Toroidal Support Protrusions for Tyre Precuring Heat Exchange
Solution Overview
Problem
In tyre manufacturing processes without a vulcanization bladder, the pressurized fluid directly contacts the inner surface of the green tyre, leading to potential permeation issues, mechanical strength deficiencies, and disuniformities, causing defects and inefficiencies in the moulding and curing steps.
Innovation Solution
The toroidal support is equipped with protruding elements on its radially inner surface to enhance heat exchange, allowing for quicker and more uniform precuring of the elastomeric layer and tyre bead regions, reducing vulcanization time and energy consumption, and improving heat dissipation post-process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the pressurized fluid directly contacts the inner surface of the green tyre without a vulcanization bladder, then the moulding and curing steps can be simplified, but permeation issues, mechanical strength deficiencies, and disuniformities occur causing defects
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric layer is precured by heating the toroidal support before the main vulcanization process. This preliminary curing action strengthens the inner surface of the green tyre, preventing permeation and mechanical strength deficiencies that would occur with direct fluid contact, while still maintaining process simplification
2Manufacturing precision
If the toroidal support is heated for precuring the elastomeric layer, then mechanical strength and uniformity are improved, but energy consumption and vulcanization time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The toroidal support is divided into multiple heating zones with independent temperature control. This segmentation allows targeted heating of specific regions requiring precuring, improving uniformity while reducing overall energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary heating of already-sufficient areas
3Manufacturing precision
If the toroidal support is heated for precuring, then defect reduction and mechanical strength improvement are achieved, but vulcanization time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric layer is precured before main vulcanization to prevent defects and improve mechanical strength. This preliminary action ensures that when the pressurized fluid is introduced, the layer has sufficient strength to resist permeation, thereby reducing the need for extended vulcanization time to correct defects later
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 solution ensures a uniform and homogeneous precuring of the tyre, reducing defects, improving mechanical strength, and enhancing the efficiency of the tyre manufacturing process by minimizing disuniformities and energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
at least partially precuring the elastomeric layer by heating the toroidal support
Implementation Method 2
introducing a primary working fluid into at least one diffusion gap defined between the inner surface of the green tyre and the toroidal support in order to press the outer surface of the green tyre against the inner walls of the moulding cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A process for manufacturing a tire by the steps of producing and assembling the tire structural elements on a toroidal support to form a green tire, and the step of precuring at least an inner surface of the green tire by heating the toroidal support. The radially inner surface of the toroidal support is provided with a plurality of protruding elements to reduce the time required for the outer surface of the toroidal support to reach a temperature which is suitable for ensuring a uniform and homogeneous precuring of the inner surface of the green tire, preferably of the inner surface and the bead regions of the green tire.