Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a built-in seamless polyurethane sealant layer and its preparation.

Abstract: A tire with a built in sealant comprising: sidewalls, a supporting tire carcass comprised of one or more layers of ply, a pair of beads, and an outer circumferential tread, wherein the sidewalls extend radially inward from the axial outer edges of the tread portion to join the respective beads, and a layer of sealant disposed between the inner liner and a cover layer, the carcass of the tire has a radially innermost layer, wherein the sealant is located over said gas permeable liner, and has a first outer edge and a second outer edge, wherein on each side of said sealant adjoining with the first outer edge and the second outer edge is two or more layers of butyl rubber inner liner.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tire tread strip and method of preparation.

Abstract: A method of preparing a tire inner surface includes providing an uncured tire having an inner surface, placing a strip of multi-axially stretchable blend film on a circumferential surface of the inner surface, wherein one end of the overlapped splice joined by a pressure-sensitive adhesive for easy removal of the strip from the inner surface, applying a release agent coating to the annular, circumferential film strip and the inner surface of the uncured tire, shaping and curing the uncured tire with the release coating on the annular circumferential film strip and inner surface in a suitable mold at an elevated temperature, removing the cured tire from the mold and allowing the cured tire to cool, and removing the annular circumferential film strip with its release coating by use of a film strip to provide a circumferential release coating-free tire inner surface of the cured tire for adhering balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire having an air barrier layer, particularly an integral pneumatic tire innerliner, for prevention, or retardation, of air permeation from its inner chamber to the atmosphere through the carcass of the tire. The innerliner is comprised of an annular, cylindrical, hoop of a film having its ends overlapped and heat sealed together. The film is comprised of a continuous thermoplastic polymer phase which contains a dispersion therein of cured rubber domains, particularly cured low unsaturation rubber domains. In one embodiment, one surface of the film contains a thin bonding layer to aid in bonding the film to an unsaturated rubber-containing tire carcass. In one embodiment, the overlapping portion of the ends of the film have a thin rubber layer positioned therebetween.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire with a tread having an intermediate rubber layer which contains a dispersion of high strength hollow glass and/or ceramic microspheres. In particular, such tire tread is comprised of at least three radially disposed zones of rubber layers composed of a radially outer tread rubber cap layer, a radially inner tread base rubber layer and an intermediate, transition rubber layer positioned between said outer rubber cap layer and said inner rubber base layer. The intermediate tread rubber contains a dispersion of glass and/or ceramic microspheres together with a coupling agent.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cured tire tread composite and to the retreading of a tire. The cured tire tread composite is comprised of a cured tire tread having a removable protective film molded onto one of its surfaces. The invention further relates to the retreading of a tire carcass and a retreaded tire.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire is provided which includes an outer circumferential rubber tread and a supporting carcass. A rubber inner liner is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass. A built-in sealant layer is situated adjacent to an innermost removable barrier layer and disposed inwardly from the rubber inner liner. The built-in sealant layer provides self-sealing properties to the pneumatic tire. The pneumatic tire, with its innermost removable barrier layer, keeps the sealant layer from sticking to a tire-building apparatus during tire assembly and, after curing of the assembled tire, is eventually removed to permit gas from the built-in sealant layer to become part of the tire's inflation air to prevent or reduce instances of inner liner blister formation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a built-in sealant layer and its preparation. In one embodiment, the pneumatic tire includes an outer circumferential rubber tread and a supporting carcass. An optional rubber inner liner is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass. A built-in sealant layer is disposed inwardly from the rubber inner liner. The built-in sealant layer provides self-sealing properties to the pneumatic tire. A gas permeable layer is situated adjacent an innermost rubber inner liner and the built-in sealant layer. The innermost rubber inner liner has a plurality of spaced apart openings extending therethrough, which are covered by the gas permeable layer. The tire, with its innermost inner liner with holes and the gas permeable layer, allows for elimination or reduction in blister formation in the tire by permitting gas from the built-in sealant layer to escape.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a built-in sealant layer and its preparation. In one embodiment, the pneumatic tire includes an outer circumferential rubber tread and a supporting carcass. A rubber inner liner is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass. A built-in sealant layer is situated adjacent an innermost gas permeable layer and disposed inwardly from the rubber inner liner. The built-in sealant layer provides self-sealing properties to the pneumatic tire. The tire, with its innermost gas permeable layer, allows for elimination or reduction in blister formation in the tire. The pneumatic tire can be prepared by positioning the gas permeable layer on a tire-building apparatus. Next, a precursor sealant layer is positioned directly on the gas permeable layer. The rubber inner liner is disposed outwardly of the precursor sealant layer followed by the tire carcass then the rubber tire tread on the tire carcass.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pneumatic tire having a built-in sealant layer, before cure, includes an unvulcanized pneumatic tire assembly having an outer circumferential rubber tread and a supporting carcass. A precursor sealant layer is situated between the supporting carcass and an innermost rubber inner liner. The precursor sealant layer includes a non-flowing polyurethane composition that is neither gel-like nor tacky and is self-supporting. The precursor sealant layer, during curing of the unvulcanized pneumatic tire assembly, thermally degrades so as to provide a gel-like and tacky, self-healing polyurethane composition which defines the built-in sealant layer. The resulting tire, with its innermost polyurethane composition, allows for elimination or reduction in blister formation by reducing or elimination the amount of gases typically given off by organoperoxide-butyl based sealant layers, such as when the tire is at its running temperature. Consequently, the thickness of the inner liner may be reduced.

Abstract: A balance material is applied to the inner surface of a tire at one or more selected locations to offset an imbalance of the tire. The balance material is fluently applied to the inner surface at a first viscosity, whereafter the balance material transforms to exhibit a second viscosity that is higher than the first viscosity and remains affixed to the inner surface of the tire at the point of application. A method of balancing a tire comprises determining the location and amount of balance material needed to correct an imbalance of the tire, applying the balance material at a first viscosity, and transforming the balance material to have a second viscosity sufficient to maintain the balance material at the desired location.

Abstract: A bond of a rubbery component to a virgin surface of a tire's cured innerliner which virgin surface has never been contaminated by the remnants of a release agent left after buffing with a wire brush and solvent-cleaning the cured innerliner, is unexpectedly stronger than a bond of the component to the contaminated but “cleaned surface”, cleaned as indicated. As an alternative, buffing with a wire brush results in a textured surface that impairs adhesion of a balance pad. Therefore, a pneumatic tire is provided with a virgin surface protected against contamination by a release agent at the curing temperature of the tire; protection is provided by a self-supporting barrier film of sulfur non-vulcanizable, expandable, thermoformable synthetic resinous material; and, a method is provided for maintaining a virgin cured surface within all or part of either the exterior or interior of a pneumatic tire's rubber carcass which is conventionally cured.

Abstract: An applique having a vulcanizable adhesive layer is co-cured on a rubber article by precuring the applique of predominantly pale natural rubber optionally imprinted with a bar code; coating the upper surface of the applique with a protective self-supporting film of polyamide less than 0.050 mm (2 mils) thick, or a non-self-supporting film of polyurethane less than 25.4 ?m, 0.0254 mm (1 mil) thick; adhering the applique to the article at a chosen location; curing the article in a curing mold; and, removing a cured article from the mold with the protective film adhering to the surface of the applique, the surface of which is essentially free from visually observable cracks. The hot flow of rubber in the curing mold does not substantially change the location of the applique which is embedded in the article. If the film does not remain adhered to a cured tire and drops into the mold, it is difficult to retrieve and, when a subsequent article is cured in the same mold, results in a scrap tire.

Abstract: A laminar “precured” or “replacement” tread for wheeled vehicles operating at night on retreaded tires is made more readily visible when grooves in the tires are provided with elastomeric strips or bands in which are embedded retroreflective elements such as transparent glass or synthetic resinous microspheres (referred to herein as “beads”). Upper surfaces of longitudinal ridges in a flat curing mold lend themselves to supporting the strips which are then precisely positioned in grooves defined by the ridges, when the flat tread is cured.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire having a portion thereof such as a sidewall component that glows-in-the-dark due to the presence of a phosphorescent layer thereon. The present invention also relates to a tire having, and to a process for incorporating, a phosphorescent decal on the sidewall component. Very small amounts of phosphorescent material are used, resulting in a low cost safety tire.

Abstract: A passive pitching target comprises a portable device including a resilient rectangular laminar backstop indentable by a baseball pitched at a velocity of 100 km/hr (62 mph); the target is higher than it is wide, and rests with its base supported on the ground; one planar face of the backstop is fully covered with a laminar resilient pad of synthetic resinous material having a specified resilience to ensure that a pitched baseball striking the target's planar surface is returned to the pitcher at a location of choice, either less than one-half the distance from where the pitch was thrown, to mimic a “bunt”, or, in the general vicinity of the location from where the ball was pitched; the pad is dimensioned for height and width the same as the backstop and is removably affixed in contact with the face of the backboard; the resilient pad, in turn is fully covered with a removably affixed synthetic resinous sheet of material overlying the resilient pad and in intimate contact therewith, the target forming an inde

Abstract: The present invention relates to preparation an article of manufacture, such as of a tire, via application of at least one partially pre-cured component. Tires are often prepared with pre-cured, pre-shaped components such as for example, application of pre-cured tread strips to a cured carcass as in the case of re-treaded tires. Thus precured tread and cured carcass are joined together using a cushion gum followed by heating the resulting assembly at an elevated temperature to cure the cushion gum. Such pre-cured component may also be, for example, a sidewall apex. In such cases, the pre-cured component is subjected to more heat than is necessary which may be detrimental for the component. This invention is directed to the use of a partially pre-cured component to prepare a tire assembly prior to the curing of the entire components of the tire assembly.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire having a portion thereof such as a sidewall component that glows-in-the-dark due to the presence of a phosphorescent layer thereon. The present invention also relates to a tire having, and to a process for incorporating, a phosphorescent decal on the sidewall component. Very small amounts of phosphorescent material are used, resulting in a low cost safety tire.

Abstract: A passive pitching target comprises a portable device including a resilient rectangular laminar backstop indentable by a baseball pitched at a velocity of 100 km/hr; the target is higher than it is wide, and rests with its base supported on the ground; one planar face of the backstop is fully covered with a laminar resilient pad of synthetic resinous material having a specified resilience to ensure that a pitched baseball striking the target's planar surface is returned to the pitcher at a location of choice, either less than one-half the distance from where the pitch was thrown, to mimic a “bunt”, or, in the general vicinity of the location from where the ball was pitched; the pad is dimensioned for height and width the same as the backstop and is removably affixed in contact with the face of the backboard; the resilient pad, in turn is fully covered with a removably affixed synthetic resinous sheet of material overlying the resilient pad and in intimate contact therewith, the target forming an i