# US 10,870,247 B2 · Tire vulcanization mold > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,247 B2 - Document ID: US10870247B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/327,098 - Filed: 2016-09-28 - Published: 2019-06-27 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-28 - Assignees: Toyo Tire Corporation - Applicants: Toyo Tire Corporation - Inventors: Masaaki Ohara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870247B2 ## CPC - B29D 30/0606: {Vulcanising moulds not integral with vulcanising presses (for solid tyres B29D30/02)} - B29C 33/10: with incorporated venting means - B29C 33/424: {Moulding surfaces provided with means for marking or patterning (for injection moulding B29C45/372)} - B29D 30/72: Side-walls - B29C 33/306: {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)} - B29D 2030/0612: {Means for forming recesses or protrusions in the tyres, e.g. grooves or ribs, to create the tread or sidewalls patterns} - B29D 2030/0616: {Surface structure of the mould, e.g. roughness, arrangement of slits, grooves or channels} - B29D 2030/0617: {Venting devices, e.g. vent plugs or inserts} - B29D 2030/0618: {Annular elements, e.g. rings, for moulding the tyre shoulder areas} - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) ## Abstract A tire vulcanization mold 10 of an embodiment includes a side mold 14 having a side molding surface 20 for molding a side wall portion. The side mold 14 includes: a side mold body 24 having recesses 30 provided in the side molding surface 20; a side piece 26 fitted into the recess 30 to form a vent gap 28 with a wall surface of the recess; and a replacement piece 44 for displaying information closely fitted into a mounting hole 42 provided in the side molding surface 20 without a gap therebetween. The replacement piece 44 is provided in the side piece 26 or in the side mold body 24 so as not to span the side piece 26 and the side mold body 24. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tire vulcanization mold comprising an annular side mold having a side molding surface for molding a side wall portion of a tire, wherein the side mold comprises: a side mold body having a plurality of recesses provided in the side molding surface at intervals in a tire circumferential direction; a plurality of side pieces fitted into the plurality of recesses to form the side molding surface having an annular shape together with the side mold body and forming a plurality of vent gaps provided between side surfaces on both sides in the tire circumferential direction of the plurality of side pieces and the wall surfaces of the plurality of recesses facing the side surfaces for discharging air with a wall surface of the recess; and a replacement piece for displaying information fitted into a mounting hole provided in the side molding surface without a gap therebetween, and the replacement piece is provided in the side piece or in the side mold body so as not to span the side piece and the side mold body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 1, wherein an inner end in a tire radial direction of each of the plurality of side pieces is positioned inwardly in the tire radial direction from an inner end in the tire radial direction of the side molding surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 2, wherein the side mold body comprises a bead ring fixing portion for fixing a bead ring on an inner side in the tire radial direction of the side molding surface, each of the plurality of recesses extends beyond the inner end in the tire radial direction of the side molding surface to the bead ring fixing portion, and the inner end in the tire radial direction of each of the plurality of side pieces fitted into the recess is covered by the bead ring fixed to the bead ring fixing portion from an axially inner side of the tire. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 2, wherein an inner end gap is provided between the inner end in the tire radial direction of each of the plurality of side pieces and an inner end in the tire radial direction of each of the plurality of recesses, and the inner end gap is set larger than the vent gaps on both sides in the tire circumferential direction of the side piece. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 3, wherein an inner end gap is provided between the inner end in the tire radial direction of each of the plurality of side pieces and an inner end in the tire radial direction of each of the plurality of recesses, and the inner end gap is set larger than the vent gaps on both sides in the tire circumferential direction of the side piece. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion is provided on the tire molding surface extending in the tire circumferential direction with an inner end of the side molding surface as an apex of the protrusion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of recesses are provided to divide the protrusion in the tire circumferential direction to form a plurality of protrusions, wherein a first portion of the plurality of protrusions is intermittently provided in the side mold body, and a second portion of the plurality of protrusion are each formed on each of the plurality of the side pieces, so that by fitting the plurality of side pieces into the plurality of recesses, the first portion of the plurality of protrusions and the second portion of the plurality of protrusions form the protrusion over an entire circumference of the tire molding surface in the tire circumferential direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 1, wherein a first inner corner portion and a second inner corner portion formed at each end in the tire circumferential direction at an inner end in the tire radial direction of each of the plurality of the side pieces are curved having a radius of curvature of 2 mm or more. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 8, wherein a first outer corner portion and a second outer corner portion formed at each end in the tire circumferential direction at an outer end in the tire radial direction of each of the plurality of the side pieces are curved having a radius of curvature which is set smaller than the radius of curvature of the first inner corner portion and the second inner corner portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tire vulcanization mold according to claim 9, wherein the radius of curvature of the first outer corner portion and the second outer corner portion is 0.15 mm or less.