Tire vulcanizing apparatus and tire vulcanizing method

• US 7,985,359 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Klaus Schmidt
• Original Assignee: Kobe Steel Limited
• Inventors: Kuwabara, Hideaki, Okada, Kazuto, Toshima, Masatake, Fujieda, Yasuhiko, Murata, Tomomichi, Mitamura, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): MACKEY, JAMES P
• Application Number:
  US12/517,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 425/29, 425/40, 425/42, 425/43, 264/40.1, 264/40.3, 264/40.6, 264/501, 264/315, 264/326
• US Class Current: 264/40.3
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/04 using liquids, gas or steam tyre moulds with incorporated heating or cooling means using liquids, gas or steam B29D30/0601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/007 Tempering units for temperature control of moulds or cores, e.g. comprising heat exchangers, controlled valves, temperature-controlled circuits for fluids B29C35/0294 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/04 using liquids, gas or steam
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/067 the vulcanizing fluids being gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0675 Controlling the vulcanization processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0601 Vulcanising tyres; Vulcanising presses for tyres

Abstract

A tire vulcanizing apparatus and a tire vulcanizing method, by which the pressure and temperature of a heating and pressurizing medium to be supplied to the internal space of a raw tire can be controlled without the condition of pressure being affected by the condition of temperature. The tire vulcanizing apparatus has: a medium path, connected to an internal space of a raw tire, for passing a heating and pressurizing medium; a pressure sensor, provided in the medium path, for measuring a pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium; a pressure control valve for controlling a pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the pressure sensor; a temperature sensor, provided in the medium path, for measuring a temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium; and a heating unit for controlling the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the temperature sensor, wherein the pressure control valve and the heating unit control the pressure and temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the medium path to the internal space of the raw tire respectively and independently.

Claims

1. A tire vulcanizing apparatus comprising:

a mold for removably accommodating a raw tire;

a medium path, connected to an internal space of the raw tire accommodated in the mold, for passing a heating and pressurizing medium of a gas or air for vulcanizing and molding the raw tire;

a pressure sensor, provided in the medium path, for measuring a pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium;

a pressure control valve, provided in the medium path, for controlling the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the pressure sensor;

a temperature sensor, provided in the medium path, for measuring a temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium; and

a heating unit, provided in the medium path, for controlling the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the temperature sensor, wherein

the pressure control valve controls the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the pressure sensor and not on the basis of a signal from the temperature sensor, and wherein the heating unit controls the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the temperature sensor and not on the basis of a signal from the pressure sensor, whereby the pressure and temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the medium path to the internal space of the raw tire are respectively independently controlled without mutual relationship.

2. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure controller for controlling the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path by controlling an opening degree of the pressure control valve on the basis of the signal from the pressure sensor; and

a temperature controller for controlling the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path independently of the pressure control of the heating and pressurizing medium by the pressure controller, by controlling heating power of the heating unit on the basis of the signal from the temperature sensor.

3. A tire vulcanizing apparatus comprising:

a mold for removably accommodating a raw tire;

a medium path, connected to an internal space of the raw tire accommodated in the mold, for passing a heating and pressurizing medium of a gas or air for vulcanizing and molding the raw tire;

a pressure sensor, provided in the medium path, for measuring a pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium;

a pressure control valve, provided in the medium path, for controlling the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the pressure sensor;

a temperature sensor, provided in the medium path, for measuring a temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium; and

a heating unit, provided in the medium path, for controlling the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the temperature sensor, wherein

the pressure control valve and the heating unit control the pressure and temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the medium path to the internal space of the raw tire respectively and independently, wherein

the medium path includes;

a medium circulation path for circulating the heating and pressurizing medium in order to preheat the medium;

a medium supply path, provided so as to connect the medium circulation path with the internal space of the raw tire, for supplying the heating and pressurizing medium from the medium circulation path to the internal space of the raw tire; and

a medium recovery path, provided so as to connect the medium circulation path with the internal space of the raw tire, for recovering the heating and pressurizing medium from the internal space of the raw tire to the medium circulation path,

the pressure sensor includes a first pressure sensor provided in the medium recovery path,

the pressure control valve includes a first pressure control valve provided in the medium supply path, and

the temperature sensor and the heating unit are both provided in the medium circulation path.

4. A tire vulcanizing apparatus comprising:

a mold for removably accommodating a raw tire;

a medium path, connected to an internal space of the raw tire accommodated in the mold, for passing a heating and pressurizing medium of a gas or air for vulcanizing and molding the raw tire;

a pressure sensor, provided in the medium path, for measuring a pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium;

a pressure control valve, provided in the medium path, for controlling the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the pressure sensor;

a temperature sensor, provided in the medium path, for measuring a temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium; and

a heating unit, provided in the medium path, for controlling the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium passing through the medium path on the basis of a signal from the temperature sensor, wherein

the pressure control valve and the heating unit control the pressure and temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the medium path to the internal space of the raw tire respectively and independently, further comprising a heating and pressurizing medium supply source for supplying the heating and pressurizing medium, wherein the medium path includes;

a medium circulation path for circulating the heating and pressurizing medium in order to preheat the medium;

a medium supply path, provided so as to connect the medium circulation path with the internal space of the raw tire, for supplying the heating and pressurizing medium from the medium circulation path to the internal space of the raw tire;

a medium recovery path, provided so as to connect the medium circulation path with the internal space of the raw tire, for recovering the heating and pressurizing medium from the internal space of the raw tire to the medium circulation path; and

a medium supply source path, which branches from the medium circulation path to the heating and pressurizing medium supply source, for introducing the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the heating and pressurizing medium supply source to the medium circulation path,

the pressure sensor includes a first pressure sensor provided in the medium recovery path,

the pressure control valve includes a second pressure control valve provided in the medium supply source path, and

the temperature sensor and the heating unit are both provided in the medium circulation path.

5. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

a medium circulation apparatus for circulating the heating and pressurizing medium is provided in the medium circulation path;

and

the medium supply source path branches from a portion of the medium circulation path which is located between a position where the medium recovery path is connected and a position where the medium circulation apparatus is provided, on an upstream side of the medium circulation apparatus in terms of a direction of flow of the heating and pressurizing medium.

6. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the pressure control valve includes a first pressure control valve provided in the medium supply path, in addition to the second pressure control valve.

7. The tire vulcanizing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the medium path includes a exhaust path which branches from the medium recovery path which is located between a position where the first pressure sensor is provided and a position connected to the medium circulation path,

the tire vulcanizing apparatus further comprising:

a medium supply valve provided in the medium supply path between a position connected to the medium circulation path and a position where the first pressure control valve is provided;

a medium recovery valve provided in the medium recovery path between a position where the exhaust path branches off and the position connected to the medium circulation path;

an exhaust valve provided in the exhaust path; and

a bypass valve provided in the medium circulation path between a position connected to the medium supply path and a position connected to the medium recovery path, wherein the pressure sensor includes a second pressure sensor provided in the medium circulation path in addition to the first pressure sensor, and

degrees of opening of the pressure control valve, the medium supply valve, the medium recovery valve, the exhaust valve and the bypass valve are adjusted on the basis of a signal from the first pressure sensor and a signal from the second pressure sensor.

8. A tire vulcanizing method, comprising:

a pressure measurement step of measuring a pressure of a heating and pressurizing medium by means of a pressure sensor provided in a medium path for passing a heating and pressurizing medium of a gas or air for vulcanizing and molding a raw tire, the medium path being connected to an internal space of the raw tire;

a pressure control step of controlling the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium on the basis of a signal from the pressure sensor by means of a pressure control valve provided in the medium path;

a temperature measurement step of measuring a temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium by means of a temperature sensor provided in the medium path; and

a temperature control step of controlling the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium by means of a heating unit provided in the medium path on the basis of a signal from the temperature sensor, wherein

the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the medium path to the internal space of the raw tire is controlled without reliance on the temperature measured in the temperature measurement step, and the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the medium path to the internal space of the raw tire is controlled without reliance on the pressure measured in the pressure measurement step, whereby the pressure and temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the medium path to the internal space of the raw tire are respectively independently controlled without mutual relationship in the pressure control step and the temperature control step.

9. A tire vulcanizing method, comprising:

a pressure measurement step of measuring a pressure of a heating and pressurizing medium by means of a pressure sensor provided in a medium path for passing a heating and pressurizing medium of a gas or air for vulcanizing and molding a raw tire, the medium path being connected to an internal space of the raw tire;

a pressure control step of controlling the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium on the basis of a signal from the pressure sensor by means of a pressure control valve provided in the medium path;

a temperature measurement step of measuring a temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium by means of a temperature sensor provided in the medium path; and

a temperature control step of controlling the temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium by means of a heating unit provided in the medium path on the basis of a signal from the temperature sensor, wherein

the pressure and temperature of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the medium path to the internal space of the raw tire are controlled respectively and independently in the pressure control step and the temperature control step, wherein

the medium path includes;

a medium circulation path for circulating the heating and pressurizing medium in order to preheat the medium;

a medium supply path connecting the medium circulation path with the internal space of the raw tire, for supplying the heating and pressurizing medium from the medium circulation path to the internal space of the raw tire;

a medium recovery path connecting the medium circulation path with the internal space of the raw tire, for recovering the heating and pressurizing medium from the internal space of the raw tire to the medium circulation path; and

a medium supply source path branching from the medium circulation path to a heating and pressurizing medium supply source, for introducing the heating and pressurizing medium supplied from the heating and pressurizing medium supply source to the medium circulation path,

the temperature sensor and the heating unit are both provided in the medium circulation path,

the pressure measurement step includes a step of measuring the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium by means of a first pressure sensor provided in the medium recovery path, and

the pressure control step includes a step of controlling the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium on the basis of a signal from the first pressure sensor, by means of a second pressure control valve which is provided in the medium supply source path.

10. The tire vulcanizing method according to claim 9, wherein the pressure control step includes a step of controlling the pressure of the heating and pressurizing medium on the basis of the signal from the first pressure sensor, by means of a first pressure control valve which is provided in the medium supply path and/or the second pressure control valve.