Patents for August

USTPO patents for the Rubber Industry as compiled by the editors of Rubber World Magazine for August 2022

Method for producing a diene elastomer modified with a 1,3-dipolar compound
U.S. patent: 11,370,866
Issued: June 28, 2022
Inventor: Rokhiyatou Said-Diatta
Assigned: Michelin
Key statement: A process for the preparation of a diene elastomer modified by a 1,3-dipolar compound is provided. The process comprises a thermomechanical kneading of a mixture of a diene elastomer and of a 1,3-dipolar compound in an internal mixer in order to form a modified diene elastomer, followed by an extrusion of the modified diene elastomer.

Rubber composition for tires and pneumatic tires
U.S. patent: 11,370,899
Issued: June 28, 2022
Inventor: Hayato Yoshiyasu
Assigned: Sumitomo Rubber
Key statement: The present invention provides a rubber composition for tires which provides a balanced improvement in ice performance, fuel economy and abrasion resistance and a pneumatic tire containing the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for tires containing a rubber component including at least 80% by mass in total of at least one of an isoprene based rubber, a polybutadiene rubber or a styrene butadiene rubber, the rubber composition containing, per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, 10 to 120 parts by mass of silica, 0.2 to 10 parts by mass of a tetrazine compound of formula (1) and 1 to 50 parts by mass of a low molecular weight diene polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 200,000 or less.

Rubber composition, crosslinked product and tire
U.S. patent: 11,370,900
Issued: June 28, 2022
Inventors: Koichiro Tani, Naoki Sugiyama, Kunpei Kobayashi and Ryoji Tanaka
Assigned: Eneos Materials
Key statement: A rubber composition contains (A) a modified conjugated diene based polymer, (B) modified silica and (C) a polymer having crystalline character. A crosslinked product is produced through crosslinking of the rubber composition containing the modified conjugated diene based polymer (A), the modified silica (B) and the polymer having crystalline character (C). The crosslinked product is used for producing a tire including a tread and a sidewall, wherein at least one of the tread and the sidewall is formed of the crosslinked product.

Thermoplastic elastomer composition, method for producing the same and elastomer molded body
U.S. patent: 11,370,913
Issued: June 28, 2022
Inventors: Keisuke Chino, Hiroaki Suzuki, Zhengzhe Jin and Yusuke Matsuo
Assigned: Eneos
Key statement: A thermoplastic elastomer composition having at least one elastomer component selected from the group made of elastomeric polymers (A), each of which has a side chain containing a hydrogen-bond crosslinkable moiety having a carbonyl containing group and/or a nitrogen containing heterocycle and has a glass transition point of 25°C or below and elastomeric polymers (B), each of which contains a hydrogen bond crosslinkable moiety and a covalent bond crosslinking moiety in a side chain and has a glass transition point of 25°C or below; an organically modified clay, a content ratio of which is 20 parts by mass or less relative to 100 parts by mass of the elastomer component; and a polymer (Z) which is a polymer other than the elastomeric polymers (A) and (B) and an SP value of which is 9.0 or more and is greater by 0.5 or more than an SP value of the elastomer component.

Tire comprising a rubber composition
U.S. patent: 11,390,117
Issued: July 19, 2022
Inventors: Makiko Watanabe and Hiroko Fukasawa
Assigned: Michelin
Key statement: A tire comprises a rubber composition based on at least an elastomer matrix comprising 20 to 70 phr of a first diene elastomer bearing at least one SiOR function, R being a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon radical, the SiOR function not located at the chain ends of the first diene elastomer, 20 to 70 phr of a second diene elastomer which is a polyisoprene and optionally, 0 to 20 phr of a third diene elastomer; and a reinforcing filler comprising a reinforcing inorganic filler.

Surface modifier for rubber composition and rubber composition containing same
U.S. patent: 11,390,749
Issued: July 19, 2022
Inventors: Yoji Nakamura, Tetsuaki Ando and Arata Taguchi
Assigned: Nippon Seiro
Key statement: The present invention provides a surface modifier for a rubber composition that can enhance appearance without decreasing ozone resistance of the rubber composition. The surface modifier for a rubber composition of the present invention includes a hydrocarbon based anti-aging wax for rubber (B) and an appearance improving agent (C), in which the content of a linear monovalent primary alcohol is more than 1.5 parts by weight and less than 35 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the surface modifier for a rubber composition; per 100 parts by weight of the primary alcohol, the content of a component having 30 to 38 carbon atoms is more than 35 parts by weight; the content of a component having 12 to 26 carbon atoms is less than 25 parts by weight; and the content of a component having 42 to 68 carbon atoms is less than 25 parts by weight.

Self-healing vehicle with 3D printing device for autonomous tire repair
U.S. patent: 11,396,152
Issued: July 26, 2022
Inventor: Matthew MacGregor Roy
Key statement: A vehicle comprises a chassis, wheels rotationally mounted to the chassis, each wheel being disposed within a respective wheel well and a tire mounted to each wheel. A tire sensor disposed within the wheel well senses a tire condition and generates and outputs a tire condition signal indicative of the tire condition. A repair controller receives the tire condition signal from the tire sensor and processes the tire condition signal to determine whether to repair the tire. The repair controller is configured to generate and output a tire repair signal. A 3D printing device disposed in the wheel well and communicatively connected to the repair controller receives the tire repair signal and 3D prints an additive reparation to the tire by drawing a tire repair compound from a supply container within the vehicle and by depositing the tire repair compound on the tire to repair the tire.

Tire provided with an outer sidewall containing a composition comprising a crumb rubber
U.S. patent: 11,396,208
Issued: July 26, 2022
Inventors: Pierre Tregouet, Muhamed Jesbeer Kallungal and Abdul Jaleel
Assigned: Michelin
Key statement: A tire is provided with an outer sidewall, said outer sidewall comprising at least a rubber composition based on at least an elastomer, a reinforcing filler, a crosslinking system and more than 25 phr of a crumb rubber.