Keyhole sipe blade
AssigneeBridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorJoseph A. Labbe, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is a sipe blade for molding a cavity in a tire tread. The sipe blade may comprise an elongated bulb core having an axis of elongation and a peripheral surface and an elongated thin strap. The elongated thin strap may have a first end fixedly mounted to an associated tire tread mold surface, a second end opposite the first end, and may extending substantially normally to the associated tire tread mold surface. The first end and the second end may be connected by a first face. A bulb may be formed from the first face wrapped over the peripheral surface starting from the second end.
Claims20
A sipe blade for molding a cavity in a tire tread, the sipe blade comprising:
- an elongated bulb core having
- an axis of elongation, and
- a peripheral surface;
- an elongated thin strap,
- having a first end fixedly mounted to an associated tire tread mold surface,
- having a second end
- opposite the first end, and
- extending substantially normally to the associated tire tread mold surface, and
- wherein the first end and the second end are connected by a first face;
- and
- a bulb formed from the first face wrapped over the peripheral surface starting from the second end.
The sipe blade for molding a cavity in a tire tread of claim 5, wherein the peripheral surface is in direct contact with the first face.
A method of forming a sipe blade comprising:
- providing an elongated bulb core having
- an axis of elongation, and
- a peripheral surface;
- providing an elongated thin strap,
- having a first end
- having a second end opposite the first end, and
- wherein
- the first end is fixedly mountable to an associated tire tread mold surface in such a way that the second end extends substantially normally to the associated tire tread mold surface, and
- the first end and the second end are connected by a first face;
- and
- wrapping the first face over the peripheral surface starting from the second end to form a bulb.
A sipe blade for molding a cavity in a tire tread, the sipe blade comprising:
- an elongated bulb core having
- an axis of elongation, and
- a peripheral surface;
- an elongated thin strap,
- having a first end fixedly mounted to an associated tire tread mold surface having a second end opposite the first end, and
- wherein the first end and the second end are connected by a first face, the first face defining a first plane;
- and
- a bulb formed from the first face wrapped over the peripheral surface starting from the second end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.