A tire curing apparatus having two guide rods, a mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, an upper plate, a lower plate, and an upper-mold raising/lowering device. Two clamp grooves (a first clamp groove and a second clamp groove) are formed on a path along which the upper plate moves on an outer peripheral surface of the guide rod. The upper plate has a clamping device. The clamping device is formed of a clamp block and fixes the upper plate by being fitted to the first or second clamp groove.

Disclosed herein are automated systems and methods utilizing a plurality of specialized RFID tags incorporated within various tire manufacturing components (e.g., mold segments, mold container, bladder plates, tire presses, and extrusion dies) that are able to readily track tire manufacture and identify defect source(s) while concurrently being configured to the harsh processes and temperatures of tire manufacture.

Tire mold maintenance and repair systems and related methods are disclosed. According to an aspect, a mold maintenance and repair system includes a mold holder. The mold holder is configured to releasably attach to a support structure and to hold a mold. The mold comprises contoured upper portion for molding an item and an attachment lower portion for attaching to the mold holder.

An upper side mold is lowered without mechanical combination between the mold and a lowering force application device.

A tire vulcanizing apparatus 1 includes a mold 2, a lowering force application device 25, and an attachment 4. The mold 2 includes a tread mold 6, an upper side mold 7U, and a lower side mold 7L. The lowering force application device 25 is disposed above the mold 2 and includes a rod 25a extending downward. The attachment 4 is fixed to an upper portion of the mold 2 without mechanical combination with the rod 25a. The attachment 4 includes a body 35 and an upward-downward movable portion 36 fixed to the upper side mold 7U. The upward-downward movable portion 36 lowers the upper side mold 7U upon receiving a lowering force F from the rod 25a.

Disclosed herein are automated systems and methods utilizing a plurality of specialized RFID tags incorporated within various tire manufacturing components (e.g., mold segments, mold container, bladder plates, tire presses, and extrusion dies) that are able to readily track tire manufacture and identify defect source(s) while concurrently being configured to the harsh processes and temperatures of tire manufacture.

In a pneumatic tire, a sidewall region comprises a protruding portion that protrudes in a tire width direction from a base surface, the protruding portion comprises an apical surface which is arranged at an end toward an exterior in the tire width direction, at least one side surface that is respectively contiguous with the base surface and the apical surface, a first linear projection which protrudes at a boundary between the apical surface and the at least one side surface, a second linear projection which protrudes at a boundary between the basal surface and the at least one side surface, and a third linear projection which protrudes in such fashion that a first end of the third linear projection is contiguous with the first linear projection, and a second end of the third linear projection is contiguous with the second linear projection.

A curing mold (10) for a tire comprises: a plurality of circumferentially distributed sectors (18) that are intended to mold the tread of the tire, at least one sipe blade (40) intended to mold a void in the tread, the sipe blade extending over two adjacent sectors (18) such that the sipe blade comprises a part (40a, 40b) in each of the two sectors, the two parts of the sipe blade being separated, in the closed position of the mold, by a space (26) that creates flash during the curing of a tire, the parts of the sipe blade comprising cutting means (38) that are able to cut off the flash during the opening of the mold.

A lining element (16) of a curing mold (10) for a tire forms a molding surface (14), the molding surface comprising recessed and protruding patterns, a first protruding pattern (30) delimiting a first recessed pattern (50), and a second protruding pattern (36) forming an intersection (48) with the first protruding pattern, the intersection partially delimiting at least one second recessed pattern, the second recessed pattern protruding with respect to the first recessed pattern (50), the lining element having a molding element (52) designed to fill the second recessed pattern.

A venting valve and method of mounting a valve stem of a venting valve. The venting valve (3) comprises a valve body (4) inside which is a venting channel (5) which is provided with a movable valve stem (6) comprising a valve member (7) and a collar (8) at an opposite end of the valve stem. A spring element (9) is arranged around the valve stem. Movement of the valve stem is limited by means of an internal retaining ring (11) mounted to inside the venting channel.

A gas flow can be provided together with a liquid jet guided laser beam to remove accumulated liquid on the processing surface. The gas flow can be configured to have minimum interference with the liquid jet guided laser beam, while functions to blow away liquid generated by the liquid jet. Keeping the surface free from accumulated liquid can improve the efficiency of the liquid jet guided laser processing.