Patent ID: 8012264
Filing Date: 2011-09-06
Classification: B08B,B29C,B29D

Abstract:
1. A tire vulcanization mold cleaning method for cleaning a molding surface of a sector of the tire vulcanization mold for molding a tread portion of a pneumatic tire by using plasma created in an atmosphere of a reaction gas which chemically reacts with dirt attached to the molding surface of the sector, comprising the steps of: placing the sector on an electrode table in a cleaning tank with the molding surface of the sector facing a discharge electrode formed from a plate-shaped body, the discharge electrode having surfaces not facing the molding surface of the sector being covered with an electrically insulating layer; supplying the reaction gas to the cleaning tank while pressure in the cleaning tank is reduced; injecting the reaction gas into the cleaning tank between the upper electrode (the discharge electrode) and the sector put on the electrode table from a supply port formed in the side wall of the cleaning tank, supplying a high-frequency power to the discharge electrode to create the plasma between the discharge electrode and the molding surface of the sector; and applying to the electrode table a high-frequency voltage having a frequency lower than a high frequency wave supplied to the discharge electrode to make the electrode table generate a negative self-bias.