Electrically conductive rubber composition and article of manufacture, including tire, having component thereof

• US 6,228,929 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1999
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Beauvais, Melissa Marie, Gasner, Glenn Ervin, Larson, Brent Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cain, Edward J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WYROZEBSKI LEE, KATARZYNA I
• Application Number:
  US09/397,973
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 524/495, 524/496, 152/152.1
• US Class Current: 524/495
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0452 Antenna structure, control or arrangement vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/04 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/02 containing two or more polymers of the same C08L -group
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/22 Copolymers of isobutene; Butyl rubber ; Homo- or copolymers of other iso-olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/283 Halogenated homo- or copolymers of iso-olefins
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/06 Homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated hydrocarbons; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/08 Homopolymers or copolymers according to C08L7/00 - C08L21/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 9/00 Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 9/06 Copolymers with styrene
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres

Abstract

An electrically-conductive rubber composition and article of manufacture having a component thereof. In one aspect, such article of manufacture is a pneumatic rubber tire of a toroidal shape having a cavity designed to be substantially enclosed by the toroidal shape of the tire and its closure completed by a rigid rim onto which the tire is designed to be mounted. In another aspect, such pneumatic tire contains such rubber composition positioned on or within a rubber innerliner of the tire; wherein the innerliner is a surface of said cavity. In a further aspect, said rubber composition is an annular strip of an electrically-conductive rubber composition on or within such tire innerliner. The said annular strip is intended to be an antenna for having a capability of receiving electromagnetic waves from outside the tire and of transmitting electromagnetic waves from the inside of the tire to the outside of the tire.

Claims

1. A tire having at least one component of comprised of an electrically conductive rubber composition having a volume resistivity, when cured, within a range of about 0.5 to about 10 ohm-cm, which is essentially free of oil, wherein said uncured rubber composition is comprised of, based on 100 phr of rubber,

(A) about 50 to about 95 phr of at least one solid rubber,

(B) about 5 to about 50 phr of a liquid rubber having a molecular weight within a range of 10,000 to 50,000 selected from at least one of

(1) liquid polyisoprene liquid rubber, and

(2) isobutylene-based liquid rubber, and

(C) about 10 to about 160 phr of at least one carbon black having an Iodine value (ASTMD1510) within a range of 900 to 1400 g/kg and a DBP value (ASTMD2414) within a range of 300 to 500 cm³/100 g;

wherein said solid rubber is comprised of;

(A) at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene;

(B) at least one of homopolymers and copolymers of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene and copolymers of at least one of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene with styrene, or

(C) copolymer of isobutylene and from 2 to 8 weight percent of isoprene, said isobutylene copolymer halogenated with bromine;

wherein said rubber composition is prepared by mixing said rubber composition in at least one sequential mixing step in an internal rubber mixer with at least one rotary mixing blade, in the absence of sulfur and peroxide curatives;

wherein for each mixing step, the composition is mixed to a temperature in a range of about 150°

C. to about 180°

C. and to a mixing torque which is within 50 percent of the minimum mixing torque experienced subsequent to the maximum mixing torque for mixing the rubber composition;

followed by mixing sulfur and/or peroxide curative with said rubber composition for about 1 to about 4 minutes to a temperature in a range of about 95°

C. to about 120°

C., and

wherein said carbon black is less than homogeneously mixed in said rubber composition.

3. The tire of claim 1 wherein, for the preparation of the rubber composition, said rotary mixing blade is operated at a substantially constant speed.

4. The tire of claim 1 wherein said solid rubber is selected from at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled cis 1,4-polyisoprene, so long as the rubber composition, when cured, has a volume resistivity within a range of 0.5 to 500 ohm-cm.

5. The tire of claim 1 wherein said solid rubber is said copolymer of isobutylene and isoprene, so long as the rubber composition, when cured, has a volume resistivity within a range of 0.5 to 500 ohm-cm.

2. A tire having at least one component as an assembly comprised of an electrically conductive rubber composition which physically and -electrically connects portions of at least one electrically-conductive element with said rubber composition, wherein said rubber composition has a having a volume resistivity, when cured, within a range of about 0.5 to about 10 ohm-cm, which is essentially free of oil, wherein said uncured rubber composition is comprised of, based on 100 phr of rubber,

(A) about 50 to about 95 phr of at least one solid rubber,

(B) about 5 to about 50 phr of a liquid rubber having a molecular weight within a range of 10,000 to 50.000 selected from at least one of

(1) liquid polyisoprene liquid rubber, and

(2) isobutylene-based liquid rubber, and

(C) about 10 to about 160 phr of at least one carbon black having an Iodine value (ASTMD1510) within a range of 900 to 1400 g/kg and a DBP value (ASTMD2414) within a range of 300 to 500 cm³/100 g;

wherein said solid rubber is comprised of

(A) at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene;

(B) at least one of homopolymers and copolymers of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene and copolymers of at least one of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene with styrene, or

(C) copolymer of isobutylene and from 2 to 8 weight percent of isoprene, said isobutylene copolymer halogenated with bromine;

wherein said rubber composition is prepared by mixing said rubber composition in at least one sequential mixing step in an internal rubber mixer with at least one rotary mixing blade, in the absence of sulfur and peroxide curatives;

wherein for each mixing step the composition is mixed to a temperature in a range of about 150°

C. to about 180°

C. and to a mixing torque which is within 50 percent of the minimum mixing torque experienced subsequent to the maximum mixing torque for mixing the rubber composition;

followed by mixing sulfur and/or peroxide curative with said rubber composition for about 1 to 4 minutes to a temperature in a range of about 95°

C. to about 120°

C., and

wherein said carbon black is less than homogeneously sly mixed in said rubber composition.

6. The tire of claim 2 wherein said electrically conductive element is a metallic element.

7. The tire of claim 2 wherein, for the preparation of the rubber composition, said rotary mixing blade is operated at a substantially constant speed.

8. The tire of claim 2 wherein said solid rubber is selected from at least one of synthetic cis 1,4-polyisoprene and tin coupled cis 1,4-polyisoprene, so long as the rubber composition, when cured, has a volume resistivity within a range of 0.5 to 500 ohm-cm.

9. The tire of claim 2 wherein said solid rubber is said copolymer of isobutylene and isoprene, so long as the rubber composition, when cured, has a volume resistivity within a range of 0.5 to 500 ohm-cm.