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US 11,993,044 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for improved tread splicing
AssigneeBridgestone Bandag, LLC
InventorsRobert G. Otting, Terry A. Westaway
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mold for molding a tire tread comprises a plurality of mold segments. Each of the plurality of mold segments includes an integer number of tread pitch repetitions. The plurality of mold segments are structured to be coupled to each other end-to-end so as to form the mold such that the mold includes an integer number of tread pitches. The mold also includes at least one mold end segment positioned on at least one end of the mold and has a mold end segment length shorter than a length of each of the plurality of mold segments.
Claims9
A method of forming a tire tread, comprising:
- providing a plurality of mold segments that includes a first mold segment and subsequent mold segments, the first mold segment defining a first number of tread pitch repetitions,
- assembling the subsequent mold segments end-to-end so as to form an elongate structure;
- removing material from the first mold segment to form the first end segment, the first end segment having less than the first number of tread pitch repetitions, the first end segment further having a cut-mark that defines a circle and a line bifurcating the circle, wherein the cut mark is etched into the first end segment;
- adding the first end segment to a first end of the elongate structure;
- attaching the plurality of mold segments and the first end segment so as to form a unitary mold;
- using the unitary mold in a pressing operation to form a tire tread such that the tire tread includes a tread cut-mark corresponding with the cut-mark of the first end segment.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.