Wire Guide Block Geometry for High-Speed Tire Cord Centering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing sheathed reinforcing elements for tires face issues with wire guide block-induced abrasion of metal wire elements, leading to breakages and production interruptions, especially at high speeds.
Innovation Solution
A wire guide block design featuring centering portions with specific radii and evacuation portions to minimize abrasion and facilitate material evacuation, ensuring robust centering and efficient production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wire elements are run through a wire guide block at high speed, then productivity is improved, but abrasion of the wire surface increases leading to breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The wire guide block is divided into multiple centering portions (at least three) that are disjointed from each other, creating separate zones for wire centering. This segmentation reduces continuous contact friction while maintaining centering effectiveness, allowing high-speed operation without excessive abrasion.
Solution Approach 2:
Each centering portion has specifically designed centering surfaces with particular geometries (radii between 1.03 and 1.20 times the wire radius) tailored to the local wire position. This localized optimization ensures minimal friction and wear at each contact point while maintaining overall centering accuracy.
2Manufacturing precision
If centering surfaces are closely fitted to wire elements for precise centering, then centering accuracy is improved, but abrasion and material accumulation increase
Solution Approach 1:
Evacuation portions are integrated into the wire guide block to extract and remove abrasive material from the centering zones. These evacuation channels actively take out the harmful abrasive particles generated during wire centering, preventing their accumulation and subsequent wire breakage while maintaining close-fitting centering surfaces for precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The centering surfaces are designed with specific radii (1.03-1.20 times the wire radius) that optimize the balance between contact pressure for centering accuracy and friction reduction. This converts the potentially harmful effect of close contact into a beneficial controlled interaction that achieves precision while minimizing wear.
3Ease of manufacture
If wire guide block structure is simplified, then ease of manufacture is improved, but centering precision and abrasion control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The wire guide block is designed as a single component that simultaneously performs multiple functions: centering wires through multiple centering portions, evacuating abrasive material through integrated evacuation portions, and guiding wire elements. This multi-functionality maintains manufacturing simplicity while achieving precise centering and abrasion control.
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
The solution effectively reduces the risk of metal wire element breakage while maintaining high production speeds, achieving a balance between centering accuracy and robustness.
Implementation Method 1
When a wire element is run through a wire guide block, the frictional forces exerted by the wire guide block on the surface of the wire element lead to abrasion of the surface of the wire element
Implementation Method 2
the frictional forces exerted by the wire guide block on the surface of the wire element lead to abrasion of the surface of the wire element
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a wire guide block comprising an opening for guiding a plurality n of metal wire elements, each metal wire element k having a radius r 1,k. The guiding hole comprises: - a plurality of n centring portions, each centring portion being configured to centre a metal wire element k along a centring axis A c which is orthogonal to a plane P i for discharging the metal wire element, each centring portion being inscribed, in the plane P i , in a circle C i which is centred on a point of the centring axis A c and which has a radius r 2,k greater than or equal to 1.03 r 1,k and less than or equal to 1.20 r 1,k , each centring portion being delimited by at least three centring surfaces which are tangential to the circle C i , - at least one main discharge portion which is configured to discharge a material resulting from the abrasion of the metal wire elements when they pass between the centring surfaces of the centring portions. The main discharge portion forms a passage which connects at least two centring portions to each other.