# US 2018/0022047 A1 · Tire Mold and Pneumatic Tire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022047 A1 - Document ID: US20180022047A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/548,758 - Filed: 2016-02-04 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-04 - Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. - Applicants: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD. - Inventors: Kenichi Matsumoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022047A1 ## CPC - B29D 30/0606: {Vulcanising moulds not integral with vulcanising presses (for solid tyres B29D30/02)} - B29C 33/02: with incorporated heating or cooling means - B29C 35/02: Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing {during moulding, e.g. in a mould}(cold vulcanisation B29C35/18 {; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601}) - B60C 11/16: of plug form, e.g. made from metal, textile - B60C 11/1625: {Arrangements thereof in the tread patterns, e.g. irregular} - B60C 11/1656: {concave or convex, e.g. barrel-shaped} - B60C 11/1668: {with an additional collar} - B29D 30/0629: {with radially movable sectors} - 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 2030/662: {Treads with antiskid properties, i.e. with spikes} - 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) - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES ## Abstract A tire mold comprises sector molds for forming a tread portion of a tire and mold pins provided on the sector molds for forming insertion holes in the tread portion. The insertion holes each comprise a first hole portion with a first inner diameter where a body portion of a stud pin is disposed and a second hole portion with a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter where a bottom flange portion of the stud pin is disposed. The mold pins each comprise a trunk portion with a first outer diameter for forming the first hole portion and a tip portion with a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter for forming the second hole portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tire mold for forming a tire that includes insertion holes into which stud pins are inserted, the tire mold comprising: a plurality of sector molds for forming a tread portion of the tire, the plurality of sector molds being disposed in a tire circumferential direction; and a plurality of mold pins for forming the insertion holes in the tread portion, the plurality of mold pins being provided on inner surfaces of the plurality of sector molds that oppose the tread portion and projecting inward in a tire radial direction; the stud pins each comprising a body portion and a bottom flange portion; the insertion holes each comprising a first hole portion with a first inner diameter where the body portion of the stud pin is disposed and a second hole portion with a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter where the bottom flange portion of the stud pin is disposed; the plurality of mold pins each comprising a trunk portion with a first outer diameter for forming the first hole portion and a tip portion with a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter for forming the second hole portion; and the first outer diameter of the trunk portion of an end mold pin of the plurality of mold pins provided in an end region in the tire circumferential direction of each of the plurality of sector molds being greater than the first outer diameter of the trunk portion of a middle mold pin of the plurality of mold pins provided in a middle region of each of the plurality of sector molds, the middle region being located between the end region on one side and the end region on another side in the tire circumferential direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tire mold according to claim 1, wherein a difference between the first outer diameter of the end mold pin and the first outer diameter of the middle mold pin is from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tire mold according to claim 1, wherein the second outer diameter of the tip portion of the end mold pin is less than the second outer diameter of the tip portion of the middle mold pin. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tire mold according to claim 3, wherein a difference between the second outer diameter of the end mold pin and the second outer diameter of the middle mold pin is from 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tire mold according to claim 1, wherein a length of the end mold pin is less than a length of the middle mold pin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tire mold according to claim 5, wherein a difference between the length of the end mold pin and the length of the middle mold pin is from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tire mold according to claim 1, wherein the end mold pin is a mold pin of the plurality of mold pins provided on each of the plurality of sector molds located closest to an end portion of the sector mold in the tire circumferential direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tire mold according to claim 1, wherein the tread portion comprises a first region on one side of an equator line of the tire in a tire lateral direction and a second region on another side, the plurality of mold pins comprise a plurality of mold pins for forming the insertion holes in the first region and a plurality of mold pins for forming the insertion holes in the second region, and the end mold pin is a mold pin of the plurality of mold pins for forming the insertion holes in the first region and the second region located closest to an end portion of each of the plurality of sector molds in the tire circumferential direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tire mold according to claim 1, wherein the middle mold pin is a mold pin of the plurality of mold pins provided on the plurality of sector molds other than the end mold pins, and the first outer diameter, the second outer diameter, and a length are the same for all of the middle mold pins. ### Claim 10 A pneumatic tire, comprising: a tread portion formed by a plurality of sector molds disposed in a tire circumferential direction; a plurality of insertion holes into which stud pins are inserted, the plurality of insertion holes being formed in the tread portion by mold pins provided on inner surfaces of the plurality of sector molds that oppose the tread portion and projecting inward in a tire radial direction; the stud pins each comprising a body portion and a bottom flange portion; the plurality of insertion holes each comprising a first hole portion with a first inner diameter where the body portion of the stud pin is disposed and a second hole portion with a second inner diameter greater than the first inner diameter where the bottom flange portion of the stud pin is disposed; and the first inner diameter of the first hole portion of an end insertion hole of the plurality of insertion holes formed in an end region in the tire circumferential direction of a predetermined region, which is formed by one of the plurality of sector molds, of the tread portion being greater than the first inner diameter of the first hole portion of a middle insertion hole of the plurality of insertion holes formed in a middle region of the tread portion, the middle region being located between the end region on one side and the end region on another side in the tire circumferential direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pneumatic tire according to claim 10, wherein a difference between the first inner diameter of the end insertion hole and the first inner diameter of the middle insertion hole is from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The pneumatic tire according to claim 10, wherein the second inner diameter of the second hole portion of the end insertion hole is less than the second inner diameter of the second hole portion of the middle insertion hole. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The pneumatic tire according to claim 12, wherein a difference between the second inner diameter of the end insertion hole and the second inner diameter of the middle insertion hole is from 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The pneumatic tire according to claim 10, wherein a length of the end insertion hole is less than a length of the middle insertion hole. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The pneumatic tire according to claim 14, wherein a difference between the length of the end insertion hole and the length of the middle insertion hole is from 0.1 mm to 1.0 mm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The pneumatic tire according to claim 10, wherein the end insertion hole is an insertion hole of the plurality of insertion holes provided in the predetermined region located closest to an end portion of the predetermined region in the tire circumferential direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The pneumatic tire according to claim 10, wherein the tread portion comprises a first region on one side of a tire equator line in a tire lateral direction and a second region on another side, the plurality of insertion holes are formed in the first region and the second region, and the end insertion hole is an insertion hole of the plurality of insertion holes formed in the first region located closest to an end portion of the predetermined region in the tire circumferential direction and is an insertion hole of the plurality of insertion holes formed in the second region located closest to an end portion of the predetermined region in the tire circumferential direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The pneumatic tire according to claim 10, wherein the middle insertion hole is an insertion hole of the plurality of insertion holes provided in the tread portion other than end mold pins, and the first inner diameter, the second inner diameter, and a length are the same for all of the middle insertion holes.