Bead Wire Crimping Station With On-Demand U-Shaped Sleeve Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crimping technologies for bead wires in tire manufacturing are complex and result in overthickness, leading to increased abrasion and imbalance in pneumatic tires, due to the use of complex-shaped crimping sleeves that are difficult to implement and require stockpiling.
Innovation Solution
A crimping station with a sleeve preparation subassembly that produces lightweight, U-shaped sleeves directly from a continuous metal strip, using a feed device, shaping device, and cutting device to create preformed sleeves that are then crimped around thread ends, eliminating the need for stockpiling and simplifying the crimping process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex-shaped crimping sleeves are used to join thread ends, then reliable joining is achieved, but the bead wire develops overthickness causing increased abrasion and imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the crimping sleeve from complex multi-part shapes to simple U-shaped profiles. This parameter change maintains the joining function while eliminating overthickness, thereby reducing abrasion and imbalance in the pneumatic tire.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential function of joining from the complex sleeve geometry, retaining only the necessary U-shaped crimping structure. This removal of unnecessary geometric complexity eliminates the overthickness problem while preserving the reliable joining capability.
2Reliability
If complex-shaped crimping sleeves are used, then joining function is achieved, but the device complexity and difficulty of implementation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs simple, inexpensive U-shaped crimping sleeves that can be easily manufactured and replaced. These simple-profile sleeves are much easier to implement than complex multi-part sleeves, reducing device complexity while maintaining the joining function.
3Productivity
If stockpiling of crimping sleeves is implemented, then continuous production is supported, but storage space and handling requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The crimping station is equipped with an integrated sleeve preparation subassembly that automatically produces crimping sleeves on-demand from metal strip. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external stockpiling and storage space, while maintaining continuous production through automated sleeve fabrication.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve preparation subassembly performs preliminary action by continuously producing and supplying crimping sleeves to the crimping tool. This ensures continuous production is maintained without requiring large stockpiles, as sleeves are prepared just-in-time.
4Productivity
If automated sleeve preparation is implemented, then productivity and reliability improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the sleeve preparation functions (feeding, shaping, cutting) directly into the crimping station as an integrated subassembly. This consolidation improves productivity and reliability through automation while avoiding the complexity of separate standalone sleeve preparation equipment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables automated, reliable, and efficient production of bead wires with reduced crimping cycle time and raw material usage, while avoiding overthickness and simplifying the crimping tool architecture, resulting in a more compact and effective crimping station.
Implementation Method 1
a shaping device (30) designed to plastically deform said strip (11) in order to give said strip a concave curved cross section
Implementation Method 2
said crimping tool can press on and close up said sleeve preform (12), by plastic deformation, to form a sleeve (3) around the first and second thread end portions (5, 6)
Data Source
AI summary
A crimping station comprising a crimping tool designed to crimp a sleeve around a first end portion of a thread and around a second end portion of a thread, said crimping station comprising a sleeve preparation subassembly which has a feed device that supplies a metal strip and conveys said strip as far as a shaping device designed to plastically deform said strip in order to give said strip a concave curved cross section, so as to obtain a preformed strip, and then as far as a cutting device which is designed to sever a portion of length of said preformed strip in order to obtain a sleeve preform that a loading tool places within the crimping tool.