Abstract: This invention relates to pneumatic tires having a sidewall which contains at least one internal annular rubber insert. In particular, this invention relates to pneumatic tires which rely upon internal pneumatic air pressure and to pneumatic tires which conventionally rely upon internal pneumatic air pressure but which have a capability of running for extended distances without any significant internal air pressure, namely ambient atmospheric air pressure, depending somewhat upon the positioning and configuration of the sidewall insert. At least one of said rubber sidewall inserts is composed of two segments, namely a radially inner rubber segment and a radially outer rubber segment. The inner rubber segment and outer rubber segment have significantly different modulus and hardness physical properties. A portion of the segments overlap each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for improving vehicle steering performance and robustness of that performance through control of non-uniformities in the vehicle's tires, wheels and tire/wheel assemblies as a way to overcome the tendency of many vehicle types to undergo “steering performance loss.” While minimizing lateral force variations (e.g., couple imbalance), a controlled amount of radial and/or tangential force variation is induced in one or more tire/wheel assemblies by means of mass non-uniformity, dimensional non-uniformity, and/or stiffness non-uniformity. For mass non-uniformity, the preferred method includes imparting a controlled amount of excess mass to tires, especially in the tread region, by means, for example, of a heavy splice, an extra fabric piece, or a sector of a tire component having excess mass. The excess mass is meridionally symmetric so as to induce static but not couple imbalance, thereby imparting a “residual static imbalance” (RSI) to the tire.

Abstract: Methods for improving vehicle steering performance and robustness of that performance include control of non-uniformities in the vehicle's tires, wheels and tire/wheel assemblies as a way to overcome the tendency of the steering systems in certain vehicle types to undergo “steering performance loss.” While minimizing lateral force variations (e.g., couple imbalance), a controlled amount of radial and/or tangential force variation is induced in one or more tire/wheel assemblies by means of mass non-uniformity, dimensional non-uniformity, and/or stiffness non-uniformity. For dimensional non-uniformity, the preferred method is to impart a controlled amount of dimensional non-uniformity (preferably radial runout) to the tire and/or the wheel in at least one of the tire/wheel assemblies, followed by statically and dynamically balancing all of the vehicle's tire/wheel assemblies.

Abstract: Methods for improving vehicle steering performance and robustness through control of non-uniformities in the vehicle's tires, wheels and tire/wheel assemblies. While minimizing lateral force variations (e.g., couple imbalance), a controlled amount of radial and/or tangential force variation is induced in one or more tire/wheel assemblies by imparting mass non-uniformnity, dimensional non-uniformity, and/or stiffness non-uniformity. The tire non-uniformities are preferably distributed meridionally symmetrically about the equatorial plane of the tire, so as to induce tangential and/or radial force variations but not lateral force variations. Beneficial tangential and/or radial force variations will result from the operation of such a tire, even if the tire/wheel assembly is balanced by weights added to the wheel.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for improving vehicle steering performance and robustness of that performance through control of non-uniformities in the vehicle's tires, wheels and tire/wheel assemblies as a way to overcome the tendency of many vehicle types to undergo “steering performance loss.” While minimizing lateral force variations (e.g., couple imbalance), a controlled amount of radial and/or tangential force variation is induced in one or more tire/wheel assemblies by means of mass non-uniformity, dimensional non-uniformity, and/or stiffness non-uniformity. For mass non-uniformity, the preferred method includes imparting a controlled amount of excess mass to tires, especially in the tread region, by means, for example, of a heavy splice, an extra fabric piece, or a sector of a tire component having excess mass. The excess mass is meridionally symmetric so as to induce static but not couple imbalance, thereby imparting a “residual static imbalance” (RSI) to the tire.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for improving vehicle steering performance and robustness of that performance through control of non-uniformities in the vehicle's tires, wheels and tire/wheel assemblies as a way to overcome the tendency of the steering systems in certain vehicle types to undergo “steering performance loss.” While minimizing lateral force variations (e.g., couple imbalance), a controlled amount of radial and/or tangential force variation is induced in one or more tire/wheel assemblies by means of mass non-uniformity, dimensional non-uniformity, and/or stiffness non-uniformity. For dimensional non-uniformity, the preferred method comprises imparting a controlled amount of dimensional non-uniformity (preferably radial runout) to the tire and/or the wheel in at least one of the tire/wheel assemblies, followed by statically and dynamically balancing all of the vehicle's tire/wheel assemblies.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for improving vehicle steering performance and robustness of that performance through control of non-uniformities in the vehicle's tires, wheels and tire/wheel assemblies as a way to overcome the tendency of the steering systems in certain vehicle types to undergo “steering performance loss.” While minimizing lateral force variations (e.g., couple imbalance), a controlled amount of radial and/or tangential force variation is induced in one or more tire/wheel assemblies by means of mass non-uniformity, dimensional non-uniformity, and/or stiffness non-uniformity. For stiffness non-uniformity, the preferred method comprises imparting a controlled amount of stiffness non-uniformity to the tire in at least one of the tire/wheel assemblies, followed by statically and dynamically balancing all of the vehicle's tire/wheel assemblies.