Apparatus and method for curing a rubber like article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9415553-B2
Application number	US-201414556928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2014
Priority date	May 4, 2011
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

Particular embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus for molding and/or curing an article. Particular embodiments of such methods include positioning a mold core centrally within mold outer portion to form an annular mold cavity between the mold outer portion and the mold core, the core including an outer ring having an outer surface for engaging the annular article, the outer ring being formed of a material capable of expanding and contracting with changes in temperature. Such methods also include heating the mold outer ring, cooling the core outer ring subsequent to the step of heating, whereby the core outer ring contracts relative to the article, and removing the article from the core outer ring.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of molding and/or curing an annular article from a mold, the method comprising:
positioning a mold core centrally within a mold outer portion to form an annular mold cavity between the mold outer portion and the mold core, the mold core including an outer ring having an inner surface and an outer surface for engaging the annular article, an inner member positioned centrally within the outer ring, the inner member being positioned in spaced relation to the inner surface of the outer ring, the outer ring being formed of a material capable of expanding and contracting with changes in temperature, a plurality of translation members extending radially relative to the outer ring, and between the outer ring and the inner member, the translation members slidably engaging one of the outer ring and the inner member as the outer ring expands or contracts with changes in temperature;
heating the outer ring;
cooling the outer ring subsequent to heating, whereby the outer ring contracts relative to the article; and,
removing the article from the core outer ring.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising cooling the mold core so that as the outer ring contracts, a substantially uniform gap is created between the mold core and article.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said mold core outer ring has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than a material forming at least a portion of the inner member.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising preheating the mold core before putting it into the mold to reduce the cure time in the mold.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said mold core is a drum for creating a tire.

6. A tire created according to the method of claim 5 .

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising removing the core from the mold after heating, and before cooling.

8. A method of molding and/or curing an annular article from a mold, the method comprising:
positioning a mold core centrally within a mold outer portion to form an annular mold cavity between the mold outer portion and the mold core, the mold core including an outer ring having an inner surface and an outer surface for engaging the annular article, an inner member positioned centrally within the outer ring, the inner member being positioned in spaced relation to the inner surface of the outer ring, the outer ring being formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than a material forming at least a portion of the inner member, and between the outer ring and the inner member, a plurality of translation members extending radially relative to the outer ring, and between the outer ring and the inner member the plurality translation members slidably engaging one of the outer ring and the inner member as the outer ring expands or contracts with changes in temperature;
heating the outer ring;
cooling the outer ring subsequent to heating, whereby the outer ring contracts relative to the article; and,
removing the article from the core outer ring.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising cooling the mold core so that as the outer ring contracts, a substantially uniform gap is created between the mold core and article.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising preheating the mold core before putting it into the mold to reduce the cure time in the mold.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said mold core is a drum for creating a tire.

12. A tire created according to the method of claim 11 .

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising removing the core from the mold after heating, and before cooling.

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie
• Michelin Rech Tech

Inventors

• Wilson Brian D
• Creasap Mark
• Gaut Robert
• Endicott James

Classifications

• B29D30/00 Primary

  Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof (producing inner tubes B29D23/24; constructional form of tyres or parts thereof B60C; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; testing of tyres G01M17/02) · CPC title

• Y10T152/10

  Tires, resilient · CPC title

• B29D30/0661 Primary

  Rigid cores therefor, e.g. annular or substantially toroidal cores (cores for building tyres B29D30/12; drums for building tyres B29D30/24) · CPC title

• B29D2030/0677

  Controlling temperature differences · CPC title

• B29D30/245

  Drums for the single stage building process, i.e. the building-up of the cylindrical carcass and the toroidal expansion of it are realised on the same drum (expansion to a toroidal shape B29D30/36) · CPC title