A device for measuring a liquid level inside a tire that include two electrodes that are designed to be positioned inside the tire in such a way that they can be immersed inside the liquid that the tire may contain, and an electric circuit that is electrically connected to these electrodes. The device is designed to measure an electric property of the liquid between the electrodes while the intensity of the electric property depends on the liquid level inside the tire. The electric circuit is designed to output an electric value for the measured electric property as an output signal that can be used to calculate the level of the liquid inside the tire.

A device for measuring a liquid level inside a tire that include two electrodes that are designed to be positioned inside the tire in such a way that they can be immersed inside the liquid that the tire may contain, and an electric circuit that is electrically connected to these electrodes. The device is designed to measure an electric property of the liquid between the electrodes while the intensity of the electric property depends on the liquid level inside the tire. The electric circuit is designed to output an electric value for the measured electric property as an output signal that can be used to calculate the level of the liquid inside the tire.

A pneumatic tire can include a tread portion, a sealant layer on a tire inner cavity surface in the tread portion, a porous sound damper inward of the sealant layer in a tire radial direction, and a barrier portion between the sealant layer and the sound damper. A strength of the barrier portion can be 2 to 25 (N).

A pneumatic tire comprises a puncture prevention member adhered to at least a part of an inner surface of a tire body, wherein the puncture prevention member includes one or more protective layers each of which includes: an internal pressure retention layer; and a protective material located on a tire outer surface side of the internal pressure retention layer in at least a part of an extending region of the internal pressure retention layer.

A pneumatic tire comprises a puncture prevention member adhered to at least a part of an inner surface of a tire body, wherein the puncture prevention member includes one or more protective layers each of which includes: an internal pressure retention layer; and a protective material located on a tire outer surface side of the internal pressure retention layer in at least a part of an extending region of the internal pressure retention layer.

This invention discloses a technique for replenishing the level of sealant in self-sealing tires at the time that a puncture in the tire is being repaired or when the tire is being recapped. This technique provides the tire with its original level of self-sealing capabilities and will enhance the possibility of the tire remaining in service until it can be conveniently repaired. This method involves (1) injecting a liquid sealant formulation into the sealant layer of a self-sealing tire through at least one puncture hole therein, and (2) sealing the hole or holes in the supporting carcass and the innerliner of the tire. The sealant utilized is typically liquid polyisobutylene having a weight average molecular weight of 25,000 to 200,000. The sealant formulation used can optionally also contain a colorant or a pigment.

Various embodiments are directed to a magnetic and osmotic inner tube for insertion in vehicle tires. The magnetic and osmotic inner tube may include a nonpermeable membrane ring coupled to a semipermeable membrane ring, an O-ring, and a group of polar magnets. The nonpermeable membrane ring may be coated with a sealant and store hypertonic fluid and plugging materials. The semipermeable membrane ring may store hypotonic fluid and plugging materials. When a vehicle tire is punctured by an object, the hypotonic fluid and the plugging materials are drawn by osmosis through the semipermeable membrane ring into the hypertonic fluid of the nonpermeable membrane ring to create an osmotic pressure on the nonpermeable membrane ring that causes the O-ring to seal the puncture. The polar magnets may be arranged, in parallel, to generate opposing magnetic forces that create a magnetic field that supports a vehicle weight.

This invention reveals a method of manufacturing a puncture sealing pneumatic rubber tire which comprises: (1) building an unvulcanized tire including a circumferential rubber tread, a supporting carcass therefor, two spaced beads, two rubber sidewalls connecting said beads, an inner liner and a solid sealant formulation layer disposed inwardly from said supporting carcass and outwardly from said inner liner, wherein said solid sealant formulation layer is comprised of (a) polyisobutylene, (b) a peroxide, and (c) a reinforcing filler, wherein the polyisobutylene is present in the sealant layer at a level of at least 50 weight percent; and (2) shaping and vulcanizing said tire in a tire mold under conditions of heat and pressure and simultaneously forming in situ a puncture sealant layer in said tire by both crosslinking and partially depolymerizing said polyisobutylene rubber in said sealant layer formulation.

The present invention provides a sealant tire with excellent noise reducing properties and high productivity. The present invention relates to a sealant tire including a porous sound-absorbing material attached to the inner side of an innerliner through a sealant layer, the sealant layer containing 1 to 30 parts by weight of an inorganic filler per 100 parts by weight of butyl rubber.

A self-sealing pneumatic tire having at least one cohesive sandwich radially inward of the pneumatic tire is provided. The at least cohesive sandwich may include a cohesive material under pressure, facilitating a recovery capacity upon being pierced by a sharp object, whereby the molecules of the cohesive material cohesively reattach, self-sealing any passageway or space created by the sharp object. The self-sealing pneumatic tire may also provide a loculated-diamond-section layer located radially inward of the outer cohesive sandwich, further supporting the self-sealing pneumatic tire. The external rubber tread are disposed along the circumference of the tire in some embodiments can be separate from the surface of the tire yet secured in place by attachments. Once fully utilized, this external rubber tread can be replaced by a new version without having to replace the entire tire.