A tire vulcanizing system (100) is provided that optimizes the service life of guidance means and preserves the thermal stability of the vulcanization.

Particular embodiments of the invention include a closed-loop tread strip forming unit (100) and methods for forming tread strips using a closed-loop unit. Embodiments of such forming units include a tread strip extruder (110) located at a pre-cure end of the closed-loop tread strip forming unit. Such units include an uncured tread strip handling assembly (120) configured to transport the first uncured tread strip from the first tread strip extruder and to a first tread strip mold member (130). The unit further includes a curing press (150) having an inlet and an outlet, a pre-cure mold handling assembly (140) configured to insert the loaded tread strip mold member into the curing press, a post-cure mold handling assembly (160) configured to receive the loaded tread strip mold member from the outlet of the curing press, a return assembly (170) configured to transfer the first tread strip mold member to the pre-cure end to complete a closed-loop.

A method of molding a green tire having a first and second bead area is described herein, wherein the method includes the steps of: inserting a tire clamping device inside a tire bladder and then inserting the tire clamping device and the bladder into the green tire, aligning the outer surfaces of the tire clamping device into engagement with a respective bead area of the tire so that each tire bead area is clamped between a respective upper and a lower mold ring and the tire clamping device during cure. A tire clamping device includes an inner portion, and a plurality of segments connected to the inner portion, wherein the tire clamping device has a closed position wherein the plurality of segments together forms a first and second ring for engagement with the bead areas of the tire so clamp the bead areas between the clamping device and the mold rings during cure.

A method and a device for vulcanizing tires. An expandable bellows is used for pressing the tire being vulcanized against segments of a mold. The bellows is arranged on a carrier which has an annular shape.

A tire support device includes: a first rim support portion; a second rim support portion which is provided so as to oppose the first rim support portion; a frame which includes a guide which movably guides the second rim support portion in a direction approaching or separating from the first rim support portion; a transport portion which is movably attached along the guide; a drive portion which moves the transport portion along the guide; an engagement mechanism which can engage with the frame at a retreat position at which the second rim support portion is separated from the first rim support portion; and a supported portion which integrally supports the second rim support portion and the transport portion in a movable manner along the guide in a state where engagement with the engagement mechanism is released.

A tire vulcanizer is provided which is capable of arranging a sector at a specified position during closing of a mold and suppressing a vulcanization molding defect. The tire vulcanizer includes: the sector that shapes a tread of a tire; paired upper and lower side plates that shape sidewalls of the tire; a segment to which the sector is fixed and which causes the sector to move in a tire radial direction; and mold parting surfaces defined by the sector and the side plates. Mold inner ends of the mold parting surfaces are arranged on the tread, and the mold parting surfaces extend outward in the tire radial direction from the mold inner ends. The sector includes paired upper and lower flange sections which respectively abut the paired upper and lower side plates in a state where the adjacent sectors in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other.

The present invention relates to an aqueous, solids-containing dipping bath composition for treating reinforcing inserts for rubber products comprising the following components or consisting of these components, (A) at least one blocked MDI mixture, the MDI mixture comprising MDI oligomers of formula (I), n being a whole number from 1 to 8, and MDI monomers; (B) at least one latex; (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates, lignin derivatives and mixtures hereof; and (D) possibly at least one additive; the dipping bath composition being essentially free of epoxides, and the dipping bath composition being essentially free of resorcinol, formaldehyde and the reaction products thereof.

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The present invention relates to an aqueous, solids-containing dipping bath composition for treating reinforcing inserts for rubber products comprising the following components or consisting of these components, (A) at least one blocked MDI mixture, the MDI mixture comprising MDI oligomers of formula (I), n being a whole number from 1 to 8, and MDI monomers; (B) at least one resorcinol-formaldehyde latex; and (C) possibly at least one additive, wherein the dipping bath composition is essentially free of epoxides.

##STR00001##

Methods for controlling curing apparatuses for tyre production, wherein the curing apparatuses are adapted to work on green tyres to obtain corresponding finished tyres by acquiring, through a processing unit, initial parameters describing at least one of the shape and dimensions of the finished tyres. The processing unit computes first parameters describing the green tyres, the first parameters having at least one parameter representative of an axial height of the green tyres; second parameters describing the curing apparatuses, the second parameters having one or more parameters representative of dimensions of the curing apparatuses; and third parameters as a function of the first parameters and the second parameters, the third parameters having one or more parameters representative of positions taken by movable members included in the curing apparatuses. The processing unit generates signals for controlling the movable members of the curing apparatuses.

Methods for controlling curing apparatuses for tyre production, wherein the curing apparatuses are adapted to work on green tyres to obtain corresponding finished tyres, by acquiring, through a processing unit, initial parameters describing at least one of the shape and dimensions of the finished tyres; computing, through the processing unit, as a function of the initial parameters, first parameters describing the green tyres, the first parameters having at least one parameter representative of an axial height of the green tyres; acquiring, through the processing unit, second parameters describing the curing apparatuses, said second parameters having one or more parameters representative of dimensions of the curing apparatuses; computing, through the processing unit, third parameters as a function of the first parameters and the second parameters, the third parameters having one or more parameters representative of positions taken by movable members included in the curing apparatuses; generating, through the processing unit, as a function of the third parameters, control signals for controlling the movable members of said curing apparatuses and for obtaining said finished tyres starting from the green tyres; sending the control signals from the processing unit to the curing apparatuses. Also disclosed are a curing line operating in accordance with the methods, a processing unit programmed for implementing the methods, and an electronic unit included in the processing unit.