TIRE CARCASS COMPRISING AN OUTER LAYER OF THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER
A tire carcass comprises two sidewalls ( 2 ) and a crown region ( 3 ) suitable for receiving, radially externally, a tread ( 4 ), the internal surface of the sidewalls and of the crown forming an internal wall ( 10 ), and also comprises a circumferential tread support surface ( 6 ) provided with a layer of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).
1 .- 12 . (canceled)
13 . A tire carcass comprising two sidewalls and a crown region suitable for receiving, radially externally, a tread, the internal surface of the sidewalls and of the crown forming an internal wall,
wherein the carcass further comprises a circumferential tread support surface covered with a layer of thermoplastic elastomer, and
wherein the layer of thermoplastic elastomer is crosslinked with an adjacent layer of crown rubber mixture.
14 . The tire carcass according to claim 13 , wherein the layer of thermoplastic elastomer is located radially externally with respect to the carcass.
15 . The tire carcass according to claim 13 , wherein the layer of thermoplastic elastomer is covered with a removable protective membrane.
16 . The tire carcass according to claim 13 , wherein the layer of thermoplastic elastomer consists of styrene/butadiene/styrene or styrene/butadiene/styrene/poly(para-phenylene ether).
17 . The tire carcass according to claim 13 , wherein the layer of thermoplastic elastomer comprises a thickness of between 10 μm and 1 mm.
18 . The tire carcass according to claim 17 , wherein the layer of thermoplastic elastomer comprises a thickness of between 10 μm and 200 μm.
19 . The tire carcass according to claim 18 , wherein the layer of thermoplastic elastomer comprises a thickness of between 10 μm and 80 μm.
20 . The tire carcass according to claim 13 further comprising a carcass reinforcing structure.
21 . The tire carcass according to claim 20 , wherein the carcass reinforcing structure is provided with radial and/or longitudinal reinforcers.
22 . The tire carcass according to claim 13 further comprising at least one crown reinforcement.
23 . A tire consisting of a carcass according to claim 13 on which is positioned a tread attached against the circumferential tread support surface.
24 . The tire according to claim 23 , wherein the tread is attached to the carcass by thermal bonding.
25 . The tire according to claim 23 , wherein the tread is removably attached to the carcass.