AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING TIRES

摘要

A process of manufacturing a pneumatic tire (300) with oppositely disposed annularly-shaped beads (324) for mounting on flange shoulders (304) of a wheel rim (302) with the opposed beads (324) spaced apart from one another by a distance "i". The process comprises the steps of: forming a green tire assembly (308) including a tread (312), and a carcass (316) with a ply (320) and opposed sidewalls (318) that each include a radial inner-end bead portion (322) with one of the beads (324) and wherein each bead portion (322) is spaced apart from one another by a distance "f". The green tire assembly (308) is cured by applying pressure thereto at an elevated temperature in a vulcanization mold (400). The process is characterized by the steps of spacing the opposed beads (324) apart from one another by a distance "g" which is substantially equal to the distance "f" therebetween when the green tire assembly (308) was formed. The tire (300) is removed hot from the vulcanization mold (400) and mounted on a post cure inflation (PCI) stand (460) with the opposed beads (324) being spaced with a distance "h" therebetween which is substantially equal to the distance "i" therebetween when the cured tire (300) is mounted on the wheel rim (302). The hot tire (300) while mounted on the PCI stand (460) is inflated to a pressure of from substantially 25 % to 125 % of the normal operating pressure of the cured tire (300) and allowed to cool.