The present invention is directed to a method of cleaning an innermost surface of a pneumatic tire, the surface having a residue deposited thereon, comprising the steps of: activating a laser to generate laser radiation; directing a pulse of laser radiation to impinge on an area of the innermost surface, the pulse of radiation having a pulse width and a fluence sufficient to remove at least part of the residue in the area to form a cleaned area; repeating the step of directing the pulse of radiation sequentially over the innermost surface to form a sequence of cleaned areas, the sequence of cleaned areas defining a stripe, the stripe following a continuous nonlinear path extending at least one circumference about the inner surface, the stripe having a stripe width W2. The invention is further directed to a tire made by the method.

A method to produce a compound for a tyre sealant layer, comprising a swelling step, during which a crumb rubber is immersed in a process oil chosen among the ones belonging to the families of paraffin process oils, naphthene process oils or natural process oils, so as to obtain a crumb rubber that swells due to the absorption of the process oil; and a following mixing step, during which said swollen crumb rubber is mixed with at least one polymer base consisting of an essentially saturated polymer.

The invention relates to a self-sealing pneumatic vehicle tire having a belt package (2), a tread (1) arranged radially above the belt package (2) and an airtight inner layer (4) arranged radially on the inside, wherein the self-sealing of the pneumatic vehicle tire is obtained via a sealant layer (5) subsequently applied radially on the inside after the vulcanization of the pneumatic vehicle tire, wherein the sealant layer (5) has essentially the width of the belt package (2) and is arranged essentially in the projection thereof and has a cross section which is formed in a cross-sectional plane including the tire axis and has a surface (5a) running essentially parallel to the belt package in axial direction and a surface (5b) running essentially in radial direction.

It is a feature of the invention that at least the surface of the sealant layer (5a) running essentially parallel to the belt package in axial direction has a circumferential coating (6) that contains at least one alkali metal salt of at least one fatty acid and/or at least one alkaline earth metal salt of at least one fatty acid.

The present invention is directed to a method of making a self-sealing pneumatic tire, the tire having a tread width and a radially innermost surface having a residue deposited thereon, comprising the steps of: activating a laser to generate laser radiation; directing a pulse of laser radiation to impinge on an area of the innermost surface, the pulse of radiation having a pulse width and a fluence sufficient to remove at least part of the residue in the area to form a cleaned area; repeating the step of directing the pulse of radiation sequentially over the innermost surface to form a sequence of cleaned areas, the sequence of cleaned areas defining a stripe, the stripe following a continuous nonlinear path extending at least one circumference about the inner surface, the stripe having a stripe width W2; applying a bead of sealant in a continuous bead path extending at least one circumference about the inner surface, the bead of sealant at least partially overlaying the stripe. The invention is further directed to as such a self-sealing pneumatic tire.

A method and system for applying a sealing agent to a surface (2) of an inner cavity (3) of a pneumatic tyre; the method provides for detecting the weight of the pneumatic tyre (4) before and after the application of the sealing agent to the surface (2); calculating the difference between the quantity of sealing agent applied to the surface (2) and a reference quantity of sealing agent, storing said difference within a short-term memory buffer (24) and a long-term memory buffer (26); determining a short-term compensation factor (K.sub.ST) and a long-term compensation factor (K.sub.LT) and calculating a correction factor (K.sub.EA) using alternately the short-term compensation factor (K.sub.ST) or else the long-term compensation factor (K.sub.LT); and using said correction factor (K.sub.EA) to actuate an applicator device (7) during the subsequent step of applying the strip of sealing agent to the surface (2).

Provided are a rubber composition for pneumatic tires with excellent fluidity and excellent degradation resistance, and a pneumatic tire formed from the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for pneumatic tires containing a rubber component including a halogenated butyl rubber, and an organic peroxide.

Provided is a pneumatic tire having excellent sealing performance. The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire including a sealant layer located radially inside an innerliner, the sealant layer being formed of a generally string-shaped sealant provided continuously and spirally along the inner periphery of the tire.

Provided are a rubber composition for pneumatic tires which is excellent in adhesion, sealing performance, fluidity, and processability, and a pneumatic tire formed from the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for pneumatic tires containing, per 100 parts by mass of a rubber component including a butyl-based rubber: 100 to 400 parts by mass of a liquid polymer; 1 to 40 parts by mass of an organic peroxide; and 1 to 40 parts by mass of a crosslinking activator.

Provided is a pneumatic tire in which a sealant layer entirely exhibits sufficient sealing performance. The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire including a sealant layer located radially inside an innerliner, the sealant layer being formed by continuously and spirally applying a generally string-shaped sealant to the inner periphery of a tire in the tire width direction from one side to the other, the attachment start portion of the sealant being located tire-widthwise inward from the tire-widthwise end of the sealant layer.

Provided is a self-sealing tire that is excellent in the effect of reducing adhesion of foreign materials to the sealant layer, sealing performance, and road noise-reducing properties while maintaining the balance between them. The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire, including: a sealant layer located radially inside an innerliner; and a sound-absorbing layer located radially inside the sealant layer, the sound-absorbing layer being formed by applying a porous sound-absorbing material to the inner periphery of the sealant layer.