Tire Building Drum Radial Segment Supports Sidewall Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle tire manufacturing processes are limited in producing certain tire constructions, particularly those where the end regions of the outer sidewall components are arranged over the tire belt/tread package, due to complex and restrictive steps in the tire building process.
Innovation Solution
A method involving finishing the tire carcass on a carcass drum without sidewalls, transferring it to a sidewall drum for sidewall connection only at the tire beads, using radially expandable segment supports on a building drum to press the tire beads and sidewalls into compliant pads for firm connection, and then moving the carcass to a crowning drum for further processing, allowing for the production of special tire constructions without the need for complex inner sidewall turning steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sidewalls are placed on the carcass drum during tire building, then the tire carcass can be completed, but certain tire constructions cannot be manufactured due to process limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The tire building process is segmented into distinct stages: carcass building on the carcass drum, then transferring to a building drum for sidewall attachment and turning up. This segmentation allows different tire constructions to be manufactured by adjusting parameters at each stage rather than requiring a single complex process to handle all variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The building drum incorporates radially expandable segment supports that can dynamically adjust their configuration. The segments can be expanded radially to receive and hold the bead cores and sidewalls in different positions, enabling the manufacturing of various tire constructions including those where end regions of outer sidewall components are arranged over the tire belt/tread package.
2Ease of manufacture
If inner sidewall components are turned up on the crowning drum, then the tire can be crowned, but the process requires complex turning steps and components
Solution Approach 1:
The inner sidewall components are turned up in advance on the building drum before the tire is transferred to the crowning drum. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex turning steps and components on the crowning drum, simplifying its design and the overall manufacturing process.
3Manufacturing precision
If bead cores are held by complex bead holder segments, then the beads can be positioned, but the device structure becomes relatively complex
Solution Approach 1:
The bead holder segments are designed to be radially movable rather than fixed in a complex structure. The segments can be moved radially to release the bead cores, allowing them to be conveyed from the bead conveyor to the building drum where they are positioned with sufficient precision for the manufacturing process.
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
Enables the production of special tire constructions that were previously not possible, simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating the need for complex inner sidewall turning on the crowning drum, and reduces the complexity of components on the crowning drum, while ensuring firm connections between sidewalls and the tire carcass.
Implementation Method 1
the segment supports of the building drum expand, whereby the tire beads and the sidewalls are pressed into the flexible segment supports at least so far that the inner sidewall components are completely pressed into the flexible segment supports
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves connecting depressed portions of outer sidewall components (202) with an outer portion of a tire carcass (1). A flexible segment support (5) is moved together with a structure drum (3). The carcass of a carcass transfer unit (7) and sidewalls (2) are attached on a crowning drum. The transfer unit is driven coaxially relative to the structure drum. The carcass is crowned relative to sides of sidewalls. The sidewalls are twisted with high impact on a side of the tire carcass so as to combine the tire carcass with coaxially arranged tire belt tread package. An independent claim is also included for a device for manufacturing a vehicle pneumatic tire.