The invention relates to a tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements the ends of which are radially uncoupled by a polymer compound. According to the invention, the reinforcing elements of at least one working crown layer are metal cords with saturated layers, at least one internal layer being sheathed with a layer consisting of a polymer composition such as a rubber composition and in each of the shoulders of the tire, at least the uncoupling polymer compound in contact with the ends of at least two working crown layers exhibits, in the sorption test, a gas content lower than 0.06 m.sup.3.sub.STP/m.sup.3.sub.ML.

A rubber composition includes a rubber component, a molten mixture including one or more of benzoic acid zinc and t-butyl benzoic acid zinc in the range of 0.05 to 6.0 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, and one or more of wet synthetic silica and aluminum hydroxide in the range of 0.5 to 140 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.

Metallated aminosilane compounds for use as functional initiators in anionic polymerizations and processes for producing an aminosilane-functionalized polymer using the metallated aminosilane compounds to initiate anionic polymerization of at least one type of anionically polymerizable monomer. Preferred use of the metallated aminosilane compounds results in rubber compositions for use in tires comprising an aminosilane functionalized polymer.

An elastomeric composition is provided comprising at least one vulcanizable unsaturated hydrocarbon elastomeric compound, at least one non-fibril, water insoluble vinyl acetal polymer, at least one filler, and optionally at least one coupling agent. A process of making the elastomeric composition is also provided as well as articles comprising the elastomeric composition. In particular, tires comprising the elastomeric composition are provided wherein the handling and processing characteristics are improved while other performance characteristics are retained.

Tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements, crossed from one layer to the other making with the circumferential direction angles comprised between 10 and 45. A first layer S of polymer compound is in contact with at least one working crown layer and in contact with the carcass reinforcement, the said first layer S of polymer compound extending axially as far as at least the axial end of the tread and the complex dynamic shear modulus G*, measured at 10% and 60 C. on the return cycle, of the first layer S of polymer compound is greater than 1.35 MPa.

The invention relates to a tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers each formed of reinforcing elements inserted between two skim layers of rubber compound, a first layer S of polymer compound being in contact with at least one working crown layer and in contact with the carcass reinforcement and the crown reinforcement comprising at least one layer of circumferential reinforcing elements.

In accordance with the invention, the elastic modulus under tension at 10% elongation of at least one skim layer of at least one working crown layer is less than 8.5 MPa, the maximum value of tan(), denoted tan()max of the said at least one skim layer of at least one working crown layer is less than 0.100, and the complex dynamic shear modulus G*, measured at 10% and 60 C. on the return cycle, of the said first layer S of polymer compound is greater than 1.35 MPa.

Tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of two working crown layers having unequal axial widths, layer C of rubber compound between ends of the working crown layers, layer S of polymer compound in contact with at least one working crown layer and in contact with the carcass reinforcement and the crown reinforcement comprising a layer of circumferential reinforcing elements arranged radially between two working crown layers. Distance d between the end of the axially narrowest working layer and the working layer separated from the axially narrowest working layer by the layer C is 1.1<d<2.2, being the diameter of the reinforcing elements of the layer of circumferential reinforcing elements, in a meridian plane. The thickness of layer C is substantially constant and the complex dynamic shear modulus G*, measured at 10% and 60 C. on the return cycle, of layer S is greater than 1.35 MPa.

Tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of reinforcing elements, a first layer C of rubber compound being placed between at least the ends of the said at least two working crown layers, a second layer S of polymer compound being in contact with at least one working crown layer and in contact with the carcass reinforcement and the crown reinforcement comprising at least one layer of circumferential reinforcing elements. The elastic modulus under tension at 10% elongation of the first layer C is less than 8 MPa, the maximum tan() value, denoted tan().sub.max, of the first layer C is less than 0.100, and the complex dynamic shear modulus G*, measured at 10% and 60 C. on the return cycle, of the said second layer S of polymer compound is greater than 1.35 MPa.

Tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers each being formed of reinforcing elements inserted between two skim layers of rubber compound, a first layer S of polymer compound being in contact with at least one working crown layer and in contact with the carcass reinforcement and the crown reinforcement comprising at least one layer of circumferential reinforcing elements. The elastic modulus under tension at 10% elongation of at least one skim layer of at least one working crown layer is greater than 9 MPa, the maximum value of tan(), denoted tan()max, of the at least one skim layer of at least one working crown layer is less than 0.100 and the complex dynamic shear modulus G*, measured at 10% and 60 C. on the return cycle, of the first layer S of polymer compound is greater than 1.35 MPa.

Tire comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers each formed of reinforcing elements inserted between two skim layers of rubber compound. First layer S of polymer compound is in contact with a working crown layer and the carcass reinforcement. The crown reinforcement comprises a layer of circumferential reinforcing elements. The elastic modulus under tension at 10% elongation of a skim layer of a working crown layer is less than 8.5 MPa, the maximum value of tan() of the skim layer of a working crown layer is <0.100. First layer S comprises a filled elastomer blend having a macro dispersion coefficient Z65 and a maximum tan() value <0.100 and its complex dynamic shear modulus G*, measured at 10% and 60 C. on the return cycle is >1.35 MPa.