Tire Mold Blade Reinforcement for Sipe Rigidity and Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional molds with thicker blade ends reduce tread portion rigidity, leading to deteriorated anti-wear performance and increased rolling resistance in tires.
Innovation Solution
A mold design featuring blades with a main body portion of 0.2 mm or less thickness and a reinforcing portion greater than 0.2 mm, with localized reinforcement at the connection points to enhance rigidity and reduce stress concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the blade free end is formed thicker over the entire longitudinal direction, then the blade strength is improved, but the tread portion rigidity decreases, anti-wear performance deteriorates, and rolling resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is designed with non-uniform thickness distribution, featuring a thicker free end portion (0.3-0.5mm) only at the tip region and a thinner main body portion (0.1-0.2mm) in the longitudinal direction. This local quality differentiation allows the free end to have sufficient strength while the main body maintains tread rigidity, resolving the contradiction between blade strength and tread portion rigidity
Solution Approach 2:
The blade structure is segmented into distinct thickness zones: a thin main body portion (0.1-0.2mm) for maintaining tread rigidity and a thicker free end portion (0.3-0.5mm) for ensuring blade strength. This segmentation allows each zone to fulfill its specific functional requirement without compromising the other, thereby improving anti-wear performance and reducing rolling resistance while maintaining necessary blade strength
2Reliability
If the blade thickness is reduced to improve anti-wear performance and reduce rolling resistance, then the blade strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade employs local quality differentiation with a thicker free end portion (0.3-0.5mm) positioned only at the tip region where strength is most needed for cutting edges, while the main body portion remains thin (0.1-0.2mm) to maintain tread rigidity and reduce rolling resistance. This resolves the contradiction by providing strength exactly where required without compromising overall reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The blade design transitions from uniform thickness to variable thickness distribution along the longitudinal direction, creating a three-dimensional thickness profile. The free end portion is strategically thickened in the radial direction (0.3-0.5mm) while the main body remains thin (0.1-0.2mm), allowing the blade to achieve both high strength at critical locations and low rolling resistance overall, thereby improving anti-wear performance
Data Source
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AI summary
A mold for vulcanization molding a tire includes a tread ring. The tread ring includes a ground contacting surface molding portion, a first groove forming convex portion and a second groove forming convex portion raised from the ground contacting surface molding portion, and at least one blade having both ends connected with the first and second groove forming convex portions so as to form a sipe having both ends connected with two grooves. The at least one blade includes a main body portion having a thickness of 0.2 mm or less and a reinforcing portion having a thickness greater than 0.2 mm. The reinforcing portion includes a first reinforcing portion formed locally on a radially inner end edge side of the blade and a first connection portion side. The first connection portion is a connection between the blade and the first groove forming convex portion.