Flexible mold segment with sipe element having a projection for use in forming a tire

A mold segment for forming a tire, comprising:

• a sipe element that has a first end and a second end, wherein the sipe element has a first side face and an oppositely disposed second side face in a width direction of the sipe element, wherein the sipe element has a bottom and an oppositely disposed top in a height direction of the sipe element, wherein the sipe element has a plurality of projections that extend from the first side face such that the second side face does not have any of the projections located thereon;
• and
• a mold segment base made of a material that is more flexible than material making up the sipe element, wherein the mold segment base receives the sipe element such that the bottom of the sipe element is located inside of the mold segment base and the top of the sipe element is located outside of the mold segment base, wherein the mold segment base defines a plurality of cavities and wherein the projections are located inside of the cavities, wherein the mold segment base is used for producing a plaster cast segment for forming the tire, and wherein the mold segment base is not a production mold segment base;
• wherein the projections have lips that define spaces between the first side face and the lips in the width direction, wherein the cavities have lip receiving portions that receive the lips such that the lips engage the material making up the mold segment base on opposite sides of the lips in the width direction, wherein the mold segment base is located between the lip and the first side face;
• wherein the mold segment base has an upper surface, wherein a bead is present on the upper surface that forms a groove of the tire, wherein the bead has a side wall, wherein the plurality of cavities extend into the side wall of the bead and are located within the bead such that the projections are located inside of the bead, wherein the mold segment base has a recess that extends in a mold segment base height direction into the upper surface, wherein the plurality of cavities are located above the upper surface in the mold segment base height direction such that the upper surface is located between the recess and the plurality of cavities in the mold segment base height direction, and wherein the bottom of the sipe element is located within the recess.