A tire is provided with a tread that includes first and second sectors and grooves. The second sectors are formed of a rigid reinforcing compound. Each of the first and second sectors has a contact face intended to contact a road surface when the tire is in use. Each groove includes sidewalls and a bottom, and extends from an end of an adjacent contact face. A depth P of each groove is measured in a radial direction between its bottom and a position corresponding to a radial height of the adjacent contact face. At least one of the second sectors has a contact face that includes a recess having a depth p of less than 2 mm, as measured in a radial direction from a surface of the recess to a position corresponding to a radial height of an adjacent first sector.

A method of laminating a vulcanized tire includes providing a vulcanized tire having a circumferential tread and a pair of sidewalls constructed of a base rubber. The method further includes cleaning the circumferential tread, providing a laminate, and forming a plurality of holes in the laminate. The method also includes applying the laminate to at least a portion of one of the circumferential tread and a sidewall of the vulcanized tire. The method further includes applying pressure to the laminate, thereby evacuating air between the laminate and the circumferential tread of the vulcanized tire and curing the laminate.

A heavy duty pneumatic tire in which occurrence of uneven wear is inhibited is provided. In the tire, each shoulder land portion includes a groove wall portion forming a wall of a shoulder circumferential groove, and a cap portion located outward of the groove wall portion in an axial direction. A wear resistance index of the groove wall portion is lower than a wear resistance index of the cap portion. A ratio of a distance in the axial direction from an outer edge of the shoulder circumferential groove to a boundary between the groove wall portion and the cap portion on an outer surface of the shoulder land portion, to a width in the axial direction of the shoulder land portion, is not less than 20% and not greater than 30%.

The subject invention reveals a tire tread having a circumferential tread cap with circumferential grooves, wherein the tread cap rubber compound has a Shore A hardness from 45 to 75. Moreover, the tread comprises at least one circumferential groove reinforcement reinforcing at least a bottom portion of at least one of the grooves and comprising a groove reinforcement rubber compound, wherein the groove reinforcement rubber compound has a Shore A hardness from 70 to 100. The tread also comprises a circumferential tread base layer arranged radially inwards of the tread cap and comprising a tread base layer compound, wherein the tread base layer compound has a Shore A hardness from 15 to 60, and wherein the Shore A hardness of the tread cap compound is higher than the Shore A hardness of the tread base layer compound.

The present invention relates to a tire tread comprising a tread cap comprising at least one tread cap rubber compound, at least three circumferential grooves, wherein at least portions of the sidewalls and the bottom of each of said grooves are formed by a circumferential groove reinforcement, and wherein a first groove reinforcement of a groove laterally next to the equatorial plane of the tire comprises a first reinforcement rubber compound which has a higher hardness than the tread cap rubber compound, and wherein a second groove reinforcement of a groove with a larger lateral distance to the equatorial plane of the tire than the first groove, comprises a second reinforcement rubber compound which has a higher hardness than the tread cap rubber compound and a lower hardness than the second reinforcement rubber compound.

In a first aspect of the present invention, a tire tread is provided, the tread comprising a tread cap comprising a first rubber compound for contacting the road when driving, at least one circumferential groove reinforcement forming at least one of the grooves in the tread cap, the groove reinforcement comprising a second rubber compound for reinforcing an area adjacent the grooves formed by the groove reinforcement, wherein the groove reinforcement comprises for at least one of the grooves formed by the groove reinforcement two groove sidewall layers, each sidewall layer extending from the outer radial surface of the unworn tread down into the direction of the bottom of the groove formed by the groove reinforcement and wherein each sidewall layer has an essentially uniform thickness along its length, and wherein the groove reinforcement comprises a groove support portion forming a bottom portion of the groove and having a radially inner base side as well as a radially outer top side, wherein the groove support portion tapers from its base side to its top side.

A method for manufacturing a tread (5) based on uncured rubber material, comprises the steps of forming a green form (9) of tread based on uncured rubber material having at least one tread pattern (2) block (3), each tread pattern (2) block (3) having a central portion (11) and at least one lateral portion (12) extending along the central portion (11), of mounting at least one reinforcing ply (7) on at least a part of the central portion (11), and of covering the central part (11) with the aid of the lateral portion (12) in order that the tread pattern (2) block (3) envelops the reinforcing ply (7).

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.

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.