Abstract: Vulcanizable elastomeric compositions and vulcanizates are prepared by employing a titanium compound. The titanium compound is believed to enhance the reaction between a silica particle and a silica-reactive compound.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an intravaginal delivery system, said system comprising at least one compartment comprising a core and a membrane encasing the core, wherein the core and the membrane essentially consist of a same or different polymer composition. Additionally the intravaginal delivery system comprises a coupling means to form a closed continuous delivery system. The present invention also concerns a method for manufacturing said intravaginal delivery system. The core and/or the membrane are preferably prepared by injection moulding or by extrusion.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels wherein each tyre includes a carcass structure formed starting from at least one carcass ply laid on a forming support extended along a longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes at least one device for positioning at least one annular anchoring structure on at least one end edge of the carcass ply, the positioning device being circumferentially extended around the longitudinal axis of the forming support and axially movable with respect to the forming support between an operating position distal from the forming support and at least one operating position close to the forming support. The apparatus further includes a device for turning up the end edge of the carcass ply around the annular anchoring structure, the turning up device being circumferentially extended about the longitudinal axis of the forming support and axially movable for approaching/moving away to/from the forming support.

Abstract: A method selectively forms indicia of a tire sidewall. The method includes the steps of engaging a surface of an uncured tire by a first indicia forming member of a tire mold member, detaching the first indicia forming member from the tire mold member by a hand tool, and securing a second indicia forming member to the tire mold member by an impact device.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of manufacturing and inflating an elongated bladder of a tourniquet cuff that may be secured around the limb of a patient. The method includes sealing together side edges of layers of material to form the bladder, and stiffening the cuff with a stiffener for compressing the portion of the bladder underlying the stiffener inwardly toward the limb while preventing two layers of the cuff from contacting each other at a location adjacent to an edge of the cuff to thus provide a continuous pneumatic passageway in the bladder between the overlying stiffener and the sealed edge for distributing inflating gas through the passageway along the length of the bladder.

Abstract: Provided is a method of treating a sealing compound, in order to recover from the inside of a pneumatic tire the sealing compound that was used for repairing a puncture, the sealing compound including an aqueous solution having at least rubber latex dispersed therein, the method comprising: solid-liquid separating, by injecting a treating agent into the inside of a pneumatic tire into which the sealing compound was injected, the treating agent comprising at least one of a salt that is a reaction compound of an acid and a base and/or a water-soluble organic solvent, mixing the treating agent with the sealing compound inside the pneumatic tire, and aggregating and solidifying the rubber latex in the sealing compound.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a mixtures of a first compound and a second compound, the apparatus comprising: a first extruder and a first gear pump for a first compound; a second extruder and a second gear pump for a second compound, a third extruder and a third gear pump for an accelerator mixture; a mixing device for mixing together said first compound and said second compound and said accelerator mixture, wherein said mixing device is located downstream of said first, second and third extruders and said first, second and third gear pumps.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying a blended rubber composition directly onto a tire building drum or core is described. A first extruder and a first gear pump for a first compound is provided. A second extruder and a second gear pump for a second compound is provided. The output of the second gear pump is fed into the main extruder. A third gear pump is provided for adding an accelerator mixture; mixing together said first compound and said second compound and said accelerator mixture.

Abstract: Method of applying a layer of material (25, 26) to the inner wall of a cycle tyre (20) in the form of a torus, with an inner wall (28) and an outer wall (29) and having a crown (22) extended by two sidewalls (21), two beads (23a, 23b) and two bead wires (30a, 30b) placed in said beads, said tyre having a given nominal inflation pressure, which comprises the following steps: the tyre (20) is turned inside-out so as to bring the inner wall (28) to the outside of the torus and the outer wall (29) to the inside of the torus; the outer torus wall (29) of the tyre is extended by applying an internal inflation pressure to said outer wall (29) above the nominal inflation pressure of said tyre; the layer of material (25, 26) is applied to the inner wall (28) of the tyre (20); and the tyre (20) is turned inside-out so as to bring the inner wall (28) and the outer wall (29) back into their initial positions.

Abstract: In an assembly station a carcass sleeve and an outer sleeve manufactured along respective building lines are mutually coupled. Integrated into the assembly station are engagement devices that can be alternatively coupled to an auxiliary drum carrying an outer sleeve and to a building drum carrying a carcass sleeve. A grip unit picks up the outer sleeve from the auxiliary drum associated with the engagement devices in order to position it to a location radially external to the carcass sleeve carried by the building drum associated with the engagement devices in place of the auxiliary drum. Shaping devices that can be operatively coupled to the building drum cause radial expansion of the carcass sleeve so as to enable the latter to be coupled to the outer sleeve retained by the grip unit.

Abstract: A tire manufacturing method includes a method for optimizing the uniformity of a tire by reducing the after cure radial force variation. The after cure radial force variation vector is modeled as a vector sum of each of the vectors representing contributions arising from the tire building steps—the “tire room effect vector” and a vector representing contributions arising from the vulcanization and uniformity measurement steps—the “curing room effect vector.” In further detail, both the tire room and curing room effect vectors can be further decomposed into sub-vectors representing each radial force variation contribution for which a measurable indicator is available. For a series of tires, the method obtains such measurements as the before cure radial runout (RRO) at one or more stages of the building sequence, measurements of loading angles on the tire building equipment, and measurements made during vulcanization process.

Abstract: A robotic spray system is provided for accurately spraying mold release onto any size or shaped green tire. The system analyzes individual green tires using an integrated vision system. The system controls the robotic spray position, the fan, fluid, atomizing air, and tire rotation speed for optimal spray coverage on both the inside and outside of green tires. The system includes a conveyor, an overhead mounted camera located over an infeed station, and a second camera located perpendicular to the green tire's tread and several feet away from the center of the tire. Pictures of the green tire in the station are used to estimate the center and radius of the tire and locate the angle of the bar code with respect to the center of the tire. Reference points are provided from the camera images and robot positions are calculated to control the spraying.

Abstract: Auxiliary support members are brought into engagement with a building drum provided with a first outer circumferential surface. These auxiliary support members each have a second outer circumferential surface which extends in the continuation of the first outer circumferential surface. A separation element having a circumferential support surface is provided at a radially external position on each of the auxiliary support members. A component of the tyre is applied around each of the circumferential support surfaces and the auxiliary support members are subsequently axially moved away from the building drum, so as to radially contract the circumferential support surfaces to decouple them from the respective components of the tyre.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire may use a combination of high modulus and low modulus plies to provide increased fatigue compression durability without significantly increasing the weight of the tire.

Abstract: A flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) molded element affixed to a sidewall of a tire. The PVC molded element includes a top surface with an exposed area, and a bottom surface including an area in contact with a surface portion of the tire sidewall. The PVC molded element can include at least one design and/or information molded into the top surface exposed area. The design can include logos, pictures, and shapes. The logos can include team logos for any professional or collegiate sports team. The information can include colors and text. The design and/or information can include 3-dimensional features. The PVC molded element bottom surface includes an adhesive having characteristics that will not degrade when in contact with the tire surface portion. The bottom layer may further include a primer to promote adhesion of the PVC molded element to the tire and/or a woven, mesh, or knit fabric.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer sheet for an inner liner and a method for producing a pneumatic tire, which do not cause an air-in phenomenon between an inner liner and an insulation rubber or a carcass rubber in the vulcanization step, and also can prevent adhesion between the inner liner and a bladder. The method for producing a polymer sheet for an inner liner includes the steps of preparing an unvulcanized polymer sheet made of a polymer mixture containing 99 to 60% by mass of a styrene-isobutylene-styrene triblock copolymer, and 1 to 40% by mass of a polyamide-based polymer containing polyamide in the molecular chain and having a Shore D hardness of 70 or less, and at least one of the steps of coating one surface of the unvulcanized polymer sheet with a water-soluble paint 2 to 5 times, and coating with a mold-releasing rubber in a thickness of 0.001 mm to 0.1 mm.f.

Abstract: A bladder is made to be expandable and contractible at a vulcanization position within a lower mold assembly and to be expandable and contractible also at a tire delivery position which is spaced a predetermined distance from the vulcanization position along a center axis of the lower mold assembly. With a centering shaft passing through an upper mold, the bladder and the lower mold assembly, a green tire loaded into the tire delivery position is held by the bladder by expanding the bladder and is loaded by the bladder into the lower mold assembly. After a vulcanization processing, the bladder removes the vulcanized tire from the vulcanization position to the delivery position, and after the centering shaft is drawn out from the lower mold assembly and the bladder, the bladder is contracted at the delivery position to make it possible to release the vulcanized tire from the bladder.

Abstract: In the producing method of the pneumatic tire, a step in which a wide rubber ribbon having a width of 60 to 110 mm is wound in a circumferential direction to form annular bodies is repeated a plurality of times, an inner liner member in which the annular bodies are continuously provided in a widthwise direction is formed, and the inner liner member is disposed on a tire inner peripheral surface as an inner liner layer of a pneumatic tire.

Abstract: Tyre building drum comprising a main housing having a drum shaft extending from the main housing and two first and second drum halves arranged at least almost substantially symmetrical with respect to the centre of the tyre building drum and around the drum shaft, which drum halves can be moved in axial direction along the drum shaft. Each drum half comprises a folding arm unit having folding arms that are connected to the drum half in question in a swivelling manner and wherein the folding arm unit can be moved in axial direction along the drum shaft. In the drum shaft four pull/push rods are arranged that are movable in axial direction and extend up into the main housing and in the main housing on the one hand are coupled to a drive mechanism.

Abstract: In a pneumatic tire whose tire cross section height is less than 110 mm and which has an inner liner layer disposed inside of a carcass layer, the inner liner layer has a wide rubber ribbon region formed by spirally winding a wide rubber ribbon along a tire circumferential direction, a wide rubber ribbon of an innermost peripheral side forms a tire inner peripheral surface of a region extending at least from the vicinity of an end of a belt layer to a tire cross section maximum width position.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for butt-jointing edges of an elastic material sheet is disclosed. The elastic material sheet is supported such that the two edges to be butt-jointed are oppositely opposed. By moving a pair of counterrotating conical surfaces along the edges, the surfaces of the edges portions are drawn toward the center between the two edges so that the edges are butt-jointed. Between the conical surfaces, a small space is provided so as to form a small rib-like protrusion along the butt-joint. Then, the small rib-like protrusion of the elastic material is pressed down to flatten. Therefore, at the butt-joint interface, the elastic material irregularly interfuses to increase the strength of the butt-joint.

Abstract: A carcass ply includes a plurality of mutually parallel reinforcing cords incorporated into an elastomeric material having a length, a width and a design angle. A continuous strip element of a width, including at least one reinforcing cord incorporated into the elastomeric material, is spirally wound on a forming support adapted to be radially configured. A width of an overlapped part of a coil is set on an adjacent coil, and the whole number of coils, a circumferential extension of the forming support and a true advancing pitch of the coils is calculated. After radially configuring the forming support in order to obtain the calculated circumferential extension, the continuous strip element is laid on the forming support so as to make a semifinished product which is cut along a cutting line passing through a starting end and a final end of the continuous strip element and unrolled from the forming support.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire for airplane comprises a pair of bead cores, a radial carcass comprised of at least two carcass plies, in which the radial carcass is comprised of at least one turnup ply having a main body portion and a turnup portion and at least one down ply, wherein a radially total strength Tply (N) of the organic fiber cords constituting the main body portion of the turnup ply and the down ply at a position corresponding to a maximum width of the tire, a maximum tire width W (m) and a tire outer diameter D (m) satisfies the following equation (I): Tply/WD?4.0×106??(I) and the organic fiber cord constituting at least one ply of the at least two carcass plies is a polyketone fiber cord satisfying the following equations (II) and (III): ???0.01E+1.2??(II) ??0.02??(III) (wherein ? is a heat shrinkage stress at 177° C. (cN/dtex) and E is an elastic modulus at 25° C. under a load of 49 N (cN/dtex)).

Abstract: The invention concerns tires having a composite tread block which comprises a cured elastomer and from 0.1 to 10 parts per hundred parts by weight of the elastomer of fibers characterized as having a tenacity of at least 6 grams per dtex and a modulus of at least 200 grams per dtex. A major portion of said fibers are oriented in a direction such that noise arising from tire tread contacting the road surface is reduced.

Abstract: Provided are a method and a device for efficiently separating and automatically removing a tire-building rigid core from the inside of the tire. After a core holding mechanism and upper and lower support plates are removed from a rigid core body that is disposed in the tire and composed of two types of segment groups, the tire is transferred onto a predetermined position on a support table, and positioned and fixed. Then, a first core separation/removal mechanism having been on standby below the center of the tire on the support table is raised to support the center of the inner wall surface of one type of the segment groups and horizontally pull the one type of the segment groups to the center side of the tire until it is separated from the inner surface of the tire. The separated segment group is lowered to the standby position below the center of the support table and is left on standby.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided for assisting in the installation of a tubular film onto a drum for use in the manufacture of tires. In one embodiment, a sleeve is provided having a body including a first tapered portion with an end surface, a central portion, and a plurality of openings through the body. In another embodiment, a tire building apparatus is provided including a sleeve device and a drum in contact with the sleeve device. A method of making tires is provided including forcing fluid through openings of a sleeve device, placing a tubular film about the sleeve device, and transporting the tubular film onto a drum.

Abstract: There is provided a tire for an aircraft capable of enhancing abrasion resistance and effectively preventing a progress of peeling of the non-extensible cords of the main belt layers even when the tire suffers external injury reaching the main belt layers.

Abstract: A run-flat pneumatic tire assembly includes a pneumatic tire having an elastomeric casing and a tire cavity formed therein. A longitudinally-extending and approximately planar length of strip material is helically arranged within the tire cavity to pre-stress the length of strip material for usage of the pneumatic tire during under-inflated and non-inflated conditions. A method of making a run-flat pneumatic tire assembly is also included.

Abstract: A method of laying down at least one elastic element in a process for producing tyres for vehicles includes the following steps: determining a first parameter representative of a laying speed at which at least one elastic element is laid down around a tyre forming drum; determining a second parameter representative of a percent elongation to be applied to the elastic element; adjusting, as a function of the first and second parameters, a rotation speed of a control roller positioned upstream of the forming drum and having a radially external surface at least partly in engagement with the elastic element for controlling the laying profile of the at least one elastic element. A process for producing tyres for vehicles and an apparatus for carrying out the laying method are also described.

Abstract: A mold (150) for a tread layer (40) having tread-forming side and sole-forming side, the sole-forming side having a plurality of mold elements (56) extending therefrom toward the tread-forming side. Either the mold elements (56) or the sole-forming side of the mold is configured to create a tread layer (40) having a tread element such as an incision, lateral groove, longitudinal groove or other void on the sole side of the tread layer that enables the edges of the tread element to obtain full coverage when subjected to an abrasion process.

Abstract: A tire tread intended to be fitted on heavy vehicles, comprising a plurality of elements in relief (30), this tread being divided in the axial direction into three parts, a central part (33) and axially on either side a first edge (31) and a second edge (32), the first and the second edge parts comprising elements in relief (30) arranged at a pitch Pe corresponding to the average circumference of the edge in question divided by the number of elements in relief on the edge in question, the elements in relief of each edge part having a line of leading ridges and a line of trailing ridges.

Abstract: A reinforcement layer for elastomeric products is formed of hybrid cords that are arranged substantially parallel to each other within the layer. The hybrid cords are composed of a first twisted textile yarn made of a first material and a second twisted textile yarn made of a second material. The ends of the two yarns are twisted with each other. The first twisted textile yarn is a polyketone yarn and the second twisted textile yarn is a polyester yarn.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for pre-cure application of an antenna assembly to a tire comprises the method steps: forming within a rigid core defining an interior surface of the tire a core recess complementarily configured to the antenna assembly; positioning the antenna assembly within the core recess; building an uncured carcass of the tire around the rigid core entrapping the antenna assembly within the core recess; cross-bonding the antenna assembly to the inner surface of the tire during a cure cycle; and removing the cured tire and assembly from the rigid core.

Abstract: A core handling apparatus is provided for a tire building core. The handling apparatus includes a base plate; a latching mechanism mounted to the base plate and operably inserting into an axial opening at a remote end of a first spindle mechanism connected to a tire building core assembly. The latching mechanism has a latching member operably engaging the first spindle mechanism from within the axial opening. A handle mechanism mounts to the base plate and extends outward. The handle mechanism rotates under manual power to rotate the core assembly through the latching mechanism into alternate angular orientations. The core handling apparatus latching mechanism moves between a radially retracted position that facilitates a close insertion into the spindle mechanism axial opening and a radially extended second position from within the spindle mechanism axial opening to engage the spindle mechanism.

Abstract: A tire composition with a Shore A hardness, according to DIN 53 505 and ASTM D2240, of not less than 40 and not greater than 95 and a glass-transition temperature Tg (E?max), according to DIN 53 513 with a specified temperature sweep of ?80° C. to +80° C. and a specified compression of 10+0.2% at 10 Hz, not less than ?80° C. and not greater than 0° C., with improved abrasion performance, in particular for pneumatic tires, has the following composition: at least one vulcanizable diene rubber selected from natural rubbers, synthetic polyisoprene rubbers, polyisobutylene rubbers, polybutadiene rubbers (BR), and random styrene-butadiene rubbers; from 35 to 300 phr of at least one active filler selected from carbon blacks, silicas, silicon based fillers, and metal oxides, of which at least 10 phr must be carbon blacks, silicas, or some combination thereof; from 0 to 250 phr of other or further additives; from 0.

Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire comprising one or more radial regions have differing Shore A/Shore D hardness. The non-pneumatic tire comprises side cavities that are staggered with respect to laterally opposing side cavities, and laterally extending tread grooves that are in substantial radial alignment with or substantially offset relative to the cavities. One radial region may comprising the side cavities, while another radial region with a different hardness comprises the tread grooves. Also provided are processes for making such tires and to off-the-road (OTR) vehicles employing such tires.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and a process for manufacturing the same which enable, in the use of a film of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin as an air permeation preventive layer, formation of the air permeation preventive layer excelling in gas barrier performance, and molding of the tire through a simple molding operation without generating any unnecessary scraps. For the pneumatic tire of the present invention, a cylindrical molded article composed of a film of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin is crushed into a sheet-like laminate; and the sheet-like laminate is used as the air permeation preventive layer. In the manufacturing operation, the sheet-like laminate is wrapped around a making drum so that an unvulcanized tire having the sheet-like laminate as an air permeation preventive layer is molded, and the unvulcanized tire is vulcanized.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions, a pair of bead portions, and a carcass extending between the bead portions through the tread portion and sidewall portions, wherein the tread portion is provided radially inside the carcass with a tread tape having a thickness of not more than 2.0 mm and having a tensile elastic modulus larger than any rubber existing between the tread tape and the adjacent carcass cords. A method of manufacturing the pneumatic tire includes vulcanizing a main body of the tire, excepting the tread tape, and attaching the tread tape onto the inside of the vulcanized tire main body.

Abstract: A tire having a core located in a tire cavity and a cured and foamed elastomeric material located in the tire cavity adjacent the core. The core is made of a solid material, a precured and foamed elastomeric material or a hollow rigid structure. The core may be a single piece or fabricated from multiple pieces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire with a built-in sealant layer comprised of a depolymerized butyl rubber based sealant precursor. The butyl rubber of the built-in sealant precursor composition is depolymerized in situ within the tire with an activated free radical generating organoperoxide. The organoperoxide is activated with a 2,2,6,6-tetra alkyl piperidine hindered amine. Representative of such hindered amines are, for example, a poly[[6-[1,1,3,3,-tetramethylbutyl)amino]-s-triazine-2,4-diyl][2,2,6,6,-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)imino]hexamethylene[(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)imino]] compound. The sealant layer, if desired, may be of a color which contrasts with black. For such purpose the sealant layer may contain a colorant of a non-black color to a substantial exclusion of carbon black.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a noise damper, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for fixing the damper to the tire are disclosed. The inner surface of the tread portion of the vulcanized tire is buffed, and the noise damper is fixed to the buffed inner surface, using a double-sided adhesive tape which has specific characteristics such as adhesive force, tensile strength, thickness, cold-resistant property, heat-resistant property and water-resistant property.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel having a tire mounted on a wheel rim with a precured and foamed elastomeric material in a closed cavity in the tire and a polyurethane formed in the closed cavity around the precured and foamed elastomeric material.

Abstract: Method for transferring and placing beads for tyres, providing: a bead storage unit in which a number of beads are vertically stacked placing spacers in between them, a collection unit for empty spacers, placed in the vicinity of the bead storage unit, a tyre building machine for receiving the beads thereon, a bead retaining means for picking up and retaining a bead, wherein the bead retaining means is provided with engagement jaws that are arranged at equal angular distance in a circumferential direction on the bead retaining means, wherein the engagement jaws are driven or withdrawn in radial direction, a spacer retaining means for picking up and retaining a spacer, and arranging the bead retaining means and the spacer retaining means on a common transfer means.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a puncture-proof tyre assembly in which a sealant of a rubber or another rubber-like material is pressed against the tread of the tyre assembly such that there is a higher pressure in this sealant chamber than in the air chamber, and the sealant comprising at least one filler, as well as to a method for producing this tyre assembly and to the use of aqueous gels in producing these puncture-proof tyre assemblies.

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.

Abstract: Deadhesion of an IC tag inlet during vulcanization molding of tire is suppressed, while preventing adhesion of a portion other than a sticking out portion. An IC tag comprises a sheet-like IC tag inlet 2, a protective cover 3 of an unvulcanized rubber sheet adhered to the surface Sf of the inlet 2 through a primer layer 10 and an adhesive layer 11, and an antiadhesive layer 4 formed on the rear surface Sr of the inlet 2, wherein a maximum value Ga?max of storage shear modulus Ga? of a rubber of the protective cover 3 at a temperature of 150 to 200° C. and a storage shear modulus Gb?0 of the primer layer 10 at a temperature T0 showing the maximum value Ga?max satisfy the following equation: Ga?max×10?2<Gb?0.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire capable of improving the rolling resistance is disclosed. The green tire put in a mold is vulcanized together with the belt cord topping rubber by heating the green tire from the inside of the tire with a high-temperature heating medium and from the outside of the tire with the mold heated. The topping rubber comprises 25 to 55 parts by mass of carbon black and/or silica, and sulfur. The base rubber comprises 10 to 45 mass % of modified butadiene rubber and/or modified styrene butadiene rubber with respect to 100 mass % of the base rubber. The maximum temperature of the topping rubber in a cord near region within 3 mm distance from the surfaces of the belt cords is limited within a range of from 140 to 165 deg.C. The temperature of the mold is set within a range of from 140 to 165 deg.C.

Abstract: A tire and a method of securing an object thereto includes a two-piece fastening system having a first portion which is applied to an innerliner of a green tire prior to the green tire being cured and a second portion which includes an object, such as a radio frequency identification chip, attached thereto. The first portion of the two-piece fastening system is attached to the innerliner of the tire with an adhesive or by curing. The green tire is then cured and the second portion of the two-piece fastening system with the object attached thereto is then attached to the first portion of the two-piece fastening system. In an alternative embodiment, the object may be sandwiched between the first and second portions of the fastening system.

Abstract: A reduced scale model of a tire for aerodynamic tests in a wind tunnel, the model having a hollow toroidal shape, is made of a single moulded plastic material homogeneous throughout the model, is deformable, and is shaped so as to reproduce externally the deformed shape of the tire under load when this is set in conditions of operation under the action of centrifugal loads and/or ground loads.

Abstract: An improved apparatus, system and method of balancing a tire for a vehicle is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a new tire for a vehicle is provided wherein the tire incorporates a plurality of removable portions and/or attachments that may be removed from their position on the external portion of the tire to properly balance the tire about the wheel assembly. Further, a system and method is provided that may be employed to properly balance the tire without the necessity of adding metal or other type weights to the wheel and tire assembly.