Automated Tyre Splicing via 180-Degree Material Loop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for butt-splicing tire components result in material wastage and non-uniform tire properties due to direct overlapping on the tire building drum, making automated integration into the tire building process challenging.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that involve spreading the cut-to-length material web in a plane, gripping its end sections with splicing elements, pivoting them 180°, and guiding them vertically to create a ring-like deformation for butt-splicing, using pairs of movable clamping jaws with toothed surfaces for precise alignment and connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If end sections of material web are overlapped directly on the tire building drum, then splicing can be performed, but material wastage occurs and tire uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions the splicing operation from a two-dimensional planar overlap on the drum surface to a three-dimensional process where the material web is lifted, folded back, and joined in a vertical plane. The splicing device positions end sections vertically opposite each other, enabling butt-splicing without material overlap, thus eliminating wastage while maintaining splicing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of overlapping end sections horizontally on the drum surface, the invention inverts the approach by folding the material web back on itself and joining end sections vertically. This inversion of the splicing geometry allows precise alignment and butt-splicing without material build-up, resolving the contradiction between splicing ease and material efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If end sections of material web are overlapped directly on the tire building drum, then splicing can be performed, but tire uniformity deteriorates due to material build-up and stretching
Solution Approach 1:
By moving the splicing operation to a vertical arrangement where end sections are positioned vertically opposite each other, the invention eliminates horizontal material build-up on the drum surface. This dimensional change ensures uniform tire construction without the precision-deteriorating effects of overlapping and stretching.
Solution Approach 2:
The splicing device performs preliminary alignment and positioning of end sections in a controlled vertical environment before final joining. This preliminary action ensures precise alignment and prevents stretching, thereby maintaining tire uniformity while enabling splicing capability.
3Productivity
If automated butt-splicing is implemented, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The splicing device integrates multiple functions into a single apparatus: it holds material web end sections, pivots them through 180 degrees, positions them vertically opposite each other, and performs the splicing operation. This multi-functionality enables automated productivity while consolidating complexity into a unified device rather than multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The device employs dynamic, movable components including pivoting mechanisms and adjustable holding positions that adapt during operation. This dynamic design enables automated handling and splicing while using motion and flexibility to reduce the need for complex fixed structures, thereby improving productivity with manageable device complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a method that can be used in the automated construction of a vehicle tyre, using butt spliced tyre components, for example consisting of material webs that are composed of textile cords or steel cords that are embedded in a rubber mixture, to produce, for example, a carcass insert of the vehicle tyre. According to said method, the end sections of the cut material web can be clamped in a splicing device comprising pairs of upper and lower splicing elements, which can be displaced in relation to one another and said sections can be butt spliced. The cut material web (5) is spread out on one plane and its end sections (5a, 5b) are seized by the splicing elements (9, 10; 11, 12) of one of the pairs of splicing elements (9, 10; 11, 12). Said splicing elements (9, 10; 11, 12) are then pivoted in opposite directions through 180° and are simultaneously guided or driven into a vertical position in relation to the second pair of splicing elements (9, 10; 11, 12), thus forming a loop in the material web. Finally, the end sections are spliced.