Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure an inner tube comprises an encasing configured to hold air. The encasing comprises a reinforcing structure configured such that, as the encasing is inflated, an overall major diameter of the inner tube is reduced. The inner tube also comprises an inflation valve coupled to the encasing and configured to allow inflation of the encasing. Further, the inner tube comprises a pressure valve coupled to the encasing. The pressure valve is configured to be biased closed and allow air to leave the encasing when a differential pressure between inside of the encasing and outside of the encasing reaches a threshold pressure level. In the same or alternative embodiments, the encasing also comprises a reinforcing structure configured such that, as the encasing is inflated, an overall major diameter of inner tube is reduced.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a plurality of circumferential main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction, a plurality of land portions partitioned by the circumferential main grooves, a narrow groove extending in the tire circumferential direction and disposed in an edge portion of a road contact surface side and an outer side in the tire width direction of the shoulder land portion on an outermost side in a tire width direction, and a narrow rib that is partitioned by the narrow groove. The narrow rib includes an offset portion having a road contact surface offset inward in a tire radial direction from the road contact surface of the shoulder land portion, and a protrusion protruding in the tire radial direction from the offset portion, extending in the tire circumferential direction, and having a top surface that is substantially flush with a profile line of the shoulder land portion.

Abstract: A plurality of sipes extending in a tire width direction are provided in a tread surface of a block. In the sipes, protrusions are formed on a first sipe wall surface of mutually opposing sipe wall surfaces and recesses that engage with the protrusions are formed on a second sipe wall surface. Collapse of portions of the block sandwiched by the sipes is suppressed due to engagement of the protrusions and the recesses. A height of protrusions positioned on an upper portion in the depth direction of the sipes is greater than a height of protrusions positioned on a lower portion.

Abstract: A metal cord (C-1) having two layers (Ci, Ce) of 3+N construction, rubberized in situ, comprising an inner layer (Ci) formed from three core wires (10) of diameter d1 wound together in a helix with a pitch p1 and an outer layer (Ce) of N wires (11) N varying from 6 to 12, of diameter d2, which are wound together in a helix with a pitch p2 around the inner layer (Ci), said cord being characterized in that it has the following characteristics (d1, d2, p1 and p2 being in mm): 0.08<d1<0.30; 0.08<d2?0.20; p1/p2?1; 3<p1<30; 6<p2<30; the inner layer is sheathed with a diene rubber composition called a “filling rubber” (12) which, for any length of cord of 2 cm or more, is present in the central channel (13) formed by the three core wires and in each of the gaps lying between the three core wires (10) and the N wires (11) of the outer layer (Ce); the content of filling rubber in the cord is between 5 and 35 mg per g of cord.

Abstract: Edge field patterning of a substrate having full fields and partial fields may include patterning using a template having multiple mesas with each mesa corresponding to a field on the substrate. Polymerizable material may be deposited solely between the template and the full fields of the substrate. A non-reactive material may be deposited between the template and partial fields of the substrate.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided in the tread portion with zigzag circumferential grooves and axial grooves so that a row of circumferentially arranged blocks is formed on each side of each of the zigzag circumferential grooves. Each of the zigzag circumferential grooves is composed of axially inner and outer circumferential segments and oblique segments. The axially inner and outer circumferential segments are arranged alternately in the tire circumferential direction. The oblique segments connect between the axially inner and outer circumferential segments, whereby the zigzag circumferential groove extends in the form of a trapezoidal wave. The zigzag amplitude is in a range of from 4 to 15% of a half tread width (Tw/2). The width of the zigzag circumferential groove is in a range of from 7 to 13% of the half tread width (Tw/2). The number of the axial grooves connected to each of the zigzag circumferential grooves on both side thereof is in a range of from 8 to 12 when counted in a tire footprint.

Abstract: Provided is a steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article, which has an improved durability against so-called cuts, such as notches and perforations, which are generated in the case of treading on an obtusely or sharply pointed projection, without decreasing the strength in the axial direction of the cord, and without increasing the thickness in the radial direction, namely without increasing the weight of a tire, as well as a tire using the steel cord for reinforcing a rubber article as a reinforcing material, especially a construction vehicle tire. Also provided is a steel cord for reinforcing rubber articles with a multi-twisted structure formed by twisting a plurality of sheath strands formed by twisting a plurality of wires around a core strand formed by twisting a plurality of wires, and the core strand being constituted of an at least three-layer-twisted structure formed by twisting core filaments and sheath filaments.

Abstract: A sipe extending in a tire width direction is provided in a land part (block) of a tread shoulder region. An inner region on the tire equator side in a length direction of the sipe is formed in a straight sipe portion over the whole of a sipe depth direction. A region on the tread ground contact end side relative to the inner region is divided and provided in the straight sipe portion on the sipe opening side and a waveform sipe portion on the sipe bottom part side in the sipe depth direction.

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: In a pneumatic tire 1, a center land portion 5a between center main grooves 3, a middle land portion 5b between the center main groove 3 and a shoulder main groove 4, and a pair of shoulder land portions 5c extending on outer sides of the shoulder main groove 4 in a tire axial direction are divided from each other. The center main groove 3 includes arc groove pieces 6 which are continuously provided in a tire circumferential direction. The arc groove piece 6 includes an arc portion 7 which is curved to swell toward a tire equator C. The middle land portion 5b is provided with a middle inclined groove 9 which extends from an intersection portion K of the arc groove piece 6 toward the shoulder main groove 4.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire (1) having a sound absorption effect by lateral grooves is provided. The tire tread (2) has circumferential grooves formed continuously in the circumferential direction and lateral grooves extending from a circumferential groove. One end of each lateral groove is connected to the circumferential groove and the other end is a dead end. Each of the lateral grooves (7) includes a one-directional groove (11) extending in one direction from the circumferential groove (5) toward a side edge of the tire and an another-directional groove (14) extending in another direction from the circumferential groove toward the side edge of the tire. A root section (11a), which is close to the circumferential groove, of the one-directional groove (11) and a root section (14a), which is close to the circumferential groove (5), of the another-directional groove (14) are formed by a common groove (15).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion divided into a crown land region, two middle land regions and two shoulder land regions. The crown land region and middle land regions are each divided into triangular blocks by axial grooves arranged in a zigzag fashion. The shoulder land regions are each divided into shoulder blocks by axial grooves extending at an angle of not less than 70 degrees. The shoulder block is subdivided into an axially inner part and an axially outer part by a secondary groove extending at an angle of not more than 10 degrees. The outer part is provided with sipes extending at an angle of not less than 70 degrees, each angle with respect the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A tire comprising at least one carcass-type reinforcing structure and comprising a crown reinforcing structure having at least one working layer.

Abstract: Apparatus for ejecting objects from a tire tread include, in particular embodiments, a pair of adjacent ground-engaging elements, each element including a ground-engaging contact surface; a groove separating the pair of ground-engaging elements, the groove having a base and a pair of opposing sidewalls spaced apart by a groove width; a sipe having a particular size, and located in communication with a portion of the groove extending between the pair of ground-engaging elements; and, an ejector associated with the sipe, the ejector comprising a projection that extends within the groove.

Abstract: Tire reinforcement (10) having a bi-material structure of reinforcing elements that consists of at least a plurality of extensible first reinforcing elements (1) and at least a plurality of inextensible second reinforcing elements (2), these first and second reinforcing elements being mutually parallel and distributed alternately in appropriate proportions in order to achieve the desired level of reinforcement, these first and second reinforcing elements lying within the same mean plane, this reinforcement being such that the extensible first reinforcing elements (1) are coupled to the inextensible second reinforcing elements (2) over a coupling length Lc which is shorter than the length L1 of the extensible first reinforcing elements (1) so that, with each of the first and second reinforcing elements having two ends, at least one of the ends of the extensible first reinforcing elements (1) is offset in relation to the two ends of the inextensible second reinforcing elements (2).

Abstract: A run-flat tire (11) comprising a crown comprising a crown reinforcement (21, 22) surmounted by a tread (30); two sidewalls (40) extending the crown radially inward; two beads (50) radially inward to the sidewalls and each comprising an annular reinforcing structure (60); at least one carcass reinforcement (71, 72) anchored in each of the beads and extending from the beads through the sidewalls toward the crown; and at least one sidewall insert (80) axially on the inside of the carcass reinforcement, comprising at least one polymer compound; wherein at least one sidewall of the tire further comprises: at least one additional sidewall reinforcement (90) comprising reinforcing elements, positioned axially on the outside of the carcass reinforcement, the radially inside end (91) of the additional sidewall reinforcement being, in any radial section, radially on the inside of the axial straight line (100) that passes through those points in the sidewalls at which the carcass reinforcement has its greatest axial wi

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire includes a pair of annular bead portions 2A, 2B, a tread portion 3 having a tread surface portion, a pair of sidewall portions 4A, 4B each connecting one of both end portions of tread portion 3 in tire-width directions and an outward end in the tire-radial direction of the corresponding one of the bead portions 2A, 2B, and a carcass layer 5 extending continuously across and through the bead portions 2A, 2B, the sidewall portions 3, and the tread portion 4A, 4B, the carcass layer 5 being configured to form a framework of the tire.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has two circumferential-direction main grooves (13) and lug grooves (15). The circumferential-direction main grooves are disposed outside quarter point sections of a tread contact width (TW) in a tread width direction, respectively, the two circumferential-direction main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction, each of the quarter point sections of the tread contact width (TW) being a midpoint between a tire equator line and a corresponding tread end portion. The lug grooves are extended outwardly from the circumferential-direction main grooves in the tread width direction. Each quarter point section of the tread contact width (TW) has a rib-like shape continuously extending in the tire circumferential direction.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a first wall surface faces one side of a circumferential groove, and a second wall surface faces another side of that. The first wall surface alternately has a first inclined surface portion and a first concave portion. The second wall surface alternately has a second inclined surface portion and a second concave portion. A first land portion has a first connection portion connected to a second land portion and a first bottom surface portion constitutes the bottom of the circumferential groove. The second land portion has a second connection portion connected to the first land portion and a second bottom surface portion constitutes the bottom of the circumferential groove. The first inclined surface portion and the second inclined surface portion are alternately arranged along a tire circumferential direction overlapping with each other and a see-through region of the circumferential groove is formed between them.

Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire including at least a turbulent flow generation projection configured to generate a turbulent flow, the turbulent flow generation projection being arranged in a range from a maximum tire width position to an outside bead position, the maximum tire width position being a position on a tire surface with maximum tire width, and the outside bead position being a position on an outside of a bead portion in a tire radial direction, the bead portion configured to be in contact with a rim flange. The turbulent flow generation projection includes a radial projection extending along the tire radial direction, and a circumferential projection extending in an approximately circular arc shape along a tire circumferential direction.