A process for balancing a rim and tire, which comprises first balancing the rim, then mounting the tire, properly inflating it and balancing a second time to determine the location and weight of balancing required. The tire and rim are then indexed with marks to indicate where the balancing weights should be placed. These indexing marks will be used at the remounting stage to assure proper balancing. The tire is then deflated and removed from the rim and the correct mass rubberized weights are vulcanized to the internal surface of the tire sidewall at the indexing mark and on the opposite sidewall across from the indexing mark. The tire is then installed back on the rim with the indexing marks lined up next to each other. The tire is re-inflated and the balance re-checked with a spin balancing machine.

A tire cure mold has a tire molding face, a mounting groove provided to the tire molding face and a stencil plate mounted into the mounting groove. The stencil plate has a front face that faces a cavity, a back face that faces a bottom face of the mounting groove, and a through hole extending from the front face to the back face. A recessed portion for forming a protruding identification mark on the outer surface of the tire is provided to the front face. A first protruding portion corresponding to the recessed portion is provided to the back face. A second protruding portion that protrudes toward the bottom face of the mounting groove is provided to an outer edge portion of the stencil plate at least at a periphery of the through hole.

A drive-through vehicle inspection system acquiring information from engraved markings on the tire sidewalls of a moving vehicle. Optical imaging sensors disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle acquire images of the sidewall surfaces for each passing wheel assembly. The acquired images are evaluated by a processing system configured to identify, within the acquired images, visible markings engraved into the tire sidewall surfaces which include at first portion having a first optical reflectivity, and a second portion having a second optical reflectivity which is different from the first optical reflectivity. Each identified marking is decoded to retrieve data stored therein, representative of the tire, wheel assembly, and/or associated vehicle onto which the wheel assembly is installed. The retrieved data is incorporated into an inspection report and/or utilized by the vehicle inspection system to access vehicle-specific information contained within an indexed database.

A tire including a pattern region and plural unit patterns. The pattern region is formed at an outer surface of a tire and includes a base. The plural unit patterns are formed within the pattern region, and each unit pattern is formed including extension portions having a projection height from the base of from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. The extension portions extend in plural directions from a bend point in plan view. A spacing between the bend points of adjacent unit patterns out of the unit patterns is from 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm.

A front surface of a stencil plate to be mounted on a mounting groove of a tire vulcanizing mold is provided with: a first recess for forming a protruding identification mark on an outer surface of a tire; and a second recess on which a screw having a flat head bottom surface is disposed, the second recess being formed on a periphery of a through hole. A back surface of the stencil plate is provided with: a first protrusion corresponding to the first recess and protruding toward a groove bottom surface; and a second protrusion corresponding to the second recess and having a flat surface capable of being brought into surface contact with the groove bottom surface. When a protrusion amount of the first protrusion is H1 (mm), and a protrusion amount of the second protrusion is H2 (mm), 0H2H1 is satisfied.

A Smart Patch comprising a label layer, an adhesive layer, a release liner layer and a RFID inlay, wherein the release liner comprises a separable inner release liner portion and a separable outer release liner portion; and the RFID inlay is adhered to a back surface of the inner release liner portion. The Smart Patches for uses including mounting to tires and other rubber materials. Methods of manufacturing including subjecting a release liner of the label to a die cut slightly larger than the size of an intended RFID inlay to form the separable inner release liner portion and outer release liner portion and applying a RFID inlay to a back surface of a release liner within the die cut inner release liner portion.

A carcass ply is applied around an outer surface of a building drum according to an application diameter larger than the fitting diameter of a tyre. Coaxially engaged around each of the end flaps is an annular anchoring structure defining the fitting diameter. A pair of sidewalls is manufactured by laying of a continuous elongated element in the form of approached coils on the carcass sleeve. An outer sleeve, including at least one belt structure possibly associated with a tread band, is coaxially centered around the carcass sleeve. Through axial approaching of two halves forming the building drum, the carcass sleeve is shaped into a toroidal configuration to determine application of same against a radially internal surface of the outer sleeve.

Provided is a tire on which cracks on sidewall portion outer surfaces are unlikely to progress. The tire comprises a depthwise structure on at least a part of a sidewall portion, the depthwise structure comprising, in a depth direction from a point on a sidewall portion outer surface, a depthwise part from the sidewall portion outer surface to 0.5 mm and a depthwise part II from 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm, wherein: the depthwise part I and the depthwise part II satisfy: the depthwise part I: peak temperature T1 of tan is 20 C. or more and 5 C. or less, and when tang at the peak temperature T1 is 1 and storage modulus at the peak temperature T1 is E1, 10.90 and E15 MPa; and the depthwise part II: when tan at peak temperature T1 is 2, and storage modulus at peak temperature T1 is E2, 2<1 and E2<E1.

A tire vulcanizing mold includes: a tire molding surface to be brought into contact with an outer surface of a tire set in a cavity; a mounting groove provided on the tire molding surface; a stencil plate to be mounted on the mounting groove and having a recess for forming a protruding identification mark on the outer surface; and a bottom-raised portion configured to support the stencil plate at a position not interfering with the recess in the mounting groove.

A tire includes: a pattern portion, in which plural ridges having ridgelines are arranged adjacent to each other, on a tire surface, the ridgelines including a main body portion and a first extending portion and a second extending portion that extend in different directions from the main body portion in plan view, in which the first extending portion of a ridge and the second extending portion of an adjacent ridge at least partially overlap each other when viewed from a direction orthogonal to an adjacent direction of the ridges, a height of the ridge is from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, and ridges adjacent to each other are arranged at a constant pitch of from 0.15 mm to 0.35 mm.