Elastic Folding-Back Roller for Thin Tire Belt Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

When the main belt material and rubber sheet in tire manufacturing are made thinner, wrinkles and air entry between layers become more frequent, compromising the reliability and durability of the belt layer.

Innovation Solution

A belt manufacturing apparatus with a folding-back roller having an elastic member that deforms inwardly to follow the main belt material's width variations, ensuring the rubber sheet is bent against it with a defined load, preventing defects like air entry or wrinkling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If the main belt material and rubber sheet are made thinner, then tire weight is reduced, but wrinkles and air entry between layers occur more frequently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetire weightVSAvoidbelt layer reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical parameter of the folding-back roller surface from rigid to elastic by using an elastic member. This allows the roller to adapt its contact pressure dynamically, maintaining reliable folding of thin rubber sheets without causing wrinkles or air entry, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing weight and maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic adaptability to the folding-back process by using an elastic member that can deform inward. This dynamic mechanism allows the roller to adjust to width variations of the main belt material while maintaining consistent contact pressure, preventing defects in thin rubber sheets and ensuring reliable folding

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the main belt material width varies, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but folding-back quality deteriorates due to air entry or wrinkling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewidth variation adaptabilityVSAvoidfolding-back quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic member provides dynamic adaptability to width variations while maintaining consistent folding pressure. The roller surface can deform inward or outward based on the actual width of the main belt material, ensuring high-quality folding-back across different width specifications without air entry or wrinkling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the contact mechanism from fixed rigid contact to elastic deformation. This parameter change allows the folding-back roller to accommodate width variations within an expected range while maintaining the necessary folding pressure, thus improving both adaptability and manufacturing precision simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 apparatus maintains tire reliability and durability by continuously applying elastic force to the rubber sheet, effectively suppressing defects even when the main belt material's width varies.

Implementation Method 1

a roller surface that comes into contact with the rubber sheet is formed by an elastic member that can be elastically deformed inward in the radial direction of the folding-back roller

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4635725A1Belt manufacturing apparatus, folding-back roller, and belt manufacturing method
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 BRIDGESTONE CORP
  • EP4635725A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4635725A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4635725A1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Provided are a belt manufacturing device, a folding-back roller, and a belt manufacturing method that do not degrade the reliability and durability of a tire even when material used in the belt layer of the tire is made thinner. The belt manufacturing apparatus (200) includes: a conveyance unit for main belt material (10) (main belt conveyance unit (50)); and a rubber sheet folding-back unit (30) including a folding-back roller (31) that folds back, from one side of the main belt material (10) to the other side of the main belt material (10), regions of a rubber sheet (20) that outwardly protrude from both ends of the main belt material (10) in the width direction. The folding-back roller (31) has a roller surface that comes into contact with the rubber sheet (20) and is formed by an elastic member (31c) that can be elastically deformed inward in the radial direction of the folding-back roller (31).