Pneumatic motor vehicle tire manufacturing process involves cutting notches in tread strip surface before tire building, opening notches and adding material which differs from that of the tread strip

摘要

A rubber tread strip(1) is manufactured and notches(3) are formed in the strip surface(2). The notches are then filled with a material(7) which has different properties from the rubber compound used for the tread strip itself. After notches are cut in the tread strip(1) the tread strip is guided over a roll(5) at an angle to the conveying direction of the tread. Notches passing round the roll open up to form gaps(6) allowing the material(7) to be introduced. Material is preferably added when the tread strip is at 45[deg] to the tread strip conveying direction. Excess material is brushed off(8) the tread strip surface(2). Notches are cut in at 5-90[deg], preferably 75-90[deg], to the longitudinal axis of the strip. The roll is preferably crowned to open notches when the notch angle is 45-90[deg]. Material(7) may remain unbonded to the material of the tread strip(1) during vulcanization and is removed again after vulcanization leaving the notches to form part of the tread pattern. Alternatively the material may bond to the tread rubber during vulcanization and remain afterwards to give different tread characteristics. Notches have a cut breadth of 0.1-0.8mm, preferably 0.2-0.5mm. An independent claim is included for a motor vehicle tire including a tread strip produced by the claimed process, the notches in the tread strip being 0.1-0.8mm wide.