Modular Tire Turn-Up Apparatus for Variable Drum Diameters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tire building operations require different integrated tire building drums for various tire sizes, leading to high costs, limited adaptability, and increased maintenance downtime due to the need for frequent drum changes and complex internal mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A modular tire turn-up apparatus that is completely external to the tire building drum, allowing for adjustable finger configurations to accommodate different drum diameters and guide slots, enabling the same drum to perform multiple operations without internal mechanisms, thus reducing downtime and increasing production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If integrated tire building drums with internal turn-up mechanisms are used, then tire turning-up function is built-in, but device complexity and cost increase, and adaptability to different drum diameters decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The turn-up mechanism is extracted from the internal structure of the drum and placed as an external apparatus. The external turn-up apparatus includes fingers that engage with the tire carcass from outside the drum, eliminating the need for complex internal mechanisms while maintaining the turning-up function and enabling adaptability to different drum diameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The external turn-up apparatus is designed to be universally applicable to drums of different diameters. The apparatus can be adjusted and reconfigured to work with various drum sizes, making a single multi-functional device replace multiple specialized integrated drums.
2Productivity
If multiple integrated drums of different diameters are used for different tire sizes, then specific tire sizes can be accommodated, but loss of time increases due to frequent drum changes and maintenance downtime
Solution Approach 1:
A single external turn-up apparatus is designed to handle multiple drum diameters and tire sizes through adjustment mechanisms. This eliminates the need to change drums for different tire specifications, reducing downtime and improving productivity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The external turn-up apparatus incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable components that can dynamically adapt to different drum diameters. This dynamic adjustability allows quick reconfiguration between different tire sizes without requiring physical drum changes, reducing maintenance downtime and improving production efficiency.
3Ease of repair
If integrated turn-up drums are used, then turn-up function is built-in, but ease of repair deteriorates due to difficult and time-consuming maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The turn-up mechanism is extracted from the drum's internal structure and implemented as a separate external apparatus. This separation makes the turn-up function independently accessible and maintainable, simplifying repair procedures while reducing the complexity burden on the drum itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The tire building system is segmented into separate functional modules: the drum structure and the external turn-up apparatus. This segmentation allows independent maintenance and repair of the turn-up function without affecting the drum, improving ease of repair while reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A tire turn-up apparatus for selectively engaging a cylindrical tire building drum may include a base and a first plurality of finger assemblies. The tire building drum may be a selected drum from a group of drums of different drum diameters. Each finger assembly may have a backstop connected to the base and a finger pivotally connected to the backstop. Each finger may be moveable between a radially retracted and extended position to turn-up the tire carcass. Each finger may be radially adjustable on its respective backstop to align with different drum diameters.