Leslie, Edward

A composition is disclosed comprising: an elastomer, the elastomer comprising from 25 phr to 75 phr of a natural rubber and from 25 phr to 75 phr of a synthetic elastomer; an accelerator, comprising from 0.1 phr to 5 phr of a first accelerator and 0.1 phr to 5 phr a second accelerator, the second accelerator being different from the first accelerator; and from 0.1 phr to 10 phr of a hydrogenated gum rosin. The hydrogenated gum rosin has an acid value of 140 mg KOH/g to 200 mg KOH/g and a softening point as determined in accordance with ASTM E28 in a range of from 70 °C to 125 °C. Also disclosed is an article such as a tire or a tire component comprising such a composition and a method of mixing such a rubber composition.

A tire comprising a circumferential tread portion including at least one sipe extending in an elongated direction transversely to a direction of rotation of the tire and having a pair of opposite sidewalls is disclosed. In a first aspect, the pair of opposite sidewalls includes a leading sidewall and a trailing sidewall with respect to the direction of rotation of the tire, wherein the trailing sidewall extends essentially linearly along its radial height, and the leading sidewall comprises protrusions along its radial height, which extend along the elongated direction and have radially outer top sides, and wherein at least a majority of the protrusions are chamfered along their radially outer top sides. In a second aspect, the pair of opposite sidewalls extends along the elongated direction, wherein at least one of the sidewalls comprises protrusions along its radial height, which extend along the elongated direction and have radially outer sides, wherein at least a majority of the protrusions are chamfered along their radially outer sides, and wherein (i) a radially outermost edge of one of the sidewalls comprising protrusions is chamfered over a majority of its length along the elongated direction and/wherein (ii) at least one of the sidewalls comprises at least one radially elongated bump stop extending along a majority of a radial height of the sipe and protruding towards an opposite sidewall of the sidewalls.

A method is disclosed comprising: adding an additive (116) to a release agent (113), the additive (113) having an extinction coefficient or a maximum extinction coefficient above a predefined threshold for electro-magnetic radiation having a predefined wavelength or a predefined wavelength range; disposing the release agent (113) comprising the additive (116) between a preformed tire (109) and a curing bladder (106) of a tire curing press (100); curing the preformed tire (106) in the tire curing press (100), thereby resulting in a cured tire (111); and performing a laser cleaning of an innerliner (123) of the cured tire (111) using a laser (126) that generates a laser beam (129) at the predefined wavelength or the predefined wavelength range. Also, a composition is disclosed comprising a release agent (113) that prevents a curing bladder (106) of a tire curing press (100) from adhering to an innerliner (123) of a cured tire (111) and an additive (116) added to the release agent (113). The additive (116) has an extinction coefficient or a maximum extinction coefficient above a predefined threshold for electro-magnetic radiation having a predefined wavelength or a predefined wavelength range. The additive (116) promotes or increases ablation of the release agent (113) compared to the same composition without the additive (116) when a laser beam (129) having the predefined wavelength or having the predefined wavelength range is applied to a surface of the innerliner (123) of the cured tire (111) comprising the release agent (113).

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).

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