A tire vulcanizing method comprises: a step of causing a connecting body, at which an upper mold of a vulcanization mold is supported and that connects together upper end portions of upper tubes of a plurality of supporting pillars, the supporting pillars being disposed so as to be apart in a peripheral direction at a periphery of the vulcanization mold, which is formed from a lower mold and the upper mold, which is set above the lower mold, and the supporting pillars having lower tubes that are hollow and the upper tubes, which are hollow and are slidably engaged with the lower tubes, and the supporting pillars extending in a vertical direction, to, together with the upper tubes and the upper mold, approach the lower mold, and close the vulcanization mold; and a step of vulcanizing an unvulcanized tire that is accommodated at an interior of the vulcanization mold that is closed, wherein the causing the connecting body, the upper tubes and the upper mold to approach the lower mold is carried out by operating raising/lowering mechanisms that are accommodated at interiors of the supporting pillars.

An advanced tire mold has been developed which offers the advantages of reducing the level of whiskers on the surface of the tire, reduces sticking to the mold, and which facilitates enhanced gas removal. This tire mold includes a mold segment having an inner side for contacting the uncured tire, an outer side opposite to the inner side, and a plurality of vent passages which allow gas to pass from the inner side of the mold segment to the outer side of the mold segment, the vent passages comprising vent slots, wherein each vent slots have an inlet at the inner side of the mold segment, and wherein the vent slots taper from the inlets to the outer side of the mold segment. This tire mold can be comprised of multiple mold segments which can be utilized in a tire curing press.

A heating press (1) for vulcanizing a vehicle tire under a vacuum, comprising a heating press upper part (3) and a heating press lower part (6), wherein a container (2) having the mold parts (14, 16, 17, 18, 21) of a segmented vulcanizing mold and a cylindrical hood upper part (4) enclosing said container are arranged on the heating press upper part (3), wherein the hood upper part (4) is arranged fixedly on the heating press upper part (3), wherein the diameter of the hood upper part (4) is dimensioned such that said hood upper part can be pushed over the heating press lower part (6) with a small clearance and said hood upper part has a length (23) which is sufficient to form a closed hood interior space (12) with the heating press lower part (6) and heating press upper part (4) when the vulcanizing mold is still open, wherein, in the course of a first stroke (H.sub.1), the heating press upper part (3) can be moved in the axial direction (P1) in such a way that the hood upper part (4) forms a vacuum-tight hood interior space (12) with the heating press lower part (6), although the vulcanizing mold remains open in an air-permeable manner, wherein, in the course of a second stroke (H.sub.2), the heating press upper part (3) can be moved further in the axial direction (P1) in such a way that the vulcanizing mold can be completely closed under vacuum conditions in the interior space of the hood (12).

An advanced tire mold has been developed which offers the advantages of reducing the level of whiskers on the surface of the tire, reduces sticking to the mold, and which facilitates enhanced gas removal. This tire mold includes a mold segment having an inner side for contacting the uncured tire, an outer side opposite to the inner side, and a plurality of vent passages which allow gas to pass from the inner side of the mold segment to the outer side of the mold segment, the vent passages comprising vent slots, wherein each vent slots have an inlet at the inner side of the mold segment, and wherein the vent slots taper from the inlets to the outer side of the mold segment. This tire mold can be comprised of multiple mold segments which can be utilized in a tire curing press.

The tire vulcanizing mould includes a plurality of segments for molding the outside of the tire tread. The segments are able to move radially between a position in which the mold is open and a position in which the mold is closed. The segments have frustoconical bearing surfaces that are placed radially on the outside. An axially mobile external ring, which acts on the frustoconical bearing surfaces, is placed radially on the outside of the segments in order to cause them to close and to move back from their position of closure in the mold. The external ring is radially preloaded towards the inside when the mold is in the open position.

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 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 mechanism releases a plate from a recess in a tire mold part. The mechanism includes a bolt insertable into a hole in the tire mold part and extending from a first end at an outer surface of the tire mold part to a second end at a recess for a pocket plate in the tire mold part. The first end of the bolt has an axially extending projection allowing manipulation of the bolt about an axis within the hole. The projection is defined by two diametrically opposite curved surfaces interconnected by two diametrically opposite planar surfaces.

A tire vulcanizing apparatus includes a vulcanization mold including a lower mold and an upper mold to define a tire mold cavity for vulcanizing a green tire together with a rigid core on which the green tire is formed, a base portion, a lower plate to which the lower mold is attached, the lower plate supported by the base portion, a first ring having a circular shape with a center corresponding to an axial center of the vulcanization mold and arranged between the base portion and the lower plate, an upper plate to which the upper mold is attached so as to face the lower mold up and down, and a lifting device for moving the upper plate up and down between a lower location to close the vulcanization mold and an upper location in which the upper mold positions opening the vulcanization mold.

A green tyre has a symmetric profile in radial section having a radially outer tread band, two radially inner beads and two sidewalls each extended from one edge of the tread band to one of the beads. During a moulding and vulcanisation treatment of the green tyre, a movement is imposed to the tread band with respect to the beads along a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the tyre, to obtain a moulded and vulcanised tyre having an asymmetric profile in radial section. A mould for vulcanizing tyres for vehicle wheels is also described, having a tread wall axially asymmetric with respect to a middle line plane of the mould.