Abstract: In the tread of the tire, the average modulus value in a center region including the equatorial plane of the tire is higher than the average modulus value in shoulder regions adjacent to edges of the tread, and in the shoulder regions, the modulus value is higher in a surface layer of the tread than in a portion other than the surface layer.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a tire by the steps of producing and assembling the tire structural elements on a toroidal support to form a green tire, and the step of precuring at least an inner surface of the green tire by heating the toroidal support. The radially inner surface of the toroidal support is provided with a plurality of protruding elements to reduce the time required for the outer surface of the toroidal support to reach a temperature which is suitable for ensuring a uniform and homogeneous precuring of the inner surface of the green tire, preferably of the inner surface and the bead regions of the green tire.

Abstract: A tire printing method capable of highly precise printing by quickly and accurately measuring the profile of the side face of a tire for printing and setting a printing clearance properly. The printing is done on the side face (3) of the tire (2) by discharging ink from nozzles of a print head (61) disposed to face the side face (3). The method includes the step of detecting side face information of the tire (2) using a two-dimensional displacement measuring sensor (51) disposed to face the side face (3) of the tire (2) and the step of adjusting the distance between the print head (61) and the side face (3) of the tire (2) by adjusting either the position of the print head (61) or the distance between the beads (24, 24) of the tire (2) based on the side face information of the tire (2).

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing tires for vehicle wheels, a green tire, once formed, is transferred into a vulcanization mold and pressed against the holding walls of a molding cavity. Concurrently with the pressing step, a fluid present between the green tire and the holding walls is evacuated through vent valves. The tire is brought into contact with the closing head of each valve so as to push it toward a closed position at which the closing head forms a contact seat spaced apart from the inner surface of the molding cavity in order to define an embedding recess between the inner surface of the molding cavity and the closing head.

Abstract: A pneumatic radial tire includes: at least one carcass layer suspended across left and right bead parts; a belt layer arranged on an outer circumferential side of the carcass layer; and a tread arranged on an outer circumferential side of the belt layer. The tread has a laminated structure in which a thermoplastic film layer of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition is interposed between a tread-side rubber layer and a belt layer-side rubber layer. The thermoplastic elastomer composition is obtained by blending an elastomer in a thermoplastic resin. A process for producing a retreaded tire includes the steps of: forming a base tire from the pneumatic radial tire by softening the thermoplastic film layer through heating so as to separate and remove the tread-side rubber layer, the pneumatic radial tire having the tread worn away; and subsequently bonding a new tread-side rubber layer onto the base tire.

Abstract: A method for producing a pneumatic tire in which an air-in phenomenon between an inner liner and a carcass is avoided by preventing adhesion of the inner liner to a bladder includes the following steps. A green tire using, as an inner liner, a polymer laminate including a first layer having a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.6 mm made of a styrene-isobutylene-styrene triblock copolymer, and a second layer composed of at least one of a second A layer made of a styrene-isoprene-styrene triblock copolymer and a second B layer made of a styrene-isobutylene diblock copolymer, the second layer having a thickness of 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm, is prepared. The green tire is mounted in a mold for vulcanization with pressurization by the bladder to obtain a vulcanized tire. The vulcanized tire is cooled at 50 to 120° C. for 10 to 300 seconds.

Abstract: In a process of manufacturing pneumatic tires, a carcass sleeve is made which includes at least one carcass ply provided with axially opposite flaps turned up around annular anchoring structures, so as to form respective loops. An outer sleeve is positioned around the carcass sleeve and the latter is radially expanded in order to cause application of same against a radially internal surface of the outer sleeve. After each of the end flaps has been turned up and before radial expansion, only a portion belonging to each of the loops and extending substantially parallel to the respective annular anchoring structure is submitted to a step of carrying out heating under pressure, to make each loop integral with the annular anchoring structure and prevent the turned-up ply/plies from even partly slipping off, during the subsequent radial-expansion step of the carcass sleeve and vulcanization step of the tire.

Abstract: A 300% modulus at 100° C. in the range of 1 mm in an radial direction from a surface of a tread member is set to be between 1.10 times and 2.0 times inclusive, more preferably, between 1.10 times and 1.5 times inclusive, larger than a 300% modulus at 100° C. in the range of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm in the radial direction from a bottom part of the tread member.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for pneumatic tire includes a process in which a raw cover (2) for a tire is formed, and a vulcanization process in which said raw cover (2) is inserted into a mold (3) and subjected to vulcanization molding. With the raw cover (2) inserted into the mold (3), a sidewall rubber edge (E), which is a boundary part between a bead chafer (13) and a sidewall rubber (12) that appears on an outer surface (2a) of the raw cover, is located further to the inside of the tire in the radial direction than an inner core point (P1), which is the intersection point between the outer surface (2a) of the raw cover and an axial line (L1) that passes through a bead core (7) on the inner edge of the tire in the radial direction.

Abstract: A method of molding and curing a tire for a vehicle wheel includes building an unvulcanized tire on a toroidal support; heating the support; pressing an inner surface of the tire against an outer surface of the support; and pressing an outer surface of the tire against walls of a molding cavity defined in a vulcanization mold. The inner surface of the tire is pressed against the outer surface by at least one secondary working fluid. The outer surface of the tire is pressed against the walls by at least one primary working fluid. The at least one primary working fluid is heated, causing vulcanization of the tire. An apparatus for molding and curing a tire for a vehicle wheel includes the vulcanization mold, at least one passage device, a feeding device, and first and second heating devices. It may also include an airtight device arranged to receive the support.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for partial depth-wise cure of a tire inner liner are disclosed. The method comprising forming a layer of uncured rubber, that layer having a first surface and an opposite surface, applying pressure to the layer of rubber, heating the layer of rubber from the first surface to more fully cure the layer on that surface than on the opposite surface, cooling the layer of rubber and releasing the pressure applied to the layer of rubber after the layer has cooled.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pneumatic rubber tire having a rubber tread of a cap/base construction. More specifically, the invention relates to a tire having a tread with minimized, or inhibited, base peaking.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire with a noise damper on the inside of the tread portion, comprises the steps of: building a raw tire on an annular tire building core; placing the raw tire within a vulcanizing mold together with the core; and heating the raw tire in the mold. The tire building core has a molding face for molding an inner surface of the tread portion. The molding face is provided with a groove extending in the tire circumferential direction. In the step of building the raw tire, an expandable damper material is placed in the groove. During heating the raw tire to be vulcanized, the damper material expands in the groove, whereby the expanded material forms the noise damper integrated into the radially inside of the tread portion.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire having an innerliner formed of thermoplastic elastomer. The method comprises the steps of: heating a surface of a tire building drum in advance; placing the innerliner on the heated surface of the tire building drum, the innerliner being cylindrically shaped and having a radially outer surface to which an adhesive has been applied; disposing uncured tire components radially outwardly of the innerliner to form a green tire; and curing the green tire.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a tire includes providing an elastomeric layer on an outer surface of a toroidal support, manufacturing the tire on the toroidal support provided with the elastomeric layer, introducing the tire supported on the toroidal support into a moulding cavity, introducing a fluid under pressure into a space defined between the toroidal support and an inner surface of the tire in order to press an outer surface of the tire against walls of the moulding cavity, and curing the tire. The elastomeric layer forms an inner circumferential surface of the tire. The process further includes causing an electrical current to flow in at least one heating element provided to the outer surface of the toroidal support so as to obtain at least partial precuring of the elastomeric layer. A toroidal support for carrying out the process is also disclosed.

Abstract: To provide a rubber composition for a tire increasing the interaction between rubber fillers, low in heat buildup, and able to raise the vulcanization speed. A rubber composition for a tire containing 100 parts by weight of (A) a sulfur-vulcanizable diene-based rubber, (B) 0.1 to 1 part by weight of a 4,4?-oxybis(benzenesulfonylazide) and (C) a vulcanization type compounding agent, wherein the ingredients (A) and (B) are mixed at the time of a first mixing step before the compounding of the ingredient (C).

Abstract: A plant includes a carcass-assembling line in which carcass structures are formed through assembling of semifinished products, and a carcass building line in which carcass structures are built through laying of elementary components onto a carcass-building support including an inflatable bladder set in an inflated condition. Belt structures possibly provided with a tread band and produced separately are each coaxially disposed around a built carcass structure on the building support and applied thereto following a radial expansion of the inflatable bladder. In a vulcanisation mould, the building support is submitted to an over-inflation step to press the tyre against the inner walls of the mould.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tire having a rubber tread configuration comprised of a circumferential non-cellular outer rubber cap rubber layer which contains a tread running surface, a circumferential internal, intermediate closed cellular rubber transition rubber layer positioned between said outer tread cap non-cellular rubber layer and a circumferential tread base non-cellular rubber layer. Said internal cellular rubber layer is thereby exclusive of said tread running surface and thereby abridges and joins said outer non-cellular rubber cap layer and said non-cellular base rubber layer of said tread configuration.

Abstract: A tread for a vehicle tire, such as a pneumatic vehicle tire, is provided with an electrically conducting layer axially inside a portion of a first, radially outer rubber layer of the tread. The electrically conductive layer extends from a second, radially inner rubber layer of the tread on the radially inner side of the tread rubber material up to a ground contact surface of the tread. The rubber material of the electrically conducting layer and the rubber material of the radially inner rubber layer of the tread have a higher electrical conductivity than the rubber material of the radially outer rubber layer.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a tyre includes the following steps: a) providing a carcass structure; b) providing one structural element of the tyre by laying down at least one elongate element of the tyre by laying down at least one elongate element made of crude elastomer material in a position radially external to the carcass structure; c) providing the structural element of the green tyre with one marking by means of an inkjet marking device; d) introducing the green tyre into a moulding cavity; and f) curing the green tyre.

Abstract: A method of constructing and making a squeegee blade includes forming a mounting plate with support members attached to a surface of the mounting plate. Forming a flexible blade and securing the flexible blade to the surface of the mounting plate with the support members embedded so that the flexible blade is supported by the support members against compression toward the mounting plate.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, is a method of making a tire with a skin covering at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the tire. In practicing the method, a partially cured tire and a partially cured skin are provided. The partially cured tire and the partially cured skin are installed in a tire mold with the skin engaging and covering at least a part of the outer surface of the tire and with the skin facing an inner surface of the mold. Heat and pressure are applied to the tire to press the skin and the tire against the inner surface of the mold. The heat and pressure are maintained for a predetermined time period to vulcanize and bond together the tire and the skin.

Abstract: An improved method of bonding at least two cured or uncured elastomeric layers is disclosed. The method comprising placing an uncured elastomeric component (22) between the two elastomeric layers, and curing the elastomeric component to bond the elastomeric layers together. The improvement is characterized by forming the uncured elastomeric component (22) by preparing two non-productive elastomer compounds (10, 12), wherein each non-productive compound (10 or 12) is prepared with a co-reacting agent of a co-reacting cure package not added to the other non-productive compound (12 or 10), and layering the non-productive elastomer compounds (10, 12) in alternating layers with a thickness relative to the diffusion rate of the co-reacting agents in each non-productive elastomeric layer (10, 12) to effect diffusion of the co-reacting cure agents through the adjacent layers.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing a vehicular pneumatic tire, in which, in order to produce and apply a preferably unvulcanized tread strip to a partial tire, which already has a cambered carcass and a ply packet radially outward therefrom, at least two strips of material, each consisting of a mixture of rubber and/or plastic, are applied to the partial tire. At least one strip of material is wound in numerous essentially adjoining windings running in the circumferential direction of the tire. In the case of two strips of material, these consist of different mixtures and, depending upon the desired characteristics of the tire, are arranged simultaneously or sequentially on different areas in the inner or the radially outer zone of the space occupied by the finished tread strip.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire for passenger cars has a tread and left and right beads, the beads each having a bead core embedded therein with a bead filler disposed on the outer circumferential side of the bead core, at least one carcass ply being arranged to extend between the beads, the carcass ply having reinforcing cords which extend in a width direction of the tire and are aligned at a predetermined interval along a circumferential direction of the tire, and two belt plies being disposed on the outer circumferential side of the carcass ply in the tread. An average of residual strain of the reinforcing cords of an innermost carcass ply is set to −10% to 5% in each side region located between an outer circumferential end of the bead filler and an end of an overlapping portion of the two belt plies.

Abstract: A method of inflation able to prevent peeling of an inner layer in a process of molding accompanied with inflation and deformation, in particular, a method of molding a hollow composite by giving deformation toward an inner surface of at least one composite member so as to cause it to laminate with another composite member, comprising giving the deformation and performing the molding by a pressurizing and heating medium.

Abstract: A rubber tire component (10, 20, 30, 40) is laden with a mixture of fibers (12). The fibers (12) being sensitive to induction heating can be rapidly cured using a variety of methods. The preferred method permits a selective induction curing of the fiber laden component (10, 20, 30, 40) in combination with conventional curing presses.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward an improved method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire using a bladderless curing system. The tire is built on an associated tire building drum (26) by the layering of multiple tire components on the drum (26); one of the components is an innerliner strip (28). In accordance with the disclosed invention, the innerliner strip (28) is formed with precured regions (32). The precured regions (32) are formed by curing the innerliner strip (28) at one or more regions intermediate of the ends (30) of the strip (28). The strip (28) is applied to the tire building drum (26) and the ends (30) are spliced to one another.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for improving the cured adhesion of at least two rubber components which contact each other in a pneumatic tire. The process involves the steps of assembling and vulcanizing a pneumatic tire wherein prior to vulcanization of the pneumatic tire, one of the components is a precured rubber compound and the other is an uncured rubber compound. The process involves using a precured rubber compound comprising from 40 to 100 parts by weight of natural rubber or emulsion-polymerized styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber containing 0.5 to 3 phr of a fatty acid, precipitated silica and no fatty acid other than contained in the natural rubber or emulsion-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber.

Abstract: A manufacturing line (2) is provided with work stations (5-10), each arranged to make and assemble at least one structural component of the tires (A-F) being processed. The structural components of each tire are assembled on a toroidal support provided with bar codes through which the model of the tire to be manufactured s identified and consequent adaptation of the work stations (5-10) to the particular tire working is carried out. Robotized arms (12-18) sequentially transfer the individual tires (A-F) between the different work stations (5-10), as well as to a curing line (3) equipped with molds (24-29) mounted on a turntable (30). The transfer rate on the curing line (3) is the same as the transfer rate between the work stations (5-10).

Abstract: The present invention provides an unvulcanized rubber member for tire manufacturing. The member forms at least a portion of a green tire, and features: multiple rib-protrusions that extend in a direction corresponding to a circumferential direction of the tire, and multiple grooves that extend in a direction corresponding to a radial direction of the tire and intersect the rib-protrusions. In accordance with the present invention, during vulcanization of the tire, the unvulcanized rubber member for tire manufacturing can efficiently expel air at the interior of the unvulcanized tire and between the unvulcanized tire and a vulcanizing mold.

Abstract: A method of making an annular rubber component of a tire comprises: determining a cross sectional shape of an annular rubber component; allotting thicknesses and widths to unvulcanized rubber strips, based on the cross sectional shape of the annular rubber component which is formed by piling up the unvulcanized rubber strips, the thicknesses being in a range of from 0.5 to 4.0 mm; determining relative displacement of circumferential ends of the unvulcanized rubber strips; and winding the unvulcanized rubber strips on a cylindrical surface so that the ends of each unvulcanized rubber strip are jointed, and the joints of the unvulcanized rubber strips are shifted from each other in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions and a pair of bead portions is manufactured by conducting the venting in a portion of a green tire placed in a vulcanization mold prior to vulcanization and corresponding to the sidewall portion in at least one place in a radial direction of the tire during the vulcanization.

Abstract: A green tire holding device (10) including a frame (12), a rod (14) extending horizontally from the frame (12), and a bladder (16) mounted on the rod (14). The bladder (16) is inflatable to an inflated shape so that it contacts a substantial portion of an inner circumference of a green tire (T) to support the green tire during a pre-curing wait cycle. The green tire holding device (10) can comprise a plurality of rods (14), a plurality of bladders (16), and/or a plurality of bladders (16) on each rod (14). The bladders (16) can be inflated at substantially the same time and/or certain bladders (16) can be deflated independently of other bladders (16). In a tire manufacturing method, the loaded green tire storage device (10) is transported to a doping/curing area with the bladders (16) deflated. At the doping/curing area, the tires (T) are removed from the rods (14), doped, and re-hung on the rods (14).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire comprises assembling unvulcanized rubber components to make a green tire, vulcanizing the green tire, and winding an unvulcanized rubber tape so that the windings collectively have a predetermined cross sectional shape for at least one of the unvulcanized rubber components to thereby make said at least one of the unvulcanized rubber components.

Abstract: Process for producing a pneumatic tire that includes an inner liner of a layer that is as air-impermeable as possible, at least one carcass ply provided with strength supports, horn profiles, bead cores, sidewalls, a belt assembly, and a tread. The process includes building-up a partial tire in a production part A, where the partial tire includes at least a carcass body that includes the at least one carcass ply provided with the strength supports, bead reinforcements and cores, core fillers and horn profiles, and an undertread, and shaping and at least partially vulcanizing the partial tire under an internal pressure in a vulcanization mold in a first vulcanization procedure. The process also includes determining a cross-sectional contour for a completed tire and an amount of surface and strength supports to be added to the partial tire prior to a production part B, and building-up the partial tire in the production part B by adding remaining tire components to produce a complete tire.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire which is used for a vehicle and obtained after a rubber material is formed by vulcanization. A cap portion (12A), which is an upper layer of a tread and directly contacts the road surface, is a foam rubber which includes innumerable elongated closed cells (24). The outer portion of the elongated closed cell (24) is coated by a resinous protective layer (26). During the vulcanization process of the tire, a resin whose viscosity is lower than that of a rubber matrix and a blowing agent which generates gas are kneaded with a rubber material so as to obtain a rubber composition. The rubber composition is formed in the shape of a band and adhered to a crown portion of a raw tire casing. The resin is melted by the heat of vulcanization and the viscosity of the resin is lower than that of the rubber matrix. The gas generated in the rubber moves toward and concentrates at the inner side of the resin.

Abstract: A module (1) used for the manufacture of tires, comprising an inflatable flexible bladder (10) provided with two beads (11) which is used for the assembling and vulcanization of the tire on the bladder, each bead being anchored on a plate (30, 31). The module (1) has at least one rigid wall mounted on a plate (30, 31) which is adjacent said flexible bladder (10) when the latter is inflated and can be retracted so as to be able to separate the tire from said module (1) after vulcanization and can be spread out radially so as to constitute a reference surface for the assembling of the tire.