Device and method for personalizing tires

摘要

A device for producing raised lettering on the sidewall of an elastomeric line includes a mechanism for mounting the tire in position to expose its outer sidewall. A mold member is provided having front and rear surfaces, an outer boundary, and an axial opening defining a radially inner boundary. The mold member is sized and shaped to cover the exposed outer sidewall of the tire with the front surface thereof when the tire is disposed on the mounting mechanism. A plurality of annular channels are defined in the mold member front surface radially spaced between the inner and outer boundaries of the mold member. A plurality of support members are each adapted for holding an alphanumeric elastomeric member in the form of the mirror image of a preselected alphanumeric symbol. The support members include an arrangement for selectively interlocking the support members with each other to form a series of symbols into a preselected legend for producing the raised lettering. A device is provided for securing each of the support members to one of the radially spaced channels for sliding movement therealong, the support member interlocking device providing sufficient fluctuation between connected support member to permit positioning of a series of the interlocked support members along any selected one of the spaced channels. A mechanism is provided for positioning the mold member against the outer sidewall of the tire and includes a device for aligning and centering the mold member against the tire sidewall. Finally, an electrical heating element is provided within the mold member and disposed proximate the channels to heat and fuse the elastomeric symbols directly to the outer sidewall of the tire.