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

Inventors: Damien Leblay (Clermont-Ferrand, FR); Jaroslaw Michno (Olsztyn, PL); Dariusz Konobrocki (Olsztyn, PL)

Assignee: Compagnie General des Etablissements Michelin

B29D30/0606 B29D2030/0613 B29K2881/04

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12661858
App. No.: 18/259,506
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A mold segment for forming a tire is provided that has a sipe element with first and second ends. A first side face is oppositely disposed from a second side face in a width direction, and a bottom is oppositely disposed from a top in a height direction. The sipe element has a projection that extends from the first side face. A mold segment base made of a material that is more flexible than material making up the sipe element is present. 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. The mold segment base defines a cavity, and the projection is located inside of the cavity.

Claims (20)

1 . 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 cavities are larger in size than the projections such that the projections can move inside of the cavities when located within 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 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.

2 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the mold segment base is made of polysulfide castable mold rubber, and wherein the sipe element is forced into the polysulfide castable mold rubber to be received therein.

3 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the sipe element has a length direction that extends from the first end to the second end, wherein the projections are spaced from both the first end and the second end in the length direction such that the projections are not located at the first end or the second end, wherein the projections are spaced from both the top and the bottom in the height direction such that the projections are not located at the top or the bottom.

4 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the projections are longer in the length direction than in the height direction.

5 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the projections are longer in the height direction than in the length direction.

6 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cavities have a shape that are the same shape as the projections.

7 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 1 , 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.

8 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a master mold with a master mold base and a preliminary sipe that has a preliminary sipe projection, wherein the mold segment base is poured on the master mold and formed therefrom such that the preliminary sipe projection forms one of the cavities of the mold segment base.

9 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the master mold base and the preliminary sipe with the preliminary sipe projection are all formed by stereolithography such that the master mold base and the preliminary sipe with the preliminary sipe projection are all formed as a single part without being assembled together.

10 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the sipe element with the projections are formed by additive manufacturing.

11 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the sipe element engages the side wall of the bead.

12 . The mold segment as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the first side face engages the side wall of the bead along a length direction of the sipe element.

13 . A mold segment for forming a tire, comprising:

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;