In a tire vulcanization device, a vertical position of a container ring is locked at a closed position by a lock mechanism. A pressurizing mechanism is operated so as to decrease a vertical gap between an upper plate and a lower plate. The lower plate is moved upward so that a segment is moved toward a center mechanism by a container ring and sector molds are assembled in an annular shape. A state where a predetermined vertical gap is formed between the container ring and a bolster plate by a vertical connection mechanism is created. An upper side mold disposed on a lower surface of the upper plate is closed by being pressed against an upper surface of each of the sector molds while maintaining a state where the sector molds are assembled in an annular shape.

A tire mold segment containing a mold surface with a plurality of groove forming and sipe forming protrusions arranged to form tread portions of tires. At the end faces of the tire mold segment, the portion of sipe forming protrusions with an end that terminates at or near the mold segment end face have an increased width to provide a countermeasure against irregular tread wear and tire noise. The sipe forming protrusions having an end that terminates at or near a tire mold segment end face have a width of about 0.7 mm or more. The remaining sipe forming protrusions positioned on the tire mold segment can a reduced thickness to accommodate high sipe density tread designs.

This invention discloses a tire mold comprising a tread mold portion divided into mold segments having transverse edges which are movable between (i) an opened position, wherein the mold segments are spaced apart, and (ii) a closed position, wherein neighboring mold segments are in contact with each other, each of the mold segments comprising blades; wherein at least a first one of said mold segments has laterally extending blades located at a first transverse edge, wherein at least a second neighboring one of said mold segments has laterally extending blades located at a second transverse edge adjacent to the first transverse edge of the first one of said mold segments, and when in the closed position said laterally extending blades of the first one of said mold segments interlock between the laterally extending blades of the second one of said mold segments.

A molding element having a molding surface forming a contact face and a groove forming rib portion forming the groove comprising two opposed rib side faces and a rib top face connecting two rib side faces. The groove forming rib portion provides at least one space opening to at least one of the rib side faces and/or to the rib top face. An insert is received in the space. The insert comprises a cavity for forming a closing device in the groove. The cavity has two opposed cavity faces and opens to at least two faces of the insert corresponding to the faces of the groove forming rib portion. The insert comprises at least one cutting means extending and/or projecting in a direction the groove forming rib portion extends for cutting a material filled in the cavity during demolding.

An object is to enhance the fuel economy performance of a tire while maintaining the outer appearance of the tire. A tire vulcanization mold 1 includes a tread mold 2 having a tread molding surface 6, and side molds 3 having sidewall molding surfaces 7. A corner portion k1 of a butt surface 4 and the tread molding surface 6 of the tread mold 2 is rounded as a first arc 10. A corner portion k2 of a butt surface 5 and the sidewall molding surface 7 of the side mold 3 is rounded as a second arc 11. A radius of curvature R1 of the first arc 10 is 1.2 to 2.0 times a radius of curvature R2 of the second arc 11.

The present invention relates to a set of mould elements comprising main blades and secondary blades, intended to be added to a mould for vulcanizing a tread of a tire, the mould elements being capable of moulding cuts in the tread, characterized in that a main blade comprises at least one assembly device for assembling a secondary blade, the assembly device comprising two series of at least one protrusion arranged facing one another. It is thus possible to ensure a relative positioning and an assembly that can withstand mechanical stresses over the entire height of the blade during moulding/demoulding, while minimizing the volume of material added. This assembly is barely visible on the tire.

An assembly (1) of moulding elements for moulding cuts in a tread of a tire comprises a first sipe blade (2), a second sipe blade (3) and means for assembling the first sipe blade (2) with the second sipe blade (3). The assembly means comprise at least one slot (20) in the thickness of the first sipe blade (2), said first sipe blade (2) having no additional thickness at said slot (20) and a protuberance (30) in the continuation of the second sipe blade (3), said protuberance (30) being able to be inserted into the slot (20). This assembly system is both simple to produce and allows a multitude of configurations of the sipe blades relative to one another.

In a tire vulcanization system, a raw tire is carried into a lower mold by a tire conveyance device in a state where a vulcanized tire is hung by a tire hanging portion at an open position where a mold is opened. The tire conveyance device receives and carries out the vulcanized tire hung by the tire hanging portion in a state where the raw tire is carried into the lower mold.

A tire includes a tread, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of beads, and a carcass. Each bead includes a core and an apex. In the tire in the normal state, a ratio (HA/HS) of a distance HA in a radial direction from a bead base line to an outer end PA of the apex to a tire cross-sectional height HS may not be less than 20% and/or may not be greater than 30%, and an angle of a line segment connecting between the outer end PA of the apex and a center PM of a width, in an axial direction, of a contact surface of the apex at which the apex is in contact with the core, relative to the bead base line, may not be less than 45° and/or may not be greater than 55°.

The present invention includes tire treads having a plurality of sipes (14) where at least one of the opposing sides of the sipe thickness includes a plurality of projections (18, 36) and recesses (20, 38) and a method for forming the same.