Identification labels and their incorporation in rubber-based articles are described. The labels include RFID components and can be incorporated in tires. The labels can withstand the relatively harsh conditions associated with vulcanization.

A tire side surface of a pneumatic tire includes a two-dimensional code in which a dot pattern is formed by two types of gray scale elements formed identifiable from each other by recesses and protrusions of the tire side surface, or a predetermined two-dimensional code arrangement region. The tire side surface further includes at least two marks formed in a protruded shape or a recessed shape, and the two marks are disposed on an identical position in a first direction of a tire radial direction and a tire circumferential direction and disposed separated from each other at different positions in a second direction of the tire radial direction and the tire circumferential direction to sandwich an outer edge of the two-dimensional code or the predetermined two-dimensional code arrangement region from the opposite sides in at least one of the tire radial direction or the tire circumferential direction.

A tire that includes a decorative pattern formed on a surface of a sidewall portion. The decorative pattern is formed such that a plurality of ridges that extend in a tire radial direction are aligned in a tire circumferential direction so as to form gaps. A transverse cross-section of each ridge is tapered so as to gradually reduce a length along the surface such that the greater a distance from the surface is, the less the length along the surface is. The decorative pattern is structured so as to satisfy expressions (1) and (2):

20A40(1)

0.15C0.25(2)

wherein A represents a taper angle (degree) of the ridge, and C represents a minimum length (mm) of each gap measured along the surface.

A tire vulcanization mold includes a molding surface for molding a tire during vulcanization molding. The molding surface can include a first region in which a plurality of recesses for forming a plurality of projections on a surface of the tire can be provided. In the first region, at least two of the recesses can be arranged per mm.sup.2. Each of the recesses can include a side wall surface, a bottom surface, and a virtual recess central axis extending in a depth direction of the recess. In a cross-sectional view of the recess including the recess central axis, the bottom surface can include a bottom projection projecting outward in the depth direction, and the side wall surface can include an arc-shaped surface smoothly connected to the bottom surface.

The invention relates to a pneumatic tire for a vehicle, having at least one surface element (2) that is formed on the outer surface of the tire and has a structure (6) which contrasts with a base level (N.sub.B) and gives the surface element (2) a roughness.

The contrast structure (6) is formed by a multiplicity of contrast structure cells (6a), which coincide in shape in plan view and are joined together in the form of a grid, wherein the contrast structure cells (6a) have irregular peak and trough structures (6b) of a surface-covering configuration, wherein the arrangement of the contrast structure cells (6a) and the configuration of the irregular peak and trough structures (6b) are such that, when considered in plan view, the irregular peak and trough structures (6b) can be transferred one into the other by congruence mapping.

A tire vulcanization mold includes a side molding surface, a mark forming stencil plate for forming a convex mark at an outer surface of a side portion, an attachment recess provided in the side molding surface, and a screw fixing the stencil plate to the attachment recess. The stencil plate is formed larger than the attachment recess so as to cover the attachment recess, and a peripheral portion of the stencil plate is in contact with an opening peripheral portion of the attachment recess.

A tire vulcanization mold includes a side molding surface, a stencil plate for forming a mark that forms a convex mark on an outer surface of a side section, an attachment concave part provided to be recessed on the side molding surface and a male screw fixing the stencil plate to the attachment concave part. An attachment hole to which the male screw is screwed is provided in the attachment concave part and a tapered countersunk part is provided at an opening of the attachment hole. The stencil plate is provided with a bulge part with a tapered shape receiving a head part of the male screw and fitted to the countersunk part. The bulge part is provided with a protrusion protruding to an outer side with respect to a tapered outer peripheral surface thereof and abutting on a countersunk surface of the countersunk part.

An inspection method according to an embodiment includes a step of constructing a template by imaging a symbol based on design data, a stop of detecting a symbol group including a plurality of templates, a step of template matching that searches for a symbol set part having the same shape as the symbol groin in a measured image, makes the positions and the sizes of the symbol group and the symbol set part having been searched for identical, and superimposes all symbols in the design data on all symbols in the measured image, a step of contour matching that compares the contours of the superimposed symbols in the design data with the contours of the symbols in the measured image, and a step of deciding whether the symbols corresponding to each other in the measured image and the design data match based on the template matching and the contour matching.

Identification labels and their incorporation in rubber-based articles are described. The labels include RFID components and can be incorporated in tires. The labels can withstand the relatively harsh conditions associated with vulcanization.

A decal marker used with a marking station interchangeably carries a decal tape and a marking tape and transfers a decal from the decal tape to a surface to be marked. A marking assembly frame and at least one marker carried by the marking assembly frame which carries the decal tape or the marking tape are included. A tape sensor assembly is carried by the at least one marker and detects an edge of the decal so that the at least one marker properly positions the decal for transfer to the surface.