Tire Mold Curved Junctions Prevent Joint Fin Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tire molds often cause joint fins on finished tires due to sharp edges, requiring manual or mechanical cutting, leading to material waste, production delays, and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A tire mold design featuring curved surfaces at the junctions of the movable block and sidewall plates to prevent edge penetration, along with a movable block, forming grooves, and a slide guide structure to ensure smooth tire contour contact, reducing the likelihood of joint fins and enhancing production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If sharp edges are used at the junction of sidewall plates and movable block, then the mold structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the sharp edges penetrate the green tire causing joint fin formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing the sharp edges at the junction of sidewall plates and movable block with curved surfaces. Specifically, the first curved surface is formed at the junction of the upper sidewall plate and movable block, and the second curved surface is formed at the junction of the lower sidewall plate and movable block. This curvature prevents the edges from penetrating the green tire during mold closure, thereby eliminating joint fin formation while maintaining ease of manufacture.
2Manufacturing precision
If joint fin groove is added to cut joint fins, then joint fin formation is addressed, but manual or mechanical cutting is required causing production delays and increased costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preventing joint fin formation in the first place through the curved surface design at the mold junctions. By eliminating the cause of joint fin formation (sharp edges penetrating the green tire) before vulcanization occurs, the need for subsequent joint fin cutting operations is completely avoided. This preliminary preventive measure maintains high production efficiency while achieving joint fin elimination.
3Manufacturing precision
If joint fin cutting operation is performed, then joint fins are removed, but rubber material is wasted and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potential harm of sharp edges causing joint fins into a benefit by designing curved surfaces that prevent joint fin formation altogether. The curved surfaces at the mold junctions ensure smooth contact with the green tire, transforming what would be a harmful penetration effect into a beneficial smooth surface contact, thereby eliminating rubber material waste associated with joint fin cutting.
Data Source
AI summary
A tire mold for processing a green tire includes a movable block, an upper sidewall plate, and a lower sidewall plate. A curved surface corresponding to the green tire is provided at a junction of the movable block and the upper sidewall plate/the lower sidewall plate. The movable block, the upper sidewall plate and the lower sidewall plate cooperate with each other to surround a tire cavity for accommodating the green tire. Thereby, the edge of the upper sidewall plate or the lower sidewall plate won't penetrate the green tire to form a joint fin when the mold is closed, which is beneficial to save the rubber material, improves production efficiency and reduces manufacturing costs.