Curing mold assemblies for non-pneumatic tires as well as methods of manufacture
AssigneeBridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorAndrew V. Haidet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mold assemblies for curing non-pneumatic tires include first and second mold sections that are axially displaceable relative to one another. A primary conductive heat source is in thermal communication with the mold sections. One radiative heat source is supported on the first mold section and another radiative heat source is supported on the second mold section. A non-pneumatic tire is positioned with the mold assembly between the radiative heat sources. Tire curing systems including such mold assemblies and methods of manufacturing nonpneumatic tires are also included.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing a non-pneumatic tire, said method comprising:
- providing a first mold section including an inner side surface portion at least partially defining a first mold cavity portion, a primary conductive heat source thermally coupled with said first mold section, and a first radiative heat source independently operable from said primary conductive heat source, said first radiative heat source disposed within said first mold cavity portion and spaced inwardly from said inner side surface portion such that an annular gap is disposed therebetween;
- providing a less-than-fully-cured non-pneumatic tire having an axis of rotation and including a rim and a quantity of less-than-fully-cured material disposed around said rim, said rim including an annular wall portion extending peripherally around said axis of rotation and a flange wall portion extending radially inward from along said annular wall portion with said quantity of less-than-fully-cured-material disposed radially outward of said annular wall portion, said flange wall portion oriented transverse to said axis of rotation and including a first flange side and a second flange side;
- positioning said less-than-fully-cured non-pneumatic tire along said first mold section such that at least a portion of said annular wall portion of said rim and at least a portion of said quantity of less-than-fully-cured material is disposed within said annular gap with said first flange side of said flange wall portion facing toward said first radiative heat source and said second flange side of said flange wall portion facing away from said first radiative heat source;
- providing a second mold section including a second radiative heat source independently operable from at least said primary conductive heat source;
- positioning said second mold section across said first mold cavity portion such that said second radiative heat source is disposed in facing relation to said second flange side of said flange wall portion;
- and,
- curing said non-pneumatic tire.
A mold assembly for curing associated non-pneumatic tires that include an associated quantity of less-than-fully-cured material disposed peripherally around an associated rim with the associated rim including an associated annular wall and an associated flange wall, said mold assembly comprising:
- a first mold section including an inner side surface portion at least partially defining a first mold cavity portion with a longitudinal axis, said first mold section thermally coupled with a primary conductive heat source;
- a second mold section displaceable relative to said first mold section between a first position in which said second mold section extends at least partially across said first mold cavity portion and a second position in which said first mold cavity portion is accessible for loading and unloading an associated non-pneumatic tire;
- a first radiative heat source independently operable from said primary conductive heat source, said first radiative heat source disposed within said first mold cavity portion and spaced inwardly from said inner side surface portion such that an annular gap is disposed therebetween with said annular gap dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the associated annular wall of the associated rim and at least a portion of the associated quantity of less-than-fully-cured material;
- and,
- a second radiative heat source independently operable from said primary conductive heat source, said second radiative heat source supported on said second mold section and displaceable therewith between said first and second positions of said second mold section with said second radiative heat source spaced axially from said first radiative heat source in said first position of said second mold section to receive the associated flange wall of the associated rim between said first and second radiative heat sources.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.