A method for producing a tread for a tire having a plurality of contacting element delimited by a plurality of grooves and a connecting member. The method includes depositing at least one connecting member on a surface of an unvulcanized green tread, introducing the unvulcanized green tread with the connecting member into a mold having at least one molding element having a plurality of rib for forming the groove on the tread, at least two rib side faces and a molding surface, at least one rib having at least one notching portion receiving a guiding member including a guiding slit, moving the connecting member to a predetermined position in the guiding slit through the guiding slit by green tread, molding and vulcanizing the green tread with the connecting member in the mold, and taking a molded and vulcanized tread out from the mold.

This invention discloses a tire having enhanced wet traction and ice traction characteristics. These tires are comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead and sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads, wherein said tread is adapted to be ground-contacting, wherein the tread includes at least one circumferential groove which separates circumferential ribs, each circumferential groove having two sides and a base therebetween, and wherein the sides of each circumferential groove are comprised of a rubbery composition that includes silicate microflakes which are substantially aligned in an orientation which is parallel with the sides of the grooves.

This invention discloses a tire having enhanced wet traction and ice traction characteristics. These tires are comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead and sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads, wherein said tread is adapted to be ground-contacting, wherein the tread includes at least one circumferential groove which separates circumferential ribs, each circumferential groove having two sides and a base therebetween, and wherein the sides of each circumferential groove are comprised of a rubbery composition that includes silicate microflakes which are substantially aligned in an orientation which is parallel with the sides of the grooves.

The disclosure relates to a selective laser sintering method of manufacturing a tread molding element, said tread molding element including at least a fine lamella adapted to mold a shallow sipe in a tire tread, the fine lamella having a length (L2). The fine lamella is sintered in a plurality of portions (p2) at different layers (N), in each layer (N) the laser beam sinters the portion (p2) of the fine lamella in only one passage in the length (L2) of the fine lamella without round-trip passage of the laser beam, the direction (D1) of this passage being the same at the different layers (N) for building the different portions (p2) of the fine lamella. The thickness (w) of the fine lamella is smaller than 0.2 mm, and the height (h) of the fine lamella is smaller than or equal to 2 mm.

The disclosure relates to a selective laser sintering method of manufacturing a tread molding element, said tread molding element including at least a fine lamella adapted to mold a shallow sipe in a tire tread, the fine lamella having a length (L2). The fine lamella is sintered in a plurality of portions (p2) at different layers (N), in each layer (N) the laser beam sinters the portion (p2) of the fine lamella in only one passage in the length (L2) of the fine lamella without round-trip passage of the laser beam, the direction (D1) of this passage being the same at the different layers (N) for building the different portions (p2) of the fine lamella. The thickness (w) of the fine lamella is smaller than 0.2 mm, and the height (h) of the fine lamella is smaller than or equal to 2 mm.

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a tire (1). The process includes the steps a): forming a carcass (3) from at least one first material based on thermoplastic elastomer, b): forming, on the carcass (3), at least bead zones (10) from at least one second material based on thermoplastic elastomer and c): forming, on the assembly obtained during step b), an additional part from at least one third material based on thermoplastic elastomer.

The liming element for a tire mould comprises a body 12 delimiting a moulding surface 14 intended to at least partially mould a rolling surface of the tire, at least one injection nozzle 26 arranged on the body and provided with at least one outlet orifice 26a, at least one supply duct extending inside the body and the injection nozzle while being in communication with the said outlet orifice, and at least one shut-off member 30 mobile with respect to the injection nozzle between an outlet orifice closed position and an outlet orifice open position. The body 12, the injection nozzle 26 and the shut-off member 30 are manufactured by the deposition and selective melting of stacked layers of powder.

The liming element for a tire mould comprises a body 12 delimiting a moulding surface 14 intended to at least partially mould a rolling surface of the tire, at least one injection nozzle 26 arranged on the body and provided with at least one outlet orifice 26a, at least one supply duct extending inside the body and the injection nozzle while being in communication with the said outlet orifice, and at least one shut-off member 30 mobile with respect to the injection nozzle between an outlet orifice closed position and an outlet orifice open position. The body 12, the injection nozzle 26 and the shut-off member 30 are manufactured by the deposition and selective melting of stacked layers of powder.

A tire wear indication system designed to visually-represent wear and tear on vehicle tires. The system maximizes safety for vehicle owners, effectively ensuring tires can be properly interchanged after a specific amount of wear. It features a series of layers that can measure the life left in each tire, identified via a color and/or shape system. The system allows users to apply different shapes such as stars, pyramids, cylinders, and the like, in order to customize the identification. As designed, the system offers a way for vehicle owners to identify the status of their tires by simply looking at the color-coded and shape system rather than meticulously inspecting each tire.

A vehicle tire includes a selectively actuated stud deployment system for increased traction. The studs are contained in cells in the surface of the tire and forced to deploy by pneumatic or fluid pressure. When the pressure is released, the studs retract.