Title of Invention

PIPING STRUCTURE IN TIRE-VULCANIZING MACHINE

Abstract The invention relates to a piping structure in a tire vulcanizingmachine which has a simple structure, has an improved operability of a valve, can easily execute a maintenance work such as a valve replacement or the like, and can form a compact valve unit. A plurality of panel valves 5 are attached to a block main body side by side in a vertical direction in a state of flush connecting a block side connection surface 34 formed approximately perpendicularly in a block main body 30 which is long in a vertical direction, and a valve side connection surface 56 formed approximately perpendicularly in one side of an outer surface of a valve main body 50, and main flow paths 31, 32 formed in an inner portion of the block main body and flow paths 51, 52 formed in an inner portion of each of the panel valves are connected.
Full Text SPECIFICATION
PIPING STRUCTURE IN TIRE VULCANIZING MACHINE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a piping structure for
supplying and discharging a fluid to a bladder provided in a
tire vulcanizing machine.
Description of the Related Art
The tire vulcanizing rrachine is provided with upper and
lower metal molds and a bladder expanded and contracted by
supplying and discharging the fluid, and is structured such as
to vulcanize a raw tire by pressing the bladder expanded by
supplying the fluid to an inner surface of the raw tire which
is set to an inner portion of the metal molds.
A main pipe is connected to an inner portion of the bladder,
and a plurality of branch pipes (a steam supply pipe, a gas supply
pipe, a shaving gas supply pipe, a gas recovery pipe, an exhaust
pipe and the like) are connect ed to the main pipe via a plurality
of valves.
As mentioned above, a plurality of branch pipes are
connected to the main pipe via a plurality of valves,
respectively.
In conventional, the piping structure of each of the valves
and each of the branch pipes with respect to the main pipe employs

a two-way, three-way or four-way switch valve having a flange
or an inside screw and an cutside screw, and a valve unit is
formed by assembling them ;.n one position.
In the case that the valve unit is formed in the manner
mentioned above, it is possible to intend an effective
utilization of a space, however, in the conventional structure,
when connecting each of the valves and the branch pipes to the
main pipe, the structure is made such that the pipe is processed
in an optional shape such as thread cutting the pipe and welding
the flange, and the valve unit is finally formed by combining
a lot of these pipes and valves.
Accordingly, in the conventional structure, the piping
structure becomes complicated and constrained by a lot of pipes
and flanges, so that there are problems that a lot of labor hour
is required for keeping the pipes warm, a lot of labor hour is
required for replacing the valves for maintenance. Further,
in the case of securing an area for operating and maintaining
the valves, there is a problem that the valve unit is enlarged
in size.
Further, since a lot cf pipes are complexly placed and
the pipes are arranged approximately horizontally, there is also
a problem that a drain is hard to be get out from the pipes due
to an accumulation of the drain.
The present invention is made for the purpose of solving
the conventional problems mentioned above, and an object of the
present invention is to provide a piping structure in a tire
vulcanizingmachine which has a simple structure, has an improved

operability of a valve, can easily execute a maintenance work
such as a valve replacement, and can form a compact valve unit
having a reduced piping area.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, in
accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there
is provided a piping structure in a tire vulcanizing machine
comprising: upper and lower metal molds; a bladder expanded and
contracted by supplying and discharging the fluid; and the
bladder expanded by supplying the fluid being pressed to an inner
surface of the raw tire which is set to an inner portion of the
metal molds, wherein the piping structure comprises: a panel
block in which a main flow path connected to a main pipe connected
to an inner portion of the bladder, and a plurality of auxiliary
flow paths connected to a plurality of branch pipes are formed
in an inner portion of a block main body; and a plurality of
panel valves in which a valve body for opening and closing a
valve port is provided in ar inner portion of the valve main
body, an inflow path and an outflow path are communicated in
an open state of the valve port by the valve body, and the inflow
path and the outflow path are communicated and shut off by opening
and closing the valve port by means of the valve body, wherein
the block main body of the pane L block is formed long in a vertical
direction, and a block side connection surface is approximately
perpendicularly formed in a side surface thereof, wherein a valve
side connection surface is approximately perpendicularly formed

in one side of an outer surface of the valve main body, and a
plurality of panel valves ,re attached to the block main body
side by side in a vertical direction in a state in which the
valve side connection surface is connected face to face to the
block side connection surface, wherein each of the panel valve
mounting portions is composed of a first outflow port from a
first inflow port and the outflow path to the inflow path formed
in the valve side connection surface of the panel valve, a second
outflow port from a second inflow port and the auxiliary flow
path to the main flow path formed in the block side connection
surface of the panel block, and the valve side connection surface
and the block side connection surface connected face to face
in a state the first inflow port and the second outflow port
are matched and the second inflow port and the first outflow
port are matched.
In a piping structure mentioned above, there is a form that
is arranged at a lowest position in a plurality of panel valves
including a steam supply valve, a gas supply valve, a shaving
gas supply valve, a gas recovery valve, an exhaust valve and
the like, and the exhaust valve (Claim 2).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a piping structure in a tire
vulcanizing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of a notched cross section showing
a mounting structure of a panel valve in the piping structure;

and
Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the panel valve.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
A description will be given below of a mode for carrying
out the present invention on the basis of an embodiment shown
in the drawings.
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a piping structure in a tire
vulcanizing machine in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a notched cross section
showing a mounting structure of a panel valve in the piping
structure, and Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the panel
valve.
A tire vulcanizing machine A is provided with upper and
lower metal molds 1 and 1, and a bladder 10 expanded and contracted
by supplying and discharging a heated fluid, and is structured
such as to vulcanize a raw tire T while holding, by pressing
the bladder 10 expanded by supp lying the fluid to an inner surface
of the raw tire T set in inner portions of the metal molds 1
and 1.
A fluid supply pipe 21 (a main pipe) and a fluid discharge
pipe 22 (a main pipe) are connected to an inner portion of the
bladder 10, and the fluid suppLy pipe 21 and the fluid discharge
pipe 22 are connected to a fluid supply flow path 31 (a main
flow path) and a fluid discharge flow path 32 (a main flow path)
which are formed in an inner portion of a block main body 30
of a panel block 3.

In addition to the fluid supply flow path 31 and the fluid
discharge flow path 32 which serve the main flow path, a plurality
of auxiliary flow paths 33 connected to a plurality of branch
pipes 4 (a steam supply pipe 4a, a gas supply pipe 4b, a shaving
gas supply pipe 4c, a gas recovery pipe 4d and an exhaust pipe
4e) are formed in the inner portion of the block main body 30.
Further, the block main body 30 of the panel block 3 is
formed long in a vertical direction (a direction of a front and
back of the paper surface in Fig. 2), a block side connection
surface 34 is approximately perpendicularly formed in a side
surface thereof, and a plurality of panel valves 5 corresponding
to the respective branch pipes 4 are attached to the block side
connection surface 34 side by side in a vertical direction.
In this case, a plurality of panel valves 5 include a steam
supply valve 5a, a gas supply valve 5b, a shaving gas supply
valve 5c, a gas recovery valve 5d and an exhaust valve 5e, and
the exhaust valve 5e is arranged at: a lowest position.
The panel valve 5 is formed, as shown in Fig. 2, such that
an inflow path 52 and an outflow path 53 communicated by a valve
port 51 are formed in an inner portion of a valve main body 50,
the inflow path 52 and the out flow path 53 are communicated in
an open state of the valve port 51 provided in a valve body 54,
and the inflow path 52 and the outflow path 53 are shut off in
a closed state (a state shown in Fig. 2) of the valve port 51
by the valve body 54.
In this case, the valve body 54 is structured as a direct
acting type piston valve which is attached to a leading end of

a valve stem 55, reciprocates vertically in accordance with a
reciprocating motion of a piston (not shown) attached to an upper
end of the valve stem 55, and opens and closes the valve port
51.
A valve side connection surface 56 is approximately
perpendicularly formed in cne side of an outer surface of the
valvemainbody 50, and the plurality of panel valves 5 are attached
to the block main body 30 side by side in a vertical direction
in a state in which the valve side connection surface 56 is
connected face to face to this block side connection surface 34.
In this case, in the mounting portion of each of the panel
valves 5, a first inflow port 52a to the inflow path 52 and a
first outflow port 53a from the outflow path 53 are formed in
the valve side connection surface 56 of the panel valve 5.
On the other hand, a second inflow path 31a to the fluid
supply flow path 31 or the fluid discharge flow path 32 and a
second outflow port 33a from t he auxiliary flow path 33 are formed
in the block side connection surface 34 of the panel block 3.
Further, the valve side connection surface 56 and the block
side connection surface 34 are connected face to face via a gasket
packing 6 in a state in which the first inflow port 52a and the
second outflow port 33a are matched,, and the second inflow port
31a and the first outflow port 53a are matched.
In this case, a stud bolt 70 is attached to the block side
connection surface 34, and a valve mounting structure is formed
by inserting the stud bolt "0 to a bolt mounting through hole
57 passing through the valve main body 50 from the valve side

connection surface 56, and fastening a leading end thereof by
a nut 71.
Accordingly, in the piping structure in accordance with
the present emodiment, since the fluid supply flow path 31 and
the fluid discharge flow path 32 which serve as the main flow
path are formed in the inner portion of the blocK main body 30
formed long in the vertical direction, the pipes can oe reduced
at that degree, and a ccmpact valve unit can be formed on the
basis of a simple structure.
Further, since a plurality of panel valves 5 are arranged
side by side in the vertical direction in the block side connection
surface 34 formed in the side surface of the block main body
30, it is possible to operate each of the panel valves 5 from
one side, so that it is possible to improve an operability and
to easily execute a maintenance work such as a valve replacement
or the like.
Further, since the fluid supply flow path 31 and the fluid
discharge flow path 32 which serve as the main flow path are
formed in the inner portion of the block main body 30 formed
long in the vertical direction, the drain easily flows downward.
In the case that the exhaust valve 5e in a plurality of panel
valves 5 is arranged at. the lowest position as in the embodiment,
it is also possible to discharge the drain flowing down to the
lower end of the main f Low path at a stroke, thus the time required
for discharging the drain can be shorten, so that a cycle time
for vulcanizing the tire can be shorten.
In this case, in the embodiment mentioned above, the number

of the block main body 30 of the panel block 3 is set to one,
and the fluid supply flow path 31 and the fluid discharge flow
path 32 which serve as the main flow path are formed in the block
main body 30, however, the structure may be made such that the
number of the block main body is set to two, the fluid supply
flow path serving as the main flow path is formed in one block
main body, and the fluid discharge flow path serving as the main
flow path is formed in the other block main body.
Further, a plurality of panel valves are not limited to
five valves mentioned above (the steam supply valve, the gas
supply valve, the shaving gas supply valve, the gas recovery
valve and the exhaust Valve) , and include the other fluid
supplying valves and the discharge valves for the other purposes
to attach to the apparatus.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
As described above, in accordance with the piping structure
of the present invention (the first aspect), since the piping
structure employs the panel block in which the block main body
is formed long in the vertical direction, and a plurality of
panel valves are attached to the block main body of the panel
block side by side in the vertical direction, it is possible
to assemble in a simple structure, and it is possible to form
in a compact valve unit.
Furthermore, it is possible to improve an operability of
the valve, and it is possible to easily execute the maintenance
work such as the valve: replacement and the like.

Further, since the main flow path is formed in the inner
portion of the block main body formed long in the vertical
direction, the drain easily flows down. In particular, in the
case of arranging the panel valve connected to the exhaust pipe
via the auxiliary flow path in a plurality of penal valves, it
is possible to discharge the drain flowing down to the lower
end of the main flow path at a stroke (claim 2) , and it is possible
to shorten the time required for discharging the drain.

I/We claim:
1. A piping structure in a tire vulcanizing machine
comprising:
upper and lower metal molds;
a bladder expanded and contracted by supplying and
discharging the fluid; and
the bladder expanded by supplying the fluid being pressed
to an inner surface of the raw tire which is set to an inner
portion of said metal moles,
wherein the piping structure comprises:
a panel block in which a main flow path connected to a
main pipe connected to an inner portion of said bladder, and
a plurality of auxiliary flow paths connected to a plurality
of branch pipes are formed in an inner portion of a block main
body; and
a plurality of panel valves in which a valve body for opening
and closing a valve port is provided in an inner portion of the
valve main body, an inflow path and an outflow path are
communicated in an open state of the valve port by the valve
body, and the inflow path and the outflow path are communicated
and shut off by opening and closing the valve port by means of
said valve body,
wherein the block main body of said panel block is formed
long in a vertical direction, and a block side connection surface
is approximately perpendicularly formed in a side surface
thereof,

wherein a valve side connection surface is approximately
perpendicularly formed in one side of an outer surface of said
valve main body, and a plurality of panel valves are attached
to the block main body side by side in a vertical direction in
a state in which the valve s:.de connection surface is connected
face to face to said block side connection surface,
wherein in each of the panel valve mounting portions, a
first outflow port from a first inflow port and the outflow path
to said inflow path is formed Ln the valve side connection surface
of the panel valve, a second outflow port from a second inflow
port and the auxiliary flow path to said main flow path is formed
in the block side connection surface of the panel block, and
said valve side connection surface and the block side connection
surface are connected face to face in a state said first inflow
port and said second outflow port are matched and said second
inflow port and said first outflow port are matched.
2. Plurality of panel valves according to claim 1 include
a steam supply valve, a gas supply valve, a shaving gas supply
valve, a gas recovery valve, an exhaust valve and the like, and
said exhaust valve is arranged at a lowest position.

The invention relates to a piping structure in a tire
vulcanizingmachine which has a simple structure, has an improved
operability of a valve, can easily execute a maintenance work
such as a valve replacement or the like, and can form a compact
valve unit. A plurality of panel valves 5 are attached to a
block main body side by side in a vertical direction in a state
of flush connecting a block side connection surface 34 formed
approximately perpendicularly in a block main body 30 which is
long in a vertical direction, and a valve side connection surface
56 formed approximately perpendicularly in one side of an outer
surface of a valve main body 50, and main flow paths 31, 32 formed
in an inner portion of the block main body and flow paths 51,
52 formed in an inner portion of each of the panel valves are
connected.

Documents:

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-abstract.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-assignment.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-claims.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-correspondence.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-description (complete).pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-drawings.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-examination report.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-form 1.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-form 18.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-form 3.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-form 5.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-gpa.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

1992-kolnp-2004-granted-specification.pdf


Patent Number 228391
Indian Patent Application Number 1992/KOLNP/2004
PG Journal Number 06/2009
Publication Date 06-Feb-2009
Grant Date 04-Feb-2009
Date of Filing 27-Dec-2004
Name of Patentee ICHIMARU GIKEN CO., LTD.
Applicant Address 601 OOAZA TUNEMOCHI, 1-CHOME, CHIKUGO-SHI, FUKUOKA
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 ICHIMARU HIRONOBU C/O ICHIMARU GIKEN CO., LTD. 601 OOAZA TUNEMOCHI, 1-CHOME, CHIKUGO-SHI, FUKUOKA 833-0016
PCT International Classification Number B29C 35/04
PCT International Application Number PCT/JP2003/008678
PCT International Filing date 2003-07-08
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2002/199951 2002-07-09 Japan