US 7,544,053 B2
	Flexible molding device for manufacturing a sunken groove or surface tie bar in a tire tread
Gia-Van Nguyen, Blagny (France); Alain Emile Francois Roesgen, Asselborn (Luxembourg); Peter Phelps Roch, Ettelbruck (Luxembourg); Anne-France Gabrielle Jeanne-Marie Cambron, Mersch (Luxembourg); Yacine Ouyahia, Bereldange (Luxembourg); Yvan Sac, Nachtmanderscheid (Luxembourg); Francis Bartholome, Libramont (Belgium); Gerard Louis Marie Schmit, Attert (Belgium); Joel Andre Ghislain Delogne, Neufchateau (Belgium); Guy Jacobs, Holzthum (Luxembourg); Raymond Marie Joseph Ghislain Houba, Vaux-sur-sure (Belgium); and Bernard Marie Henin, Latour (Belgium)
Assigned to The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio (US)
Filed on Aug. 14, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/891,970.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/876210, filed on Dec. 21, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2008/0152740 A1, Jun. 26, 2008
Int. Cl. B29D 30/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 425—3  [425/28.1; 425/37; 425/438; 425/DIG. 58]

8 Claims

1. A mold for molding a tread band of a tire, the tread band being made of an elastomer compound, the mold comprising a mold surface for molding the tread and a molding device projecting from the mold surface so as to become embedded in the elastomer compound to be molded, wherein the molding device comprises a rigid element and a flexible member, wherein the rigid element is connected to the flexible member, and wherein the mold has a relief forming element, and wherein a portion of the flexible member is positioned in contact with a first surface of the relief forming element and the rigid element has a mating surface in mating contact with a second surface of the relief forming element.