US 12,345,636 B2
Terahertz characterization of a multi-layered tire tread
Claude Schweitzer, Colmar-Berg (LU); Pierre Felix Orlewski, Ettelbruck (LU); Christian Jean-Marie Kaes, Schrondweiler (LU); Abdulkareem Modupe Melaiye, Akron, OH (US); Michael Freylinger, Akron, OH (US); Sylvain Fourme, Medernach (LU); and Pauline Monique Ghislaine Delroisse, Vance (LU)
Assigned to THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, Akron, OH (US)
Filed by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, OH (US)
Filed on Dec. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/532,690.
Application 18/532,690 is a continuation of application No. 17/823,087, filed on Aug. 30, 2022, granted, now 11,874,223.
Prior Publication US 2024/0102926 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 21/35 (2014.01); G01N 21/3563 (2014.01); G01N 21/3581 (2014.01)
CPC G01N 21/3581 (2013.01) [G01N 21/3563 (2013.01); G01N 2201/0696 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for characterizing a multi-layered tire tread, the method comprising:
producing a multi-layered tire tread comprising a first layer comprising a first rubber composition and a second layer comprising a second rubber composition, wherein the first rubber composition has a first refractive index and the second rubber composition has a second refractive index, and a difference between the first refractive index and the second refractive index is greater than, equal to, or lower than a threshold refractive index;
irradiating the multi-layered tire tread with a THz electromagnetic radiation; and
receiving radiation transmitted through the multi-layered tire tread and/or radiation reflected by the multi-layered tire tread,
wherein the method further comprises adding a refractive index modifier to the first rubber composition and/or second rubber composition in case the comparison provides that the difference is greater than or lower than the threshold refractive index, and
wherein an amount of the refractive index modifier is varied during the step of producing a multi-layered tire tread.