Curing bladder leak detection system for a tire press

1. A method of detecting a leak in a curing bladder during a tire curing process, the comprising the steps of:

providing a curing bladder and tire in a tire mold structure,

adding an inert tracer gas to a pressurized gas, with the pressurized gas inflating the curing bladder so that the curing bladder is engaged with a portion of the tire, and

detecting whether the inert tracer gas is present between the curing bladder and the tire while the curing bladder and tire remain in the tire mold structure,

wherein the detecting step includes evacuating a space between the curing bladder and tire thereby drawing the inert tracer gas present between the curing bladder and tire out of passage structure in the tire mold structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting step includes sensing the presence of inert tracer gas using an electronic sensor.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein if inert tracer gas is detected by the sensor, the method further includes stopping the tire curing process and replacing the bladder.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sensor is electrically coupled to a controller, the controller causing stopping of the tire curing process.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passage structure is defined by a hollow bolt used in the tire mold structure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inert tracer gas is helium.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pressurized gas is nitrogen.

8. A curing bladder leak detection system for a tire curing press, the tire curing press including at least one tire mold structure with a curing bladder engaging a tire in the tire mold structure, the tire mold structure including passage structure therein, the system comprising:

a vacuum source constructed and arranged to evacuate, through the passage structure, a space between the curing bladder and the tire,

a source of inert tracer gas added to an inflation gas, the inflation gas being constructed and arranged to inflate the curing bladder, and

an electronic sensor constructed and arranged to sense a presence of the inert tracer gas evacuated from the space.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a controller electrically connected with the sensor such that when a presence of inert tracer gas is detected, the controller is constructed and arranged to stop operation of a tire curing process being executed by the tire curing press.

10. The system of claim 8 , in combination with tire mold structure, the tire mold structure including a top mold platen and a segmented mold operator coupled to the top mold platen, the passage structure being provided through the top mold platen.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the passage structure is defined by a hollow bolt coupling the segmented mold operator to the top mold platen.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein a pair of tire mold structures is provided, the system further comprising common piping in communication with the passage structure of each tire mold structure, the sensor being in communication with the common piping.

13. A curing bladder leak detection system for a tire curing press, the tire curing press including at least one tire mold structure with a curing bladder engaging a tire in the tire mold structure, the tire mold structure including passage structure therein, the system comprising:

means for evacuating, through the passage structure, a space between the curing bladder and the tire,

a source of inert tracer gas added to an inflation gas, the inflation gas being constructed and arranged to maintain inflation of the curing bladder, and

means for sensing a presence of the inert tracer gas evacuated from the space.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the means for sensing is a sensor electrically connected with a controller such that when a presence of inert tracer gas is detected, the controller is constructed and arranged to stop operation of a tire curing process being executed by the tire curing press.

15. The system of claim 13 , in combination with tire mold structure, the tire mold structure including a top mold platen and a segmented mold operator coupled to the top mold platen, the passage structure being provided through the top mold platen.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the passage structure is defined by a hollow bolt coupling the segmented mold operator to the top mold platen.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein a pair of tire mold structures is provided, the system further comprising common piping in communication with the passage structure of each tire mold structure, the means for sensing being in communication with the common piping.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the means for evacuating is vacuum source.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the inert tracer gas is helium and the inflation gas is nitrogen.