Patent ID: 6955782

Claim:
The method of molding a tire ( 20 ) in a segmented mold ( 2 ) having tread forming segments ( 4 ) and a pair of annular sidewall forming rings ( 6 , 8 ); the method comprising the following steps: placing an unvulcanized tire ( 20 ) into the segmented mold ( 2 ); closing the mold ( 2 ) by a) radially contracting the tread forming segments ( 4 ) each tread forming segment ( 4 ) having a plurality of a shoulder tread element forming cavities ( 11 ) that form the entire radially outer surface of shoulder tread elements of the tire ( 20 ), the cavities ( 11 ) having circumferentially spaced axially outer ends ( 9 ), b) bringing into abutting relation the tread forming segments ( 4 ) and the annular sidewall forming rings ( 6 , 8 ), having a plurality of tread element extension forming surfaces ( 12 ) and a plurality of radially extending ridges ( 14 ) that extend to the location of the abutting relationship with the tread forming segments ( 4 ) and c) circumferentially aligning the plurality of tread element extension forming surfaces ( 12 ) of the annular sidewall forming rings ( 6 , 8 ) with the angular orientation of the axially outer ends ( 9 ) of the tread element forming cavities ( 11 ) of the tread forming segments ( 4 ); applying heat and pressure curing the tire; opening the mold ( 2 ); and removing the cured tire ( 20 ).