Abstract: A tire press comprising a center post 22 vertically movably extended through a center part of a lower ring mechanism 12 and vertically moving an upper ring 19 with respect to a lower ring mechanism 12, a heater 103 arranged in an outer peripheral position of the center post 22 on the tire inner peripheral side of a green tire 4 held by the lower ring mechanism 12 and the upper ring 19, heater 103 to apply a heat to the green tire 4, a first driving mechanism such as a tubular member vertically moving cylinder 98 capable of vertically moving the heater 103 to a suitable height position so as to move the heater 103 to a suitable position independently of vertical movement of the center post 22, and a second driving mechanism such as a driving motor 99 capable of rotating the heater 103. By the provision of such a mechanism as described, press molding relative to a green tire 4 can be completed in a sufficiently short period of time.

Abstract: A raw tire-preheating method and apparatus for preheating a raw tire uniformly over all the areas with a reduced running cost. The raw tire-preheating apparatus comprises a tread section-preheating mechanism (16) including a front coil (21) disposed so as to face a tread section (4a) for generating a high frequency magnetic field and for applying it to the tread section (4a); and a core mechanism consisting of center cores (24), separation cores (25) and side cores (26) for providing an intensity distribution of the high frequency magnetic field that the tread section (4a) is uniformly preheated overall in the tire width direction. A movement mechanism for moving at least one of the tread section-preheating mechanism (16) and the raw tire (4) is provided in order to move the tread section-preheating mechanism (16) relative to the tread section (4a).

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire vulcanizing method for, using a bladder and a tire vulcanizing press, applying preheating and shaping to a green tire externally of the vulcanizing press, subsequently, applying vulcanizing and molding to the entire tire preheated by said vulcanizing press, whereby the time for restricting the tire by the tire vulcanizing press can be shortened, and the cycle time of the tire vulcanizing and molding can be shortened to improve the productivity.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a bladder which is unlikely to have a shapal variation along the inner wall surface of the tire and can satisfactorily extend along the inner wall surface of the tire. An inventive bladder is used to press the inner wall surface of the tire by a pressurized heating medium during the vulcanization of a green tire and is comprised of a fabric layer (purl stitched fabric layer 12) and rubber layers (silicone rubber layers 11, 13) placed one over another. Elongation rates of the fabric layer in warp direction and in weft direction both exceed 15% and satisfy: 0.4≦elongation rate in weft direction/elongation rate in warp direction≦6.0. Since the fabric layer has good extensibility, it can elongate with the rubber layers.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizer comprising a vulcanizing/molding unit which is provided with a mold removably and which vulcanizes and molds a green tire within the mold into a vulcanized tire, a feed system for feeding the green tire to the vulcanizing/molding unit, and a discharge system for discharging the vulcanized tire from the vulcanizing/molding unit, the feed system and the discharge system being located on a front side of the tire vulcanizer. A vulcanizing line is formed by arranging a plurality of such tire vulcanizers side by side so that the respective one sides lie on the same side. It is possible to complete the mold replacing work in a short and thereby improve the productivity.

Abstract: A bladder for a vulcanizer includes, as a constituent member, a low elongation material with stable properties at vulcanization temperatures. During a vulcanization-molding process, the bladder is pressed against the inner surface of a green tire using a pressurized medium. The pressurized medium can be at vulcanization temperatures. The bladder has substantially the same shape as the inner wall surface of the tire that is formed using the bladder. As a result, irregularities in the shape of the inner wall surface of a tire rarely occur, and the frequency of exchange of bladders can be reduced. The vulcanizer bladder can include a conductive material or a magnetic material, both of which can be heated by using an induction heating coil. The use of both heat from the pressurized medium and heat generated in the bladder to vulcanize a green tire can shorten the period of time required for vulcanizing-molding.

Abstract: A vulcanizer includes a vulcanizer body for heating a green tire by making use of heat quantity to vulcanize an mold it and repetitiously using the heating medium used for the vulcanizing and molding for heating. A heat quantity supplementing device heats the heating medium to thereby supplement a lost part of the heat quantity of the heating medium. Thereby, vulcanizing and molding can be carried out with less energy loss of the heating medium.

Abstract: A hydraulic system for a tire curing press includes at least one tire press operated by a hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic control valve; a hydraulic unit for supplying pressure oil of a fixed pressure; an accumulator circuit for accumulating pressure oil from said hydraulic unit to supply the accumulated pressure oil to the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulic control valve; and a check valve provided on every tire press. The check valve cuts off pressure oil from the hydraulic unit and the accumulator circuit during vulcanization of the tire press. Thereby, it is possible to limit the operation of the hydraulic unit during the vulcanization which results in energy saving operation.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for effectively heating a green tire by generating heat to a metal member embedded therein using electromagnetic induction, to complete a heating formation of a green tire in a sufficiently short time. Particularly, in the thick portion of the green tire which is hard to rise temperature, the efficiency of heat generation due to electromagnetic induction is increased by effectively concentrating high frequency magnetic field on the metal member embedded therein.

Abstract: A tire press comprising a center post 22 vertically movably extended through a center part of a lower ring mechanism 12 and vertically moving an upper ring 19 with respect to a lower ring mechanism 12, a heater 103 arranged in an outer peripheral position of the center post 22 on the tire inner peripheral side of a green tire 4 held by the lower ring mechanism 12 and the upper ring 19, heater 103 to apply a heat to the green tire 4, a first driving mechanism such as a tubular member vertically moving cylinder 98 capable of vertically moving the heater 103 to a suitable height position so as to move the heater 103 to a suitable position independently of vertical movement of the center post 22, and a second driving mechanism such as a driving motor 99 capable of rotating the heater 103. By the provision of such a mechanism as described, press molding relative to a green tire 4 can be completed in a sufficiently short period of time.

Abstract: A center mechanism of a tire press according to the present invention, wherein if the size of a lower mold and the size of a tire are changed, a nut member engaged with external thread of a cylindrical member is rotated and driven whereby a lower clamp portion is moved at a position adjusted to a height of the lower mold to thereby enable changing the lower clamp portion to a height position of a lower metal mold irrespective of the size of the lower metal mold.

Abstract: A green tire is partially vulcanized as primary vulcanization by a tire vulcanizer. Then the primnarily vulcanized tire is entirely vulcanized as secondary vulcanization by a post-cure inflator. This enables to shorten the cycle time for tire vulcanization by simultaneously applying vulcanization by the tire vulcanizer and the post-cure inflator in parallel to improve the productivity.

Abstract: An unloader for a tire vulcanizer includes a linear motion guide rail fixed vertically to a main frame of a tire vulcanizer; a slider movably engaged with the linear motion guide rail; a movable carriage having the slider so as to elevate along the linear motion guide rail; a revolving suspension member which is attached to the movable carriage and has revolving rods vertically supported by bearings; and a chuck boom which is provided to the revolving rods so as to be turnable in the horizontal direction and supports the chuck mechanism.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizer according to this invention comprises a swing loader for turning and carrying a vulcanized tire or cooled tire between a tire vulcanizing press and a post-cure inflator. The discharge position of the cooled vulcanized tire to a discharge conveyor is arranged within the rotating track of the swing loader between the tire vulcanizing press and the post-cure inflator, so that the discharge conveyor receives the cooled tire carried from the swing loader and discharges it to a carrying-out conveyor juxtaposed in the rear of the post-cure inflator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire vulcanizing equipment capable of improving the production cycle by miniaturization of idle time of each device and shortening of carrying time, reducing the cost by simplification of the device and space saving, and smoothing the physical distribution line. This vulcanizing equipment comprises vulcanizing stations C consisting of the arrangement of a plurality of mold bases 2 having pipings for supplying and discharging a vulcanization medium to tire mold assemblies 1 placed thereon; an opening and closing station A having an opening and closing device 6 for opening and closing the moving mold 1, a loader 7, and an unloader 8; and a transfer station D having a transfer device for transferring the tire mold assembly 1. The vulcanizing stations C and the opening and closing station A are arranged circularly around the transfer station D.

Abstract: In a center mechanism of a tire press, which the tire size is changed, the lower limit position of an upper clamp ring is changed to a shaping height corresponding to the size of the exchanged tire only by changing a setting of a controller. Consequently, the work related to the tire size change is facilitated. A bladder is inflated and tightly comes into contact with the inner face of a green tire while lowering the upper periphery of the bladder to the shaping height corresponding to the tire size.

Abstract: A center mechanism for a tire vulcanizer having a first cylinder whose stroke can be detected with a simplified structure achieves reduction in cost and improvement in working efficiency upon maintenance. The center mechanism expands, while the first cylinder 1 moves downwardly, a bladder 5 into close contact with an inner face of a green tire. A downward stop position of the first cylinder 1 is set in advance by a linear sensor 14. The stroke amount of the first cylinder 1 is detected by a stroke bracket 12 having a stroke portion 12a extending downwardly in parallel to the first cylinder 1 from within a stem 8 and provided so as to advance into the stem 8 together with a cylinder rod 1a, and a linear sensor 14 for detecting the stroke amount of the first cylinder 1 from the stroke portion 12a of the stroke bracket 12 remaining outside the stem 8.

Abstract: A post-cure inflator for inflating and cooling a vulcanized tire is disclosed. A lower rim mechanism is easily and certainly fixed, the whole apparatus is miniaturized, and the degree of freedom in designing when the lower rim mechanism is moved is made higher. The lower rim mechanism is lifted so that a locking shaft attached to an upper rim mechanism enters a fitting portion of the lower rim mechanism. After that, the locking shaft is rotated to be engaged with the lower rim mechanism, thereby connecting the lower rim mechanism via the locking shaft to the upper rim mechanism. A tire is inflated and cooled while being held by the upper and lower rim mechanisms. Guide plates are fixed to the upper rim mechanism so as to be along the locking shaft. Insertion grooves are formed in the lower rim mechanism. When the locking shaft enters the fitting portion, the guide plates are inserted into the insertion grooves.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing system comprising (a) a tire vulcanizing press having a plurality of molding stations (b) a tire loader for loading tires onto the molding stations and (c) a tire unloader for unloading tires off of the molding stations, wherein the tire vulcanizing press comprises a fixed frame upon which the fixed molds of each molding station are mounted, a displaceable frame upon which the displaceable molds of each molding station are mounted, a tie-rod arranged between the molding stations and connecting the fixed frame to the displaceable frame, lifting cylinder for vertically displacing the displaceable frame along the tie-rod with respect to the fixed frame, half blocks for securing when necessary the displaceable frame to the tie-rod, thereby securing the displaceable frame to the fixed frame, and clamping means for forcibly clamping said displaceable molds to said fixed molds during tire vulcanization.