Patents for May
Patents as compiled by the editors of Rubber World for May 2023
Fluid infused elastomers
U.S. patent: 11,584,841
Issued: February 21, 2023
Inventors: Mark C. Grubelich and Erica Marie Redline
Assigned: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia
Key statement: The present invention relates to fluid infused elastomers that outperform their non-infused base elastomer in harsh environmental conditions. These fluid infused polymers may be used in applications including geothermal technologies where the oil infused elastomers may be subject to harsh conditions.
Oil fill transducer with rubber disc for dynamic protection
U.S. patent: 11,585,714
Issued: February 21, 2023
Inventors: Robert Gardner, Louis DeRosa and Richard Martin
Assigned: Kulite Semiconductor Products
Key statement: An oil fill pressure transducer including a flexible member configured to protect an isolation diaphragm and sensing element. The pressure transducer includes a sensing element mounted to the header, an isolation diaphragm mounted on the front side of the header and adjacent to the sensing element such that an oil fill cavity is defined between the sensing element and the isolation diaphragm. The flexible member is disposed adjacent to the isolation diaphragm, and a retention member is disposed adjacent to the flexible member. A cavity in communication with the retention member is configured to transmit pressure media to the isolation diaphragm via the flexible member. The flexible member can include thru-holes. The flexible member may compress under an applied positive pressure change. The flexible member may temporarily separate from at least a portion of the isolation diaphragm under an applied negative pressure change.
Thermo dielectric elastomer cell
U.S. patent: 11,588,420
Issued: February 21, 2023
Inventor: Farouk Dakhil
Key statement: Methods, systems and apparatuses related to thermo dielectric elastomer cells may be shown and described. In one embodiment a thermo dielectric elastomer cell (TDEC) can include a layer of carbon nanotubes that absorb sunlight; a layer of photo switchable molecules; a plurality of dielectric elastomer layers, each of the plurality of dielectric elastomer layer comprising a layer of dielectric elastomer material and a layer of N-P junction transistors between the layers of dielectric elastomer material; a layer of insulators separating each of the plurality of dielectric elastomer layers; and an elastic cushioning which is placed between the plurality of dielectric elastomer layers and surrounding the dielectric elastomer material.
Method for producing rubber wet masterbatch and method for producing rubber composition
U.S. patent: 11,584,832
Issued: February 21, 2023
Inventor: Akihito Mitsui
Assigned: Toyo Tire
Key statement: A method for producing a rubber wet masterbatch, the method including: adding a rubber latex solution to a carbon black containing slurry aqueous solution in which a carbon black is dispersed in water and mixing the solutions to produce a carbon black containing rubber latex aqueous solution; coagulating the carbon black containing rubber latex aqueous solution obtained to produce a carbon black containing rubber coagulum; cleaning the carbon black containing rubber coagulum obtained to produce a cleaned carbon black containing rubber coagulum; and dehydrating and drying the cleaned carbon black containing rubber coagulum obtained to produce a rubber wet masterbatch, wherein an amount of an acetone extract from the cleaned carbon black containing rubber coagulum is 2% by mass or less after drying the coagulum at 23°C for 24 hours and further at 90°C for 2 hours. Vulcanized rubber having excellent low exothermicity and excellent abrasion resistance can be obtained by the method.
Non-pneumatic tire with multi-piece web
U.S. patent: 11,584,164
Issued: February 21, 2023
Inventors: Benjamin D. Knospe, Louis J. Stark and Zachary G. Lorenz
Assigned: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations
Key statement: A non-pneumatic tire includes a plurality of axially adjacent wheel portions. Each wheel portion has an inner ring, an outer ring and a flexible, interconnected web extending between the inner ring and the outer ring. The flexible, interconnected web includes a plurality of web sectors disposed circumferentially about the tire to form a generally annular web. Each of the plurality of web sectors is hingedly connected to a pair of oppositely adjacent web sectors.
Pneumatic tire
U.S. patent: 11,584,165
Issued: February 21, 2023
Inventor: Yuta Uchida
Assigned: Yokohama Rubber
Key statement: In a tread portion of a pneumatic tire, a first sipe wall surface of a sipe includes at least two first peak portions and at least one first valley portion at each position of the sipe extension direction, which are bent in a wave-like shape to form surface recesses and protrusions along a sipe depth direction. The first valley portion is sandwiched between the two first peak portions in the sipe depth direction and extends from one end of the sipe in the extension direction to the other end of the sipe in the extension direction. A recess depth of the first valley portion with respect to the two first peak portions gradually reduces. A position of at least one of the two first peak portions in the sipe depth direction and a position of the first valley portion in the sipe depth direction become gradually closer.
Heavy duty tire rubber compositions and tires
U.S. patent: 11,590,799
Issued: February 28, 2023
Inventors: Daisuke Koda and Hiroshi Kanbara
Assigned: Kuraray
Key statement: The invention provides a heavy duty tire rubber composition excellent in wet grip performance and steering stability and a tire tread, a bead filler, a tire belt and a heavy duty tire which each partially include the composition. The heavy duty tire rubber composition includes 100 parts by mass of a solid rubber (A), 0.1 to 50 parts by mass of a modified liquid diene rubber (B) having a functional group derived from a silane compound with a specific structure and 20 to 200 parts by mass of a filler (C), the modified liquid diene rubber (B) satisfying the following (i) and (ii): (i) the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is not less than 1,000 and not more than 120,000, and (ii) the vinyl content is not less than 30 mol % and less than 70 mol %.
Polysaccharide elastomer masterbatch compositions
U.S. patent: 11,608,417
Issued: March 21, 2023
Inventors: Natnael Behabtu, Jeffrey S. Downey, Christian Peter Lenges and Tizazu H. Mekonnen
Assigned: Nutrition & Biosciences
Key statement: Disclosed herein are polysaccharide elastomer masterbatch compositions and processes for preparing the masterbatch compositions. One method comprises a step of a) mixing i) an aqueous polysaccharide dispersion, or ii) a basic aqueous polysaccharide solution with a rubber latex solution containing a rubber component to form a mixture. The method further comprises the steps of: b) coagulating the mixture obtained in step a) to produce a coagulated mass; and c) drying the coagulated mass obtained in step b). The masterbatch compositions are useful in preparing rubber containing articles.