Provided are a tire vulcanization device and a tire vulcanization method. A container ring is disposed on an outer circumferential side of segments mounted on outer circumferential surfaces of sector molds. A bolster plate is disposed above an upper plate mounted on an upper surface of an upper side mold. A green tire is placed in a sideways state on a lower side mold mounted on an upper surface of a lower plate. In a state where the bolster plate is moved downward by a pressurizing mechanism and maintained in a mold closed position, a container ring held slidably in a vertical direction with respect to the bolster plate by a connecting body is moved downward by pressurizing fluid supplied, and the sector molds are assembled in an annular shape to be closed with the upper side mold pressed against upper surfaces of the sector molds.

The tire vulcanizing mould includes a plurality of segments for molding the outside of the tire tread. The segments are able to move radially between a position in which the mold is open and a position in which the mold is closed. The segments have frustoconical bearing surfaces that are placed radially on the outside. An axially mobile external ring, which acts on the frustoconical bearing surfaces, is placed radially on the outside of the segments in order to cause them to close and to move back from their position of closure in the mold. The external ring is radially preloaded towards the inside when the mold is in the open position.

The present invention relates to a pre-vulcanized annular crown of an extra-large tire, and a preparation method and an application thereof. The annular crown includes shoulder extending edges, which extend from both sides of the crown to the central direction of the tire along shoulders, where the shoulder extending edges are provided with a structure of pattern blocks and pattern grooves, which extend from a tread to sidewalls and are suitable for the extra-large tire, and outer contour lines of sections of the shoulders and the shoulder extending edges are concave inwards. Pattern grooves in original shoulders can be completely removed when an old tire body is ground, and the crown structure and functional advantages of the extra-large tire which is retreaded can be fully given.

A mold container device includes a state switching mechanism is switchable between a movement restricting state that restricts a segment from moving in a radial direction and a movable state that allows the segment to move in the radial direction.

Provided are a tire vulcanization device and a tire vulcanization method. A container ring is disposed on an outer circumferential side of segments mounted on outer circumferential surfaces of sector molds. A bolster plate is disposed above an upper plate mounted on an upper surface of an upper side mold. A green tire is placed in a sideways state on a lower side mold mounted on an upper surface of a lower plate. In a state where the bolster plate is moved downward by a pressurizing mechanism and maintained in a mold closed position, a container ring held slidably in a vertical direction with respect to the bolster plate by a connecting body is moved downward by pressurizing fluid supplied, and the sector molds are assembled in an annular shape to be closed with the upper side mold pressed against upper surfaces of the sector molds.

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.

A heating press (1) for vulcanizing a vehicle tire under a vacuum, having a heating press upper part (3) and a heating press lower part (6), wherein the heating press upper part (3) has a hood upper part (4) mounted thereon and a container (2), which contains mold parts (16, 18, 21) of a segmented vulcanizing mold, in this hood upper part (4), wherein the hood upper part (4) has a first circular ring (23), which is arranged fixedly on the heating press upper part (3), and a second circular ring (24), which adjoins this first circular ring coaxially in an axial direction and can be telescopically retracted and extended out over the first circular ring (23) in an axial direction P1, wherein vacuum-tight seals (5, 9) are arranged between the two circular rings (23, 24) and between the second circular ring (24) and the heating press lower part (6), wherein, after a first partial stroke (TH.sub.1), the hood upper part (3) can be moved in such a way that it rests on the heating press lower part (6) by way of the extended second circular ring (24), and the interior space of the hood (12) can be closed in a vacuum-tight manner by the seals (5, 9) although the vulcanizing mold is still open in an air-permeable manner and wherein a pump (10) and a vacuum tank (11), by means of which a vacuum can be generated in the interior space of the hood (12) after the first partial stroke (TH.sub.1), are provided, wherein, after a second partial stroke (TH.sub.2), the hood upper part (3) can be moved in such a way that the second circular ring (24) can be retracted out further over the first circular ring (23) and the vulcanizing mold can be completely closed under vacuum conditions in the interior space of the hood (12).

A heating press (1) for vulcanizing a vehicle tire under a vacuum, having a heating press upper part (3) and a heating press lower part (6), wherein the heating press upper part (3) has a hood upper part (4) mounted thereon and a container (2), which contains mold parts (16, 18, 21) of a segmented vulcanizing mold, in this hood upper part (4), wherein the hood upper part (4) has a first circular ring (23), which is arranged fixedly on the heating press upper part (3), and a second circular ring (24), which adjoins this first circular ring coaxially in an axial direction and can be telescopically retracted and extended in over the first circular ring (23) in an axial direction P1, wherein vacuum-tight seals (5, 9) are arranged between the two circular rings (23, 24) and between the second circular ring (24) and the heating press lower part (6), wherein, after a first partial stroke (TH.sub.1), the hood upper part (3) can be moved in such a way that it rests on the heating press lower part (6) by way of the extended second circular ring (24), and the interior space of the hood (12) can be closed in a vacuum-tight manner by the seals (5, 9) although the vulcanizing mold is still open in an air-permeable manner and wherein a pump (10) and a vacuum tank (11), by means of which a vacuum can be generated in the interior space of the hood (12) after the first partial stroke (TH.sub.1), are provided, wherein, after a second partial stroke (TH.sub.2), the hood upper part (3) can be moved in such a way that the second circular ring (24) can be retracted in further over the first circular ring (23) and the vulcanizing mold can be completely closed under vacuum conditions in the interior space of the hood (12).

A tire vulcanizing method comprises: a step of causing a connecting body, at which an upper mold of a vulcanization mold is supported and that connects together upper end portions of upper tubes of a plurality of supporting pillars, the supporting pillars being disposed so as to be apart in a peripheral direction at a periphery of the vulcanization mold, which is formed from a lower mold and the upper mold, which is set above the lower mold, and the supporting pillars having lower tubes that are hollow and the upper tubes, which are hollow and are slidably engaged with the lower tubes, and the supporting pillars extending in a vertical direction, to, together with the upper tubes and the upper mold, approach the lower mold, and close the vulcanization mold; and a step of vulcanizing an unvulcanized tire that is accommodated at an interior of the vulcanization mold that is closed, wherein the causing the connecting body, the upper tubes and the upper mold to approach the lower mold is carried out by operating raising/lowering mechanisms that are accommodated at interiors of the supporting pillars.

In a rubber temperature measuring device, a temperature sensor and a biasing member are disposed in an installation hole formed in a molding surface of a mold. The temperature sensor is biased by the biasing member and a temperature detecting unit at a tip end projects from the molding surface and is not in contact with the mold. The mold is closed and vulcanized in a state in which a green tire making contact with the temperature detecting unit presses the temperature sensor against biasing force of the biasing member and an opening portion of the installation hole is blocked by the temperature detecting unit. Temperature data detected by the temperature detecting unit is input to a control unit disposed outside the mold through a communication line extending in a communicating hole communicating with the installation hole.