MATRIX FOR A TIRE MOLD, TIRE MOLD AND PRODUCTION METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to a matrix (10) for a tire mold, to a tire mold and to a method for producing a tire mold for vulcanizing tire blanks, the matrix forming a negative mold of a profiled tread of a tire, the matrix having a mold shell comprising sipe blades (11) arranged thereon, the mold shell forming an inner mold side (15) and the sipe blade forming a web (19) of the negative mold, a plurality of slots (13) being formed in the mold shell, a sipe blade being inserted in a slot and attached to the mold shell, wherein the sipe blade is attached to the mold shell in a form-fitting manner, the slot penetrating a mold wall (21) of the mold shell and extending from the inner mold side to a rear mold side (16) of the mold shell.

Claims

1. A matrix (10, 33, 39, 45, 67, 72) for a tire mold for vulcanizing tire blanks, the matrix forming a negative mold (17) of a profiled tread of a tire, the matrix having a mold shell (14) comprising sipe blades (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) arranged thereon, the mold shell forming an inner mold side (15) and the sipe blade forming a web (19) of the negative mold, a plurality of slots (13, 35, 69) being formed in the mold shell, a sipe blade being inserted in a slot and attached to the mold shell, characterized in that the sipe blade is attached to the mold shell in a form-fitting manner, the slot penetrating a mold wall (21) of the mold shell and extending from the inner mold side to a rear mold side (16, 38, 44, 49) of the mold shell.

2. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that a slot width (b) of the slot (13, 35, 69) and a blade thickness (B) of the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) are dimensioned in such a manner that a gap channel (31, 36, 71) is formed between the sipe blade and the slot.

3. The matrix according to claim 2, characterized in that the gap channel (31, 36, 71) has a width of 0.01 mm to 0.1 mm, preferably 0.03 mm to 0.04 mm.

4. The matrix according to claim 2, characterized in that the gap channel (31, 36, 71) is realized as an venting channel for venting the tire mold.

5. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) is in contact with the inner mold side (15) at least in sections.

6. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that a length (L) of the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) is larger in sections than a length (1) of the slot (13, 35, 69).

7. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) is clamped or pre-stressed with zero play between the inner mold side (15) and the rear mold side (16, 38, 44, 49).

8. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) forms a projection (29) that is in contact with the rear mold side (16, 38, 44, 49).

9. The matrix according to claim 8, characterized in that the projection (29) is formed by bending the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) on the rear mold side (16, 38, 44, 49), the projection protruding out of a slot plane (30).

10. The matrix according to claim 8, characterized in that the projection (29) is a flap (25, 37, 41, 47, 51, 55, 60, 65) formed by the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73), the flap being formed by one or more separating slots (26, 27, 52, 56, 57, 61, 62, 66) in the sipe blade.

11. The matrix according to claim 10, characterized in that the flap (25, 47, 60, 65) is bent about a vertical axis (28, 63, 67).

12. The matrix according to claim 10, characterized in that the flap (37, 41, 51, 55) is bent about a horizontal axis (53, 58).

13. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that a receiving groove (22) is formed in the mold shell (14) on the rear mold side (16, 38, 44, 49), the slot (13, 35, 69) ending in said receiving groove.

14. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) is symmetrical.

15. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that at least in sections, the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) has a curved or wavelike cross-section within the slot (13, 35, 69).

16. The matrix according to claim 1, characterized in that the matrix (10, 33, 39, 45, 67, 72) is formed by a plurality of mold shells (14).

17. A tire mold for vulcanizing tire blanks, the tire mold having a plurality of tire mold segments, the tire mold segment being composed of a segment base and a mold insert, characterized in that the mold insert has at least one matrix (10, 33, 39, 45, 67, 72) according to claim 1.

18. A method for venting a tire mold according to claim 17, characterized in that the tire mold is vented via the slot (13, 35, 69).

19. A method for producing a tire mold for vulcanizing tire blanks, a matrix (10, 33, 39, 45, 67, 72) forming a negative mold (17) of a profiled tread of a tire, the matrix having a mold shell (14) on which sipe blades (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) are arranged, the mold shell forming an inner mold side (15) and the sipe blade forming a web (19) of the negative mold, a plurality of slots (13, 35, 69) being formed in the mold shell, a sipe blade being inserted into a slot and attached to the mold shell, characterized in that the sipe blade is attached to the mold shell in a form-fitting manner, the slot penetrating a mold wall (21) of the mold shell and extending from the inner mold side to a rear mold side (16, 38, 44, 49) of the mold shell.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that the form-fitting connection is formed by deforming the sipe blade (11, 34, 40, 46, 50, 54, 59, 64, 70, 73) on the rear mold side (16, 38, 44, 49).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In the following description, preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing.

[0029] In the drawing:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a partial section view of a matrix according to a first embodiment along line I-I of FIG. 4;

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the matrix;

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a partial section view of the matrix along line III-III of FIG. 4;

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a top view of the matrix;

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a partial section view of a matrix according to a second embodiment;

[0035] FIG. 6 shows a partial section view of a matrix according to a third embodiment;

[0036] FIG. 7 shows a partial section view of a matrix according to a fourth embodiment;

[0037] FIG. 8 shows a partial view of a sipe blade according to a fifth embodiment;

[0038] FIG. 9 shows a partial view of a sipe blade according to a sixth embodiment;

[0039] FIG. 10 shows a partial view of a sipe blade according to a seventh embodiment;

[0040] FIG. 11 shows a partial view of a sipe blade according to an eighth embodiment;

[0041] FIG. 12 shows a partial view of a matrix according to a fifth embodiment; and

[0042] FIG. 13 shows a partial section view of a matrix according to a sixth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] A combined view of FIGS. 1 to 4 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a matrix 10. The matrix 10 has a plurality of sipe blades 11, of which only one is illustrated here. The sipe blades 11 are arranged in slots 13 and perpendicular to a running direction 12 of a tire to be produced and to a tread thereof. In particular, the slot 13 is formed in a mold shell 14 of the matrix 10, which is illustrated only by way of sections, and extends from an inner mold side 15 of the mold shell 14 to a rear mold side 16 of the mold shell 14. The mold shell 14 can be inserted into a mold insert (not illustrated) of a tire mold and its rear mold side 16 is in contact with the mold insert. The inner mold side 15 forms a negative mold 17 for a tire blank to be vulcanized, profile groove webs 18 being formed on the inner mold side 15. The sipe blade 11, too, forms a web 19 of the negative mold 17.

[0044] The slot 13 is formed by a passage opening 20 in a mold wall 21 of the mold shell 14 and ends in a groove 22 on the rear mold side 16. Furthermore, a length L of the sipe blade 11 is larger than a length 1 of the slot 13 so that ends 23 of the sipe blade 11 rest on the inner mold side 15. An appendage 24 of the sipe blade 11 protrudes into the slot 13 and exits the slot 13 again on the rear mold side 16 to enter the groove 22. Here, two flaps 25 that are bent about a vertical axis 28 are formed by separating slots 26 and 27 in such a manner that projections 29 are formed that protrude out of a slot plane 30. Thus, the sipe blade 11 can be mounted particularly easily on the mold shell 14 because it is simply inserted into the slot 13 and the flaps 25 are subsequently bent out of the slot plane 30 so as to attach the sipe blade 11 in a form-fitting manner. The flaps 25 are in particular in contact with the rear mold side 16 so that the sipe blade 11 cannot be pulled out of the slot 13 anymore and is clamped with zero play between the inner mold side 15 and the rear mold side 16.

[0045] A blade thickness B of the sipe blade 11 is dimensioned in such a manner that a gap channel 31, which is not visible in detail here, is formed between the sipe blade 11 and the slot 13. The slot 13 is designed with a slot width b>B so that the gap channel 31 has a gap channel width of S=b−B. The gap channel 31 can now be used to vent the tire mold, in particular a profile section 32 adjacent to the sipe blade 11, during vulcanization of tire blanks.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a partial section of a matrix 33 comprising a sipe blade 34, the sipe blade 34 being inserted in a slot 35, thus forming a gap channel 36. Flaps 37 of the sipe blade 34 are each bent by 90° in opposite directions in such a manner that the flaps 37 are in substantially flat contact with a rear mold side 38.

[0047] In contrast to FIG. 5, FIG. 6 shows a matrix 39 in which a sipe blade 40 has flaps 41 that are bent in a V-shape at a lower end 42 of the sipe blade 40, upper edges 43 of the flaps 41 thus being in contact with a rear mold side 44.

[0048] FIG. 7 shows a matrix having a sipe blade 46 in which flaps 47 are widened in opposite directions by bending in such a manner that their upper edges 48 are in contact with a rear mold side 49.

[0049] FIG. 8 shows a sipe blade 50 having flaps 51 that are formed by a separating slot 52 in the sipe blade 50. The flaps 51 can each be bent about a horizontal axis 53 in any direction, preferably in opposite directions, once the sipe blade 50 has been inserted into a slot (not illustrated).

[0050] FIG. 9 shows a sipe blade 54 having flaps 55 each formed by a horizontal separating slot 56 and two vertical separating slots 57. The flaps 55 can be bent about a horizontal axis 58.

[0051] FIG. 10 shows a sipe blade 59 having flaps 60 each formed by horizontal separating slots 61 and one vertical separating slot 62. Each flap 60 can be bent about a vertical axis 63.

[0052] FIG. 11 shows a sipe blade 64 having flaps 65 each formed by two parallel horizontal separating slots 66. Each flap 65 can be bent and widened about two vertical axes 67.

[0053] FIG. 12 shows a partial section view of a matrix 68 having a slot 69 and a sipe blade 70. The sipe blade 70 is in particular curved so that a gap channel 71 is formed in the slot 69 on both sides of the sipe blade 70.

[0054] FIG. 13 shows a matrix 72 which differs from the matrix shown in FIG. 12 in that a sipe blade 73 has a wavelike shape.