Tapered roller system and folding method for folding a pneumatic tire carcass insert about a bead core

Abstract

The present invention relates to a folding system for folding end sections (3A, 3B) of a cylindrical wall (3) of a tyre carcass assembly (2) around a reinforced bead core (4, 5), the system comprising driving means (20) arranged to intermittently rotate the carcass assembly (2) around its rolling axis (X3) according to successive angular increments, and folding means (10) for tilting, after each angular rolling increment, a pressure roller (11, 12, 13) around a pitch axis (Y30) perpendicular to the rolling axis (X3), so as to fold a radially inner surface (3_in) of the wall around the reinforced bead core (4, 5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the general field of tire manufacturing, and more specifically to the manufacture of pneumatic tires, particularly to the manufacture of pneumatic tires for aircraft or for civil engineering vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] The present invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of tire carcass assemblies intended to form reinforcements for such tires. More specifically, the present invention relates to a folding operation in which, after forming a subassembly (which on one hand includes a first annular reinforcing bead core and a second annular reinforcing bead core intended to reinforce the tire bead securing the tire to the rim, and on the other hand includes a carcass ply comprising reinforcing filaments connecting the first and second reinforcing bead cores to each other), each free axial end of the carcass ply is folded into the carcass ply around the reinforcing bead core to which it is closest, thereby confining the reinforcing bead core within the fold of the carcass ply thus formed.

[0003] To achieve this folding operation, a method is proposed that uses a diabolo-shaped concave roller to press the ends of the carcass ply against the reinforcing bead core. The diabolo shape is an hourglass shape formed by connecting two opposing truncated cones through their apexes. The concavity of the shape is basically consistent with the shape of the cross-section of the bead core, and the axis of rotation of the shape is transverse to the circumferential direction of the bead core. The carcass ply and the bead core rotate together, causing the roller to roll along the circumferential trajectory of the reinforcing bead core on the outer surface of the carcass ply. By tilting the central axis of the roller towards the inside of the carcass ply, the roller gradually penetrates into the inside of the carcass ply while continuously rolling along the reinforcing bead core. Thus, as the carcass ply continues to rotate around itself, the roller presses the free ends of the carcass ply around the reinforcing bead core towards the inner surface of the carcass ply and gradually folds it.

[0004] However, as the roller moves along the circumferential direction (i.e., the direction tangent to the reinforcing bead core and substantially perpendicular to the radial plane, which includes the central axis of the carcass ply and passes through the contact point between the roller and the carcass ply) on the carcass ply during folding, the roller applies a force component oriented in the circumferential direction to the free end of the ply, which propels the free end of the carcass ply along the circumferential direction, resulting in a corresponding deflection of the reinforcing filaments, which may even wrinkle the free end of the carcass ply when it is folded onto the inner surface of the carcass ply.

[0005] It is also suggested to develop pneumatic tires in which the free ends of the carcass ply protrude axially from the reinforcing bead core in a large manner, making the free ends even more prone to wrinkling and unable to be fully folded by applying circumferential rolling pressure with known rollers, because such rollers do not have sufficient axial span to reach the edge of the free end of the carcass ply and press the edge against the inner surface of the carcass ply at a relatively large axial distance from the reinforcing bead core. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and to propose a new system and a new folding method for reliably, quickly and repeatably performing folding operations, especially on tires with long free ends of the carcass ply.

[0007] The object of the present invention is achieved by a folding system for folding an end section of a cylindrical wall of a tire carcass assembly around a reinforcing bead core of the carcass assembly, the cylindrical wall extending along and around a central axis referred to as a "rolling axis," and the reinforcing bead core extending along a generatrix forming a loop around the rolling axis. The system is characterized in that it comprises: - A folding device comprising at least one pressing member (such as a pressure roller) arranged such that the pressing member applies pressure to the radially outer surface of an end segment in an angular sector of a cylindrical wall, referred to as an "angular working sector," the angular working sector corresponding to a portion of the end segment's circumference around a rolling axis, and the folding device arranged such that the pressing member performs a tilting and pitching motion about the generatrix of a reinforcing bead core, thereby folding the portion of the end segment located in the relevant angular working sector around the reinforcing bead core toward the radially inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the carcass assembly. - A drive mechanism designed to change the relative position of the pressing member with respect to the carcass assembly about the rolling axis through continuous angular increments, thereby allowing the pressing member to tilt and pitch in different angular working sectors to sequentially fold corresponding portions of the end segments. - A selector designed to alternately position the pressing member in a working configuration and a subsequent retracted configuration, the working configuration causing the pressing member to abut against the outer surface of the end section in a relevant angular working sector and forcing the corresponding portion of the end section to fold when the folding device performs tilting and pitching movements in the relevant angular working sector, the retracted configuration preventing interference between the pressing member and the end section when the drive device changes the relative position of the pressing member with respect to the cylindrical wall of the carcass assembly around the rolling axis to change the angular working sector.

[0008] Advantageously, the present invention can be used to achieve a progressive folding process by continuous angular increments around the rolling axis, wherein, in each new step, i.e. whenever the pressing member is placed in a new angular working sector, the pressing member performs a new tilting and pitching motion, thereby causing the end section to fold and press against the radially inner surface of the wall of the carcass assembly.

[0009] Advantageously, the tilting and pitching motion responsible for folding the end section is localized. On the one hand, the tilting and pitching motion is limited to the relevant angular working sector, namely the angular sector occupied by the pressing member around the rolling axis, which thus occupies a small portion of the reinforcing bead core circumference. On the other hand, the motion is performed around a tilting axis that substantially coincides with the circumferential direction, which is defined by the generatrix and embodied by the reinforcing bead core in the relevant angular sector. Therefore, the tilting and pitching motion does not exert a circumferential force on the portion of the end section undergoing the folding operation.

[0010] Furthermore, during the relative rolling motion of the pressing member with respect to the wall of the carcass assembly, the retraction of the pressing member prevents the pressing member from contacting the wall of the carcass assembly, more particularly with the end section of the wall, and especially prevents the pressing member from rubbing against the end section, or more generally against the wall of the carcass assembly, as it moves to a new angular working sector.

[0011] Therefore, according to the invention, whether during a folding operation via tilting and pitching motion (when the pressing member is located in a given working sector around the rolling axis) or during a transfer operation (moving the pressing member along the circumferential direction of the reinforcing bead core to reposition the pressing member in a new angular working sector segment around the rolling axis), the pressing member never applies any force oriented in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical wall of the carcass assembly, or more particularly, in the direction of the guideline of the reinforcing bead core, to the end segment.

[0012] Therefore, relative to the central section of the carcass ply, the end section will neither deflect around the rolling axis nor produce wrinkles or be torsional or stretched in the circumferential direction.

[0013] Finally, the advantage of this invention is that it can automatically and progressively fold the end segments piece by piece, angle sector by sector, to the inner surface of the central segment of the carcass assembly wall until the cumulative amount of the individually folded angle sectors reaches or even exceeds the amount of a full circle around the rolling axis, so that the end segments are eventually completely folded to the inner surface of the central cylindrical portion of the carcass assembly wall, thereby confining the reinforcing bead core along the entire periphery of the associated reinforcing bead core around the rolling axis within the annular ply of the carcass layer, which forms the future bead of the tire. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Other subjects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and with the aid of the accompanying drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting illustration only, wherein: Figure 1 An example of a system according to the invention is shown in perspective, the system comprising two folding devices, one of which is used to fold a first end portion of the wall of a carcass assembly onto and around a first reinforcing bead core; and the other folding device is used (preferably simultaneously) to fold a second end portion of the wall of the same carcass assembly (axially opposite to the first end portion) onto and around a second reinforcing bead core.

[0015] Figure 2 Shown in 3D detail Figure 1 The folding device of the system includes a single pressing member consisting of pressure rollers.

[0016] Figure 3 A perspective view shows a variant folding device comprising three pressing components, each consisting of a pressure roller.

[0017] Figure 4 Shown in 3D detail Figure 3 The folding device with three pressure rollers is in contact with... Figure 1 In a similar system, three pressure rollers are positioned facing the carcass assembly, with three of the pressure rollers in a retracted configuration, allowing the carcass assembly to rotate in a rolling motion without interfering with the pressure rollers.

[0018] Figure 5 Shown in side view Figure 3 The three pressure rollers of the folding device are positioned around the rolling axis, with each pressure roller in its respective angular working sector.

[0019] Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 A cross-sectional view taken along the sagittal plane of the carcass containing the rolling axis shows the successive steps of the gradual folding of the first end section of the carcass assembly wall, wherein the steps can be performed in several consecutive passes using the same single pressure roller, or preferably in single passes simultaneously using multiple pressure rollers with complementary pitch strokes.

[0020] Figure 10 A cross-sectional view of the fetal body in the sagittal plane is shown. Figure 4 The system contains three pressure rollers in a retracted configuration, the sagittal plane including the rolling axis and perpendicular to the pitch axis of the pressure rollers.

[0021] Figure 11 With Figure 10 The same cross-sectional view shows Figure 4 and Figure 10 The system in which the first pressure roller is in the working configuration, in the starting position of the tilting and pitching motion, while the second and third pressure rollers are still in the retracted configuration.

[0022] Figure 12 The same cross-sectional view shows the outward phase after the tilt and pitch motion. Figure 11 In the system, the first pressure roller is in its arrival position after the portion of the end section assigned to it has been folded.

[0023] Figure 13 Shown in the same cross-sectional view Figures 10 to 12 The system is in the initial position of tilting and pitching motion, at which point the first and second pressure rollers are in the working configuration, while only the third pressure roller remains in the retracted configuration.

[0024] Figure 14 The same cross-sectional view shows the outward phase after the tilt and pitch motion. Figure 13 In the system, the first pressure roller and the second pressure roller are in their respective arrival positions after they have each folded the portion of their assigned end segments.

[0025] Figure 15 Shown in the same cross-sectional view Figures 10 to 14 The system is in the initial position of tilting and pitching motion, at which time the first pressure roller, the second pressure roller and the third pressure roller are in working configuration and in the initial position of tilting motion.

[0026] Figure 16 Shown in the same cross-sectional view Figure 15 The system is in the outward phase during the tilt and pitch motion.

[0027] Figure 17 The same cross-sectional view shows the outward phase after the tilt and pitch motion. Figure 15 and Figure 16 In the system, the first pressure roller, the second pressure roller, and the third pressure roller are in their respective arrival positions and in their respective angular sectors after they have folded the portions assigned to them.

[0028] Figure 18 A 3D view shows a device with three pressure rollers. Figure 15 In the system, the three pressure rollers are in the working configuration and in the starting position of the tilt and pitch motion.

[0029] Figure 19 A 3D view shows a device with three pressure rollers. Figure 17 In the system, the three pressure rollers are in the outward phase of the tilting and pitching motion.

[0030] Figure 20 A variation of the system according to the invention is shown in a perspective view, which uses an anthropomorphic robotic arm to provide various movements of the pressing member relative to the tire assembly, i.e., alternately providing tilting and pitching movements of the pressing member in an angular working sector, and then providing incremental angular movement of the pressing member about a rolling axis to transfer the pressing member to the next angular working sector. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention relates to a folding system 1 for folding the end segments 3A, 3B of the cylindrical wall 3 of a tire carcass assembly 2 around the reinforcing bead core 4, 5 of the carcass assembly 2.

[0032] Therefore, the present invention relates more broadly to the manufacture of tires mounted on vehicle wheels, especially pneumatic tires, more particularly to pneumatic tires mounted on aircraft landing gear wheels, or preferably to pneumatic tires mounted on civil engineering vehicle wheels.

[0033] The carcass assembly 2 forms part of the tire reinforcement and is annular in shape, and its radial outer crown is covered by a "crown assembly" which includes at least a tread intended to contact the road and one or more additional reinforcement structures, such as reinforcing plies and / or one or more reinforcing strips wound in sequence to form an enclosing member called a "hoop".

[0034] In a known manner, the tire carcass assembly 2 includes an annular first reinforcing bead core 4 and a second reinforcing bead core 5, the length of which is substantially non-extendable. Each reinforcing bead core is used to reinforce the tire bead that secures the tire to a mounting support (e.g., a rim). The tires involved in this invention, particularly tires for civil engineering vehicles, can be designed to be mounted on rims with a diameter between 33 inches and 63 inches.

[0035] The reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 can be made of any material with a sufficiently high predetermined tensile modulus, such as metal wire, especially steel wire (if rubber coating is required), or tensile-resistant polymer filaments, such as aramid, or can be made of continuous composite filaments or strips formed using glass fibers embedded in resin.

[0036] For example, the reinforced bead core 4, 5 can be produced by interlacing multiple threads to form a braided loop with a desired diameter corresponding to the diameter of the rim on which the tire will be mounted, or by winding the threads in parallel and overlapping turns to form a loop of the desired diameter.

[0037] The carcass assembly 2 also includes at least one carcass ply, which is formed of a rubber-based ply and has embedded a plurality of reinforcing filaments extending parallel to each other. The carcass ply is wound around itself to form a tubular structure of the wall 3 of the carcass ply 2 and extends from the first reinforcing bead core 4 to the second reinforcing bead core 5, such that each reinforcing filament of the carcass ply connects the first reinforcing bead core 4 to the second reinforcing bead core 5, the second reinforcing bead core 5 being coaxial with the first reinforcing bead core 4 and axially away from the first reinforcing bead core 4.

[0038] The carcass assembly 2 preferably also includes additional elements such as a sealing layer (typically a butyl sealing layer) that ensures the airtightness of the wall 3, thereby ensuring the airtightness of the inflation chamber of the pneumatic tire defined by the wall 3, or a rubber pad designed to form a protective liner around the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 in the tire bead.

[0039] For ease of description, although the carcass assembly 2 typically includes two reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 (one reinforcing bead core 4, 5 in each bead of the tire), only one of the reinforcing bead cores may be referred to below. It is understood that the description of one of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 may be repeated and / or modified as necessary in the other reinforcing bead core to convert it into the other reinforcing bead core.

[0040] It should also be noted that in some types of tires, two reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 may be provided in each bead, so that there are a total of four reinforcing bead cores in the carcass assembly 4, thereby allowing the placement of annular reinforcements with two different diameters in each bead. However, regardless of the number of reinforcing bead cores 4, 5, the present invention applies to these reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 located in the same bead (and therefore at the same edge of the tire), and folded around the same end segments 3A, 3B of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 to surround the same fold of the wall 3 (more particularly in the same fold of the carcass ply).

[0041] In geometry, especially as Figure 1 , Figure 4 , Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown, the cylindrical wall 3 extends along and around the central axis X3, referred to as the "rolling axis" X3, and the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 extend along the generatrices L4 and L5 that form a ring around the rolling axis X3.

[0042] The rolling axis X3 corresponds to the common central axis of the two reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 and the wall 3 of the tire 2, which has a rotational shape centered on the rolling axis X3.

[0043] In practice, the rolling axis X3 coincides with the future rotation axis of the tire, and therefore with the future rotation axis of the wheel on which the tire is mounted.

[0044] The cylindrical wall 3 has a cylindrical central section 3C corresponding to the portion of the wall 3 extending along the rolling axis 3 from the first reinforcing bead core 4 to the second reinforcing bead core 5. The wall 3 also has at least a first cylindrical end section 3A that extends the cylindrical central section 3C by axially projecting beyond the first reinforcing bead core 4. Preferably, the wall 3 also has a second cylindrical end section 3B at its axially opposite ends, which extends the cylindrical central section 3C by axially projecting beyond the second reinforcing bead core 5.

[0045] For ease of description, the first end segment 3A or the second end segment 3B may be referred to in the following text, that is, what applies to one end segment (considered alone) preferably also applies to the other end segment.

[0046] In practice, at least one structural element of the end segments 3A and 3B and the central segment 3C are integrated.

[0047] More specifically, end segments 3A, 3B preferably include at least a portion of the carcass ply (and if necessary, only a portion of the carcass ply), said portion of the carcass ply being integrally formed with a portion of the carcass ply contained in the central segment 3C whose reinforcing yarns connect the first reinforcing bead core 4 and the second reinforcing bead core 5. Thus, end segments 3A, 3B include, or are entirely consistent with, the annular end portion of the carcass ply of the carcass assembly 2, which axially protrudes beyond the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 axially closer to the edge of the carcass ply, such that said portion extends from the associated reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 to the edge of the carcass ply, the edge of the carcass ply forming the axial end of the carcass ply closer to the axial end of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5.

[0048] It should be noted that the end sections 3A, 3B of the tire body assembly 2 that can be processed according to the invention (which are particularly suitable for pneumatic tires of civil engineering vehicles, and even more particularly for pneumatic tires of civil engineering vehicles intended to be mounted on rims with a diameter between 33 inches and 63 inches) preferably have a large axial length to be folded, typically in the range of 5 cm to 40 cm, especially in order to make the tire robust enough to withstand the impacts, deformations and high loads that the tire would experience under its normal use conditions.

[0049] Typically, the "axial" direction refers to the direction parallel to the direction of the relevant axis (in this case, the rolling axis X3).

[0050] Generally, the "radial" direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the rolling axis X3, and more specifically, the direction following the radius of the cylindrical wall 3.

[0051] Therefore, from Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figures 6 to 9 As can be clearly seen, the "radial inner surface" 3_in of the cylindrical wall 3, more specifically the radial inner surface 3C_in of the central segment 3C and the radial inner surfaces 3A_in and 3B_in of the end segments 3A and 3B, in this case represent the concave surfaces of the cylindrical wall 3. Before the folding operation, these concave surfaces are initially closest to the rolling axis X3 in the radial direction, and therefore they are initially oriented toward the inside of the carcass assembly 2.

[0052] Similarly, the radial outer surface 3_out of the cylindrical wall 3, and more particularly the radial outer surfaces 3A_out and 3B_out of the end segments 3A and 3B, correspond to the surface that is initially radially furthest from the rolling axis X3, and thus initially form the convex surface of the carcass assembly 2, oriented toward the outside of the carcass assembly 2.

[0053] For reference only, the thickness E3 of wall 3 considered in the radial direction is entirely within the range of 1 mm to 25 mm, depending on the nature of the tire being considered. More specifically, the thickness E3C of wall 3 in the central section 3C is preferably within the range of 4 mm to 25 mm, while the thicknesses E3A and E3B of the walls in the associated end sections 3A and 3B are preferably thinner than the wall of the central section 3C, preferably within the range of 1 mm to 10 mm. For reference, tires for passenger cars preferably have a wall thickness E3C in the central section 3C that can be within the range of 4 mm to 8 mm, while the end sections have smaller thicknesses E3A and E3B, within the range of 1 mm to 3 mm. In the case of civil engineering tires, these thicknesses are preferably E3C within the range of 15 mm to 25 mm, and E3A and E3B within the range of 6 mm to 10 mm respectively.

[0054] Preferably, the generatrices L4, L5 of each reinforcing bead core 4, 5 are included in a plane perpendicular to the rolling axis X3, such that the generatrices L4, L5 of the associated reinforcing bead core 4, 5 extending along their length are oriented in the circumferential direction of the carcass assembly 2, and more generally in the circumferential direction of the tire.

[0055] The term "circumferential" refers to an orthogonal radial direction, in other words, the direction of the direction vector. At the point in question, on the one hand, the direction vector is perpendicular to the radius starting from the central axis in question (in this case, the rolling axis X3) and reaching the point in question; on the other hand, the direction vector is orthogonal to the central axis in question, in other words, contained in a plane perpendicular to the axis, and thus in this case, contained in a plane perpendicular to the rolling axis X3.

[0056] According to the present invention, the system firstly includes a folding device 10, which includes at least one pressing member 11, 12, 13 (such as pressure rollers 11, 12, 13) and is arranged in angular sectors A11, A12, A13, referred to as "angular working sectors" A11, A12, A13, of the cylindrical wall 3, such that the pressing member 11, 12, 13 is applied to the radially outer surfaces 3A_out, 3B_out of the end segments 3A, 3B, as shown. Figure 5 As shown, the angle working sectors A11, A12, and A13 correspond to a portion of the circumference of the end segments 3A and 3B around the rolling axis X3, and cause the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 to tilt and pitch around the generatrices L4 and L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5, thereby causing the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 to fold the portions of the end segments 3A and 3B located in the relevant angle working sectors A11, A12, and A13 towards the radial inner surface 3_in of the cylindrical wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2 around the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5.

[0057] The pressing members 11, 12, and 13 can take any suitable form. Thus, for example, when the tilting / pitching motion MT is performed, the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 can take the form of a spatula at the curved end, arranged to slide on the outer surfaces 3A_out and 3B_out of the end segments 3A and 3B, somewhat similar to the bottom of an iron. Obviously, in this case, the spatula is made of or covered with a material that prevents the raw rubber of the wall 3 from adhering to the spatula, ensuring that the spatula slides smoothly on the surfaces of the end segments 3A and 3B.

[0058] However, in a particularly preferred manner, the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are formed of rollers mounted to rotate, preferably freely, about their central axes Y11, Y12, and Y13, which are substantially tangential to the circumferential direction of the angular working sectors A11, A12, and A13. This allows the pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 to roll on the outer surfaces 3A_out and 3B_out of the end segments 3A and 3B, so that the tilting and pitching motion MT can produce roll pressure from the end segments 3A and 3B on the inner surface 3_in of the wall 3 of the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 and the carcass assembly 2. For ease of description, the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 can therefore be considered equivalent to the pressure rollers referred to below, and the same reference numerals 11, 12, and 13 can also be used to denote any of these elements.

[0059] In all cases, the purpose of folding is to apply and adhere the end segments 3A, 3B to the inner surface 3_in of the wall 3 of the carcass assembly by means of the natural adhesiveness (or "adhesion") of the raw rubber, thereby folding the carcass ply onto itself to confine the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 within the fold formed by the carcass ply. This provides in particular a very strong fastening of one or more carcass ply (if the carcass assembly comprises multiple stacked carcass ply) to each reinforcing bead core 4, 5.

[0060] It should be noted that the rolling pressing using pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 is a particularly effective means of pressing the end segments 3A and 3B against the inner surface 3_in of the wall 3, and more particularly against the inner surface 3C_in of the central segment 3C, and expelling any air that may be trapped between the end segments 3A and 3B and the inner surface 3_in of the wall 3. Therefore, in a defect-free, regular assembly, the radial inner surfaces 3A_in and 3B_in of the end segments can be perfectly adhered to the radial inner surface 3C_in of the central segment by rolling.

[0061] It should also be noted that, depending on the size and rigidity of the end segments 3A and 3B, the end segments can be fully rolled in one pass or in several consecutive passes.

[0062] If the option of several consecutive passes is selected, the first pass will be performed first to fold the end segments 3A, 3B over their entire circumference around the rolling axis X3, but only partially around the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5, to avoid any tearing of the end segments 3A, 3B. Therefore, the first pass includes repeating the same number of tilt and pitch movements MT as needed in multiple angular working sectors A11, A12, A13 to ensure that the total number of angular working sectors A11, A12, A13 processed corresponds to at least one complete revolution around the rolling axis X3. Then one or more subsequent passes are performed, in which the tilt and pitch motion MT is repeated in all angular sectors required to cover a new full revolution around the rolling axis in each pass, and the pitch travel is extended further in each new pass to strengthen the folding of end segments 3A, 3B in successive passes until the radial inner surface 3A_in of the end segments adheres to the radial inner surface 3_in of the wall 3 in the final pass, more precisely, to the radial inner surface 3C_in of the central segment 3C.

[0063] Obviously, the size of the angular working sector, that is, the angular range of one or more angular working sectors A11, A1, A13 around the rolling axis X3, must be relatively small, that is, it must occupy a relatively small portion of the circumference of the wall 3, and thus a relatively small portion of the circumference of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5, so that the tilting and pitching motion MT performed by the pressing members 11, 12, 13 generates a folding force, the direction of which is contained in or actually contained in the radial plane, with no or actually no force component in the circumferential direction.

[0064] Therefore, the portion occupied by each angular working sector A11, A12, A13 belonging to the pressing components 11, 12, 13 is preferably less than 1 / 10, 1 / 20, 1 / 30, or even less than 1 / 45 of the circumference of the end segments 3A, 3B; that is, its measured value around the rolling axis X3 is preferably less than 36 degrees, less than 18 degrees, less than 12 degrees, or even less than 8 degrees. According to a preferred possible embodiment, the measured value of the angular working sector A11, A12, A13, or each of these sectors, is between 1 degree and 5 degrees.

[0065] Furthermore, when multiple pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are used, each pressing member occupies a separate angular working sector A11, A12, and A13. The portion of the end segments 3A and 3B around the rolling axis X3 occupied by the cumulative angular coverage of these angular working sectors (i.e., the sum of the individual angular coverage of each angular working sector) is preferably less than 60 degrees, less than 30 degrees, or even less than 15 degrees. Therefore, in each repetition, only the portion of the circumference of the end segments 3A and 3B covered by one or more angular working sectors A11, A12, and A13 is actively folded by one or more pressing members 11, 12, and 13, while the remaining portion of the circumference of the end segments 3A and 3B remains unaffected in the relevant repetition.

[0066] The widths W11, W12, W13 of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 (the pressing members are applied to the circumferential portions of the end segments 3A, 3B assigned to them at this width, and therefore, in this case, more preferably, correspond to the width of the pressure roller measured along the central axis Y11, Y12, Y13 of the roller) can be adjusted according to the diameter of the tire assembly 2, and preferably in the range of 10 mm to 15 mm.

[0067] It should also be noted that, from Figure 1 As can be seen from the diagram, system 1 may include two folding devices 10 and 110, which are preferably similar in design and operation. Each reinforced bead core 4 and 5 is provided with a folding device 10 and 110, so that the two opposite end segments 3A and 3B of the wall 3 are advantageously folded onto the central segment 3C of the wall simultaneously in the same cycle.

[0068] For ease of description, the single folding device 10 will be referred to in the following text, although it is obvious that considerations relating to the folding device 10 can be appropriately transferred to another folding device 110.

[0069] According to possible implementation schemes, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the folding device 10 may include a single pressing member 11, more particularly a single pressure roller 11, and thus can process only one angle working sector A11 at a time.

[0070] However, according to another potentially preferred implementation, from Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 18It can be clearly seen that the folding device includes multiple pressing components 11, 12, and 13, and more preferably, multiple pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 in this case. These multiple pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 are angularly offset from each other about the rolling axis X3, thereby engaging with the radial outer surfaces 3A_out and 3B_out of the end segments 3A and 3B in different angular working sectors A11, A12, and A13 arranged sequentially around the rolling axis X3 along the generatrices L4 and L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5. Figure 5 It is clearly evident.

[0071] Advantageously, due to this multiplication of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 distributed around the rolling axis X3, and therefore, to some extent, their offset relative to each other around the rolling axis X3 during rolling motion, the system 1 is able to simultaneously process multiple working sectors A11, A12, A13 at the same axial end of the wall 3, i.e., around the same reinforcing bead core 4, 5, by simultaneously performing the tilting and pitching movements MT of each of the individual pressing members 11, 12, 13 in each of the angular working sectors A11, A12, A13. Therefore, the individual pressing members 11, 12, 13 operate concurrently relative to each other. Consequently, fewer repetitions are required to fold the end segments 3A, 3B on a complete circle around the rolling axis X3, thereby shortening the corresponding cycle time, i.e., the total duration of one pass.

[0072] If necessary, according to one embodiment, each of the plurality of pressing members 11, 12, 13 may follow the same angular pitch travel in its respective angular working sector A11, A12, A13, starting from the same pitch starting position relative to the generatrix L4, L5 of the reinforcing bead core, and reaching the same pitch arrival position of the pressing member immediately adjacent to it, such that each pressing member 11, 12, 13 can operate with the exact same folding amplitude as the other pressing members.

[0073] In this case, the pressing members can be advantageously distributed around the rolling axis X3 in an equal manner (e.g., at 120 degrees to each other in the case of three pressing members), so that after each pressing member 11, 12, 13 processes a sufficient number of angular working sectors to cover an equivalent of 1 / N turns around the rolling axis X3 (where N represents the number of pressing members), a fold pass equivalent to the end segments 3A, 3B on a complete turn around the rolling axis X3 is obtained.

[0074] On the other hand, in this embodiment, if a single pass is insufficient to fold the end segments 3A and 3B by pitching around the generatrices L4 and L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5, then similar supplementary passes must be repeated as needed on 1 / N turns around the rolling axis X3, while offsetting the pitch arrival position of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 in each new pass (and offsetting the pitch start position if necessary) to increase the folding effect in each new pass.

[0075] According to another preferred embodiment, which may be superior to the previous embodiment, especially because the embodiment makes the arrangement of the plurality of pressing members 11, 12, 13 and the more general folding device 10 particularly compact, and ensures the effectiveness and progressiveness of the folding of the end segments 3A, 3B, the plurality of pressing members 11, 12, 13 having mutually complementary pitch travel ranges around the generatrices L4, L5, such that each pressing member 11, 12, 13, through its respective contribution MT_11, MT_12, MT_13, sequentially increases the folding of the end segments 3A, 3B on and around the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 toward the radially inner surface 3_in of the wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2, from Figure 17 This is clearly visible in the text.

[0076] In other words, the pitch arrival positions of each successive pressing member 11, 12, 13 are advantageously offset relative to each other about the generatrix L4, L5 in the direction of the tilting pitch motion MT toward the inner surface 3_in of the wall, so that the pitch travel of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 about the reinforcing bead core 4, 5 is also offset relative to each other, so that each pressing member 11, 12, 13 moves further toward the inner side of the wall 3 than the pressing members 11, 12, 13 in front of it about the rolling axis, and thus moves closer to the end segments 3A, 3B of the radial inner surface 3C_in of the central segment 3C.

[0077] Preferably, the same applies to the starting positions of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13; that is, the pitch starting position and the pitch reaching position of the pressing members are the same, and they are pitched off each other around the generatrix L4 and L5 in the direction of the tilt pitch motion MT toward the inner surface 3_in of the wall, so that the starting positions of the pressing members 12 and 13 are closer to the inner side of the central section 3 along the trajectory generated by the tilt pitch motion MT than the starting positions of the pressing members 11 and 12 in front of them.

[0078] Therefore, the total available pitch stroke around the busbars L4 and L5 can be relatively large, and can be advantageously divided into several pitch "sub-strokes" equal in number to the pressing members 11, 12, and 13. Thus, within a single folding pass, i.e., during a single complete turn around the rolling axis X3, the end segments 3A and 3B can be progressively but completely folded around the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 until the end segments 3A and 3B are fully pressed against the radially inner surface 3C_in of the central segment 3C along the entire circumference of the end segments 3A and 3B and along the entire axial length of the end segments 3A and 3B from the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 to the edges of the end segments 3A and 3B.

[0079] The multiplication of the offset of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 during rolling in this way can advantageously accumulate the working stroke of the pressing members in a single pass, thereby benefiting from a particularly long total pitch stroke, which is especially sufficient to fully and properly fold the end segments 3A and 3B, even if the segments have a considerable axial length.

[0080] Advantageously, each pressing member 11, 12, 13 operates only in its own angular working sector A11, A12, A13, and acts on the corresponding parts of end sections 3A, 3B along the pitch stroke corresponding only to its own contribution MT_11, MT_12, MT_13.

[0081] Therefore, each pressing member 12, 13 following the first pressing member 11 performs the folding operation performed by the previous pressing member 11, 12 in sequence, and continues the folding operation from the pitch position away from the contribution MT_11, MT_12 of the previous pressing member.

[0082] Therefore, the folding operation is advantageously progressive, and thus the end segments 3A and 3B will not tear or wrinkle, while a complete fold can be achieved in a single pass, i.e., a single complete turn of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 around the rolling axis X3.

[0083] Furthermore, by subdividing the total angular pitch stroke allowed by the multiplication of the pressing members and the pitch offset of these members, a relatively small individual pitch stroke amplitude for each pressing member can be accepted, thereby minimizing the time required to perform each tilt pitch movement MT. Thus, in a cumulative manner, the cycle time, i.e. the time required to perform the track in question, and therefore more generally, the time required for the end segments 3A, 3B to be fully folded into the inside of the wall 3, can be minimized.

[0084] It should be noted that for a group of multiple pressing members 11, 12, 13, when the rolling offset installation of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 used to simultaneously process multiple angle working sectors A11, A12, A13 is combined with the pitch offset installation around the busbar 11, 12, 13, the efficiency of the folding device 10 and more generally the system 1 is optimized, so that the progressive and complete folding of the end segments 3A, 3B can be completed in a single pass in multiple consecutive pitch steps, each step being performed in the angle working sector A11, A12, A13 by a corresponding pressing member 11, 12, 13 according to the respective contributions MT_11, MT_12, MT_13 of the pressing member 11, 12, 13 (exceeding the respective contributions of the previous pressing member).

[0085] Typically, to define the starting and ending positions of the angle, and thus the pitch travel of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13, and more specifically, to define the respective contributions MT_11, MT_12, and MT_13 of each pressing member 11, 12, and 13, a reference plane referred to as the "bisecting plane" can be considered. This reference plane corresponds, on the one hand, to the rolling axis X3, and on the other hand, to the radial plane containing the bisecting lines of the angular working sectors A11, A12, and A13 occupied by the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 when they are in contact with the end segments 3A and 3B in their starting positions. Therefore, the bisecting plane... The bisecting plane is perpendicular to the direction vector tangent to the generatrix L4 and L5, and therefore perpendicular to the circumferential direction at the point under consideration. The intersection of the generatrix L4 and L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 with the bisecting plane is then taken as the origin of the reference system associated with the bisecting plane. Finally, the angular positions of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are considered, i.e., the positions of selected points of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 in the reference system associated with the bisecting plane, and more specifically, the positions of the intersection points of the central axes Y11, Y12, and Y13 of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 with the bisecting plane. Figure 12 and Figure 17 As shown, in this case, refer to the first pressure roller 11.

[0086] Preferably, the pressing member 11, and each of the plurality of pressing members 11, 12, 13, where appropriate, provides a respective contribution MT_11, MT_12, MT_13 to the folding of the end section in its tilting and pitching motion MT. This respective contribution MT_11, MT_12, MT_13 corresponds to the angular movement amplitude of the pressing member 11, 12, 13 in question when pitching around the generatrix L4 of the reinforcing bead core. For the pressing member in question or each pressing member 11, 12, 13, this amplitude is at least equal to 30 degrees, or even at least 60 degrees, preferably less than or equal to 120 degrees.

[0087] By providing a 30-degree or greater contribution, the pitch travel or a portion of the pitch travel of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 (enabling the pressing members to actively take responsibility for the effective folding of the end segments 3A, 3B) is sufficiently extended in pitch, thereby causing the pressing members 11, 12, 13 to produce a significant deflection and / or rolling effect on the end segments 3A, 3B.

[0088] Furthermore, by prioritizing contributions of less than 120 degrees, the pitch travel of the pressing member remains sufficiently small to avoid wrinkling, misfolding, or even tearing of the end segments 3A and 3B in the working sectors A11, A12, and A13 under discussion, or between the working sectors A11, A12, and A13 and the adjacent portions of the end segments 3A and 3B (occupying adjacent angular sectors).

[0089] Preferably, the total individual pitch travel of each pressing member 11, 12, 13 will slightly overlap, such that the second pressing member 12 is located in the direction of the first pressing member 11 along the tilting motion MT (in this case, in Figures 6 to 17 The pitch start position (in the counterclockwise direction) slightly upstream of the pitch arrival position of the second pressing member 12 contacts the outer surfaces 3A_out and 3B_out of the end section. Similarly, the third pressing member 13 contacts the end sections 3A and 3B at the pitch start position slightly upstream of the pitch arrival position of the second pressing member 12 in the direction of inclined movement.

[0090] This ensures that each pressing member 12, 13 can continue the folding action performed by the pressing member 11, 12 directly preceding it in an appropriate manner with a certain safety margin.

[0091] Preferably, the pitch overlap range between the strokes of the two consecutive pressing members 11, 12, 13 can be between 3 degrees and 15 degrees, or preferably between 5 degrees and 10 degrees, for example equal to 5 degrees.

[0092] Therefore, the pitch overlap range of pressing members 11, 12, 13 with one and / or another adjacent pressing member (i.e., with one or more pressing members preceding and / or immediately following them) around the rolling axis X3 is preferably strictly less than the respective contribution MT_11, MT_12, MT_13 of each pressing member; that is, within a single angular travel covered by the roller from its starting position to its arrival position, the respective contribution of the roller accounts for at least 50%, preferably at least 75%, or even at least 90% of the angular distance (therefore, the overlap with the preceding roller is less than 50%, preferably less than 25%, or even less than 10%).

[0093] For example, we can consider Figures 6 to 9 The schematic diagrams are applicable to the folding device 10, which includes three pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13. For convenience, these diagrams can be imagined as lying in the same bisecting plane. Figure 6 The first pressure roller 11 is shown in its initial position, which typically corresponds to a "zero-degree" pitch position in a reference frame associated with the bisecting plane. Figure 7 The first pressure roller 11 is shown in the arrival position, therefore Figure 6 and Figure 7 The positional difference of the first pressure roller 11 corresponds to the individual contribution MT_11 of the first pressure roller 11. Similarly, it can be considered that... Figure 8 The second pressure roller 12 is shown in the arrival position, therefore, Figure 7 and Figure 8 The pitch position difference between pressure rollers 11 and 12 around the generatrix L4 and L5 corresponds to the individual contribution MT_12 of the second pressure roller. Finally, Figure 9 The third pressure roller 13 is shown in the arrival configuration, therefore, Figure 8 and Figure 9 The positional difference between pressure rollers 12 and 13 corresponds to the individual contribution MT_13 of the third pressure roller 13.

[0094] In this example, it can be specified that: - The starting position of the first pressure roller 11 is at zero pitch, and the ending position of the first pressure roller 11 is at 60 pitch (in this case, in the counterclockwise direction of the tilt pitch motion MT). - The starting position of the second pressure roller 12 is at a pitch of 55 degrees (i.e., 5 degrees upstream of the arrival position of the first pressure roller 11), and the arrival position of the second pressure roller is at 125 degrees. - The starting position of the third pressure roller 13 is at 120 degrees (i.e., 5 degrees upstream of the arrival position of the second pressure roller 12), and the arrival position of the third (in this case, the last) pressure roller 13 is at 215 degrees.

[0095] Therefore, in this configuration, the individual contribution MT_11 of the first pressure roller 11 will be 60 degrees (the arrival position of the first pressure roller 11 minus the starting position of the first pressure roller 11 = 60 - 0 degrees), the individual contribution MT_12 of the second pressure roller 12 will be 65 degrees (the arrival position of the second pressure roller 12 minus the arrival position of the first pressure roller 11 preceding it = 125 - 60 degrees), and the individual contribution MT_13 of the third and final pressure roller 13 will be 90 degrees (the arrival position of the third pressure roller 13 minus the arrival position of the second pressure roller 12 = 215 - 125 degrees).

[0096] The pitch overlap between the second pressure roller 12 and the first pressure roller 11 is 5 degrees (=60 - 55 degrees), and the pitch overlap between the third pressure roller 13 and the second pressure roller 12 is also 5 degrees (=125 - 120 degrees).

[0097] Obviously, the aforementioned arrival position value, and the corresponding value of the starting position determined relative to the arrival position if appropriate, allowing for desired overlap, can be adjusted, for example, by + / - 30 degrees or + / - 15 degrees relative to the aforementioned nominal value, especially according to the axial length of the end segments 3A and 3B to be folded.

[0098] Preferably, the folding device 10 is arranged such that the pressing members 11, 12, 13, in the angular working sectors A11, A12, A13, surround the generatrices L4, L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 from the pitch starting position ( Figure 11 , Figure 13 , Figure 15 and Figure 18 ) to the pitch position ( Figure 12 , Figure 14 , Figure 17 and Figure 19 ), and then reverse from pitch to position ( Figure 12 , Figure 14 , Figure 17 and Figure 19 Return to the starting pitch position. Figure 11 , Figure 13 , Figure 15 and Figure 18 Perform outward tilt pitch motion MT (denoted as MT+) and return tilt pitch motion MT (denoted as MT-).

[0099] Advantageously, before repositioning the pressing members in another angular sector of wall 3, the reciprocating tilt-pitch motion allows the pressing members 11, 12, 13, or each pressing member 11, 12, 13, to be returned to their initial pitch position around the generatrices L4, L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 in the angular working sector in question. This ensures that once the pressing members are positioned to face the new angular working sector of wall 3, their tilt-pitch motion MT is automatically repeated in exactly the same manner. Therefore, the operation of the folding device 10 can be repeated an unlimited number of times, i.e., the required number of times for each pressing member 11, 12, 13.

[0100] Furthermore, the reciprocating tilting and pitching motion allows the same pressing components 11, 12, and 13 to operate in the same angular sectors A11, A12, and A13, and thus perform two consecutive passes on the same portion of the end sections 3A and 3B, namely, one outward pass MT+ (in this case, along...). Figures 6 to 17(in the counter-clockwise direction) and a return track MT- (in this case, along Figures 6 to 17 The clockwise direction in the middle provides a double-roller pressing action, once in each direction, thereby improving the adhesion quality of the end segments 3A, 3B with the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5, and then with the central segment 3C, especially compared to a tilting motion with only one pass (even though this variant implementation is theoretically feasible).

[0101] It should also be noted that, in order to ensure that the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 press the end segments 3A and 3B against the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 and the central segment 3C in a satisfactory manner, the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 preferably use an elastic member 35 that can provide preload to press against the end segments 3A and 3B, more precisely, to press against the radial outer surfaces 3A_out and 3B_out of the end segments 3A and 3B. For example, the elastic member 35 can be in the form of a spring, or, as described below, preferably a pneumatic actuator 44, 45, or 46.

[0102] According to the present invention, the system 1 further includes a drive device 20, which is designed to change the relative positions of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 with respect to the tire assembly 2 around the rolling axis X3 by means of continuous angular increments, so that the pressing members 11, 12, 13 can continuously perform their tilting and pitching movements MT in different angular working sectors A11, A12, A13, thereby successively folding the corresponding parts of the end sections 3A, 3B.

[0103] Therefore, each pressing member 11, 12, 13 can travel incrementally and angularly around the rolling axis X3 on the entire circumference of the end segments 3A, 3B, so that at each angular increment, and thus in each new angular working sector of the wall 3 presented to the pressing members 11, 12, 13, its tilting and pitching motion MT is repeated until the cumulative angular sectors processed by the same pressing members 11, 12, 13 reach or exceed a full circle around the rolling axis X3 (i.e., at least 360 degrees), corresponding to a complete folding pass. If multiple folding passes are required, the process can be repeated on multiple full circles around the rolling axis X3, with each additional circle corresponding to an additional pass.

[0104] Several variant implementations of the drive device 20 are conceivable. In a first variant, one or more pressing members 11, 12, 13 can be moved to roll and rotate relative to the fixed tire assembly 2 about the rolling axis X3. In a second variant, one or more pressing members 11, 12, 13 and the tire assembly 2 are actively moved to rotate about the rolling axis X3. Finally, in a third variant, the tire assembly 2 is moved to rotate about itself around the rolling axis X3, facing the pressing members 11, 12, 13 (which occupy a fixed position about the rolling axis X3, i.e., an unchanging position).

[0105] The first and second variations can be achieved, in particular, by having at least one (or each) pressing member 11, 12, 13 carried by a robotic arm 60, which carries the pressing member 11 at its end and is also capable of i) incremental angular rolling motion of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 relative to the carcass assembly 2 about the rolling axis X3 to change the angular working sector of the pressing members and to make the pressing members 11, 12, 13 travel a full circle around the rolling axis X3 in angular increments, or even several full circles if necessary, or ii) tilting and pitching motion MT of the pressing members about the generatrices L4, L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 in each of the consecutive angular working sectors A11, A12, A13 discussed.

[0106] The robotic arm 60 can preferably be a six-axis humanoid robot, such as... Figure 20 As shown, it comprises, in a manner known per se, a base 61 that carries a first joint 62 referred to as the “shoulder,” forming a connection having at least two mutually orthogonal pivot axes, followed by a first segment 63 referred to as the “arm,” which carries a second joint 64 referred to as the “elbow,” preferably including at least one pivot axis to allow angular displacement of a second segment 65 referred to as the “forearm.” The end of the second segment 65 carries a third joint 66 referred to as the “wrist,” which is movable about three mutually orthogonal pivot axes, one of which coincides with the longitudinal axis of the forearm 65. Pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are advantageously fixed to the wrist.

[0107] However, in order to simplify the structure of system 1 and improve the repeatability of motion, as well as the robustness and accuracy of system 1, a third variant is preferred, which involves moving the tire assembly 2 so that it faces the pressing members 11, 12, 13 (which occupy a fixed position in orientation around the rolling axis X3) and rotates itself around the rolling axis X3.

[0108] Therefore, such as Figure 1As shown, the drive device 20 preferably includes a receiving support 21, which is mounted on the frame 22 and arranged to receive the tire assembly 2 and drive the tire assembly 2 to rotate relative to the frame 22 in continuous angular increments about the rolling axis X3.

[0109] Advantageously, the drive device 20 can thus cause the continuous portions constituting the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 to pass through the pressing members 11, or through each pressing member 11, 12, 13 along the generatrix L4, L5 in angular increments, thereby causing the carcass assembly 3 to move gradually around the rolling axis X3 with a rotation RX known as “rolling rotation”, and thus enabling the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 and the associated end segments 3A, 3B to move together around the rolling axis X3 in the circumferential direction.

[0110] The drive unit 20 may include guide rollers 23 that support the tire carcass assembly 2 and drive it by friction. At least one of the guide rollers 23 is driven by a roller drive motor 24 (preferably in the form of an electric motor).

[0111] Preferably, the rolling axis X3 is horizontal, and the drive device 20 includes at least two pairs of guide rollers 23, one pair of which is radially aligned with each reinforced bead core 4, 5 and abuts against the radial outer surface 3_out of the wall 3.

[0112] The center distance between each pair of guide rollers 23 can preferably be adjusted according to the diameter of the tire body assembly 2.

[0113] like Figure 1 As shown, the guide roller 23 may preferably have a shoulder for preventing the tire body assembly 2 from axially translating along the rolling axis.

[0114] After each angular increment of rotation RX around the rolling axis X3, the drive unit 20 stops the rolling rotational motion to keep the carcass assembly 2 stationary in the rollers, while one or more pressing members 11, 12, 13 perform their tilting and pitching motion MT around the reinforcing bead core 4, 5 to fold the end segments 3A, 3B in their respective angular working sectors A11, A12, A13. Once the tilting and pitching motion MT is complete, the drive unit 20 restarts its rotation RX around the rolling axis X3 to move the carcass assembly 2 by an angular increment, thereby changing the position of the wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2 relative to the pressing members 11, 12, 13 around the rolling axis X3, which is equivalent to placing each pressing member 11, 12, 13 in a new angular working sector. Then, the rolling rotation RX of the carcass assembly 2 is interrupted again, allowing the pressing members 11, 12, 13 to perform new tilting and pitching motion MT around the bead core in their new angular working sectors A11, A12, A13, and so on.

[0115] The rolling rotation RX of the carcass assembly 2 advantageously occurs in the direction that drives the wall 2 of the first pressing member 11 toward the second pressing member 12 and then the third pressing member 13 (even if the same portion on the circumference of the end segments 3A, 3B is advantageously in the direction from one to the other), so that the pitch folding of said portions of the end segments 3A, 3B is strengthened with each new intervention of the pressing members 11, 12, 13.

[0116] The value of the angle increment is specifically selected based on the diameter of the carcass assembly 2 and the arc length covered by the pressing member 11 around the rolling axis X3 (and therefore based on the value of the angle working sector A11). Thus, this value of the angle increment represents a fraction of the circumference of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 around the rolling axis X3, which is strictly less than 1.

[0117] Preferably, the angle increment represents the fraction of the circumference of the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 (or, in an equivalent manner, the fraction of the length of the generatrix L4 and L5), which is less than or equal to 3.33% (i.e., essentially equal to a fraction of 12 / 360 degrees), and preferably in the range of 0.25% (equivalent to about 1 / 360 degrees) to 1.4% (equivalent to about 5 / 360 degrees).

[0118] The angle increment is preferably equal to the range of the angle working sector A11, or, where appropriate, the smallest of the angle working sectors A11, A12, and A13.

[0119] For example, the value of the angle increment can be in the range of 75% to 120% of the minimum size of the angle working sectors A11, A12, and A13, or, if the sizes of the angle working sectors A11, A12, and A13 are preferably the same, it can be in the range of 75% to 120% of the common size of the angle working sectors A11, A12, and A13. In this regard, it should be noted that values ​​less than 100% allow for redundant folding because the same pressing members 11, 12, and 13 will operate consecutively in successive angle working sectors that partially overlap in pairs, while a value of 100% allows the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 to move angularly at each increment according to the exact value of the angle sector they have just processed, thereby allowing the pressing members to continuously process consecutive angle working sectors A11, A12, and A13 that are adjacent to each other.

[0120] For reference, the value of the angular increment of the cylindrical wall 3 of the tire body assembly 2 relative to the pressing members 11, 12, 13 in discussion about the rolling axis X3 during each repetition can preferably be less than 12 degrees, or more preferably in the range of 1 to 5 degrees.

[0121] Preferably, the angle increment is the same in each iteration.

[0122] Preferably, for any given repetition, and more preferably for each repetition of the same revolution around the rolling axis X3, the angular increments of all the different pressing members 11, 12, 13 are the same. This is advantageous in all cases when using the receiving support 21, which, by structural design, drives the tire carcass assembly 2 to roll and rotate RX simultaneously and in the same manner for the different pressing members 11, 12, 13 distributed in fixed positions around the rolling axis X3.

[0123] Preferably, particularly in conjunction with the aforementioned receiving support 21 capable of driving the tire assembly to rotate about the rolling axis X3, the folding device 10 may include an inclined base 30 that carries the arms 31, 32, 33 of the supporting pressing members 11, 12, 13. The inclined base 30 is mounted to rotate relative to the frame 22 about an axis Y30 referred to as the "pitch axis," which is transverse (preferably orthogonal) to the rolling axis X3. The pitch axis Y30 is the axis around which the pressing members 11, 12, 13 perform their tilting and pitching movements MT, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 Clearly visible.

[0124] Advantageously, this arrangement is particularly simple, compact, and robust.

[0125] Preferably, the pitch axis Y30 is contained in a plane perpendicular to the rolling axis X3 and is tangent to the generatrix of the reinforced bead cores 4 and 5 discussed.

[0126] The pitch rotation RY of the tilt base 30 can be provided by a pitch drive motor 34 (preferably in the form of an electric motor). The motor 34 can in particular provide the aforementioned alternating reciprocating pitch movements MT+ and MT-.

[0127] Arms 31, 32, and 33 may preferably be in the form of forks, which bear the rotational center axes Y11, Y12, and Y13 of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 under discussion.

[0128] According to preferred features that constitute a completely independent invention, the arms 31, 32, and 33 of the bearing pressing members 11, 12, and 13 may have differential pitch rotation degrees of freedom relative to the inclined base 30. This differential pitch rotation occurs on the one hand about the pitch axis Y30, or preferably about an axis parallel to and separated from the pitch axis Y30, and on the other hand depends on the elastic members 35, 44, 45, and 46.

[0129] Advantageously, under the stiffness control of the elastic members 35, 44, 45, 46, by giving the arms 31, 32, 33 of the bearing pressing members 11, 12, 13 a certain degree of freedom in differential pitch rotation relative to the inclined base 30, on the one hand, the pressing member 11 can be elastically suspended so as to apply elastic prestress to the end sections 3A, 3B, and on the other hand, the folding device 10 can adapt to the contour of the end sections 3A, 3B during the tilt pitch movement MT, which is applied to the pressing members 11, 12, 14 when the end sections 3A, 3B are placed on the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 and then on the radial inner surface 3C_in of the central section 3C.

[0130] For example, the differential pitch rotation axis can take the form of shafts 47, 48, and 49, which are movably mounted on the base 30 and can rotate. If necessary, they can be mounted between two stops that limit the differential rotation stroke to less than one revolution, or possibly less than half a revolution, or even less than a quarter revolution. Arms 31, 32, and 33 are fixed to the shafts, and preferably perpendicular to the shafts, thus preferably extending perpendicular to the differential pitch rotation axis.

[0131] As described above, the elastic suspension of arms 31, 32, and 33 can be provided by any suitable elastic member 35, such as a spring, like a torsion spring between the base 30 and the shafts 47, 48, and 49 in question, or between the shafts 47, 48, and 49 and the arms 31, 32, and 33 in question. According to a particularly preferred possible arrangement, the elastic suspension of arms 31, 32, and 33 is provided by pneumatic actuators 44, 45, and 46, for example, pneumatic actuators acting on shafts 47, 48, and 49 via cranks 41, 42, and 43.

[0132] In theory, the different pressing components 11, 12, and 13 can be separated so that the tilting and pitching motion MT of each pressing component can be controlled and executed individually.

[0133] However, based on preferred features that can constitute a completely independent invention, such as Figure 3 , Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown, multiple pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are supported by the same inclined base 30, such that the rotation RY (in this case, pitch rotation RY) of the inclined base 30 drives the multiple pressing members 11, 12, and 13 to jointly perform their pitch and tilt movements MT around the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5.

[0134] Advantageously, by means of a single pitch drive motor 34 and a common base 30, the individual pressing members 11, 12, 13 (in this case, three pressure rollers 11, 12, 13) can thus perform their tilting and pitching movements MT simultaneously and together, thereby saving materials, space and energy, and promoting coordination (in this case, synchronization) of the pressing members 11, 12, 13.

[0135] Advantageously, the individual arrangement of the first pressing member 11, particularly its mounting on the arm 31 forming the elastic prestressed fork, can be replicated in the second pressing member 12 and the third pressing member 13. This provides, on the one hand, an offset of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 along the pitch axis Y30, so that each of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 covers a different angular working sector A11, A12, A13, such as... Figure 5 Clearly visible; on the other hand, the positions and pitch directions of the respective arms 31, 32, 33 bearing the pressing members 11, 12, 13 in the bisecting plane are substantially and preferably permanently offset, thereby giving each bearing member a separate contribution MT_11, MT_12, MT_13 to the folding, from Figure 3 and Figures 15 to 17 It is clearly visible in the middle.

[0136] This advantageously provides complementary effects of the pressing members in terms of rolling (in multiple angular working sectors A11, A12, A13) and pitch through individual contributions MT_11, MT_12, MT_13, each of which in turn reinforces the folding of the end segments 3A, 3B.

[0137] According to the invention, system 1 further includes a selector 40, which is designed to alternately position the pressing members 11, 12, 13 in a working configuration and a subsequent retracted configuration. The working configuration allows the pressing members 11, 12, 13 to engage with the radially outer surfaces 3A_out, 3B_out of the end segments 3A, 3B in the working sectors A11, A12, A13 of the in-discussion angles, and forces the corresponding portions of the end segments 3A, 3B to fold when the folding device 10 makes a tilting and pitching motion MT in the working sectors A11, A12, A13 of the in-discussion angles. The retracted configuration prevents interference between the pressing members 11, 12, 13 and the end segments 3A, 3B when the drive device 20 changes the relative position of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 with respect to the cylindrical wall 3 of the tire assembly 2 about the rolling axis X3 to change the working sectors A11, A12, A13.

[0138] Advantageously, the selector 40 can, in particular, disengage from the trajectory followed by the wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2 during the rolling rotation RX of the carcass assembly 2 by removing the pressing members 11, 12, 13 that may impede the free rolling movement of the carcass assembly 2 between two consecutive tilting, pitching, folding operations.

[0139] As an example, Figure 3 and Figure 10 This shows that all pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are in the retracted configuration stage so that the drive device 20 can cause the carcass assembly to roll around the rolling axis X3 by a rotation RX, thereby causing the carcass assembly 2 to be offset by an angular increment relative to the position occupied by the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 around the rolling axis X3.

[0140] on the contrary, Figure 15 and Figure 18 This shows that all pressing components 11, 12, and 13 are in the working configuration and in contact with end segments 3A and 3B.

[0141] Selector 40 may include any suitable mechanism, for example and preferably, a linkage system including cranks 41, 42, 43, which are moved by actuators 44, 45, 46 (e.g., actuators 44, 45, 46, preferably pneumatic actuators 44, 45, 46). Figure 2 and Figure 3 As can be clearly seen, the cranks 41, 42, and 43 drive shafts 47, 48, and 49, which are movably and rotatably mounted on the inclined base 30 on an axis parallel to or even coincident with the pitch axis Y30. Shafts 47, 48, and 49 carry arms 31, 32, and 33, which carry the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 discussed.

[0142] The entire linkage mechanism, especially the corresponding actuating devices 44, 45, and 46, is preferably mounted on the inclined base 30.

[0143] It should be noted again here that the mechanism of selector 40 (in this case, cranks 41, 42, 43, actuators 44, 45, 46, and shafts 47, 48, 49) can preferably be replicated in substantially the same manner for each pressing member 11, 12, 13, so as to provide each pressing member 11, 12, 13 with an autonomous selector mechanism independent of the other pressing members.

[0144] Advantageously, the selector 40 can prevent the pressing members 11, 12, 13 from rubbing against the end segments 3A, 3B during the rolling rotation RX of the carcass assembly 2, or prevent the pressing members 11, 12, 13 from colliding with the end segments 3A, 3B. Such friction or collision would generate a circumferential force on the end segments 3A, 3B, causing wrinkles or damage to the end segments 3A, 3B.

[0145] Advantageously, selector 40 can thus decompose the folding process into alternations of a rolling rotational motion RX on one hand and tilting / pitching motions RY, MT on the other. The rolling rotational motion RX causes one or more pressing members 11, 12, 13 to advance at angular increments along the circumference of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 and end segments 3A, 3B. The tilting / pitching motions RY, MT enable the pressing members to fold the wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2 onto themselves. Therefore, each motion (rolling rotation RX on one hand and tilting / pitching RY, MT on the other) is performed intermittently and exclusively, thus each motion is interrupted while the other is in progress, thereby preventing the simultaneous occurrence of the two motions and allowing them to be sequentially linked together, and, if necessary, sequentially alternated.

[0146] Preferably, the selector 40 includes a pneumatic actuator 44 associated with the pressing member 11, or, if necessary, a plurality of pneumatic actuators 44, 45, 46, each associated with one of a plurality of pressing members 11, 12, 13, the pneumatic actuators 44, 45, 46 being arranged on the one hand to control the associated pressing member 11, 12, 13 from a retracted configuration to a working configuration and vice versa, and on the other hand to cause the pressing member 11, 12, 13 in question to prestress and elastically suspend the end sections 3A, 3B in the working configuration.

[0147] In fact, theoretically, the switching function on one side can be separated from the elastic prestressing function on the other side. The switching function can change the working configuration to the retraction configuration, and vice versa. The elastic prestressing function can push the pressing member against the end sections 3A and 3B with a certain amount of force to resist the resistance of the central section 3C of the reinforcing bead core 4 and 5 and the wall 3 that the end sections 3A and 3B are against, thereby generating sufficient roller pressure.

[0148] For this purpose, a rigid mechanism can be provided for the selector 40, such as an actuation device in the form of a hydraulic actuator or an electric motor, and an elastic suspension can be provided by using another mechanical elastic member 35 (e.g., a torsion spring), which is located between shafts 47, 48, 49 that are moved on one hand by the actuation device and arms 31, 32, 33 that carry pressing members 11, 12, 13 on the other hand.

[0149] However, for the sake of compactness, it is preferable to concentrate these functions in a single component, namely the pneumatic actuators 44, 45, and 46, which utilize the compressibility of compressed air and are also used as the primary means of driving the actuator rods, thereby providing additional elastic suspension for the cranks 41, 42, and 43, and further for the shafts 47, 48, and 49 and the arms 31, 32, and 33, and thus ultimately for the pressing components 11, 12, and 13.

[0150] Preferably, system 1 includes an automatic sequencer 50, preferably in the form of an electronic control unit, said sequencer 50 being programmed to perform and repeat a sequence referred to as the “basic sequence” as needed, until the end segments 3A, 3B press against the radially inner surface 3_in of the wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2 along its entire circumference around the rolling axis X3: - Selector 40 places at least one pressing member 11, 12, 13 in the working configuration; - The folding device 10 causes the at least one pressing member 11, 12, 13 to tilt and pitch MT around the generatrices L4, L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 in the angle working sectors A11, A12, A13 in question, preferably to move outward MT+ and return MT-, thereby folding the portions of the end segments 3A, 3B located in the angle working sectors A11, A12, A13 toward the radial inner surface 3_in of the wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2; - Selector 40 repositions at least one pressing member 11, 12, 13 back into its configuration; - The drive unit 20 offsets the wall 3 of the tire body assembly 2 relative to at least one pressing member 11, 12, 13 about the rolling axis X3 by a selected angular increment, thereby placing the at least one pressing member 11, 12, 13 in a new angular working sector separated from the previous angular working sector A11, A12, A13 discussed above.

[0151] Advantageously, the sequencer 50 can very reliably organize the intermittent and alternating operations of the folding device 10 and the drive device 20, and more particularly automatically complete one or more passes required for the complete folding of the end segments 3A and 3B.

[0152] According to preferred features that constitute a completely independent invention, particularly in conjunction with system 1, system 1 includes a receiving support 21 and a folding device, the receiving support 21 driving the carcass assembly 2 to roll rotation RX, the folding device including an inclined base 30 providing tilting and pitching motion MT of one or more pressing members relative to the carcass assembly 2, as described above, the pressing member 11, and each pressing member 11, 12, 13 in suitable cases, is constituted by a pressure roller, the pressure roller being rotatably mounted on its central axes Y11, Y12, Y13, the central axes Y11, Y12, Y13 being substantially parallel to the normal of a radial plane referred to as the "bisecting plane", and remaining substantially parallel (with an error of + / - 10 degrees, preferably + / - 5 degrees), more preferably completely parallel, the bisecting plane as described above including the rolling axis X3 and the bisecting lines of the angular working sectors A11, A12, A13 from which the pressure rollers 11, 12, 13 begin the tilting and pitching motion MT.

[0153] In other words, the central axes Y11, Y12, and Y13 of the pressure roller are substantially parallel (and remain substantially parallel) to the tangents of the generatrices L4 and L5 within the angular operating sectors A11, A12, and A13 of the pressure roller operation. More specifically, the central axes Y11, Y12, and Y13 of the pressure roller are substantially parallel (and remain substantially parallel) to the pitch axis Y30, because the directions of the central axes Y11, Y12, and Y13, whether at the pitch initiation position, the pitch arrival position, or during the tilt pitch movement MT, are normal to the bisecting plane, and therefore, are tangents to the generatrices L4 and L5 at the intersection of the generatrices L4 and L5 with the bisecting plane, and more specifically, do not deviate from the direction of the pitch axis Y30 by more than 10 degrees, or preferably not by more than 5 degrees.

[0154] More preferably, the central axes Y11, Y12, and Y13 of the roller are completely (and remain) parallel to the normal to the bisecting plane, and more particularly completely parallel to the pitch axis Y30; that is, they have zero deviation (zero degrees) from the direction of the normal to the bisecting plane or from the direction of the pitch axis Y30.

[0155] Advantageously, the directions of pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 are quasi-tangent or even completely tangent to the generatrices L4 and L5 of the reinforcing bead core, providing a tilting and pitching motion MT that substantially or even completely corresponds to a rotational motion centered on the normal of the bisecting plane. This ensures that the trajectory followed by each point on the pressure roller is almost or even completely contained within a plane parallel to the bisecting plane, and therefore within a radial or nearly radial plane. Consequently, the tilting and pitching motion MT of pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 produces almost no thrust component in the circumferential direction. This prevents the end sections 3A and 3B from twisting or wrinkling under the action of the rollers, and in particular, prevents the circumferential deflection of the reinforcing yarns in the end sections 3A and 3B, which are thus subjected to folds around the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5.

[0156] According to especially Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 In a corresponding preferred arrangement, the three pressure rollers 11, 12 and 13 have their own central axes Y11, Y12 and Y13, which are parallel to each other and parallel to the same pitch axis 30.

[0157] It should be noted that, strictly speaking, not all pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 are completely tangent to the generatrices L4 and L5 of the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 in this arrangement. Their respective central axes Y11, Y12, and Y13 are not strictly orthogonal to the rolling axis X3, because the central axes Y11, Y12, and Y13 are parallel to each other and parallel to the common pitch axis Y30. The pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 are oriented around the rolling axis X3 in multiple angular working sectors A11, A12, and A13. However, the pressure rollers and therefore the angular working sectors A11, A12, and A13 are close enough to each other, and each extension around the rolling axis X3 is small enough to geometrically meet the above conditions, thereby avoiding any significant circumferential thrust on the end segments 3A and 3B during folding.

[0158] Obviously, the present invention also relates to a folding method.

[0159] The method can preferably be implemented using the system 1 described above.

[0160] According to the present invention, in the process of this folding method: - In the initialization step (E0), as Figure 1As shown, the tire carcass assembly 2 is placed on a receiving support 21 (which may preferably have some or all of the features defined above). This carcass assembly has a cylindrical wall 3 extending along and around an axis called a "rolling axis" X3, and reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5 extending along generatrices L4 and L5 forming a ring around the rolling axis X3. The cylindrical wall has cylindrical end segments 3A and 3B that axially protrude beyond the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5. - In the folding step (E1), as Figure 6 , Figure 11 , Figure 13 , Figure 15 and Figure 18 As shown, at least one pressing component 11, 12, 13 (such as a pressure roller) is applied to the radial outer surfaces 3A_out, 3B_out of the end segments 3A, 3B in the angular sectors A11, A12, A13 (referred to as "angular working sectors" A11, A12, A13) of the cylindrical wall 3. The angular working sectors A11, A12, A13 correspond to a portion of the circumference of the end segments 3A, 3B around the rolling axis X3. Figure 5 As shown, the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are tilted and pitched around the generatrices L4 and L5 of the reinforcing bead core, thereby causing the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 to fold the end segments 3A and 3B located in the working sectors A11, A12, and A13 of the discussed angle towards the radial inner surface 3_in of the cylindrical wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2 around the reinforcing bead core 4 and 5, as shown. Figures 7 to 9 , Figure 12 , Figure 14 , Figure 16 and Figure 19 As shown; - In the disengagement step (E2), the pressing member is placed in a retracted configuration so that the pressing member is disengaged from any contact with the end segment, such as Figure 4 and Figure 10 As shown; - In the repositioning step (E3), the relative positions of the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 with respect to the carcass assembly 2 around the rolling axis X3 are adjusted by angular increments, thereby placing the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 in a new angular working sector; more preferably, this is done by rolling the carcass assembly 2 by RX, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the pressing components 11, 12, and 13 are simultaneously held in their retracted, fixed positions; - The sequence is repeated multiple times as needed. This sequence is called the "basic sequence" and includes successive steps of folding (E1), disengaging (E2), and repositioning (E3) until the end segments 3A and 3B are pressed against the radial inner surface 3_in of the wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2 along the entire circumference around the rolling axis X3.

[0161] Advantageously, according to the method of the invention, the end segments 3A and 3B can be folded gradually in one angular sector after another.

[0162] The rolling rotation RX of the tire body assembly will only be activated if the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 have been previously placed in the retracted configuration.

[0163] The rolling rotation RX of the carcass assembly 2 continues to the extent necessary and sufficient to cause the rolling wall 3 to deviate from the position of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 by an angular increment, preferably in the range of 1 to 5 degrees depending on the diameter of the carcass assembly 2. The rolling rotation RX is then stopped, thereby allowing the pressing members 11, 12, 13 to operate in the angular working sectors A11, A12, A13 assigned to each pressing member.

[0164] To this end, the pressing member is brought into contact with the radial outer surfaces 3A_out and 3B_out of the end segments to be folded, and then the tilting and pitching motion RY of the tilting base 30 is initiated, so that the base 30 tilts and pitches around the pitch axis Y30, preferably tilting and pitching outwards MT+ and tilting and pitching back MT-, to drive the pressing member and force the pressing member to fold the end segments 3A and 3B against the radial inner surface 3_in of the wall 3.

[0165] More specifically, pressure rollers 11, 12, and 13 thereby roll over end sections 3A and 3B, pressing against the reinforcing bead core in the outward direction Mt+. Figure 15 and Figure 16 Then continue pressing against the radial inner wall 3C_in of the central section 3C of wall 3 ( Figure 16 and Figure 17 (This continues) until the pressure rollers reach their respective pitch positions.

[0166] Preferably, in the same working sector A11, A12, A13, when the pressure rollers 11, 12, 13 return to their pitch starting position through the return tilting motion MT- of the base 30, a second rolling is performed.

[0167] It should be noted that, in general, each pressing component 11, 12, 13 will form a curved trajectory, or possibly an arc-shaped trajectory, in the tilting and pitching motion MT. This trajectory is concave in the bisecting plane relative to the generatrix L4, L5, and is therefore enclosed, as the concave trajectory substantially coincides with the approximately circular outline of the cross-section of the reinforcing bead core 4, 5.

[0168] Advantageously, once the pressing members 11, 12, 13 are in the working configuration, the elastic member 35 is biased, or rather, "ready to go," because when the selector 40 manipulates the pressing members 11, 12, 13 from their retracted configuration to their working configuration, the pressing members abut against the end sections 3A, 3B, and are thus stressed on the one hand by the force generated by the actuators 44, 45, 46 of the selector 40 (in this case, pneumatic actuators 44, 45, 46) (tends to force the pressing members 11, 12, 13 to approach and rest against the end sections 3A, 3B) and on the other hand by the reaction force exerted on the pressing members 11, 12, 13 by the end sections 3A, 3B against which the pressing members abut and the potential reinforcing bead cores 4, 5.

[0169] Therefore, the pressing member is subjected to preload throughout its tilting and pitching motion MT (including outward movement MT+ and return movement MT-), enabling it to effectively press the radial inner surfaces 3A_in and 3B_in of the end segments 3A and 3B against the radial inner surface 3_in of the wall 3.

[0170] In a particularly advantageous manner, the elastic suspension of the pressing members 11, 12, 13, and more particularly the elastic suspension of each arm 31, 32, 33 bearing the pressing members 11, 12, 13, torsional about an axis (in the form of axes 47, 48, 49) parallel to the pitch axis Y30 of the base 30, advantageously alters the curvature of the tracks of the pressing members 11, 12, 13 about the generatrices L4, L5 during the tilting pitch motion MT, and more particularly adjusts the tracks when the base 30 performs its pitch rotation RY, such that the pressing members 11, 12, 13 adapt their tracks to the transition between a stage called the "stage around the reinforcing bead core 4, 5" and a subsequent stage called the "flattening stage," in which the tracks are generally arc-shaped in the bisecting plane (e.g., Figure 13 In the case of the second pressing component 12, or Figure 15In the case of the second pressing member 12 and the third pressing member 13, the trajectory is similar to that of the base 30; and in the subsequent stage called the "flattening stage", the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 continue their generally inclined movement along the wall of the central section 3C beyond the reinforcing bead cores 4 and 5, thereby pressing the end sections against the radial inner wall 3C_in of the central section until reaching the edge forming the free ends of the end sections 3A and 3B, but for this they follow an adjustment trajectory that is almost axial, that is, almost parallel to the rolling axis (e.g. Figure 14 In the case of the second pressing component 12, or Figure 16 and Figure 17 (In the case of the second pressing member 12 and the third pressing member 13), the trajectory is different from the pure circular trajectory of the base 30. The elastic suspension of the arms 31 and 32 advantageously provides supplementary motion components for transforming from the circular trajectory of the base 30 into the more complex trajectory required when the end segments 3A and 3B fold towards and fold against the wall of the carcass assembly.

[0171] The arms 31, 32, and 33 bearing the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are capable of pitch tilting differently from the base 30, and therefore also different from the main pitch rotation RY performed by the base 30. Simultaneously, due to the presence and stiffness of the elastic member 35 (in this case, the stiffness corresponds to the compressibility of the air used by the pneumatic actuators 44, 45, and 46 of the selector 40), they are still subject to elastic recovery. This advantageously allows the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 to adapt to and match the desired trajectory and thereby reach the edge of the end segments 4 and 5, which may be relatively far from the generatrices L4 and L5 of the reinforcing bead core axially towards the inner side of the central segment 3C. For example, such an edge, when the end segments 4 and 5 are fully folded and rest against the central segment 3C, may have an axial distance from the generatrices L4 and L5 ranging from 1 cm to 15 cm, or even exceeding 15 cm. cm, and at the same time, during the tilting and pitching motion MT, the pressure applied by the pressing members 11, 12, 13 to the end segments 4, 5 and pointing towards the reinforcing bead core 4, 5, and then towards the wall adjacent to the reinforcing bead core 4, 5 (i.e. towards the central segment 3C) is always maintained, so as to force the end segments 4, 5 to match the shape of the reinforcing bead core 4, 5, and then match the shape of the central segment 3C, so that the radial inner surfaces 3A_in, 3B_in of the end segments 3A, 3B are tightly joined with the radial inner surface 3C_in of the central segment without wrinkles or bubbles.

[0172] After each pressing component 11, 12, 13 has completed the rolling operation in its assigned angular working sector A11, A12, A13, the pressing component is returned to its original configuration. Figure 4 and Figure 10Then, a new rolling rotation RX with an angular increment is performed, so that the pressing members 11, 12, 13 each face a new angular working sector, preferably substantially adjacent to the angular working sector they have just left, so as to continue and extend the folding of the end segments 3A, 3B along the circumference of the end segments.

[0173] Preferably, in the folding step (E1), by actuating multiple pressing members 11, 12, 13 (preferably three pressing members 11, 12, 13, which continuously occupy different angular working sectors A11, A12, A13 around the rolling axis X3), the end segments 3A, 3B are gradually folded around the reinforcing bead core 4, 5, such that the first pressing member 11 begins to fold in its first angular working sector A11; when the portion of the first end segment 3A formed by the first pressing member 11 reaches ( After one or more angular increments of rotation around the rolling axis X3, the next pressing member 12 continues and reinforces the folding in the angular working sector A12 occupied by the next pressing member 12; the last pressing member 13 completes the folding in the angular working sector A13 occupied by the last pressing member 13 by pressing the end segment 3A until the free end (i.e. edge) of the end segment 3A is completely pressed against the radially inner surface 3_in of the wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2, thereby confining the reinforcing bead cores 4, 5 in the folding thus formed.

[0174] When the next pressing member and the last pressing member are the same pressing member, this implementation can use two pressing members, or preferably three or more pressing members.

[0175] Preferably, the first pressing member 11 is initially placed in the working configuration ( Figure 11 The first pressing member 11 abuts against and remains on the radial outer surfaces 3A_out and 3B_out of the end segments 3A and 3B during the tilt and pitch motion MT, while subsequent other pressing members 12 and 13 remain in a retracted configuration to prevent them from interfering with the end segments 3A and 3B during one or more tilt and pitch motions MT of the first pressing member 11, and performs multiple basic sequences ( Figure 10 , Figure 11 , Figure 12 In this sequence, only the first pressing member 11 engages with the end segments 3A and 3B, while the other pressing members do not interact with the end segments 3A and 3B, until a portion of the end segment 3A formed by the first pressing member 11 reaches or exceeds the angular working sector A12 occupied by the next pressing member 12 (here, the second pressing member 12). Then, the next pressing member 12 is placed in the working configuration before continuing the basic sequence. Figure 13During this process, with each new angular increment of the tire body assembly 2 rotating around the rolling axis X3, the first pressing member 11 and the next pressing member 12 continue to fold the cylindrical end segments 3A and 3B located in their corresponding angular working sectors A11 and A12. Figure 14 ).

[0176] Similarly, this method requires the end segments 3A and 3B processed by the second pressing member 12 to reach the position of the third pressing member 13 before the third pressing member can participate in the folding process in sequence. Figure 15 and Figure 16 ).

[0177] Therefore, the method may include a transition state ( Figures 10 to 14 In this state, the pressing members 11, 12, and 13 are engaged sequentially to avoid engaging with the "untreated" portions of the end segments 3A and 3B, i.e., to avoid engaging with the portions that are directly facing the pressing members (usually the second pressing member 12 or the third pressing member 13) before the folding has begun. Their angular pitch travel is not suitable for operation on such untreated portions, which may cause wrinkles or tears in the end segments 3A and 3B.

[0178] When all pressing components 11 and 13 are engaged, the system is in a stable state. Figures 15 to 17 In this state, all the pressing members are placed in the working configuration with each new angular increment of the tire assembly 2 rolling around the rolling axis X3. Figure 15 and Figure 18 All pressing components undergo (preferably together) tilting and pitching motions (MT). Figure 16 , Figure 17 , Figure 19 This allows them to interact with the end segments in the angular working sectors A11, A12, and A13 assigned to them for folding.

[0179] For reference, the “distance” between the engagement of the second pressing member 12 and the engagement of the first pressing member 11 can represent an angular increment of 20 to 30. This ensures that when the second pressing member 12 intervenes, the first pressing member 11 is already sufficiently advanced; in other words, it has begun to fold the end segments 3A, 3B onto a sufficiently wide cumulative angular sector around the rolling axis X3, so that the activation of the second pressing member 12 does not cause any wrinkles or improper folding.

[0180] Preferably, in each basic sequence, the angular increment of the offset of the cylindrical wall 3 of the carcass assembly 2 relative to the pressing members 11, 12, 13 about the rolling axis X3 is preferably in the range of 1 to 5 degrees. That is, in this case, the angular rolling rotation RX of the carcass assembly 2 between two consecutive interventions of the folding device 10 is in the range of 1 to 5 degrees. As mentioned above, the value of the angular increment depends on the widths W11, W12, W13 of the pressing members, and is preferably equal to the value of the corresponding working sector covered by the pressing members 11, 12, 13.

[0181] Preferably, the pressing components (in suitable cases, each pressing component 11, 12, 13) are composed of pressure rollers 11, 12, 13, which are rotatably (preferably freely rotatably) mounted on their central axes Y11, Y12, Y13, which are substantially parallel to the normal of a radial plane referred to as the "bisecting plane" at + / -10 degrees, or preferably + / -5 degrees, or even more preferably completely parallel, the bisecting plane including the rolling axis X3 and the bisecting lines of the angular working sectors A11, A12, A13 occupied by the pressure rollers 11, 12, 13 in question.

[0182] Of course, the present invention is by no means limited to the above exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in the art will obviously be able to separate or freely combine one or the other of the above features, or replace them with equivalents.

Claims

1. A folding system (1) for folding end segments (3A, 3B) of a cylindrical wall (3) of a tire carcass assembly (2) around a reinforcing bead core (4, 5) of the carcass assembly, the cylindrical wall (3) extending along and around an axis called a "rolling axis" (X3), the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) extending along a generatrix (L4, L5) forming a ring around the rolling axis (X3), the system being characterized in that it comprises: - A folding device (10) comprising at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13) arranged such that the pressing member (11, 12, 13) applies pressure to the radially outer surfaces (3A_out, 3B_out) of the end segments (3A, 3B) in angular sectors (A11, A12, A13) of the cylindrical wall (3), the angular sectors (A11, A12, A13) corresponding to the end segments (3A, 3B). A portion of the circumference around the rolling axis (X3), and the folding device (10) is arranged such that the pressing member tilts and pitches (MT) around the generatrix (L4, L5) of the reinforcing bead core (4, 5), thereby causing the pressing member (11, 12, 13) to fold the portion of its end segments (3A, 3B) located in the relevant angular working sector (A11, A12, A13) around the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) toward the radially inner surface (3_in) of the cylindrical wall of the carcass assembly (2). - A drive unit (20) designed to change the relative position of the pressing members (11, 12, 13) with respect to the carcass assembly (2) about the rolling axis (X3) by continuous angular increments, so that the pressing members (11, 12, 13) can perform their tilt and pitch movements (MT) in different angular working sectors (A11, A12, A13) to successively fold corresponding portions of the end segments (3A, 3B). - Selector (40) is designed to alternately position the pressing members (11, 12, 13) in a working configuration and then in a retracted configuration, wherein the working configuration causes the pressing members (11, 12, 13) to abut against the radial outer surface (3A_out, 3B_out) of the end segments in the relevant angular working sectors (A11, A12, A13) and to force the corresponding portions of the end segments (3A, 3B) to fold when the folding device (10) makes a tilting and pitching motion (MT) in the relevant angular working sectors (A11, A12, A13), and the retracted configuration prevents interference between the pressing members (11, 12, 13) and the end segments (3A, 3B) when the drive device (20) changes the relative position of the pressing members (11, 12, 13) with respect to the cylindrical wall (3) of the carcass assembly (2) about the rolling axis (X3) to change the angular working sector.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The folding device includes a plurality of pressing members (11, 12, 13) which are angularly offset from each other about the rolling axis (X3) to engage with the radially outer surfaces (3A_out, 3B_out) of the end segments (3A, 3B) in different angular working sectors (A11, A12, A13) arranged sequentially around the rolling axis (X3) along the generatrix (L4, L5) of the reinforcing bead core. The pitch travel range of the plurality of pressing members (11, 12, 13) around the generatrix (L4, L5) complements each other, such that each pressing member (11, 12, 13) sequentially reinforces the folding of the end segments (3A, 3B) on and around the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) toward the radially inner surface (3_in) of the wall of the carcass assembly (2) by individual contributions (MT_11, MT_12, MT_13).

3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the plurality of pressing members (11, 12, 13) provides a separate contribution (MT_11, MT_12, MT_13) to the folding of the end section in its tilt-pitch motion (MT), which corresponds to the angular movement amplitude of the pressing member (11, 12, 13) in pitch about the generatrix (L4, L5) of the reinforcing bead core (4, 5), which for each pressing member (11, 12, 13) in discussion is at least equal to 30 degrees and less than or equal to 120 degrees.

4. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The drive unit (20) includes a receiving support (21) mounted on the frame (22) and arranged to receive the tire assembly (2) and drive the tire assembly (2) to rotate (RX) relative to the frame about a rolling axis (X3) in continuous angular increments. The folding device (10) includes a tilting base (30) that carries the arms (31, 32, 33) of the pressing members (11, 12, 13) and is mounted to rotate (RY) relative to the frame (22) about an axis called the "pitch axis" (Y30), which is transverse to the rolling axis (X3) and is the axis around which the tilting and pitching motion (MT) of the pressing members (11, 12, 13) is centered.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the pitch axis (Y30) is perpendicular to the roll axis (X3).

6. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The arms (31, 32, 33) of the bearing pressing members (11, 12, 13) have differential pitch rotation degrees of freedom relative to the inclined base (30). This differential pitch rotation occurs on the one hand about the pitch axis (Y30), or about an axis parallel to and separated from the pitch axis (Y30), and on the other hand depends on the elastic members (35, 44, 45, 46).

7. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The folding device includes multiple pressing members (11, 12, 13) that are angularly offset from each other about the rolling axis (X3), thereby engaging with the radial outer surfaces (3A_out, 3B_out) of the end sections (3A, 3B) in different angular working sectors (A11, A12, A13) arranged sequentially around the rolling axis (X3) along the generatrix (L4, L5) of the reinforcing bead core. The pitch travel range of the multiple pressing members (11, 12, 13) around the generatrix (L4, L5) complements each other, such that each... The pressing members (11, 12, 13) reinforce the end segments (3A, 3B) on the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) and around the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) to the radially inner surface (3_in) of the wall of the carcass assembly (2) through individual contributions (MT_11, MT_12, MT_13). The multiple pressing members (11, 12, 13) are supported by the same inclined base (30), such that the rotation (RY) of the inclined base (30) drives the multiple pressing members (11, 12, 13) to jointly perform their tilting and pitching motion (MT) around the reinforcing bead core (4, 5).

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The selector (40) includes a pneumatic actuator associated with the at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13), the pneumatic actuator being arranged on the one hand to control the associated pressing member (11, 12, 13) from a retracted configuration to a working configuration and vice versa, and on the other hand to cause the pressing member (11, 12, 13) to prestress and elastically suspend the end sections (3A, 3B) in the working configuration.

9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The folding device (10) is arranged such that the pressing members (11, 12, 13) move outward and back tilt pitch (MT) around the generatrix (L4, L5) of the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) in the relevant angular working sector (A11, A12, A13) from the pitch start position to the pitch reach position, and then back from the pitch reach position to the pitch start position.

10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system includes an automatic sequencer (50) programmed to perform and repeat a sequence referred to as the "basic sequence" as needed until the end segments (3A, 3B) press against the radially inner surface (3_in) of the wall (3) of the carcass assembly (2) along its entire circumference around the rolling axis (X3): - The selector (40) places at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13) in the working configuration; - The folding device (10) causes the at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13) to tilt and pitch (MT) around the generatrix (L4, L5) of the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) in the angle working sector (A11, A12, A13) in question, thereby folding the portion of the end section (3A, 3B) located in the angle working sector (A11, A12, A13) toward the radially inner surface (3_in) of the wall of the carcass assembly (2); - The selector (40) repositions at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13) back into its configuration; - The drive device offsets the wall (3) of the carcass assembly (2) relative to at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13) about the rolling axis (X3) by a selected angular increment, thereby placing the at least one pressing member in a new angular working sector separated from the previous angular working sector in question.

11. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13) is composed of a pressure roller rotatably mounted on its central axis (Y11, Y12, Y13), which is substantially parallel to the normal of a radial plane called the "bisecting plane" at + / -10 degrees and remains substantially parallel during tilt and pitch motion (MT). The bisecting plane includes the rolling axis (X3) and the bisecting line of the angular working sector (A11, A12, A13) where the pressure roller begins to tilt and pitch motion.

12. Folding method, during the folding process: - In the initialization step (E0), the tire carcass assembly (2) is placed on the receiving support (21), the carcass assembly having a cylindrical wall 3 extending along and around an axis called the "rolling axis" (X3) and a reinforcing bead core (4, 5) extending along a generatrix (L4, L5) forming a ring around the rolling axis (X3), the cylindrical wall having cylindrical end segments (3A, 3B) that axially protrude beyond the reinforcing bead core (4, 5). - In the folding step (E1), at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13) is applied to the radial outer surface (3A_out, 3B_out) of the end section in the angle sector (A11, A12, A13) of the cylindrical wall (3), which is called the "angle working sector" (A11, A12, A13), which corresponds to a portion of the circumference of the end section (3A, 3B) around the rolling axis (X3), and the pressing member (11, 12, 13) is tilted and pitched (MT) around the generatrix (L4, L5) of the reinforcing bead core, so that the pressing member (11, 12, 13) folds the portion of the end section (3A, 3B) located in the angle working sector (A11, A12, A13) around the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) toward the radial inner surface (3_in) of the cylindrical wall of the carcass assembly (2); - In the disengagement step (E2), the pressing members (11, 12, 13) are placed in a retracted configuration so that the pressing members are disengaged from any contact with the end segments; - In the repositioning step (E3), the relative position of the pressing members (11, 12, 13) with respect to the carcass assembly (2) around the rolling axis (X3) is changed by a given angle increment, thereby placing the pressing members in the new angle working sector; - The sequence is repeated multiple times as needed. This sequence is called the "basic sequence" and includes a series of folding steps (E1), disengagement steps (E2), and repositioning steps (E3) until the end segments (3A, 3B) are pressed against the radial inner surface (3_in) of the wall (3) of the carcass assembly (2) along the entire circumference around the rolling axis (X3).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, In the folding step (E1), by actuating multiple pressing members (11, 12, 13), which continuously occupy different angular working sectors (A11, A12, A13) around the rolling axis (X3), the end segments (3A, 3B) are gradually folded around the reinforcing bead core (4, 5), such that the first pressing member (11) begins to fold in its first angular working sector (A11); when the portion of the first end segment (3A) formed by the first pressing member (11) rotates around the rolling axis (X3)... When the next pressing member (12) reaches the angular working sector (A12) occupied by the next pressing member (12) after turning one or more angular increments, the next pressing member (12) continues and reinforces the folding; by pressing the end segment (3A) until the free end of the end segment (3A) is completely pressed against the radial inner surface (3_in) of the wall of the carcass assembly (2), the last pressing member (13) completes the folding in the angular working sector (A13) occupied by the last pressing member (13), thereby confining the reinforcing bead core (4, 5) in the folding thus formed.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The first pressing member (11) is initially placed in the working configuration such that it abuts against and is held against the radially outer surfaces (3A_out, 3B_out) of the end section during tilt-pitch (MT) movements, while subsequent one or more other pressing members (12, 13) remain in a retracted configuration to prevent them from interfering with the end sections (3A, 3B) during one or more tilt-pitch (MT) movements of the first pressing member (11), for multiple basic sequences until the end section formed by the first pressing member (11) is reached. The end segments (3A, 3B) reach or exceed the angular working sector (A12) occupied by the next pressing member (12), and then the next pressing member (12) is placed in the working configuration before continuing the basic sequence. During this process, with each new angular increment of the carcass assembly (2) rotating about the rolling axis (X3), the first pressing member (11) and the next pressing member (12) continue to fold the portion of the cylindrical end segments (3A, 3B) located in their corresponding angular working sectors (A11, A12).

15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that, The angular increment of the offset of the cylindrical wall (3) of the carcass assembly (2) relative to the pressing members (11, 12, 13) about the rolling axis (X3) is between 1 degree and 5 degrees.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that, The at least one pressing member (11, 12, 13) is composed of a pressure roller rotatably mounted on its central axis (Y11, Y12, Y13), which is substantially parallel to the normal of a radial plane called the "bisecting plane" at + / -10 degrees and remains substantially parallel during its tilt and pitch (MT) motion. The bisecting plane includes the rolling axis (X3) and the bisecting line of the angular working sector (A11, A12, A13) occupied by the roller in question.

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