Method and apparatus for molding and curing a tyre for a vehicle wheel

A method of molding and curing a tyre for a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• building an unvulcanized tyre on a toroidal support;
• heating the toroidal support;
• pressing an inner surface of the tyre against an outer surface of the toroidal support;
• and
• pressing an outer surface of the tyre against walls of a molding cavity defined in a vulcanization mold;
• wherein a shape of the outer surface of the toroidal support substantially matches that of the inner surface of the tyre,
• wherein the toroidal support is heated to transmit heat to the inner surface of the tyre in contact with the toroidal support,
• wherein the inner surface of the tyre is pressed against the outer surface of the toroidal support by at least one secondary working fluid under pressure while an at least one primary working fluid provides heat and pressure to the inner surface of the tyre such that the pressure of the at least one secondary working fluid is greater than the pressure of the at least one primary working fluid,
• wherein after the inner surface of the tyre has been pressed against the outer surface of the toroidal support by the at least one secondary working fluid under pressure, the outer surface of the tyre is pressed against the walls of the molding cavity by the at least one primary working fluid under pressure, which passes in at least one diffusion gap between the outer surface of the toroidal support and the inner surface of the tyre, and
• wherein the at least one primary working fluid is heated to supply heat to the tyre, causing vulcanization of the tyre.