Abstract: A tire vulcanization mold including a sector mold divided into a plurality of pieces along a circumferential direction of a green tire, the sector mold configured to vulcanization mold a tread portion of the green tire into a predetermined shape, and an upper mold and a lower mold disposed on both sides of the green tire so as to sandwich the green tire therebetween in an axial direction of the green tire, the upper mold and lower mold configured to vulcanization mold a side portion of the green tire into a predetermined shape. The sector mold has a weir portion in a vicinity of a fitting portion between the sector mold, and the upper mold and the lower mold.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for automatically applying a noise reducing element to a tyre for vehicle wheels. The process includes: a) providing a noise reducing element; b) providing an adhesive material; c) guiding the noise reducing element according to a predetermined direction; d) during the guiding, applying the adhesive material onto a first surface of the noise reducing element; e) manipulating the noise reducing element by interacting with at least one second surface of the noise reducing element different from the first surface on which the adhesive material has been applied; and f) positioning the noise reducing element in a predetermined position on a radially inner surface of the tyre, bringing the first surface into contact with the radially inner surface.

Abstract: A process for balancing a rim and tire, which comprises first balancing the rim, then mounting the tire, properly inflating it and balancing a second time to determine the location and weight of balancing required. The tire and rim are then indexed with marks to indicate where the balancing weights should be placed. These indexing marks will be used at the remounting stage to assure proper balancing. The tire is then deflated and removed from the rim and the correct mass rubberized weights are vulcanized to the internal surface of the tire sidewall at the indexing mark and on the opposite sidewall across from the indexing mark. The tire is then installed back on the rim with the indexing marks lined up next to each other. The tire is re-inflated and the balance re-checked with a spin balancing machine.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes assembling at least one tyre component through laying of strip-like elements disposed circumferentially close to each other on a deposition surface radially external to the forming drum, wherein laying of each strip-like element includes: radially moving the strip-like element close to the deposition surface; locking a central portion of the strip-like element against the deposition surface; and pulling the strip-like element in opposite directions starting from the central portion toward the opposite ends thereof, while the central portion is maintained in a locked condition against the deposition surface, so as to progressively lay down the strip-like element against the deposition surface.

Abstract: A tire manufacturing method includes making a master batch, using the master batch to make a rubber composition, and making a green tire. The master batch is made wherein a carbon-black-containing pre-coagulation rubber latex is coagulated to obtain a coagulum; a compound according to Formula (I) is added to the water-containing coagulum; wherein R1 and R2 each indicates a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbons, an alkenyl group having 1 to 20 carbons, or an alkynyl group having 1 to 20 carbons, R1 and R2 may be the same or different, and M+ indicates sodium ion, potassium ion, or lithium ion; and the compound according to Formula (I) is dispersed within the coagulum. The green tire is provided with unvulcanized rubber sheeting made up of the rubber composition, chafer(s), carcass ply or plies, and bead filler(s).

Abstract: A pneumatic tire for a motorcycle includes a tread reinforcing cord layer and a tread rubber. The tread rubber includes a base rubber layer and a pair of shoulder rubber layers. The base rubber layer includes a cover portion covering at least the tread reinforcing cord layer over an entire width thereof and a convex portion protruding radially outwardly from the cover portion to form a crown ground contacting surface. The shoulder rubber layers are arranged radially outside the cover portion to form shoulder ground contacting surfaces. The base rubber layer is made of a first rubber composition having larger hardness than the shoulder rubber layers, and the shoulder rubber layers are made of a second rubber composition containing larger amount of oil component than the base rubber layer.

Abstract: The present invention forms bead apex rubber with good precision on the outer circumferential surface of the bead core. A molding process, in which unvulcanized rubber is made to flow into a bead apex molding chamber that is surrounded by surfaces that include the outer circumferential surface of a circular bead core and the bead apex rubber is formed directly on the outer circumferential surface of the bead core that is rotating around the core axis, is provided. The molding process comprises: a tip forming step that forms the leading end of the bead apex rubber; a middle section forming step that sequentially forms the bead apex rubber to be continuous with the leading end; and a joining step to join the back end and the leading end of the bead apex rubber by inflowing the unvulcanized rubber therebetween.

Abstract: The invention presents a device and a method for placing and attaching a strip inside a tire. Specifically, the tire is positioned flat on a mounting between self-centering arms, and an adhesive device is placed inside the tire. While the tire is rotated, the strip is moved inside the tire, wherein a pressure force is applied to said strip. The strip is driven at a linear speed greater than the rotation speed of the tire, thus producing an effect of compressing said strip, the length of which becomes less than the nominal length thereof, thus creating a space between both ends of the strip such that, after release, the strip scrapes the adhesive device, which is repositioned on said ends, thus simultaneously causing said ends to be attached end to end.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. In a step of laminating belt reinforcing layers on an outer circumferential side of a belt layer constituting a green tire, wherein the belt reinforcing layers cover each of a tire width direction left edge portion and right edge portion of the belt layer and are separated from each other in the tire width direction, each of the belt reinforcing layers is formed by inclining strip members constituting each of the reinforcing layers in a same direction with respect to a tire circumferential direction, and winding the strip members in a spiral-like manner at least one time around in the tire circumferential direction.

Abstract: A piston device having an inlet through which the piston device can receive liquid and an outlet through which the piston device can inject pressurize liquid. A main body (28) of the piston device defines an inner chamber and an upstream duct placing the inner chamber in fluidic communication with the inlet. A valve having a valve plate, which is movable along a plate actuation path, between at least an opened position of the plate and a closed position of the plate. The plate actuation path extending at least in part inside the upstream duct.

Abstract: A heating apparatus that includes a plurality of heating devices for temperature conditioning of preforms made of a thermoplastic material to a temperature and temperature distribution suitable for blow molding, and a transport chain guided on a revolving chain path. The preforms are transported through the heating apparatus by the transport chain along a transport path. Along a heating section that is part of the transport path, the plurality of heating devices are stationarily arranged one after another in a transport direction. On at least one side facing the heating devices, counter reflectors are provided, which together with the heating devices form a tunnel-like heating area through which the preforms are transported for heating. At least one counter reflector travels along with the preform through the heating section.

Abstract: A 3D printer with a lift mechanism is disclosed. The 3D printer is coupled to the lift mechanism which is in turn coupled to a base or the ground. The lift mechanism comprises telescopically extendable columns comprising concentric cylinders positioned within one another, so as to extend and collapse fully, thus raising and lowering the 3D printer to a specific height. The lift mechanism further comprises extendable and lockable diagonals which connect neighboring telescopic columns at their top portions in a helical fashion. The diagonals are installed for sturdiness and support as the lift is operated, as well as to position the lift at a desired height when the diagonals are locked in place. The lift mechanism may comprise 2 telescopic cylinder columns or 3 or more telescopic cylinder columns. The lift mechanism comprises at least a first stage and an intermediate stage, and optionally a last stage.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the subject invention comprise methods and apparatus for mounting a tread ring onto a tire carcass. Such methods include providing a tire tread ring having opposing side edges, arranging the tread ring in an initial ring arrangement in communication with a pressure source, and expanding the tread ring radially outward from the initial ring arrangement to an expanded arrangement. The pressure source is in communication with an outer side of the tread ring, the tread ring being expanded by applying vacuum pressure along the outer side of the tread ring supplied by the pressure source. Such methods also include inserting a tire carcass within a central opening of the tread ring while in the expanded arrangement, contracting the tread ring into an installed arrangement about an outer surface of the tire carcass, and, releasing the vacuum along the outer side of the tread ring.

Abstract: A tire includes a tread portion including at least one land portion having axially spaced first and second ends. The at least one land portion is provided with lateral grooves extending from the first end to terminal ends terminating within the at least one land portion, first sipes each extending along a tire circumferential direction to connect a pair of lateral grooves arranged adjacently in the tire circumferential direction, second sipes extending from the first end toward the first sipes, and third sipes extending from the second end toward the first sipes. The second sipes and the third sipes are arranged without intersecting the lateral grooves.

Abstract: A mold for molding a tire tread comprises a plurality of mold segments. Each of the plurality of mold segments includes an integer number of tread pitch repetitions. The plurality of mold segments are structured to be coupled to each other end-to-end so as to form the mold such that the mold includes an integer number of tread pitches. The mold also includes at least one mold end segment positioned on at least one end of the mold and has a mold end segment length shorter than a length of each of the plurality of mold segments.

Abstract: A system for executing a rod member extrusion-molding method of the present invention has an extrusion-molding machine of a rod member, a transfer conveyor, a delivery line of the rod member between the extrusion-molding machine and the transfer conveyor, a measurement position defined on the delivery line and dividing the delivery line into an upstream section and a downstream section, a measurement device measuring an outer diameter of the rod member in the measurement position, a first roller conveyor forming a part of the section at least directly upstream of the measurement position, a second roller conveyor forming the downstream section, and a control device performing feedback control of a transfer speed of the transfer conveyor based on the outer diameter obtained in the measurement device.

Abstract: In a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels, a carcass sleeve is arranged on a shaping drum including two half-drums and two supports. Each support is operatively associated with one of the half-drums and carries a plurality of turning-up levers having free ends positioned close to the respective half-drum. Two annular anchoring structures are disposed around the carcass sleeve and each of the two supports is locked to the respective half-drum by interposing only stiff mechanical elements in mutual contact between the support and the half-drum. The carcass sleeve is shaped in a toroidal conformation, by setting a threaded shaft in rotation and moving the half-drums close to each other.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tire product comprising: a step of preparing a core-assembly 4 of a rigid core 2 and a rubber member 3 formed on the rigid core 2, wherein the rigid core 2 is attached to a spindle device 7, and the rubber member 3 is to be vulcanization-molded, and constitutes all or a portion of a green tire, a step of conveying the core-assembly 4 from the spindle device 7 into a mold 50, and a step of vulcanization-molding the rubber member 3 on the rigid core 2 in the mold 50. The conveying of the core-assembly includes obtaining the weight of the rubber member 3 included in the core-assembly 4.

Abstract: A process for building tyres provides for building a carcass sleeve around a forming drum having an application diameter and two lateral half-portions axially moveable relative to each other. The carcass sleeve comprises at least one carcass ply coaxially engaged around each of the axially opposite end flaps thereof to an annular anchoring structure defining a fitting diameter smaller than the application diameter. The building of the carcass sleeve comprises: applying and stopping a leading end of a semi-finished product in form of continuous strip cut to size against a continuous surface of the forming drum; winding the semi-finished product in form of continuous strip cut to size circumferentially around the forming drum; joining a trailing end of the semi-finished product to the leading end at said continuous surface. The continuous surface is extended only partly around the forming drum.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 is provided in a tread portion 2 with a circumferential land region 6 provided with transverse sipes 15 extending across the entire width of the circumferential land region. Each of the transverse sipes 15 comprises an arc-shaped first portion 18 convexed toward one side in the tire circumferential direction and an arc-shaped second portion 19 convexed toward the other side in the tire circumferential direction and connected with the first portion 18 so as to have a wavy configuration. The transverse sipes 15 include a first transverse sipe 16 of which first portion 18 is deeper than the second portion 19 thereof, and a second transverse sipe 17 of which second portion 19 is deeper than the first portion 18 thereof.