Provided is a tire vulcanizing method enabling an optimum vulcanization operation for each tire by measuring the temperatures of the inner surface and the outer surface of a tire until the demolding timing without damaging the tire and by determining the vulcanized state of the tire accurately based on the measured temperature data to efficiently produce uniformly vulcanized tires especially under conditions where the temperature of a mold fluctuates. During vulcanization of a tire G, the temperatures of the inner surface and the outer surface at a plurality of principal portions representing the tire G are measured, and the demolding timing is determined according to the equivalent degree of vulcanization indicating the degree of progress in crosslinking reaction calculated based on the temperature data measured.

A pneumatic tire excellent in resistance to uneven wear, and crack resistance of a groove is provided. A position, on an equator plane, of a tread surface 20 of a tire 2 is represented as a point Pc. A position, at a maximum width, of an axially outer side surface 6a of a sidewall 6 is represented as a point Pe. A position that is a mid-point, in the radial direction, between the point Pc and the point Pe, and that is on the axially outer side surface 6a, is represented as a point Pd. When an internal pressure is enhanced from an internal pressure that is 0.05 times a normal internal pressure P to the normal internal pressure P, a value Fs of difference in amount of protrusion between an amount of protrusion Dd (mm) at the point Pd and an amount of protrusion De (mm) at the point Pe is calculated according to mathematical expression (1) in which a nominal width is represented as W (mm). The value Fs of difference in amount of protrusion is greater than 0.4 and less than 0.5.
Fs=((DdDe)/W)100(1)

A vulcanization control method and a vulcanization control system are provided that are capable of preventing insufficient vulcanization while shortening a vulcanization time and obtaining an optimal vulcanization time instantly, even when a simple analysis model is used. Data (Xi) of predetermined types of vulcanization-affecting factors (X) are input into a computation device (2) by an input device (6) before vulcanizing a green tire (G). Using the input data (Xi), a change in temperature distribution of a tire cross section over time is calculated with a one-dimensional thermal conduction model for a tire cross-section that passes through a vulcanization rate-limiting section. On the basis of the calculation results, a vulcanization time Tc is instantly calculated. Upon calculating the vulcanization time Tc, a safety time Ts set on the basis of each vulcanization-effecting factor (X) is shortened on the basis of the input data (Xi) of the individual vulcanization-affecting factors (X).

A tire comprises a crown zone comprising a crown reinforcement surmounted radially on the outside by a tread formed from at least one material that is not a conductor of electricity, the crown reinforcement comprising a plurality of layers superposed on one another, each layer of the crown reinforcement comprising two ends in the circumferential direction, these two ends being joined together in an abutment region, the tread comprising a weld region circumferentially offset by an angle of 180 degrees with respect to the region at which the radially outermost layer of the crown reinforcement is superposed. The tire comprises at least one conducting strip positioned between the tread and the crown reinforcement and located circumferentially as to be positioned at equal angular distances between the tread weld region and the region at which the radially outermost reinforcing layer is butted together, these two regions being diametrically opposite.

The demoldability prediction model includes the steps of choosing a mold specimen; choosing a reference material; measuring the force F.sub.0 for demolding the reference material from the mold specimen; determining the force M.sub.0 for demolding the reference material from the control test specimen; selecting a material to be measured; determining the force M for demolding the material from the control test specimen; calculating the ratio of the forces M.sub.0 for demolding the reference material and M for demolding the material from the control test specimen so as to define a coefficient C of material impact; and calculating the force F for demolding the material such that F=CF.sub.0.

An apparatus configured to be removably attached to a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle via lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly is used to determine imbalance forces of the tire/hub assembly during motion of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a disk and a plurality of cup-shaped objects fixed at one end to the disk and extending perpendicularly outward from the disk. The plurality of cup-shaped objects are arranged a fixed radial distance from a radial center of the disk in a pattern that matches the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus is mounted to the vehicle's tire/hub assembly by fitting the plurality of cup-shaped objects over the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus further includes one or more inertial measurement units (IMU's) mounted to the disk to measure parameters that are used for calculating the imbalance forces during motion of the vehicle. A method for collecting measurement parameters related to imbalance forces of a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle during motion of the vehicle on a road surface by using the apparatus is also described.

The demoldability prediction model includes the steps of choosing a mold specimen; choosing a reference material; measuring the force F.sub.0 for demolding the reference material from the mold specimen; determining the force M.sub.0 for demolding the reference material from the control test specimen; selecting a material to be measured; determining the force M for demolding the material from the control test specimen; calculating the ratio of the forces M.sub.0 for demolding the reference material and M for demolding the material from the control test specimen so as to define a coefficient C of material impact; and calculating the force F for demolding the material such that F=CF.sub.0.

An apparatus configured to be removably attached to a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle via lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly is used to determine imbalance forces of the tire/hub assembly during motion of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a disk and a plurality of cup-shaped objects fixed at one end to the disk and extending perpendicularly outward from the disk. The plurality of cup-shaped objects are arranged a fixed radial distance from a radial center of the disk in a pattern that matches the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus is mounted to the vehicle's tire/hub assembly by fitting the plurality of cup-shaped objects over the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus further includes three inertial measurement units (IMU's) mounted to the disk to measure parameters that are used for calculating the imbalance forces during motion of the vehicle. A method for collecting measurement parameters related to imbalance forces of a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle during motion of the vehicle on a road surface by using the apparatus is also described.

An apparatus configured to be removably attached to a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle via lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly is used to determine imbalance forces of the tire/hub assembly during motion of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a disk and a plurality of cup-shaped objects fixed at one end to the disk and extending perpendicularly outward from the disk. The plurality of cup-shaped objects are arranged a fixed radial distance from a radial center of the disk in a pattern that matches the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus is mounted to the vehicle's tire/hub assembly by fitting the plurality of cup-shaped objects over the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus further includes one or more inertial measurement units (IMU's) mounted to the disk to measure parameters that are used for calculating the imbalance forces during motion of the vehicle. A method for collecting measurement parameters related to imbalance forces of a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle during motion of the vehicle on a road surface by using the apparatus is also described.