Tires with non-black tread grooves
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsFrederick F. Vannan, Ramendra N. Majumdar
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Abstract
A pneumatic tire comprising a black colored tread with at least one colored groove wherein the top surface of the tread designed to be ground-contacting is essentially free of non-black color. A non-black component is placed over the tread strip and covered with a thermoformable film prior to forming the groove pattern. After vulcanization, the film is removed, and the tread lugs buffed free of color, if necessary, thereby forming a tire having color localized in the tread grooves.
Claims20
A pneumatic tire comprising a black colored tread strip having a top surface designed to be ground-contacting and a pattern of grooves therein each defining a recessed surface, wherein at least a substantial portion of the recessed surface of at least one groove is covered with a non-black colored component and the top surface designed to be ground-contacting is essentially free of the non-black colored component.
A method of making a pneumatic tire comprising a black colored tread strip having a top surface designed to be ground-contacting and a pattern of non-black recessed grooves therein, wherein at least a substantial portion of at least one recessed groove is non-black, the method comprising:
- building an uncured tire assembly having a black colored, uncured tread strip;
- placing a non-black component over at least a portion of an outer surface of the uncured tread strip;
- placing the uncured tire assembly in a mold and forming a pattern of recessed grooves in the uncured tread strip whereby the non-black component conforms to the pattern;
- curing the tire assembly;
- and
- removing any non-black component from the top surface designed to be ground-contacting.
A method of making a pneumatic tire comprising a black colored tread strip having a top surface designed to be ground-contacting and a pattern of non-black recessed grooves therein, the method comprising:
- building an uncured tire assembly having a black colored, uncured tread strip;
- placing a plurality of non-black component strips over a portion of an outer surface of the uncured tread strip in a pattern corresponding to a pattern of non-black recessed grooves to be formed;
- placing a nylon thermoformable film over the non-black component strips;
- placing the uncured tire assembly in a mold and forming the pattern of non-black recessed grooves in the uncured tread strip whereby the non-black component and the nylon thermoformable film conform to the pattern;
- curing the tire assembly;
- removing the nylon thermoformable film;
- and
- removing any non-black component from the top surface designed to be ground-contacting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.