Self-sealing pneumatic tire with noise suppression characteristics
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsGeorge Jim Papakonstantopoulos, Michael Lawrence Gersman, Robin Lamgaday
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The pneumatic tires of this invention are of the tubeless type, are capable of self-sealing punctures made therein, and generate a low level of noise during use on a vehicle. These tires have a sealant/noise reduction layer which is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass and which is typically the innermost layer of the tire. The sealant/noise reduction layer is comprised of a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, wherein the dispersed phase is comprised of a sealant material, and wherein the continuous phase is comprised of a foamed polymeric material.
Claims18
A low noise, self-sealing, uncured pneumatic tire which is comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped supporting carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead, sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads, and a sealant/noise reduction layer which is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass and is the innermost layer of the tire, wherein said circumferential tread is adapted to be ground-contacting, wherein the uncured pneumatic tire is void of an innerliner, wherein the sealant/noise reduction layer is comprised of a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, wherein the dispersed phase is comprised of a butyl rubber as a pre-sealant material which breaks down at tire vulcanization temperatures to produce a sealant material, wherein the dispersed phase is further comprised of from 0.5 phr to 7 phr of a peroxide based upon active peroxide, and wherein the continuous phase is comprised of a halobutyl rubber that foams during vulcanization.
A method of manufacturing a low noise, self-sealing, pneumatic rubber tire which comprises:
- (1) building an unvulcanized tire which is comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped supporting carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead, sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads, and a sealant/noise reduction layer which is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass, wherein said circumferential tread is adapted to be ground-contacting, wherein the uncured pneumatic tire is void of an innerliner, wherein the sealant/noise reduction layer is comprised of a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, wherein the dispersed phase is comprised of a butyl rubber as a pre-sealant material which breaks down at tire vulcanization temperatures to produce a sealant material and from 0.5 phr to 7 phr of a peroxide based upon active peroxide, and wherein the continuous phase is comprised of a halobutyl rubber that foams during vulcanization;
- and (2) shaping and vulcanizing said tire in a tire mold and curing the unvulcanized tire under conditions of heat and pressure to produce the low noise, self-sealing, pneumatic rubber tire.
A low noise, self-sealing, cured pneumatic tire which is comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped supporting carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead, sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads, and a sealant/noise reduction layer which is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass and is the innermost layer of the tire, wherein said circumferential tread is adapted to be ground-contacting, wherein the cured pneumatic tire is void of an innerliner, wherein the sealant/noise reduction layer is comprised of a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, wherein the dispersed phase is comprised of a butyl rubber as a sealant material, and wherein the continuous phase is comprised of a foamed halobutyl rubber, wherein the dispersed phase is void of polyisobutylene.
A low noise, self-sealing, cured pneumatic tire which is comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped supporting carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead, sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads, and a sealant/noise reduction layer which is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass and is the innermost layer of the tire, wherein said circumferential tread is adapted to be ground-contacting, wherein the cured pneumatic tire is void of an innerliner, wherein the sealant/noise reduction layer is comprised of a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, wherein the dispersed phase is comprised of a butyl rubber as a sealant material, and wherein the continuous phase is comprised of a foamed halobutyl rubber, wherein the dispersed phase is further comprised of 5 phr to 50 phr of graphene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.