Patent ID: 8636490

Claim:
A system for molding a non-pneumatic tire, the system comprising: a lower mold portion including: a lower face plate configured to provide a lower relief corresponding to a first side of the tire; a lower circular barrier coupled to the lower face plate and configured to correspond to a first portion of an outer circumferential surface of the tire; and a plurality of lower projections extending from the lower face plate and configured to correspond to cavities in the first side of the tire, wherein the lower projections taper as the lower projections extend from the lower face plate, and wherein at least some of the lower projections are hollow; an upper mold portion configured to be coupled to the lower mold portion, the upper mold portion including: an upper face plate configured to provide an upper relief corresponding to a second side of the tire; an upper circular barrier coupled to the upper face plate and configured to correspond to a second portion of an outer circumferential surface of the tire; and a plurality of upper projections extending from the upper face plate and configured to correspond to cavities in the second side of the tire, wherein the upper projections taper as the upper projections extend from the upper face plate, and wherein at least some of the upper projections are hollow, wherein at least some of the lower and upper projections are aligned with one another; and one or more spacers between the at least some lower and upper projections, such that at least some of the cavities formed in the first and second sides of the tire extend from the first side of the tire to the second side of the tire in an uninterrupted manner, wherein the lower mold portion and the upper mold portion are configured to be coupled to one another, such that a hub associated with the tire provides a seal between the lower mold portion and the upper mold portion.