The subject invention relates to a method of preparing a tire inner surface to attain better adhesion of balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams. In this method a strip of multi-axially stretchable film is adhered to the inner surface of an uncured tire with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Then a release agent coating is applied to the film strip on the inner surface of the uncured tire which is subsequently cured in a suitable mold at an elevated temperature. The cured tire is then removed from the mold and after allowing the cured tire to cool the annular circumferential film strip is removed from the inner surface of the tire to provide a circumferential release coating-free tire inner surface onto which balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams can be adhered.

A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube connected to a tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow an air tube segment opposite a tire footprint to flatten, closing the passageway, and resiliently unflatten into an original configuration. The air tube is sequentially flattened by the tire footprint in a direction opposite to a tire direction of rotation to pump air along the passageway to a regulator device. The regulator device regulates the inlet air flow to the air tube and the outlet air flow to the tire cavity.

The subject invention relates to a method of preparing a tire inner surface to attain better adhesion of balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams. In this method a strip of multi-axially stretchable film is adhered to the inner surface of an uncured tire with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Then a release agent coating is applied to the film strip on the inner surface of the uncured tire which is subsequently cured in a suitable mold at an elevated temperature. The cured tire is then removed from the mold and after allowing the cured tire to cool the annular circumferential film strip is removed from the inner surface of the tire to provide a circumferential release coating-free tire inner surface onto which balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams can be adhered.

A laminated body of rubber layers includes: a resin layer formed from a polyester resin or a polyamide resin; a rubber layer formed from a rubber composition containing a diene rubber; and an adhesive layer disposed between the resin layer and the rubber layer. The adhesive rubber composition contains a modified rubber composition (A) or a modified rubber composition (B) both having a number average molecular weight of 70,000 to 110,000. The modified rubber composition (A) is formed from a modified butyl rubber (1) formed by reacting, with a butyl rubber, a compound having in a molecule a nitroxide free radical that is stable at ambient temperature in the presence of oxygen, a radical initiator, and a co-crosslinking agent. The modified rubber composition (B) is formed by compounding the co-crosslinking agent with a modified butyl rubber (2) formed by reacting the compound and the radical initiator with the butyl rubber.

A method has steps for dividing a controlled roadway into virtual moving packets with characteristics of being spaced apart by a specific distance and moving at a controlled speed on the roadway, by a master computer coupled to sensors and actuators of the controlled roadway, managing vehicles traveling on the controlled roadway to enter, leave and occupy individual ones of the virtual packets, through communication by the master computer with on-board computers in individual ones of the vehicles, and adjusting virtual packet size and spacing during operation, causing vehicles occupying the spaces of the virtual packets to readjust position relative to one another according to the size and spacing adjustment of the packets by the master computer.

Provided is a thermoplastic resin composition for the inner liner of pneumatic tires, which has low air permeability and a small percent change in air permeability from fatigue. A thermoplastic resin composition obtained by dispersing a modified rubber having an acid anhydride group or an epoxy group into a polyamide resin and an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, the thermoplastic resin composition being characterized in that the ratio of the polyamide resin to the ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer is between 47/53 and 61/39. The percent change in air permeability of the thermoplastic resin composition in the present invention when subjected 1 million times to 20% elongation strain at room temperature is 1.30 times or more. Additionally, a pneumatic tire using a film comprising the thermoplastic resin composition in the present invention as an inner liner has a percent change in air leakage of 1.30 times or less at room temperature after going 70,000 km.

A tire is described that includes a casing defining a cavity and equipped to receive an object, such as an electronic circuit, for example, through use of a two-part attachment, such as a touch-close attachment, of which a first part is fixed to a wall of the casing and a second part can be joined to the first part when placed in contact with the first part to keep the object on the casing in a service position. The first part of the attachment includes connection elements that are an integral part of the wall of the casing of the tire. The connection elements allow these two parts to have freedom to move relative to each other, thereby limiting the transmission of stresses, which affect the wall of the tire, to the object. The connection elements may be loops of flexible thread formed by the extremities of turns of a coiled thread integrated into the wall of the tire during the tire's manufacture.

A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube connected to a tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow an air tube segment opposite a tire footprint to flatten, closing the passageway, and resiliently unflatten into an original configuration. The air tube is sequentially flattened by the tire footprint in a direction opposite to a tire direction of rotation to pump air along the passageway to a inlet control valve. The inlet control valve regulates the inlet air flow to the air tube and the outlet air flow to the tire cavity.