Abstract: A method of improving the high-speed uniformity of tire performance that reduces low and/or high harmonics. The method includes determining a force variation that is created by rotation of a first tire, having a first tread design, at high speed. A second order harmonic of the force variation is analyzed. A second tire design is generated that circumferentially shifts one or more ribs of the first tread design to minimize the second order harmonic alone or in combination with other order harmonics.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for making a tire having a foam noise damper, comprising the steps of: disposing a silicone rubber foam noise damper onto an exposed virgin surface of a green innerliner of a green tire; disposing a barrier layer over the silicone rubber foam noise damper, the silicone rubber foam noise damper being located between the virgin surface of the green tire innerliner and the barrier layer; curing the green tire; and removing the barrier layer to reveal the silicone rubber foam noise damper.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for making a tire having a foam noise damper, comprising the steps of: disposing a foam noise damper onto a virgin surface of a green tire innerliner; disposing a barrier layer over the foam noise damper, the foam noise damper being located between the virgin surface of the green tire innerliner and the barrier layer; incorporating the green tire innerliner into a green tire; curing the green tire; and removing the barrier layer to reveal the foam noise damper.

Abstract: A method and system providing for tire tread design with improved noise characteristics is disclosed. The volume of air created by the lateral grooves that separate each tread block, referred to as a void, is computed at various sampling areas around a tire to generate a void function. The void function is measured at the boundaries of the tire footprint. The footprint of the tire is the portion of the tire that is in contact with the road surface. There is a correlation between the void function, and tire noise. Depending on the tread design, the void function changes as the tire rotates. By minimizing fluctuation in the void function over the course of a complete tire rotation, the tire noise can be reduced.

Abstract: A tire tread has at least three rows of tread elements, each tread element in the at rows has at least one sipe and at least one sipe in each tread element row has a tie bar therein. Each tie bar in the sipes has a volume, and the volume of the sipe tie bar in each tread element in each row is not more than 10% different than the volume of the sipe tie bar in each tread element in any other tread row. Several of the tread rows have transverse grooves having groove tie bars therein.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a tread extending along the circumferential length of the tire. The tread is divided into at least two different regions across the width of the tread, and has a plurality of tread elements. Each tread element has a pitch length as measured along the circumferential length of the tire. In each of the tread regions, different pitching methods are employed. Preferably, the different pitch methods are selected and the pitch lengths in each region are arranged so that the noise frequency contribution generated in each tread regions cancels or eliminates the noise frequency contribution generated in the other tread regions.