A visual wear indicating feature is incorporated into the tread pattern to provide progressive, incremental indications to the customer regarding the amount of useable tread remaining on the tire.

A visual wear indicating feature is incorporated into the tread pattern to provide progressive, incremental indications to the customer regarding the amount of useable tread remaining on the tire.

An automatic tire sipe forming machine for forming sipes of uniform depths and at uniform intervals across the circumferential surface of a tire. The automatic tire sipe forming machine includes means for indexing a tire a fixed rotational interval and a reciprocating mechanism for forming the sipes. The automatic tire sipe forming machine further includes means for changing the angle of the sipes and for accommodating various widths and sizes of tires.

An automatic tire sipe forming machine for forming sipes of uniform depths and at uniform intervals across the circumferential surface of a tire. The automatic tire sipe forming machine includes means for indexing a tire a fixed rotational interval and a reciprocating mechanism for forming the sipes. The automatic tire sipe forming machine further includes means for changing the angle of the sipes and for accommodating various widths and sizes of tires.

Particular embodiments of the invention include a closed-loop tread strip forming unit (100) and methods for forming tread strips using a closed-loop unit. Embodiments of such forming units include a tread strip extruder (110) located at a pre-cure end of the closed-loop tread strip forming unit. Such units include an uncured tread strip handling assembly (120) configured to transport the first uncured tread strip from the first tread strip extruder and to a first tread strip mold member (130). The unit further includes a curing press (150) having an inlet and an outlet, a pre-cure mold handling assembly (140) configured to insert the loaded tread strip mold member into the curing press, a post-cure mold handling assembly (160) configured to receive the loaded tread strip mold member from the outlet of the curing press, a return assembly (170) configured to transfer the first tread strip mold member to the pre-cure end to complete a closed-loop.

Particular embodiments of the invention include a closed-loop tread strip forming unit (100) and methods for forming tread strips using a closed-loop unit. Embodiments of such forming units include a tread strip extruder (110) located at a pre-cure end of the closed-loop tread strip forming unit. Such units include an uncured tread strip handling assembly (120) configured to transport the first uncured tread strip from the first tread strip extruder and to a first tread strip mold member (130). The unit further includes a curing press (150) having an inlet and an outlet, a pre-cure mold handling assembly (140) configured to insert the loaded tread strip mold member into the curing press, a post-cure mold handling assembly (160) configured to receive the loaded tread strip mold member from the outlet of the curing press, a return assembly (170) configured to transfer the first tread strip mold member to the pre-cure end to complete a closed-loop.

The invention includes methods for forming a retreaded tire, and treads there for. Particular embodiments of such methods provide a tire tread, the tire tread having a bottom side and a top side configured for engaging a ground surface, a thickness extending between the top side and the bottom side, and a pair of opposing lateral sides defining a width of the tread, the bottom side having one or more submerged voids extending from the bottom side into the tread thickness to form a tread pattern, the submerged voids having a depth less than the thickness and the top side being free of any exposed voids comprising a groove. Further steps include applying the tire tread to a tire carcass, curing the tire tread to the tire carcass, and forming one or more voids into the tread thickness the top side of the tread after the step of bonding.

The invention includes methods for forming a retreaded tire, and treads there for. Particular embodiments of such methods provide a tire tread, the tire tread having a bottom side and a top side configured for engaging a ground surface, a thickness extending between the top side and the bottom side, and a pair of opposing lateral sides defining a width of the tread, the bottom side having one or more submerged voids extending from the bottom side into the tread thickness to form a tread pattern, the submerged voids having a depth less than the thickness and the top side being free of any exposed voids comprising a groove. Further steps include applying the tire tread to a tire carcass, curing the tire tread to the tire carcass, and forming one or more voids into the tread thickness the top side of the tread after the step of bonding.

This device, designed for cutting the grooves of pneumatic tire treads, includes a re-grooving tool having two distal cutting points that creates grooves in the tire treads having two subgrooves. The grooves improve the fuel efficiency of vehicle and the subgrooves improve channeling and clearance of rain, snow, mud, and other hazardous materials on the road.

This device, designed for cutting the grooves of pneumatic tire treads, includes a re-grooving tool having two distal cutting points that creates grooves in the tire treads having two subgrooves. The grooves improve the fuel efficiency of vehicle and the subgrooves improve channeling and clearance of rain, snow, mud, and other hazardous materials on the road.