Hot forming system to produce pre-cured innerliners

摘要

Method for providing precured innerliners ( 50 ) having a predetermined cross sectional profile for use as part of a pneumatic tire assembly used in a bladder-less shaping and vulcanizing mold. The innerliner ( 50 ) is formed from a continuous strip of elastomeric material ( 12 ) hot formed using a calender assembly ( 10 ) with a profiled calender roller ( 16 ). The formed strip is cured "in-line" in a press ( 38 ) having a profile matching platen ( 80 ) before being wound onto a tire building drum ( 48 ). After the pneumatic tire assembly is completed, the assembly is shaped and cured in a bladder-less mold, utilizing the precured innerliner as the impervious inner layer. Initially, the center region ( 62 ) of the innerliner is at least twice as thick as the lateral regions ( 72, 74 ). In the finished pneumatic tire, the innerliner exhibits a uniform thickness.