Transfer tooling for various tire belt sizes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a transport system configured to move a portion of a strip within a belt-making system. The transport system includes a first segment (130) having a body (140) adapted to engage the strip. A plurality of slots (152, 154) may be provided in a surface of the body. A fluid supply (125) is fluidly connected to the plurality of slots, such that the fluid communication with the plurality of slots can hold the strip against the body (140) or blow the strip away from the body. The plurality of slots are arranged in a series of rows (152, 154), with a first slot in a first row positioned immediately adjacent to a second slot in the first row. Different sizes of first and second strips can be transported without any mechanical adjustment to the body.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present embodiments generally relate to a transport system and method for handling a portion of a tire belt.

[0002] REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 895,740, filed September 4, 2019, entitled "Transfer Tooling for Varying Tire Belt Sizes." [Background technology]

[0003] In tire belt manufacturing techniques, multiple cords may be pulled through an extrusion die. The extruder heats an elastomeric material, such as rubber, and coats the cords as they pass through the die. A cooling drum adjacent to the extruder serves to pull the cords through the die and cool the fiber reinforcement or reinforcing material before the cutting and splicing stages of production. The fiber reinforcement material may be allowed to hang with some slack after passing through the cooling drum to relieve any residual stress. The fiber reinforcement material may then be pulled onto a cutting station. In modern systems, the cutting station includes a strip vacuum transfer device (also referred to herein as vacuum transfer tooling), a cutter, and an outfeed belt conveyor. The strip vacuum transfer device advances the fiber reinforcement strip and deposits it onto the outfeed belt conveyor so that the cutter can cut the fiber reinforcement material. The outfeed belt conveyor then feeds the fiber reinforcement material a predetermined distance. The strip vacuum transport device again advances the strip onto the conveyor so that the cutter again cuts the strip. The result of this process is a continuous belt of fiber-reinforced material with the reinforcing cords typically not parallel to the central axis of the belt, but at some angle. The angle of the cords relative to the length of the belt is referred to in the art as the bias angle.

[0004] The cut sections of material overlap each other a predetermined distance on the outfeed belt conveyor. This overlap is commonly referred to in the art as a splice. A uniform splice is required to maintain proper material strength and quality. The outfeed belt conveyor is typically aligned at an angle to the fiber-reinforced material entering the cutting station, so that after the splicing process, a continuous strip of material consisting of fibers or cords oriented at a predetermined bias angle lies flat on the conveyor.

[0005] Depending on the width of the belt being produced, different amounts of strip material contact the vacuum transfer tooling and are pulled through the cutter. Conventional transfer tooling utilizes an inner slider that selectively closes vacuum chamber channels, thereby applying either vacuum or positive pressure to the tooling area in contact with the strip, where the vacuum pressure holds the strip against the transfer tooling and the positive pressure blows the strip off the transfer tooling. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] One drawback of such transfer tooling is that it requires user intervention to operate the slider, particularly each time a different width strip is selected for use, requiring the user to physically adjust the position of the slider to accommodate the different width strip segments.

[0007] Another drawback occurs in situations where the slider is not properly adjusted, as in such situations, sufficient vacuum pressure may be lost to allow the strip to be picked up and placed by the transfer tooling. For example, if the channel is adjusted wider than the desired strip length, a large contact area is not touching the strip, so sufficient vacuum pressure cannot be developed adjacent to the strip, and the strip will not be picked up. On the other hand, if the channel is adjusted narrower than the strip length, the leading edge of the material will not receive sufficient vacuum pressure to pick it up, and the material will curl up when the transfer tooling attempts to move it.

[0008] For each of these cases, additional adjustments are required to get the transfer tooling to work properly, which requires additional machine downtime and also generates scrap each time the strip fails to feed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In one embodiment, a transport system is configured to move a portion of the strip within a belt-making system. The transport system includes a first segment having a body adapted to engage the strip and a second segment connected to a fluid supply. An elongated support may extend between portions of the first and second segments. A plurality of slots may be provided in a surface of the body. Fluid communication from the fluid supply to the plurality of slots may be provided such that fluid communication with the plurality of slots may hold the strip against the body or blow the strip away from the body. The plurality of slots may be arranged in a series of rows, with a first slot in the first row positioned immediately adjacent to a second slot in the first row.

[0010] The body can have a horizontal centerline located equidistant between a first lateral boundary and a second lateral boundary of the body, the first slot can be positioned between the horizontal centerline and the first lateral boundary, and the second slot can be positioned between the horizontal centerline and the second lateral boundary. In one embodiment, an inner boundary of the first slot can be positioned less than 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) from an adjacent inner boundary of the second slot.

[0011] The transfer system may further include a plurality of holes, a first hole fluidly connecting the fluid supply to the first slot and at least one additional hole fluidly connecting the fluid supply to a slot other than the first slot. In one embodiment, a single hole may be provided for each of the plurality of slots, such that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the holes and the slots. Each hole may be localized within the perimeter of its respective slot. In one embodiment, the diameter of the first hole is in the range of about 25% to about 50% of the width of the first slot.

[0012] The first row can be located near the front end of the body and the next row of slots can be located near the rear end of the body. A first hole in the first row can have a larger diameter than the next hole in the next row of slots. In one embodiment, the first row always engages the strips regardless of the size of the strips, and the next row engages strips of a larger size but not a smaller size.

[0013] In one embodiment, first and second tubes extend along at least a portion of the elongate support. The first and second tubes facilitate providing fluid communication between a fluid source and the plurality of slots. In one example, the first tube has a downstream end that terminates at a location upstream relative to the downstream end of the second tube.

[0014] The transfer system may further include a chamber disposed adjacent the body, the chamber allowing fluid communication between the first and second tubes and the plurality of slots.

[0015] This embodiment also provides a method for transporting a portion of a strip within a belt-making system. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a transport system including a first segment having a body adapted to engage the strip and a rear segment coupled to a fluid supply, the body having a plurality of slots. The fluid supply is fluidly connected to the plurality of slots, and the plurality of slots are adapted to hold the strip against the body or to blow the strip away from the body. A first strip having a first dimension is transported by engagement with the body. Thereafter, a second strip having a second dimension is transported by engagement with the body, the second dimension being different from the first dimension. The second strip can be transported after the first strip without any mechanical adjustment to the body. In one embodiment, a first row of the plurality of strips engages each of the first and second strips, and a subsequent row of the plurality of slots engages only the first strip but not the second strip.

[0016] Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description, and it is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the scope of the present invention and as defined by the accompanying claims.

[0017] The present invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the different views. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a belt manufacturing system including first and second conveyors. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a transfer tooling according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway plan view of transfer tooling according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2C] FIG. 2 is a side view of the transfer tooling according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2D is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2C. [Figure 4] FIG. 2D is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 2C. [Figure 5] FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 2B. [Figure 6A] FIG. 2D is a bottom view of the main body of the transfer tooling of FIGS. 2A-2C. [Figure 6B] 2D is a bottom view of different sized strips positioned against the body of the transfer tooling of FIGS. 2A-2C. FIG. [Figure 6C] 2D is a bottom view of different sized strips positioned against the body of the transfer tooling of FIGS. 2A-2C. FIG. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the main body of the transfer tooling according to the modified embodiment. [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is a bottom view showing different sized strips positioned against the body of the transfer tooling of FIG. 7A. [Figure 7C] FIG. 7B is a bottom view showing different sized strips positioned against the body of the transfer tooling of FIG. 7A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1 , an exemplary belt-making system is adapted to form a portion of a tire belt, designated as a bias belt 72, which is fabricated after the cutting and positioning steps described below. The bias belt 72 is typically made of an elastomeric material, such as rubber, and is comprised of a plurality of parallel cords oriented at an angle relative to the length of the belt equal to a bias angle α. The belt-making system may include at least a first conveyor 31 and a second conveyor 32. In various embodiments, the conveyors may include belt conveyors, strip vacuum transfer devices, or any other device adapted to move the rubber strip along the exemplary path, as indicated by conveyors 31 and 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the belt cutting system 40 is positioned at least partially between the first conveyor 31 and the second conveyor 32.

[0020] The rubber strip 70 is generally reinforced and may be reinforced with a plurality of cords or fibers. The rubber strip may have a plurality of steel cords extending parallel to the length of the rubber strip 70. The rubber strip 70 is typically fabricated by a process in which uncured rubber is extruded around the steel cords, although any process may be utilized. After being formed, the rubber strip 70 may be fed onto the first conveyor 31. The rubber strip 70 is often tacky and relatively soft when fed onto the first conveyor 31.

[0021] The first conveyor 31 may serve as an infeed conveyor adapted to feed or otherwise move the rubber strip 70 to associate it with the belt cutting system 40. The belt cutting system 40 is adapted to cut the rubber strip 70. The cuts are preferably straight cuts oriented at a desired angle consistent with the bias angle α, which separate the strip sections 71 from the rubber strip 70. The strip sections 71 then move onto the second conveyor 32.

[0022] The bias belt 72 may have a plurality of strip segments 71, with the steel cords of each strip segment 71 being substantially parallel to one another. The strip segments 71 overlap each other by a predetermined distance on the second conveyor 32, thereby forming a uniform splice. After each splice is formed, the additional strip segments 71 become part of the bias belt 72.

[0023] The belt cutting system 40 includes a belt cutter 42, which preferably includes a knife or blade that cuts through the rubber strip 70. As shown in FIG. 1, the belt cutter 42 may be embodied as a guillotine-type cutter, in which a sharp knife or blade approaches the rubber strip 70 from above and continues to apply a downward force that cuts through the rubber strip 70, thereby separating the rubber strip 70 into at least two portions. Any other device for cutting a reinforced rubber strip may be used. Referring to FIG. 1, the belt cutter 42 is preferably adapted to cut the rubber strip 70 at an angle relative to the length of the rubber strip 70, preferably at an angle consistent with a preferred bias angle α.

[0024] According to one aspect, transfer tooling 120 having a body 140 lifts the strip from the first conveyor 31 and deposits the strip on the second conveyor 32. As described further below, a fluid source 125 can selectively apply a vacuum force to the body 140 to engage the rubber strip 70 prior to cutting to aid in advancing the rubber strip 70 and properly engage it with the belt cutter 42 (e.g., advancing the rubber strip 70 under a guillotine knife or blade). After cutting, which occurs at a predetermined index, the fluid source 125 can apply a positive pressure to the body 140 to blow the strip off the tooling, as described further below with respect to the embodiment of Figures 2A-6C.

[0025] In one embodiment, the transfer tooling 120 has two axes of motion. A servo drive motor may be coupled to the transfer tooling 120 by a timing belt, providing horizontal axial motion through the belt cutter 42 as guided by the elongated support 180. A pneumatic cylinder may provide a vertical axis of motion that allows the transfer tooling 120 to pick up and drop the strip material 70, 71.

[0026] Preferably, a strip section 71 is positioned so that its edge parallel to the cord slightly overlaps a second strip section 71, thereby desirably forming a splice between the two strip sections 71. If necessary, sensors or other techniques can actively correct for positional errors. This sequence of advancing the rubber strip 70 using the transfer tooling 120, cutting the strip 70 with the belt cutter 42, and overlapping the strip sections 71 is repeated until a bias belt 72 of the desired dimensions is formed.

[0027] 2A-6C, a first embodiment of a transfer tooling 120 that can be used to move the strip 70 of FIG. 1 from the first conveyor 31 through the cutter 42 and toward the second conveyor 72 is illustrated and described. As shown in FIG. 2A, the transfer tooling 120 has, as its main components, a first segment 130 and a second segment 170. The first segment 130 has a body 140 with a series of slots and holes, as best seen and described in the bottom views of FIGS. 6A-6C. The series of slots and holes in the body 140 of the first segment 130 allow the various strip sections 71 a, 71 b to be selectively engaged with the body 140, as described further below. In contrast, the second segment 170 of the transfer tooling 120 does not have a body 140 and therefore does not directly engage the strip sections.

[0028] An elongated support 180 extends along the majority of the axial length of the first segment 130 and the second segment 170. A forward region 181 of the elongated support 180 terminates adjacent the forward segment 141 of the body 140 of the first segment 130, and a rearward region 182 of the elongated support 180 terminates adjacent the second segments 170, 172, as shown in FIG. 2A.

[0029] The elongated support 180, best seen in FIGS. 3-5 and described further below, includes a housing 184 and at least one fluid communication chamber. In this embodiment, the housing 184 includes at least three wall segments 184a, 184b, and 184c, as shown in cross-section in FIGS. 3-5, with the at least one fluid communication chamber at least partially contained within the three wall segments 184a-c. The side of the housing 184 adjacent to the body 140 may be free of a continuous wall segment. As shown in FIG. 4, a flange 188 of the wall segment 184a may securely engage a complementary flange 148 of the body 140, thereby allowing the body 140 to slide onto the elongated support 180, such that the side of the housing 184 free of a wall segment is held adjacent to the body 140. The elongated support 180 can be stabilized relative to the body 140 by means such as, for example, bolts, solder, welds, mechanical clips, etc. In this manner, a chamber 198 is formed, which is generally bounded by the exterior of the body 140 as well as the three wall segments 184a-184c of the housing 184.

[0030] A fluid supply connection 125 is provided near the rear region 182 of the elongated support 180. The fluid supply connection 125 is coupled to a vacuum source and a compressed fluid source, each of which provides either vacuum pressure or positive compressed fluid pressure that propagates along the length of the elongated support 180 toward the body 140. The vacuum pressure lifts the strip material 70 from the first conveyor 31, advances it through the cutting area and onto the second conveyor 32, while the positive compressed fluid pressure blows the strip segments 71 off the tooling after they have been cut by the cutter 42, as will be further described below.

[0031] 2B, 3, and 4, in a presently preferred embodiment, first and second tubes 190, 195 extend across second segment 170 of transfer tooling 120 and also extend across at least a portion of first segment 130 having body 140. In this example, first tube 190 has downstream end point 191, and second tube 195 has downstream end point 196, as best seen in FIG. 2B. Additionally, first and second tubes 190, 195 have channels 192, 197, respectively, as best seen in the cross-sectional views of FIGS.

[0032] 3 and 4, the first and second conduits 190, 195 are entirely contained within the wall segments 184a-184c of the housing 184. However, in alternative embodiments, the first and second conduits 190, 195 may be only partially contained within the wall segments 184a-184c, or may be disposed outside the wall segments 184a-184c along the length of the transfer tooling 120. Additionally, although the elements 190, 195 are described as conduits for ease of reference, it will be understood that such conduits need not have a tubular or cylindrical cross-sectional shape, and other channels and other shapes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the present embodiment.

[0033] In this embodiment, first and second tubes 190, 195 can each deliver vacuum pressure or positive compressed fluid pressure from fluid supply connection 125 toward body 140 of transfer tooling 120. For example, a single hose coupled to fluid supply connection 125 can split evenly into first and second tubes 190, 195, such that first and second tubes 190, 195 effectively deliver the same positive or negative pressure in tandem.

[0034] The first and second channels 192, 197 can be disposed in fluid communication with the chamber 198 at a downstream location as shown in the partial cutaway view of Figure 2B and the cross-sectional view of Figure 5. A control valve, e.g., a pneumatic valve, can selectively provide vacuum or positive fluid pressure to the channels 192, 197 and then to the chamber 198 and body 140.

[0035] As explained further below, according to one aspect, the downstream end point 191 of the first tube 190 terminates at an upstream location relative to the downstream end point 196 of the second tube 192, as shown in the partial cutaway view of FIG. 2B. After extensive experimental testing, it was determined that staggering the downstream end points 191, 196 of the first and second tubes 190, 195, as opposed to both tubes terminating at the same upstream or downstream location, enhances the performance characteristics of holding the wide array of strips 71 against the body 140.

[0036] 6A-6C, additional features of the body 140 of the transfer tooling 120 are illustrated and described. In addition to the front and rear segments 141, 142, the body 140 has two axial boundaries 143, 144 that are spaced apart from one another. An axial centerline 149 is equidistant between the axial boundaries 143, 144, as shown in FIG. 6A.

[0037] In this embodiment, the front segment 141 of the body 140 forms an angle α with the main longitudinal axis L because the end 141a of the front segment 141 terminates upstream relative to the opposite end 141b, as shown in Figure 6A. The angle α may correspond to the bias angle of the belt being manufactured. In contrast, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B and 6A, the two axial boundaries 143, 144 are generally parallel to the main longitudinal axis L, and the rear segment 142 is generally perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis L.

[0038] The body 140 further includes a plurality of slots 150. In this embodiment, the plurality of slots 150 are angled relative to the main longitudinal axis L. The angle of the slots 150 may be the same as the angle α that the front segment 141 makes relative to the main longitudinal axis L, or may be at a different angle.

[0039] A first series of slots 152 is provided between axial centerline 149 and axial boundary 143, where, for illustrative purposes, the slots 152 located nearest forward segment 141 are labeled as 152a and the slots located nearest aft segment 142 are labeled as 152n (regardless of the actual number of slots in the series). Similarly, a second series of slots 154 is provided between axial centerline 149 and axial boundary 144, where, for illustrative purposes, the slots 154 located nearest forward segment 141 are labeled as 154a and the slots located nearest aft segment 142 are labeled as 154n.

[0040] The body 140 further includes a plurality of openings 160. In this embodiment, one opening 160 is disposed in fluid communication with each corresponding slot 150, as can be seen in Figure 6A.

[0041] As best seen by returning to the cross-sectional view of Figure 4, the slots 150 extend to a depth 159 into the lower surface 147 of the body 140. Each opening 160 extends between its corresponding slot 150 and a chamber 198, as seen in Figures 4 and 5. As mentioned above, the first and second channels 192, 197 are disposed in fluid communication with the chamber 198 at a location downstream thereof, such that vacuum or positive pressure provided through the first and second channels 192, 197 is ultimately routed to the slot 150 via the chamber 198 and opening 160 as an intermediate path.

[0042] In this manner, the strip 71 is held adjacent to the underside 147 of the body 140 when a vacuum force is applied to the slot 150, and conversely, the strip 71 is blown away from the underside 147 of the body when a positive pressure is applied to the slot 150.

[0043] In accordance with one aspect, extensive experimental testing resulted in a unique arrangement and dimensioning of slots 150 and holes 160 in a manner that can accommodate a wide range of strip sizes without any user adjustments. For example, FIG. 6B shows a first strip 71a that is shown as extending a relatively long length and, in fact, straddling each of slots 152a-152n and also each of slots 154a-154n. In FIG. 6C, another strip 71b extends a shorter length than strip 71a; i.e., strip 71b begins at slots 152a and 154a but terminates before slots 152n and 154n.

[0044] Previous designs provided inner sliders that required user intervention to adjust the inner slider each time a different size strip was selected for use, e.g., strip 71a and strip 71b. If the inner slider was not adjusted properly, there was not enough vacuum pressure to allow the strip to be picked up and placed by the transfer tooling. Specifically, if the inner slider was adjusted so that the slots were open too much compared to the desired strip length, the open slot areas not touching the strip would not allow sufficient vacuum pressure to be generated adjacent to the strip, and the strip would not be picked up. On the other hand, if the inner slider was adjusted to be narrower than the strip length, the leading edge of the material would not receive enough vacuum pressure to pick it up, and the material would curl up as the transfer tooling attempted to move it.

[0045] In this embodiment, the placement and dimensioning of slots 150 and holes 160 provide sufficient pressure to hold and blow off strips of various sizes, e.g., strips 71 a and 71 b, without requiring any adjustment of the inner slider or transfer tooling 120. In other words, a simple selection of the placement and dimensioning of slots 150 and holes 160 is optimized to provide sufficient pressure to handle a large number of strips. Furthermore, the relationship between strips 71 a and 71 b does not require a change in the level of pressure applied to chamber 198 and thus slot 150.

[0046] One important feature of this embodiment is that each hole 160 is provided in communication with a corresponding slot 150. In other words, each hole 160 is limited to a location between the inner boundary 157 of a particular slot 150 and the outer boundary 158 of that same slot 150, as shown in FIG. 6A. In contrast, in prior designs, a single hole was centered between adjacent slots but not in the slot itself, and in this case, as described above, the inner slider was adjusted based on strip size to exert positive or negative pressure on the slot.

[0047] From another perspective, by eliminating the centrally located holes of prior designs that are not provided in the slots at all, the slots of the present invention extend a long distance D1 toward the axial centerline 149 of the body 140. Accordingly, the distance D2 between adjacent rows of slots is significantly reduced compared to previously known designs. In the example of FIG. 6A , the distance D2 is less than 1 inch (2.54 cm), and preferably less than 0.5 inches (1.27 cm). In this particular embodiment, the distance D2 is approximately 0.375 inches (9.525 mm). In short, extensive testing has shown that by positioning adjacent rows of slots so closely together, the body 140 is optimized to handle a large number of strips 71 without requiring adjustment of the inner slider.

[0048] In particular, the two axial boundaries 143, 144 of the body 140 are spaced apart from one another by a distance D3. In one embodiment, when the distance D3 is approximately 7.75 inches (19.69 cm), the distance D1 is approximately 5.1 to 5.2 inches (12.96 to 13.21 cm), and the distance D2 is approximately 0.375 inches (9.525 mm).

[0049] In practice, distance D3 may vary depending on the incoming strip width during production, and the length of slot D1 may vary with distance D3 based on the strip width being processed. However, distance D2 between adjacent rows of slots may be a constant dimension for different sizes of transfer tooling 120, regardless of strip width or bias. Applicant's testing has demonstrated that a constant distance D2 works well for many strip widths and bias angles, with distances D1 and D3 adjusted to be longer for wider strips and shorter for narrower strips.

[0050] From yet another perspective, the diameter d of the holes 160 (best seen in FIG. 4) ranges from about 15% to 60% of the width w1 of the slots 150 (best seen in FIG. 6A and labeled slot 154a). In one embodiment, the ratio of the diameter d of the holes 160 to the width w1 of each of these slots is about 25-50%. Testing has shown that this range is advantageous for handling a large number of strips 71 without requiring adjustment of the inner slider.

[0051] According to yet another aspect, at least one hole 160 located near the front segment 141 of the body 140 has a different diameter than holes located near the rear segment 142. Specifically, the diameter d1 of the hole 160 in slots 152a and 154a in FIG. 6A can be larger than the diameter d2 of another hole 160′ in slots 152n and 154n. In one non-limiting embodiment, the diameter d1 of the hole 160 can be approximately 0.125 inches (3.175 mm), resulting in a ratio of approximately 50% of the hole diameter to the slot width of slots 152a and 154a. In contrast, in the same embodiment, the diameter d2 of the holes 160' may be approximately 0.0625 inches (1.588 mm), resulting in a hole diameter to slot width ratio of approximately 25% for slots 152n and 154n, assuming that the widths of slots 152a and 154a remain the same as slots 152n and 154n. Advantageously, assuming that strips 71a and 71b are always located at the front segment 141 of body 140 regardless of size, this varying hole diameter allows the front rows to have a wide range of slot to slot ratios to provide sufficient pressure. On the other hand, because smaller strips (e.g., strip 71b) do not cover the rear slots, the design limits the amount of open space through which pressure could be lost if the strip were not present. In some embodiments, some of the slots in the front row of slots (e.g., slots 152a, 154a, plus the next 2-8 rows) may have larger hole diameters, while the remaining rows of slots may have smaller hole diameters.

[0052] As noted above, the downstream end point 191 of the first tube 190 terminates at a location downstream relative to the upstream end point 196 of the second tube 195, as shown in the cutaway view of Figure 2B. After extensive experimental testing of tube placements in conjunction with the hole and slot configurations described above, it was determined that staggering the downstream end points 191, 196 of the first and second tubes 190, 195, as opposed to both tubes terminating at the same upstream or downstream location, enhances the performance characteristics of holding the wide array of strips 71 against the body 140.

[0053] Referring to Figures 7A-7C, an alternative body 240 is illustrated and described. The primary difference between the embodiments is that in Figures 6A-6C, the front region 141 of the body 140 and the slot 150 are at an angle to the main longitudinal axis L, whereas in Figures 7A-7C, the front region 241 of the body 240 and the slot 250 are substantially perpendicular to the main longitudinal axis L. Identical reference numbers in Figures 6A-6C correspond to identical reference numbers in Figures 7A-7C, e.g., slot 150 in Figures 6A-6C corresponds to slot 250 in Figures 7A-7C. In particular, the operation of the transfer tooling and advantages achieved with the design of Figures 7A-7C are generally identical to the operation and advantages described in detail with reference to Figures 6A-6C.

[0054] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention should not be limited except as defined in light of the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their equivalents. Moreover, the advantages described herein are not necessarily the only advantages of the present invention, and it is not necessarily expected that every embodiment of the present invention will achieve all of the described advantages.

Claims

1. a transport system configured to move a portion of the strip within a belt manufacturing system, the transport system comprising: a first segment having a body adapted to engage the strip, the body having a front end and a rear portion; a second segment joined to the fluid source; a plurality of slots disposed on a surface of the body, the plurality of slots including a first slot located near the front end and a second slot located near the rear portion; a plurality of holes; a first hole fluidly connects the fluid supply with the first slot; a second hole fluidly connects the fluid source with the second slot; The first hole has a larger diameter than the second hole.

2. 2. The transfer system of claim 1, wherein the body has a horizontal centerline located equidistant between a first lateral boundary and a second lateral boundary of the body, the first slot being positioned between the horizontal centerline and the first lateral boundary, and an end of the first slot being positioned adjacent an end of a third slot that is positioned between the horizontal centerline and the second lateral boundary.

3. 3. The transfer system of claim 2, wherein an inner boundary of said first slot is positioned less than 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) from an adjacent inner boundary of said third slot.

4. 2. The transfer system of claim 1, wherein a single hole is provided for each of said plurality of slots, said holes and said slots having a one-to-one correspondence.

5. 5. The transfer system of claim 4, wherein each of said holes is confined within a perimeter of its respective slot.

6. The transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the first hole is in the range of about 25% to about 50% of the width of the first slot.

7. A transfer system as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of slots are arranged in a series of rows including a first row located near the front end and a second row located near the rear portion, the first row always engaging with the strip regardless of the dimensions of the strip, and the second row engaging with strips of dimensions larger than the first dimension but not engaging with strips of dimensions smaller than the first dimension.

8. 2. The transfer system of claim 1, wherein an elongated support extends between portions of the first and second segments, the elongated support having a housing, and first and second tubes are provided within at least a portion of the housing, the first and second tubes facilitating fluid communication between the fluid source and the plurality of slots.

9. The transfer system of claim 8 , wherein the first tube has a downstream end that terminates at a location upstream relative to a downstream end of the second tube.

10. The transfer system of claim 8 , further comprising a chamber disposed adjacent the body, the chamber providing fluid communication between the first and second tubes and the plurality of slots.

11. a transport system configured to move a portion of the strip within a belt manufacturing system, the transport system comprising: a first segment having a body adapted to engage the strip, the body including the first segment having a front end and a rear portion; a second segment joined to the fluid source; an elongated support extending between portions of the first and second segments, the support including a plurality of slots in a surface of the body; fluid communication is possible from the fluid supply to the plurality of slots, such that the fluid communication with the plurality of slots can hold the strip against the body or blow the strip away from the body; a first tube extending along at least a portion of the elongated support, the first tube and the second tube facilitating fluid communication between the fluid supply and the plurality of slots, the first tube having a downstream end point terminating at a location upstream relative to a downstream end point of the second tube, and a first distance between the downstream end point and the front end of the first tube being greater than a second distance between the downstream end point and the front end of the second tube.

12. The transfer system of claim 11 , further comprising a chamber disposed adjacent the body, the chamber providing fluid communication between the first and second tubes and the plurality of slots.

13. The transport system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of slots are arranged in a series of rows, with a first slot in a first row positioned immediately adjacent a second slot in the first row.

14. 14. The transfer system of claim 13, wherein an inner boundary of the first slot is positioned less than 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) from an adjacent inner boundary of the second slot.

15. 12. The transfer system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of holes, a first hole fluidly connecting the fluid supply to a first slot, and at least one additional hole fluidly connecting the fluid supply to a slot other than the first slot.

16. 1. A method of transporting a portion of a strip within a belt manufacturing system, the method comprising: providing a transfer system including a first segment having a body adapted to engage the strip and a second segment coupled to a fluid source, the body having a plurality of slots in a surface thereof; providing fluid communication from the fluid source to the plurality of slots, the fluid communication with the plurality of slots enabling the strip to be held against the body or blown away from the body; transporting a first strip of a first dimension through engagement with the body; thereafter, transporting a second strip of a second dimension through engagement with the body, the second dimension being different from the first dimension; The method wherein the second strip is transferred after the first strip without adjusting the position of the inner slider to adjust the vacuum pressure.

17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein a first row of the plurality of slots engages each of the first and second strips, a next row of the plurality of slots engages only the first strip and not the second strip, the first row including first holes that fluidly connect the first strip to the fluid supply source, and the next row including second holes that fluidly connect the first strip to the fluid supply source and that are smaller than the first holes.

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