# US 10,118,355 B2 · Tire manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,355 B2 - Document ID: US10118355B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/034,245 - Filed: 2014-08-26 - Published: 2016-09-29 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-27 - Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Masaya Tsunoda; Kei Kohara; Takashi Tanaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118355B2 ## CPC - B29D 30/0662: {Accessories, details or auxiliary operations} - B29D 30/0606: {Vulcanising moulds not integral with vulcanising presses (for solid tyres B29D30/02)} - B29D 30/0661: {Rigid cores therefor, e.g. annular or substantially toroidal cores (cores for building tyres B29D30/12; drums for building tyres B29D30/24)} - B29D 30/12: Cores - G01K 13/00: Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes - B29D 2030/0677: {Controlling temperature differences} - B29K 2021/00: Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material - B29K 2105/246: {Uncured, e.g. green} - B29K 2105/258: {Tubular} - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract The present invention increases tire formation precision and is a tire manufacturing method, which comprises a step S1 for forming a green tire on the outer surface of a rigid inner mold and a vulcanization step S2 for vulcanizing the green tire. The rigid inner mold comprises: an inner mold body, which is obtained from multiple segments; a core, which substantially binds the various segments; and an outer diameter adjusting means for changing the outer diameter of the core by changing the temperature of the core. Moreover. the rigid inner mold performs changes such that by expansion of the outer diameter of the core 5, the various segments move outward in the radial direction of the tire and gaps between the segments are enlarged, while by reducing the outer diameter of the core, the various segments move inward in the radial direction of the tire and the level differences R on the outer surface between adjacent segments increase. The vulcanization step S2 comprises an adjustment steps S21 for adjusting the outer diameter of the core using the outer diameter adjustment means so that the gaps G and the level differences R are within a previously established range. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tire manufacturing method for vulcanizing a green tire using a rigid inner mold comprising an outer surface for molding an inner cavity surface of a pneumatic tire, the method comprising: a step of forming the green tire on the outer surface of the rigid inner mold; and a vulcanization step of vulcanizing the green tire on the rigid inner mold, wherein the rigid inner mold comprises: an inner mold body comprising a plurality of segments forming an annular shape with a central hole upon being assembled, a core disposed in the central hole and substantially constraining the respective segments to hold the inner mold body in the annular shape, and an outer diameter adjusting means for changing an outer diameter of the core by changing a temperature of the core such that the respective segments move outward in a radial direction of the tire to increase a gap between adjacent segments by an expansion of the outer diameter of the core, and the respective segments move inward in the radial direction of the tire to increase a level difference of outer surfaces between adjacent segments by a reduction of the outer diameter of the core, wherein the vulcanization step comprises an adjustment step of adjusting the outer diameter of the core by the outer diameter adjusting means so that the gap and the level difference fall within predetermined ranges, wherein prior to the adjustment step, the tire manufacturing method further comprises a preparation step of preliminarily obtaining a relationship between the temperature of the core and the gap or level difference, and the adjustment step regulates the temperature of the core based on the relationship. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tire manufacturing method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the preparation step comprises: a step of measuring the gap or level difference with respect to each temperature by changing the temperature of the core, and a step of determining an approximate expression indicating the relationship based on the gap or level difference measured with respect to each temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tire manufacturing method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the preparation step comprises: a step of defining a plurality of segment models on a computer in which the respective segments are discretized using a finite number of elements, a step of defining a core model on the computer in which the core is discretized using the finite number of elements, a step of calculating where the computer calculates the gap or level difference as a gap or level difference between segment models by changing a temperature of the core model, and a step of determining where the computer determines the approximate expression indicating the relationship based on a calculation result of the gap or level difference between segment models. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tire manufacturing method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the adjustment step adjusts the gap in a range of more than 0 mm and not more than 0.04 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The tire manufacturing method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the adjustment step adjusts the gap in a range of more than 0 mm and not more than 0.04 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The tire manufacturing method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the adjustment step adjusts the gap in a range of more than 0 mm and not more than 0.04 mm.