TYRE HAVING A TREAD COMPRISING AN IMPREGNATED FELT

1 - 22 . (canceled)

23 : A tyre comprising a tread,

wherein the tread includes a felt impregnated with an elastomer material based on at least one thermoplastic elastomer,

wherein each thermoplastic elastomer is a block copolymer that includes at least one elastomer block and at least one thermoplastic block, and

wherein fibres of the impregnated felt are selected from a group that includes: textile fibres, inorganic fibres, and mixtures of textile fibres and inorganic fibres.

24 . The tyre according to claim 23 ,

wherein the tread includes tread pattern elements, each tread pattern element including a contact face, and

wherein the impregnated felt constitutes a portion of the contact faces of the tread pattern elements.

25 . The tyre according to claim 24 ,

wherein the tread includes a circumferential rib, and

wherein the impregnated felt constitutes a contact face of the circumferential rib.

26 . The tyre according to claim 24 ,

wherein the tread includes a group of tread pattern elements positioned axially, each tread pattern element including a contact face, and

wherein the impregnated felt constitutes the contact faces of the tread pattern elements of the group.

27 . The tyre according to claim 24 , wherein the impregnated felt constitutes an entirety of the tread.

28 . The tyre according to claim 23 ,

wherein the tread includes a tread pattern element, and

wherein the impregnated felt constitutes a portion of the tread pattern element.

29 . The tyre according to claim 28 ,

wherein the tread includes a circumferential rib, and

wherein the impregnated felt constitutes a portion of the circumferential rib.

30 . The tyre according to claim 28 ,

wherein the tread includes a block, and

wherein the impregnated felt constitutes a portion of the block.

31 . The tyre according to claim 30 ,

wherein the tread includes a group a blocks positioned axially, and

wherein the impregnated felt constitutes a portion of the group of blocks.

32 . The tyre according to claim 23 , wherein the fibres of the impregnated felt are selected from a group of fibres that includes: silk fibres, cotton fibres, cellulose fibres, bamboo fibres, wool fibres, and mixtures thereof.

33 . The tyre according to claim 32 , wherein the fibres of the impregnated felt are wool fibres.

34 . The tyre according to claim 23 , wherein the fibres of the impregnated felt are selected from a group of fibres that includes: polyamide fibres, aramid fibres, carbon fibres, polyethylene fibres, polypropylene fibres, polyacrylonitrile fibres, polyimide fibres, polysulphone fibres, polyethersulphone fibres, polyurethane fibres, polyvinyl alcohol fibres, polyester fibres, polyvinyl chloride fibres, and mixtures thereof.

35 . The tyre according to claim 34 , wherein the fibres of the impregnated felt are polyester fibres selected from a group of fibres that includes: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibres, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) fibres, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) fibres, and mixtures thereof.

36 . The tyre according to claim 23 , wherein the fibres of the impregnated felt are inorganic fibres selected from a group that includes: glass fibres and basalt fibres.

37 . The tyre according to claim 23 , wherein the impregnated felt, prior to impregnation, has an apparent density of greater than 0.10, with greater than 0.15 being preferable for the apparent density.

38 . The tyre according to claim 23 , wherein the at least one elastomer block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from elastomers having a glass transition temperature of less than 25° C.

39 . The tyre according to claim 38 , wherein the at least one elastomer block of the block copolymer is or are selected from a group of elastomers consisting of: ethylene elastomers, diene elastomers, and mixtures thereof.

40 . The tyre according to claim 39 , wherein the at least one elastomer block of the block copolymer is or are at least one diene elastomer resulting from isoprene, or butadiene, or an isoprene mixture, or a butadiene mixture, or a mixture including isoprene and butadiene.

41 . The tyre according to claim 38 , wherein the at least one thermoplastic block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from polymers having a glass transition temperature greater than 80° C. and, in a case in which the at least one thermoplastic block includes a semicrystalline thermoplastic block, a melting point of greater than 80° C.

42 . The tyre according to claim 38 , wherein the at least one thermoplastic block of the block copolymer is or are selected from a group of copolymers consisting of: polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyamides, polyesters, polyacetals, polyethers, polyphenylene sulphides, polyfluorinated compounds, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, polysulphones, polymethyl methacrylate copolymers, polyetherimide copolymers, thermoplastic copolymers, and mixtures thereof.

43 . The tyre according to claim 38 , wherein the at least one thermoplastic block of the block copolymer is or are chosen from polystyrenes.

44 . The tyre according to claim 38 , wherein the at least one thermoplastic elastomer is or are selected from a group of copolymers consisting of: styrene/butadiene (SB) copolymers, styrene/isoprene (SI) copolymers, styrene/butadiene/isoprene (SBI) copolymers, styrene/butadiene/styrene (SBS) copolymers, styrene/isoprene/styrene (SIS) copolymers, styrene/butadiene/isoprene/styrene (SBIS) copolymers, linear or star-branched styrene/isobutylene (SIB) copolymers, styrene/isobutylene/styrene (SIBS) thermoplastic elastomer copolymers, and mixtures thereof.