The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company

Bridgestone Corporation

Bridgestone/firestone, Inc.

Other

Bridgeston/firetone, Inc.

Arthur E Oberster

Georg G Bohm

Takatsugu Hashimoto

James H Yang

Russell W Koch

Daniel F Graves

John W Fieldhouse

Tai C Cheng

David F Lawson

Jung W Kang

David M Roggeman

Charles M Roland

Mario N Detrano

John C Vicic

George G Bohm

George B Mitchell

A product and process for imparting decorative appliques to the sidewalls of tires during the curing operation are presented. A spool of applique composite material is maintained for feeding into a tire mold or onto a transfer device, thereby defining a ring for vulcanization to a tire. The applique consists of a laminate received upon a carrier, the laminate having a first barrier layer and a congruent second decorative layer. The laminate is received by a tire sidewall between two grooves which serve to isolate the decorative layer from the tire itself.

Apparatus for applying premolded tire sidewall appliques

A product and process for imparting decorative appliques to the sidewalls of tires during the curing operation are presented. In one embodiment, a spool of applique composite material is maintained for feeding into a tire mold or onto a transfer device, thereby defining a ring for vulcanization to a tire. The applique consists of a laminate received upon a carrier, the laminate having a first barrier layer and a congruent second decorative layer. The laminate is received by a tire sidewall between two grooves which serve to isolate the decorative layer from the tire itself. In another embodiment a laminate of white and barrier rubber stock is formed and then configured into a cylinder. A plurality of bands are cut from the cylinder then transferred to a fixture by reorienting the bands to conform to the angle of the sidewall of the tire at the point with which the band is to be adhered. The band is then transferred to a tire curing press which subsequently receives a green tire, with the band and tire being simultaneously cured, achieving a bond of the band to the tire by vulcanization.

Process for manufacturing tires with white sidewall appliques

According to the present invention, a pneumatic tire includes a cured tread area, an outer sidewall area connected to the tread area, and an outer bead connected to the sidewall area at an end thereof and defining an opening for receiving a wheel. The tire also includes a pre-cured, elastomeric, decorative applique and an applique-contacting adhesive layer positioned between the sidewall and the applique. A method according to the present invention, of providing a cured pneumatic tire with a decorative outer sidewall, includes the step of bonding to the outer sidewall of the cured pneumatic tire a cured, elastomeric, decorative applique with an adhesive layer.

Pneumatic tire having a decorative applique and a method for applying a

Apparatus for manufacturing tires with white sidewall appliques

A reinforcing agent for vulcanizable rubber compounds comprises an anhydrous metal salt of an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid having a crystalline structure consisting essentially of plates and fibers. Vulcanizable rubber compounds containing such reinforcing agents have improved physical properties over rubber compounds containing conventional metal carboxylic acid salts. Methods for the preparation of such anhydrous metal salts and methods for the reinforcement of vulcanizable rubber compounds therewith are also provided.

Anhydrous metal salts of .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated

A reinforcing agent for vulcanizable rubber compounds comprises an anhydrous metal salt of an .alpha.-.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid having a crystalline structure consisting essentially of plates and fibers. Vulcanizable rubber compounds containing such reinforcing agents have improved physical properties over rubber compounds containing conventional metal carboxylic acid salts. Methods for the preparation of such anhydrous metal salts and methods for the reinforcement of vulcanizable rubber compounds therewith are also provided.

Anhydrous metal salts of .alpha.-.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated

A method for incorporating metal salts of .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids into polymers and improving the cured physical properties of vulcanizable rubber compositions based on such polymers. The method includes the steps of preparing a polymer cement in a suitable organic solvent, forming a suspension of the metal salt of an .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid in a suitable aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent miscible with the organic solvent, mixing the polymer cement and the suspension together and thereafter removing the solvents to provide the metal salt uniformly dispersed within the polymer.

Method for incorporating metal salts of .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically

Colored tire stocks having improved abrasion resistance, color and color stability as compared to conventional colored tire stocks such as white sidewall stocks are provided. The colored tire stocks of the invention comprise crosslinked colored rubber compositions containing from 10 to 90% of ionic crosslinks and from 90 to 10% of free radical induced covalent crosslinks. These colored tire stocks may be utilized as functional tire stocks such as colored sidewall stocks (e.g. white sidewalls) or as decorative tire stocks such as raised colored letters (e.g. raised white letters) which identify the tire manufacturer.

Colored tire stocks having improved abrasion resistance, color and color

Plasticized polyphosphazene compositions exhibiting excellent flame resistance and low smoke output are disclosed. The plasticizers are resinous alkylated naphthalenes condensed with formaldehyde which are characterized by methylene bridges between naphthalenic rings with softening points ranging from 28.degree. F. to 158.degree. F.

Naphthalenic derivatized plasticizers for polyphosphazene polymers

Poly(aryloxyphosphazene) copolymers are prepared having randomly repeating units represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R and R.sup.1 may be the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of monovalent aryl radicals and substituted aryl radicals having the structure: ##STR2## wherein X is a substituent selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, amino and halogen substituted on any sterically permissible position on the phenyl group; and wherein the amount of Cl present in the form of P-Cl bonds is from about 0.4 percent to about 10 percent by weight based upon the total weight of copolymer. The copolymers may contain minor proportions of randomly distributed units in addition to the repeating units described above, these additional units containing reactive sites enabling the properties of the copolymers to be modified by crosslinking and/or curing. The copolymers are elastomeric even in the absence of low molecular weight polyphosphazene oils. The copolymers are curable by a variety of curing agents such as sulfur and peroxides, and can also be cured by radiation and ultraviolet light. The copolymers may be utilized in various applications such as foams and coatings, and are particularly suited for use in wire coating formulations.

Oil-free elastomeric poly(aryloxyphosphazene) copolymer foam

This invention relates to aqueous dispersions or latices of phosphazene rubbers which are useful in the production of coatings and foams, particularly where fire resistant materials are required, and to the resulting coatings and foams prepared using such latices.

Phosphazene rubber latices

Poly(aryloxyphosphazene) copolymers are prepared having randomly repeating units represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R and R.sup.1 may be the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of monovalent aryl radicals and substituted aryl radicals having the structure: ##STR2## wherein X is a substituent selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, amino and halogen substituted on any sterically permissible position on the phenyl group; and wherein the amount of Cl present in the form of P--C1 bonds is from about 0.4 percent to about 10 percent by weight based upon the total weight of copolymer. The copolymers may contain minor proportions of randomly distributed units in addition to the repeating units described above, these additional units containing reactive sites enabling the properties of the copolymers to be modified by crosslinking and/or curing. The copolymers are elastomeric even in the absence of low molecular weight polyphosphazene oils. The copolymers are curable by a variety of curing agents such as sulfur and peroxides, and can also be cured by radiation and ultraviolet light. The copolymers may be utilized in various applications such as foams and coatings, and are particularly suited for use in wire coating formulations.

Oil-free elastomeric poly(aryloxyphosphazene) copolymers

Poly(phosphazene) compositions exhibiting excellent flame resistance and low smoke output are produced by the addition of fillers from a class of fillers which decompose endothermically when heated to an appropriate temperature. The compositions may also include plasticizers such as triarylphosphates. The resulting compositions are particularly useful as coatings for wire and cable members.

Poly(phosphazene) compositions

Curable sealant two-component composition, each component being individually storage-stable and containing oil-extended low molecular weight uncured butyl rubber, said components being mixed together in a volume ratio of from about 1.0 to 1.0.

Growing community of inventors

North Canton, OH, United States of America

Arthur E Oberster