Tire vulcanizing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a tire vulcanizing apparatus capable of lowering an upper side mold without mechanical connection between a mold and a lowering force applicator.SOLUTION: A tire vulcanizing apparatus including a mold 2, a lowering force applying tool, and an attachment 4. A mold 2 includes a tread mold 6, an upper side mold 7U, and a lower side mold 7 L. The lowering force applicator is positioned above the mold 2 and has a rod that extends downwardly. The attachment 4 is fixed to a top of the mold 2 without being mechanically coupled to the rod. The attachment 4 has a body and upper and lower movable parts fixed to the upper side mold 7U. The upper and lower movable parts lower the upper side mold 7U by receiving a lowering force from the rod.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tire vulcanizing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below describes a tire vulcanizing apparatus including a mold in which the splitting position between a side mold and a tread mold is shifted inward in the tire radial direction. In this type of tire vulcanizing apparatus, when the tread mold is opened outward in the tire radial direction, it tends to get caught on the side blocks of the tire, making it difficult to remove the tire from the mold. For this reason, the tire vulcanizing apparatus includes a first elevating device for lowering the upper side mold in order to first compress the width of the tire. The first elevating device is arranged above the mold and is composed of a cylinder including a rod.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the tire vulcanizing apparatus as described above, the rod of the first elevating device and the upper side mold are mechanically connected. Therefore, each time the mold is installed and removed, the work of connecting the rod of the first elevating device is required. Since this work needs to be performed in a limited and narrow work space, a great deal of labor is required.

[0005] In view of the above actual situation, the present disclosure has been devised, and the main object is to provide a tire vulcanizing apparatus capable of lowering the upper side mold without mechanical connection between the mold and the downward force applying device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a tire vulcanizing apparatus, which includes a mold for horizontally placing and vulcanizing a green tire, the mold including a tread mold, an upper side mold, and a lower side mold; a downward force applicator disposed above the mold and having a rod extending downward; and an attachment fixed to the upper part of the mold without being mechanically coupled to the rod. The attachment includes a main body and a vertically movable part that is vertically movable relative to the main body and fixed to the upper side mold. The vertically movable part receives a downward force from the rod and thereby lowers the upper side mold relative to the tread mold.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] By adopting the above configuration, the tire vulcanizing apparatus of the present disclosure can lower the upper side mold without mechanical coupling between the mold and the downward force applicator.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view conceptually showing an embodiment of a tire vulcanizing apparatus (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “apparatus”) 1 of the present disclosure. In the apparatus 1 of the present disclosure, a green tire T (shown in FIG. 2) is vulcanized to produce a pneumatic tire (not shown). The apparatus 1 is suitable for manufacturing pneumatic tires for four-wheel drive vehicles such as SUVs, for example, but is also used for manufacturing pneumatic tires for passenger cars, motorcycles, heavy load vehicles, etc.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a mold 2 for vulcanizing the green tire T placed horizontally, an apparatus main body 3 that supports the mold 2 so as to be openable and closable, and an attachment 4 fixed to the upper part of the mold 2. In the present embodiment, the tire axial direction of the green tire T in the mold 2 is vertical (up and down), and the tire circumferential direction and the tire radial direction of this green tire T are horizontal. In this specification, the circumferential direction, the axial direction, and the radial direction of the green tire T are the tire circumferential direction, the tire axial direction, and the tire radial direction.

[0011] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the green tire T. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mold 2 of the present embodiment includes a tread mold 6, an upper side mold 7U, a lower side mold 7L, an upper plate 8, a lower plate 10, and an actuator 11. The tread mold 6 is formed in a well-known structure including a plurality of segments 6a divided in the tire circumferential direction in the present embodiment, and has, for example, a molding surface a1 that can mold the outer surface on the outer side in the tire radial direction from the maximum width position (not shown) of the pneumatic tire. In the present embodiment, each segment 6a is replaceably held by a sector 9 having a well-known structure. The upper plate 8 of the present embodiment is formed in a well-known structure and supports the tread mold 6. The lower plate 10 is formed in a well-known structure, for example, and mounts the lower side mold 7L. The actuator 11 of the present embodiment is formed in a well-known structure and supports the sector 9 so as to be expandable and contractible in the tire radial direction.

[0012] In this embodiment, each of the upper side mold 7U and the lower side mold 7L is formed in a well-known structure and has a molding surface a2 that can mold the outer surface of the pneumatic tire inside the tire radial direction from the tire maximum width position (not shown). The upper side mold 7U includes, for example, a first portion 12a that includes the molding surface a2 and extends in an annular shape, and a second portion 12b that is connected to the inner peripheral side of the first portion 12a and is formed in a disk shape with a thickness smaller than that of the first portion 12a.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus main body 3 includes a lower main body 15 disposed below the mold 2 and an upper main body 16 disposed above the mold 2.

[0014] The lower main body 15 of this embodiment is configured in a well-known structure including a base 17 below for fixing the lower plate 10, a center mechanism 18 attached to the lower base 17, and a first lifting device 19 capable of moving the lower side mold 7L up and down relative to the lower plate 10. The center mechanism 18 of this embodiment includes a vulcanizing bladder (not shown). The center mechanism 18 includes an upper grip ring 20a (shown in FIG. 2) for gripping the upper end of the vulcanizing bladder, a lower grip ring 20b for gripping the lower end of the vulcanizing bladder, and a second lifting device 21 for moving the upper grip ring 20a up and down relative to the lower grip ring 20b.

[0015] In this embodiment, the first lifting device 19 and the second lifting device 21 are each a cylinder mechanism with a well-known structure having rods 19a and 21a that extend vertically. A cylindrical first support cylinder 22 is fixed to the rod 19a of the first lifting device 19 via a plate-shaped joint portion K. The first support cylinder 22 supports the lower side mold 7L via a holder 23. The rod 21a of the second lifting device 21 extends through the central hole of the first support cylinder 22, and the upper grip ring 20a is fixed thereto.

[0016] The upper main body 16 of the present embodiment includes, for example, a downward force applying tool 25, an upper lifting tool 26, and an upper base 27. The downward force applying tool 25 of the present embodiment has a function of lowering the upper side mold 7U with respect to the tread mold 6, for example.

[0017] The upper base 27 includes a top plate 28a that supports the upper lifting tool 24, a lifting plate 28b disposed below the top plate 28a, and a support member 28c that extends vertically by connecting the lifting plate 28b and the top plate 28a.

[0018] The lifting plate 28b supports the actuator 11. The lifting plate 28b is relatively movable up and down with respect to the upper plate 8 by a lifting tool (not shown) having a well-known structure such as a cylinder mechanism, for example.

[0019] The upper lifting tool 26 has a function of moving the upper plate 8 up and down, for example. The upper lifting tool 26 of the present embodiment is a cylinder mechanism having a well-known structure with a rod 26a. A cylindrical second support cylinder 32 is fixed to the lower end of the rod 26a of the upper lifting tool 26 via a joint portion 31. In the present embodiment, a flange portion 32a protruding to the outer peripheral side is formed at the lower end of the second support cylinder 32.

[0020] The downward force applying tool 25 includes a rod 25a that extends downward. The downward force applying tool 25 is, for example, a cylinder mechanism having a well-known structure with a rod 25a. Thus, the rod 25a of the downward force applying tool 25 applies a downward force. In the present embodiment, the downward force applying tool 25 is supported by the joint portion 31. The rod 25a of the downward force applying tool 25 extends up and down through the central hole of the second support cylinder 32. An attachment 4 is disposed below this rod 25a. The rod 25a of the present embodiment extends below the lower end of the second support cylinder 32.

[0021] Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the attachment 4 in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the attachment 4 includes a main body 35 and a vertically movable part 36 that can move up and down relative to the main body 35. The main body 35 of the present embodiment includes an opening 35a that penetrates vertically, a first flange portion 35b disposed at the upper end of the main body 35 and protruding to the outer peripheral side, and a second flange portion 35c disposed at the lower end of the main body 35 and protruding to the outer peripheral side. The vertically movable part 36 of the present embodiment includes an axial center portion 37 that extends vertically and a plate-shaped connecting portion 38 connected to the lower end of the axial center portion 37.

[0022] The main body 35 is, for example, bolt-fixed B1 to the mold 2 from above the mold 2. In the present embodiment, the second flange portion 35c and the upper plate 8 are bolt-fixed B1. Further, the first flange portion 35b is in contact with the flange portion 32a of the second support cylinder 32. The flange portion 32a of the second support cylinder 32 and the first flange portion 35b are preferably detachably fixed by a fixture (not shown) having a well-known structure.

[0023] The vertically movable part 36 is, for example, bolt-fixed B2 to the upper side mold 7U from above. In the present embodiment, the connecting portion 38 and the second portion 12b of the upper side mold 7U are fixed by bolts inserted through a through hole 40 provided in the second flange portion 35c. Further, in the present embodiment, the rod 25a is inserted into the opening 35a so that the upper end 37a of the axial center portion 37 and the lower end 25e of the rod 25a of the downward force applying tool 25 are in contact. In this way, the rod 25a and the attachment 4 (axial center portion 37 of the vertically movable part 36) are not mechanically coupled. The upper end 37a of the axial center portion 37 is located below the upper end 35e of the opening 35a in the present embodiment.

[0024] As a result, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the vertically movable part 36 can lower the upper side mold 7U fixed to the connecting part 38 with respect to the tread mold 6 by receiving the downward force F from the rod 25a. On the other hand, when the downward extension (downward force F) of the rod 25a is released and the rod 25a moves upward, a state where the rod 25a and the axial center part 37 of the vertically movable part 36 are separated (instantaneously) is formed (shown in FIG. 4(b)). Note that the upper plate 8 can move up and down integrally with the tread mold 6 via the joint part 31, the second support cylinder 32, and the main body 35 by the expansion and contraction of the rod 26a of the upper lifter 26 (not shown).

[0025] The attachment 4 further includes a coil spring 41. The coil spring 41 can move within the opening 35a together with the axial center part 37 and is held in the opening 35a in a state where it cannot come off. As a result, when the axial center part 37 is lowered by receiving the downward force F from the rod 25a, a compressive force acts on the coil spring 41 (shown in FIG. 4(a)). Then, when the downward force F is released and the state shown in FIG. 4(b) is reached, the compressive force of the coil spring 41 can bias the vertically movable part 36 upward with respect to the main body 35. Thereby, the coil spring 41 can move the vertically movable part 36 together with the upper side mold 7U upward to a position where it contacts the rod 25a. Since the "non-removable state" is formed by a well-known configuration as shown in the drawing, its description is omitted.

[0026] Thus, in the apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the vertically movable part 36 of the attachment 4 that has received the downward force F of the downward force applying tool 25 lowers the upper side mold 7U with respect to the tread mold 6. Further, the mold 2 and the downward force applying tool 25 are attached via the attachment 4 that is not mechanically coupled to the rod 25a of the downward force applying tool 25. Therefore, in the apparatus 1, the upper side mold 7U can be lowered without a mechanical coupling between the mold 2 and the downward force applying tool 25.

[0027] The device 1 of this embodiment preferably further includes a controller (not shown) for operating each of the elevators 19, 21, 26 and the downward force applying tool 25. The controller is preferably a computer or the like, and stores operation procedures, operation amounts, etc. of each of the elevators 19, 21, 26 and the downward force applying tool 25.

[0028] Next, an assembly process for assembling such a device 1 will be described. FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic views showing the flow of the assembly process. As shown in FIG. 5(a), first, the mold 2 and the attachment 4 are prepared. In this embodiment, the mold 2 is attached to the lower main body 15. The mold 2 includes, for example, a tread mold 6, an upper side mold 7U, a lower side mold 7L, an actuator 11, an upper plate 8, and a lower plate 10, and these are in a closed state (the same state as during vulcanization). Then, the attachment 4 is arranged on the upper part of the mold 2.

[0029] Next, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the attachment 4 is fixed to the mold 2. The main body 35 of the attachment 4 is bolt-fixed B1 to the upper plate 8. Also, using the through hole 40 of the second flange portion 35c, the vertically movable portion 36 of the attachment 4 is bolt-fixed B2 to the upper side mold 7U. Thus, in the device 1 of this embodiment, the attachment 4 is easily attached using the wide space above the mold 2.

[0030] Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the upper main body 16 is attached to the upper part of the mold 2. In this embodiment, the elevating plate 28b of the upper main body 16 is fixed to the actuator 11, and the rod 25a of the downward force applying tool 25 is inserted into the opening 35a so as to contact the upper end 37a of the axial center portion 37 of the vertically movable portion 36. Thus, the attachment of the upper main body 16 and the mold 2 can also be performed with less labor because the wide space above the mold 2 is utilized.

[0031] As described above, the particularly preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrated embodiments and can be implemented in various forms by modification.

[0032] [Supplementary Note] The present disclosure includes the following aspects.

[0033] [Disclosure 1] A tire vulcanizing apparatus, a mold for vulcanizing a green tire placed horizontally, the mold including a tread mold, an upper side mold, and a lower side mold, a downward force applicator disposed above the mold and having a rod extending downward, and an attachment fixed to the upper part of the mold without being mechanically coupled to the rod, the attachment including a main body and a vertically movable part that is movable up and down with respect to the main body and is fixed to the upper side mold, the vertically movable part lowering the upper side mold with respect to the tread mold by receiving a downward force from the rod, A tire vulcanizing apparatus. [Disclosure 2] The main body of the attachment is bolted to the mold from above the mold. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to Disclosure 1. [Disclosure 3] The vertically movable part is bolted to the upper side mold from above it. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to Disclosure 1 or 2. [Disclosure 4] The vertically movable part is biased upward with respect to the main body such that the upper side mold moves to an upper position due to separation from the rod. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to Disclosure 3. [Disclosure 5] The attachment includes a coil spring for biasing the vertically movable part upward with respect to the main body. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to Disclosure 4. [Disclosure 6] The main body has an opening penetrating vertically, the vertically movable part and the coil spring are movable within the opening and are held in a non - removable state in the opening. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to Disclosure 5.

Explanation of Symbols

[0034] 1 Tire Vulcanizing Device 2 Mold 4 Attachment 6 Tread Mold 7U Upper Side Mold 7L Lower Side Mold 25 Downward Force Applying Tool 25a Rod 35 Body 36 Vertically Movable Part F Downward Force

Claims

1. A tire vulcanizing apparatus, a mold for vulcanizing a green tire placed horizontally, the mold including a tread mold, an upper side mold, and a lower side mold, a downward force applying tool disposed above the mold and having a rod extending downward, and an attachment fixed to the upper part of the mold without being mechanically coupled to the rod, the attachment including a main body and a vertically movable part that is movable up and down with respect to the main body and is fixed to the upper side mold, the vertically movable part lowering the upper side mold with respect to the tread mold by receiving a downward force from the rod, A tire vulcanizing apparatus.

2. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main body of the attachment is bolted to the mold from above the mold.

3. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vertically movable part is bolted to the upper side mold from above it.

4. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the vertically movable part is biased upward with respect to the main body such that the upper side mold moves to an upper position due to the separation from the rod.

5. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the attachment includes a coil spring for biasing the vertically movable part upward with respect to the main body.

6. The main body has an opening penetrating vertically, and the vertically movable part and the coil spring are movable within the opening and are held in a state of being prevented from coming out of the opening. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 5.

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