A system and method for molding complex three-dimensional articles is disclosed. The system includes a mold for receiving an article made of at least one moldable material and, in one example, the article comprises at least one flat region and at least one radial region. The mold comprises an inner bladder that conforms to an inner surface of the article when pressurized and an outer mold that contacts an outer surface of the article. The system also includes an inner electrode spaced from an outer electrode, and a generator operable to generate an alternating electric field between the electrodes and across the article in the mold to obtain substantially even heating of the moldable material in the flat region and the radial region at the end of the heating cycle.

The present invention relates to the technical field of vulcanizing equipment, and in particular, to vulcanizing equipment, comprising: a vulcanizing mold in which a vulcanizing cavity is formed; a vulcanizing bladder suitable for being placed in the vulcanizing cavity; and a supporting assembly comprising a center rod and a clamping device arranged on the center rod, the clamping device being suitable for installing the curing bladder in the cavity in a sealed manner. The vulcanizing equipment further comprises: a heating assembly and a gas circulation assembly that are arranged in the curing bladder in a stacked manner in the axial direction of the center rod, the gas circulation assembly being suitable for circulating a heated heating medium in the curing bladder; and a driving assembly comprising a rotating shaft sleeve that is arranged on the outer side of the center rod in a clearance-fit manner and connected to the gas circulation assembly. The present invention provides vulcanizing equipment, which overcomes the defects in the prior art that the occupancy of too much space due to horizontal arrangement of curing bladder in equipment limits the processing specification of tires to be vulcanized, and is unfavorable to gas circulation in the curing bladder.

Various systems and apparatuses for heating molds, including for example tire molds, are disclosed. Heating of molds may be effected via induction heating technology. In one embodiment, a system for heating a tire mold is provided, the system comprising: a tire mold formed from a mold material having a base material relative permeability, wherein the tire mold includes a mold surface for contacting a tire, the mold surface for contacting a tire having a mold surface for contacting a tire relative permeability, wherein the tire mold includes a mold back oriented substantially opposite the mold surface for contacting a tire, and wherein the mold surface for contacting a tire relative permeability is greater than the base material relative permeability.

A tire vulcanizing device includes a vulcanization mold and a central part. The vulcanizing mold includes molding parts that defining a curing chamber therebetween. Inside the curing chamber is arranged a heating and ventilation apparatus structured for use with a heat-transfer fluid. The central part is structured to collaborate with the vulcanization mold by providing support to a heat-transfer fluid inlet and establishing communication between the heat-transfer fluid inlet and the curing chamber. The central part includes heating elements that are configured to be brought into operation before the heating and ventilation apparatus is brought into operation to cure a tire using the heat-transfer fluid.

Techniques presented herein relate to vulcanizing equipment that includes a vulcanizing mold in which a vulcanizing cavity is formed, a vulcanizing bladder suitable for being placed in the vulcanizing cavity, and a supporting assembly that includes a center rod and a clamping device arranged on the center rod. The clamping device is suitable for installing the curing bladder in the cavity in a sealed manner. The vulcanizing equipment further includes a heating assembly and a gas circulation assembly that are arranged in the curing bladder in a stacked manner in the axial direction of the center rod. The gas circulation assembly is suitable for circulating a heated heating medium in the curing bladder. A driving assembly of the vulcanizing equipment includes a rotating shaft sleeve that is arranged on the outer side of the center rod in a clearance-fit manner and is connected to the gas circulation assembly.

Mold assemblies for curing non-pneumatic tires include first and second mold sections that are axially displaceable relative to one another. A primary conductive heat source is in thermal communication with the mold sections. One radiative heat source is supported on the first mold section and another radiative heat source is supported on the second mold section. A non-pneumatic tire is positioned with the mold assembly between the radiative heat sources. Tire curing systems including such mold assemblies and methods of manufacturing nonpneumatic tires are also included.

A system cures and manufactures a partially-cured tire assembly. The system includes a plurality of elongate spacer members for maintaining corresponding a uniform cavity tension in the partially-cured tire assembly, each spacer member including a first longitudinal body member axially opposed to a second longitudinal body member, two cam bolts for adjusting a radial gap between the first longitudinal body member and the second longitudinal body member, and two springs each attached to the first body member and the second body member for maintaining a radial compressive force against the cam bolts; a first annular curing platen for securing spacer members relative to each other; and a second annular curing platen for securing spacer members relative to each other.

A tire direct-pressure shaping and electromagnetic induction heating curing method uses an inner metal mold including large and small segments, a telescoping mechanism, supporting plates attached to the segments, and induction heating coils. A cavity in the middle of the segments is filled of phase change material. The temperature of the mold rises rapidly by the thermal effect of an eddy current generated on the surface of the segments to heat the green tire. When the middle part of the segment is heated to a certain temperature, the phase change material absorbs and stores the excess heat. Therefore, the temperature of the middle part of the segment differs from one of two ends of the segment. Once the tire is cured, the inner mold in the expanded condition and the outer mold support very high pressure for the green tire together.

A tire direct-pressure shaping and electromagnetic induction heating curing method uses an inner metal mold including large and small segments, a telescoping mechanism, supporting plates attached to the segments, and induction heating coils. A cavity in the middle of the segments is filled of phase change material. The temperature of the mold rises rapidly by the thermal effect of an eddy current generated on the surface of the segments to heat the green tire. When the middle part of the segment is heated to a certain temperature, the phase change material absorbs and stores the excess heat. Therefore, the temperature of the middle part of the segment differs from one of two ends of the segment. Once the tire is cured, the inner mold in the expanded condition and the outer mold support very high pressure for the green tire together.

A tire direct-pressure shaping and electromagnetic induction heating curing method and apparatus uses an inner metal mold including large and small segments, a telescoping mechanism, supporting plates attached to the segments, and induction heating coils. A cavity in the middle of the segments is filled of phase change material. The temperature of the mold rises rapidly by the thermal effect of an eddy current generated on the surface of the segments to heat the green tire. When the middle part of the segment is heated to a certain temperature, the phase change material absorbs and stores the excess heat. Therefore, the temperature of the middle part of the segment differs from one of two ends of the segment. Once the tire is cured, the inner mold in the expanded condition and the outer mold support very high pressure for the green tire together.