Patent ID: 7160090

Claim:
An apparatus for transferring heat into a tire, comprising: a tire mold having a central axis and having tread and sidewall surfaces disposed radially outward from the central axis; a heating conduit at least partially located radially outward from the tread surface of the tire mold, the heating conduit configured for the transport of gas therethrough in order to effect heat transfer to the tread and sidewall surfaces of the tire mold, wherein the heating conduit extends helically with respect to the central axis and is configured such that condensation formed in the heating conduit is at least partially drained via gravity therethrough; and a drainage connector in fluid communication with the heating conduit, wherein a longitudinal axis of the drainage connector is located below a longitudinal axis of a portion of the heating conduit proximate the drainage connector such that the drainage connector and heating conduit are configured to allow condensation to drain from the heating conduit through the drainage connector.