In the field of tire production, systems and methods make it possible to selectively carry out monopassage and multipassage rubber production sequences in a common rubber production facility. A tire is formed according to the methods described.

In the field of tire production, systems and methods utilize a feed belt (150) for directing a rubber mixture from an initial mixing installation (20) toward at least one of two mixing and cooling installations (100, 100′). It is possible to selectively carry out monopassage and multipassage rubber production sequences in a common rubber production facility. A tire is formed according to the methods described.

Provided are a polymer ready for introduction into a kneading machine which is milled with good milling efficiency in a kneading machine and which provides a kneaded mixture with excellent filler dispersion, and a rubber composition and a pneumatic tire containing the polymer. The present invention relates to a polymer ready for introduction into a kneading machine, excluding natural rubber, the polymer having a temperature within the range of 20 C. to 80 C. and satisfying the following formula (I):
(Tip clearance d of kneading machine).sup.3(Volume V of polymer ready for introduction into kneading machine)2.010.sup.4 cm.sup.3(I).

A process and a system are provided for controlling an addition of water to a rubber mixture during a mixing cycle in which the mixture is transported as a continuous sheet. The process includes obtaining data for the mixture, including a predetermined water flow rate, a predetermined air flow rate, and a target temperature and a target water content for the mixture; adding water to the continuous sheet during the mixing cycle; detecting an amount of water added at an elapsed time during the mixing cycle; determining, using a detection result, a predicted temperature and a predicted water content for the mixture at an end of the mixing cycle; comparing the target temperature with the predicted temperature, and the target water content with the predicted water content; and, before a next mixing cycle, adjusting an actual water flow rate when a comparison result indicates non-equivalence.

Provided are a polymer ready for introduction into a kneading machine which is milled with good milling efficiency in a kneading machine and which provides a kneaded mixture with excellent filler dispersion, and a rubber composition and a pneumatic tire containing the polymer. The present invention relates to a polymer ready for introduction into a kneading machine, excluding natural rubber, the polymer having a temperature within the range of 20 C. to 80 C. and satisfying the following formula (I):

(Tip clearance d of kneading machine).sup.3(Volume V of polymer ready for introduction into kneading machine)2.010.sup.4 cm.sup.3(I).

In the field of tire production, systems and methods utilize a feed belt (150) for directing a rubber mixture from an initial mixing installation (20) toward at least one of two mixing and cooling installations (100, 100). It is possible to selectively carry out monopassage and multipassage rubber production sequences in a common rubber production facility. A tire is formed according to the methods described.

A system and a method are provided for producing rubber mixtures. The system includes installations for performing a monopassage process and a multipassage process to produce a rubber mixture, and a transport system that transports the rubber mixture to one or more of the installations according to a selected recipe. The installations include a mixing and cooling installation that performs a mixing and cooling procedure in which the rubber mixture is formed into a sheet, the sheet is sprayed with water using at least one nozzle provided with water at a predetermined water flow rate and air at a predetermined air pressure, and evaporated water from the spraying of the sheet is evacuated at a predetermined air flow rate. The mixing and cooling procedure causes the rubber mixture of the sheet to reach target temperature and water-content values before a complementary mixing procedure is performed.

In the field of tire production, systems and methods make it possible to selectively carry out monopassage and multipassage rubber production sequences in a common rubber production facility. A tire is formed according to the methods described.

A thermoplastic resin composition according to the present invention contains carbon nanotubes and carbon fibers in amounts of 2.8 to 35 parts by mass and 1 to 60 parts by mass, respectively, relative to 100 parts by mass of a thermoplastic resin. In the thermoplastic resin composition, when the content of the carbon nanotubes is 2.8 to 5.3 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the thermoplastic resin, the content of the carbon fibers is at least 8.3 to 1 part by mass. In the thermoplastic resin composition, when the content of the carbon fibers is 1 to 8.3 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the thermoplastic resin, the content of the carbon nanotubes is at least 5.3 to 2.8 parts by mass.

In the field of tire production, systems and methods make it possible to selectively carry out monopassage and multipassage rubber production sequences in a common rubber production facility. A tire is formed according to the methods described.