The curing press for a tire blank comprises: a mold and inductors capable of heating the press by electromagnetic induction, each inductor comprising a core (36) comprising two feet (40) having respective undersides (60) which are flat and inclined in relation to one another.

A tire vulcanizer is disclosed that has superior durability and in which mold parting surfaces defined by a sector and side plates are less likely to be worn even after repeated use. The tire vulcanizer includes: the sector that shapes a tread of a tire; paired upper and lower side plates that shape sidewalls of the tire; a segment that is fixed to the sector and causes the sector to move in a tire radial direction; paired upper and lower attachment plates that are respectively fixed to the paired upper and lower side plates; and the mold parting surfaces defined by the sector and the side plates. Mold inner ends of the mold parting surfaces are arranged on the tread, and the mold parting surfaces extend outward in the tire radial direction from the mold inner ends.

A tire vulcanization mold including a sector mold divided into a plurality of pieces along a circumferential direction of a green tire, the sector mold configured to vulcanization mold a tread portion of the green tire into a predetermined shape, and an upper mold and a lower mold disposed on both sides of the green tire so as to sandwich the green tire therebetween in an axial direction of the green tire, the upper mold and the lower mold configured to vulcanization mold a side portion of the green tire into a predetermined shape. The sector mold has a relief groove in a vicinity of a fitting portion between the sector mold, and the upper mold and the lower mold.

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.

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.

In a method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire, vulcanization is performed using a mold having a side plate for forming a sidewall portion of the pneumatic tire and a sector for forming a tread portion of the pneumatic tire, and in which chamfered portions are formed respectively at edge portions of the side plate and the sector abutted against each other, to form a ridge extending along the chamfered portions in a tire circumferential direction at a dividing position between the side plate and the sector in the pneumatic tire vulcanized in the mold, and the ridge is cut by a cutter along the tire circumferential direction.

A mold container device includes a plurality of segments, an outer ring, and a conversion mechanism. The conversion mechanism connects the outer ring and the segment. The conversion mechanism moves the segment in a radial direction between a first position and a second position outside the first position in the radial direction, according to displacement of the outer ring in the direction of the axis O. The conversion mechanism further swings one of a lower edge portion and an upper edge portion of the segment in the radial direction, according to displacement of the outer ring in the direction of the axis O.

A tire vulcanization mold disclosed herein includes sectors 13 divided in a tire circumferential direction and molding a tread portion 1 of a tire, and a pair of upper and lower side plates 11 and 12 molding a sidewall portion 2 of the tire. Mold parting lines 16a and 17a formed by the sectors 13 and a pair of the upper and lower side plates 11 and 12 are located in the tread portion 1 and a distance from a tire equator CL to the mold parting lines 16a and 17a changes periodically in the tire circumferential direction.

A tire vulcanizing apparatus includes a mold having a tread mold including a plurality of segments arranged in a tire circumferential direction, and upper and lower side molds. Each of the segments includes an upper segment portion and a lower segment portion which are divided up and down. The apparatus includes a segment supporting unit which supports the upper segment portion and the lower segment portion so as to be movable to the same side in a tire radial direction and opposite sides to each other in a tire axial direction.

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.