Methods for manufacturing a tire mold and displacing the air from the mold into a compression cavity during the tire making process

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.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation of and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 556,222, filed on Nov. 30, 2014, entitled “Methods for manufacturing a tire mold and displacing the air from the mold into a compression cavity during the tire making process”, which is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]A tire mold usually consists of multiple tread segments that together form a full circular tread mold. The mold is closed on the side by a side ring, which typically has the tire brand engraving, and other information such as size and operating pressure. The tire mold tread segment surface is shaped to be the negative of the actual tire tread surface. The tire tread mold segments and the 2 side rings, are held together by a container.[0003]The tire mold segments can include vent structures to selectively evacuate air from the tire mold. Various methods for air evacuation have been described, with high manufacturing complexity and maintenance efforts...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is related to a method for making tires using tire mold segments. The invention includes air compression cavities in the tire mold segments that can improve the tire surface profile during the curing process. These air compression cavities can also reduce the adhesion between the tire and the mold, making the tire easier to remove. The invention also including a method for using a vacuum system or pressurized fluid to assist in the process. The technical effect of this invention is to simplify the manufacturing process of tires and improve the tire surface profile.

Problems solved by technology

Various methods for air evacuation have been described, with high manufacturing complexity and maintenance efforts such as cleaning or replacement.

Spring vents can be costly, for example, can contribute up to 10% of the manufacturing cost of the mold.

For example, winter tires can have a too complex tread pattern to be built as a puzzle.

Further, puzzle mold can incur high manufacturing cost, which can be up to twice as expensive as a regular segmented mold.

This can result in several thousand inserts for a complex tread design such as for a winter tire.

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