Disclosed herein is a tire molding element. The tire molding element includes at least a molding surface for molding a plurality of ground contact elements of the tire tread, comprising: a ground contact surface which contacts a road surface, and a transverse side surface and a circumferential side surface connected to said ground contact surface; and a plurality of thin plates, comprising: a main body, provided in such a way as to cut a covering layer arranged in advance on an unvulcanized green tire.

A sipe forming system is provided. The sipe forming system includes a cutting base including a pivot plate having an aperture, a cutting drum extending at least partially through the aperture, a blade coupled to the surface of the cutting drum, and a mechanical power source operably coupled to the cutting base and configured to rotate the cutting drum. The sipe forming system further includes a positioning assembly pivotally coupled to the cutting base and configured to receive a tire tread. The positioning assembly includes a housing, the housing being selectively positionable relative to the pivot plate, and at least one positioning device configured to position the tire tread received by the positioning assembly with respect to the cutting drum.

A sipe forming system is provided. The sipe forming system includes a cutting base including a pivot plate having an aperture, a cutting drum extending at least partially through the aperture, a blade coupled to the surface of the cutting drum, and a mechanical power source operably coupled to the cutting base and configured to rotate the cutting drum. The sipe forming system further includes a positioning assembly pivotally coupled to the cutting base and configured to receive a tire tread. The positioning assembly includes a housing, the housing being selectively positionable relative to the pivot plate, and at least one positioning device configured to position the tire tread received by the positioning assembly with respect to the cutting drum.

A method of cutting a sipe pattern into a tire tread includes feeding the tire tread through a leading roller assembly and toward a plunge cutting assembly along a tread plane, actuating the plunge cutting assembly to cut a first sipe at a first angle and a first depth using a blade, the blade operably coupled to the plunge cutting assembly, and actuating the plunge cutting assembly to cut a second sipe at a second angle and a second depth using the blade.

A method of cutting a sipe pattern into a tire tread includes feeding the tire tread through a leading roller assembly and toward a plunge cutting assembly along a tread plane, actuating the plunge cutting assembly to cut a first sipe at a first angle and a first depth using a blade, the blade operably coupled to the plunge cutting assembly, and actuating the plunge cutting assembly to cut a second sipe at a second angle and a second depth using the blade.

The tire has a tread with a tread surface and at least one groove which has a bottom wall and two lateral walls. At least one flexible wall is arranged in the groove in such a way that as liquid flows, the flexible wall flexes to allow the liquid to pass. After molding, the tire has a connecting element with a thickness which is equal to that of the bottom wall so that, after vulcanizing, the connecting element connects the lateral walls to the bottom wall over a given depth. The connecting element is then cut at its junction with each of the lateral walls of the groove so as to obtain the flexible wall.

The tire has a tread with a tread surface and at least one groove which has a bottom wall and two lateral walls. At least one flexible wall is arranged in the groove in such a way that as liquid flows, the flexible wall flexes to allow the liquid to pass. After molding, the tire has a connecting element with a thickness which is equal to that of the bottom wall so that, after vulcanizing, the connecting element connects the lateral walls to the bottom wall over a given depth. The connecting element is then cut at its junction with each of the lateral walls of the groove so as to obtain the flexible wall.

A method is provided for manufacturing tread for a tire without necessarily extruding the tread profile. The tread is created from multiple discrete parts that are cut from a sheet of uncured rubber material. The parts are joined together to create the tread, which can be applied to a tire immediate and cured to form a tire. Different treads formed from different rubber compositions may be created. The treads may also be created in varying shape and lengths with different rubber compositions used in different parts of the tread. One or more tread pieces can be applied to the same or different tire intermediates, which may be advantageous for simultaneous testing of different tread designs.

A method is provided for manufacturing tread for a tire without necessarily extruding the tread profile. The tread is created from multiple discrete parts that are cut from a sheet of uncured rubber material. The parts are joined together to create the tread, which can be applied to a tire immediate and cured to form a tire. Different treads formed from different rubber compositions may be created. The treads may also be created in varying shape and lengths with different rubber compositions used in different parts of the tread. One or more tread pieces can be applied to the same or different tire intermediates, which may be advantageous for simultaneous testing of different tread designs.

A tire tread with certain features and a method for manufacturing such a tire tread are provided. More particularly, a tire tread is provided that has layers of apertures where some layers remain covered until after a certain amount of tread wear has occurred. Such apertures can comprise, for example, sipes, grooves, or other apertured features in the tread. A method of making such tire tread is also provided.