Tyre Noise-Reducing Element Placement With Pre-Aligned Adhesive Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for applying noise-reducing elements to vehicle tires lack efficiency and repeatability in the adhesive application process, leading to suboptimal productivity in manufacturing lines.

Innovation Solution

The process involves aligning and compacting noise-reducing elements before applying adhesive, ensuring precise alignment and mutual contact, which allows for clean and precise detachment of the adhesive layer, thereby increasing productivity and repeatability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If manual or semi-automatic methods are used for applying noise-reducing elements to tyres, then flexibility and adaptability are maintained, but productivity and manufacturing efficiency are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidautomation level
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service automation where the noise-reducing elements automatically align and compact themselves on the conveyor belt through controlled movement and positioning mechanisms, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive layer is pre-applied to the noise-reducing elements before they are positioned on the tyre, and the elements are pre-aligned and compacted on the conveyor belt, enabling rapid automated assembly without manual positioning steps

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If adhesive is applied without precise alignment and compacting of noise-reducing elements, then the process is simpler and faster, but the detachment of adhesive layer becomes messy and inconsistent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesive distribution consistencyVSAvoidalignment and compacting mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The noise-reducing elements are aligned and compacted on the conveyor belt before the adhesive application step, ensuring precise positioning and mutual contact. This preliminary arrangement guarantees clean detachment of the adhesive layer during subsequent processing without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The process is segmented into distinct stages: alignment on conveyor belt, compacting to ensure mutual contact, adhesive application, and detachment. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently, achieving high precision without excessive overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3544798B1Process and apparatus for applying noise-reducing elements to a tyre for vehicle wheels
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 PIRELLI TYRE SPA

AI summary

The invention relates to a process and an apparatus (1) for applying noise-reducing elements to a tyre for vehicle wheels. The process comprises arranging a plurality of noise-reducing elements (100) on a feeding belt (20) movable along a predetermined feeding direction (A). Such noise-reducing elements (100) are subsequently aligned along said feeding direction (A) and brought into mutual contact, to then be transferred onto a service plane (10) arranged downstream of said feeding belt (20) along said feeding direction (A) and having, on an upper surface thereof, a continuous film (5) which supports a layer of adhesive material (5a). Said layer of adhesive material (5a) is applied onto a lower surface of each of said noise- reducing elements (100) taking it from said continuous film (5). The noise-reducing elements (100) are then transferred one by one onto a conveyor belt (30) arranged downstream of said service plane (10) along said feeding direction (A). The noise-reducing elements (100) are finally positioned one by one on a radially inner surface of a tyre.