| Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120072180 | TIRE MOLD DESIGN METHOD TO MINIMIZE UNIQUE ANNULAR MOLD PARTS - A method of designing a tire mold is disclosed, including the steps of designing an initial tire mold that includes a total number of annular mold pitches that each have a circumferential pitch length, wherein each of the total number of annular mold pitches have complementary leading and trailing edges. Further, the method includes the step of determining an initial number of unique annular mold pitch lengths that include an initial number of unique annular mold parts where each unique annular mold pitch length comprises more than one annular mold part, and adjacent annular mold parts have complementary leading and trailing edges. Another step includes replacing at least one of the initial number of unique annular mold pitch lengths with at least two of an actual number of unique annular mold parts to design and produce a final tire mold including an actual number of unique annular mold pitch lengths equal to or less than the initial number of unique annular mold pitch lengths, and the actual number of unique annular mold parts is less than the initial number of unique annular mold parts. An addition step may include rotating at least one of the initial number of unique annular mold parts | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067477 | TIRE TREAD HAVING ASYMMETRIC CHAMFERING - A pneumatic tire having an asymmetrically chamfered tread that promotes desired plysteer residual aligning torque and/or plysteer residual cornering force. The tire comprises a tread having a set of first blocks on a first side of an equatorial plane, and a set of second blocks on a second side of the equatorial plane. The first and second blocks are defined at least in part by a top surface, one or more circumferentially extending grooves, and a plurality of laterally extending grooves. The laterally extending grooves define leading edges and trailing edges of the blocks. The boundaries between the leading edges and top surfaces of a plurality of the first blocks, and between the trailing edges and top surfaces of a plurality of the second block, are chamfered. The boundaries between the trailing edges and top surfaces of the first blocks, and between the boundaries between the leading edges and top surfaces of the second blocks, are substantially unchamfered. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20110266783 | APPARATUS FOR ADDING WEIGHT TO A WORK VEHICLE - An apparatus for adding weight to a work vehicle includes a receptacle and at least one arm projecting from the receptacle. The receptacle and the at least one arm are configured to receive weights. The apparatus for adding weight to a work vehicle also includes at least one connecting point configured to attach the apparatus to a three-point hitch of the work vehicle. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110220257 | TIRE INCLUDING CONCAVE RECESSES IN A CIRCUMFERENTIAL TREAD - A tire having an equatorial plane and a circumferential tread is provided. The tread includes at least one recess defined by at least one concave surface having a plurality of sipes formed therein. Optionally, the at least one concave surface can include one or more channel disposed therein. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110186202 | TIRE HAVING GUM STRIP AND CHAFER - A tire having a circumferential tread, at least one belt, an inner liner, a pair of sidewalls, at least one carcass ply, and a pair of bead portions. The pair of bead portions each further includes a bead core, a bead filler having an upper end, a chaffer, and a gum strip. The chaffer extends axially outward from the inner liner towards the sidewall and curves radially upward along an axially outer portion of the bead core. The sidewall gum strip extends radially upward from a curved portion of the chaffer, wherein the sidewall gumstrip is located axially between the at least one carcass ply turn-up end and a sidewall. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110186201 | TIRE HAVING STAGGERED TURN-UPS - A tire having a circumferential tread, at least one belt, an inner liner, a pair of sidewalls, and at least three carcass plies. The tire includes a pair of bead portions, each including a bead core, a bead filler, a flipper, a chaffer, and a gum strip. The at least three carcass plies extend radially downward, inward of the bead filler, extend around the bead core, and continue upward, outward of the bead filler and terminate in at least three turn-up ends. At least one of the turn-up ends does not contact at least one of the radially downward extending carcass plies, the flipper, or the bead filler in one of the sidewalls, and at least two of the turn-up ends contact at least one of the radially downward extending carcass plies, the flipper, or the bead filler in one of the sidewalls. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110146864 | TIRE TREAD HAVING BALANCED STIFFNESS - A tire includes a first rib having a first circumferential shear stiffness, wherein the first rib has a first plurality of lugs. Each of the first plurality of lugs has a first length. The tire further includes a second rib having a second circumferential shear stiffness substantially equal to the first circumferential shear stiffness. The second rib has a second plurality of lugs, each of the second plurality of lugs having a second length different from the first length. Additionally, the first rib has a different number of lugs from the second rib. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110119918 | CHUCKS AND USE IN PROCESSING TOROIDAL STRUCTURES - A chuck and a chuck system, and a method for processing a toroidal structure such as a tire carcass. The carcass includes an internal circumference and tapered ends. The chuck system comprises a plurality of chucks wherein each chuck includes a circumferential or substantially circumferential external surface and a plurality of friction reducing members positioned on the external surface. The friction reducing members are positioned to engage the internal circumference of the toroidal structure such as a tire. The method of processing a tire carcass includes positioning the tire carcass on fixed diameter chucks having friction reducing members on the external surface. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110113630 | TIRE AND METHOD OF SECURING AN OBJECT THERETO - A method of attaching an object to a tire includes providing a tire and providing a mechanical two-piece fastening system having a first portion and a second portion. The method further includes attaching a first portion of a mechanical two-piece fastening system to the tire and positioning an object to be attached to the tire on one of the first portion and the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system. The method also includes attaching the second portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system to the first portion of the mechanical two-piece fastening system. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110095106 | RECYCLED ELASTOMER AND METHOD - The present disclosure provides a method comprising reducing the size of elastomeric particles in the presence of a liquid, wherein said liquid comprises an antidegradant and optionally a surfactant. Further provided is a method comprising bringing elastomeric particles into contact with a liquid, wherein said liquid comprises an antidegradant and, optionally, a surfactant. Also provided is an elastomeric particle that is created from an original elastomeric piece, where said elastomeric particle has an antidegradant concentration greater than that of the original elastomeric piece. Further provided is a rubber composition comprising the elastomeric particle. Additionally, the disclosure provides a tire containing a rubber composition that comprises the elastomeric particle. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20100288444 | USE OF COLORED INDICIA ON TIRES AS A DESIGNATOR - A tire or rim for use on a racing vehicle comprising colored indicia disposed on a sidewall of the tire wherein the color marking is configured to be used as a designator. The colored indicia can designate, among other things, 1) left or right side installation of the tire on the racing vehicle, 2) that the tire is constructed of a certain rubber compound, 3) a points leader of a vehicle racing series, and/or 4) a pole position holder of a vehicle racing event. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100255134 | ELLIPTICAL TIRE MOLD AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME - A tire mold having a substantially elliptical base surface and a method for making a tire mold are provided. In one embodiment, a user selects a major axis length for the tire mold, then selects a ratio of the major axis length to a minor axis length. The tire mold is then formed with a substantially elliptical base surface defined by the first major axis and the selected ratio. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100197847 | SILICA CONTAINING BLACK SIDEWALL COMPOUNDS AND TIRES COMPRISING SAME - Reduced hysteresis silica-containing black sidewall compounds having increased toughness properties are provided, as are methods for preparing the same. Tires comprising the black sidewall compounds prepared according to the present embodiments are also provided. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100138200 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DEMONSTRATING STAGGER - In one embodiment a device is provided for visually demonstrating stagger. In this embodiment, the device includes first and second tires coaxially mounted on an axle, wherein the first tire has a smaller diameter than the second tire. The device also includes a member configured to be pushed or pulled by a person. The device may be pushed or pulled on a flat surface, such as a paved road. When the device is pushed or pulled in a forward direction, the first and second tires will rotate at the same rotational speed, but because the second tire has a larger diameter than the first tire, the second tire will travel a greater distance than the first tire during each tire rotation. Thus, the device will move in a curved path. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100071820 | Tire and noise reducer - A tire is disclosed comprising a tread portion, two sidewall portions, two bead portions, an internal surface of the tire that forms a tire cavity, and at least three baffles within the tire cavity. The baffles may be made of compressible or non-compressible materials and may further include connecting members, encapsulating liners, or both. Further, a tire kit is disclosed comprising at least three baffles and at least one connecting member that connects the baffles. In addition, a method is disclosed that includes filling a tire with at least three baffles and then assembling the tire on a tire rim to reduce tire noise or to reduce tire force transmissibility. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100024960 | BODY PLY AND INSERT ASSEMBLY METHOD - A tire having a tread including first and second reinforcement plies disposed between at least one carcass ply and the tread and at least one of the sidewalls of the tire. A method for making a tire body ply is also described. The method includes delivering a first rubber coating, at least one insert, a body fabric, and a second rubber coating to a bite formed by at least two calendering rollers. The method further includes pressing the first rubber coating, the body fabric, the at least one insert, and the second rubber coating through the bite and then between the at least two calendering rollers to form a tire body ply. In another embodiment, the method includes spacing a first insert from a center of the tire body ply by a first distance and a second insert from the center of the tire body ply by a second distance. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100018456 | MACHINE FOR MAKING AN ANTI-STATIC TIRE TREAD - A method of providing an extruded tire tread (T) with anti-static properties. In this method, a pin (10) is coated with an electrically conductive material (M). The coated pin ( | 01-28-2010 |
