Tire Vulcanization Mold Vent Gap Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing tire vulcanization molds face challenges in accurately forming vent gaps on the side molding surface due to dimension errors and assembling errors in the side segments, leading to molding defects such as rubber protrusions or recesses on the tire's outer surface due to insufficient venting performance.
Innovation Solution
A tire vulcanization mold design featuring a side mold with recesses and side pieces forming an annular shape, where the side pieces are fitted into recesses on the side mold body, creating vent gaps in the tire radial direction, and the inner end of the side piece is positioned inwardly from the side molding surface, allowing for precise alignment and setting of vent gaps, and using a bead ring fixing portion to secure the bead ring, which covers the inner end of the side piece, enabling accurate air discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the side mold is formed by connecting multiple side segments, then the mold can be assembled and disassembled, but dimension errors and assembling errors accumulate making it difficult to accurately form vent gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The side mold is divided into multiple side segments that can be assembled together. Each segment has a predetermined vent gap formed on its molding surface, and the segments are connected through assembling operations. This segmentation allows the mold to be manufactured and assembled while maintaining accurate vent gap dimensions through controlled assembly processes.
2Reliability
If the vent gap is made wide to ensure air discharge, then venting performance improves, but rubber sticks out on the tire outer surface
Solution Approach 1:
The vent gap is formed with a specific, controlled width on the molding surface of each side segment. The gap is localized to specific regions where air discharge is needed, rather than being uniformly wide across the entire mold surface. This local quality approach ensures adequate air discharge while preventing excessive gap width that would cause rubber protrusion.
3Manufacturing precision
If the vent gap is made narrow to maintain surface accuracy, then molding defects are reduced, but air discharge performance becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The vent gaps are pre-formed on the molding surfaces of the side segments during the mold manufacturing process. This preliminary action ensures that the gaps are accurately positioned and dimensioned before assembly, allowing for effective air discharge while maintaining precise surface finish. The gaps are prepared in advance with controlled dimensions that balance venting performance and surface accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A tire vulcanization mold 10 of an embodiment includes a side mold 14 having a side molding surface 20 for molding a side wall portion. The side mold 14 includes: a side mold body 24 having a plurality of recesses 30 provided at intervals in a tire circumferential direction; a plurality of side pieces 26 fitted into the recesses 30 and forming an annular side molding surface 20 together with the side mold body 24; and a plurality of vent gaps 28 provided between side surfaces 26A on both sides in the tire circumferential direction of the side pieces 26 and wall surfaces 30A of the recesses 30. An inner end 26E in a tire radial direction of the side piece 26 is positioned inwardly in the tire radial direction from an inner end 20E in the tire radial direction of the side molding surface 20.