Abstract: A tire with a changing tread pattern is formed by first forming a tire having a tread, the tread having at least one circumferential or lateral groove. A wearable filler, having a configuration corresponding to at least a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove formed in the tire, is located in the radially outer portion of the circumferential or lateral groove or a portion of the circumferential or lateral groove, and secured within the grooves so as to create a groove void radially inward of the wearable filler, the void being exposed upon wear of the tire tread.

Abstract: A stress sensor includes two capacitor plates held in a spaced-apart relationship by a connector block situated therebetween. The connector block includes a plurality of rods protruding from opposite connector block sides and extending into a respective capacitor plate to attach peripheral portions of each capacitor plate to the connector block. A small air gap is maintained between peripheral portions of the capacitor plates by the inclusion of a spacer member. Terminal end portions of the protruding rods are deformed such as by the application of heat over an outer surface of the capacitor plates to retain the capacitor plates in a fixed mutual relationship. The terminal end portions of the rods further serve to prevent horizontal or vertical slippage between the capacitor plates when the sensor is vulcanized into rubber compounds such as in a tire.