Tires with non-black tread grooves
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorsFrederick F. Vannan, Ramendra N. Majumdar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims7
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 outer surface of 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,
- wherein the non-black component consists of an ink, the method further comprising first positioning the ink on a thermoformable film to form a color transfer film prior to placing the non-black component over the uncured tread strip, and after curing, removing the film thereby leaving the non-black component on the outer surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.