An automatic plant for cleaning moulds for tyres, wherein the moulds are constituted of sectors and cheeks, includes an apparatus for internal cleaning of sectors and cheeks and an apparatus for external cleaning of sectors and cheeks. The apparatus for internal cleaning of sectors and cheeks comprises fixing means for sectors and cheeks in a stable treatment position, a generating device for generating ultrasonic vibrations, transmitting means for transmitting the vibrations from the device to the sector or cheek treated, in such a way as to carry out cleaning of sectors or cheeks by subjecting them to vibrations.

A heating press (1) for vulcanizing a vehicle tire under a vacuum, having a heating press upper part (3) and a heating press lower part (6), wherein the heating press upper part (3) has a hood upper part (4) mounted thereon and a container (2), which contains mold parts (16, 18, 21) of a segmented vulcanizing mold, in this hood upper part (4), wherein the hood upper part (4) has a first circular ring (23), which is arranged fixedly on the heating press upper part (3), and a second circular ring (24), which adjoins this first circular ring coaxially in an axial direction and can be telescopically retracted and extended in over the first circular ring (23) in an axial direction P1, wherein vacuum-tight seals (5, 9) are arranged between the two circular rings (23, 24) and between the second circular ring (24) and the heating press lower part (6), wherein, after a first partial stroke (TH.sub.1), the hood upper part (3) can be moved in such a way that it rests on the heating press lower part (6) by way of the extended second circular ring (24), and the interior space of the hood (12) can be closed in a vacuum-tight manner by the seals (5, 9) although the vulcanizing mold is still open in an air-permeable manner and wherein a pump (10) and a vacuum tank (11), by means of which a vacuum can be generated in the interior space of the hood (12) after the first partial stroke (TH.sub.1), are provided, wherein, after a second partial stroke (TH.sub.2), the hood upper part (3) can be moved in such a way that the second circular ring (24) can be retracted in further over the first circular ring (23) and the vulcanizing mold can be completely closed under vacuum conditions in the interior space of the hood (12).

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) and the heating press upper part (3) can be moved independently of one another and relative to one another in the axial direction (P1), wherein the cylindrical hood upper part (4) 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 heating press upper part (3) is open, wherein at least one respective vacuum-tight seal (5) is arranged on those surfaces at which the hood upper part (4) directly adjoins the heating press upper part (3) and—when the hood interior space (12) is closed—the heating press lower part (6), in order to make the closed hood interior space (12) sealable in a vacuum-tight manner, wherein, in the course of a first stroke (H.sub.1), the hood upper part (4) can be moved independently of the heating press upper part (3) in the axial direction P1 in such a way, wherein, in the course of a second stroke (H.sub.2), the heating press upper part (3) can be moved independently of the hood upper part (4) 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).

A pneumatic tire is provided with a carcass layer and a sidewall rubber disposed on an outer side in a tire width direction of the carcass layer. Additionally, the pneumatic tire is provided with a resin coating applied on a predetermined region of a sidewall portion. Additionally, a minimum value of a wall thickness t of a rubber of the sidewall portion in the region applied with the resin coating is in a range of 0.05 mm≤t≤4.0 mm. Additionally, a thickness of the resin coating is in a range of 20 μm or more and 300 μm or less.

A mould for vulcanising tyres for vehicle wheels, comprising—at least one sidewall plate (3) on which a moulding surface (4) is defined,—a removable insert (10) arranged to be received in a seat (5) which is made in said sidewall plate and open on said moulding surface, said insert comprising a main body (11; 111) on which a base surface (12) is defined which is intended for contacting a portion of a sidewall (52) of the green tyre, and—a retaining member (20) for retaining said insert (10) inside said seat. The retaining member comprises at least one locking element which is mounted on one out of said insert and said sidewall plate and can be moved in an operating direction (Y) between a locking position, in which said insert is retained inside said seat, and a release position, in which said insert is free to leave said seat.

Vents and micro-structures of rubber molds may become clogged with rubber that is difficult to remove. These vents and micro-structures can be cleaned of rubber, even if heat aged, by subjecting the mold to high temperatures in the presence of a solvent to devulcanize any rubber present. If the rubber used with the mold being cleaned includes carbon black, a solvent may be used to dissolve the devulcanized polymer, leaving the carbon black which can be removed by water jets or other cleaning means.

A method for controlling the discharge of fluids during a process for vulcanization and moulding of a green tire includes the steps of: building at least one portion of a radially internal surface of a green tire by winding of a continuous elongated element of elastomeric material into a plurality of coils confining circumferential grooves along the rolling direction of the tire; disposing the circumferential grooves into fluid communication with discharge channels present in the radially external surface of a pressing bladder disposed in a radially internal cavity bounded by the green tire.

A method for manufacturing a mold element using a manufacturing device comprising a die and a counter-mold defining a molding cavity in the closed position, comprises: opening the manufacturing device; placing at least one insert 22, produced by laser sintering, against a molding surface of the die; mounting at least one wedge 28 on the die so as to bear against said insert in order to immobilize it relative to said molding surface; closing the manufacturing device, the counter-mold pressing onto said wedge in order to keep said insert pressed against said molding surface; injecting aluminium into the molding cavity of the manufacturing device; opening the manufacturing device; and extracting from the manufacturing device the mold element provided with a molding face formed by at least part of said insert and by the aluminum.

A method and apparatus for determining the force variation on a green tire, the method comprising the steps of: forming a green tire having a tread and belt assembly, stitching the outer surface of the tread using a pressure roller and measuring the radial force by a sensor mounted in the pressure roller.

A method for detecting a puncture in a tire curing bladder during a curing process of heating and pressurizing an uncured tire set in a curing mold from an inside with the bladder, the curing process has the steps of heating the tire with the bladder having a first internal pressure applied by feed of a first curing medium, and pressurizing the tire with the bladder having a second internal pressure applied by feed of a second curing medium after the heating step. The second internal pressure is higher than the first internal pressure. In the pressurizing step, the bladder having the second internal pressure is depressurized at least temporarily, and a sensor detects leakage of the first curing medium to detect a puncture.