The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Georges Marcel Thielen

Filomeno Gennaro Corvasce

Giorgio Agostini

Thierry Florent Materne

Marc Jules Alexis Henoumont

Tom Dominique Linster

A pneumatic tire has a sidewall rubber insert axially inward of at least one carcass ply. Such insert may, for example, be an apex extending radially outward from the bead core region of the tire into the sidewall. Alternatively, it may be positioned higher in the sidewall portion of the tire and away from the bead core. Such insert is a rubber composition containg a dispersion of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and a dispersion of a starch composite.

Tire with sidewall rubber insert

A pneumatic tire has a sidewall rubber insert axially inward of at least one carcass ply. Such insert may, for example, be an apex extending radially outward from the bead core region of the tire into the tire sidewall. Alternatively, it may be positioned higher in the sidewall portion of the tire and away from the bead core. Such insert is a rubber composition containing a dispersion of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and a dispersion of a starch composite.

Preparation of an elastomer which contains a dispersion of filler reinforcement by forming a filler reinforcement in situ within the elastomer host, the resulting elastomer/filler composite and tire having component which contains such reinforced elastomer. The invention includes a rubber composition of at least two elastomers wherein one of said elastomers is a pre-formed composite of elastomer and in situ formed filler reinforcement. A tire having a component of is such rubber composition, particularly a tire tread, is specifically contemplated.

Preparation of reinforced elastomer, elastomer composite and tire having

Preparation of an elastomer which contains a dispersion of filler reinforcement by forming a filler reinforcement in-situ within the elastomer host, the resulting elastomer/filler composite and tire having component which contains such reinforced elastomer. The invention includes a rubber composition of at least two elastomers wherein one of said elastomers is a pre-formed composite of elastomer and in-situ formed filler reinforcement. A tire having a component of such rubber composition, particularly a tire tread, is specifically contemplated.

Prepared reinforced elastomer, elastomer composite and tire having

The present invention relates to a rubber composition containing a starch/plasticizer composite and to pneumatic tires having at least one component comprised of such rubber composition. Such tire component can be, for example, its circumferential tread or other component of the tire. The starch/plasticizer composite can be a composite of starch and plasticizer such as, for example, poly(ethylenevinyl alcohol) and/or cellulose acetate or any suitable plasticizer which results in such starch/plasticizer composite having a melting point below that of the starch alone, and particularly below about 160.degree. C., and to thereby enable the starch to be more processable with conventional elastomer composition processing equipment. In the practice of this invention, a rubber composition comprises at least one elastomer, a starch/plasticizer composite, optionally at least one coupler and, optionally, at least one of carbon black and silica reinforcement alone or in conjunction with another reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler.

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Schouweiler, Luxembourg

Georges Marcel Thielen