Apparatus and process for changing a sidewall insert of a tire mold
First Claim
1. In a mold for curing a tire, the mold having an axis, tread mold inserts for molding a tread region of the tire, sidewall mold inserts for molding a sidewall region of the tire, and a mold frame for supporting the tread mold inserts and the sidewall mold inserts, the improvement comprising:
- a mold frame having an aperture open on at least the axially inward side of the mold frame;
a sidewall mold insert having means forming a through aperture extending completely through the sidewall mold insert so as to be open on both the axially inward and axially outward sides of the sidewall mold insert, the sidewall mold insert being positionable axially inwardly of the mold frame relative to the axis of a tire molded in the mold assembly such that the mold frame aperture and the through aperture of the sidewall mold insert are aligned with one another with the through aperture axially inward of the mold frame aperture; and
,a fastener disposable in the aligned apertures between a seated disposition in which the fastener is seated in both apertures and a non-seated disposition in which the fastener is not seated in the mold frame aperture and the through aperture forming means having means for preventing axially outward movement of the fastener in its seated disposition beyond an extent that the fastener would be completely unseated from the through aperture.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A molding apparatus and process is described in which a side wall mold insert is accessible and releasable from the interior of the molding apparatus. A fastener reversibly seats the side wall insert to the mold frame, the insert having an inclined rim wall for engaging a complementary-shaped wall of an adjacent tread mold piece. The process and apparatus facilitates the rapid replacement of a side wall mold insert without disassembly or cooling of the molding components.
37 Citations
16 Claims
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1. In a mold for curing a tire, the mold having an axis, tread mold inserts for molding a tread region of the tire, sidewall mold inserts for molding a sidewall region of the tire, and a mold frame for supporting the tread mold inserts and the sidewall mold inserts, the improvement comprising:
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a mold frame having an aperture open on at least the axially inward side of the mold frame; a sidewall mold insert having means forming a through aperture extending completely through the sidewall mold insert so as to be open on both the axially inward and axially outward sides of the sidewall mold insert, the sidewall mold insert being positionable axially inwardly of the mold frame relative to the axis of a tire molded in the mold assembly such that the mold frame aperture and the through aperture of the sidewall mold insert are aligned with one another with the through aperture axially inward of the mold frame aperture; and
,a fastener disposable in the aligned apertures between a seated disposition in which the fastener is seated in both apertures and a non-seated disposition in which the fastener is not seated in the mold frame aperture and the through aperture forming means having means for preventing axially outward movement of the fastener in its seated disposition beyond an extent that the fastener would be completely unseated from the through aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11)
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6. In a mold for curing a tire, the mold having an axis, tread mold inserts for molding a tread region of the tire, sidewall mold inserts for molding a sidewall region of the tire, and a mold frame for supporting the tread mold inserts and the sidewall mold inserts, the improvement comprising:
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a mold frame having an aperture open on the axially inward side of the mold frame and extending at most along a partial portion of the axial extent of the mold frame, as measured along the aperture axis, such that the aperture is not open on the axially outward side of the mold frame; a sidewall mold insert having means forming a through aperture extending completely through the sidewall mold insert so as to be open on both the axially inward and axially outward sides of the sidewall mold insert;
the sidewall mold insert being positionable axially inwardly of the mold frame relative to the axis of a tire molded in the mold assembly such that the mold frame aperture and the through aperture of the sidewall mold insert are aligned with one another with the through aperture axially inward of the mold frame aperture; anda fastener disposable in the aligned apertures between a seated disposition in which the fastener is seated in both apertures and a non-seated disposition in which the fastener is not seated in the mold frame aperture and the fastener having an axial extent less than the combined axial extents of the aligned mold frame aperture and the through aperture. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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12. In a mold for curing a tire, the mold having tread mold inserts for molding a tread region of the tire, sidewall mold inserts for molding a sidewall region of the tire, and a mold frame for supporting the tread mold inserts and the sidewall mold inserts, the improvement comprising:
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a mold frame having an aperture open on at least the axially inward side of the mold frame; a sidewall mold insert having means forming a through aperture extending completely through the sidewall mold insert so as to be open on both the axially inward and axially outward sides of the sidewall mold insert, the sidewall mold insert being positionable axially inwardly of the mold frame relative to the axis of a tire molded in the mold assembly such that the mold frame aperture and the through aperture are aligned with one another and the through aperture is axially inward of the mold frame aperture; a fastener disposable in the aligned apertures between a seated disposition in which the fastener is seated in both apertures and a non-seated disposition in which the fastener is not seated in the mold frame aperture; and means for preventing axially outward movement of the fastener in its seated disposition beyond an extent that the fastener would be completely unseated from the through aperture. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A process of changing the sidewall mold insert of a tire mold comprising the steps of:
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supplying a mold for curing a tire, the mold having an axis, tread mold inserts for molding a tread region of the tire, sidewall mold inserts for molding a sidewall region of the tire, and a mold frame for supporting the tread mold inserts and the sidewall mold inserts; opening said tire mold to provide access to an interior molding surface of said mold; engaging from a mold interior the engaging means of a fastener securing the sidewall mold insert to the mold frame, said engaging means of said fastener in communication with the interior of the open mold; unseating the fastener securing the sidewall mold insert to the mold frame; removing the sidewall mold insert from the mold; positioning a new sidewall mold insert within the mold; engaging from a mold interior the engaging means of a fastener carried by the new sidewall mold insert; and
,seating the fastener within the mold frame, thereby securing the sidewall mold insert to the mold frame. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification