Kutsch, Bernd

In one aspect of the invention, a tire curing method is disclosed comprising: engaging at least a portion of a first bead engaging projection (20) with a first tire bead (205) of a green tire (200) and engaging at least a portion of a second bead engaging projection (20) with a second tire bead (206) of the green tire (200); providing at least one pump in fluid communication with a chamber (150) defined by an inner surface (202) of the green tire (200) and the first and second bead engaging projections (20), the at least one pump being configured to circulate a heated fluid through the chamber (150); causing the at least one pump to circulate the heated fluid through the chamber (150) such that the heated fluid flows through the chamber (150) at a flow rate for a period of time; and at least partially curing the green tire (200) using the heated fluid flowing through the chamber (150).

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a tire comprising a conductive rubber composition strip having an end, which is i) axially between a first sidewall and an adjacent axially outer surface of a tread base layer, and ii) radially below a tread cap layer, wherein the strip extends along the sidewall from said end at least to an electrically conductive chafer. In another aspect, a tire also has a second conductive rubber composition layer having an edge adjacent an axially outer end region of a belt portion, and extending along a radially inner surface of the tread portion towards a first conductive rubber composition layer. In a third aspect, a tire comprises a conductive circumferential ring portion extending through a shoulder rib and/or row of tread blocks, and/or an adjacent rib or row of tread blocks, and which is in contact with a conductive rubber composition layer.

A system and method or estimating mileage of a tire (12) supporting a vehicle (14) is disclosed. The system (10) comprises a processor (38); means for measurements of a tread depth (52) of the tire (12); and means for transmitting the measurements of tread depth (52) to the processor (38). The processor (38) is configured to receive the measurements of tread depth (52), to determine an estimate of mileage of the tire (12) with an inverse treadwear model (54) from the measurements of tread depth (52), to generate a notification (76) when the estimate of mileage of the tire (12) is determined, and to transmit the notification (76) to at least one of a vehicle control system and a device (50) for actuation of the vehicle (14) in response to the notification.

A rubber composition comprising one or more thermoplastic polyurethanes and at least 75 parts per hundred rubber (phr) of one or more solution-polymerized styrene butadiene rubbers is disclosed. The rubber composition may be used in a tire.

A composition is disclosed comprising an elastomer; 1 phr to 100 phr of a recovered carbon or carbon particle, the recovered carbon or carbon particle being disbursed in a masterbatch or freely added material; 1 phr to 20 phr of a silica selected from a conventional silica and a pretreated silica; and 0.5 phr to 15 phr of a reinforcing agent, wherein the reinforcing agent is a bismaleimide compound or a derivative thereof. The composition may be used as a vulcanized rubber composition in a tire. Also, a method for mixing rubber, comprising a nonproductive stage and a productive stage is disclosed.

An uncured rubber composition is disclosed comprising 40 phr to 70 phr of a styrene butadiene elastomer; 25 phr to 55 phr of a polybutadiene elastomer; 70 phr to 110 phr silica; and 25 phr to 55 phr of a plasticizer. The rubber composition may be used as a vulcanized rubber composition in a tire.

A composition is disclosed comprising at least one elastomer; 10 phr to 150 phr of a silica selected from a conventional silica and a pretreated silica; 0.5 phr to 15 phr of a reinforcing agent, wherein the reinforcing agent is a bismaleimide compound or a derivative thereof; and 0.5 phr to 25 phr of a coupling agent, wherein the coupling agent comprises an organosilane compound or a derivative thereof. The composition may be used in a tire as a vulcanized composition. Also disclosed is a method for mixing rubber, the method comprising a nonproductive stage and a productive stage, wherein the nonproductive stage comprises: combining together at least one elastomer, 10 phr to 150 phr of a conventional silica, 0.5 phr to 25 phr of a coupling agent comprising an organosilane compound, and 0.5 phr to 15 phr of an alkoxysilane, thereby forming an initial mixture; and mixing the initial mixture at a temperature of 100 °C to 170 °C, thereby forming a nonproductive mixture; and wherein the productive stage comprises: combining together the nonproductive mixture with 0.5 phr to 15 phr of a reinforcing agent, wherein the reinforcing agent is a bismaleimide compound or a derivative thereof, and a curing agent, thereby forming an intermediate mixture; and mixing the intermediate mixture at a temperature of 70 °C to 120 °C, thereby forming a productive mixture.

A wear estimation system (10) and method for a tire (12) supporting a vehicle (14) is disclosed. The system (10) comprises a processor being in electronic communication with a CAN bus system of the vehicle and means for determining a total frictional energy of the tire. The processor is configured to: receive the total frictional energy of the tire; divide the total frictional energy into a longitudinal frictional energy estimation and a lateral frictional energy estimation with a separator; receive the longitudinal frictional energy estimation in a longitudinal acceleration classifier; determine at least one of a low, medium, and high longitudinal frictional energy estimate with the longitudinal acceleration classifier; receive the lateral frictional energy estimation in a lateral acceleration classifier; determine at least one of a low, medium, and high lateral frictional energy estimate with the lateral acceleration classifier; generate an output notification including the at least one of the low, medium, and high longitudinal frictional energy estimate and the at least one of the low, medium, and high lateral frictional energy estimate; and determine at least one of an estimated wear rate of the tire and an estimated wear state of the tire from the output notification.

A system and method for improving energy dissipation analysis of a tire by presenting transient rolling resistance relative to standard rolling resistance is disclosed. The system comprises: a computing device comprising a processor and a memory; and machine-readable instructions stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to at least: obtain rolling resistance data collected during a rolling resistance test of a tire, the rolling resistance data being collected during a warm-up period and a measurement period of the rolling resistance test; determine at least one transient indicator based at least in part on the rolling resistance data collected during the warm-up period of the rolling resistance; generate a user interface including at least one graphical representation associated with rolling resistance of the tire over a period of time, the at least one graphical representation comprising an energy dissipation graph illustrating the at least one transient indicator of the tire relative to a standard rolling resistance of the tire, the standard rolling resistance corresponding to the rolling resistance data collected during the measurement period; and cause the user interface to be rendered on a display device.

A real time tire pressure monitoring system and method is disclosed. It includes a sensor measuring a pressure of a first tire and a sensor measuring a pressure of a second tire. The measured pressures are transmitted from the sensors to a processor, and a fusion module is executed on the processor. The fusion module includes a filter module that receives the first tire pressure, determines a leak rate of the first tire, and generates a filter module flag when the leak rate falls below a predetermined leak threshold. The fusion module also includes a comparative module that receives the first and second tire measured pressures, compares the measured pressures, and generates a comparative module flag when a deviation exceeds a predetermined deviation threshold. The fusion module generates a system notification when both the filter module flag and the comparative module flag indicate a pressure leak.