TIRE MOLD

A tire mold comprising a tread mold portion is disclosed. The tread mold portion is divided in a tire circumferential direction into a plurality of mold segments (15) each having an inner face (17) curved along the circumferential direction according to an arc defined by an angle α, each mold segment (15) having two transverse edges (19, 21) and being movable in a respective operation direction between i) an opened position, in which the mold segments (15) are spaced from each other and ii) a closed position in which two neighboring mold segments (15) are in contact with each other by one of their transverse edges (19, 21), and each of the mold segments (15) comprising a plurality of laterally extending blades forming projections from the inner face (17) of the mold segment (15) for molding laterally extending sipes on a tire tread surface. The mold segments (15) have, according to their length, a first end portion (25), a second end portion (29) and a central portion (27) between the first (25) and the second end portions (29). Laterally extending blades of the central portion (27) are extending in the operating direction (OD). Laterally extending blades of one or more of the first end portion (25) and the second end portion (29) are inclined blades that extend in a direction forming an angle β with the operating direction (OD). The value of the angle β is less than half of the value of the angle α.