Flexible Tire Mold Segment With Sipe Projection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing flexible mold segments for tire production face challenges in precisely aligning sipe elements due to the flexibility of the mold base, leading to variations in sipe positioning during the curing process, which affects the accuracy of tire tread design.
Innovation Solution
A flexible mold segment with sipe elements featuring projections that fit into cavities within the mold segment base, providing enhanced stability and positioning by using polysulfide castable mold rubber as the base material, which retains the sipe elements through a combination of projection and cavity design, ensuring accurate placement and retention during the tire curing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sipe elements are inserted into the flexible mold segment base, then the sipe elements can be positioned to form tire tread features, but the flexibility of the base causes the sipe elements to shift position during the curing process
Solution Approach 1:
The sipe element is segmented into multiple parts: a body portion and a projection portion. The projection fits into a corresponding cavity in the mold base, creating a mechanical interlock that prevents shifting while allowing the base to remain flexible for adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection of the sipe element nests into a cavity within the mold segment base. This nested configuration provides precise positioning and retention, preventing the sipe element from shifting during the curing process while maintaining the flexibility of the base material.
2Stability of the object's composition
If locking features are added between sipe elements to constrain their position, then positioning stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking feature (projection) is merged with the sipe element body itself rather than being a separate component. This integration provides positioning stability while avoiding the complexity of additional independent locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The sipe element's own projection serves as the locking feature that engages with the cavity in the mold base. The element locks itself into position during insertion, eliminating the need for external locking mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A mold segment (10) for forming a tire is provided that has a sipe element (14) with first and second ends. A first side face (20) is oppositely disposed from a second side face (22) in a width direction, and a bottom is oppositely disposed from a top in a height direction. The sipe element has a projection (30) that extends from the first side face. A mold segment base (32) made of a material that is more flexible than material making up the sipe element (14) is present. The mold segment base receives the sipe element such that the bottom of the sipe element is located inside of the mold segment base and the top of the sipe element is located outside of the mold segment base. The mold segment base defines a cavity (34), and the projection (30) is located inside of the cavity (34). The mold segment (10) is used for forming a production mold segment (68) that ultimately molds a green tire into a cured tire (12).