Abstract: A tire mold and a molding device for forming a sunken groove in a tire are provided. The molding device includes one or more rigid elements joined to a flexible member. The flexible member is formed from a flexible material, preferably a superalloy, or hyperelastic material. The molding device may further comprise a magnet. A portion of the flexible member is positioned in contact with a first surface of a relief forming element of a mold and the rigid element has a mating surface in mating contact with a second surface of the relief forming element. The mold further may further comprise a second relief forming element positioned adjacent the first relief forming element, wherein the rigid element further includes an outer surface in mating contact with a surface of said second relief forming element.

Abstract: A mold and molding device for forming a sunken groove in a tire is provided. The molding device includes a thin flexible wire having one or more molded elastomer elements thereon. The flexible wire is preferably hyperelastic and the molded elastomer is preferably silicone rubber.

Abstract: A tire mold and a molding device for forming a sunken groove, sipe in a tire is provided. The molding device molding device comprises a flexible member and a blade element, the flexible member having a distal end for mounting to a tire mold, a radiused midsection and a second end, wherein a portion of the second end is embedded within the blade element, the blade element having a lower surface with a cutout to allow bending of the flexible member.

Abstract: A mold and molding device for forming a sunken groove in a tire is provided. The molding device includes a thin flexible wire having a desired cross-sectional shape. The wire thickness can range from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm. The flexible wire is preferably hyperelastic. An optional molding element may be connected to the flexible wire.

Abstract: The invention provides a tire mold having a first mold half, a second mold half, and a center ring portion formed of a plurality of tread segments. Each mold half has an inner surface machined with a sidewall molding portion and each of said tread segments having an inner surface having a tread molding portion, each tread molding portion terminating at a first split plane and a second split plane. Each of the center ring segments further comprise a first segment register surface for engagement with a first mold register surface of the first mold half; said center ring segments further comprising a second segment register surface for engagement with a second mold reverse register surface of the second mold half; and wherein each of said tread segments has a radially outward flange forming a hinge for rotatably mounting each tread segments to the second mold half.

Abstract: A 3-D solid model of a tire vulcanizing mold is constructed on CAD, lamination models the optimum value of the pitch of which is determined in consideration of molding accuracy and processing time are created by dividing this model in a predetermined lamination direction, slice data for each layer corresponding to the lamination pitch of each segment are created, a sector mold of the tire vulcanizing mold is manufactured by a powder sintering method based on the slice data, and the density of a sintered body is controlled by adjusting the output of a laser beam or the exposure time of the laser beam applied to the powders to provide a density distribution on the plane and in the depth direction of a mold element for each layer so as to obtain a tire vulcanizing mold having a hybrid structure.

Abstract: High segmenting precision can be secured at a low production cost, and the dimensions of a gap between segmented pieces can be easily controlled. A tire vulcanizing mold (1) comprising an inner peripheral shape corresponding to the surface of a tire tread portion, and configured by assembling a plurality of circumferentially segmented pieces (1A), wherein at least one of the plurality of segmented pieces (1A) has a generally round-bar-shaped pin protector (100) on an assembling face (D) between an adjoining segmented piece (1A) in a projecting manner therefrom, and the adjoining segmented piece (1A) has a depressed groove (102) of generally arcuate in cross section for fitting the pin protector (100), on an assembling face (D) between the segmented pieces (1A) to be assembled with.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mold attaching/detaching apparatus in a tire vulcanizer, having locking/unlocking means configured so as to perform an engagement and disengagement by utilizing the relative movement between a top plate and bottom plate of the tire vulcanizer in a horizontal direction, and capable of being inexpensively constructed by simplifying the structure and operation of the locking/unlocking means.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tire vulcanizing apparatus including: upper and lower circular plates, to which sidewall dies for forming side portions of a tire are attached; respectively; and plural segments, to which tread dies separated as plural pieces for forming a tread portion of the tire are attached; respectively, in which apparatus, the upper and lower circular plates are held by engagement of lug portions, formed respectively on upper and lower portions of the segments, with protrusions on outer circumferential portions of the upper and lower circular plates so as to prevent the upper and lower circular plates from moving away from each other, the apparatus being constituted by providing adjustment plates, used for maintaining a measurement between the upper and lower circular plates, to an interface between the protrusion of each of the upper and lower circular plates and a corresponding one of the lug portions of each segment.

Abstract: A mold for molding a tread of rubber mix, this tread comprising a running surface delimited axially by lateral faces, this mold comprising (i) a central part for molding the running surface, movable between an open configuration allowing filling of the mold and a closed configuration allowing molding, the central part comprising at least one rib for molding a groove in the running surface; (ii) two lateral parts for molding the lateral faces, at least one of the lateral parts being axially movable relative to the central part; et (iii) at least one pin for molding a channel inside the tread, this pin being anchored in one of the lateral parts; and in which, when the mold is closed, a contact surface is formed between the pin and the rib, and the pin and/or the rib comprise a buffer made of a deformable material, deformation of which makes it possible to fill in the clearance between the pin and the rib at the contact surface when the mold is closed.

Abstract: There is provided a tire vulcanizing mold capable of smoothly and surely forming narrow-width grooves in a treading face without causing the damage, breakage and the like of projections for the formation of the grooves in a sector mold and land portions in the tread, which comprises a plurality of sector molds arranged at predetermined pitches in a circumferential direction and displacing in synchronization with each other in extension and retraction directions to conduct the vulcanization of a tire tread portion, wherein a projection for the formation of the groove formed in an inner surface of each of the sector molds is projected from the inner surface of the sector mold in a direction substantially parallel to a displacing direction of the respective sector mold.

Abstract: With a split-type vulcanizing mold, a proper clamping force of the mold is obtained without carrying out shim adjustment. A lower washer (16), disc springs (17), and an upper washer (18) are inserted into each of a plurality of cylindrical holes (15) defined on the circumference of a spacer ring (14). A spacer ring (14) provides an outer ring (8) with a pre-load so as to be tightened up by a bolt (12), so that the outer ring (8) can be smoothly moved without backlash in the axial direction thereof all the time. Selection is made on the disc springs (17) having a load such that a proper clamping force is obtained when a deflection of the disc springs (17) is equivalent to half a deflection at the time of the maximum load of the disc springs (17), and regardless of whether variation in dimensions, at the time of fabricating the mold, is on the plus side or minus side, the variation in dimensions is absorbed to thereby clamp the respective sector molds (6) with a proper clamping force.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold for pneumatic tires includes a plurality of mold pieces for forming a tread portion of the tire, which can be assembled with each other in a circumferential direction of the tire. Each mold piece has a molding surface for forming a tread pattern of the tire tread portion, and end surfaces where adjacent mold pieces are in abutment with each other when they are assembled. The end surface of the mold piece includes an edge region adjacent to the molding surface and extending in a width direction of the tread portion. The mold piece has a vent passage communicating with atmosphere, formed of a narrow gap along the edge region over substantially entire width of the tread portion, and additional vent passage in the molding surface, formed of fine unevenness communicating with the narrow gap, and/or fine apertures at a region corresponding to a land in the tread portion and isolated from the narrow gap.

Abstract: A tire having an outer surface and plurality of circumferential and lateral grooves formed into the outer surface. The circumferential and lateral grooves extend to at least one groove depth to define a groove bottom surface. The circumferential and lateral grooves also define a plurality of tread blocks disposed around the circumference of the tire. The tire further includes at least one tie bar extending between at least two of the tread blocks and across at least one of the circumferential and lateral grooves. The tie bar is spaced from the groove bottom surface. In one aspect of the invention, the tire is manufactured in a mold and the tie bar is formed by a supplemental molding member that is removed from the molded tire after the main molding member has been removed from the tire.

Abstract: A tire mold is for vulcanization molding of a tire. The mold comprises a sector with which a tread surface of the tire is brought into contact. A first uneven surface for forming a tread pattern is provided at the contact position. A lower die with which a side wall portion of the tire is brought into contact has a second uneven surface for forming a pattern design continuously with the tread pattern. There is a sector moving mechanism that moves the sector in a tire width direction and a tire diametrical direction. There is also a mechanism for engaging the sector and the lower die in a mold clamp state.

Abstract: Provided are a tire forming mold which enables damage on ribs and blocks of a tire to be effectively prevented when the tire is removed from the tire forming mold in spite of a simple structure thereof, and a pneumatic tire producing method using the same. The tire forming mold according to the present invention is a two-division type of tire forming mold, including a mold main body for forming one side of the tire, wherein the mold main body is provided with a movable part which constitutes a part of a tread forming surface in the direction of the circumference thereof while the tire forming mold is being closed, and which can be moved while the tire is being removed from the tire forming mold.

Abstract: A tread of elastomeric material for tires, this tread being provided with a plurality of incisions, each incision of average width e being defined by facing walls, this tread being characterized in that at least one of the walls defining each incision comprises at least one first series and one second series of lines of motifs forming reliefs relative to said wall and having a maximum height measured perpendicular to said wall at least equal to 1/10 of the width e, each series of lines comprising a plurality of lines extending in the same direction, the lines of the first series intersecting the lines of the second series, and in that at least one of the walls is provided over its entire surface with an average roughness of between 1/100 and 1/10 of the width e of the incision.

Abstract: It is a subject to restrict protrusion of rubber when performing molding and to mold tires of superior uniformity; and for this purpose, the tire mold in which a mold for molding a tire tread is comprised of segments partitioned in a tire circumferential direction is arranged in that segments 11, 12 comprise a plurality of pieces 21 to 25 and 31 to 35 partitioned in the tire circumferential direction, with only one 23, 33 of the pieces of the each segment 11, 12 being fixed while all other pieces 21, 22, 24, 25 and so on are movable in the tire circumferential direction.

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.

Abstract: The tire mold comprises a laminated peripheral crown having a stack in the circumferential direction of a plurality of thin sheets. Cutouts distributed over several adjacent sheets increase the venting ability of the mold.

Abstract: A tire mold according to the invention includes a plurality of tread sectors for forming a tread portion of a tire and two shell inserts for molding the sidewalls of a tire wherein the tread sectors and the shell inserts are castings formed from the same model. A method for manufacturing a mold in accordance with the invention includes the steps of providing a casting model having the tread and sidewall features of a tire, the casting model having parting zones between the tread and sidewall, casting an element from the model, the cast element accordingly having parting zones between the tread and sidewall portions, and separating the cast element into a plurality of tread sectors and opposing sidewall shells.

Abstract: A tire vulcanizing device includes an upper plate and a lower plate which can be relatively displaced toward and away from each other, and a mold for vulcanizing and molding a tire arranged between the upper plate and the lower plate. The mold includes an upper and a lower side mold members arranged on the upper plate side and the lower plate side, respectively, and a plurality of sector mold members arranged between the upper and the lower side mold members. An outer ring for positioning the sector mold members in the radial direction is arranged on the lower plate side. An actuator for opening the sector mold member is arranged on the lower plate, capable of vertical elevation.

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.

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°.

Abstract: A tire molding method as disclosed wherein a segmented mold (2) has lugs (40) in the shoulder regions of the segments (4) with complimentary lug extensions (30) in the sidewall forming annular rings (6,8). The lug extensions (30) align with and form the appearance of a lug (40) that extends radially inward well into the sidewall of the tire (20). the resultant tire (20) and the mold (2) for making the tire (20) are less costly to fabricate than prior art segmented molds.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold for pneumatic tires includes upper and lower base plates, upper and lower sidewall mold members attached to the upper and lower base plates, respectively; and upper and lower tread mold members attached to the upper and lower base plates, respectively. The upper and lower tread mold members are constituted of upper segments and lower segments, respectively. The upper and lower segments can be radially expanded and contracted relative to the upper and lower sidewall mold members, respectively. In operation, the upper and lower sidewall mold members are displaced toward each other so that the upper and lower segments are brought into abutment with each other. Then, a single cam ring is operated to cause all of the segments to be simultaneously displaced radially inwards and relative to the upper and lower sidewall mold members, with the upper segments in abutment with the lower segments.

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.

Abstract: A tire mold having improved heat transfer is disclosed. A plurality of wear plates are installed onto a conical inner surface of an actuating ring. The wear plates are designed to improve thermal transfer between the actuating ring and a segmented treadmolding ring, reducing tire cure time and temperature variation within the mold.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising a tread portion, a pair of sidewall portions and a pair of bead portions is manufactured by conducting the venting in a portion of a green tire placed in a vulcanization mold prior to vulcanization and corresponding to the sidewall portion in at least one place in a radial direction of the tire during the vulcanization.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mould segment for a vulcanization moulding tool for pneumatic tires.

Abstract: A tire molding apparatus and technique is provided for the ventless molding of tires. According to the invention, a series of pitches is formed in an appropriate REN board, plaster, or like material with the implementation of a CNC machine. An aluminum pour casting is made from the model in which the various pitches are separated by voids which allow for the entry of a cutting tool such that each individual pitch or tire tread segment can be cut from the aluminum casting. Sipe locations are then cut into the model. Master rubbers or foundry tooling is then created and the castings poured. The individual pitches are then matingly interengaged in a puzzle-like fashion along the interior of a tire mold to define the tread portion of the mold. Venting of the mold is achieved at the pitch line formed at the intersection of each of the pitches.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mold and a process for molding a tread 11 and a tire having a tread, the tread including a running surface 12, lateral surfaces 13, axial recesses 15 opening axially on to at least one of the lateral surfaces, the process including steps of inserting into the uncured tread projections 5 which mold the axial recesses 15, and of then removing them from the vulcanized tread, the process being characterized in that the projections 5 are inserted in the direction of the thickness of the tread 11 and are removed in the direction of the width of the tread 11.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold for a pneumatic tire wherein the tread portion includes a center region and outer regions on both sides thereof. The mold includes a pair of side mold members movable toward each other defining part of a mold cavity for vulcanizing a green tire, and away from each other allowing setting of the green tire into the mold cavity and remove of a vulcanized tire out of the mold cavity. Each side mold member has inner peripheral surface with ridges for forming grooves in the outer region of the tread portion. The ridges of the side mold members extend in parallel with each other, as seen in a developed view of the inner peripheral surface of the side mold member, and terminate at positions corresponding to a tread end of the tire so that the grooves formed by these ridges are opened in the tread end.

Abstract: A tear resistant shield for a segmented tire mold. The shield is removably positioned within a cavity formed in the outer surface of each tread segment of the mold to prevent tearing of the outer surface of each tread segment relative to the inner surface of the bowl of such segmented mold.

Abstract: A truck steer tire 10 has a side groove 24, 240 that extends laterally inwardly from the treadwall 29 in a circumferentially continuous fashion. The side groove 24, 240 lies between the tread surface 26 and the belt reinforcing structure 15. The side groove 24, 240 has a minimum groove (w) of 5 mm or greater and a groove depth to width ratio of 1.0 to 2.4. The groove 24, 240 preferably has a groove base having a radiused profile R, the radially inner portion of R being at least equal to one-half the minimum groove width (w).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for treading a vulcanized tire carcass using an uncured tread comprising a rim (6) for mounting the carcass, an elastic annular mold (7) whose circumferential outer surface is covered with an elastic sleeve (16), the mold being intended to mold the uncured tread (3), the device comprising two disc-shaped elastic flanges (8, 9) intended to cover, respectively, one sidewall of the assembly composed of the constituted tire covered with the mold (7), the larger-diameter peripheral end (82, 92) of each flange (8, 9) bearing a rigid annular member (33) for connection with the sleeve (16) covering the mold (7).

Abstract: A collapsible mechanism for molding the bead of a tire includes a series of sectors configured for radial and diagonal movement to selectively apply a continuous, uniform surface for molding and shaping the bead. The sectors collapse into a retracted, release position to allow for placement of the tire within and removal of the tire from the mold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for curing large radial pneumatic tires using a plurality of like molds each having top and bottom mold sections provided with radially movable groove-defining tread segments which are automatically extended into a tire to be cured when the molds are positioned within an autoclave and which are automatically retracted when the molds are withdrawn from the autoclave to free the cured tire from its respective mold.

Abstract: A lamella for use in a vehicle tire vulcanization mold has projections and depression, wherein the height of the projections and the depth of the depressions extend substantially parallel to a peripheral surface of the tire tread of the vehicle tire to be molded in the vulcanization mold. Each one of the projections has a highest point-shaped location or top. Each one of the depressions has a lowest point-shaped location or crater. The projections and depressions are distributed according to a substantially uniform areal division. The areal division is defined by dividing lines extending in a dividing plane preferably centrally positioned between a first plane defined by the tops and a second plane defined by the craters. The dividing lines are comprised of three sets wherein the dividing lines within each one of the sets extend parallel to one another and wherein the dividing lines of different ones of the sets intercept one another at an angle of substantially 60° so that a grid of triangles is formed.

Abstract: Making a tire mold having a plurality of complete tire mold segments (20) of epoxy resin mold material formed in the chambers (18) of segmental shoes (10) and having reinforced stand alone ribs (56) formed in recesses in the tread models mounted in the shoes. The shoes (10) and models (50) are reusable and have standard shoe split diameters and chord lengths to reduce the time necessary to make the molds. The models (50) are of resilient material and are also reusable.

Abstract: A mould for producing a tire includes a crown and at least two cheeks. The crown includes radially-movable sectors. A first cheek is axially opposite a second cheek. The mould includes a main profile in a plane of a meridian section. The main profile includes a maximum chord, a maximum height measured from a fitting line, a profile of the first and second cheeks, and a base profile of a sector. The base profile includes first and second lateral portions, first and second connecting portions, and a central portion. The first lateral and connecting portions are axially opposite the second lateral and connecting portions. Each cheek profile includes first and second portions including first and second radii of curvature, where a ratio of the first radius of curvature to the second radius of curvature is greater than or equal to 0.45:1 and less than or equal to 0.56:1.

Abstract: A mold for flat treads of tire casings which includes first and second molding parts respectively defining the outer surface and the inner surface of a tread, at least one of the molding parts being movable between two positions corresponding to opening and closing of the mold and in which one of the molding parts bears at least one elastically deformable element for molding a longitudinal edge of the tread surface and forming and maintaining a tight connection with the two molding parts between a closed position and a slightly-open position of the mold.

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 mold for molding a tread, in particular of a tire, having first elements in relief and second elements in relief for cooperating in the molding configuration to form a molding element intended to mold a single cutout opening both on to the running surface of the tread and on to one of the lateral edges of said tread and to define at least one orifice intended to allow the rubber mix to pass during the molding of the tread.

Abstract: Provided is a press die for molding a sipe blade which can efficiently mold a sipe blade having a complicated shape such as three-dimensional shape and having excellent mechanical strength characteristics and which can reduce production cost due to its simple structure, and further provided is a method for simply and efficiently making a press die for molding a sipe blade having a complicated shape such as a three-dimensional shape by a casting method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mold and a process for molding a tread 11 and a tire having a tread, the tread including a running surface 12, lateral surfaces 13, axial recesses 15 opening axially on to at least one of the lateral surfaces, the process including steps of inserting into the uncured tread projections 5 which mold the axial recesses 15, and of then removing them from the vulcanized tread, the process being characterized in that the projections 5 are inserted in the direction of the thickness of the tread 11 and are removed in the direction of the width of the tread 11.

Abstract: A molding element has an anchoring portion and a molding portion, the anchoring portion being intended to be anchored in a part of a tire tread mold with the molding portion projecting from a molding face of the tire tread mold part. The molding portion of the molding element has at least two extensions, one of these extensions having at least one arm pivotally mounted on the extension. The molding element is characterized in that, in the molding position, at least one arm pivotally mounted on an extension bears on another extension of the same molding element to define at least one orifice passing through the molding element to mold a connecting bridge between opposite walls of a cutout molded by the molding element.

Abstract: A vulcanizing mold for pneumatic tires includes a plurality of mold pieces for forming a tread portion of the tire, which can be assembled with each other in a circumferential direction of the tire. Each mold piece has a molding surface for forming a tread pattern of the tire tread portion, and end surfaces where adjacent mold pieces are in abutment with each other when they are assembled. The end surface of the mold piece includes an edge region adjacent to the molding surface and extending in a width direction of the tread portion. The mold piece has a vent passage communicating with atmosphere, formned of a narrow gap along the edge region over substantially entire width of the tread portion, and additional vent passage in the molding surface, formed of fine unevenness communicating with the narrow gap, and/or fine apertures at a region corresponding to a land in the tread portion and isolated from the narrow gap.

Abstract: An annular mold having a molding surface for forming a tread pattern of a tire is divided, at least in the peripheral direction, into plural pieces. The plural pieces are disposed adjacent to one another via adjacent surfaces, which are peripheral direction division surfaces, so as to form the annular mold. Substantially an entire molding-surface-side side edge portion of each adjacent surface of the piece is cut-out at a narrow width such that a gap for air venting is formed. Thus, at a low cost, a mold for molding a tire is provided in which there is no spewing, and air can always be reliably vented without a need for applying a vacuum.

Abstract: A tread for a tire having, on at least one lateral part, and radially to the inside of the running surface of said tread, a plurality of cavities oriented virtually transversely and opening onto at least one of the edges of the tread, the cavities being intended to form grooves and incisions opening radially towards the outside of the tread after wear of between 15% and 45% of the thickness of the tread when new. Also, a mold adapted for the molding of such a tread pattern and including, on at least one part molding one of the sidewalls, elements in relief for molding cavities radially beneath the running surface of a tread when new.