Tread Band Mold Protrusions for Air Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tire retreading processes are labor and material intensive due to the challenge of trapped air between the tread band and the tire casing, which affects tire performance, and existing methods to mitigate this issue are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a mold with protrusions that form grooves with vent features in the tread band, allowing air to escape during the curing process, and ensuring the tread has a smooth back face with vents extending into the grooves to facilitate air release between the tread band and the tire casing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional methods (drilling holes or using wicking materials) are used to remove trapped air, then air evacuation is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mold includes protrusions with tip features that extend into the groove to create vents before the curing process begins. This preliminary configuration of the mold ensures air evacuation pathways are already in place, eliminating the need for post-processing steps like drilling holes or adding wicking materials, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliable air evacuation
Solution Approach 2:
The mold design automatically provides air evacuation functionality through its protrusions with tip features. The mold structure itself serves the dual purpose of forming the groove and creating the vent, eliminating the need for separate air evacuation components or processes. This self-service approach reduces both device complexity and manufacturing steps
2Reliability
If traditional methods (drilling holes or using wicking materials) are used to remove trapped air, then air evacuation is improved, but labor and material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is pre-configured with protrusions that have tip features extending into the groove to form vents during the molding process itself. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent drilling operations or installation of wicking materials, reducing both labor and material costs while ensuring reliable air evacuation during curing
Solution Approach 2:
The mold combines multiple functions into a single component: it forms the groove structure and simultaneously creates the air evacuation vent through its protrusions with tip features. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate air evacuation components, reducing material costs and simplifying the manufacturing process
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively reduces trapped air during the curing process, improving tire performance and reducing the costs associated with labor and materials by simplifying the retreading process.
Implementation Method 1
The rubber material is compressed into the mold
Implementation Method 2
The exposed vent allows air between the tire casing and the tire tread to escape through the vent and the at least one tread groove during the curing
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a tread band includes providing a mold having one or more protrusions extending outward in a first direction away from a bottom surface of the mold. At least a first one of the protrusions includes a tip feature extending outward in the first direction. Rubber material is introduced into the mold. A first surface of the rubber material opposite the bottom surface covers the tip feature. The rubber material is compressed into the mold. The compressed rubber material covers the tip feature. The mold is released from the rubber material to form a tread band. The tread band has one or more grooves in a second surface opposite the first surface. The one or more grooves correspond to the one or more protrusions in the mold. A first groove corresponding to the first protrusion includes a vent corresponding to the tip feature in the mold.