direction than the base surface, and a recessed portion extending on the base surface around the first protruding portion such that the first protruding portion is spaced apart from the base surface. The first protruding portion includes a first surface having a first protruding amount with respect to the base surface, and a second surface having a second protruding amount different from the first protruding amount with respect to the base surface, and the first surface and the second surface are connected so as to form a step.

Abstract: A tire (1) in which at least one of the said tread pattern blocks (51) comprises a circumferential reinforcing element (52) positioned axially on the inside relative to the said at least one groove (71) when working from the outside towards the inside and axially close to the said circumferential groove, the circumferential reinforcing element (52) is made of a rubber compound having a dynamic shear modulus G* at least twice as high as the dynamic shear modulus G* of the rubber compound of the rest of the blocks of the tread, the circumferential reinforcing element (52) extends radially from the radially exterior surface of the said crown reinforcement (6) towards the surface of the said tread with an axial width which decreases progressively with increasing radial proximity to the outside, and in which the said circumferential reinforcing element (52) partially forms the axially internal lateral face (7i) of the said at least one of the said tread pattern blocks (51).