Tire innerliner

#One or more embodiments of this invention relate to tire formulations for innerliners.

#The inner surface of a pneumatic tire may include an elastomeric composition designed to prevent or retard the permeation of air from the tire's inner air chamber. This elastomeric composition is often referred to as an innerliner. Rubbers, such as butyl and halobutyl rubber, which are relatively impermeable to air, are often used as the primary rubber component in innerliners.

#The innerliner may comprise a relatively thin sheet of elastomer that is formulated with compounding additives and a curing system. The elastomer formulation may be laminated to the inner surface of a tire carcass layer of an uncured tire as the tire is formed on a tire building drum. Final cure of the composite structure produces a tire having a cured innerliner adhered to the carcass.

#FIG. 1 is a half cross-sectional view of a tire according to one or more embodiments of this invention.

#In one or more embodiments, the present invention provides a method for preparing a tire including an innerliner. Other embodiments relate to innerliner formulations and tires prepared using these innerliner formulations.

#An example of a tire according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. Tire 10 includes a tread portion 12, a belt package 14, sidewalls 16, shoulder portion 18, innerliner ply 20, cavity 22, and bead portions 30 that include bead core 31. Carcass 32 extends between bead portions 30. Bead cores 31 help to hold bead portions 30 against vehicle rim 35. Pneumatic tires can be made as discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,866,171, 5,876,527, 5,931,211, and 5,971,046, which are incorporated herein by reference.

#In one or more embodiments, the innerliner may be prepared by conventional calendering or milling techniques to form a strip of uncured compounded rubber of appropriate width which is sometimes referred to as a gum strip. The gum strip may be the first element of the tire applied to a tire building drum, over and around which the remainder of the tire is built. In other embodiments, the innerliner may be incorporated into a subassembly with another tire component before placing it on the drum. When the tire is cured, the innerliner may become an integral, co-cured, part of the tire. Tire innerliners and their methods of preparation are well known to those having skill in the art.