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EP0744304A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Tires with dyed indicia

Assignee: Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co
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Filing: 1996-05-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-05-17
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Abstract

Abstract This invention relates to a vulcanized rubber substrate such as, for example, a tire and a crosslinked, non-black rubber composition layer thereon such as, for example, a white sidewall. In one aspect, the invention relates to such a tire wherein said white sidewall is colored after its vulcanization with a contrasting colored dye. In another aspect, a dye solution is provided which is comprised of a dye dissolved in a hydrocarbon solvent which is characterized by having a solubility parameter of from about 12 to about 20 [J/m 3 ] 1/2 ·10 -3 according to the Polymer Handbook. Upon application of such dye solution to, for example, a crosslinked white portion of a tire sidewall, such dye solution penetrates and swells at least a portion of said white tire sidewall. Upon evaporation of the solvent, a dyed penetration layer is formed.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ramendra Nath Majumdar
  • 👤 John Richard White

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 11:58
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60C; B60C13/00; B60C13/001; B29; B29D; B29D30/00; B29D30/06; B29D30/72; B29D2030/728

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 77 words
A pneumatic tire, comprising; a toroidal shaped carbon black filled vulcanized rubber composition having integral therewith, a crosslinked non-black rubber composition comprising at least one hydrocarbon rubber having less than 10 weight percent of polar groups therein, a white pigment, characterized by having a hydrocarbon soluble dye absorbed into at least a portion of said crosslinked non-black rubber composition, said non-black rubber composition having an exposed surface with a CIE 1976 L* value of at least 40.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 78 words
A pneumatic tire according to claim 1, characterized in that the said crosslinked non-black hydrocarbon rubber composition comprises from about 20 to about 80 parts by weight of a copolymer per 100 parts by weight of said total hydrocarbon rubber, said copolymer containing at least 50 weight percent of repeat units derived from one or more C 4 to C 7 isomonoolefin monomers, and wherein said toroidal shaped vulcanized composition has a tread region and two sidewall regions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 55 words
A pneumatic tire according to claim 2, characterized in that the said white pigment comprises titanium dioxide, wherein said portion having absorbed dye of said non-black rubber composition is one or more selective exterior layers, and wherein said crosslinked non-black rubber composition has swelling capacity of at least 75 volume percent in a hydrocarbon solvent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 116 words
A pneumatic tire according to claim 3, characterized in that the said non-black rubber composition comprises: from about 25 to about 65 parts by weight of a copolymer being at least 50 weight percent repeat units from one or more C 4 to C 7 isomonoolefin monomers; up to 30 parts by weight of EPDM rubber, and from about 15 to about 75 parts by weight of natural rubber or a synthetic polymer or combinations thereof, said synthetic polymer having at least 50 weight percent of repeat units derived from a C 4 to C 12 conjugated diene monomer, said parts by weight based upon 100 parts by weight total rubbers of said non-black rubber composition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 66 words
A pneumatic tire according to claim 1, characterized in that the said hydrocarbon soluble dye has a solubility in a hydrocarbon solvent of at least 0.001 gram per one gram of said hydrocarbon solvent, said hydrocarbon solvent having a solubility parameter of from about 12 to about 20, and wherein said crosslinked non-black hydrocarbon rubber has less than 3 percent by weight of polar groups therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 42 words
A pneumatic tire according to claim 5, characterized in that the said dye is an azo, diazo dye, an anthraquinone dye, a quinoline dye, an aromatic hydrocarbon dye, an indo dye, or a ketone imine/methine dye, or derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 63 words
A pneumatic tire according to claim 4, characterized in that the said hydrocarbon soluble dye has a solubility in a hydrocarbon solvent of at least 0.001 gram per one gram of said hydrocarbon solvent having a solubility parameter of from about 12 to about 20, and wherein said crosslinked non-black hydrocarbon rubber has less than 2 percent by weight of polar groups therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 42 words
A pneumatic tire according to claim 7, characterized in that the said dye is an azo, diazo dye, an anthraquinone dye, a quinoline dye, an aromatic hydrocarbon dye, an indo dye, or a ketone imine/methine dye, or derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 115 words
A process for dyeing a pneumatic tire, characterized by comprising the steps of; applying a dye solution to at least one selective external surface of a crosslinked non-black rubber composition integral with said pneumatic tire, said dye solution being comprised of a dye and a hydrocarbon solvent having a solubility parameter of from about 12 to about 20 [J/m 3 ] 1/2 ·10 -3 , said solvent containing less than 10 percent by weight of polar atoms other than halogens based upon the total weight of said solvent, said dye being soluble in said hydrocarbon solvent, forming a dye penetration layer in said non-black rubber composition at said selective surface, and evaporating said hydrocarbon solvent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 60 words
A process according to claim 9, characterized in that the said crosslinked non-black surface of said pneumatic tire is one or more sidewall surfaces, wherein said dye penetration layer is up to 100 mils deep in said one or more non-black rubber composition sidewall surfaces, and wherein said hydrocarbon solvent contains less than 5 percent by weight of polar atoms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 48 words
A process according to claim 10, characterized in that the said non-black sidewall surface has a CIE 1976 L* value before dyeing of at least 50 according to method ASTM E 308, and wherein said hydrocarbon solvent has a solubility parameter of from about 13 to about 18.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 65 words
A process according to claim 11, characterized in that the said penetration layer is from about 10 to about 80 mils deep, wherein said hydrocarbon solvent contains less than 2 percent by weight of polar atoms, wherein said non-black rubber composition has a swelling capacity of at least 75 percent in a hydrocarbon solvent, and wherein said CIE 1976 L* value is at least 80.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process according to claim 12, characterized in that the said penetration layer has a dye gradient therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 59 words
A rubber article, comprising; a crosslinked substrate and an adhered crosslinked non-black rubber composition layer thereon having a swelling capacity in a hydrocarbon solvent of at least 75 percent, characterized by having a penetration layer located in the exterior portion of said non-black rubber composition layer up to the thickness thereof, and said penetration layer containing a dye therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 50 words
A rubber article according to claim 14, characterized in that the said non-black rubber has a non-dyed CIE 1976 L* value of at least 40 according to method ASTM E 308, wherein said dye is a hydrocarbon soluble dye, and wherein said penetration layer extends up to 80 mils deep.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 64 words
A rubber article according to claim 15, characterized in that the said substrate is a pneumatic tire and wherein said swellable non-black rubber layer is a white tire sidewall, and wherein said dye is an azo dye, a diazo dye, a quinoline dye, an anthraquinone dye, an aromatic hydrocarbon dye, an indo dye, or a ketone imine/methine dye, or derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 76 words
An apparatus for dyeing a crosslinked swellable non-black rubber composition, characterized by comprising; a dispenser having a receptacle containing a dye solution comprising a hydrocarbon soluble dye and a hydrocarbon solvent having a solubility parameter of from about 12 to about 20 [J/m 3 ] 1/2 ·10 -3 , and having less than 10 percent by weight of polar atoms based upon the weight of said solvent, and an applicator in fluid communication with said receptacle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 19 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 17, characterized by including a nozzle, said applicator matingly engaging said nozzle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 26 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 17, characterized in that the said applicator is a felt, a fabric, a cloth, a sponge, or a roller.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 71 words
A dye solution, characterized by comprising; a soluble dye dissolved in a hydrocarbon solvent having a solubility parameter of from about 12 to about 20, [J/m 3 ] 1/2 ·10 -3 , said hydrocarbon solvent having less than 10 parts by weight of polar atoms per 100 parts by weight of said solvent, said hydrocarbon solvent being capable of swelling a crosslinked non-black rubber composition and forming a dye penetration layer.

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