Radially Expandable Drum Deck for Tire Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expandable decks for tire manufacturing lack radial support, leading to non-uniform tires due to centrifugal forces and distortion during high-speed spinning and tire component consolidation, limiting their ability to produce a wide range of sizes without additional equipment and increased time and cost.
Innovation Solution
A deck design featuring a combination of fixed and pivot segments mounted on a central expansion mechanism, with pivot segments supported at two locations to prevent radial displacement, allowing for radial expansion and contraction while maintaining a cylindrical shape and supporting the working surface across a wide range of diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If plates with interwoven fingers are used to create expandable decks, then the deck can be expanded to different diameters, but the outboard ends of the fingers become unsupported and distort under centrifugal force during high-speed spinning
Solution Approach 1:
The deck is divided into multiple segments that can be independently supported. Each segment is backed by a separate drum carrier, creating discrete supported zones along the deck length. This segmentation allows the deck to maintain stability in each zone while still achieving overall expandability through carrier movement.
Solution Approach 2:
Drum carriers serve as intermediary structures between the expandable deck segments and the central actuator. These carriers provide the necessary support structure that prevents finger distortion while enabling radial expansion. The carriers act as mediators that transmit force from the actuator to the deck segments while maintaining structural integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the deck is expanded to larger diameters using interwoven fingers, then more tire sizes can be manufactured, but the fingers distort inwardly during tire component consolidation causing non-uniform tires
Solution Approach 1:
The deck is divided into multiple segments that can be independently supported. Each segment is backed by a separate drum carrier, creating discrete supported zones along the deck length. This segmentation allows the deck to maintain stability in each zone while still achieving overall expandability through carrier movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural parameters of the deck are changed by moving the drum carriers radially to different positions. This changes the supported diameter of the deck while maintaining the structural integrity and uniformity of the working surface. The parameter change enables different tire sizes to be manufactured with consistent precision.
3Device complexity
If a single deck is used to manufacture various tire sizes, then equipment cost is reduced, but additional time is required for deck adjustments between sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The drum carriers are designed to be dynamically adjustable along the deck length and radially positioned to different diameters. This dynamic configuration allows the deck to be quickly repositioned for different tire sizes without requiring complete deck replacement or complex reconfiguration, reducing adjustment time while maintaining a single-deck system.
4Productivity
If the deck is spun at high speeds, then tire manufacturing productivity increases, but centrifugal force causes the unsupported fingers to extend outwardly from the deck
Solution Approach 1:
The deck is divided into multiple segments that can be independently supported. Each segment is backed by a separate drum carrier, creating discrete supported zones along the deck length. This segmentation allows the deck to maintain stability in each zone while still achieving overall expandability through carrier movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The drum carriers and their associated segments are designed to maintain a circular arc configuration during rotation. The carriers are positioned and structured to ensure that the supported portions of the deck maintain perfect circularity even at high rotational speeds, preventing distortion and maintaining tire 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 provides a stable and infinitely adjustable cylindrical working surface that prevents radial distortion, enabling the production of various tire sizes with simple adjustments, reducing operational time and costs by maintaining uniformity and circularity during high-speed operations.
Implementation Method 1
when the deck is spun, at high speeds, centrifugal force causes the fingers to extend outwardly from the deck
Data Source
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AI summary
An expandable drum comprises a plurality of elongated drum carriers (30) mounted upon an expansion mechanism (15) in a generally parallel and cylindrical formation. A first rod (40) is mounted upon a first one of the drum carriers. A second rod (60) is mounted upon an adjacent second drum carrier. A pivot segment (50) defines a rotation aperture (65) and a guide slot (55). The rotation aperture is rotatably mounted upon the second rod (60) and the guide slot (55) slidingly receives the first rod (40).