Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to a light-weight tire inner tube comprising a film tube with a wall thickness of 100 to 400 microns, pneumatic tires containing the light-weight tire inner tube, and related methods for manufacturing the light-weight tire inner tube. The film tube is comprised of a film material comprising at least one thermoplastic engineering resin and optionally at least one saturated elastomer, and the film material of the film tube has an oxygen permeability of 8-15 cm3 O2/m2·per day at 25° C.
Abstract:
A low-section tire includes an air tube including an internal wall and two air tube sidewalls. The internal wall comprises a greater rigidity than the tube sidewalls so that, when a carcass and the tube are mounted on a rim, and during inflation, the tube sidewalls contact the carcass sidewalls no later than the internal wall contacts a crown portion of the carcass. A process for manufacturing the air tube includes moulding two tube sidewalls separated from each other, moulding a central core, arranging the tube sidewalls and central core in a single vulcanization mould, closing the vulcanization mould to form the tube, feeding pressurized fluid into at least two distinct circumferential portions of the tube, and vulcanizing the tube to join the central core and tube sidewalls. A mould for manufacturing the an air tube includes two axially-external cheeks, two axially-intermediate male dies, and two axially-inner spacers.
Abstract:
Self-curing elastomeric compounds in liquid suspension are sprayed onto a warmed rotating former having preferably a form developed from the radial dimensions of the inner tube to be made. The tube is cured and complete on the form by transposing one end of the sleeve to the opposite axial end of the former where the one end is seamed to the other end of the sleeve. Both the process and the tube produced by the process have advantages in manufacturing cost, in material saving, and at least equal quality performance relative to conventional inner tubes and methods of making them.