Dual Tire Component Servicer Lateral Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dual tire component servicers face issues with lateral shifts and deformations of breaker cushions due to material relaxation or tension, leading to inaccurate splicing and reduced tire quality.
Innovation Solution
A dual tire component servicer with independently movable pick-and-place units that can adjust lateral positions automatically, using sensors and control units to align leading and trailing ends of tire components for precise splicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual visual alignment is used to position pick-and-place units, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to lateral shifts and deformations of tire components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual alignment with an optical measurement system (laser scanner or camera) that automatically detects the lateral positions of tire components. This substitution of mechanical/manual operations with optical detection enables precise measurement without increasing mechanical complexity, resolving the contradiction between alignment precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect the actual lateral positions of tire components and feeds this information back to the control unit. The control unit then automatically adjusts the pick-and-place units' positions based on this feedback, enabling continuous correction and maintaining high precision without requiring complex mechanical alignment mechanisms.
2Manufacturing precision
If lateral positions are fixed after manual alignment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates due to material relaxation and tension causing position shifts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the pick-and-place units dynamically adjustable in the lateral direction during the transfer process. Instead of fixing positions beforehand, the system allows real-time lateral movement of pick-and-place units to compensate for tire component deformations, maintaining splicing accuracy without requiring complex pre-alignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of tire component positions using optical sensors before the transfer operation. This advance detection allows the control unit to pre-calculate the necessary lateral adjustments, enabling accurate splicing while keeping the actual operation simple and automated.
3Manufacturing precision
If independent lateral movement of pick-and-place units is implemented, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional lateral drives and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the lateral drive functionality into the existing pick-and-place unit structure, making the lateral movement mechanism part of the universal transfer system. This multi-functional design allows the same mechanical structure to perform both transfer and lateral adjustment functions, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit merges the detection, calculation, and adjustment functions into a single integrated system. The lateral drives are controlled through the existing control unit that manages the transfer operation, combining multiple control functions into one centralized system rather than adding separate control mechanisms, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a dual tire component servicer (1) and a method for supplying a first tire component (91) and a second tire component (92) to a tire building drum(D), wherein the dual tire component servicer comprises a first conveyor (21) and a second conveyor (22) for conveying the first tire component and the second tire component, respectively, in a supply direction (X) towards the tire building drum (D), wherein the dual tire component servicer further comprises a first pick-and-place unit (31) and a second pick-and-place unit (32) for transferring the first tire component and the second tire component, respectively, from their respective conveyors to the tire building drum (D), wherein the first pick-and-place unit (31) and the second pick-and-place unit (32) are automatically and independently movable relative to each other in a lateral direction (Y) perpendicular to the supply direction (X).