Abstract:
A method for reducing the working temperature of a tire tread for vehicles utilizing a tire tread comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion comprising 100 parts by weight of an elastomeric material, 40-120 parts by weight of a filler, comprising from 50 to 100% by weight of carbon black and from 0 to 50% of silica, and 3-40 parts by weight of at least a conventional additive. The second portion comprising 100 parts by weight of an elastomeric material, 40-120 parts by weight of a filler, comprising from 30 to 100% by weight of silica and from 0 to 70% of carbon black, and 3-40 parts by weight of at least a conventional additive. However, the silica content in the second portion is at least 20% higher than in the first portion. Tires wherein the area of the first portion exceeds 37.1% of the total area of the tire tread are also disclosed.
Abstract:
A tyre for a wheel of a vehicle comprises a toroidal carcass provided with axially opposite sidewalls and beads for anchoring the tyre to a rim of the wheel, a tread band located crownwise on the carcass, comprising a surface with a plurality of hollows and grooves defining a raised tread pattern, and a belt structure interposed between the carcass and the tread band, axially extending between the sidewalls. The tread band comprises at least first and second circumferential axially-contiguous portions arranged to contact a road surface. The first portion is formed of a first composition comprising a reinforcing filler having at least 40%-by-weight carbon black and at least some white filler, the second portion is formed of a second composition comprising a reinforcing filler having at least 20%-by-weight white filler, and the first composition is different from the second composition. A difference of compositions between the at least first and second portions achieves a tyre operating temperature lower than a reference temperature.
Abstract:
A tire for a vehicle includes a radial carcass, a tread band disposed radially outward of the carcass, and a belt structure interposed between the carcass and the tread band. The tread band also includes a first portion of a first elastomeric compound having a first modulus of elasticity between about 12 MPa and 16 MPa, measured at 23° C., and a second portion of a second elastomeric compound having a second modulus of elasticity between about 7 MPa and 11 MPa, measured at 23° C. Additionally, a first tread pattern formed on the first portion is different from a second tread pattern formed on the second portion. A related tread band, method for making an asymmetrical tire, and wheel for a vehicle are also disclosed.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing tires includes making a plurality of structural components for tires, assembling the components following a pre-established sequence at respective work stations disposed along a manufacturing line, transferring the tires to a curing line, and curing the tires in respective vulcanization molds. The tires are sequentially transferred along the manufacturing line from a first work station to successive work stations. At least one series of tires is simultaneously processed on the manufacturing line and the curing line, and the at least one series of tires includes at least one first tire model and at least one second tire model different from the at least one first tire model. The tires are transferred from the manufacturing line to the curing line at a same rate as the tires are sequentially transferred along the manufacturing line from the first work station to the successive work stations.
Abstract:
There is described a method for controlling the deformation of a surface of a sail (1) of a sailing boat (100) during a direction change manoeuvre, said method comprising the step of arranging at least one inflatable batten (10) into a respective seat (3) formed on a side surface (2a) of the sail (1), said at least one batten (10) being inflated at a predetermined working pressure, said working pressure being such as to impart to said at least one batten (10) a bending stiffness having, with no bending load, a predetermined value and the step of carrying out a manoeuvre for changing the direction of the sailing boat (100), wherein in a first part of said manoeuvre said at least one batten (10) is subjected to the action of an increasing bending load and in a second part of said manoeuvre, said bending load ends its action on said at least one batten (10), during said manoeuvre the mechanical properties of said at least one batten (10) being changed so that as said bending load increases in said first part of the manoeuvre, the value of the bending stiffness of said at least one batten (10) decreases considerably, and as the action of said bending load ends in said second part of the manoeuvre, the bending stiffness of said at least one batten (10) returns to said predetermined value. Such method is carried out by using a sail (1) provided with at least one batten (10) comprising a fluid impervious wrapping (31) adapted to be inflated by a fluid under pressure and a reinforcing structure (33) associated externally with said wrapping (31) and comprising a plurality of reinforcing thread-like elements (34a, 34b) arranged crossed with an angle comprised between about 65° and about 115°.
Abstract:
A method for determining the force at the hub of a wheel of a vehicle while traveling. The wheel includes a rim and at least one deformation sensor directly associated with the rim in at least one predetermined position and arranged according to at least one predetermined orientation. The method includes the steps of detecting at least one deformation component of the rim during travel through the at least one deformation sensor; applying to the at least one deformation component, during travel, a correlation parameter characteristic of the rim, between the force at the hub and the relative deformation of the rim to determine at least one force component at the hub correlated with the at least one deformation component of the rim. The determining of the correlation parameter preferably takes place through experimental tests that include the steps of providing a sample wheel having a rim substantially the same as that of the wheel and determining at least one correlation coefficient between at least one force component acting upon the sample wheel at the hub along at least one predetermined direction and at least one respective deformation component of the rim of the wheel.
Abstract:
A plant for producing types of tyres different from each other includes a manufacturing unit including a plurality of work stations, devices for transfer and movement of the tyres being produced, and a vulcanizing unit including vulcanizing moulds for the tyres being produced. Each work station is designed to assemble at least one corresponding structural component on at least one type of tyre being produced. The devices for transfer and movement operate between the work stations and provide selective movement for each of the types of tyres being produced in proximity to corresponding work stations. The plant may also include a central processing unit. The central processing unit may control the devices for transfer and movement to coordinate processing stages for each type of tyre in the manufacturing unit and in the vulcanizing unit. Additionally, the plant may include holding stations associated with at least some of the work stations.
Abstract:
A tyre for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure, belt structure, tread band, and at least one pair of sidewalls. The carcass structure includes at least one first carcass ply and at least two annular reinforcing structures. The at least one first carcass ply includes elongated sections circumferentially distributed around the tyre's geometric rotation axis. Each elongated section extends in a U-shaped configuration around a cross-section outline of the carcass structure to define two side portions and one crown portion. Each elongated section substantially lies in a plane parallelly offset relative to a meridian plane of the carcass structure. The crown portion of each elongated section is oriented, relative to a radial reference plane passing through a transition region between the crown portion and at least one corresponding side portion, at an angle having a different value from an inclination of the at least one corresponding side portion.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing tires includes the steps of making structural components for tires, assembling the structural components of each tire following a pre-established sequence at respective work stations disposed along a manufacturing line, transferring the tires to a curing line, and curing the tires in respective vulcanization molds. The tires are sequentially transferred along the manufacturing line from a first work station to successive work stations. At least one series of tires is simultaneously processed on the manufacturing line and the curing line. The at least one series of tires comprises at least one first tire model and at least one second tire model different from the at least one first tire model. The tires are transferred from the manufacturing line to the curing line at a same rate as the tires are sequentially transferred along the manufacturing line from the first work station to the successive work stations.
Abstract:
A process for continuously producing an elastomeric composition includes providing at least one extruder, metering and feeding at least one elastomer, at least one filler, and ingredients different from elastomers and fillers into the at least one extruder, mixing and dispersing the at least one filler and the ingredients different from elastomers and fillers into the at least one elastomer using the at least one extruder, and extruding a resulting elastomeric composition. The at least one extruder includes the housing and at least one screw rotatably mounted in the housing. The housing includes at least one feed opening and a discharge opening. At least one of the ingredients different from elastomers and fillers includes a subdivided product including one or more minor ingredients dispersed in at least one thermoplastic binding agent. An apparatus for continuously producing the elastomeric composition is also disclosed.