Patent ID: 7637727

Claim:
A tire curing metal mold in which an annular mold portion brought into contact with a tread surface of a tire comprises a plurality of sectors divided in a tire circumferential direction, wherein the sectors are provided with a plurality of pieces divided in the tire circumferential direction, a back segment supporting the plurality of pieces, and an elastic body interposed between end surfaces in the tire circumferential direction of the pieces, wherein in an unheated state before curing, a clearance is provided between the pieces and the back segment, and the pieces are slidable in the tire circumferential direction, and wherein in a heated state at a time of curing, the clearance is reduced on the basis of a thermal expansion of the pieces, and the is pieces are fixed to the back segment, leaving a gap between adjacent pieces capable of discharging air between the pieces, and further wherein a second clearance, provided in a tire width direction, is reduced on the basis of the thermal expansion of the pieces, whereby the pieces are fixed to the back segment.