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US 2017/0246824 A1Published application
Dual mold replaceable center rib
AssigneesCompagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
InventorHarvey Duran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Assemblies and methods for fabricating one or more molded tire treads are provided along with systems for manufacturing a plurality of tread mold configurations from interchangeable elements.
Claims15
An assembly for fabricating one or more molded tire treads, comprising:
- at least one dual mold segment selected from a plurality of dual mold segments, each dual mold segment having a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a plurality of tread elements integral therewith, with each dual mold segment including a molding floor surface within which a groove is delineated that is coextensive with the predetermined width and desirably positioned at a midsection along the predetermined length;
- and
- at least one replaceable rib selected from a plurality of replaceable ribs and corresponding to a selected dual mold segment, each replaceable rib having a predetermined length approximating the predetermined width of the selected dual mold segment and coextensive with a pair of opposed extents, a predetermined height coextensive with a contact surface that accommodates contact with a press platen and a support surface proximate an engagement surface of the groove;
- wherein assembly of at least one selected dual mold segment and a corresponding selected replaceable rib is effected by removable securement of the selected replaceable rib upon engagement of the selected replaceable rib within the groove of the selected dual mold segment.
1 more element
A system for manufacturing a plurality of tread mold configurations from interchangeable elements, comprising:
- a series of dual mold segments of various configurations, each dual mold segment having a predetermined length, a predetermined width and a plurality of tread elements integral therewith, with each dual mold segment including a molding floor surface within which a groove is delineated that is coextensive with the predetermined width and desirably positioned at a midsection along the predetermined length;
- at least one replaceable rib selected from a plurality of replaceable ribs, each replaceable rib having a predetermined length approximating the predetermined width of at least one dual mold segment and coextensive with a pair of opposed extents, and a support surface proximate an engagement surface of the groove;
- and
- a series of molding stations defining a molding sequence wherein each molding station accommodates performance of at least one molding step thereat;
- wherein any selected dual mold segment is interchangeable with at least one non-selected dual mold segment and any selected replaceable rib corresponding to a selected dual mold segment is interchangeable with at least one non-selected replaceable rib corresponding to a selected dual mold segment to provide a plurality of assemblies for fabricating one or more molded tire treads.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.