CA1146635A - Method of engraving indicium on a tire by laser beam - Google Patents
Method of engraving indicium on a tire by laser beamInfo
- Publication number
- CA1146635A CA1146635A CA000374447A CA374447A CA1146635A CA 1146635 A CA1146635 A CA 1146635A CA 000374447 A CA000374447 A CA 000374447A CA 374447 A CA374447 A CA 374447A CA 1146635 A CA1146635 A CA 1146635A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tires
- group
- tire
- laser beam
- indicium
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
- B29D30/00—Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof
- B29D30/06—Pneumatic tyres or parts thereof (e.g. produced by casting, moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding, centrifugal casting)
- B29D30/72—Side-walls
- B29D2030/728—Decorating or marking the sidewalls after tyre vulcanization
Landscapes
- Tyre Moulding (AREA)
- Laser Beam Processing (AREA)
- Moulds For Moulding Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
- Shaping Of Tube Ends By Bending Or Straightening (AREA)
Abstract
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CURED TIRE
ABSTRACT
A method of manufacturing a cured tire including classifying the tire for uniformity, blemishes or the like, exposing the cured tire to a laser beam after classification, and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the tire in such manner as to cause the laser beam to engrave the surface of the tire after classification in accordance with the classification.
ABSTRACT
A method of manufacturing a cured tire including classifying the tire for uniformity, blemishes or the like, exposing the cured tire to a laser beam after classification, and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the tire in such manner as to cause the laser beam to engrave the surface of the tire after classification in accordance with the classification.
Description
63~
~ETHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CURED TIRE
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a cured ,., tire. I
Heretofore, it has been common to form raised lettering on a 5 tire by utili~ing a mold having recesses which form the raised letters on the tire, and the raised letters are cured integrally with the tire when the tire is cured. Tires have also been made with recessed lettering thereon formed during curing by raised portions of the mold. Such molds, however, are expensive to manufacture.
10 Tires have also been made which have recessed markings placed thereon after curing by hot or cold brandin~ techniques which generally do not provide sufficiently accurate markings.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved method of manufacturing a cured tire which ~;15 avoids one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages and limita-3tions of prior methods of manufactùring tires.
In accordance with the invention, the method of manufacturing a cured tire comprises classifying the tire after curing, exposing the cured tire to a laser beam after classification, and changing the 20 relative positions of the laser beam and the tire in such manner as to cause the laser beam to engrave the surface of the tire after classification in accordance with the classification.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further obj ects thereof, reference is made to the
~ETHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CURED TIRE
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a cured ,., tire. I
Heretofore, it has been common to form raised lettering on a 5 tire by utili~ing a mold having recesses which form the raised letters on the tire, and the raised letters are cured integrally with the tire when the tire is cured. Tires have also been made with recessed lettering thereon formed during curing by raised portions of the mold. Such molds, however, are expensive to manufacture.
10 Tires have also been made which have recessed markings placed thereon after curing by hot or cold brandin~ techniques which generally do not provide sufficiently accurate markings.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved method of manufacturing a cured tire which ~;15 avoids one or more of the above-mentioned disadvantages and limita-3tions of prior methods of manufactùring tires.
In accordance with the invention, the method of manufacturing a cured tire comprises classifying the tire after curing, exposing the cured tire to a laser beam after classification, and changing the 20 relative positions of the laser beam and the tire in such manner as to cause the laser beam to engrave the surface of the tire after classification in accordance with the classification.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further obj ects thereof, reference is made to the
2 5 following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.
Referring now to the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly diagrammatic, of apparatus useful in the method of the present invention;
30Fig. 2 i6 an enlarged, fragmentary view of an engraved letter - on a cured tire;
Fig. 3 i6 an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, partly diagrammatic, of the Fig. 1 apparatus engraving a tire;
Fig. 3a is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, partly 35 diagrammatic, of a laser beam from the Fig. 1 apparatus engraving a tire; "~"
Referring now to the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly diagrammatic, of apparatus useful in the method of the present invention;
30Fig. 2 i6 an enlarged, fragmentary view of an engraved letter - on a cured tire;
Fig. 3 i6 an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, partly diagrammatic, of the Fig. 1 apparatus engraving a tire;
Fig. 3a is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, partly 35 diagrammatic, of a laser beam from the Fig. 1 apparatus engraving a tire; "~"
3~
Fig. 4 is an enlarged, sectional view of a portion af a cured tire having a groove laser-engraved therein; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view, partly diagramma-tic, of apparatus usef~l in the method of engraving the tread surface o~ a cured ~ire I in accordance with the present invention.
Referring IlOW more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a cured pneumatic tire 10 of standard construction is mounted by means of a conventional chuck mechanism 10a shown in simplified form, on the shaft of a motor 11. The motor 11 preferably i6 mounted on a conventional 3 axis mill 12 for motion in the x, y, and z directions. The mill 12 may, for example, be a 3~axis numer-ical control tape controlled mill of a type so]d by Boston Digital Corporation, Holliston, Massachusetts under the trademark Bosto-t Matic.
A commeraally available industrial laser 13, for example, of the Everlase 150, a trademark, CO2 type sold by Coherent Radiation -~ Co., Palo Alto, California, is positioned for volatilizing the surface of the tire with its laser beam.
The method of engraving the cured tire 10 comprises exposing 2 the cured tire to a laser beam and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the tire in such manner as to cause the laser beam to engrave the surface of the tire. The mill 12 and motor 11 of Fig. 1 preferably are controlled to change the position of the tire relative to the laser beam to cause the laser beam to engrave 2 5 the sidewall surface of the tire .
In Fig. 1 the laser beam has engraved the indicia U N in the form of recessed letters on the sidewall as part of the brand name UNIROYAL, a registered trademark of Uniroyal, Inc.
The letter N is shown in enlarged view in Fig. 2, where it will - 3 be seen that the border 14 of the letter is a groove of the cross-sectional shape generally represented in Fig. 4. The groove may, for example, be .060 inch deep and .050 inch wide at the top of the i~ groove. As represented in Fig. 2 the portion 15 of the letter N
enclosed within the grooved border 14 is not recessed. However, 35 the width and depth of the groove may be readily controlled as represented in Fig. 3 by adjustably positioning the tube 16 which holds lens 17 of the laser to change the position of the ~ocal point i35 18 of the laser beam 19 and thereby control the size of the beam which strikes the surface of the tire. In some cases, the enffre surface of the letter N may be recessed.
The cured tire may be marked with the brand name after 5 classification for unliforlLity or for blemishes or the like. The brand name may be selected in accordance with the classification of the tire. Tires from the same mold and with a similar appearance may be given different brand names, if desired.
Laser engraving of the cured tire may also form, for example, 0 a logo, a signature, a picture or decorative recessed pattern in the sidewall surface. Also, a brand name may be modified by, for example, molding a one-word portion of the name and adding a second word by laser engraving after the tire has been cured.
The depth of recessed letters on the sidewall of the tire may 15 be controlled, for example, by appropriate control of pulsed opera-- tion of the laser beam or control of the relative speed of motion of the tire. Color contrast between the recessed letters and the background may be provided by, for example, engraving through a black cover strip over a white sidewall layer to expose recessed 20 white letters against a black background. As represented in Fig.
3a, the laser beam 19 has a focal point 18 adjusted to cause the beam to engrave through a black cover strip 24 over a white side-wall layer 25 to expose a recessed white border 14a similar to the border 14 of a letter such as represented in Fig. 2.
Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawings, the cured tire may be classified for uniformity, blemishes or the like and after classifi-cation the cured tire 21 may be mounted for rotation by a suitable chuck mechanism 21a, shown in simplified form, on the shaft of a motor 20 mounted on a 3-axis numerical control tape-controlled mill 3 23. The method includes the step of exposing the tread surface of the tire to a laser beam and the step of changing the relaffve positions of the laser beam and the tire in such manner as to cause ~ t i ~ the laser beam to cut the tread surface of the tire. As representedin Fig. 5, the laser beam may engrave slits 22 or sipes in the tread 35 surface, thereby giving the tire a different appearance and perfor-mance. The laser beam may also be adjusted to engrave wider grooves in the tread surface. Thus, an existing tread surface .
s pattern may be modified, after dassification of the tire, in accor dance with the classification or a tread having no pattern thereon may be laser-engraved with a pattern after classification o~ the tire, in accordance with the classification.
The method of mahufacturing a plurality of tires comprises .` curing a plurality of tires in one or more molds of the same prede-termined configuration. The method comprises exposing individually a first group of selected cured tires to a laser beam and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the individual selected 10 tires of the first group to engrave an indicium representative of the first group of selected tires into the individual selected tires.
Indicia representative of the first group of selected tires may be a first brand name.
T he method also comprises exposing individually a second 15 group of selected cured tires to a laser beam and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the individual selected tires of the second group to engrave an indicium representative of the second group of selected tires into the individual selected tires of the second group. Indicia representative of the second group of 20 selected tires may be a second brand name.
While there have been described what are at present believed to be the preferred embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it 25 is, therefore, aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged, sectional view of a portion af a cured tire having a groove laser-engraved therein; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view, partly diagramma-tic, of apparatus usef~l in the method of engraving the tread surface o~ a cured ~ire I in accordance with the present invention.
Referring IlOW more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a cured pneumatic tire 10 of standard construction is mounted by means of a conventional chuck mechanism 10a shown in simplified form, on the shaft of a motor 11. The motor 11 preferably i6 mounted on a conventional 3 axis mill 12 for motion in the x, y, and z directions. The mill 12 may, for example, be a 3~axis numer-ical control tape controlled mill of a type so]d by Boston Digital Corporation, Holliston, Massachusetts under the trademark Bosto-t Matic.
A commeraally available industrial laser 13, for example, of the Everlase 150, a trademark, CO2 type sold by Coherent Radiation -~ Co., Palo Alto, California, is positioned for volatilizing the surface of the tire with its laser beam.
The method of engraving the cured tire 10 comprises exposing 2 the cured tire to a laser beam and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the tire in such manner as to cause the laser beam to engrave the surface of the tire. The mill 12 and motor 11 of Fig. 1 preferably are controlled to change the position of the tire relative to the laser beam to cause the laser beam to engrave 2 5 the sidewall surface of the tire .
In Fig. 1 the laser beam has engraved the indicia U N in the form of recessed letters on the sidewall as part of the brand name UNIROYAL, a registered trademark of Uniroyal, Inc.
The letter N is shown in enlarged view in Fig. 2, where it will - 3 be seen that the border 14 of the letter is a groove of the cross-sectional shape generally represented in Fig. 4. The groove may, for example, be .060 inch deep and .050 inch wide at the top of the i~ groove. As represented in Fig. 2 the portion 15 of the letter N
enclosed within the grooved border 14 is not recessed. However, 35 the width and depth of the groove may be readily controlled as represented in Fig. 3 by adjustably positioning the tube 16 which holds lens 17 of the laser to change the position of the ~ocal point i35 18 of the laser beam 19 and thereby control the size of the beam which strikes the surface of the tire. In some cases, the enffre surface of the letter N may be recessed.
The cured tire may be marked with the brand name after 5 classification for unliforlLity or for blemishes or the like. The brand name may be selected in accordance with the classification of the tire. Tires from the same mold and with a similar appearance may be given different brand names, if desired.
Laser engraving of the cured tire may also form, for example, 0 a logo, a signature, a picture or decorative recessed pattern in the sidewall surface. Also, a brand name may be modified by, for example, molding a one-word portion of the name and adding a second word by laser engraving after the tire has been cured.
The depth of recessed letters on the sidewall of the tire may 15 be controlled, for example, by appropriate control of pulsed opera-- tion of the laser beam or control of the relative speed of motion of the tire. Color contrast between the recessed letters and the background may be provided by, for example, engraving through a black cover strip over a white sidewall layer to expose recessed 20 white letters against a black background. As represented in Fig.
3a, the laser beam 19 has a focal point 18 adjusted to cause the beam to engrave through a black cover strip 24 over a white side-wall layer 25 to expose a recessed white border 14a similar to the border 14 of a letter such as represented in Fig. 2.
Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawings, the cured tire may be classified for uniformity, blemishes or the like and after classifi-cation the cured tire 21 may be mounted for rotation by a suitable chuck mechanism 21a, shown in simplified form, on the shaft of a motor 20 mounted on a 3-axis numerical control tape-controlled mill 3 23. The method includes the step of exposing the tread surface of the tire to a laser beam and the step of changing the relaffve positions of the laser beam and the tire in such manner as to cause ~ t i ~ the laser beam to cut the tread surface of the tire. As representedin Fig. 5, the laser beam may engrave slits 22 or sipes in the tread 35 surface, thereby giving the tire a different appearance and perfor-mance. The laser beam may also be adjusted to engrave wider grooves in the tread surface. Thus, an existing tread surface .
s pattern may be modified, after dassification of the tire, in accor dance with the classification or a tread having no pattern thereon may be laser-engraved with a pattern after classification o~ the tire, in accordance with the classification.
The method of mahufacturing a plurality of tires comprises .` curing a plurality of tires in one or more molds of the same prede-termined configuration. The method comprises exposing individually a first group of selected cured tires to a laser beam and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the individual selected 10 tires of the first group to engrave an indicium representative of the first group of selected tires into the individual selected tires.
Indicia representative of the first group of selected tires may be a first brand name.
T he method also comprises exposing individually a second 15 group of selected cured tires to a laser beam and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the individual selected tires of the second group to engrave an indicium representative of the second group of selected tires into the individual selected tires of the second group. Indicia representative of the second group of 20 selected tires may be a second brand name.
While there have been described what are at present believed to be the preferred embodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and it 25 is, therefore, aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims (7)
1. The method of manufacturing a plurality of tires com-prising:
curing a plurality of tires in one or more molds of the same predetermined configuration;
exposing individually a first group of selected cured tires, having a first characteristic, of said plurality of tires to a laser beam;
changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the individual selected tires of said first group to engrave an indicium representative of said first group of selected tires;
exposing individually a second group of selected cured tires, having a characteristic different from said first charac-teristic, of said plurality of tires to a laser beam; and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the individual selected tires of said second group to engrave an indicium representative of said second group of selected tires into the individual selected tires of said second group.
curing a plurality of tires in one or more molds of the same predetermined configuration;
exposing individually a first group of selected cured tires, having a first characteristic, of said plurality of tires to a laser beam;
changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the individual selected tires of said first group to engrave an indicium representative of said first group of selected tires;
exposing individually a second group of selected cured tires, having a characteristic different from said first charac-teristic, of said plurality of tires to a laser beam; and changing the relative positions of the laser beam and the individual selected tires of said second group to engrave an indicium representative of said second group of selected tires into the individual selected tires of said second group.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1 in which the indicium engraved and representative of said first group of selected tires is a first brand name.
3. The method in accordance with claim 2 in which the indicium engraved and representative of said second group of selected tires is a second brand name.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1 in which the plurality of tires cured in said one or more molds of the same predetermined configuration have no tread patterns thereon, and in which the indicium engraved and representative of said first group of selected tires is a first tread pattern.
5. The method in accordance with claim 4 in which the indicium engraved and representative of said second group of tires is a second tread pattern.
6. The method in accordance with claim 1 in which the plurality of cured tires in said one or more molds of the same predetermined configuration have a predetermined tread pattern thereon, and in which the indicium engraved and representative of said first group of selected tires is a first predetermined modification of said predetermined tread pattern.
7. The method in accordance with claim 6 in which the indicium engraved and representative of said second group of selected tires is a second predetermined modification of said predetermined tread pattern.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US19159280A | 1980-09-29 | 1980-09-29 | |
| US191,592 | 1980-09-29 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1146635A true CA1146635A (en) | 1983-05-17 |
Family
ID=22706098
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000374447A Expired CA1146635A (en) | 1980-09-29 | 1981-03-31 | Method of engraving indicium on a tire by laser beam |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS57126646A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1146635A (en) |
| MX (1) | MX155209A (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4564737A (en) * | 1983-07-11 | 1986-01-14 | F.M.P. Enterprise, Inc. | Automatic layout machine for tire tread patterns |
| US20120090767A1 (en) * | 2009-03-17 | 2012-04-19 | Bridgestone Corporation | Tyre production method and system |
| US20130273282A1 (en) * | 2010-10-20 | 2013-10-17 | Bridgestone Corporation | Method of colouring portions of a tyre and tyre obtained by the method |
| EP3135424A1 (en) | 2015-08-28 | 2017-03-01 | Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH | Method for introducing structures into the surface of a pneumatic tyre for a vehicle |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP6059933B2 (en) * | 2012-09-26 | 2017-01-11 | 東洋ゴム工業株式会社 | Non-pneumatic tire manufacturing method and non-pneumatic tire |
| WO2020218309A1 (en) * | 2019-04-26 | 2020-10-29 | 株式会社ブリヂストン | Tire manufacturing method and tire |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS52105025A (en) * | 1976-02-28 | 1977-09-03 | Kooken Yuugen | Laser beam seal engraving method |
| JPS5369702A (en) * | 1976-11-30 | 1978-06-21 | Hitachi Ltd | Device for etching by laser |
| JPS5371559A (en) * | 1976-12-08 | 1978-06-26 | Hitachi Ltd | Manufacture of pn junction |
-
1981
- 1981-03-31 CA CA000374447A patent/CA1146635A/en not_active Expired
- 1981-09-02 MX MX188984A patent/MX155209A/en unknown
- 1981-09-28 JP JP56153526A patent/JPS57126646A/en active Pending
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4564737A (en) * | 1983-07-11 | 1986-01-14 | F.M.P. Enterprise, Inc. | Automatic layout machine for tire tread patterns |
| US20120090767A1 (en) * | 2009-03-17 | 2012-04-19 | Bridgestone Corporation | Tyre production method and system |
| US20130273282A1 (en) * | 2010-10-20 | 2013-10-17 | Bridgestone Corporation | Method of colouring portions of a tyre and tyre obtained by the method |
| EP3135424A1 (en) | 2015-08-28 | 2017-03-01 | Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH | Method for introducing structures into the surface of a pneumatic tyre for a vehicle |
| DE102015216524A1 (en) | 2015-08-28 | 2017-03-02 | Continental Reifen Deutschland Gmbh | Method for introducing structures into the surface of a pneumatic vehicle tire |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| MX155209A (en) | 1988-02-02 |
| JPS57126646A (en) | 1982-08-06 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |