A method for replenishing sealant that has escaped from a self-sealing pneumatic tire (2, 10) through one or more holes is disclosed. The self-sealing pneumatic tire comprises a generally toroidal-shaped supporting carcass (4, 14) with an outer circumferential tread (8, 11), two spaced beads (5, 15), at least one ply extending from bead to bead (5, 15), sidewalls (3, 13) extending radially from and connecting said tread (8, 11) to said beads (5, 15), a sealant layer (7, 17) which is disposed radially inwardly from the supporting carcass (4, 14), and an innerliner (6, 16) which is disposed radially inwardly from the sealant layer (7, 17) or between the supporting carcass (4, 14) and the sealant layer (7, 17), and wherein said circumferential tread (8, 11) is adapted to be ground-contacting. In a first aspect, the method comprises injecting a liquid sealant formulation into the sealant layer (7, 17) of the tire (2, 10) through at least one of said holes; and repairing said hole or holes in the supporting carcass (4, 14) and the innerliner (6, 16) of the tire (2, 10). In a second aspect, the method comprises making a slit in the innerliner (6, 16) of the tire (2, 10); injecting a solid sealant composition into the slit to replenish the level of sealant in the tire (2, 10), wherein the sealant composition comprises a butyl rubber and/or polyisobutylene and a peroxide; sealing the slit and any the hole or holes in the supporting carcass (4, 14) of the tire (2, 10); and subjecting the tire (2, 10) to a cure cycle. Also, a sealant composition for repairing self-sealing tires is diclosed consisting or consisting essentially of a liquid polyisobutylene having a weight average molecular weight which is within the range of from 25,000 to 200,000 and a colorant or a pigment.
METHOD FOR REPAIRING SELF-SEALING TIRES AND SEALANT COMPOSITION
VERFAHREN ZUR REPARATUR VON SELBSTDICHTENDEN REIFEN UND DICHTUNGSZUSAMMENSETZUNG
PROCÉDÉ DE RÉPARATION DE PNEUS AUTO-OBTURANTS ET COMPOSITION D'ÉTANCHÉITÉ
2022-04-20
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | B29C Formen oder Verbinden von Kunststoffen , SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS / B29D PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE , Herstellen besonderer Gegenstände aus Kunststoff oder aus Stoffen in plastischem Zustand / B60C VEHICLE TYRES , Fahrzeugreifen / C09K Materialien für Anwendungen, soweit nicht anderweitig vorgesehen , MATERIALS FOR APPLICATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR |
Self-repairing sealant, preparation method of self-repairing sealant and self-repairing tire
European Patent Office | 2024
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