Connecting member for an air maintenance tire and method of forming the same

A method of forming a connecting member in an air maintenance tire, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a tire that includes a sidewall, the sidewall being formed with an annular groove which receives an annular air tube, the annular air tube including a first end receiving a first fitting and a second end receiving a second fitting;
• forming a recess in the tire sidewall along the annular groove at a location where the first end of the annular air tube is adjacent the second end of the annular air tube;
• providing a mold being formed with a cavity, the mold being formed with openings extending from the cavity to an exterior surface of the mold;
• removably securing the first fitting in a selected one of the openings in the cavity and removably securing the second fitting in another selected one of the openings in the cavity;
• positioning the mold on a surface of the tire sidewall;
• placing a platen into contact with the mold to provide at least one of pressure and heat to the mold, free of a tire vulcanizing mold;
• introducing at least one of an elastomer and a polymer into the mold cavity;
• and
• heating the mold, whereby the connecting member is formed on the tire sidewall.