Applying Flowable Puncture Sealing Material Patents (Class 156/115)
  • Patent number: 11639042
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pneumatic tire including a sealant layer that has excellent tear resistance despite its being formed of a generally string-shaped sealant provided continuously and spirally along an inner periphery of the tire. Included is a pneumatic tire including an innerliner and a sealant layer located radially inside the innerliner, the sealant layer including a first sealant layer and a second sealant layer stacked in that order from the innerliner, the first sealant layer including a generally string-shaped sealant provided continuously and spirally along an inner periphery of the tire, the second sealant layer including a generally string-shaped sealant provided continuously and spirally along the first sealant layer, the sealant of the first sealant layer and the sealant of the second sealant layer extending in directions crossing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Sho Matsunami
  • Patent number: 10807294
    Abstract: The invention relates to an extruder system and a method for extruding cord reinforced extrudate, wherein the extruder system comprises an extruder head with a die for receiving extrusion material and a cord guide for guiding cords in a common cord plane in a cord direction into the die, wherein the extruder system comprises a first extruder and a second extruder, wherein the extruder head comprises a first flow channel and a second flow channel, wherein the extruder system further comprises a first pump and a second pump for receiving the extrusion material from the first extruder and the second extruder and for directing said extrusion material into the first flow channel and the second flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: VMI HOLLAND B.V.
    Inventors: Ronald Gerardus Maria De Bruijn, Emiel Hendricus De Jong, Pieter Cornelis Meijers
  • Patent number: 9492982
    Abstract: A puncture sealant laminate for prevention of a flat tire may include three layers of sealant material separated by two layers of non-sealant material. The two layers of non-sealant material may prevent the three layers of sealant material from contacting each other and they may have first and second ends that attach to rubber in the tire that is not part of the puncture sealant laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Michael Charles Ruegg, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9227369
    Abstract: The present invention discloses air compressor equipment for vehicles and, more particularly, a sealant dispensing unit that can work under upright orientation as well as inverted orientation so as to repair and inflate a punctured tire. The sealant dispensing unit has a first hose connector and a second hose connector. In use, the sealant dispensing unit allows a user to select upright orientation or inverted orientation for an operation, whereby the hose connectors of the sealant dispensing unit may serve as a channel for receiving the high-pressure air or serve as a channel for delivering the chemical sealant. A professional can perform a box design in cooperation with the sealant dispensing unit easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Inventor: Wen-San Jhou
  • Patent number: 9115270
    Abstract: A tyre repair sealing composition having: 30 to 80% natural latex, 5 to 35% synthetic latex, and 10 to 60% ethylene glycol, and wherein the diameter of the synthetic latex particles advantageously has a mean particle-size distribution of 0.04 to 0.5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: TEK GLOBAL S.R.L.
    Inventors: Sergio Lolli, Erika Leri, Fabrizio Ardissone
  • Patent number: 9102101
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a continuous strip of self-sealing product having very low hardness, being very elastic and highly tacky, the strip being intended for feeding a converting machine, during which a thermoplastic protective film is deposited on the surface of the strip. The process includes a step during which a strip of self-sealing product P is extruded to a first cross section (S0) at the outlet of the extrusion die (10). The strip is surrounded over its entire perimeter using a thermoplastic film (20) by welding the film to itself, after having deposited the film (20) around the strip. The strip is calendered in order to bring it down to a second cross section (S2), smaller in area than the first cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignees: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Henri Hinc, Bruno Dussardier, Jacques Rouquet
  • Publication number: 20140345771
    Abstract: A self-sealing tyre for vehicle wheels includes: a carcass structure, a tread band applied in a radially external position to the carcass structure at least in a crown area of the tyre, a liner applied in a radially inner position to the carcass structure, and a layer of sealing material applied in a radially inner position to the carcass structure and which extends axially at least in all the crown area of the tyre in which the sealing material includes a partially chemically crosslinked composition including an unsaturated styrene thermoplastic elastomer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Luca Giannini, Cristiano Puppi, Marco Nahmias Nanni, Michela Caprio
  • Publication number: 20140345784
    Abstract: In a process for producing self-sealing tyres for vehicle wheels, a continuous sealing assembly, including a self-supporting thermoplastic film and a layer of polymeric sealing material, is wound from a reel holder on which is stocked, separated by a protective film associated with the layer of polymeric sealing material, cut to size and then wound around a forming drum. Winding the sealing assembly cut to size includes: feeding the sealing assembly cut to size onto a chute from top to bottom up to the forming drum; depositing a leading end of the sealing assembly cut to size on a radially outer surface of the forming drum; locking the leading end on the forming drum by means of a locking bar; setting the forming drum in rotation with the locking bar dragging the sealing assembly cut to size and winding it on the forming drum up to overlapping; and sealing a trailing end of the sealing assembly cut to size on the leading end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Francesco D'Oria, Enrico Sabbatani
  • Publication number: 20140230985
    Abstract: Inner tube for a pneumatic tyre, notably for a bicycle, characterized in that it has an elastomeric gastight layer consisting of an elastomeric composition comprising at least one styrene/isobutylene/styrene thermoplastic elastomer (called “SIBS”) and in that it includes a self-sealing material disposed inside the cavity formed by the airtight elastomeric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicants: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: JOSE MERINO LOPEZ, PIERRE LESAGE, FREDERIC PIALOT, MICHEL AHOUANTO
  • Patent number: 8617334
    Abstract: A method for making a compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10 has the steps of co-extruding a barrier strip 9 of non-sealant elastomeric material with a plurality of projecting linear extending walls 9c and a sealant strip 11 wherein the sealant strip 11 is formed on one side of the barrier strip 9 filling the space between the plurality of projecting walls 9c to form a plurality of linearly extending rows of sealant 11 across the transverse width of the co-extrusion to form the compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Michael Charles Ruegg, Jr., Ernest Wilford Looman, Jr., Donald Edward Helle, Patrick David Marks, Thomas Roy Fuhrig, Joseph Alan Incavo, James Earl Koerner, Terrence Lee Parsons, Charles Kenneth Schmalix, Warren James Busch, Timothy Patrick Lovell
  • Patent number: 8617333
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Aaron Scott Puhala
  • Patent number: 8602075
    Abstract: A self-sealing elastomer composition, in an inflatable article such as a pneumatic tire (1), such composition comprising, as predominant elastomer, a thermoplastic styrene (TPS) elastomer and an extender oil with a content of between 200 and 700 phe (parts per hundred parts of elastomer by weight). An airtight puncture-resistant laminate (10) that can be used in particular in said inflatable article (1), comprises a puncture-resistant first layer (10a) comprising said self-sealing composition and an airtight second layer (10b), for example based on butyl rubber. An inflatable article comprises such a self-sealing composition or such an airtight puncture-resistant laminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A
    Inventors: Loïc Albert, Emmanuel Custodero, Pierre Lesage, José Merino Lopez, Lucien Silvain
  • Patent number: 8578986
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire having a built-in seamless polyurethane sealant layer and its preparation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Ramendra Nath Majumdar
  • Patent number: 8316903
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Aaron Scott Puhala
  • Patent number: 8303745
    Abstract: A process of transferring a layer of a first material from a first substrate, having defects in a zone close to the surface, onto a host substrate made of a second material includes a step of thinning the first substrate in order to form a first thinned substrate, an ion or atom implantation in the first substrate in order to form an implantation plane therein, delimiting the layer to be transferred, and a transfer of the layer onto the host substrate by fracturing the substrate along the implantation plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Hubert Moriceau, Maurice Couchaud, Jean-Luc Deschanvres, Anne-Laure Joudrier
  • Publication number: 20120267027
    Abstract: Pneumatic vehicle tire includes at least two bracing plies arranged to intersect each other at an angle and including reinforcements of steel arranged substantially parallel to and at a distance from one another and embedded in a rubber material. Bracing ply reinforcements are oriented at an angle of 18° to 45° with the circumferential direction of the tire. A bracing bandage is also included having at least one ply with reinforcements of a non-metallic material arranged substantially parallel to and at a distance from one another and generally extending a circumferential direction of the tire. Bracing bandage reinforcements include a material with heat shrinkage properties. Under a predetermined extension of 1% in the longitudinal direction of the reinforcements, each bracing ply, has a tension of <17,500 N per dm of width, and the bracing bandage as a whole has a tension of >2,000 N per dm of width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Rafal NOJEK, Viktor BLUEMEL
  • Patent number: 8293049
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire puncture sealant and a pneumatic tire containing such puncture sealant as a built-in puncture sealant. The sealant composition contains silica reinforcement and butyl rubber depolymerized in the presence of a balanced and cooperative combination of organoperoxides comprised of a minor amount of 4,4-di(tertiary butylperoxy) valerate depolymerization initiator and a major amount of dicumyl peroxide depolymerization propagator, the combination of which has been observed to have a synergistic effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Joseph Alan Incavo
  • Patent number: 8221573
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a preassembly of built in sealant useful in tire manufacturing. The method of making the preassembled sealant includes extruding a center strip and at least two axially outer strips of a sealant onto a first conveyor belt; wherein the center strip and the axially outer strips are in a side by side adjacent relationship. Conveying the center strip onto a second conveyor while the axially outer strips are conveyed on the first conveyor belt towards the end of the belt, wherein the center strip has two outer edges, wherein a divider strip is applied to each other edge in a continuous manner, wherein the center strip is then conveyed onto the axially outer strips and then stitched together forming a preassembled component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Robert Albert Lammlein, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8156979
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire which contains a built-in zoned puncture sealant layer. The zoned puncture sealant layer is comprised of organoperoxide depolymerized butyl rubber zones comprised of a central primary zone and lateral zones joined together to form a unitary sealant layer. The sealant of the lateral zones of the sealant layer is of a higher storage modulus (G?) than the sealant of the central zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventors: Joseph Alan Incavo, Thomas Roy Fuhrig, Warren James Busch, Patrick David Marks
  • Patent number: 8110055
    Abstract: A self-sealing pneumatic tire has a sealing band (3) applied adheringly in the circumferential direction on the inner side of the tire and radially within the tread. A sealant (2) is applied to a carrier material (1). The carrier material (1) of the sealing band (3) is a foil on which the sealant (2) has been applied. The sealant, because of its intrinsic stickiness, adheres both to the carrier material (1) and to the inner side of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stefan Sostmann, Martin Welzhofer
  • Patent number: 8109312
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for applying a patch to an interior surface of a tire, the apparatus comprising a patch holder having the top surface shaped to a contour of the interior surface of the tire, the patch holder comprising a patch receptacle and a plurality of orifices extending there through in fluid communication with a vacuum source, and, an adhesive barrier surrounding the patch receptacle. The steps of a method include placing a patch into a patch receptacle in a tire patch holder, the patch holder having the top surface shaped to a contour of the interior tire surface, directing the patch holder to obliquely contact the interior surface of the tire, and, pressing the patch into substantial adhesive contact with the interior tire surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Bradley D. Schober
  • Patent number: 7981940
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Iwasaki, Rieko Iwasaki, legal representative, Ryuji Izumoto, Daisuke Sugio
  • Publication number: 20110126953
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire puncture sealant and a pneumatic tire containing such puncture sealant as a built-in puncture sealant. The sealant composition contains silica reinforcement and butyl rubber depolymerized in the presence of a balanced and cooperative combination of organoperoxides comprised of a minor amount of 4,4-di(tertiary butylperoxy) valerate depolymerization initiator and a major amount of dicumyl peroxide depolymerization propagator, the combination of which has been observed to have a synergistic effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Inventor: Joseph Alan Incavo
  • Publication number: 20100300593
    Abstract: Tubeless tyre in the form of a torus open radially inwards with an outer wall and an inner wall, characterized in that at least part of the inner wall is covered with a self-sealing layer comprising a thermoplastic styrene (TPS) elastomer having a Shore 0 hardness of less than 35.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: SOCIETE DE TECHNOLOGIE MICHELIN
    Inventors: Jose Merino Lopez, Michel Ahouanto, Pierre Lesage, Frederic Pialot
  • Patent number: 7811399
    Abstract: A method of cutting an elastomeric strip of material is described. The method includes the step of advancing a strip of material 2 a predetermined distance by a conveyor means 30. Resisting reverse movement of the strip 2; tensioning the strip 2; and cutting simultaneously across the entire width of the strip 2 through the thickness of the strip 2 on a skive angle of 45 degrees or less preferably about 28 degrees to form a cut length of material thereby relaxing the tension in the strip as the skive cut ends 3 and 4 move apart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Robert Albert Lammlein, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20100218883
    Abstract: A process in which a self-sealing pneumatic tire consisting of a pneumatic tire after vulcanization molding furnished with a sealant layer being uniform without thickness irregularity and a cover sheet layer therefore is produced without the use of an organic solvent and expensive apparatus; and an apparatus therefore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuru Naito
  • Publication number: 20100116398
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a safety tire having a puncture-resistant, bulletproof, and leakproof capability between about ?45° C. to about 120° C. without any damaging process to the inside wall of the tire, but just by spray coating a layer of leakproof and hermetically-repairing macromolecular material with a thickness of about 2 mm to about 8 mm to the inside wall of the tire that does not have an inner tube. The present disclosure also provides the components of the leakproof and hermetically-repairing macromolecular material and the method to prepare the puncture-resistant bulletproof and leakproof safety tires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Hailong Zhang, Donghua Hu
  • Patent number: 7674344
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Richard Michael D'Sidocky, Jennifer Elizabeth Wall, John Eugene Varner, Denise Jeannette Keith, Joseph Alan Incavo, Donald Ray Lay
  • Patent number: 7588064
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a puncture preventive layer formed by windingly sticking a tube having seal material wrapped therein to the tire inner surface circumferentially of the tire and continuously and spirally with its side surfaces closely contacted each other: or a pneumatic tire having a puncture preventive layer formed by sticking micro balloons having seal material wrapped therein to the tire inner surface with their sides closely contacted with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignees: The Yokoham Rubber Co., Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Saito
  • Publication number: 20090205765
    Abstract: A self-sealing pneumatic tire has a sealing band (3) applied adheringly in the circumferential direction on the inner side of the tire and radially within the tread. A sealant (2) is applied to a carrier material (1). The carrier material (1) of the sealing band (3) is a foil on which the sealant (2) has been applied. The sealant, because of its intrinsic stickiness, adheres both to the carrier material (1) and to the inner side of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Stefan Sostmann, Martin Welzhofer
  • Publication number: 20090126842
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire which contains a built-in zoned puncture sealant layer. The zoned puncture sealant layer is comprised of organoperoxide depolymerized butyl rubber zones comprised of a central primary zone and lateral zones joined together to form a unitary sealant layer. The sealant of the lateral zones of the sealant layer is of a higher storage modulus (G?) than the sealant of the central zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Joseph Alan Incavo, Thomas Roy Fuhrig, Warren James Busch, Patrick David Marks
  • Publication number: 20090084482
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Aaron Scott Puhala
  • Publication number: 20090084483
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Aaron Scott Puhala
  • Publication number: 20090078352
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Aaron Scott Puhala
  • Publication number: 20090078353
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Aaron Scott Puhala
  • Patent number: 7484544
    Abstract: A tire for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure, a belt structure, a tread, a pair of sidewalls, and at least one layer of sealing composition placed in a radially inner position with respect to the tread. The carcass structure includes at least one carcass ply shaped in a substantially toroidal configuration. Opposite lateral edges of the carcass structure are associated with respective bead wires. The belt structure includes at least one belt strip. The sealing composition includes at least one high molecular weight amorphous polymer, at least one low molecular weight amorphous polymer, and at least one reinforcing filler. The sealing composition is substantially non-crosslinked and has a flowability value, measured at a temperature of 100° C. and at a pressure of 30 bar, not higher than 30 cm3/s. A process for producing the tire for a vehicle wheel is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Antonio Serra, Marco Nahmias Nanni
  • Publication number: 20080264539
    Abstract: A tire with reduced rolling noise includes a tire structure formed of at least one crown extended by two sidewalls and two beads. A base of each of the two beads is configured to be mounted onto a rim seat. The tire also includes a carcass-type reinforcing structure anchored into the two beads and an additional layer bonded to an inner wall of the tire structure. The additional layer is bonded to the tire structure at its edges and the rest of the additional layer is not bonded. The additional layer includes an inflation valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Jose Merino-Lopez, Luc Bestgen
  • Publication number: 20080264549
    Abstract: In a method of forming a layer of puncture-repair seal in tire, a PU gel consisting of polyisocyanate and polyether blending is prepared and evenly coated on an inner surface of a tire via a centrifugal force. When the tire rotating on road is pierced by a foreign matter, the puncture-repair seal of PU gel under a centrifugal force is able to ooze into a hole formed on the tire by the foreign matter to thereby prevent air in the tire from leaking. Since the layer of puncture-repair seal in the tire not only protects the tread but also side areas of the tire, a car with tires internally provided with the puncture-repair seal in the method of the present invention is safer for use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventor: Wen Chang Shih
  • Publication number: 20080156408
    Abstract: Provided are a pneumatic tire T and a method of manufacturing the same. The pneumatic tire T includes: a tacky sealant layer 5 which is formed of a rubber component thermally decomposable with a peroxide, and which is disposed on the inner wall surface of the tire at least in a region corresponding to a tread portion 1; a cover rubber layer 6 which covers the tacky sealant layer 5. In the pneumatic tire T, the cover rubber layer 6 is provided with at least one gas vent hole 7a (7b) formed therein. This allows decomposition gas generated from the tacky sealant layer 5 to be discharged through the gas vent hole 7a (7b) to the outside of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takumi Sekiguchi, Tetsuya Mizone, Masahito Kanekuro
  • Publication number: 20080142140
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for making a tire with a built in sealant is provided. The method includes the steps of mounting an inner liner onto a tire building drum, extruding a sealant composition into strips having tapered sidewalls, cutting the strip to a desired length, mounting the sealant over the inner liner in two or more zones, wherein each zone is separated by a circumferential divider which joins the inner liner to the a cover layer forming a barrier to prevent migration of the sealant from one zone to another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Patrick David Marks, Thomas Roy Fuhrig, Joseph Alan Incavo, James Earl Koerner, Terrence Lee Parsons, Charles Kenneth Schmalix, Paul Keyser Blackiston, Warren James Busch, Timothy Patrick Lovell
  • Publication number: 20080115872
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprised of butyl rubber, organoperoxide and isobutylene-adsorbing activated carbon; a composition comprised of organoperoxide-depolymerized butyl rubber which contains a dispersion therein of particulate isobutylene adsorbing activated carbon filler and pneumatic tire with a built-in sealant layer comprised of said depolymerized butyl rubber. The invention further relates to a process of organoperoxide depolymerizing butyl rubber in the presence of an isobutylene adsorbing activated carbon filler dispersion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Paul Harry Sandstrom, David Andrew Benko
  • Patent number: 7368024
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Ramendra Nath Majumdar, Bruce Raymond Hahn
  • Patent number: 7322393
    Abstract: A sealing material includes the following characteristics: a value of a dynamic elastic modulus, measured at a temperature of 80° C., at a frequency of 1 Hz, and with a deformation of 5%, that is at least 60% lower than a value of the dynamic elastic modulus measured at the temperature of 80° C., at the frequency of 1 Hz, and with a deformation of 1%; and the value of the dynamic elastic modulus, measured at the temperature of 80° C., at the frequency of 1 Hz, and with the deformation of 5%, that is greater than or equal to 0.05 kPa. A tire for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure comprising at least one carcass ply and at least one layer of sealing material disposed in a radially inner position with respect to the at least one carcass ply. A process for producing the tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Antonio Serra, Pierangelo Misani, Jean-Louis Locatelli
  • Patent number: 7195683
    Abstract: A self-sealing tire according to the present invention includes a pneumatic tire and a puncture sealing layer disposed over a whole tire inner wall surface from one shoulder portion to the other shoulder portion of the pneumatic tire. The puncture sealing layer comprises an annular sponge layer which is impregnated with an adhesive so as to be exposed on a radially outer surface side thereof, and a bonding layer of an adhesive which is provided on a radially outer surface of the sponge layer and is adhered to the tire inner wall surface. The sponge layer is provided in a compressed state. The puncture sealing layer is press attached to the tire inner wall surface by a recovery force of the compressed sponge layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Naito, Hidekazu Takeyama, Satoshi Makino, Yasuhiro Miyatani, Takayuki Toyoshima
  • Patent number: 7073550
    Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic tire having a built-in non-black colored sealant layer and its preparation. The sealant layer is derived from a sealant precursor layer comprised of a butyl rubber, organoperoxide, particulate, synthetic amorphous silica and plant-derived organic agricultural seed flour, together with a non-black colored colorant. The butyl rubber-based sealant precursor layer is build into the tire to form a tire assembly and the butyl rubber component of the sealant precursor layer is depolymerized during a subsequent curing of the tire at an elevated temperature in a suitable mold to form the tire having the resultant built-in sealant. The particulate plant derived organic agricultural seed flour is a renewable raw material in a sense that it can be replenished in nature and therefore not as a significant depletion of non-renewable natural resource. The agricultural plant seed flour is comprised of at least a portion of a ground plant seed (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Leonard James Reiter, George Frank Balogh, Michael Julian Crawford
  • Patent number: 7037395
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having a puncture preventive layer formed by windingly sticking a tube having seal material wrapped therein to the tire inner surface circumferentially of the tire and continuously and spirally with its side surfaces closely contacted each other: or a pneumatic tire having a puncture preventive layer formed by sticking micro balloons having seal material wrapped therein to the tire inner surface with their sides closely contacted with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co.,Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Saito
  • Patent number: 7037396
    Abstract: A method of treating a pneumatic tire, which comprises introducing a repair agent for a punctured tire comprising a latex into the inside of a punctured tire with a rim, followed by sealing, and then introducing a polymer coagulating agent into the inside of the punctured tire to coagulate the repair agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Matsumoto Yushi-Seiyaku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Naito, Eiji Kawakita, Kenji Takeichi
  • Patent number: 6935391
    Abstract: A self-seal tire according to the present invention has a puncture sealing layer located all over a tire inner wall surface from one shoulder portion to the other shoulder portion of a pneumatic tire. The puncture sealing layer comprises at least one band-shape seal layer, which includes a band-shape sponge layer and a bonding layer, the band-shape sponge layer being impregnated with an adhesive so that it is exposed on a tier wall surface side face of the band-shape sponge layer and spaced apart from a tire counter wall surface side face thereof, and the bonding layer being made of adhesive and provided on the tire wall surface side face. The band-shape seal layer is bonded through the bonding layer on the tire inner wall surface with the band-shape seal layer being wound in a circumferential direction of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Naito, Hidekazu Takeyama, Satoshi Makino, Yasuhiro Miyatani, Takayuki Toyoshima
  • Patent number: 6915826
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a puncture sealing layer radially inward of the tire carcass layer. The puncture sealing layer is formed by co-extruding a sealant material and an skin compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: David Charles Poling, Susan Lynn Deevers, Samuel Patrick Landers
  • Patent number: 6911104
    Abstract: In a sealant-incorporated tire including a loop-shaped sealant chamber filled with a sealant 5 and defined between a tire body 1 and an inner liner 8 by superposing and adhering the inner liner 8 onto an inner surface of the tire body 1, a sealant charging bore 8a is formed in the inner liner 8, and the sealant 7 is charged into the sealant chamber 6 through the sealant charging bore 8a. Then, air present in the sealant chamber 6 is discharged by evacuation and thereafter, a crude rubber sheet74 is adhered in a state in which the periphery of the sealant charging bore 8a has been clamped, thereby closing the sealant charging bore 8a. Thus, it is possible to charge the sealant 7 in a short time, and also to prevent heat generated during vulcanization and formation of the tire from being applied to the sealant 7, thereby preventing the deterioration of the sealant 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toyoaki Hayashi