Spiral Sponge Cassette Winding for Uniform Tire Inner Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for attaching sponges to the inner circumferential surface of tires are inefficient, inaccurate, and non-uniform, particularly when dealing with varying sponge sizes and shapes, as they require manual labor and are limited by the size of the sponge holding frame.

Innovation Solution

A production method involving a sponge storage cassette with a winding core and pressing member, where the sponge material is wound in a spiral shape and compressed, allowing for efficient and accurate attachment of sponges of various sizes and shapes to the tire's inner surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual work is used to attach sponges to tire inner circumferential surfaces, then flexibility in handling various sponge specifications is maintained, but production efficiency and attachment uniformity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to handle various sponge specificationsVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The attaching device is divided into multiple independent attaching units, each capable of handling different sponge specifications. The device includes a frame with multiple attaching units arranged along the circumferential direction, allowing each unit to independently attach sponges of varying sizes and shapes to different regions of the tire inner surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The attaching device is designed as a universal system that can handle various sponge specifications through adjustable attaching units. Each attaching unit includes adjustable positioning mechanisms and attaching means that can adapt to different sponge dimensions, making the device versatile for producing tires with different sponge configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual work is used to attach sponges to tire inner circumferential surfaces, then adaptability to various sponge shapes is maintained, but attachment accuracy and uniformity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to attach various sponge shapesVSAvoidattachment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The device performs preliminary positioning and preparation of sponges before actual attachment. The attaching units include positioning mechanisms that pre-align sponges with the tire inner surface, ensuring accurate placement before the attaching means secures them. This preliminary action guarantees high attachment accuracy for various sponge shapes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The attaching units are designed with dynamic adjustment capabilities, allowing them to adapt their position and configuration based on the specific sponge shape and size. The adjustable mechanisms enable real-time modifications during the attachment process, maintaining high precision across different sponge specifications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If large-sized sponges are used, then sound-damping performance is improved, but the bulk of spiral sponge increases making it impossible to set in sponge holding frame

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad noise reductionVSAvoidbulk of spiral sponge
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Large sponges are divided into multiple smaller sponge sections that can be individually handled and attached. The multiple attaching units are configured to process and attach these segmented sponges to different regions of the tire inner surface, enabling the use of large total sponge area for noise reduction without requiring a single large bulky spiral sponge that cannot fit in the holding frame.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a single large spiral sponge in the radial dimension, the device distributes multiple sponges across the circumferential dimension of the tire. This dimensional transformation allows achieving equivalent or superior sound-damping performance by spreading the sponge material throughout the tire's inner circumference, avoiding the bulk issue of a single large sponge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Adaptability or versatility

If sponge holding frame size is increased to accommodate larger sponges, then ability to handle various sponge sizes is improved, but the frame cannot be set inside the tire through bead seat hole

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to accommodate various sponge sizesVSAvoidsize of sponge holding frame
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The sponge holding system is segmented into multiple smaller holding positions distributed across the frame, each capable of accommodating sponges of different sizes. Rather than requiring a single large holding frame, the device uses multiple smaller holding locations that can be independently configured, allowing the overall frame to remain compact enough to pass through the bead seat hole while still accommodating various sponge sizes through its distributed structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This method enables stable and high-quality production of sponge-attached tires by ensuring uniform attachment and accommodating different sponge specifications, improving efficiency and accuracy in the manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

a step of rotating the winding core to wind the sponge material thereonto in a spiral shape to store the sponge material in the sponge storage cassette

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpiral winding: Helix

Implementation Method 2

the sponge material passing between the pressing member and the winding core is compressed by causing the pressing member to come closer to the winding core

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Implementation Method 3

The sponge is an elastic material. To hold the sponge material as a spiral sponge, it is necessary to restrict the spiral sponge by using some kind of means.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4116073B1Production method for sponge-attached tire
Publication Date: 2024.12.11 SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP4116073B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4116073B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4116073B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A production method includes the steps of: mounting a sponge storage cassette 72 including a winding core 102, to a winding device 152; setting an end portion of a sponge material M into the winding core 102; and rotating the winding core 102 to wind the sponge material M thereonto in a spiral shape to store the sponge material M in the sponge storage cassette 72. In the step of storing the sponge material M in the sponge storage cassette 72, the sponge material M passes between the winding core 102 and a pressing member 184 as the winding core 102 rotates, the sponge material M passing between the pressing member 184 and the winding core 102 is compressed by causing the pressing member 184 to come closer to the winding core 102, and the compressed sponge material M is wound onto the winding core 102.