Pneumatic Tire Or Inner Tube Patents (Class 152/450)
  • Patent number: 8701726
    Abstract: A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube connected to a tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow an air tube segment opposite a tire footprint to flatten, closing the passageway, and resiliently unflatten into an original configuration. The air tube is sequentially flattened by the tire footprint in a direction opposite to a tire direction of rotation to pump air along the passageway to an inlet device for exhaust from the passageway or to an outlet device for direction into the tire cavity. The inlet device is positioned within the annular passageway 180 degrees opposite the outlet device such that sequential flattening of the air tube by the tire footprint effects pumping of air along the air passageway with the tire rotating in either a forward or reverse direction of rotation. The invention further includes an inlet device for regulating the inlet flow of the air tube pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Daniel Paul Luc Marie Hinque
  • Publication number: 20140102610
    Abstract: A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube connected to a tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow an air tube segment opposite a tire footprint to flatten, closing the passageway, and resiliently unflatten into an original configuration. The air tube is sequentially flattened by the tire footprint in a direction opposite to a tire direction of rotation to pump air along the passageway to an inlet device for exhaust from the passageway or to an outlet device for direction into the tire cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Inventor: Cheng-Hsiung Lin
  • Publication number: 20140102611
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rubber composition for a tire, containing an isoprene-based rubber and a compound represented by formula (1) below, wherein an amount of the isoprene-based rubber is at least 70% by mass; and an amount of the compound represented by formula (1) is 0.5-6 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. The invention also relates to a rubber composition for a tire, containing an alkylphenol-sulfur chloride condensate and a compound represented by formula (1) below, wherein an amount of the alkylphenol-sulfur chloride condensate is 0.4-6 parts by mass, and an amount of the compound represented by formula (1) is 0.5-6 parts by mass, each per 100 parts by mass of a rubber component of the rubber composition: wherein R1 represents a C2-C16 alkyl group; and R2 represents a C3-C16 alkyl, benzothiazolyl-sulfide, or cycloalkyl group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8695662
    Abstract: This invention relates to a tire with a circumferential rubber tread comprised of a rubber composition for promotion of reduced internal heat build-up. The invention particularly relates to truck tires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Lothar Braun, Fahri Ozel, Carolin Anna Welter, Jean-Marie Feller, Tom Dominique Linster, Julia Martine Francoise Claudine Tahon
  • Patent number: 8695663
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pneumatic tire with a component containing syndiotactic polybutadiene. The invention particularly relates to a tire with a tread configured with an outer cap rubber layer and an internal underlying rubber layer where the underlying rubber layer is comprised of such syndiotactic polybutadiene-containing rubber composition or a tire with a sidewall apex of such syndiotactic polybutadiene-containing rubber composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Junling Zhao
  • Publication number: 20140090763
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire including an inner liner disposed inwardly in the tire relative to a carcass ply bridged between a pair of bead portions. The inner liner is formed of a first layer disposed inwardly in the tire and a second layer disposed to be in contact with a rubber layer of the carcass ply. The first layer is a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a thermoplastic elastomer containing at least one of a styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer and an SIBS modified copolymer having a styrene block moiety modified with acid chloride or acid anhydride having an unsaturated bond. The thermoplastic elastomer composition also contains at least one of an ultraviolet absorber and an antioxidant. The second layer is a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing at least one of a styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymer and a styrene-isobutylene block copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Mutsuki Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20140090764
    Abstract: The present invention provides a rubber composition for a sidewall, which improves fuel economy, handling stability, tensile strength at break, elongation at break, and processability in a balanced manner, and which can also suppress the occurrence of broken spews during demolding of a resulting tire; and a pneumatic tire formed from the rubber composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8686085
    Abstract: The present invention has its object to provide a rubber composition having excellent low-exothermic property and high strength together, and a pneumatic tire produced using the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition which contains a rubber component and 10 to 150 parts by mass of silica per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. The rubber component contains a butadiene rubber modified by a compound represented by the formula (1): wherein, R1, R2 and R3 are the same or different and independently represent an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a silyloxy group, an acetal group, a carboxyl group, a mercapto group, or a derivative thereof; R4 and R5 are the same or different and independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and n represents an integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Uesaka, Toshiro Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20140083587
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tyre (1) for mounting on a running wheel, a rim or a guide which is circular, oval, ellipsoid or rounded in some other way and is not continuous but rather has at least two ends. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a corresponding tyre (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: SIGMA-TAU Industrie Farmaceutiche Riunite S.p.A.
    Inventor: Adolf Andreas Jetten
  • Patent number: 8672003
    Abstract: An assembly of a tyre and a member fitted to the tyre respectively include complementary connecting portions. The connecting portion of the member is more flexible than that of the connecting portion of the tyre.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Claudio Battocchio, Bernard Cubizolle
  • Publication number: 20140062054
    Abstract: A tire rim for a rolling apparatus with wheels mounted with a camber. The rim comprises a first shoulder having a first diameter, a second shoulder having a second diameter, and a main body arranged for connecting spoke elements, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter. By having the first diameter of the first shoulder larger than the second diameter of the second shoulder the restrains of the tire at the first shoulder will be different than the restrains of the tire at the second shoulder. By mounting a wheel, comprising the tire rim according to the invention, with a camber, wherein the first and second shoulder have a substantially similar distance to the floor, the tire may be supported substantially more opposite to the floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: BOBERGO B.V.
    Inventor: Martijn Schaaper
  • Patent number: 8657975
    Abstract: A method of attaching an object to a tire includes providing a tire and providing a mechanical two-piece fastening system having a first portion and a second portion. The method further includes attaching a first portion of a mechanical two-piece fastening system to the tire and positioning an object to be attached to the tire on one of the first portion and the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system. The method also includes attaching the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system to the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas W. Bell
  • Patent number: 8651156
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improved shear band for use in non-pneumatic tires, pneumatic tires, and other technologies. The improved shear band is uniquely constructed of honeycomb shaped units that can replace the elastomeric continuum materials such as natural or synthetic rubber or polyurethane that are typically used. In particular, honeycomb structures made of high modulus materials such as metals or polycarbonates are used that provide the desired shear strains and shear modulus when subjected to stress. When used in tire construction, improvements in rolling resistance can be obtained because of less mass being deformed and reduced hysteresis provided by these materials. The resulting mass of the shear band is greatly reduced if using low density materials. Higher density materials can be used (such as metals) without increasing mass while utilizing their characteristic low energy loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Georges M. Fadel, Jaehyung Ju, Ashwin Michaelraj, Prabhu Shankar, Joshua D. Summers, John C. Ziegert
  • Publication number: 20140034204
    Abstract: In an assembly of a pneumatic tire and a rim, in which a tire cavity is formed between the pneumatic tire and the rim by mounting the pneumatic tire on the rim, a noise suppressing body extending in a circumferential direction is disposed inside the tire cavity. The noise suppressing body includes a first sound absorbing material layer arranged apart from an inner surface of a tire tread part through a cavity and a second sound absorbing material layer disposed at the rim side of the first sound absorbing material layer and having lower air permeability than the first sound absorbing material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicants: ACOUSTIC INNOVATIONS CO., LTD., TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sakakibara, Atsushi Suzuki, Sanford Elliot Fowler-Hawkins, Ippei Soma
  • Publication number: 20140027031
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire assembly includes a tire, a filter element disposed between a pneumatic cavity and atmosphere. The filter element has threads for securing to the pneumatic tire. First and second sidewalls extend respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region. The first sidewall has a bending region operatively bending when radially within a rolling tire footprint. A sidewall groove defines groove walls positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall. The sidewall groove deforms in response to bending of the bending region of the first sidewall while radially within the rolling tire footprint. An air passageway is defined by the sidewall groove and deforms when radially within the rolling tire footprint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventor: Andreas Frantzen
  • Publication number: 20140027030
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire assembly includes a tire having a pneumatic cavity, first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region with the first sidewall having at least one bending region operatively bending when radially within a rolling tire footprint, a rigid structure for facilitating operation of the tire assembly with the rigid structure being bonded to the tire by a compound cement of high stiffness such that a stiffness gradient is created between the structure and the tire, and a sidewall groove defined by groove walls positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Andreas Frantzen, Raphael Beck
  • Publication number: 20140027032
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire assembly includes: a tire having a pneumatic cavity; a rigid structure for facilitating operation of the tire assembly, the rigid structure being bonded to the tire by a layered thermoplastic material such that a stiffness gradient is created between the structure and the tire; first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region, the first sidewall having at least one bending region operatively bending when radially within a rolling tire footprint; and a sidewall groove defined by groove walls positioned within the bending region of the first tire sidewall, the sidewall groove deforming segment by segment between a non-deformed state and a deformed, constricted state in response to bending of the bending region of the first sidewall while radially within the rolling tire footprint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Andreas Frantzen, Giorgio Agostini
  • Publication number: 20140027033
    Abstract: An air-maintenance tire system includes: a tire having a tire carcass comprising a tire cavity defined by a tire inner liner and first and second sidewalls extending respectively from first and second tire bead regions to a tire tread region; compression actuator means mounted to the tire carcass and configured for operative actuation by tire deformation during a tire revolution; and a pump assembly affixed to the tire carcass and comprising a compressor body affixed to the compression actuator means and having an internal air chamber. The air chamber has an inlet opening for admitting air into the internal air chamber and an outlet opening for conducting air from the internal air chamber to the tire cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Andreas Frantzen, Giorgio Agostini
  • Publication number: 20140020805
    Abstract: An air maintenance tire and pump assembly includes a pair of inline valves are positioned on respective opposite sides of an in-tire air passageway inlet junction and a pair of outlet valves positioned at a downstream side of a respective inline valve. A bypass valve is further provided extending between the downstream valve sides of the inline valves, the bypass valve operative to open and bypass the flow of inlet air through the outlet valves to the tire cavity in the event that a tire cavity pressure is greater than a preset pressure level and close when a tire cavity pressure is less than the preset pressure level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Thulasiram Gobinath, Cheng-Hsiung Lin, Robert Leon Benedict, Richard Nicholas Crano, Adam Joseph O'Donnell
  • Publication number: 20140020808
    Abstract: A rubber composition obtained by kneading at least one selected from the group consisting of (A1), (B1), (C1) and (D1), a rubber component and a filler, and a method of improving the viscoelastic property of vulcanized rubber, comprising a first step of kneading at least one selected from the group consisting of (A1), (B1), (C1) and (D1), a rubber component, a filler and a sulfur component and a second step of thermally treating the kneaded material obtained in the previous step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yosuke Watanabe, Orhan Ozturk, Yasuo Uekita
  • Publication number: 20140020806
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire provided with a noise damper in the tire cavity, which can maintain high-speed durability and productivity while also reducing cavity resonance, comprising a tread having a width TW in contact with the ground during travel, in which a noise damper made of a sound-absorbing material is attached to the tire internal surface in order to reduce cavity resonance, wherein the noise damper is at least one continuous ribbon made of a sound-absorbing material and having a width W and a thickness E, which is fixed over an attachment width Wc to the tire internal surface over a range of at least 30% of the inside of the tread in the radial direction, the start end and terminal end which are the two ends of the continuous ribbon are disposed in such a way as to be offset from each other in the axial direction, and the continuous ribbon forms, together with the tire internal surface, a continuous groove having a groove width D which is at least equal to 10% of the width W of the continuous ribbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A., Compagnie Generale Des Etablissments Michelin
    Inventors: Ludovic Greverie, Alain Parfondry, Antonio Delfino, Damien Fombelle
  • Publication number: 20140014248
    Abstract: A method for producing a pneumatic tire in which a noise damper in the form of at least one continuous ribbon for reducing cavity resonance in a tire cavity is provided on the internal surface of a tire on the inside in the radial direction of the tire corresponding to the tire tread, including, providing a vulcanized and shaped tire; mixing a composition for forming the noise damper with a foaming agent to produce a liquid composition; rotating the tire in an upright state by means of a tire holding and rotation device, and introducing the liquid composition onto the tire internal surface by a device for introducing the liquid composition; varying the relative positional relationship of the pneumatic tire and the introduction implement in the axial direction of the tire while introducing the liquid composition is introduced onto the tire internal surface, and forming the liquid composition into a gel; and foaming and drying the gelled liquid composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicants: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A., COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ESTABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Alain Parfondry, Antonio Delfino, Ludovio Greverie, Damlen Fombelle
  • Publication number: 20140007999
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a tire including a tire casing having a rolling resistance coefficient according to the coastdown method of JIS D4234 of not exceeding 4.0, in which both low rolling resistance and durability of the tire can be made compatible with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenjiro Yanai
  • Publication number: 20140000778
    Abstract: An air maintenance tire and pump assembly includes an elongate annular air passageway enclosed within a bending region of a tire, the air passageway operatively closing and opening segment by segment as the bending region of the tire passes through a rolling tire footprint to pump air along the air passageway. A pair of inline valves are positioned on respective opposite sides of an inlet junction and direct a flow of inlet air in opposite directions into the air passageway; and a pair of outlet valves are positioned at a downstream side of a respective inline valve and direct a flow of the inlet air from the downstream side of a respective inline valve toward the tire cavity. The valves are selectively opened by a direction of air flow within the air passageway which, in turn, is directionally determined by the direction in which the tire rotates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Thulasiram Gobinath
  • Patent number: 8618190
    Abstract: A latex marking ink suitable for marking rubber articles has been developed. The ink comprises vulcanizable rubber latex, pigment, vulcanizing agent, and non-ionic stabilizer dispersed in water. Shear stability is dramatically and unexpectedly increased by the presence of the non-ionic stabilizer even though viscosity also increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: PolyOne Corporation
    Inventors: Heather E. Burik, Steve White
  • Publication number: 20130340908
    Abstract: The outer bead lock wheel of the present disclosure provides for wheel and tire flexibility between off-road vehicle capability and on-road vehicle capability by securing the tire to the wheel regardless of the change in tire pressure. The outer bead lock wheel of the present disclosure includes a wheel base having a flange which is operatively configured to receive one of a decorative ring or a functional ring. The decorative ring may be mechanically affixed to the wheel base, and the functional ring may also be mechanically affixed to the wheel base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Adam Wirth, Matt R. Bagley
  • Publication number: 20130340904
    Abstract: A tread rubber of a pneumatic tire is formed by a ribbon rubber which is spirally wound around a tire rotating axis. The ribbon rubber is wound toward one side in a tire width direction from a start point which is positioned closer to a center side than tread ends in a tire meridian cross section, is next folded back to the other side in the tire width direction at the tread end on the one side, is wound toward the tread end on the other side beyond the start point, is next folded back to the one side in the tire width direction at the tread end on the other side, and is wound toward an end point. The ribbon rubber has the winding start end and the winding terminal end at tread end vicinity portions avoiding the tread ends and a tread center portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 8613298
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of preparing a functionalized elastomer, comprising the steps of A) obtaining a diene-based elastomer; B) mixing the diene-based elastomer with a halogenating agent to form an intermediate elastomer; and C) mixing the intermediate elastomer with a dienophile comprising a filler-active functional group to form a functionalized elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Gabor Kaszas
  • Patent number: 8610553
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a tire pressure monitoring system, including an electrical device unit including a pressure sensor for detecting an air pressure of a tire; a housing that is accommodated in the electrical device unit and into which the air pressure of the tire is introduced; a valve antenna having one end that is inserted into the housing and the other end into which the air pressure of the tire is introduced; a conduction member having one end that is electrically connected to the electrical device unit and the other end that is electrically connected to the valve antenna; and a coupling member fixing and coupling the housing and the valve antenna to each other, wherein the valve antenna transmits a pressure signal about the air pressure of the tire, which is detected by the pressure sensor, to a receiver of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won Han, Jong Hyeong Song, Kyung No Lee, Hae Seung Hyun, Jong Woo Han
  • Publication number: 20130319592
    Abstract: A tire which is formed of a resin material, is highly elastic, has a low loss factor, and has excellent heat resistance and fracture characteristics. A tire 10 has a circular tire case 17 that is formed of a resin material including a polystyrene-based resin and a resin having compatibility with polystyrene and having a glass transition temperature (Tg) higher than that of polystyrene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Harada, Hiroyuki Fudemoto
  • Patent number: 8597790
    Abstract: The invention provides vulcanizable rubber compound having improved tensile mechanical and dynamic viscoelastic properties. The compounds are formed by mixing an elastomer, containing unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds in its molecular structure, with a reinforcing inorganic filler silica in the presence of an alkyl alkoxysilane and a non-sulfur coupling agent that binds to the rubber backbone with an “ene” linkage or a 1,3 dipolar addition linkage. In particular, the coupling agent and the alkyl alkoxysilane are present in the compound in a weight ratio of about 0.0001:1 to about 1:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: William L. Hergenrother, Chenchy J. Lin, Yaohong Chen
  • Publication number: 20130312890
    Abstract: Provided are: a rubber laminate having high adhesion between a rubber member including a non-diene rubber and a rubber member including a diene rubber; a run-flat tire obtained by using the rubber laminate, having high adhesion between a side-reinforcing rubber layer and an inner liner, with excellent run-flat durability; and a pneumatic tire including a color layer having high adhesion force to a side rubber while being excellent in stain resistance. The rubber laminate is obtained by laminating a rubber member A including a non-diene rubber and a rubber member B including a diene rubber on each other, the rubber member A and the rubber member B containing a vulcanization accelerator of the same type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Iwata, Norihisa Kano, Kazuhiro Maekawa, Jeeyoung Oh
  • Publication number: 20130299055
    Abstract: An elongate air tube is positioned within a tire sidewall cavity in contacting internal engagement with the tire sidewall to form an assembly. The air tube includes an internal elongate air passageway and wing projections projecting in opposite directions at an axially inward body portion. The wing projections seat within cavity pockets to retain the air tube within the cavity. The air tube body operatively compresses responsive to impinging stress forces from the tire sidewall against the air tube body, whereby the air tube body reconfiguring from an expanded unstressed configuration into a compressed configuration to constrict the air passageway. The air tube body decompresses into the expanded configuration upon reduction of the impinging stress forces against the air tube body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: Thulasiram Gobinath, Robert Leon Benedict, Robin Lamgaday, Robert Allen Losey
  • Patent number: 8578983
    Abstract: This invention relates to a tire having at least one rubber component which contains a cast, extruded, or calendered film of syndiotactic polybutadiene polymer. The syndiotactic polybutadiene polymer film is integral with the surface of the rubber component in a sense of being co-cured therewith. Such film may be added directly to the tire during the building process or involve a separate process of producing a tire component as a composite of the film and a rubber composition (rubber component) prior to the tire building stage. Such composite can be as is or partially pre-cured before being applied in the tire building process. The syndiotactic polybutadiene polymer film is provided to promote both stability and age durability for the tire component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Paul Harry Sandstrom
  • Patent number: 8580877
    Abstract: A vulcanizable layered composition comprising at least two layers and at least one tie layer, wherein the first layer of the two layers is a fluid permeation prevention layer preferably comprising: (A) at least one thermoplastic engineering component and (B) at least one elastomer component; the second layer of the two layers comprises at least one high diene rubber and the tie layer comprises a mixture of: (1) at least one halogenated isobutylene containing elastomer; (2) up to 50 weight % of at least one high diene elastomer; (3) at least one filler; (4) up to 30 weight % of at least one processing oil; (5) at least one tackifier; and (6) a curing system for the elastomers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignees: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc., The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Andy Haishung Tsou, Yoshihiro Soeda, Matthew Brian Measmer, James Peter Stokes, Yoshiaki Kirino, Arthur Joseph Sullivan
  • Publication number: 20130284336
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a base tire with a uniform degree of cure (vulcanization) by preventing undercure or overcure in curing an uncured base tire, a method for manufacturing a tire using such a base tire, and a base tire thus manufactured are provided. In a method for manufacturing a cured base tire having a tread region where a tread rubber is attached, an uncured base tire is enclosed within a curing mold, the side regions of the base tire are heated by a first heating means, the tread region with a thicker tire thickness than the side regions is heated by a second heating means, and a cure-molding is performed such that the amount of heat given to the tread region by the second heating means is smaller than the amount of heat given to the side regions by the first heating means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideyuki Kaneda
  • Patent number: 8567464
    Abstract: Provided is a low noise pneumatic tire in which the noise absorbing member on the inner peripheral surface of the tire is made less likely to be damaged when the pneumatic tire is removed from the rim. The pneumatic tire includes a noise absorbing member of a porous material which is attached to an inner peripheral surface of the tire. In the pneumatic tire, a lubricant is applied to the inner peripheral surface of the noise absorbing member. Alternatively, both end portions, in a tire width direction, of the inner peripheral surface of the noise absorbing member are covered with protective layers harder than the noise absorbing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Tanno
  • Publication number: 20130269850
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes an inner liner layer formed from a laminate sheet obtained by laminating: a sheet made from a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic resin composition which is a blend of the thermoplastic resin and an elastomer; and a rubber bonded by curing to the thermoplastic resin or the thermoplastic resin composition. The pneumatic tire avoids occurrence of cracks near a splice portion of the inner liner layer after the pneumatic tire starts to be used for driving, and thereby achieves excellent durability. In the tire, an inner liner layer is formed by lap-splicing end portions of a laminate sheet which is obtained by the laminating A sheet with end portions each having a tip subjected to a tip sharpening process is used as the sheet made from the thermoplastic resin or the thermoplastic resin composition which is the blend of the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Seto, Yuichi Hara, Hirokazu Shibata
  • Patent number: 8550137
    Abstract: A tire for a self-inflating tire system includes an annular air tube-receiving groove formed within a tire carcass wall at a prescribed radial location. The groove has an access opening, a primary internal groove chamber dimensioned and profiled for close receipt of an annular air-pump tube. A secondary expansion chamber of the groove communicates with the internal groove chamber for operationally receiving a flattened air-pump tube extended portion during tire operation. A passageway is located at a prescribed outlet location along the annular air tube-receiving groove, the passageway extending from the groove to an axially inward terminal end within the tire carcass wall separated from a tire inner liner by a removable wall partition of reduced sectional thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Andres Ignacio Delgado, Christopher David Dyrlund, Mark Anthony Sieverding
  • Patent number: 8544510
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire with noise reducer, which can reduce the cost for manufacturing a noise reducer and which can keep the effect to suppress cavity resonance. The pneumatic tire with noise reducer 1 comprises a pneumatic tire 3 and a noise reducer 7 attached to a tire cavity surface 6 of the tire. The noise reducer 7 is formed into a ring shape by butting both end faces 12e of elongated sponge material 12 disposed along the tire circumferential direction. In the noise reducer 7, moreover, a butt-joint face 8 formed by butting both of the end faces 12e of the sponge material 12 is a substantive plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Yukawa
  • Patent number: 8544517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multi layered air permeation preventive layer of pneumatic tires having ?50 to ?10i É of the steep decreasing range of the elastic modulus includes inner liner layer of a non-drawn film formed from a polymer composition including 60 to 90 wt. % of a thermoplastic resin and 10 to 40 wt. % of an elastomer, and carcass layer coated on the inside and outside of the inner liner layer, the tire thus manufacture has no fracture under a severe deformation during the tire shaping process, facilitating the tire manufacture, and exhibits an air permeation preventive property as an excellent air permeation preventive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Kolon Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Gi-Il Hong, Gi-Sang Song, Sang-Hyun Baek
  • Patent number: 8544515
    Abstract: Negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) or auxetic are used to make lightweight wheels and runflat tires. The NPR tires can be tailored and functionally-designed to optimally meet the runflat requirements for both military and commercial vehicles. NPR-runflat tires may be fabricated using standard materials and simple manufacturing processes, resulting in low-cost and high-volume production. In preferred embodiments the runflat tire designs are fully compatible with Central Tire Inflation Systems (CTIS), while providing a performance equivalent to current military vehicle solutions but at half the weight. An auxetic wheel according to the invention comprises a line defining an axis of rotation; and a plurality of concentric rings of unit cells surrounding the axis, each unit cell being constructed of a plurality of members defining a Negative Poisson's Ratio (NPR) structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: MKP Structural Design Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Zheng-Dong Ma, Yuanyuan Liu, Xiaoming Liu, Ce Sun, Yushun Cui
  • Publication number: 20130248070
    Abstract: Provided are: a noise reduction device with an improved adhesion of objects formed of a porous material and with a reduced processing time; a method of manufacturing the noise reduction device; and a pneumatic tire including the noise reduction device. The noise reduction device of the present invention includes: objects formed of a porous material; a band member for attaching the objects to the inner surface of a tire at two positions spaced at substantially equal intervals in the tire circumferential direction; and locking members formed of a thermoplastic resin. The band member is formed of a thermoplastic resin. Each object is disposed at a predetermined position in the tire circumferential direction, between the band member and the corresponding locking members. The locking members are bonded to the band member through the objects by thermal fusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TANNO, Yasuji AKIYOSHI, Hiroshi YAMAUCHI
  • Publication number: 20130248071
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire manufactured by a method comprising: covering the engagement element groups on first sides of a two-side fasteners with a protective rubber layer made of an uncured rubber; making a cylindrical first formed body on a making drum, with the two-side fasteners covered with the protective rubber layer being intermittently attached to an inner circumferential surface of the first forming body in a circumferential direction thereof with the engagement element groups on second sides of the two-side fasteners being interposed in between; bonding the first formed body to an inner circumference of an annular second formed body by compression through expanding the first formed body into a toroidal shape, and thereby making the green tire; and curing the green tire inside a mold of a curing machine while pressing the green tire from its inside by a bladder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi TANNO, Shiro OGAWA, Akira FUJITA, Tomio YAMABE
  • Publication number: 20130240104
    Abstract: Tire comprising a crown surmounted by a tread, two sidewalls, two beads, each sidewall joining each bead to the crown, a carcass reinforcement anchored in each of the beads and extending into the sidewalls and into the crown, a belt extending into the crown circumferentially and located radially between the carcass reinforcement and the tread. At least one of its sidewalls is reinforced by a multiaxially stretched thermoplastic polymer film, positioned between and in contact with two layers of rubber composition, and on the outside with respect to the carcass reinforcement. Preferably, the thermoplastic polymer film has, irrespective of the tensile direction considered, a tensile modulus E which is greater than 500 MPa, a maximum tensile stress ?max which is greater than 80 MPa, and an elongation at break Ar greater than 40%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventor: Christophe Le Clerc
  • Patent number: 8536266
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a tread, the tread comprising a rubber composition comprising: a copolymer comprising a polymeric backbone chain derived from a monomer comprising at least one conjugated diene monomer and optionally at least one vinyl aromatic monomer; and polymeric sidechains bonded to the backbone chain, the sidechains comprising a polymer capable of exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature (LCST); optionally, at least one additional diene based elastomer; and a filler selected from the group consisting of carbon black and silica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Ralf Mruk, Frank Schmitz, Robert Fokko Roskamp
  • Publication number: 20130228259
    Abstract: The invention relates to compositions in the form of silicone oil emulsions which are intended to be applied to curing bladders as a mold-release agent during tire production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Bluestar Silicones France
    Inventor: Stefan BREUNIG
  • Publication number: 20130228263
    Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion, a pair of opposing sidewall portions, and a pair of shoulder portions each arranged between the tread portion and one of the sidewall portions, wherein at least on one side of the tire the sidewall and shoulder portions comprise at least a first rubber compound and a second rubber compound, the second rubber compound having a material composition different from that of the first rubber compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Inventors: Jaap Leendertse, Wolfgang Karl Maegerle, Dirk Van Eck, Michael Hoelzel
  • Publication number: 20130228260
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a tire allowing a marking formed on an outer surface of a side portion thereof to fully demonstrate good visibility for a long period by preventing the marking being cracked and a marking portion from coming off when the tire experiences elastic deformation of the side portion including a sidewall portion and a bead portion and resulting tensile and compressive deformations occurring at the outer surface of the side portion. Specifically, the present invention provides a tire, comprising at an outer surface of a side portion thereof a marking formed by printing plural dots on the outer surface of the side portion, wherein the dots have: the same contour configurations and/or optionally similar contour configurations, which are mutually independent; and color(s) different from the base color of the outer surface of the side portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dyta Itoi, Kazuo Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8522847
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a tread of a cured rubber composition which contains dual silica moieties in a sense of containing both hydrophilic precipitated silica and in situ hydrophobated precipitated silica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Paul Harry Sandstrom, Kuo-Chih Hua, Shingo Futamura, Kenneth Allen Bates