Tire vulcanizing method and tire manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9931798-B2
Application number	US-201314427553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2013
Priority date	Oct 2, 2012
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to efficiently vulcanize a green tire. This tire vulcanizing method and tire manufacturing method for vulcanizing a green tire 2 A formed on an outer surface 11 s of a rigid core by putting in a vulcanizing mold together with the rigid core 3 A. The method comprising: a preheating step S 1 of preheating the rigid core accompanied by green tire 3 A using a preheating device 5 arranged adjacent to the vulcanizing mold 4 prior to vulcanizing; a vulcanizing step S 3 of vulcanizing the green tire accompanied by preheated rigid core 3 A using the vulcanizing mold 4 ; and a cooling step S 5 of cooling the rigid core accompanied by vulcanized tire 3 B which has a vulcanized tire 2 B made by vulcanizing the green tire 2 A by use of a cooling device 6.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tire vulcanizing method for vulcanizing a green tire formed on an outer surface of a rigid core by putting in a vulcanizing mold together with the rigid core, the method comprising:
a preheating step of preheating the rigid core accompanied by green tire using a preheating device arranged adjacent to the vulcanizing mold prior to vulcanizing, wherein the rigid core comprises a plurality of segments divided in a circumferential direction of the tire, each of the plurality of segments comprising a chamber disposed therein, each chamber being independent from each other, and wherein the preheating step includes a high-temperature fluid supplying step of supplying high-temperature fluid into each chamber;
a first transferring step of transferring the preheated rigid core accompanied by green tire from the preheating device to the vulcanizing mold;
a vulcanizing step of vulcanizing the green tire accompanied by preheated rigid core using the vulcanizing mold;
a second transferring step of transferring a rigid core accompanied by vulcanized tire obtained through the vulcanizing step to a cooling device arranged adjacent to the vulcanizing mold; and
a cooling step of cooling the rigid core accompanied by vulcanized tire using a cooling device.

2. The tire vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
each of the segments of the rigid core comprises a supply flow passage communicating with the chamber and having a connecting port on a surface of the segment,
the preheating device comprises a supply port detachably connected to the supply flow passage so that the high-temperature fluid is supplied to the supply flow passage via the connecting port, and
the preheating step further includes a step of connecting the connecting port of the supply flow passage of each of the segments of the rigid core accompanied by green tire with the supply port of the preheating device prior to the high-temperature fluid supplying step.

3. The tire vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cooling step includes a low-temperature fluid supplying step of supplying low-temperature fluid into each chamber.

4. The tire vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein
each of the segments of the rigid core comprises a supply flow passage for guiding the low-temperature fluid into the chamber,
the cooling device comprises a supply port detachably connected to the supply flow passage so that the low-temperature fluid is supplied to the supply flow passage, and
the cooling step further includes a step of connecting the supply flow passage of each of the segments of the rigid core accompanied by vulcanized tire with the supply port of the cooling device prior to the low-temperature fluid supplying step.

5. The tire vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein
the low-temperature fluid is liquid; and
the cooling step further includes a step of discharging the liquid in the chamber after the low-temperature fluid supplying step.

6. The tire vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
upon the first transferring step and the second transferring step, a holding means for holding the rigid core arranged adjacent to the vulcanizing mold, the preheating device and the cooling device is used, and
the holding means, the vulcanizing mold, the preheating device and the cooling device comprise a detachably connecting means for automatic coupling with the inner mold.

7. A tire manufacturing method which comprises:
a green tire forming step of forming a green tire on an outer surface of a rigid core, and
a green tire vulcanizing step in accordance with the tire vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 1 .

8. The tire vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the cooling step includes a low-temperature fluid supplying step of supplying low-temperature fluid into each chamber.

9. The tire vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 4 , wherein
the low-temperature fluid is liquid; and
the cooling step further includes a step of discharging the liquid in the chamber after the low-temperature fluid supplying step.

10. The vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 6 ,
wherein the rigid core comprises a support shaft portion,
wherein the holding means comprises a base extending upwardly, and a horizontally extending arm having one end rotatably supported by the base around a vertical axis and the other end having a chuck portion connectable to and removal from the support shaft of the rigid core, and
wherein each location of the support shaft portion of the rigid core accompanied by green tire or vulcanized tire placed on the vulcanizing mold, the preheating device, the cooling device and the conveying device are arranged on a circling trajectory of the chuck portion of the holding means.

11. The vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 2 , wherein a connection between the connecting port of each of the segments of the rigid core and the supply port of the preheating device is done by an action that the rigid core accompanied by green tire is moved down.

12. The vulcanizing method as set forth in claim 11 , wherein an automatically detachable connector pair that can supply the fluid only when they are connected are employed for the connection between the connecting port of each of the segments of the rigid core and the supply port of the preheating device.

Assignees

• Sumitomo Rubber Ind

Inventors

• Onimatsu Hiroyuki

Classifications

• B29D30/0005

  Pretreatment of tyres or parts thereof, e.g. preheating, irradiation, precuring · CPC title

• B29D30/0662 Primary

  Accessories, details or auxiliary operations · CPC title

• B29D30/0603

  Loading or unloading the presses · CPC title

• B29D30/12

  Cores · CPC title

• B29D30/0633

  After-treatment specially adapted for vulcanising tyres · CPC title