Tyre Tread Mould with Angled Blade for Concealed Channel Demolding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing tread molds for truck tires face challenges in efficiently molding treads with internal channels or cavities that are extended by incisions, leading to high stripping forces and molding defects due to the resistance of vulcanized rubber, which affects the water drainage performance and service life of the tires.
Innovation Solution
A mold design with a molding surface featuring a blade and bead arrangement, where the blade's lateral faces form an average angle between 6 to 18 degrees, and the bead's width is greater than the incision width, facilitating easier demolding and reducing stripping forces without compromising incision operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If internal channels or cavities are created in the tread to improve water drainage, then water drainage performance is improved, but stripping forces increase and material tearing occurs during demolding
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is divided into two separate parts: a first mold part that forms the internal channels and cavities, and a second mold part that forms the outer tread structure. This segmentation allows the first mold part to be easily removed from the vulcanized rubber after demolding, preventing material tearing while maintaining the water drainage channels.
Solution Approach 2:
A release agent or lubricant is applied as an intermediary substance between the mold surface and the rubber material during molding. This intermediary reduces the adhesion between the vulcanized rubber and the mold, significantly lowering stripping forces and enabling easy removal of the mold without damaging the tread structure.
2Reliability
If grooves are created on the tread surface to enable water drainage, then water drainage is improved, but tread wear performance decreases due to increased wear rate
Solution Approach 1:
The internal channels and cavities are nested within the tread structure, forming a three-dimensional drainage network inside the tire rather than only on the surface. This nested configuration provides effective water drainage while preserving the integrity and wear resistance of the outer tread surface, thereby extending tire service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The drainage system is extended from two-dimensional surface grooves into the third dimension by creating internal channels and cavities within the tread depth. This dimensional transition allows water to be drained through the thickness of the tread, maintaining surface integrity while improving drainage performance.
3Reliability
If grooves are used for water drainage, then water removal is effective, but compression and shear stiffness decrease due to material deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage structure is localized to specific regions within the tread where water accumulation is most problematic, rather than creating continuous grooves throughout. The internal channels and cavities are strategically positioned to provide drainage where needed while preserving the stiffness and structural integrity of the surrounding tread material.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a mould (1) for moulding a tread of a tyre, said tread having a thickness of material to be worn away and a tread surface intended to come into contact with the road when the tyre is running, said mould (1) comprising a moulding surface (10) intended to mould the tread surface of the tread, said moulding surface (10) comprising at least one moulding element (3) formed of a blade (32) and a bar (31), the blade (32) being joined to the moulding surface (10) of the mould in order to mould a sipe in the tread, the bar (31), carried by the blade (32) in order to form a widened part of maximum width D, being provided to mould a channel in the tread, said channel being itself intended to form a new groove following partial wear to the tread, said moulding element (3) being such that each blade (32) is delimited by two side faces (321, 322) that make an average angle, between one another, of between 6 degrees and 18 degrees, the width of the blade decreasing from the surface of the mould (10) in the new state as far as the connection to the bar (31), the width of the blade (32) at the connection to the bar (31) being at least equal to 0.2 times and at most equal to 0.4 times the maximum width D of the bar (31).