A tire is provided, which includes: a circular tire frame formed from a resin material containing an olefin resin; and an exterior member formed from a thermoplastic rubber vulcanizate which contains an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber and a polyethylene-based resin, and in which a content of the ethylene-propylene-diene rubber is from 20% by mass to 45% by mass with respect to a total mass of the thermoplastic rubber vulcanizate, and a fluidity is from 1.0 g/10 min to 60 g/10 min.

The invention relates to a calibration tool and a method for calibrating a laser-triangulation measuring system, wherein the calibration tool comprises a tool body that defines a reference plane and that is rotatable relative to the measuring system about a rotation axis perpendicular to said reference plane, wherein the tool body is provided with one or more calibration surfaces that define a pattern of calibration positions, wherein the pattern comprises at least three columns extending in a radial direction away from the rotation axis and at least three rows extending in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis, wherein for each column the calibration positions within said respective column vary in height relative to the reference plane in a height direction perpendicular to said reference plane and wherein for each row the calibration positions within the respective row vary in height in the height direction relative to the reference plane.

A tire includes at least one body defining a plurality of body ply layers, and a toroidal element located between the body ply layers. The toroidal element includes inner and outer regions formed by the body ply layers, and a central region formed by an inner rubber component located between the body ply layers. At least a portion of the central region is more elastic than the inner and outer regions. The toroidal element includes a first sidewall portion extending along at least a portion of the first sidewall region of the tire, and a second sidewall portion extending along at least a portion of the second sidewall region of the tire. The toroidal element is pre-stressed such that the first sidewall portion of the toroidal element exerts a first axially outward force, and such that the second sidewall portion of the toroidal element exerts a second axially outward force.

An apparatus for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels wherein each tyre includes a carcass structure formed starting from at least one carcass ply laid on a forming support extended along a longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes at least one device for positioning at least one annular anchoring structure on at least one end edge of the carcass ply, the positioning device being circumferentially extended around the longitudinal axis of the forming support and axially movable with respect to the forming support between an operating position distal from the forming support and at least one operating position close to the forming support. The apparatus further includes a device for turning up the end edge of the carcass ply around the annular anchoring structure, the turning up device being circumferentially extended about the longitudinal axis of the forming support and axially movable for approaching/moving away to/from the forming support. The positioning device and the turning up device are radially expandable/contractible in a synchronous manner with respect to the longitudinal axis of the forming support and are settable in a plurality of different operating radial positions, each operating radial position being selected based on a respective radial dimension of the tyre to be manufactured.

A process for manufacturing a tire for vehicle wheels, includes building, on a forming support extending about an axis, a carcass structure including at least one carcass ply and, at at least one end edge of the at least one carcass ply, at least one annular anchoring structure. Building the carcass structure includes laying the carcass ply on the forming support, bringing the annular anchoring structure in contact position with the end edge of the carcass ply and turning up the end edge about the annular anchoring structure so as to form a turned up end portion of the carcass ply including the annular anchoring structure. A first part of turning up the end edge of the carcass ply is carried out while at least one positioning device retains the annular anchoring structure in contact position with the end edge of the carcass ply.

A covered cord is formed by covering a cord with a resin material, and a covered bead is formed by welding or adhering together the resin material of the covered cord whilst shaping into a bead shape, such that resin material fills between the cord. The covered bead is placed in contact with a jig disposed inside a cavity of a tire mold for molding a tire frame member, the covered bead is fixed inside the mold, and the tire frame member is molded containing the covered bead in a tire bead portion by pouring molten resin material into the cavity.

An apparatus for manufacturing tires for vehicle wheels wherein each tire includes a carcass structure formed starting from at least one carcass ply laid on a forming support extended along a longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes at least one device for positioning at least one annular anchoring structure on at least one end edge of the carcass ply, the positioning device being circumferentially extended around the longitudinal axis of the forming support and axially movable with respect to the forming support between an operating position distal from the forming support and at least one operating position close to the forming support. The apparatus further includes a device for turning up the end edge of the carcass ply around the annular anchoring structure, the turning up device being circumferentially extended about the longitudinal axis of the forming support and axially movable for approaching/moving away to/from the forming support. The positioning device and the turning up device are radially expandable/contractible in a synchronous manner with respect to the longitudinal axis of the forming support and are settable in a plurality of different operating radial positions, each operating radial position being selected based on a respective radial dimension of the tire to be manufactured.

A process for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels, comprising the step of building on a forming support a carcass structure comprising at least one carcass ply and, at at least one end edge of the carcass ply, at least one annular anchoring structure comprising at least one substantially circumferential annular insert and at least one filling insert associated to said at least one substantially circumferential annular insert. The step of building the carcass structure comprises the steps of positioning the annular anchoring structure on the carcass ply by moving the annular substantially circumferential insert into contact with an end edge of the carcass ply by means of a special positioning member, pulling down the filling insert on the end edge of the carcass ply and turning up a free end portion of the end edge of the carcass ply so as to form a turned up end portion of the carcass ply including said annular anchoring structure. The pulling down of the filling insert on the end edge of the carcass ply is carried out by a special pulling down member while the substantially circumferential annular insert is retained into a contact position with the end edge of the carcass ply by said positioning member.