Toroidal Or Annular Female Shaping Means And Coacting Means Holding Preform Thereagainst Patents (Class 425/35)
  • Patent number: 11884106
    Abstract: Tire (1) for an off-road vehicle, comprising a crown and a tread (22) having a width W and a thickness E of wearable material, this tread (22) having a superposition of at least two layers of materials, a first layer (221) radially on the inside and a second layer (222) radially on the outside of the first layer (221) to contact the ground when the tire is new, this second layer (222) having a thickness E2 relative to the thickness E of wearable material, the tread (22) being provided with at least two narrow grooves (4, 5) running all around the tire which have a zigzagging shape of wavelength L and amplitude A, the wavelength L being between 10% and 120% of the axial width W of the tread (22), and the amplitude A being between 10% and 75% of axial width W. The material of the first layer (221) is chosen with low hysteresis; with a measured tan(?) value at most equal to 0.30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventors: Franck Nugier, Valérie Feuardent
  • Patent number: 11259539
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a cheese-flavored substance, including adding a bacterial cell disrupted product obtained by disrupting lactic acid bacteria and an enzyme to a milk raw material to cause a reaction. The present invention can provide a method for producing a cheese-flavored substance which can safely and efficiently produce a cheese-flavored substance having a more natural cheese flavor at low-cost with simple operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: MEIJI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuji Tamura, Junya Ishida, Motofumi Takahashi, Nobutaka Yahiro
  • Patent number: 11220078
    Abstract: A combination of first and second plugs for a tire mold includes associated first and second receivers/jackets. Fasteners secure the receiver to an associated tire mold. A securing member extends from the receiver into the cavity of the first receiver to retain the first plug therein. The first plug is contoured and dimensioned for mating receipt in the first receiver cavity. The second plug is likewise contoured and dimensioned for mating receipt in the associated second receiver cavity, but will not be accepted in the first receiver. A tool is provided to facilitate insertion and removal of the first and second plugs, and limit the potential for damage to the associated tire mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY
    Inventors: Steve Reigle, Chris Ackerman, Brett Badertscher, Curtis Barron, Kurt Utrup
  • Patent number: 11052623
    Abstract: A tire cure mold has a tire molding face, a mounting groove provided to the tire molding face and a stencil plate mounted into the mounting groove. The stencil plate has a front face that faces a cavity, a back face that faces a bottom face of the mounting groove, and a through hole extending from the front face to the back face. A recessed portion for forming a protruding identification mark on the outer surface of the tire is provided to the front face. A first protruding portion corresponding to the recessed portion is provided to the back face. A second protruding portion that protrudes toward the bottom face of the mounting groove is provided to an outer edge portion of the stencil plate at least at a periphery of the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isao Yonetsu
  • Patent number: 10960622
    Abstract: Provided is a tire vulcanization mold which includes a sector mold configured to mold a tread portion; and a pair of upper and lower side plates positioned on an inner diameter side of the sector mold and configured to mold side wall portions, the sector mold and the pair of upper and lower side plates being configured to engage with each other by fitting engagement by way of fitting portions which opposedly face each other in a radial direction. At least either one of the sector mold and the side plate has: a recessed portion extending from each fitting surface in a tire radial direction and indented outward in a tire width direction; and a saw cut groove having a groove shape extending in a tire radial direction along at least one of an edge portion and a corner portion of the recessed portion and communicating with the fitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Ando
  • Patent number: 10737452
    Abstract: A tire vulcanization mold includes a side molding surface, a mark forming stencil plate for forming a convex mark at an outer surface of a side portion, an attachment recess provided in the side molding surface, and a screw fixing the stencil plate to the attachment recess. The stencil plate is formed larger than the attachment recess so as to cover the attachment recess, and a peripheral portion of the stencil plate is in contact with an opening peripheral portion of the attachment recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Isao Yonetsu
  • Patent number: 10603855
    Abstract: A tire vulcanization mold 10 has a plate-like sipe blade 26 used to form a sipe in a tread portion of a pneumatic tire. The sipe blade 26 protrudes to a mold inner side from a mold inner surface 30, and is provided with a through-hole 28 drilled to penetrate through the sipe blade 26. An acute angle portion is formed between a surface 29a of the through-hole 28 on the mold inner side and a surface 27 of the sipe blade 26, and a diameter of the through-hole 28 is larger than 1 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kuniko Fujiki
  • Patent number: 10596731
    Abstract: A tire vulcanization mold includes a side molding surface, a stencil plate for forming a mark that forms a convex mark on an outer surface of a side section, an attachment concave part provided to be recessed on the side molding surface and a male screw fixing the stencil plate to the attachment concave part. An attachment hole to which the male screw is screwed is provided in the attachment concave part and a tapered countersunk part is provided at an opening of the attachment hole. The stencil plate is provided with a bulge part with a tapered shape receiving a head part of the male screw and fitted to the countersunk part. The bulge part is provided with a protrusion protruding to an outer side with respect to a tapered outer peripheral surface thereof and abutting on a countersunk surface of the countersunk part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOYO TIRE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaaki Ohara
  • Patent number: 10562250
    Abstract: A NPT tread layer mold and molding process. The mold may include an inner mold portion that supports a built-up green NPT tread layer, and an outer mold portion that cooperates with the inner mold portion to cure the tread layer and to form a tread pattern in an outer surface thereof. The inner mold portion may comprise two halves, each having a plurality of wall segments that collectively cooperate to form a tread layer inner surface molding wall when the inner mold is closed. Sidewall molding portions may also be provided to form limited sidewalls of the NPT tread layer—with or without a tread pattern. An inflatable bladder may be located within the inner mold portion to apply pressure to the tread layer inner surface molding wall and, resultantly, to the NPT tread layer, during molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: AMERICAN KENDA RUBBER INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Clinton Covey
  • Patent number: 10315339
    Abstract: The invention provides for a set of molding elements (4, 5) adapted to be attached in a mold for molding tires, each molding element being able to mold a cut in a tire tread, wherein the set of molding elements comprises complex shaped molding elements, each molding element being able to connect to another molding element from the set of molding elements along a generally straight interface (54) defined between connecting molding elements The invention also provides for a mold for molding tires, said mold comprising a set of molding elements as described above attached to a main cast aluminum body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin
    Inventors: Brian William Jenkins, Lazar Constantin
  • Patent number: 10279429
    Abstract: A tire mold or a tire mold segment can include an air compression cavity, which connects to multiple surface connection slots having dimensions between 10 and 300 microns, which can be suitable for selective removal of air in the mold. The air compression cavity, can be close to the outside ambient, allowing the air escaping the interior of the mold to be compressed, which can assist in preventing the rubber material from leaving the mold pattern surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Inventors: Jens Guenter Gaebelein, Jeroen Hribar
  • Patent number: 9827725
    Abstract: A tire direct-pressure shaping and electromagnetic induction heating curing method uses an inner metal mold including large and small segments, a telescoping mechanism, supporting plates attached to the segments, and induction heating coils. A cavity in the middle of the segments is filled of phase change material. The temperature of the mold rises rapidly by the thermal effect of an eddy current generated on the surface of the segments to heat the green tire. When the middle part of the segment is heated to a certain temperature, the phase change material absorbs and stores the excess heat. Therefore, the temperature of the middle part of the segment differs from one of two ends of the segment. Once the tire is cured, the inner mold in the expanded condition and the outer mold support very high pressure for the green tire together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignees: TRIANGLE TYRE CO., LTD., BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Weimin Yang, Jinyun Zhang, Yuhua Ding, Tao Zhang, Zhiwei Jiao, Xiaoying Liu, Hua Yan
  • Patent number: 9751271
    Abstract: A tire direct-pressure shaping and electromagnetic induction heating curing method and apparatus uses an inner metal mold including large and small segments, a telescoping mechanism, supporting plates attached to the segments, and induction heating coils. A cavity in the middle of the segments is filled of phase change material. The temperature of the mold rises rapidly by the thermal effect of an eddy current generated on the surface of the segments to heat the green tire. When the middle part of the segment is heated to a certain temperature, the phase change material absorbs and stores the excess heat. Therefore, the temperature of the middle part of the segment differs from one of two ends of the segment. Once the tire is cured, the inner mold in the expanded condition and the outer mold support very high pressure for the green tire together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignees: TRIANGLE TYRE CO., LTD., BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Weimin Yang, Jinyun Zhang, Yuhua Ding, Tao Zhang, Zhiwei Jiao, Xiaoying Liu, Hua Yan
  • Patent number: 8940201
    Abstract: A correcting apparatus of a seamless belt includes a bottomed cylindrical main body that has an inner peripheral surface formed of mirror surface and that accommodates a seamless belt at a distance from the inner peripheral surface, a lid body detachably attached to the main body, a fixing unit that fixes an upper end and a lower end of the seamless belt to the mirror surface, a pressing unit that presses the seamless belt accommodated in the main body against the mirror surface, and a heating unit that heats the mirror surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsunori Hashimoto, Yoshiyuki Mizumo
  • Patent number: 8679382
    Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus are disclosed for correcting one or more uniformity characteristics in a tire and particularly to correction in a low profile tire or a tire having a projection along the sidewall. The uniformity characteristic may be a radial force variation, conicity, or both. Correction is accomplished by stretching portions of the tire architecture to create permanent deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Clarence Hair, Timothy B. Rhyne, Patrice Estor
  • Patent number: 8597008
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing the upper and lower portions of two-part tire molds with an expansible opening to provide clearance for the insertion of green tires, in particular large green tires of the sort used on industrial or off-road vehicles. The tire mold according to the present invention provides a segmented tire mold wherein a plurality of circumferentially arranged segments which contribute to the shaping of the circumferential tread portion of a tire. The sidewall rings and the tread segments may include internal cavities which house insulating material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: William Allen Rex, Todd Andrew Bachochin, Dale Eugene Wells, William Andrew Haydu, Jr., Daniel Dale Enix
  • Patent number: 8453689
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire, in which a light is prevented from occurring on a wear indicator itself, edge portions and surfaces of a land portion located in the vicinity of the wear indicator, as well as a tire vulcanizing die therefor. In order to achieve the object, the main groove of the pneumatic tire includes on a groove bottom a wear indicator protruding by a predetermined height and in wall portions of the main groove located at both sides of the wear indicator as viewed in a width direction of the groove, at least one of the wall portions of the main groove is formed with at least one concave portion opening to a tread surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 8449278
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lining assembly (14) comprising a plurality of lining elements (18) intended to be attached to a support block (12) of a segment (10) of a mold for a tire, the lining elements (18) being intended to form tread blocks of part of a tread band of a tire, the assembly (14) further comprising at least one sacrificial connecting element (24) joining the lining elements (18) together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignees: Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Raymond Dusseaux, Arkadiusz Waszkiewicz
  • Patent number: 8361359
    Abstract: In a tire vulcanizer configured to perform opening and closing of a mold using an efficient ball screw shaft or the like, a top mold mounting member holding a top mold is lifted and lowered by rotating the ball screw shaft with a driving mechanism to vertically lift and lower a ball nut, and the lifting and lowering of the top mold mounting member is stopped by fixing the ball screw shaft by the de-excitation of an electromagnetic brake connected directly to the ball screw shaft, independently from the driving mechanism. According to such a structure, the opening and closing of the mold can be stopped, even if abnormality of the driving mechanism or the brake occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Fujieda, Masaharu Shibata
  • Patent number: 8282372
    Abstract: Provided are a apparatus and a method for vulcanizing a pneumatic tire, where are capable of: smoothly releasing a vulcanized pneumatic tire from multiple sectors separated from one another in a circumferential direction in each of an upper mold and a lower mold; and thereby lightening load on each mold. In addition to springs for biasing the sectors to always move into a smaller diameter, respectively, pushpins for moving the sectors into larger and smaller diameters are actuated by the respective cylinder rods of drive cylinders, and thereby the movements of the individual sectors into the larger and smaller diameters are controlled. Accordingly, even though the sectors would otherwise move abruptly into the smaller diameter due to biasing forces of the springs after the vulcanized tire is released from the sectors at the larger diameter, a radius-reducing movement speed of the sectors is control led by the cylinder rods in contact with rear ends of the push pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akikazu Seko
  • Patent number: 8215938
    Abstract: A tire forming mold is disclosed in which letters and lines having different colors are formed in a side wall portion of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Iwata, Shigemi Ohsuna
  • Publication number: 20120148697
    Abstract: A tire vulcanization mold includes an elongated exhaust groove open to a tire molding surface, a plate-like blade inserted in the exhaust groove leaving a small gap between the blade and groove defining surfaces, and an exhaust hole connecting the exhaust groove and mold exterior. The exhaust groove has a length reduced partway in a mold depth direction, and includes upper and shorter lower groove portions positioned on mold surface and back surface sides, respectively, of the mold. The upper groove portion thickness is greater than the blade thickness, and the lower groove portion thickness is less than or equal to the blade thickness. The blade includes a communicating portion connecting the upper and lower groove portions, and abuts against portions of the mold defining a bottom surface of the upper groove portion and edge surfaces of both sides in a thickness direction of the lower groove portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusaku MIYAZAKI, Noboru TAKADA
  • Publication number: 20120055603
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a decorative portion having at least one ridge group that extends band-like in the tire circumferential direction on the outer surface of the side wall. Each of the ridge groups is formed from a bundle of ridges. An entirety of each of the ridge groups is formed into a wave-like shape that extends in the tire circumferential direction, and each of the ridge groups is arranged so as to mutually cross at a plurality of locations in the tire circumferential direction. Therefore, the decorative portion is noticeable, and the decoratability of the tire can be enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroshi TOKIZAKI
  • Publication number: 20110304082
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lining assembly (14) comprising a plurality of lining elements (18) intended to be attached to a support block (12) of a segment (10) of a mould for a tire, the lining elements (18) being intended to form tread blocks of part of a tread band of a tire, the assembly (14) further comprising at least one sacrificial connecting element (24) joining the lining elements (18) together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicants: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A., Societe De Technologie Michelin
    Inventors: Jean-Raymond Dusseaux, Arkadiusz Waszkiewicz
  • Patent number: 8021136
    Abstract: The present invention differs fundamentally from prior art because it provides for machining a substantial number of relatively thin annular tooling plates (10), fitting them together side-by-side in two opposed mold sides, and engraving the tread pattern into the interior face of the assembled plates in two or more complementary mold parts to form a unique tire mold (12). In one form of the disclosed construction two halves are built up and internally engraved to form a two-piece clamshell mold. This building up of annular plates (10) applies also to the construction of segmented molds, wherein there are multiple complementary mold sections which are joined to provide a complete circumferential mold. Thus, the invention applies to both two-piece clamshell molds and segmented molds. The invention encompasses an all engraved mold and all venting (22) in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Nile A. Lahr, P. Glenn Arbaugh, John D. Corbin
  • Publication number: 20110120612
    Abstract: The bladder for vulcanizing tires having a plurality of first air-release grooves provided on the outer surface of a bladder body and each formed so as to extend from one to the other of the tire circumferential direction and extend toward one side of the tire-width direction, and a plurality of second air-release grooves provided on the outer surface of a bladder body and each formed so as to extend from one to the other of the tire circumferential direction and extend toward the other side of the tire-width direction. By this, the outer surface of the bladder body is divided into a plurality of areas by each of the air-release grooves. Also, the vertexes of each of the areas are angular toward the tire-circumferential direction. Therefore, the pressure contact between each of the areas and the inner surface of the tire is easily released starting at the said vertexes of each of the areas as release starting points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masayuki Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20100243116
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pneumatic tire, in which a light is prevented from occurring on a wear indicator itself, edge portions and surfaces of a land portion located in the vicinity of the wear indicator, as well as a tire vulcanizing die therefor. In order to achieve the object, the main groove of the pneumatic tire includes on a groove bottom a wear indicator protruding by a predetermined height and in wall portions of the main groove located at both sides of the wear indicator as viewed in a width direction of the groove, at least one of the wall portions of the main groove is formed with at least one concave portion opening to a tread surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshikazu Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 7789643
    Abstract: A control apparatus used in conjunction with tools and devices such as electrical power supplies, fluid pumps and vacuums for in situ repair of pipes. A method for controlling in situ repair of pipe using electrical power sources, fluid and pressure sources and flexible heat and inflation bladder installing thermal responsive repair materials and applying the repair material to the interior wall surface. The apparatus controls the inflation of the repair tool inserted into a pipe and the amount and rate of fluid pressure and maintenance of a selected pressure. The apparatus may also control the evacuation of the fluid from the bladder of the repair tool. The device controls the heating of the tool used in the installation of the repair material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: EMS Global Inc.
    Inventors: William Lepola, Kenton L. Knoppel
  • Patent number: 7740788
    Abstract: The shapes of the upper tire bead Bu and the lower tire bead Bl of a green tire G and the axial distance between the tire beads Bu and Bl are corrected in a short work time. The green tire G is placed in horizontal attitude on a green tire support table 3 provided with a lower tire bead correcting unit 10. Radially movable pressing members 13 included in the lower tire bead correcting unit 10 are engaged with the inner side of the lower tire bead Bl of the green tire G and stoppers 29 of the upper tire bead correcting unit 20 are engaged with the inner side of the upper tire bead Bu of the green tire G placed on the green tire support table 3. The pressing members 13 of the lower tire bead correcting unit 10 are moved radially outward to shape the lower tire bead Bl into a completely round shape of a predetermined diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Yoshino, Tsuyoshi Imaizumi
  • Publication number: 20100092590
    Abstract: A tire forming mold in which a depression for forming a land portion of a tread surface is provided in a molding surface forming a tread pattern of a tire. The tire forming mold has a pocket provided in the depression, a block fitted into the pocket to form an exhaust chamber in an inner portion of the pocket and holding a laminated blade, which is formed by superposing thin plates, so that one end portion is exposed to the molding surface and the other end portion is exposed to the exhaust chamber, and an exhaust hole having one end portion is communicated with the exhaust chamber and the other end portion is communicated with a mold back face or a mold split face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventor: Masaaki Ohara
  • Patent number: 7648668
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a pneumatic tire including a rigid core for forming a green tire on an outer face and a vulcanizing mold which can transport the green tire together with the rigid core such that the vulcanizing mold is closed to form a vulcanization space for sealing and storing the green tire between the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core so that the green tire is vulcanized in the vulcanization space, an annular movable seal supported by either one of the vulcanizing mold or the rigid core, and an urging means for urging the movable seal from the one of the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core that supports the annular movable seal toward a surface of the other of the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core, the movable seal being urged by the urging means toward the surface of the other of the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core so as to prevent generation of a gap between the vulcanizing mold and the rigid core when the vulcanizing mold is closed, and to absorb a change in shape of the rigid co
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Takehiro Kata
  • Publication number: 20090162461
    Abstract: The invention provides in a first aspect a segmented mold comprising a plurality of segments arranged to form an annular cavity to mold a tire, the segments further include an inner face for molding the tread, said segments having one or more channels, one or more members received in said one or more channels, said members being joined together to form a fluid manifold for circulating a fluid medium therein. Preferably, the channels are located on the outer radial surface of the segments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Yacine Ouyahia, Christophe Jean Alexis Pierre
  • Publication number: 20090162460
    Abstract: The invention provides a mold comprising an annular cavity to mold a tire. The mold includes one or more sidewall plates, wherein at least one of said sidewall plates has a recessed channel having an inlet and an outlet, said sidewall plate having an inner surface in engagement with an annular surface of a container plate, wherein the recessed channel and the annular surface of the container plate form a fluid manifold, for circulating a fluid manifold for circulating a fluid medium. Alternatively, the channel may be located inside the sidewall plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Nicolas Daniel Dumont, Yacine Ouyahia, Christopher Jean Alexis Pierre
  • Patent number: 7530802
    Abstract: A tread provided with a plurality of cutouts of essentially transverse orientation and characterized in that when new, some of the transverse cutouts form on the running surface hollowed zones of average width Lt greater than or equal to 2 mm and of maximum depth Pt at most equal to 80% of the thickness Pb of tread to become worn, the other transverse cutouts forming on the same running surface incisions of average width Li less than 2 mm and of depth Pi at most equal to Pt. A plurality of the incisions extending by hollowed zones such that after homogenous wear of the tread the volume V1 of the hollowed zones opening on to the new running surface is between 50% and 150% of the volume V0 formed by the hollowed zones when new.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Robert Radulescu, Eric De Benedittis
  • Patent number: 7481257
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is cured and molded by a sectional type tire mold including an annular side mold section having a tread forming surface for forming a tread surface, the side mold section comprising a plurality of sectors into which the side mold section is divided along a circumferential direction of the side mold section. A tread surface, which has first regions formed by sector divisional position vicinity regions of the side mold section and second regions formed by sector divisional position distant regions of the side mold section, has lands defined by at least one circumferential groove which extends in a circumferential direction of the tire. Sipes which extend from the at least one circumferential groove into at least one of the lands with their extension ends located within the at least one land are disposed at predetermined intervals along the tire circumferential direction. The sipes comprise first sipes in the first regions and second sipes in the second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: The Yokahama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Matsumura
  • Patent number: 7481638
    Abstract: A method may include the steps of: (a) providing a tire mold; (b) providing an extruder operatively connected to a head with a die assembly; (c) inserting at least a first compound into the first extruder; (d) forming an extrudate from the die assembly; (e) applying the extrudate directly from the die assembly into the tire mold to form a tire tread component; and, (f) controlling movement of the tire mold to correspond to the extrudate delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventor: Gary Robert Burg
  • Publication number: 20080305195
    Abstract: A die rib for a tire mold defines the inlets to vent passages of the mold through the sides of the die ribs so that the vent passages do not open through the contour surface of the mold. In one exemplary configuration, the invention provides a die rib having a vent inlet disposed along at least one side of the die rib. The vent inlet may be disposed along up to 80 percent of the length of the die rib with at least one foot disposed against the contour surface of the tire mold section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventor: Richard E. Coleman
  • Patent number: 7442335
    Abstract: A tire press has an upper mold fixedly attached to a top plate. A bottom mold is fixedly attached to a bottom plate. The tire press has a plurality of guide posts adapted to maintain proper alignment of the upper mold and the lower mold as the tire press opens and closes. A plurality of lock rods, which are independent of the guide posts, are positioned about the tire press. Each of the lock rods has a first end and a second end. The lock rods may have an adjustment mechanism positioned on the first end of the lock rods to adjust the various mold heights. Locking means are a part of the tire press, which are adapted to selectively engage the second end of the lock rods. Further, each of the lock rods has cylinder mechanism operatively connected to the locking means. The cylinder mechanism is adapted to force the locking means to the surface of the lock rods. The cylinder mechanism is a hydraulic cylinder having the piston disposed within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Inventor: John R. Cole
  • Publication number: 20080191389
    Abstract: A sector is provided with a plurality of pieces divided in a tire circumferential direction, a back segment supporting a plurality of pieces, and an elastic body interposed between end surfaces in the tire circumferential direction of the pieces. In an unheated state before curing, since clearances C1 to C3 are provided between the piece and the back segment, and the piece is slidable in the tire circumferential direction, it is possible to suitably adjust a gap between the pieces to a uniform state without any deviation. Further, in a heated state at a time of curing, since the clearances C1 to C3 are reduced by a thermal expansion of the piece, and the piece is fixed to the back segment, the piece does not slide in the tire circumferential direction, and it is possible to prevent an attrition and a galling of the piece from being generated early.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaki Hyodo
  • Patent number: 7399172
    Abstract: A vacuum forming apparatus and process for its use in forming a transport tire from an elastomeric material that includes a mold having a cavity or annular area wherein a transport tire core of plies, belt and beads is laid-up on a mandrel located within the mold. The mold receives a cover fitted in sealing engagement over the mold top and a cylindrical canister is fitted through the center of which cover and the mold center that is open at a top end to receive a pour of an elastomeric material mixture and includes a needle valve in its lower end that exhausts into one end of the mold annular area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Amerityre
    Inventors: Richard A. Steinke, Theodore M. Love, James G. Moore
  • Publication number: 20070278707
    Abstract: A tire mold for molding a rubber or plastic article includes an aluminum tire mold having an internal mold cavity, at least one vent hole of a selected diameter extending from the mold cavity to the exterior of the mold. A metal vent plug is operatively disposed within the vent hole such that air may be released through the vent hole from the internal mold cavity to the exterior of the mold upon heating the entire mold during molding of the rubber or plastic article, but prevents any rubber or plastic from entering the vent hole during molding of the rubber article. This is done by heating the aluminum tire mold, then inserting a metal vent plug into each vent hole; then cooling the entire aluminum tire mold with the metal vent plug to room temperature; then freezing the aluminum tire mold to a temperature of at least about ?100° F. for at least one-half hour such that the aluminum tire mold deforms around each metal vent plug; and finally, removing the mold from the freezing conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventor: Bernard M. Koberlein
  • Patent number: 7276196
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a track formed from a circumferentially continuous belt made of elastomeric material and including an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is provided with a plurality of drive blocks uniformly arranged on the circumference. The process includes a step in which a cylindrical inner mold formed by first and second cylindrical die-halves is assembled, the two die-halves being movable relative to each other in an axial direction to come into contact with each other at a joint surface. The inner mold includes a radially external laying surface provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced cavities for molding the drive blocks, each cavity being delimited in the axial direction by respective side walls of the first and second die halves. The joint surface of the two die-halves is axially closer to one side wall than to the other side wall. A device for stripping the track from the inner and outer molds is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Gilbert Menard, Gilbert Gauthier
  • Patent number: 7189069
    Abstract: A segmented annular mold for forming a tread belt having a reinforcing belt structure, the belt structure having a radial thickness (t) is disclosed. The mold has a plurality of radially movable and outwardly expandable inner segments for forming the inner surface of the tread belt and a plurality of radially movable and contracting outer segments for forming the outer tread belt surface. The radially inner and radially outer segments form a mold parting line at a location radially outward of a midpoint of the belt reinforcing structure of the tread belt at a location greater than 50% (t) as measured from the radially innermost surface of the belt reinforcing structure. The radially inner segments have upper and lower lateral edge forming portions extending outwardly to the parting line. Similarly, the radially outer mold segments have upper and lower lateral edge forming portions extending inwardly to the parting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Albert James Yovichin, Larry Eugene Steidl, Daniel Patrick Hentosz
  • Patent number: 7143799
    Abstract: Both a mold blade for forming sipes and the sipe so formed in a tire tread element have three dimensional portions. In the formed sipe, the three dimensional portion creates a constant interlocking of the opposing sipe faces. The blade and the sipe have at least one row of alternating polygonal shaped recesses and protrusions. The recesses and protrusions terminate in a vertex; the vertex has a planar, or two-dimensional, configuration that is parallel to either-the blade centerline or the sipe centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jean Joseph Collette, Philippe Marie Manne, André Domange, Pascale De Briey-Terlinden
  • Patent number: 6932589
    Abstract: A mold for a pneumatic tire which contains a pair of bead portions, a pair of sidewall portions and a tread portion provided with a tread pattern formed by repeating a pattern unit around the tire at plural kinds of pitches in a sequence, wherein the mold includes a sidewall molding surface for one of the sidewall portions, and a tread molding surface provided with a negative tread pattern formed by repeating the negative pattern unit at the above-mentioned plural kinds of pitches in order to mold the tread pattern. The sidewall molding surface contains sector regions defined as extending radially inwardly from the pattern units, respectively, wherein the largest sector regions are defined as extending from the pattern units with the largest pitch swells towards a cavity of the mold, when compared with the smallest sector regions which are defined as extending from the pattern units with the smallest pitch. The amount of swelling is such that the larger the pitch, the larger the amount of swelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6877502
    Abstract: The multi-blade concrete cutting saw cuts blocks of concrete or aerated concrete into equal sized slates with one pass through the saw. The cutting saw is supported by a frame having a base, an upper support structure and a pair of guide rails. A conveyor track transports the concrete blocks through the cutting saw. A concrete block is forced along the conveyor track and passes through six equally spaced, diamond tipped cutting blades. Each of the resultant slates have equal dimensions and weight. The cutting blades are disposed along a drive shaft and are arranged across the width of the conveyor track. The cutting blades are driven in a counterclockwise direction by a drive belt that connects the drive shaft to a motor. The conveyor track may be automatically driven by a pair of belt drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Inventor: Sean Register
  • Patent number: 6817848
    Abstract: A mold for molding a tire is provided, including at least two sub-molds that form a predetermined form as a whole when used for molding a tire. Each of the sub-molds has a venthole for discharging air from blockades formed between the surface of a green tire and that of the sub-mold when the green tire is pressed on the surface of the sub-mold, and a ventlid made of a flexible member and having a lid mechanism capable of discharging air from the blockades while preventing the green tire from flowing out therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20040207116
    Abstract: A segmented mold 2 for molding a tire 100 is described which has a central axis; plurality of radially movable tread forming segments; two sidewall forming plates, a top sidewall forming plate 8, and a bottom sidewall forming plate 6; a top locking ring 10 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced means 30 for locking the segments 4, each means for locking 30 providing a predetermined angular path 75 for radially contracting the segments 4 upon closing the mold 2 in a locked position. The segmented 2 mold for molding a tire 100 further has a bottom locking ring 20 having a complementary plurality of circumferentially spaced means 30 for locking the segments 4, each means for locking 30 providing a predetermined angular path for radially contracting the segments 4 upon closing the mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Girard, Michael Thomas Driscoll, Mark Anthony Sieverding
  • Publication number: 20040170715
    Abstract: There is provided a vulcanizing mold for a tire in which the capacity of venting air through between the molding pieces of the sector mold is significantly enhanced. A tread ring for vulcanizing and shaping a tread of the tire comprises plural sector molds which are separately formed in the circumferential direction so as to be brought into surface contact with each other. Each of the sector molds comprises segments and plural movable molding pieces circumferentially aligned and disposed on the inner surface side of the segment, and each of the movable molding pieces of each sector mold is urged away from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventor: Takehiro Kata
  • Publication number: 20040156936
    Abstract: An annular mold for curing an annular ring tread is disclosed. The annular mold has a plurality of radially movable and outwardly expandable inner segments for forming the inner surface of the tread and a plurality of radially movable and inwardly contracting outer segments for forming the tread outer surface. The radially outer segments are parallelograms. Each outer segment when in a closed molding position spans across one full radially inner segment and portions of two adjacent inner segments. The radially outer segments have inclined laterally extending edges relative to the axial direction of the mold while the circumferentially extending axially outer edges are perpendicular to the axial direction of the mold. The inclined laterally extending edges are inclined at least 5°, preferably about 10° relative to the axial direction. In the preferred embodiment the mold has 12 outer segments, each segment being of an arc length of about 30°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Michael Liam McBride, Michael James Hogan, Michael James Buckley, William Frederick Niessen