A wheel assembly may include an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle, and an outer rim surrounding the hub. The wheel assembly may also include gas springs operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim to provide a gas suspension permitting relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim. The wheel assembly may also include tread assemblies carried by the outer rim. Each tread assembly may include a tread member support coupled to the outer rim, and spaced-apart tread members carried by the tread member support and defining a tread pattern therebetween. Each tread member may include at least one rubber layer, and at least one reinforcing layer in stacked relation.

Heavy goods vehicle tire, having a crown portion covered radially on the outside by a tread, this tread having at least two cut-outs, the central portion of the tread having a width Lc of between 35% and 70%, the crown portion comprising a reinforcement having at least two working layers having reinforcing elements, these reinforcing elements consisting of UHT-grade threads, having a mechanical breaking strength R satisfying the following relation: R≥(4180−2130×D), where D is the diameter of the thread expressed in millimetres, this tread being formed of at least two layers of superimposed material, the material forming the first layer with a breaking elongation of more than 600% at a temperature of 60° C., this tread being such that, in the central portion, the cavity ratio per unit volume is not more than 10% and the surface cavity ratio as new is not more than 10%.

Heavy goods vehicle tire, having a crown portion covered radially on the outside by a tread, this tread having at least two cut-outs, the central portion of the tread having a width Lc of between 35% and 70%, the crown portion comprising a reinforcement having at least two working layers having reinforcing elements, these reinforcing elements consisting of UHT-grade threads, having a mechanical breaking strength R satisfying the following relation: R≥(4180−2130×D), where D is the diameter of the thread expressed in millimetres, this tread being formed of at least two layers of superimposed material, the material forming the first layer with a breaking elongation of more than 600% at a temperature of 60° C., this tread being such that, in the central portion, the cavity ratio per unit volume is not more than 10% and the surface cavity ratio as new is not more than 10%.

An airless flexible tire including traction lug pairs each having a forward facing traction lug and a rearward facing traction lug cooperatively forming a divided Z or reverse divided Z shape. Each traction lug includes a lateral section and a central section. The central section extends from an end of the lateral section so as to straddle a centerline of the airless flexible tire and includes a number of discrete sidewalls. The discrete sidewalls are different sizes and angled relative to each other. The central sections of paired traction lugs form a space dividing portions of the Z or reverse Z shape. The central sections of nearest traction lugs of adjacent traction lug pairs form a space dividing the adjacent traction lug pairs.

An airless flexible tire including traction lug pairs each having a forward facing traction lug and a rearward facing traction lug cooperatively forming a divided Z or reverse divided Z shape. Each traction lug includes a lateral section and a central section. The central section extends from an end of the lateral section so as to straddle a centerline of the airless flexible tire and includes a number of discrete sidewalls. The discrete sidewalls are different sizes and angled relative to each other. The central sections of paired traction lugs form a space dividing portions of the Z or reverse Z shape. The central sections of nearest traction lugs of adjacent traction lug pairs form a space dividing the adjacent traction lug pairs.

A heavy truck tire is provided that includes a casing with a central axis, and a rubber tread that has a first layer and a second layer. The first layer is located farther from the central axis in a radial direction than the second layer. The first layer has a lower max tan(δ) than a max tan(δ) of the second layer. The max tan(δ) of the first layer is from 0.06-0.15, and the max tan(δ) of the second layer is from 0.12-0.27. The tire also has a sculptural feature that reduces irregular wear.

A method of manufacturing a test tire and a method of setting a tread removal shape include, moving an outline of a tread surface to set a remaining groove outline, setting a point B at the intersection of a line segment extending radially from a point A, on the tread surface at a position corresponding to 70% to 80% of the tread width, and the remaining groove outline, setting the remaining groove outline farther inward than point B as a first removal reference line, setting a line passing through point B and a point L, where a straight line yielded by a tangent to the tread surface at point A being translated to point B as a second removal reference line, and removing a portion of the tread, with reference to a tread removal shape defined by the first removal reference line and the second removal reference line.

Provided are a tire casing life management system and a tire casing life management method. A casing life management system includes a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of a tire, a heat history amount calculation unit that calculates a heat history amount received by the tire during a first period, on the basis of a plurality of pieces of temperature information of the tire measured during the first period of at least one day, an accumulation heat amount estimation unit that estimates an accumulation heat amount which can be received by the tire during the second period set for one year, on the basis of the heat history amount in the first period, and a casing life prediction unit that predicts the remaining life period of the casing from the accumulation heat amount in the second period and a predetermined threshold.

A method of making a tire tread includes mixing a tire tread compound including a virgin rubber component and a reclaimed rubber component, forming a green sheet from the tire tread compound, and curing the green sheet to form a cured tire tread. The reclaimed rubber component may have a Mooney viscosity (ML (1+4) @ 100° C.) of greater than 65. The reclaimed rubber component may also have a crosslink density that is between 20 and 50% of the crosslink density of the reclaimed rubber prior to reclaiming.

A method of making a tire tread includes mixing a tire tread compound including a virgin rubber component and a reclaimed rubber component, forming a green sheet from the tire tread compound, and curing the green sheet to form a cured tire tread. The reclaimed rubber component may have a Mooney viscosity (ML (1+4) @ 100° C.) of greater than 65. The reclaimed rubber component may also have a crosslink density that is between 20 and 50% of the crosslink density of the reclaimed rubber prior to reclaiming.