Tire Carcass Cord Splicing for Continuous Forming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tire manufacturing methods face productivity issues due to the inefficiency in using reinforcing cords, which often results in waste as the cords may not be long enough to complete a tire, leading to disruptions in the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A method and forming system that utilize multiple feeding units to continuously feed and join reinforcing cords, employing a splice mechanism to ensure continuous winding and extension of the cords, thereby avoiding waste and maintaining productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single reinforcing cord is used to form the reinforcing member, then the structure is simple, but the cord length must be extremely long which is difficult to prepare and store
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing cord is divided into multiple shorter cords (first reinforcing cord, second reinforcing cord, etc.) that are fed sequentially. Each cord has a manageable length that can be easily prepared, stored, and handled, eliminating the need for extremely long single cords while maintaining continuous reinforcement coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The leading end of the next reinforcing cord is paid out in advance before the previous cord is completely used. This preliminary preparation ensures that when one cord ends, another is already positioned and ready for immediate joining, preventing production interruptions.
2Ease of manufacture
If the forming process stops when a reinforcing cord becomes insufficient in length, then the cord can be replaced, but the green tire being formed may be wasted and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The forming process continues without interruption by sequentially feeding multiple reinforcing cords. When one cord is exhausted, the next cord is already paid out and joined to maintain continuous reinforcement member formation, eliminating stops and preventing green tire waste.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the remaining portion of a used reinforcing cord, the system joins it with the leading end of the next cord through splicing. This recovers the usable length of the previous cord and extends it with the new cord, maximizing material utilization and maintaining production continuity.
3Loss of substance
If multiple feeding units are introduced to feed reinforcing cords sequentially, then cord waste is eliminated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple feeding units are designed with identical or similar structures, each capable of feeding a reinforcing cord independently. This modular approach allows the system to handle multiple cords simultaneously while maintaining ease of operation and maintenance, as each unit performs the same function and can be replaced or serviced independently.
4Reliability
If the leading edge portion of the next reinforcing cord is joined to the preceding cord during formation, then continuous reinforcement is achieved, but the joining process adds time and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The leading end of the next reinforcing cord is paid out in advance before the joining operation is needed. This preliminary positioning reduces the actual joining time by eliminating the need to retrieve and position the cord during the critical formation process, thereby minimizing production time loss while ensuring continuous reinforcement.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing a tire, a forming system for the tire, and the tire are provided. A preceding carcass cord from one feeding unit is used to form a carcass layer while being fed to a forming drum, and a leading edge portion of a next carcass cord is paid out from another feeding unit in advance. At a time when a predetermined length of the preceding carcass cord is fed, a splice mechanism is used to join the leading edge portion of the next carcass cord to the preceding carcass cord to make the leading edge portion of the next carcass cord continuous with the preceding carcass cord. Then, with the next carcass cord fed to the forming drum, formation of the carcass layer is continued to complete the carcass layer.