Winding Support for Tire Blanks Splicing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional tire building methods on a tire building drum face issues with uneven surfaces from roller lever systems, leading to suboptimal splicing of tire parts and increased wear and tear on side-curved bellows, resulting in lower production quality and frequent replacements.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing a completely closed metal bell as a winding support, which provides a smooth and closed surface for splicing, and is moved pneumatically or with a double-acting pneumatic cylinder for efficient operation, potentially with a non-stick coating to prevent material deformation, and made of materials like steel or aluminum for easy coating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a roller lever system is used to turn up the sidewalls, then the sidewalls can be folded around the bead cores, but the uneven surface of the rollers prevents optimal splicing of the material web

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesidewall foldingVSAvoidsplicing quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system is divided into two functional parts: the roller lever system for sidewall folding and the winding support for material web splicing. The winding support acts as a separate, movable platform that provides a dedicated smooth surface for splicing operations, while the roller levers continue to perform their sidewall folding function independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The winding support serves as an intermediary element between the material web and the roller levers. It provides a smooth intermediate surface that enables proper splicing of the material web, while allowing the roller levers to operate underneath it for sidewall folding without directly contacting the material web during splicing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If side-curved bellows are used to press the sidewalls against the curved carcass, then the sidewalls can be turned up, but the bellows are subject to high wear and tear requiring frequent replacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesidewall turning upVSAvoidbellows durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The winding support extracts the splicing function from the roller lever system, allowing the roller levers to focus solely on their sidewall folding function. This separation reduces the operational complexity and wear on each component, particularly on the side-curved bellows that work in conjunction with the roller levers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Manufacturing precision

If the winding support provides a completely closed smooth surface for splicing, then splicing quality is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesplicing qualityVSAvoidwinding support structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The winding support is designed as a flexible, bell-shaped structure that can be easily moved back and forth in the axial direction. This simple geometric form provides a completely closed smooth surface when needed for splicing, while requiring minimal structural complexity. The bell shape naturally provides the required smooth, enclosed surface without additional complex components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The winding support is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be dynamically positioned during the tire building process. It moves into position to provide the smooth splicing surface, then moves away to allow the roller levers to operate underneath. This dynamic behavior eliminates the need for complex fixed structures while maintaining the splicing quality benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 method ensures high-quality splicing over the entire width of the material web, reducing material deformation and wear, thereby enhancing the production quality of green tires and minimizing the need for frequent replacements of worn parts.

Implementation Method 1

the winding support is moved pneumatically and with a pneumatic cylinder in the axial direction of the tire building drum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPneumatic drive: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

the winding support has a non-stick coating in relation to rubber materials

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNon-stick coating: Hydrophobe

Data Source

PatentEP2279853B1Method for producing tyre blanks on a tyre construction drum
Publication Date: 2012.09.26 CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
  • EP2279853B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2279853B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2279853B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The method involves combined splicing of front and rear ends of a tire construction element on a tire construction drum, and forming a closed surface area by a belt sleeve support (1) for combined splicing of material sheets in an optimal manner. A tire core is set with a core clamping device (8), and the belt sleeve support is driven back outwards axially, and radial roller levers (5) are lifted. Tire blanks and the levers are shaped for turning up tire side walls (2). The tire side walls are rolled up with rollers (7) of the roller levers for completing production of the blanks.