Tire Building Drum Underlay to Prevent Turn-Up Bladder Pinching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing tire building drums suffer from turn-up bladders getting caught, stuck, or pinched between pressing arms and their hinges, leading to damage and reduced lifespan due to repeated pinching during the turning-up operation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an underlay between the hinges and the turn-up bladder, which is designed to slide easily over the pressing arms and provide a smooth, protected surface, reducing the risk of pinching and extending the bladder's lifespan by shielding it from sharp edges and acute angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the turn-up bladder is directly supported on the pressing arms and hinges, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the bladder gets pinched and damaged during operation
Solution Approach 1:
An underlay is introduced as an intermediary element between the pressing arms/hinges and the turn-up bladder. The underlay has a smooth surface that prevents the bladder from getting pinched or damaged by the hinge mechanism, while still allowing the pressing arms to effectively press against the bladder during turning-up operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is segmented into distinct functional layers: the pressing arms provide mechanical pressing force, the underlay provides a protective smooth interface, and the bladder provides the turning-up function. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the others.
2Force
If the pressing arms are inclined during turning-up operation, then the turning-up force is effectively applied, but the bladder is forced towards hinges causing pinching
Solution Approach 1:
The underlay acts as a mediator between the inclined pressing arms and the bladder. It provides a smooth surface that redirects the forcing action away from the hinge gaps, preventing the bladder from being forced into pinching positions while maintaining the effectiveness of the turning-up force.
Solution Approach 2:
The underlay is positioned in advance to cushion and protect the bladder from potential pinching hazards at the hinge locations. This preventive measure ensures that even when pressing arms are inclined during operation, the bladder is shielded from harmful forces.
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
The underlay effectively prevents the turn-up bladder from being damaged by hinges, thereby increasing its lifetime without modifying the bladder itself, ensuring consistent performance and reduced maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
it may slide more easily over the pressing arms than the turn-up bladder
Implementation Method 2
it may have a relatively high compression resistance or be relatively stiff along the pressing arms
Data Source
AI summary
A tire building drum and a method are provided for turning-up a tire component. The tire building drum comprises a drum body that is rotatable about a drum axis, an inflatable turn-up bladder extending in a circumferential direction about the drum axis around the drum body for turning-up a tire component supported on said turn-up bladder, and a plurality of pressing arms for pressing against the turn-up bladder during the turning-up of the tire component. The tire building drum further comprises a plurality of hinges for hingably connecting the pressing arms to the drum body. The plurality of hinges is located underneath the turn-up bladder when the turn-up bladder is uninflated. The tire building drum is further provided with an underlay extending between at least one hinge of the plurality of hinges and the turn-up bladder in a radial direction.