METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SUPPORTING STRUCTURES WITH CORD-REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITION SPOKES FOR NON-PNEUMATIC TIRES

The invention is directed to advanced methods of manufacturing a supporting structure for a non-pneumatic tire comprising at least one cord-reinforced polymer composition spoke. One method comprises providing a first mold member at least partially covered by a first polymer composition layer, applying at least one cord reinforcement onto the first polymer composition layer, and over-molding a second polymer composition layer onto the first polymer composition layer to enclose said cord reinforcement between the first polymer composition layer and the second polymer composition layer so as to obtain at least a portion of the cord-reinforced polymer composition spoke. In some of the methods, the supporting structure comprises X-shaped spokes and the provision of corresponding mold inserts and/or mold members. Furthermore, the present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing a tire including molding of at least a circumferential sector of a supporting structure comprising cord-reinforced polymer composition.