Abstract: A tire having a tire tread, the tread having a groove void radially inward of a wearable tread portion; and a degradable tread filler disposed in and substantially filling the groove void, the void being exposed upon wear of the wearable tread portion and dislocation of the degradable tread filler.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having at least one component, the at least component including a rubber composition, the rubber composition including a diene based elastomer and 10 to 100 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of elastomer, of a nanozeolite having a particle size of less than 1000 nm and a negative coefficient of thermal expansion over at least part of the temperature range of 0° C. to 200° C.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising at least one component comprising a rubber composition comprising a diene based elastomer and an inorganic negative thermal expansion (NTE) filler comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of metal tungstates, metal phosphates, metal molybdates, metal vanadates, and metal arsenates, wherein the inorganic filler has a negative coefficient of thermal expansion in at least part of the temperature range of 0° C. to 200° C.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a single carcass ply, at least one belt ply disposed radially outward of the carcass ply in a crown portion of the tire, and at least one insert located adjacent the carcass ply in a sidewall portion, the insert providing support for the tire load to enable the tire to operate in underinflated conditions. The carcass ply is comprised of at least one composite cord. The composite cord is formed of at least two first yarns twisted helically about at least one second yarn. The first yarns and the second yarn having different modulus of elasticity, the first yarns having a modulus greater than the modulus of the second yarn.

Abstract: A tread cap composition, in accordance with the principles of the invention, may be a composition resulting from a combination of components including: a conjugated diene-based elastomer; a reinforcing filler; an oil softener; a silane coupling agent; and an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (“UHMWPE”).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire is capable of operation during underinflated condition and the construction of sidewalls are configured to compensate for negative cambers acting upon the tire. The inboard side of the tire is softened in comparison to the outboard side of the tire. This is achieved by either forming an asymmetrical tire in either the tire profile or the internal construction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire comprising a polyester copolymer, the polyester copolymer comprising predominantly polyester segments and an oxygen scavenging amount of polyolefin oligomer segments.

Abstract: A self-supporting pneumatic tire, capable of continued operation during under-inflation conditions, has at least one insert located in each tire sidewall. Forming the interior surface of the self-supporting tire is a stiffening layer of material having characteristics similar to that of the insert. In the tread region of the tire, and radially inward of the innermost carcass layer, and possibly in the interior bead region of the tire, is a partial inner liner layer of the bromobutyl rubber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic run-flat tire. The tire has at least one carcass reinforcing ply, at least one pair of sidewall wedge inserts, and a belt reinforcing structure. The belt reinforcing structure is formed from at least a pair of cross cord belt reinforcing plies. Located radially outward of the carcass reinforcing ply is a porous elastomeric layer. The porous elastomeric layer has a porosity level of 20 to 80%, preferably 40-70%, of the total volume of the porous elastomeric layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber composition which contains starch/plasticizer composite, precipitated silica and carbon black reinforcement together with a coupling agent wherein the coupling agent is an organosilane polysulfide having an average of from about 2 to about 2.6 connecting sulfur atoms in its polysulfidic bridge. The invention provides for a chemical reaction between a coupling agent and silica which is substantially decoupled from a reaction between a coupling agent and starch/plasticizer to form a filler reinforcement network in situ within the elastomer host followed by a subsequent phase mixing of the carbon black therewith. The invention further relates to the resulting rubber composition and articles of manufacture, including tires, having at least one component comprised of said rubber composition.

Abstract: This invention relates to pneumatic tires having a sidewall which contains at least one internal annular rubber insert. In particular, this invention relates to pneumatic tires which rely upon internal pneumatic air pressure and to pneumatic tires which conventionally rely upon internal pneumatic air pressure but which have a capability of running for extended distances without any significant internal air pressure, namely ambient atmospheric air pressure, depending somewhat upon the positioning and configuration of the sidewall insert. At least one of said rubber sidewall inserts is composed of two segments, namely a radially inner rubber segment and a radially outer rubber segment. The inner rubber segment and outer rubber segment have significantly different modulus and hardness physical properties. A portion of the segments overlap each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to a farm tractor drive tire with a tread having a running surface of significantly spaced apart lugs designed to be soil engaging of a rubber composition comprised of at least one conjugated diene-based elastomer which contains an organosilane polysulfide in situ coupled dispersion of reinforcing filler as a pre-formed starch/plasticizer complexed composite. The running surface of the farm drive tire tread itself is of a configuration comprised of widely spaced apart raised lugs to provide a ratio of net running surface of the tread lugs to the tread's gross dimensions (net to gross ratio expressed in terms of percentage of the running surface of the lugs) in a range of from about 15 percent to 20 percent. Therefore, operationally in the field, normally few lugs actually touch, or engage, the ground at any one time. Accordingly, such individual tread lugs are desirably capable of experiencing locally high loads and should be sufficiently stiff to resist extensive elongations.