Patent ID: 7694708

Claim:
A pneumatic tire comprised of a circumferential tread, two spaced apart beads, and sidewalls connecting said beads and tread, wherein said tire sidewall contains at least one internal annular sidewall insert comprising at least two annular segments, the at least two annular segments comprising first and second adjacent annular segments; wherein said first and second annular segments are disposed with an interface therebetween; wherein the sidewall insert is a runflat insert spaced radially apart from an apex; wherein the first and second annular segments are disposed in a configuration selected from the group consisting of a) the first annular segment is disposed axially inward of the second annular segment, and b) the first annular segment is disposed radially proximate to the apex and the second annular segment is disposed radially distal to the apex; wherein each of the at least two annular segments comprises a rubber composition comprising at least one diene based rubber and at least one vulcanization modifier selected from the group consisting of α,ω-bis(N,N′-dihydrocarbylthiocarbamamoyldithio)alkanes, bismaleimides, and biscitraconimides; and wherein the concentration of vulcanization modifier in the first annular segment is less than the concentration of vulcanization modifier in the second annular segment.