Tire and method for correcting tire uniformity thereof

A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire having a having a pair of spaced beads and at least one carcass reinforcement ply extending between the beads for improving one or more tire uniformity characteristics, the method being characterized by the steps of:

• a) forming the at least one carcass reinforcement ply of a plurality of reinforcement cords embedded in a matrix material that can be rendered plastic and rendered non-plastic, which respectively permits and restricts reorientation of reinforcement cords relative to other materials or components of the tire after the tire has been at least partially vulcanized;
• b) rendering the matrix material plastic, after the tire has been at least partially vulcanized , to permit one or more reinforcement cords to be reoriented;
• c) reorienting one or more reinforcement cords with respect to other reinforcement cords or components;
• d) rendering the matrix material non-plastic, to restrict further reorientation of adjacent reinforcement cords;
• e) selecting the matrix material to be a thermoplastic having a deflection temperature;
• and
• the step of rendering the matrix material plastic includes the step of maintaining the matrix material to above the deflection temperature;
• and wherein
• the step of rendering the matrix material non-plastic includes the step of cooling the matrix material to below the deflection temperature;
• and
• wherein the step of rendering the matrix material plastic includes:
• heating only selected portions of the tire to above the deflection temperature to permit reorientation of the one or more reinforcement cords.

A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire having a having a pair of spaced beads and at least one carcass reinforcement ply extending between the beads for improving one or more tire uniformity characteristics, the method being characterized by the steps of:

• a) forming the at least one carcass reinforcement ply of a plurality of reinforcement cords embedded in a matrix material that can be rendered plastic and rendered non-plastic, which respectively permits and restricts reorientation of reinforcement cords relative to other materials or components of the tire after the tire has been substantially completely vulcanized;
• b) rendering the matrix material plastic, after the tire has been at least partially vulcanized, to permit one or more reinforcement cords to be reoriented;
• c) reorienting one or more reinforcement cords with respect to other reinforcement cords or components;
• d) rendering the matrix material non-plastic, to restrict further reorientation of adjacent reinforcement cords;
• e) selecting the matrix material to be a thermoplastic having a deflection temperature;
• and
• the step of rendering the matrix material plastic includes the step of maintaining the matrix material to above the deflection temperature;
• and wherein
• the step of rendering the matrix material non-plastic includes the step of cooling the matrix material to below the deflection temperature;
• and wherein the step of rendering the matrix material plastic includes:
• heating the tire in a tire mold to above the deflection temperature to permit reorientation of the one or more reinforcement cords while within the mold.