Tire Building Drum Ply Transfer With Adjustable Shoulder Wheel Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transfer apparatuses struggle with the reliable transfer of thin breaker plies due to the center and shoulder rollers occupying space on the transfer ring, leading to deformation and unpredictable behavior of the plies.

Innovation Solution

The method involves a transfer apparatus with movable ring segments and shoulder wheels that adjust to match the width of the plies, providing additional support at the edges, and optionally includes additional ring segments to fill gaps where regular segments are absent.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the center roller and shoulder rollers are positioned on the transfer ring, then the plies can be stitched to the carcass package, but the ring segments cannot be mounted at those locations, causing local interruption in segment distribution and leading to ply deformation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of transferVSAvoidcircular shape of thin breaker plies
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The shoulder wheels are made movable in the axial direction, allowing them to adjust their position dynamically. They can move apart to accommodate thin breaker plies and provide support at the longitudinal edges, then return to their original position for normal operation. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to adapt to different ply thicknesses and maintain ply stability without compromising the stitching function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If the center roller is lowered to provide support to thin breaker plies, then additional support is available where ring segments are absent, but the cylindrical shape and free rolling nature of the center roll increases unpredictable behavior of the plies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport to breaker plyVSAvoidpredictability of breaker ply behavior
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a single center roller, the support function is segmented into multiple shoulder wheels positioned at different locations. Each shoulder wheel provides localized support at the longitudinal edges of the plies, distributing the support function across multiple discrete points rather than one continuous rolling surface. This segmentation reduces unpredictable behavior while maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shoulder wheels act as intermediary elements between the transfer ring and the breaker plies. Rather than using the center roller directly, the shoulder wheels mediate the support function, providing controlled contact points that stabilize the plies without the unpredictable rolling motion of a free-rolling center roller.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the shoulder wheels are positioned at a fixed width, then the structure is simple, but they cannot adapt to different ply widths, reducing versatility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure of shoulder wheelsVSAvoidadaptability to different ply widths
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The shoulder wheels are designed with movable positioning in the axial direction, allowing them to adjust their spacing dynamically. This enables the same structure to accommodate different ply widths by moving the shoulder wheels apart or together as needed, providing versatility without requiring multiple fixed-width configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4282636B1Method for transferring one or more plies onto a carcass package on a tire building drum
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 VMI HOLLAND BV
  • EP4282636B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4282636B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4282636B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for transferring one or more plies onto a carcass package on a tire building drum using a transfer apparatus, wherein the method comprises the steps of: - transferring one or more plies onto a carcass package on a tire building drum using the transfer apparatus; and - moving the two shoulder wheels apart in an axial direction parallel to the central axis to match a width of the one or more plies in an axial direction, wherein the two shoulder wheels provide additional support to the one or more plies during the transfer at the longitudinal edges of said one or more plies.