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 method and the device serve to supply a heating press with electrical energy. At least one fuel cell is used. In particular, the fuel cell is located in a tire heating press or in close proximity to the tire heating press.

For heating a mold efficiently and uniformly and for protecting an induction coil from corrosive gases, an upper plate that contacts an upper end face of a mold, and a lower plate that contacts a lower end face of the mold are provided, and an induction coil, provided to each plate, has a voltage applied by a commercial power supply. Each plate has a metal plate body in which a recessed housing portion that houses the induction coil is formed, and a cover that closes the recessed housing portion in a state where the induction coil is housed therein. A cover placement portion having a step that is greater than or equal to the thickness of the metal cover is formed in the metal plate body, and a plurality of jacket chambers in which a gas-liquid two phase heating medium is enclosed are formed in the metal plate body.

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 mould and a central part. The vulcanizing mould includes moulding 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 mould 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.

A mold heating device for heating a tire mold (M) for a green tire (T) includes an upper ring member (11) and a lower ring member (12) arranged so as to face one other in a specific direction with the space in which the tire mold (M) is disposed therebetween. A plurality of nonmagnetic members (13) are disposed at a plurality of positions aligned in the circumferential direction of the ring members (11, 12) with spaces therebetween so as to connect the upper ring member (11) and the lower ring member (12). Ferromagnetic non-conductive members (14) are provided on the inner surfaces of the nonmagnetic members (13), and a coil (15) is supported by the nonmagnetic members (13) with the ferromagnetic non-conductive members (14) therebetween so as to surround the space where the tire mold (M) is disposed from the outside in the direction perpendicular to the specific direction.

A mold for a tire comprises first and second shells that are intended to mold lateral sidewalk of the tire, a plurality of sectors that are distributed in the circumferential direction and are intended to mold a tread of said tire, a first and a second support plate that each comprise a bearing face with which the associated shell is mounted axially in contact, and a plurality of first and second heating means for heating at least the first and the second shell, respectively.

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 method of manufacturing a tire is provided that includes curing the tire (10) in a curing press (12) and applying microwave energy at a given frequency band into the tire. The interaction between the microwave energy and the tire is monitored to obtain a complex reflection coefficient. A root-mean-squared error is calculated using the measured complex reflection coefficient and a reference reflection coefficient. The reference reflection coefficient is from a fully cured tire made from the same material as the tire. Continuous monitoring of the interaction takes place to obtain the complex reflection coefficient along with continuous calculation of the root-mean-squared error at different times during the curing of the tire in the curing press. The calculated root-mean-squared errors are used to determine whether to stop the curing of the tire in the curing press.

A method of manufacturing a tire is provided that includes curing the tire (10) in a curing press (12) and applying microwave energy at a given frequency band into the tire. The interaction between the microwave energy and the tire is monitored to obtain a complex reflection coefficient. A root-mean-squared error is calculated using the measured complex reflection coefficient and a reference reflection coefficient. The reference reflection coefficient is from a fully cured tire made from the same material as the tire. Continuous monitoring of the interaction takes place to obtain the complex reflection coefficient along with continuous calculation of the root-mean-squared error at different times during the curing of the tire in the curing press. The calculated root-mean-squared errors are used to determine whether to stop the curing of the tire in the curing press.