The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Veyance Technologies, Inc.

Marc Borowczak

Junling Zhao

Alfredo Guillermo Causa

Richard G Bauer

Aaron Scott Puhala

Donald J Burlett

James Gregory Gillick

Robert Henry Vogliano

Fredrick Lewis Magnus

Didier Winkin

Michael William Kestner

Jimmy L Richards

Benjamin Isaiah Garn

Christina H Obermaier

Anthony Montalvo

Jean-Marie Feller

Francesco Sportelli

Mingliang Du

Thomas Sherwood Fleischman

Cristina Marie Gschnell

Dale Roy Norton

Joseph W Miller, Jr

Blake Edward Matthies

Ran Ding

Jeffrey Mckay West

Christopher Edward Estafen

Charles Frederick Crano

Gregory Monroe Bond

Md Atiqur Rahman Bhuiyan

Felix Maximo Vilchez Macuri

Jean-Bernard Bodeux

Laurent Licht

Nagendra Prasad Venkata Akshantala

Zhonghe Bo

Christopher Vincent Neal, Sr

Jimmy Lee Richards

Robert Harry Vogliano

Thomas Sherwood Fleischmann

The disclosure provides for a process for manufacturing a tread molding element configured to mold at least a portion of a tire tread, the process comprising the following successive steps of providing a first tread molding element that can be a 3D-printed element made of a plastic composition A; forming a reverse mold of the first tread molding element, wherein the reverse mold is made of a plastic composition B comprising one or more elastomers; heating the reverse mold to a temperature above 50° C. when the first tread molding element is a 3D-printed element made of a plastic composition A; and casting a second tread molding element from the reverse mold to obtain a second tread molding element; wherein the second tread molding element is made from a plastic composition C comprising one or more thermosetting resins.

Process for manufacturing a tread molding element of a tire-mold comprising a thermosetting polymer

The disclosure provides a process for manufacturing a tread molding element configured to mold at least a portion of a tire tread, the process comprising the steps of modeling a three-dimensional shape of a tread molding element through a modeling program that can be recognized by a 3D printer; providing one or more plastic compositions comprising one or more thermoplastic polymers having a melting point of at least 180° C.; forming a tread molding element by 3D printing from the one or more plastic compositions; and optionally annealing the tread molding element.

Process for manufacturing a tread molding element configured to mold at least a portion of a tire tread

A shear band for a tire includes a first belt layer extending circumferentially around the tire, a second belt layer extending circumferentially around the tire, and a shear band radially interposed between the first belt layer and the second belt layer. The shear band includes a first reinforcing ply radially adjacent the first belt layer, a third reinforcing ply radially adjacent the second belt layer, and a second reinforcing ply radially interposed between the first reinforcing ply and the second reinforcing ply. The first reinforcing ply includes a first flattened, braided tube layer enclosed by a first rubber layer. The second reinforcing ply includes a second flattened, braided tube layer enclosed by a second rubber layer. The third reinforcing ply includes a third flattened, braided tube layer enclosed by a third rubber layer.

Shear band

The flexible hose of the present invention is crush resistant, burst resistant, and virtually impossible to kink in normal use and is applicable to hoses that are designed for delivering virtually any kind of fluid including water, organic liquids, aqueous based herbicides, aqueous based insecticides, industrial chemicals, beverages, air, industrial gases, vacuum, and the like. The hose design of the present invention is particularly applicable to garden hoses for the delivery of water. In fact, garden hoses having the construction of the present invention are highly resistant to kinking and almost never kink when being used in conventional lawn, garden, and cleaning applications.

Kink, crush, and burst resistant flexible hose

Garden hose

A pneumatic radial tire has at least one carcass reinforcing ply and a pair of opposing bead portions. Each bead portion has a bead core and a bead apex, while the carcass reinforcing ply has a main portion and two turnups, with one turnup extending from each end of the main portion and having a terminal end. In each bead portion, there is a minimum distance Dbetween the carcass main portion and the carcass turnup, as measured perpendicular to the tire equatorial plane EP. The distance Dis not less than 50% of the maximum bead core width Was measured perpendicular to the equatorial plane EP. In each bead portion, radially outward of the minimum distance D, a radially outermost portion of the carcass turnup extends at an angle so the radially outermost portion of the carcass turnup is divergent from the carcass main portion.

Pneumatic tire

Ultrasonic sensors can be integrated and used to monitor composites throughout their production and during their useful lifetime. In an integrated program, ultrasonic sensors, in the illustrated embodiment contact sensors, can be used for quality control on raw rubber used for making a composite and for monitoring the cure of the rubber as it is transformed into a useful product, and non-contact sensors can be used to evaluate the product when it is completed, and to monitor its aging and wear during use. Such sensors can also be used in research to evaluate potential raw materials, and to compare cured candidate materials for properties useful in a completed product.

Method for ultrasonic monitoring and evaluating of composites

An apparatus for testing a plurality of samples comprises a carousel, means for indexing the movement of the carousel, an environmental chamber, and means for positioning the sample for viewing and measuring the results of the testing. The environmental chamber makes possible testing at elevated or reduced temperatures, and testing in a variety of atmospheres. The sample positioning means and the viewing means are automated.

Automated sample tester

An apparatus ( ) makes easier, simpler and quicker the obtention of a sample of materials for physical and/or chemical testing. The apparatus ( ) comprises a housing ( ) containing a ram ( ), the housing ( ) having an anvil end ( ) and a cutting end ( ). In a method of using the apparatus ( ), the cutting end ( ) is driven into a substrate ( ) and a plug ( ) of sample material is obtained. Plug ( ) is removed form housing ( ) by forcing ram ( ) in the direction of plug ( ).

Sample cutting apparatus

Partially oriented yarns (POY), when processed into short fibers and used as a fiber reinforcement in an elastomer, have been found to demonstrate reduced crack propagation in the elastomer. POY reinforced elastomers can be used in tires to replace cord reinforced components, and for example, can be used in the tread base of a tire, obviating the need for an overlay ply. In one embodiment it has been found that the properties of a fiber reinforced elastomer can be optimized by using a mixture of partially oriented fibers and fibrillated pulp fibers, such as pulped high modulus rigid rod liquid crystalline fibers, as the fiber reinforcement.

Elastomers containing partially oriented reinforcing fibers, tires made

Springy fibers, when used as a fiber reinforcement in an elastomer, have been found to demonstrate reduced crack propagation in the elastomer. Springy fiber reinforced elastomers can be used in tires in various components.

Tires made using elastomers containing springy fibers

A method of mixing micro and macro fibers into a polymer matrix and products made thereby are provided. In the illustrated method, a micro reinforcing polymer is mixed with an elastomeric base polymer and preformed macro fibers are added thereto. In one embodiment, the micro reinforcing polymer forms micro fibers in a resulting elastomeric matrix which is interspersed with macro fibers. A base polymer matrix interspersed with micro reinforcing polymer and macro fibers made according to the invention can be used in reinforced elastomeric products such as tires.

Reinforced polymer matrix and product containing micro and macro

Growing community of inventors

North Canton, OH, United States of America

Marc Borowczak