Patent ID: 7419557

Claim:
A method for protecting a virgin surface of a tire innerliner from contamination by a release agent during curing, comprising: pressing a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA)-coated thermoformable film onto an exposed virgin surface of a green tire innerliner to adhere the PSA to the virgin surface and thereby form a protected green innerliner, the PSA is in direct contact with the thermoformable film and the exposed virgin surface, and wherein the PSA comprises, as a principle component, a rubber that is compatible with a rubber component of the tire innerliner; exposing the protected green innerliner to the release agent; curing the protected green innerliner, wherein the thermoformable film is easily removable and at least a portion of the PSA becomes a part of the tire innerliner upon curing; and thereafter removing the thermoformable film to reveal the virgin surface substantially free of the release agent.