Patent ID: 7247669

Claim:
A tire having a tread of a rubber composition comprised of, based upon parts by weight per 100 parts by weight rubber (phr): (A) at least one conjugated diene-based elastomer (100 phr); (B) about 20 to about 120 phr of reinforcing filler comprised of: (1) about 10 to about 110 phr of precipitated silica, (2) about 10 to about 110 phr of carbon black pellets, and (C) a coupling agent for said precipitated silica having a moiety reactive with hydroxyl groups contained on the surface of said precipitated silica and another different moiety interactive with said conjugated diene based elastomer(s); wherein said carbon black pellets are composites comprised of rubber reinforcing carbon black and an organic binder; wherein said carbon black pellets have a hardness value (ASTM D3313-88) in a range of from about 20 to about 35, wherein said rubber reinforcing carbon black has an Iodine value (ASTM D1510) in a range of from about 20 to about 200 g/kg and a DBP (dibutyl phthalate) value (ASTM D2414) in a range of from about 50 to about 200 cc/100 g, and wherein said conjugated diene-based elastomer is selected from polymers and copolymers of at least one of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene and copolymers of styrene and at least one of isoprene and 1,3-butadiene, and their mixtures.