The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha

Yuichi Hara

Yoshihiro Soeda

Andy Haishung Tsou

Daisuke Kanenari

Shusaku Tomoi

Shigeru Yamauchi

Noriaki Kuroda

Gou Kawaguchi

Naoyuki Morooka

Hideki Seto

Tetsuji Kawazura

Edward John Blok

Anthony Jay Dias

Jun Matsuda

Yoshiaki Hashimura

Maria Dolores Ellul

Kazuto Yamakawa

Jiro Watanabe

Hideo Nemoto

Hirokazu Shibata

Koichi Kawaguchi

Bruce Alan Harrington

Porter Clarke Shannon

Shun Sato

Masahiro Ikawa

Matthew Brian Measmer

Stephan Bertil Ohlsson

Michael Brendan Rodgers

Toyoaki Endo

Takashi Satoh

Susumu Hatanaka

Daisuke Irii

Michael Kenneth Lyon

Jay Kin M Keung

Tetuji Kawazura

Katsuhiro Tanaka

Howard Kerstetter Iii Randal

Tomoi Shusaku

Yoshihiro The Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd Soeda

A pneumatic tire is formed by winding a sheet member (A) and a sheet member (B) onto a molding drum and molding a cylindrical body. A laminate body (M) in which the sheet member (B) is layered in advance on the outer periphery of the sheet member (A) is wound onto a molding drum (), the tack value of a material (a) constituting the sheet member (A) being smaller than the tack value of a material (b) constituting the sheet member (B), the length of the sheet member (A) being configured so that a starting end (As) of winding on the molding drum () and an ending end (Ae) of winding do not overlap, and the length of the sheet member (B) being configured so that the ending end (Be) of winding extends longer in the circumferential direction than the ending end (Ae) of winding of the sheet member (A).

Method for manufacturing pneumatic tire

A tire comprising an outer tread layer, intermediate sidewall and carcass layers and an innermost air permeation prevention layer: (i) the air permeation prevention (APP) layer having an upper and a lower surface, the layer having a polymer composition exhibiting an air permeation coefficient (APC) of about 25&#xd7;10cc cm/cmsec cmHg (at 30&#xb0; C.) or less and a Young's modulus of about 1 MPa to about 500 MPa, the polymer composition comprising: (A) at least 10 wt % of at least one thermoplastic resin component having an APC of about 25&#xd7;10cc cm/cmsec cmHg (at 30&#xb0; C.) or less and a Young's modulus of more than 500 MPa, which is preferably a polyamide resin or mixture, and (B) at least 10 wt % of at least one elastomer component having an APC of more than about 25&#xd7;10cc cm/cmsec cmHg (at 30&#xb0; C.) and a Young's modulus of not more than 500 MPa, which elastomer component is preferably a halogen-containing rubber or mixture, the total amount (A)+(B) being not less than about 30 wt %, and the elastomer component is a dispersed vulcanized, discontinuous phase in the thermoplastic resin matrix; and (ii) at least one thermoplastic laminate layer bonded to at least said lower surface of the APP layer, the thermoplastic layer comprising a film-forming, semi-crystalline, substantially hydrophobic carbon chain polymer having a glass transition temperature, Tg, of less than about &#x2212;20&#xb0; C.

Low moisture permeability laminate construction

A pneumatic tire includes an inner liner layer formed from a laminate sheet obtained by laminating: a sheet made from a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic resin composition which is a blend of the thermoplastic resin and an elastomer; and a rubber bonded by curing to the thermoplastic resin or the thermoplastic resin composition. The pneumatic tire avoids occurrence of cracks near a splice portion of the inner liner layer after the pneumatic tire starts to be used for driving, and thereby achieves excellent durability. In the tire, an inner liner layer is formed by lap-splicing end portions of a laminate sheet which is obtained by the laminating A sheet with end portions each having a tip subjected to a tip sharpening process is used as the sheet made from the thermoplastic resin or the thermoplastic resin composition which is the blend of the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer.

Pneumatic tire

A laminate comprising at least one layer of a first thermoplastic resin composition alternately stacked with at least two layers of a second thermoplastic resin composition so that the outermost layers are the layers of the second thermoplastic resin composition, wherein the first thermoplastic resin composition comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and modified ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and the second thermoplastic resin composition has a different composition from the first thermoplastic resin composition, and wherein, in any adjacent pair of the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition, the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition have a specific tensile modulus ratio and a specific thickness ratio.

Laminated body and pneumatic tyre using same

An elastomer composition, having an excellent flexibility and low temperature durability, a method for producing the same and a pneumatic tire using the same are provided. An elastomer composition (C) comprising a matrix of a thermoplastic resin (A), in which a dispersed phase of an elastomer component (B) is finely dispersed to form an island-in-sea structure, wherein volume ratios of the thermoplastic resin (A) and the elastomer component (B) satisfy the following formula (I):&#x3c6;&#x2003;&#x2003;(I)wherein &#x3c6;d and &#x3b7;d, respectively, indicate a volume ratio and a melt viscosity of the elastomer component (B), and &#x3c6;m and &#x3b7;m, respectively, indicate a volume ratio and a melt viscosity of the thermoplastic resin (A)), a method for producing the same and a pneumatic tire using the same.

Elastomer composition, method for producing same, and pneumatic tire using same

The present technology provides a method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire. The method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire uses a laminated sheet having a predetermined length and an inner liner layer formed from the laminated sheet through a step of cure-molding the tire with end portions of the laminated sheet lap-spliced. In the method, when at least the sheet made of thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic resin composition obtained by blending the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer is cut into the predetermined length, the cutting is performed by using an edge tool having a non-sharp edge under a temperature condition not lower than 60&#xb0; C. and not higher than a melting point of the thermoplastic resin.

Method of manufacturing pneumatic tire

A stabilized, dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising dispersed dynamically vulcanized particles of at least one first elastomer or rubber comprising halogenated isobutylene-containing elastomer and dispersed particles of at least one second elastomer or rubber comprising at least one functional group capable of reacting with and grafting to a polyamide, the particles of the at least one first and at least one second elastomers dispersed in a continuous thermoplastic polyamide or nylon resin matrix comprising at least one nylon homopolymer, nylon copolymer or mixture thereof, the composition or the at least one first elastomer further comprising at least one stabilizer against degradation induced by exposure to actinic, particularly ultraviolet, radiation. The compositions are preferably produced in a mixing extruder and are suitable for producing durable, flexible, thermoplastic elastomer fluid barrier films or layers useful in industrial articles such as vehicle tire innerliners and hoses.

Stabilized dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer compositions useful in fluid barrier applications

Provided is a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a polyamide resin and a modified rubber, in which low temperature resistance is improved. The thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising the polyamide resin and the modified rubber having an acid anhydride group or an epoxy group is characterized in that the modified rubber having an acid anhydride group or an epoxy group is modified with a secondary amine. The secondary amine is preferably a compound having a structural formula: R&#x2014;NH&#x2014;R, in which Ris a linear alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms and Ris a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms and having a hydroxyl group, a sulfonyl group, a carbonyl group or an ether bond.

Thermoplastic elastomer composition

A laminate comprising at least one layer of a first thermoplastic resin composition alternately stacked with at least two layers of a second thermoplastic resin composition, so that the outermost layers are the layers of the second thermoplastic resin composition, wherein the first thermoplastic resin composition, comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and modified ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and the second thermoplastic resin composition has a different composition from the first thermoplastic resin composition, and wherein, in any adjacent pair of the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition, the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition have a specific tensile modulus ratio and a specific thickness ratio.

A pneumatic tire which uses, as an inner liner layer, a laminated sheet obtained by laminating an air permeation preventing layer, made of any one of a thermoplastic resin and a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a blend of the thermoplastic resin and an elastomer, and a tie rubber layer, and which has high durability to prevent development of a crack in the tie rubber layer that occurs around a splice portion of the laminated sheet after the tire starts to be used. In the pneumatic tire, a sagged portion is formed by a concavo-convex structure in the air permeation preventing layer at least between points P and Q in a shape that a length La of a straight line connecting points P and Q and a length Lb of the air permeation preventing layer actually passing through points P and Q satisfy a relationship of (1.03&#xd7;La)&#x2266;Lb&#x2266;(1.5&#xd7;La).

Provided is a method for producing thermoplastic resin compositions, the method comprising the step of melt-blending (A) a thermoplastic elastomer composition, obtained by dispersing (ii) an acid anhydride-modified or epoxy-modified rubber in (i) an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, with (B-1) a resin composition comprising at least one resin selected from (i) unmodified polyamide resins and modified polyamide resins or (B-2) a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by dispersing (ii) an acid anhydride-modified or epoxy-modified rubber in (i) at least one resin selected from unmodified polyamide resins and modified polyamide resins. Said thermoplastic elastomer composition has excellent gas barrier properties and the decrease in gas barrier properties associated with fatigue has been reduced.

Method for producing thermoplastic resin compositions

An article having a fluid permeation prevention layer, such as a pneumatic tire or hose. A tire for example includes an outer tread layer, intermediate sidewall and carcass layers and an innermost air permeation prevention layer: (i) the air permeation prevention (APP) layer having an upper and a lower surface, the layer having a polymer composition exhibiting an air permeation coefficient (APC) of about 25&#xd7;10'12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30&#xb0; C.) or less and a Young's modulus of about 1 MPa to about 500 MPa, the polymer composition comprising: (A) at least 10 wt % of at least one. thermoplastic resin component having an APC of about 25&#xd7;10&#x2033;12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30&#xb0; C.) or less and a Young's modulus of more than 500 MPa, which is preferably a polyamide resin or mixture, and (B) at least 10 wt % of at least one elastomer component having an APC of more than about 25&#xd7;10&#x2033;12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30&#xb0; C.) and a Young's modulus of not more than 500 MPa, which elastomer component is preferably a halogen-containing rubber or mixture, the total amount (A)+(B) being not less than about 30 wt %, and the elastomer component is a dispersed vulcanized, discontinuous phase in the thermoplastic resin matrix; and (ii) at least one thermoplastic laminate layer bonded to at least said lower surface of the APP layer, the thermoplastic layer comprising a film-forming, semi-crystalline, substantially hydrophobic carbon chain polymer having a glass transition temperature, Tg, of less than about &#x2212;200 C.

A layered structure suitable for use in a pneumatic tire as an innerliner is prepared by directly bonding a fluid permeation prevention film and an adhesive tie layer. Prior to the bonding, the fluid permeation prevention layer is treated to remove any residual plasticizers or oils on the surface of the film. The tie layer comprises 100 weight % of at least one halogenated isobutylene containing elastomer and about 1 to about 20 parts per hundred (phr) of at least one tackifier. The fluid permeation prevention film comprises an elastomeric component dispersed in a vulcanized or partially vulcanized state, as a discontinuous phase, in a matrix of the thermoplastic resin component. The two layers of the layered structure may be separately extruded and then adhered to each other or adhered to each other during a calendaring operation wherein the adhesive tie layer composition is coated onto the treated film.

Construction comprising tie layer

Elastomer composition, method for producing same and pneumatic tire using same

An elastomer composition comprising a butyl-based rubber (A), as a dispersed phase, including (i) a brominated isobutylene and p-methylstyrene copolymer rubber or (ii) a blend of a butyl rubber, halogenated butyl rubber and/or polyisobutylene rubber and a brominated isobutylene and p-methylstyrene copolymer rubber and a Nylon resin (B), as a matrix phase, selected from Nylon 11, Nylon 6/66 copolymer, Nylon 6 and/or Nylon 66, wherein the matrix phase of the butyl-based rubber/Nylon resin blend composition having titanium oxide (C) compounded therein in an amount of 2.5 to 8% by weight, based upon the weight of the Nylon resin (B), whereby UV degradation can be suppressed and long term outdoor exposure can be withstood and a pneumatic tire using the same.

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Hiratsuka, Japan

Yuichi Hara