In a pneumatic tire that includes strip members which extends in a tire circumferential direction, both ends thereof reaching each bead portion, a belt layer is disposed in a tread portion on an outer side in a tire radial direction of the strip members. The strip members are divided in the tire width direction, and the divided strip members have joints that join together in the tire circumferential direction. Relative positions of the joints are disposed deviated by not less than 20 in the tire circumferential direction within a region between an edge of a maximum width in the tire width direction of the belt layer and a maximum tire width position.

The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire having an alloy film innerliner with a rubber reinforced spliced overlapping ends.

In a pneumatic tire production method including a step of overlapping end portions of a sheet laminate and vulcanization-molding the tire, the sheet laminate being obtained by layering an elastomer layer and a sheet of a thermoplastic resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin or a blend of a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer, after the end portions of the sheet laminate are overlapped, the overlapped portion of the sheet laminate is compression-bonded at a temperature of not less than a glass transition temperature Tg of the thermoplastic resin and not greater than 120 C.

In a pneumatic tire having a lap-splice portion in which an end section of a sheet laminate obtained by laminating an elastomer sheet and a thermoplastic resin composition sheet comprising a thermoplastic resin or a blended product of a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer is superimposed with another end of the sheet laminate and molded; (a) a sheet laminate obtained by attaching the thermoplastic resin composition sheet and an elastomer sheet having a greater width in a tire circumferential direction than the thermoplastic resin composition sheet is used as the sheet laminate; and (b) an excess width portion on at least one side of the elastomer sheet is folded back to a side of the thermoplastic resin composition sheet, and the folded back portion is superimposed with another end as an end section of the sheet laminate and molded.

The strip is formed of a single layer including a first layer arranged in a tire innermost layer or composite layers of the first layer and a second layer disposed adjacently to a carcass ply and made of a thermoplastic elastomer composition. The first layer is a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a styrene-isobutylene-styrene block copolymer and a tackifier, a butyl-based rubber and a natural rubber. The strip has a strip main body having a thickness (T1) of 0.02 to 1.0 mm and ear portions formed on opposite sides of the strip main body. The ear portions have a thickness (T2) smaller than the thickness (T1) and a width (W2) of 0.5 mm to 5.0 mm.

The present technology provides a method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire. The method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire uses a laminated sheet having a predetermined length and an inner liner layer formed from the laminated sheet through a step of cure-molding the tire with end portions of the laminated sheet lap-spliced. In the method, when at least the sheet made of thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic resin composition obtained by blending the thermoplastic resin and the elastomer is cut into the predetermined length, the cutting is performed by using an edge tool having a non-sharp edge under a temperature condition not lower than 60 C. and not higher than a melting point of the thermoplastic resin.

A tire comprises a sealing layer comprising a junction (21) extending in a main direction (D4) forming, with the circumferential direction (Z) of the tire: in a portion (15S) of the sealing layer extending axially in radial line with the working layer, an angle (ES) ranging, in absolute value, from 20 to 60, and in a portion (15F) of the sealing layer extending radially in each sidewall, an angle (EF), in absolute value, strictly greater than the angle (ES) of the main direction (D4) of the junction (21) in the portion (15S) of the sealing layer extending axially in radial line with the working layer.

A pneumatic tire and method of production thereof are disclosed, wherein the tire comprises an innerliner, which constitutes an inner covering and has the purpose of holding air within the pneumatic tire. A joint of the innerliner confers a cylindrical shape to the innerliner. A radio frequency identification (RFID) label is applied to a radially inner surface of the innerliner which constitutes the innermost free surface of the pneumatic tire, and is completely arranged within a zone which is centered on the joint and which extends circumferentially starting with the joint for no more than 90 per side.