Removable connector for pre-cured tread and methods for forming a retreaded tire

A method of forming a retreaded tire comprising the steps of:

• providing a tire carcass configured to receive a tire tread along an annular tread-receiving area, the annular tread-receiving area arranged along a radially outer side of the tire carcass and having a width extending laterally across a width of the tire carcass and a length extending annularly around the tire carcass;
• providing a pre-cured tire tread comprising:
• a tread body having a length, a width, and a thickness, the thickness being bounded by a top side and a bottom side of the tread;
• and,
• a detachable connector arranged within a void within the thickness of the tread between a top void portion and a bottom void portion, the top void portion extending into the tread thickness from the top side of the tread and the bottom void portion extending into the tread thickness from the bottom side of the tread, the detachable connector extending across a width of the top void portion and a width of the bottom void portion such that the detachable connector is attached to each of a pair of opposing sides of each top and bottom void portion, the detachable connector configured to separate from the tread upon application of a separation force;
• assembling a retreaded tire by arranging the tire tread atop a bonding layer in an installed configuration, the bonding layer arranged between the tire tread and the tire carcass;
• bonding the tire tread to the tire carcass, where a flexible curing membrane is arranged along the top side of the tire tread such that during the step of bonding, the flexible membrane extends into the top void portion from the top side to forcefully engage and displace the detachable connector downward into the void in a direction toward the bottom side;
• and,
• removing the detachable connector from the top void portion after the step of bonding,
• where, in forcefully engaging and displacing the detachable connector downward into the void in a direction toward the bottom void portion during the step of bonding, a bottom side of the detachable connector forcefully engages the bonding layer at a bottom of the void along the bottom side of the tread body, the bottom side of the detachable connector including an impression surface configured for forming an impression within the bonding layer, such that in forcefully engaging the bonding layer the bottom side of the detachable connector imprints a relief of the impression surface into the bonding layer, where the bottom side of the detachable connector contains a molding cavity configured for forming a molded feature in the bonding layer such that upon forcefully engaging the bonding layer the molding cavity forms a molded feature extending outwardly from the bonding layer and into the void.

A method of forming a retreaded tire comprising the steps of:

• providing a tire carcass configured to receive a tire tread along an annular tread-receiving area, the annular tread-receiving area arranged along a radially outer side of the tire carcass and having a width extending laterally across a width of the tire carcass and a length extending annularly around the tire carcass;
• providing a pre-cured tire tread comprising:
• a tread body having a length, a width, and a thickness, the thickness being bounded by a top side and a bottom side of the tread;
• and,
• a detachable connector arranged within a void within the thickness of the tread between a top void portion and a bottom void portion, the top void portion extending into the tread thickness from the top side of the tread and the bottom void portion extending into the tread thickness from the bottom side of the tread, the detachable connector extending across a width of the top void portion and a width of the bottom void portion such that the detachable connector is attached to each of a pair of opposing sides of each top and bottom void portion, the detachable connector configured to separate from the tread upon application of a separation force;
• assembling a retreaded tire by arranging the tire tread atop a bonding layer in an installed configuration, the bonding layer arranged between the tire tread and the tire carcass;
• bonding the tire tread to the tire carcass, where a flexible curing membrane is arranged along the top side of the tire tread such that during the step of bonding, the flexible membrane extends into the top void portion from the top side to forcefully engage and displace the detachable connector downward into the void in a direction toward the bottom side;
• and,
• removing the detachable connector from the top void portion after the step of bonding,
• where the detachable connector comprises a central portion arranged between a pair of connecting portions, each of the pair of connecting portions extending between the central portion and one of the pair of opposing sides of the void, and where one or more discontinuities are arranged along a length of at least one of the pair of connecting portions.