Calender Roller Lateral Protrusions for Rubber Edge Regularity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Recent rubber compounds used in tire casing manufacturing are less malleable, leading to appearance defects such as irregular lateral edges and cohesion issues, causing cracks and tearing during storage and transport.
Innovation Solution
A modified calender system with rotating rollers and adjustable intermediate lugs, hoops, and presser fingers to improve profiling precision and edge regularity, along with a detachment table and evacuation system to prevent cohesion defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional calender profiling is used on recent rubber compounds, then the profiling operation can be performed, but appearance defects occur including irregular lateral edges and cohesion issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by equipping the intermediate roller with lateral protrusions (frets) at specific locations to profile only the lateral edges of the rubber mixture. This localized action targets the edge regularity problem without affecting the overall profiling process, allowing different parts of the rubber compound to receive different treatments - the edges receive profiling action while the center maintains its cohesion properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral protrusions act as an intermediary element between the intermediate roller and the rubber mixture. These protrusions transfer the profiling action from the roller to the lateral edges of the mixture, enabling precise edge definition without directly compressing the entire mixture, thus preventing cohesion issues while achieving edge regularity.
2Productivity
If raw rubber mixtures are profiled using conventional calender, then the profiling operation completes, but the profiles exhibit cohesion defects causing cracks and tearing during storage and transport
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the profiling action into two distinct functions: the intermediate roller with lateral protrusions profiles the lateral edges, while the lower roller profiles the bottom surface. This segmentation allows each roller to perform its specific function without over-compressing the mixture, maintaining cohesion while completing the profiling operation efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
By applying profiling action only at specific locations (lateral edges via protrusions and bottom surface via lower roller) rather than uniformly across the entire mixture, the patent maintains the internal cohesion of the rubber compound while still achieving the required profiling, preventing cracks and tearing during subsequent handling.
3Ease of operation
If the intermediate lugs contact the rollers to guide the mixture, then the mixture is directed towards the profiling gap, but appearance defects appear on the lateral edges
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral protrusions on the intermediate roller serve as an intermediary that refines the lateral edges of the rubber mixture after the intermediate lugs have guided the mixture into position. The protrusions provide the final shaping action on the edges, ensuring regularity while the lugs continue to perform their guidance function.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate lugs perform the preliminary action of guiding and positioning the rubber mixture into the profiling gap. Once the mixture is properly positioned, the lateral protrusions then perform the finishing action on the lateral edges, ensuring regularity. This sequential action maintains both ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
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
The solution ensures regular lateral edges and improved cohesion, reducing appearance defects and preventing tearing of profiled strips during storage and transport, enhancing the manufacturing process for less malleable rubber compounds.
Implementation Method 1
the intermediate roller (114) and the lower roller (116) are separated by a second distance d1 in the vertical plane PV1, this second distance d1 defining the height of a second profiling gap 124
Implementation Method 2
three rotating rollers arranged so that the axis of rotation A112 of the upper roller 112 is located above the axis of rotation A114 of the intermediate roller 114
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~5A
AI summary
The invention relates to a profiling calender (110), the calender (110) comprising an intermediate roll (114) and a lower roll (116) separated by a distance (d1) defining the height of a second profiling nip (124), the calender (110) comprising a pair of intermediate lugs (120) located at the ends of the intermediate roll (116) and of the lower roll (114) and comprising two quarter-circle bearing surfaces (130, 132) meeting at the second profiling nip (124), wherein each end of the intermediate roll (114) or of the lower roll (116) is equipped with a collar (140) attached to the roll and inserted between that roll (114, 116) and the quarter-circle bearing surface (130, 132) of an intermediate lug (120), thereby increasing the radius of the roll (114, 116) by a height (H) equal to the second distance (d1) in order to improve the appearance of the edges of the profiled member obtained by the calendering process.