The present invention provides an annular beam of monolithic construction of one homogeneous material and a related efficient, low-cost non-pneumatic tire. Specific geometric design, combined with nonlinear elastomer physical properties, enable the suppression of all reinforcing belts, continuous fibers, or other strengthening layers in the annular beam. The annular beam consists of at least two bands that are continuous in the circumferential direction and connected by a web geometry. The non-pneumatic tire consists of the annular beam, a ground contacting portion, a central wheel, and a plurality of web spokes that connect the wheel and beam. When the tire is loaded to a design load against a flat surface over a design contact length, a contact area of essentially uniform pressure is produced, while the load is transmitted from the beam to the hub via tension in the web spokes. The tire can be economically manufactured.

Methods for treating a cured inner liner as well as treated, cured inner liners resulting from such methods are disclosed. Also disclosed are tires containing the treated inner liners. The methods include treatment of the lower surface of inner liner surface with a rubber-containing liquid to produce a rubber-containing film thereupon.

Methods for treating a cured inner liner as well as treated, cured inner liners resulting from such methods are disclosed. Also disclosed are tires containing the treated inner liners. The methods include treatment of the lower surface of inner liner surface with a rubber-containing liquid to produce a rubber-containing film thereupon.

A chemically treated, RFID equipped mesh tire label configured to be integrally incorporated within a vulcanized tire and to provide unique identifier(s) and/or other information about the vulcanized tire during and post tire vulcanization, the label comprising: a mesh face layer configured to be adhered to an outer surface of an unvulcanized tire; a mesh backing layer attached to the mesh face layer and adapted to be integrally incorporated in a vulcanized tire after subjecting a green tire to a vulcanization process; and an RFID device affixed between the mesh face and mesh backing layers, the RFID device that is configured to provide unique identifier(s) and/or other information upon being read with an RFID reader during and post tire vulcanization.

A tire uniformity testing machine that includes a base, a pair of vertical spaced apart columns supporting an upper cross frame member. The base carries a load wheel carriage movable towards and away from a testing station. The vertical uprights establish a peripheral footprint plane that does not extend beyond a plane that is tangent to an outer rolling surface of the load wheel when it is redirected. The upper frame member includes clearance spaces and cutouts that enable at least a portion of an upper chuck to move into the upper frame member and a super structure mounted to a top of the cross member that mounts at least a portion of an actuator for translating the upper chuck. The configuration establishes a machine height that enables the machine to be loaded into a standard shipping container and reduces the overall footprint of the tire uniformity machine without compromising its ability to precisely sense tire uniformity parameters.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus of handling tyres. The method includes: —generating a first relative motion between a detecting line (4) and a tyre (100) for acquiring the position of a first edge (106) of a tyre (100) with respect to a reference (5); —generating a second relative motion between said detecting line (4) and said tyre (100) and acquiring the position of a second edge (107) of said tyre (100) with respect to said reference (5); —positioning a gripping device and gripping said tyre (100) on the basis of the positions of said first and second edge (107) with respect to said reference (5).

The method comprises the steps of a) forming a carcass composed of a cured rubber material and b) overmolding, on the carcass, at least one thermoplastic elastomer material in order to finish the pneumatic tire.

A pneumatic tire (1) having: a toroidal carcass (2), which is comprised of a body ply (3) partially collapsed onto itself and therefore having two lateral flaps; two annular beads (4), each of which is surrounded by the body ply (3) and has a bead core (5) and a bead filler (6); an annular tread (7); a pair of sidewalls (11) arranged externally to the body ply (3) between the tread (7) and the beads (4); a pair of abrasion gum strips (12) arranged externally to the body ply (3) under the sidewalls (13) and at the beads (4); and a transponder (13) which is arranged in contact with the body ply (3) at a flap of the body ply (3) and is located below an edge (19) of the body ply (3) between the edge (19) of the body ply (3) and the bead (4).

A system in accordance with the present invention cures and manufactures a partially-cured tire assembly. The system includes: a functional wheel member being slid into a corresponding annular, radially inner surface of the partially-cured tire assembly; a plurality of elongate spacer members; a first annular curing platen for axially securing the wheel member and spacer members relative to each other; a second annular curing platen for axially securing the wheel member and spacer members relative to each other; and a plurality of elongate inserts for creating a substantially smooth, uniform outer cylindrical surface formed by a radially outer surface of each insert and flap members of the tire assembly positioned by the radially outermost surfaces of the spacer members.

A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes a gripping ring arranged in a fixed reference position. A first stage building line defines a closed first-stage path for the movement of a plurality of building drums and an open first-stage path for building and moving carcass sleeves being processed. A second stage building line defines a closed second-stage path for the movement of a plurality of auxiliary drums and an open second-stage path for building and moving a plurality of outer sleeves being processed. The open second-stage path and the open first-stage path terminate at the gripping ring configured for carrying out a radially outer contrast function during the shaping of a first carcass sleeve being processed and the assembly thereof with a first outer sleeve being processed.