Tire With Laminate And Method Of Making Same
AssigneeBridestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorsKathleen A. Clemmer, John P. Rodak
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Abstract
A method of laminating a vulcanized tire includes providing a vulcanized tire having a circumferential tread and a pair of sidewalls constructed of a base rubber. The method further includes cleaning the circumferential tread, providing a laminate, and forming a plurality of holes in the laminate. The method also includes applying the laminate to at least a portion of one of the circumferential tread and a sidewall of the vulcanized tire. The method further includes applying pressure to the laminate, thereby evacuating air between the laminate and the circumferential tread of the vulcanized tire and curing the laminate.
Claims20
A tire comprising:
- a pair of sidewalls;
- a circumferential tread constructed of a base rubber, the circumferential tread having a plurality of grooves disposed therein, thereby defining a plurality of tread elements;
- and
- a polymeric laminate disposed on the circumferential tread,
- wherein the polymeric laminate covers at least one of the plurality of grooves,
- wherein the polymeric laminate covers a top surface of at least one of the plurality of tread elements, and
- wherein the polymeric laminate has substantially the same modulus of elasticity as the base rubber.
A method of applying a laminate to a cured tire, the method comprising:
- providing a cured tire having a circumferential tread constructed of a base material,
- wherein the circumferential tread has a plurality of tread elements, each of the plurality of tread elements having a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces, and
- wherein the circumferential tread further has a plurality of grooves disposed between the plurality of tread elements;
- providing an uncured laminate;
- placing the uncured laminate about the circumferential tread of the cured tire, such that the uncured laminate covers at least some of the plurality of tread elements and at least some of the plurality of grooves, wherein the laminate has greater snow traction than the base material;
- stitching the uncured laminate to the cured tire by applying pressure to the uncured laminate;
- and
- heating the uncured laminate and the cured tire.
A method of laminating a vulcanized tire comprising:
- providing a vulcanized tire having a circumferential tread and a pair of sidewalls constructed of a base rubber;
- cleaning the circumferential tread;
- providing a laminate;
- forming a plurality of holes in the laminate;
- applying the laminate to at least a portion of one of the circumferential tread and a sidewall of the vulcanized tire;
- applying pressure to the laminate, thereby evacuating air between the laminate and the circumferential tread of the vulcanized tire;
- and
- curing the laminate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.