Innovations to Reduce Air Leak from Tires

Graphene is added to rubber compounds, particularly to the inner liner of tires, to improve air retention properties. This reduces permeability and helps maintain tire pressure. The graphene additive provides impermeability beyond what is achieved with traditional halobutyl rubber liners.

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A resin composition for high-performance tire inner liners that simultaneously improves air permeation resistance and manufacturing processability. The composition includes a base resin of non-hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated petroleum resin and an additive of modified petroleum resin where a molecular weight modifier is attached to improve compatibility with rubber.

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A rotor for vehicle tire pressure control systems that provides a suitable breather of the axle hub and improved oil retention, preventing wear and potential accidents. It has channels and traps in the bearing to guide pressurized air from the axle to the block center where it exits to the exterior, allowing the axle to breathe without oil leakage. It also has an anti-rotation mechanism using a spring-loaded seal to prevent axle rotation.

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Pneumatic tires with self-sealing properties to prevent or repair punctures. The tires have a sealant layer and an air barrier layer applied to the cured tire after manufacturing. The sealant layer includes a self-curing butyl rubber composition that can repair punctures. The air barrier layer includes a blend of thermoplastic and elastomeric polymers to reduce air permeation. The layers adhere directly to the tire carcass without an inner liner.

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Building a tire without a separate inner liner, to save costs and weight. Instead of using a separate inner liner rubber, an air barrier material is sprayed on the inner surface of the cured tire after manufacturing. The tire is inflated to shape, then secured and rotated while a spray nozzle applies the air barrier. The spraying can be done using various machines in the tire production process like inflation machines, conveyor sections, or tire trimmers. The sprayed-on air barrier material replaces the inner liner to prevent air loss from the tire.

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Pneumatic tire with improved self-sealing performance that maintains sealing ability at high and low temperatures. The tire has an inner liner to maintain air pressure, a sealant layer on the inner surface, and a sound-absorbing material adjacent to the sealant. The sealant layer has two thicknesses - a wider first layer against the liner and a narrower second layer on top. This prevents the sound-absorbing material from degrading the self-sealing ability.

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A self-sealing tire construction and manufacturing method that allows for easy and cost-effective production of puncture-sealing tires with noise reduction. The tire has a foam layer containing a pre-sealant material that breaks down and seals punctures when the tire is vulcanized. The foam layer also reduces road noise. The foam is made by taking advantage of off-gassing during vulcanization that foams the elastomer around the pre-sealant.

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A method of building a tire without an inner liner. The method involves spraying an air barrier material onto the inner surface of the tire after curing. The spraying can be done using automated equipment like an extending nozzle from below the tire. This eliminates the need for a separate inner liner layer and saves cost and weight compared to traditional tires.

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Inflation valve for tubeless tires with stems that have anti-rotation features to improve airflow, allow easy disassembly, and prevent clogging. The valve stem has protrusions that engage slots in the valve body to restrict rotation. This allows the stem to move axially while preventing it from twisting. The valve body has a larger diameter valve seat than the body ID to increase airflow. The valve stem also has components that can be disassembled for cleaning or maintenance.

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Using graphene sheets as an additive in rubber compounds to improve air retention in tires and other rubber products like hoses, seals, gloves, bottles, etc. The graphene reduces the permeability of the rubber, preventing gas or liquid medium from escaping. This helps maintain pressure and prevents the loss of refrigerant gases. By reducing gas permeation in tires, rolling resistance can be reduced. The reduced graphene oxide (rGO) additive provides an ultra-high barrier property to the rubber matrix, making it impermeable.

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Process and system to manufacture high self-sealing tires using an automated, precision process that provides a layer of high molecular organic material on the tire's inner liner. The process includes cleaning the tire, spraying heated self-sealing material on the inner liner, and forced cooling. The cleaning involves soaking, scrubbing, rinsing, rotating, and air drying. The spraying uses an accelerated rotating tire and heated material. The forced cooling uses directed air to rapidly cool the sprayed material.

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Innerliner of a tire that has reduced air permeability by incorporating graphene into the rubber compound. The graphene additive is used in the rubber composition of the inner liner layer of a tire to reduce air permeation which improves tire inflation pressure retention.

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A system for monitoring tire pressure that can accurately detect slow leaks without additional sensors or parameters. The system uses pressure sensors on two tires of an axle and an aggregator that compares the pressure difference between the tires. A noise filter and leak detection module analyzes the aggregated pressure data to determine if a leak is occurring. This allows precise detection of slow leaks that cause a pressure difference between tires.

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