Abstract: A tread for a heavy truck tire is provided that has a bottom surface (14), a shoulder rib (16), and a sacrificial rib (20) located outboard from the shoulder rib (16) in a width direction. A decoupling void (30) is located between the shoulder rib (16) and the sacrificial rib (20). First decoupling void sipes (32), second decoupling void sipes (100) and third decoupling void sipes (104) are in the shoulder rib (16), and one second decoupling void sipe (100) is between one first decoupling void sipe (32) and one third decoupling void sipe (104). The first and third decoupling void sipes (32, 104) are closer to the bottom surface (14) than is the decoupling void (30) in the thickness direction. The second decoupling void sipe (100) is not closer to the bottom surface (14) than is the decoupling void (30) to the bottom surface (14) in the thickness direction.

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.

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.

Abstract: An improved system for changing sipe blade configurations on equipment for the manufacture of tires is provided. This system allows the replacement of damaged sipe blades, the replacement of sipe blades of one configuration with those of another configuration, and the elimination of a sipe blade altogether. Certain embodiments allow sipe blades to be changed by providing a sipe blade that is held by a blade holder with a slit in its heel that allows a compact assembly of the sipe blade and blade holder that is easy to manufacture. Other embodiments allow sipe blades that have an undercut in the direction of draw in, their midportion and side portions without undercuts to be easily made and installed. Finally, other embodiments allow for the effective replacement and fabrication of sipe blades that have undercuts in the direction of draw that blend into other projections found on a curing member.

Abstract: A tire has a sipe with areas of reduced thickness. The sidewalls of the sipe may have undulations that extend both in the radial and transverse directions of the tire and the areas of reduced thickness are found in between a peak to peak or a valley to valley coincidence of the undulations. Twice the value of the amplitude of the undulations in the radial direction of the tire is greater than 95% of the value of the half pitch of those undulations. The ratio of the area of the regions of the sipe having reduced thickness to the area of the thicker regions of the sipe may meet a minimum threshold. The apparatus may also include a sipe blade that extends from a curing member that for tire molding or retreading.

Abstract: An improved system for changing sipe blade configurations on equipment for the manufacture of tires is provided. This system allows the replacement of damaged sipe blades, the replacement of sipe blades of one configuration with those of another configuration, and the elimination of a sipe blade altogether. Certain embodiments allow sipe blades to be changed by providing a sipe blade that is held by a blade holder with a slit in its heel that allows a compact assembly of the sipe blade and blade holder that is easy to manufacture. Other embodiments allow sipe blades that have an undercut in the direction of draw in their midportion and side portions without undercuts to be easily made and installed. Finally, other embodiments allow for the effective replacement and fabrication of sipe blades that have undercuts in the direction of draw that blend into other projections found on a curing member.