An expandable, toroidal shaped bladder for use in a tire curing press has
a pair of opposing annular beads and an expansion portion location
between the pair of annular beads. The expansion portion of the bladder
has a central portion, shoulder portions, and sidewall portions. When the
bladder is in a mounted but uninflated mode, the shoulder portions of the
bladder have a radius of curvature R1 significantly less than a radius of
curvature Rc of the central portion. The shoulder portions have a bubble
or square-like configuration.