Tread-Only Tire Cooling Fixture to Prevent Sidewall Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for cooling cured tires after molding often result in sidewall and bead deformation due to the tire's weight, and require inflation to maintain shape, adding complexity and cost to the tire production process.
Innovation Solution
A cooling fixture that engages only the tread of the cured tire using cup segments with inclined and curved contact surfaces, preventing sidewall and bead deformation without the need for inflation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the cured tire is laid on its side to cool, then the cooling process is simple, but sidewall and bead deformation occurs due to the tire's weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cooling fixture as an intermediary device between the tire and the support surface. The fixture includes a base and a support member with a curved surface that contacts only the tread area of the tire, providing mechanical support that prevents sidewall and bead deformation while allowing the tire to cool. This mediator resolves the contradiction by enabling simple cooling without direct contact between the tire and the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The support member is designed with a specific curved surface geometry that matches the tread area of the tire. By concentrating support only at the tread location rather than distributing it across the entire tire, the fixture provides localized support that prevents deformation while maintaining cooling simplicity. The curved surface is specifically shaped to contact only the tread area, leaving the sidewalls and beads unsupported and free to cool naturally.
2Manufacturing precision
If the tire is mounted on a fixture and inflated to maintain shape during cooling, then deformation is prevented, but equipment and process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of shape maintenance from the complex inflation process. Instead of using air pressure to maintain tire shape, the invention uses a mechanically designed support member with a curved surface that naturally maintains the tire's shape through geometric constraint. This removes the need for inflation equipment while achieving the same shape preservation goal.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling fixture is designed to maintain tire shape through its own geometric structure rather than requiring external inflation pressure. The curved support surface inherently provides the necessary shape maintenance function, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for additional inflation equipment and processes.
3Manufacturing precision
If the tire is mounted on a fixture and inflated to maintain shape during cooling, then deformation is prevented, but process cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fixture appears to be a simple, inexpensive mechanical device consisting of a base and support member, replacing the need for expensive inflation equipment and associated controls. The fixture is likely a one-time or reusable component that provides shape maintenance without the ongoing costs of inflation systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is provided that has a frame, and a first cup segment that has a first contact surface that is both curved and inclined relative to a vertical direction. The first cup segment is movable relative to the frame. The first contact surface is configured for engaging a warm, cured tire for holding. The tire has a sidewall, and a tread with a tread edge and a tread contact surface. The first contact surface is configured for engaging the tread and is not configured for engaging the sidewall for holding.