Abstract: Method and apparatus for post-cure correction (PCC), either partial or substantial, of various tire nonuniformities which have been detected during a tire manufacturing process by a tire uniformity machine (TUM), preferably testing a tire which has been nominally cooled down (i.e., nominally completed curing) after removal from a tire curing mold.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for constrained post cure inflation (CPCI), for improvement of tire uniformity, footprint shape factor, and tread wear. The method comprises the steps of: (1) initiating the method on a tire after the tire has been removed from a tire curing mold (preferably while the tire is still hot); (2) providing 360 degree circumferential tread restraint which holds the tread in an ideal tread shape, concentric to the axis of rotation and nominally perpendicular to the equatorial plane; (3) sealingly holding the beads concentric to, and equidistant from, the axis of rotation, and symmetrically spaced about the equatorial plane; and (4) inflating the tire to a controlled pressure, and holding the controlled pressure for a controlled time while the tread is restrained and the beads are sealingly held.

Abstract: A tread 20 has an equatorial centerplane and a plurality of tread elements 40, 42, 44 oriented into a first shoulder row 22, a second shoulder row 24 and a central array 30. The central array 30 forms a repeating pattern of tread elements 40 wherein each array 30 has at least five tread elements 40 distinct in size, shape or orientation relative to adjacent tread elements 40 within the array. The array 30 extends circumferentially adjacent the first or second shoulder row 22, 24 and has a centerline L inclined less than 45° relative to the equatorial centerplane. Each array 30 forms a large distinctive mosaic pattern repeating around the tread circumference, the array 30 having at least two rows of tread elements 40 oriented with at least one tread element 40 being on each side of the centerline L at the equatorial centerplane of the tread 20.

Abstract: An on/off-road tread (40) for passenger or light truck tire (10) has an off-road tread (40) including a central on road tread (100). The tread (40) extends from at or above a radial location of the maximum section width SW of the tire (10) but less than a radial location of 65% of the section height SH of the tire (10).

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire combination for four-wheeled automobile or light truck vehicles. The tire combination has a pair of front steer position tires and a pair of rear position tires. The front steer position tire has a footprint when the tire is normally inflated for normal load that has a footprint shape factor of greater than 1.00 at a 50% load, and about 1.00 at both 85% load and 100% load, the footprint shape factor being defined as the maximum circumferential extent of the tire's footprint at the centerplane of the tire's footprint width divided by the average of the circumferential extent of the tire's footprint width as measured at 40% of the footprint from both sides of the central plane of the footprint. The rear position tire footprint, when the tire is normally inflated for normal load, has a footprint shape factor of about 1.00 at 50% load, and 1.00 or less than 1.00 at 85% load and 100% load when measured similar to the method described for the front position tires.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire combination for four-wheeled automobile or light truck vehicles. The tire combination has a pair of front steer position tires and a pair of rear position tires. The front steer position tire 10 has a first tread arc 46 when the tire is normally inflated for normal load but unloaded, of decreasing radii extending toward the lateral edges 42, 44 and a straight line 50 drawn between the intersection of the tread arc curvature and the centerplane is inclined at an angle &thgr;F of greater than 5° relative to a tangent line L, L being tangent to the tread arc at the centerplane and parallel to the axis of rotation R. The rear tire 20 when similarly measured has a tread arc having an angle &thgr;R of less than 5°.

Abstract: An on/off road radial pneumatic light truck or automobile tire has a tread with at least one wide groove having an average width of at least 7% of the tread width. At least two axially adjacent rows of traction elements are separated by the wide groove. The tread has a plurality of protrusions extending from traction elements into the wide groove. The protrusions are sloped radially inwardly at an angle in the range of 20.degree. to 60.degree. relative to the radial direction from the outer surface of the traction element toward the tread base and crossing axially more than halfway across the wide groove width toward an intersection of a lateral groove and the wide groove. The protrusions extending from traction elements on one side of the wide groove are circumferentially offset and at least partially axially aligned with protrusions extending from traction elements on the opposite side of the wide groove.