Pneumatic Tire Tread Molding and Strip Winding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing pneumatic vehicle tires using strip winding are slow due to gradual application, limiting production speed and precision, especially for delicate tread geometries.

Innovation Solution

A method combining molding and strip winding, where a rubber profile is molded and then processed to create a cap section, followed by winding additional rubber components to form a vulcanized tire with a multi-component tread, enhancing production speed and precision by reducing template changes and maintaining a larger extruded cap component.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If strip winding is used to wind rubber components helically around a reinforcement layer, then tread geometry flexibility and precision are improved, but production speed deteriorates due to step-by-step application

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetread geometry precisionVSAvoidproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The tread is divided into multiple rubber components (first rubber component, second rubber component, third rubber component) that are wound in sequence. Each component can be independently formed and wound, allowing for precise control of complex tread geometries while maintaining efficient production through modular processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first rubber component is wound around the reinforcement layer before subsequent components are added. This preliminary winding establishes the base tread structure, allowing subsequent components to be precisely positioned and integrated, thereby achieving complex geometries systematically without repeated template changes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If frequent template changes are made for shaping after extrusion to produce different tread geometries, then tread design flexibility is improved, but production speed deteriorates due to template change time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetread design flexibilityVSAvoidproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Different rubber components with distinct properties and geometries are used in specific locations of the tread. The first rubber component forms the base tread, while the second and third components add specific features like shoulder blocks or center ribs. This allows complex tread designs to be achieved by combining standardized components rather than requiring custom templates for each design variation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The winding apparatus can wind multiple different rubber components using the same basic winding mechanism. By varying the rubber component specifications and winding parameters rather than changing the fundamental shaping tool, the system achieves multiple tread designs with a universal winding process, eliminating frequent template changes

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

Data Source

PatentEP3760424B1Method for the production of a pneumatic vehicle tyre, use of strip winding for winding one or more rubber components, device for carrying out the method and a pneumatic vehicle tyre which is produced or can be produced according to the method
Publication Date: 2024.08.28 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP3760424B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3760424B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6
  • EP3760424B1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a vehicle pneumatic tire, comprising the following steps: A) molding at least one rubber compound to produce a first cap section of a tread of a vehicle pneumatic tire, such that a rubber profile for producing a first cap section of a tread of a vehicle pneumatic tire is formed, B) processing the rubber profile so that a first cap section (3) for producing a tread section of a vehicle pneumatic tire results, C) winding one or more further rubber components onto the first cap section to produce a tread section of a vehicle pneumatic tire by strip-winding, so that a tire blank for vulcanization is formed, wherein the tire blank comprises an unvulcanized tread with a second cap section (4) consisting of the one or more further rubber components and with the first cap section.D) Vulcanizing the resulting tire blank so that a vehicle pneumatic tire is formed comprising a tread with the first cap section (3) and with the second cap section (4) consisting of one or more rubber compounds.