The new tyre production method reportedly facilitates “a vast reduction in facility costs.”

According to the patent application, a green tyre is formed in a first-step moulding machine and then removed. After that, a vulcaniser bladder unit is installed on the tyre. The tyre is inflated by the vulcaniser bladder unit and then again placed in the first-step moulding machine with the vulcaniser bladder unit installed.

After that, on the first-step moulding machine, belts and tread rubber are adhered to the outer periphery of the tyre to form a completed green tyre. Then the completed green tyre, with the vulcaniser bladder unit, is assembled in a vulcanising mould for vulcanisation, the patent application abstract concluded.

Company employees Tsuyoshi Maekawa, Heikichi Nakanome and Ken Takahashi are credited as inventors of the system.