Patents by Inventor Jose Merino

Jose Merino has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8609758
    Abstract: An inflatable article such as a pneumatic tire provided with a puncture-resistant layer comprising, by way of a self-sealing composition, an elastomer composition comprising at least, as predominant elastomer, a thermoplastic styrene (TPS) elastomer, more than 200 phr of an extender oil and more than 20 phr of a hydrocarbon resin, the glass transition temperature of which is greater than 0° C. The puncture-resistant layer is advantageously combined with an airtight layer, for example based on butyl rubber, so as to form, in the pneumatic article, an airtight puncture-resistant laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Compagnie General des Etablissments Michelin
    Inventors: José Merino-Lopez, Pierre Lesage, Bozena Voge
  • Patent number: 8602075
    Abstract: A self-sealing elastomer composition, in an inflatable article such as a pneumatic tire (1), such composition comprising, as predominant elastomer, a thermoplastic styrene (TPS) elastomer and an extender oil with a content of between 200 and 700 phe (parts per hundred parts of elastomer by weight). An airtight puncture-resistant laminate (10) that can be used in particular in said inflatable article (1), comprises a puncture-resistant first layer (10a) comprising said self-sealing composition and an airtight second layer (10b), for example based on butyl rubber. An inflatable article comprises such a self-sealing composition or such an airtight puncture-resistant laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A
    Inventors: Loïc Albert, Emmanuel Custodero, Pierre Lesage, José Merino Lopez, Lucien Silvain
  • Publication number: 20130263989
    Abstract: A pneumatic tyre includes an internal sealing layer, which partially delimits an internal volume (V) of the pneumatic tyre, and a self-sealing layer formed of at least a self-sealing product. The self-sealing layer is positioned radially on an inside region with respect to the internal sealing layer, and has a creep resistance indicator that increases axially from a median plane outwards, i.e., towards outside of the pneumatic tyre.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Bozena Voge, José Merino Lopez, Michel Ahouanto
  • Publication number: 20130263990
    Abstract: A pneumatic tyre includes an internal sealing layer, which partially delimits an internal volume of the pneumatic tyre, and a self-sealing layer formed of a self-sealing product. The self-sealing layer is positioned radially on an inside region with respect to the internal sealing layer, and has a creep resistance indicator that decreases radially outwards, i.e., towards outside of the pneumatic tyre.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Bozena Voge, Jóse Merino Lopez, Michel Ahouanto
  • Publication number: 20130240102
    Abstract: The tire (10B) comprises a tread (12) including a running layer (14) which is intended to come into contact with the ground when the tire (10B) rolls on the ground, and a sublayer (16) located radially inwards from the running layer (14). The tread (12) comprises at least one fluid passage (22) between the sublayer (16) and the air surrounding the tire (10B). The sublayer (16) comprises a cellular material. The fluid passage (22) comprises an element chosen from a groove (20) and a cut (26), formed in the running layer (14) and extended by at least one well (28) acting as a radial extension of the element, formed between the groove (20) and/or the cut (26) and the sublayer (16). Each well (28) forms a localized part of the fluid passage (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Jose Merino Lopez, Didier Vasseur, Olivia Cuscito, Sylvain Petitjean
  • Publication number: 20130202829
    Abstract: Elastomer composition having a self-sealing property which can be used in particular as puncture-resistant layer in an inflatable article, based on at least (phr meaning parts by weight per 100 parts of solid elastomer): a blend of at least two solid elastomers, a polybutadiene or butadiene copolymer elastomer, referred to as “elastomer A”, and a natural rubber or synthetic polyisoprene elastomer, referred to as “elastomer B”, the elastomer A:elastomer B ratio by weight being within a range from 10:90 to 90:10; between 30 and 90 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; from 0 to less than 30 phr of filler. Inflatable article, such as a tire, provided with a puncture-resistant layer comprising a composition according to the invention; the puncture-resistant layer is advantageously used in combination with an airtight layer, for example based on butyl rubber or TPS elastomer, in order to form, in the inflatable article, an airtight and puncture-resistant laminate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Bozena Voge, Vincent Pelissier, Jose Merino Lopez
  • Publication number: 20130203913
    Abstract: Process for the manufacture of an elastomer composition having a self-sealing property which is based on at least (phr meaning parts by weight per 100 parts of solid elastomer): a blend of at least two solid elastomers, a polybutadiene or butadiene copolymer elastomer, referred to as “elastomer A”, and a natural rubber or synthetic polyisoprene elastomer, referred to as “elastomer B”, the elastomer A:elastomer B ratio by weight being within a range from 10:90 to 90:10; between 30 and 90 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; from 0 to less than 30 phr of filler, in which, during a first stage or stage (a), a masterbatch comprising at least the elastomers A and B and between 30 and 90 phr of a hydrocarbon resin is prepared by mixing these various components in a mixer at a “hot compounding” temperature or up to a “hot compounding” temperature which is greater than the softening temperature of the hydrocarbon resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Bozena Voge, Vincent Pelissier, Jose Merino Lopez
  • Publication number: 20130196085
    Abstract: Elastomer composition having a self-sealing property which can be used in particular as puncture-resistant layer in an inflatable article, based on at least (phr meaning parts by weight per 100 parts of solid elastomer): a solid unsaturated diene elastomer; between 30 and 90 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; from 0 to less than 30 phr of filler; between 0.5 and 15 phr of thiuram polysulphide. Inflatable article, such as a tire, provided with a puncture-resistant layer comprising a composition according to the invention; the puncture-resistant layer is advantageously used in combination with an airtight layer, for example based on butyl rubber or TPS elastomer, in order to form, in the inflatable article, an airtight and puncture-resistant laminate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Bozena Voge, José Carlos Araujo Da Silva, Jose Merino Lopez
  • Patent number: 8485236
    Abstract: Tire comprising at least one carcass-type reinforcing structure anchored on each side of said tire in a bead whose base is intended to be mounted on a rim seat, each of said beads extending generally radially outwardly in the form of sidewalls, the sidewalls being connected radially towards the outside to a tread, the carcass-type reinforcing structure extending radially from the bead towards said sidewall, a crown reinforcing structure, each of the beads also comprising an anchoring region for holding the reinforcing structure in place, wherein said tread comprises an inner layer of substantially incompressible rubbery material and an outer layer of rubbery foam wherein: the foam expansion ratio is between 110 and 400%, preferably between 120 and 350% and even more preferably between 135 and 300%; and the thickness of the layer is greater than 2.0 mm and preferably greater than 4 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: José Merino Lopez, Pierre-Yves Jeanne
  • Patent number: 8479788
    Abstract: Tire comprising at least one carcass-type reinforcing structure anchored on each side of said tire in a bead whose base is intended to be mounted on a rim seat, each of said beads extending generally radially outwardly in the form of sidewalls, the sidewalls being connected radially towards the outside to a tread, the carcass-type reinforcing structure extending circumferentially from the bead towards said sidewall, a crown reinforcing structure, each of the beads also comprising an anchoring region for holding the reinforcing structure in place, wherein said tread comprises an inner layer of substantially incompressible rubbery material and an outer layer of compressible rubbery foam wherein: the foam expansion ratio is greater than 50%; the thickness of the layer is greater than 2.0 mm and preferably greater than 4 mm; and the outer layer has a Shore A hardness of less than 30 and preferably of between 10 and 20 Shore A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Establissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: José Merino Lopez, Pierre-Yves Jeanne
  • Publication number: 20130172474
    Abstract: Process for the manufacture of an elastomer composition having a self-sealing property which is based on at least (phr meaning parts by weight per 100 parts of solid elastomer): a solid unsaturated diene elastomer; between 30 and 90 phr of a hydrocarbon resin; from 0 to less than 30 phr of filler; between 0.5 and 15 phr of thiuram polysulphide, in which, during a first stage or stage (a), a masterbatch comprising at least the solid unsaturated diene elastomer and between 30 and 90 phr of a hydrocarbon resin is prepared by mixing these various components in a mixer at a “hot compounding” temperature or up to a “hot compounding” temperature which is greater than the softening temperature of the hydrocarbon resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Compagnie Generale Des Etablissments Michelin
    Inventors: Bozena Voge, José Carlos Araujo Da Silva, Jose Merino Lopez
  • Publication number: 20120273109
    Abstract: Tyre with inbuilt self-sealing layer comprising an external rubber tread, a carcass reinforcer, a gastight layer arranged on the inside relative to the carcass reinforcer, an anti-tack layer arranged furthest towards the inside and a self-sealing layer adjacent to the anti-tack layer and arranged on the inside relative to the gastight layer, characterized in that the said anti-tack layer is comprised of particles with a shape factor (F=L/E) higher than 5, L representing the length or longest dimension and E the shortest dimension normal to the length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicants: 2) MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: José Merino Lopez, Bozena Voge, Michel Ahouanto
  • Publication number: 20120234449
    Abstract: Pneumatic tyre with built-in self-sealing layer comprising an outer rubbery tread, a carcass reinforcement, a gastight layer positioned on the inside relative to the carcass reinforcement, a protective layer positioned innermost and a self-sealing layer adjacent to the protective layer and positioned on the inside relative to the gastight layer, characterized in that said protective layer is a chlorinated thermoplastic polymer film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN
    Inventors: Marc Greiveldinger, Jose Merino Lopez, Michel Ahouanto, Frédéric Pialot
  • Publication number: 20120199260
    Abstract: A pneumatic tyre with a built-in self-sealing layer includes an outer rubbery tread, a carcass reinforcement, a gastight layer located at an inside position relative to the carcass reinforcement, a separable protective layer positioned innermost, and a self-sealing layer adjacent to the separable protective layer and located at an inside position relative to the gastight layer. The separable protective layer is a thermoplastic film that includes at least one fluoropolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN
    Inventors: José Merino Lopez, Sébastien Rigo, Michel Ahouanto, Frédéric Pialot, Damien Fombelle
  • Publication number: 20120160339
    Abstract: A self-sealing valve for a tyre includes at least a part formed of a self-sealing material having a dynamic shear modulus G*, measured at 10 Hz, less than or equal to 0.06 MPa, preferably less than or equal to 0.03 MPa, and more preferably still, less than or equal to 0.01 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN
    Inventors: José MERINO LOPEZ, Michel AHOUANTO, Lucien SILVAIN, Loïc ALBERT
  • Publication number: 20120118463
    Abstract: An inflatable article provided with an elastomer layer comprising at least, as major elastomer, a thermoplastic polystirene/polyisobutylene block copolymer, such as a stirene/isobutylene/stirene (SIBS) copolymer, and at least 100 phr of an extender oil. Preferably, this copolymer comprises between 5% and 50% stirene by weight, its number-average molecular weight is between 30,000 and 500,000 g/mol and its Tg is below ?20° C. The extender oil is preferably a polybutene oil such as polyisobutylene (PIB) oil. This elastomer layer is able to fulfil not only the role of a self-sealing (puncture-resistant) layer, but also that of an impermeable layer, furthermore with a reduced hysteresis compared to a conventional layer based on butyl rubber. The inflatable article can be, in particular, an inner tube or a pneumatic tire for a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Pierre Lesage, José Merino Lopez
  • Publication number: 20120115984
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a self-sealing elastomer composition, said process comprising the following steps: a masterbatch, comprising at least one diene elastomer and more than 30 phr of a hydrocarbon resin, is firstly manufactured by compounding these various components in a mixer at a temperature or up to a temperature called the “hot compounding” temperature which is above the softening point of the hydrocarbon resin; and then at least one crosslinking system is incorporated into the masterbatch thus prepared, by compounding everything in the same mixer or in a different mixer, at a temperature or up to a temperature which is kept below 100° C., in order to obtain said self-sealing composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN
    Inventors: Frederic Pialot, Damien Fombelle, Bozena Voge, Jose Merino Lopez
  • Patent number: 8151845
    Abstract: A tire with reduced rolling noise includes a tire structure formed of at least one crown extended by two sidewalls and two beads. A base of each of the two beads is configured to be mounted onto a rim seat. The tire also includes a carcass-type reinforcing structure anchored into the two beads and an additional layer bonded to an inner wall of the tire structure. The additional layer is bonded to the tire structure at its edges and the rest of the additional layer is not bonded. The additional layer includes an inflation valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Jose Merino-Lopez, Luc Bestgen
  • Publication number: 20110213050
    Abstract: Process for manufacturing a self-sealing elastomer composition, wherein the process comprises the following steps: firstly a masterbatch comprising at least one diene elastomer and a thermoplastic plasticizing hydrocarbon resin with a content greater than 30 phr is manufactured by compounding these various components in a mixer at a temperature or up to a temperature called the “hot compounding temperature” which is above the softening point of the hydrocarbon resin; and then at least one crosslinking system is incorporated into the masterbatch thus prepared, by compounding everything, in the same mixer or in a different mixer, at a temperature or up to a maximum temperature which is kept below 100° C., in order to obtain said self-sealing composition, and wherein at least one liquid plasticizer having a glass transition temperature (Tg) below ?20° C. is furthermore incorporated in an amount of less than 60 phr into said masterbatch or into said composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Frederic Pialot, Damlen Fombelle, Bozena Voge, Jose Merino Lopez
  • Publication number: 20110198009
    Abstract: Inflatable article such as a pneumatic tire provided with a puncture-resistant layer comprising, by way of a self-sealing composition, an elastomer composition comprising at least, as predominant elastomer, a thermoplastic stirene (TPS) elastomer, more than 200 phr of an extender oil and more than 20 phr of a hydrocarbon resin, the glass transition temperature of which is greater than 0° C. The puncture-resistant layer is advantageously combined with an airtight layer, for example based on butyl rubber, so as to form, in the pneumatic article, an airtight puncture-resistant laminate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicants: SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: José Merino-Lopez, Pierre Lesage, Bozena Voge