A pneumatic tire is vulcanized using a bladder provided with a coating layer formed of a release agent, and includes a sealant layer disposed on an inner surface of a tread portion in a tire circumferential direction. The amount of silicon of the release agents detected in at least a placement region of the sealant layer by fluorescence X-ray analysis is from 0.1 wt. % to 10.0 wt. %.

Processes for producing a sealant layer-tire inner liner combination as well as a sealant layer-containing tire and related processes involving the sealant layer-containing tire are disclosed. The sealant layer is adhered to the tire inner liner, has a thickness of 2-8 mm and comprises 100 parts of at least one rubber, 90-500 phr of at least one tackifier, optionally one or more extenders, optionally at least one hydroscopic substance, and a cure package.

This invention reveals an uncured pneumatic tire which is comprised of a generally toroidal-shaped supporting carcass with an outer circumferential tread, two spaced beads, at least one ply extending from bead to bead, sidewalls extending radially from and connecting said tread to said beads, a sealant layer which is disposed inwardly from the supporting carcass, and an innerliner which is disposed inwardly from the sealant layer, wherein said circumferential tread is adapted to be ground-contacting, and wherein the sealant layer is comprised of polyisobutylene or a butyl rubber, wherein the polyisobutylene or the butyl rubber has a number average molecular weight which is within the range of 30,000 to 100,000.

A pneumatic tire is vulcanized using a bladder provided with a coating layer formed of a release agent, and includes a sealant layer disposed on an inner surface of a tread portion in a tire circumferential direction, the release agent having a thickness of from 0.1 μm to 100 μm in at least a placement region of the sealant layer, detected using an electron microscope.

This invention is based upon the unexpected finding that the reaction product of polyisobutylene and a silane can be incorporated into tire sealant formulations to greatly reduce the level of hysteresis exhibited by such sealant formulations which decreases the rolling resistance of the tire to improve fuel economy. This is made possible by the further unexpected fining that silanes will react with polyisobutylene by a reaction which is initiated with a peroxide. This invention more specifically discloses a sealant composition which is particularly useful in manufacturing self-sealing tires and which is comprised of (a) the reaction product of polyisobutylene and a silane; and (b) a reinforcing filler. The sealant compositions also contain a peroxide to facilitate partial degradation of the polyisobutylene rubber during the curing of the tire.

A sealing device comprising a flexible holding strip having an adhesive layer on a first surface, wherein the strip is configured for attachment to an inner surface of a tubeless tire via the adhesive layer, and a plurality of flexible flags attached to a second surface of the flexible holding strip opposite the first surface, wherein the plurality of flags is attached to the second surface at a fixed widthwise edge of each of the plurality of flags and wherein the plurality of flags are configured to seal a hole in the tubeless tire when the strip is attached to the inner surface of the tubeless tire is provided. Methods of protecting tires by attaching a sealing device are also described.

A pneumatic tire in which a sealing layer can be provided at a desired position on an inner circumferential surface of the tire is provided. The pneumatic tire (10) includes a tire frame member (12) formed in a circular shape and made of a resin, and a sealing layer provided by fixing a sealant housing member (34) internally filled with a sealant (38) to an inner circumferential surface of the tire frame member (12).

A sealant layer assembly which allows a sealant layer to be applied on a tire outside of tire production plants. The assembly comprises a sealant layer to be applied on the surface of an inner liner layer facing the inner cavity of a tire, a net layer arranged on a first surface of the sealant layer, and at least one non-stick protective layer arranged either on a second surface of the sealant layer opposite the first surface or on the net layer.

The present invention is directed to a pneumatic tire comprising a tread portion having (i) circumferential grooves and (ii) circumferential ribs or rows of tread blocks; an inner surface defining a tire cavity; and a sealant material layer at least partially covering the inner surface radially below the tread portion within the tire cavity. The sealant material layer comprises elevations of sealant material, wherein an elevation of sealant material is provided radially below each of at least two of the circumferential grooves, and wherein the sealant material layer has a larger radial thickness in said elevations than in areas radially below the circumferential ribs or rows of tread blocks.

An assembly of a pneumatic tire and of a wheel, the pneumatic tire (10) being fitted to the wheel. The assembly comprises first and second self-sealing products housed in the internal volume (V) of the pneumatic tire (10). The first self-sealing product, referred to as solid self-sealing product (OS), covers a predetermined part of the internal surface of the pneumatic tire (10). The relative position of this predetermined part in the pneumatic tire (10) does not substantially vary under the effect of gravity. The second self-sealing product, referred to as liquid self-sealing product (OL), is in the liquid form.