Method of making a self-sealing tire, and a tire

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of making a self-sealing pneumatic tire, the tire having a tread width and a radially innermost surface having a residue deposited thereon, comprising the steps of: activating a laser to generate laser radiation; directing a pulse of laser radiation to impinge on an area of the innermost surface, the pulse of radiation having a pulse width and a fluence sufficient to remove at least part of the residue in the area to form a cleaned area; repeating the step of directing the pulse of radiation sequentially over the innermost surface to form a sequence of cleaned areas, the sequence of cleaned areas defining a stripe, the stripe following a continuous nonlinear path extending at least one circumference about the inner surface, the stripe having a stripe width W2; applying a bead of sealant in a continuous bead path extending at least one circumference about the inner surface, the bead of sealant at least partially overlaying the stripe. The invention is further directed to as such a self-sealing pneumatic tire.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A pneumatic tire having a radially innermost circumferential innerliner surface and a tread width, the surface comprising:
 first regions covered by a residue;   at least one stripe region axially bound by the first regions, the at least stripe region substantially devoid of the residue, the at least one stripe region having a stripe width, the at least one stripe region circumscribing a continuous nonlinear path extending at least one circumference about the inner surface; and   a layer of sealant extending continuously circumferentially, the layer of sealant radially inward of the innerliner surface and overlaying the innerliner surface.   
     
     
         12 . The pneumatic tire of  claim 11 , wherein the layer of sealant comprises a bead of sealant extending in a continuous bead path at least one circumference about the inner surface, the bead of sealant at least partially overlaying the stripe. 
     
     
         13 . The pneumatic tire of  claim 12 , wherein the sealant bead has a bead width substantially equal to the stripe width. 
     
     
         14 . The pneumatic tire of  claim 12 , wherein the sealant bead extends spirally about the circumference of the tire and axially adjacent windings of the bead together extend axially across a predetermined width. 
     
     
         15 . The pneumatic tire of  claim 14 , wherein each bead is positioned axially adjacent to and contacting another bead. 
     
     
         16 . The pneumatic tire of  claim 11 , wherein the continuous nonlinear path comprises a sinusoidal path having a period and an amplitude. 
     
     
         17 . The pneumatic tire of  claim 16 , wherein the ratio of period distance to amplitude distance ranges from 1.5 to 2.5, and the ratio of the amplitude to the stripe width ranges from 2.5 to 3.5. 
     
     
         18 . The pneumatic tire of  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined width is at least one of a tread width distance, a shoulder-to-shoulder width distance, and a bead-to-bead distance. 
     
     
         19 . The pneumatic tire of  claim 11 , wherein the residue comprises a release agent. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled)