Tire cure and heat transfer simulator

摘要

Heat transfer through a pneumatic tire being cured is simulated using a linear or two-dimensional network of resistors and capacitors. Voltages are provided by thermocouples to each end of the network, the quantity of each voltage corresponding to the internal and external temperature of the tire in the curing mold. The temperature at any point within the tire can be determined by tapping off the voltage at the corresponding point along or within the network. This voltage can then be processed to calculate an equivalent cure factor and can also be utilized to open the curing press when a desired curing state is reached at the internal point being monitored. The apparatus in addition to being used in conjunction with an actual tire cure can also be used in the laboratory where voltages can be imposed to represent hypothetical cure temperature conditions. Further, such laboratory uses can utilize simulation networks having different parameters so that the device operates in an accelerated or fast time as opposed to the real time of an actual cure, and can also, by applying pulsed voltages, simulate heat build-up conditions in a running tire.