Patents for November 2022

Patents as compiled by the editors of Rubber World Magazine for November 2022

Thermoplastic elastomer composition
U.S. patent: 11,447,619
Issued: September 20, 2022
Inventors: Yun Martin Lu, Xin Zhang, Xiaofeng Zheng and Qianqian Li
Assigned: Polymax TPE
Key statement: A thermoplastic elastomer composition and method of making the thermoplastic elastomer are disclosed. The thermoplastic elastomer may comprise a polymer blend. The polymer blend may comprise a non-crosslinked elastomer, oil, polyethylene and antioxidant. The oil may be from about 15 wt.% to about 50 wt.% oil. The polyethylene may be from about 3 wt.% to about 30 wt.%. The antioxidant may be from about 0 to about 0.5 wt.%.

Shoe sole member and shoe
U.S. patent: 11,445,785
Issued: September 20, 2022
Inventors: Junichiro Tateishi, Takashi Yamade, Daisuke Sawada, Takashi Osaki and Kenichi Harano
Assigned: Asics
Key statement: Provided is a shoe sole member partially or entirely formed of a resin composite, the resin composite including; a non-foamed elastic body matrix composed of an elastomer; and a plurality of resin foam particles dispersed in the elastic body matrix. Also provided is a shoe including the shoe sole member.

System for tire inflation
U.S. patent: 11,453,258
Issued: September 27, 2022
Inventor: Brandon Richardson
Assigned: Aperia Technologies
Key statement: A system for tire inflation including a drive mechanism defining a rotational axis, including an eccentric mass that offsets a center of mass of the drive mechanism from the rotational axis along a radial vector; a pump arranged radially distal the rotational axis of the drive mechanism, including a chamber defining a chamber lumen and a reciprocating element arranged at least partially within the chamber lumen and translatable along a pump axis; a drive coupler coupled between the drive mechanism at a first position and the reciprocating element at a second position fixed to the reciprocating element; a torque regulation mechanism; and a controller, communicatively coupled to the torque regulation mechanism; wherein the system is operable between at least a first mode and a second mode by the torque regulation mechanism in cooperation with the controller.

Thermoplastic elastomer resin composition
U.S. patent: 11,453,775
Issued: September 27, 2022
Inventors: Jae-Kwan Kwon, Jin Yoo, Cheol-Han Lee, Yong-Chan Lim and Sang-Hyun Park
Assigned: Samyang
Key statement: Disclosed are a thermoplastic elastomer resin composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer resin and, as a reactive additive, a compound containing one or more isocyanurate functional groups; a molded product comprising the same.

Systems and methods for maintaining automated quality control during tire manufacture using specialized RFID tags
U.S. patent: 11,453,186
Issued: September 27, 2022
Inventors: Jos Uijlenbroek and Jan Svoboda
Assigned: Fineline Technologies
Key statement: Disclosed herein are automated systems and methods utilizing a plurality of specialized RFID tags incorporated within various tire manufacturing components (e.g., mold segments, mold container, bladder plates, tire presses and extrusion dies) that are able to readily track tire manufacture and identify defect source(s) while concurrently being configured to the harsh processes and temperatures of tire manufacture.

System and method for generating tire rubber asphalt
U.S. patent: 11,459,274
Issued: October 4, 2022
Inventors: Joseph Randall Bruns and Hashem Hashemi
Assigned: Asphalt Sciences
Key statement: A method and system for generating a tire rubber asphalt compound is described. The method includes receiving an asphalt compound and heating the asphalt compound to approximately 320°F to 420°F. The method then proceeds to add tire rubber to the asphalt compound. The asphalt compound and the scrap tire rubber are mixed for approximately 5 minutes to 360 minutes during heating to approximately 525°F to 700°F to generate the tire rubber asphalt compound. The tire rubber asphalt compound is then cooled.

Tires
U.S. patent: 11,459,448
Issued: October 4, 2022
Inventors: Toshifumi Haba, Tatsuhiro Tanaka, Yumi Sakaguchi, Yukino Inoue and Kazuhisa Fushihara;
Assigned: Sumitomo Rubber Industries
Key statement: Provided are tires that are excellent in tire properties such as fuel economy, abrasion resistance, wet grip performance, snow and ice performance, fracture resistance and flex crack growth resistance. Included is a tire containing a rubber composition containing a natural rubber derived from Taraxacum kok-saghyz having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 5,000,000 or more and including polymers having a radius of gyration (Rz) of 130 nm or larger, wherein the Mw and Rz values are measured by FFF-MALS.

Rubber plug wire seal
U.S. patent: 11,456,559
Issued: September 27, 2022
Inventors: Namiki Tsukada and Yukihiro Fukatsu
Assigned: Sumitomo Wiring Systems
Key statement: A rubber plug (A) includes a tubular seal functioning portion (10) through which a wire (20) is passed, and a tubular portion (15) through which the wire (20) is passed. The seal functioning portion (10) exhibits a sealing function by being held resiliently in close contact with an inner peripheral surface of a terminal accommodation chamber (29) and an outer peripheral surface of the wire (20). The tubular portion (15) is disposed behind the seal functioning portion (10). Weight portions (16) relatively displaceable with respect to the tubular portion (15) are formed on the outer periphery of the tubular portion (15).