Abstract: A pumping device is used with a pneumatic tire mounted on a tire rim to keep the pneumatic tire from becoming underinflated. The device includes a pumping device attached to the tire rim, a dynamic mass mechanically confined to rotational movement relative to the pumping device and the tire rim, the dynamic mass moving in response to a minimum angular acceleration and a minimum angular velocity of the tire rim and pumping ambient air into the pumping device, an intake port for ambient air to enter the pumping device, and an exhaust port for forcing pressurized air into a tire cavity of the pneumatic tire for restoring air loss from an inflation volume within the tire cavity, the dynamic mass and the pumping device both being weighted equally on each side of a centerline of the tire rim.

Abstract: A method of forming an air passageway in a an air maintenance tire carcass includes: embedding an elongate strip within a pre-cured flexible tire component of a pre-cured tire carcass, the elongate strip extending in a longitudinal direction between an air inlet cavity and an air outlet cavity in the flexible tire component; curing the pre-cured tire carcass including the flexible tire component; extracting the elongate strip longitudinally end-to-end from occupancy within the flexible tire component; and defining an air passageway in the flexible component by the space previously occupied by the withdrawn elongate strip. A free end portion of the strip is accessible at either the air inlet cavity or the air outlet cavity, and the elongate strip may be extracted from either the air inlet cavity or the air outlet cavity by a tensile withdrawal force applied to the elongate strip free end.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to air maintenance tires and, more specifically, to a pump mechanism for supplying air into such tires.

Abstract: A method of constructing a tire includes: constructing an elongate strip core; encasing the strip core into a containment within an uncured flexible tire component, the strip core extending between an air inlet and an air outlet cavity in the flexible tire component; building on a tire building drum a green tire carcass from tire components including the flexible tire component and encased strip core; removing the encased strip core from the cured flexible tire component to leave within the flexible tire component a substantially unobstructed air passageway; and inserting a permanent air inlet assembly into the air inlet cavity and a permanent air outlet assembly into the air outlet cavity.

Abstract: A method of forming an air passageway in a an air maintenance tire carcass includes: embedding an elongate strip within a pre-cured flexible tire component of a pre-cured tire carcass, the elongate strip extending in a longitudinal direction between an air inlet cavity and an air outlet cavity in the flexible tire component; curing the pre-cured tire carcass including the flexible tire component; extracting the elongate strip longitudinally end-to-end from occupancy within the flexible tire component; and defining an air passageway in the flexible component by the space previously occupied by the withdrawn elongate strip. A free end portion of the strip is accessible at either the air inlet cavity or the air outlet cavity, and the elongate strip may be extracted from either the air inlet cavity or the air outlet cavity by a tensile withdrawal force applied to the elongate strip free end.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes an innerliner forming an internal cavity and an enveloping member. The innerliner maintains pneumatic pressure within the internal cavity. The enveloping member defines a pocket for removably receiving and removably securing an item to the pneumatic tire. The enveloping member is cured simultaneously with the innerliner to secure the enveloping member to the innerliner for the operational life of the pneumatic tire.

Abstract: An apparatus for shock cooling a vulcanized tire includes a vulcanized-tire holding mechanism for holding a vulcanized tire and a tank for holding fluid to shock cool the vulcanized tire. The vulcanized tire is submerged in the fluid for between 4 and 60 minutes whereby the vulcanized tire reaches a predetermined temperature.