In-mold adjustment of pylsteer parameters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9950448-B2
Application number	US-201314426874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2013
Priority date	Dec 28, 2012
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

Molds, methods and systems are provided for adjusting one or more plysteer parameters in a tire having a tread formed from a mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mold for adjusting one or more plysteer parameters in a tire having a tread formed from the mold, comprising:
a plurality of tread-molding elements defining a total plysteer contribution of the mold, comprising:
at least one or more removable tread-molding elements with each element having a predetermined plysteer contribution; and
at least one alternative removable tread-molding element having a predetermined plysteer contribution that differs from the predetermined plysteer contribution of the one or more removable tread-molding elements;

wherein substitution of at least one of the one or more removable tread-molding elements with at least one alternative removable tread-molding element effects adjustment of the total plysteer contribution of the mold.

2. The mold of claim 1 , wherein a measured plysteer parameter of the tire is compared with a target plysteer parameter for the tire, and the one or more plysteer parameters to be measured and compared include at least one of plysteer residual aligning torque, plysteer residual lateral force and plysteer residual corning force.

3. The mold of claim 2 , comprising interchangeable tread-molding elements wherein:
a plysteer contribution of one of the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element increases the total plysteer contribution of the mold; and
a plysteer contribution of another of the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element decreases the total plysteer contribution of the mold.

4. The mold of claim 3 , wherein:
one or more of the removable tread-molding elements is substituted with at least one alternative removable tread-molding element having a smaller plysteer contribution if the measured plysteer parameter of the tire exceeds the target plysteer parameter; and
one or more of the removable tread-molding elements is substituted with at least one alternative removable tread-molding element having a greater plysteer contribution if the target plysteer parameter of the tire exceeds the measured plysteer parameter.

5. The mold of claim 3 , wherein:
a plysteer contribution of one of the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element includes a negative plysteer contribution; and
a plysteer contribution of another of the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element includes a positive plysteer contribution.

6. The mold of claim 5 , wherein the predetermined plysteer contribution of the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element has an absolute value equal to the predetermined plysteer contribution of each the one or more removable tread-molding elements being substituted.

7. The mold of claim 3 , wherein substitution of at least one of the one or more removable tread-molding elements with at least one alternative removable tread-molding element effects adjustment of at least one tire noise sequence formed by the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element.

8. The mold of claim 2 , wherein the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element is configured to form a lateral groove in the tread.

9. The mold of claim 8 , wherein the least one alternative removable tread-molding element is configured to form a lateral groove in the tread that is different than a lateral groove formed in the tread by the one or more removable tread-molding elements.

10. The mold of claim 9 , wherein a difference between lateral grooves configured to be formed by the one or more removable tread-molding elements and lateral grooves to be formed by the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element is effected by one of:
varying an angle by which each lateral groove deviates from an imaginary reference line extending in a widthwise direction of the tread and normal to a lateral centerline of the tread; and
varying an inclination angle of at least one groove side wall of a pair of groove side walls arranged on opposing sides of a lateral groove, with the inclination angle measured from an imaginary reference line extending in a depthwise direction of a tread thickness and normal to both a lengthwise direction and a widthwise direction of the tread.

11. The mold of claim 9 , wherein:
each of the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element is configured to form a lateral groove on one of a lateral centerline of the tread and extending at least partially across a width thereof, and another lateral groove on another side of the lateral centerline and extending at least partially across a width thereof; and
at least one of the lateral grooves formed by the one or more removable tread-molding elements is different from corresponding lateral grooves formed by the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element.

12. The mold of claim 9 , wherein each of the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element extends partially across a full width of a tread molding cavity to form at least a portion of a ground-engaging side of the tread.

13. The mold of claim 12 , wherein the one or more removable tread-molding elements forms at least a pair of tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element forms at least a pair of alternative tread-molding elements, and wherein the tread-molding elements of each pair are successively arranged to extend across a substantial full width of the tread molding cavity and thereby form at least a portion of a ground-engaging side of the tread.

14. The mold of claim 12 , wherein the lateral grooves of the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element intersect to form a continuous lateral groove.

15. A method for adjusting one or more plysteer parameters in a tire, comprising:
providing at least one mold according to claim 1 ;
forming at least one tire having a tread formed from the mold;
determining one or more measured plysteer parameters of the tire;
comparing the one or more measured plysteer parameters with corresponding target plysteer parameters for the tire; and
if the one or more measured plysteer parameters differ from the corresponding target plysteer parameters, adjusting the total plysteer contribution of the mold by substituting at least one of the one or more removable tread-molding elements with at least one alternative removable tread-molding element.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more plysteer parameters to be measured and compared include at least one of plysteer residual aligning torque, plysteer residual lateral force and plysteer residual corning force.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising providing interchangeable tread-molding elements wherein:
a plysteer contribution of one of the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element increases the total plysteer contribution of the mold; and
a plysteer contribution of another of the one or more removable tread-molding elements and the at least one alternative removable tread-molding element decreases the total plysteer contribution of the mold.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
if the measured plysteer parameter of the tire exceeds the target plysteer pa

Assignees

• Brown Joseph Nicholas
• Stone James Edward
• Janczak Richard T
• Michelin & Cie

Inventors

• Brown Joseph Nicholas
• Stone James Edward
• Janczak Richard T

Classifications

• B29C33/308

  Adjustable moulds (for injection moulding B29C45/376) · CPC title

• B29C33/306 Primary

  Exchangeable mould parts, e.g. cassette moulds, mould inserts (moulds with exchangeable mould parts for injection moulding B29C45/2673; mounting of exchangeable mould inserts for injection moulding B29C45/2675) · CPC title

• B29D30/54 Primary

  Retreading · CPC title

• B29D30/0681 Primary

  Parts of pneumatic tyres; accessories, auxiliary operations · CPC title