JP2001322126A - Central mechanism of tire vulcanizing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a central mechanism of a tire vulcanizing machine wherein the number of services of an actuator of a lock device receiving vulcanization inner pressure reaction is decreased, complicated operations such as treatment, detachment, connection and the like accompanied by an actuator are removed, workability and maintenance properties are improved, and its cost down can be achieved. SOLUTION: An upper part central mechanism 2 incorporated in a central part of a transferrable built-up mold M, and a lower central mechanism 21 fixed to a mold opening and closing position are provided. A lock device 13 engaged with and detached from a lower part of a spacer rod 7 operating a lowering 4 is provided thereto. Besides, an actuator 25 allowed to operate the lock device 13 is provided to an upper part of a bladder-drawing cylinder 24 which is positioned at a lower part central mechanism 21 and raises or drops a spacer rod 7, which is allowed to receive vulcanization inner pressure reaction of the built-up mold M by the lock device 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a central mechanism for bladder operation in a tire vulcanizer for vulcanizing a pneumatic tire mounted on an automobile or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional tire vulcanizer includes a mold assembly for vulcanizing a tire, and a center mechanism for moving a bladder in and out of the tire when the tire enters and exits the mold. It is built into the center of the mold assembly. Also,
The inside of the bladder during tire vulcanization is provided with a stopper structure for receiving a vulcanizing internal pressure reaction force in a central mechanism because a heating or pressurizing medium of steam or an inert gas is supplied.

On the other hand, in recent tire vulcanizers, a vulcanization station for arranging a plurality of mold assemblies during tire vulcanization and continuing vulcanization from the viewpoint of space saving and needs for production of other products, A multi-mold system has been adopted so that the mold assembly can be transferred between the mold assembly and a mold opening / closing station for putting a tire in and out of the mold assembly. For this reason, the above-mentioned center mechanism is divided into an upper center mechanism that performs the operation of moving the bladder in and out, and a lower center mechanism that drives the upper center mechanism, and the upper center mechanism is incorporated in the center of each mold assembly. The lower center mechanism is assembled and fixed at a lower portion in the mold opening / closing station.

[0004]

However, when the center mechanism of the conventional tire vulcanizer described above is applied to a multi-mold system, an actuator for operating a stopper is provided in an upper center mechanism of each mold assembly. With the transfer of the mold assembly, it becomes necessary to perform complicated operations such as routing, disconnecting, connecting, etc. of piping, wiring, etc. attached to the actuator, and the cause of trouble Or a problem arises in maintainability. In addition, since the upper center mechanism of each mold assembly requires an actuator for operating the stopper, the number of parts increases as a whole system,
This has led to high costs.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to reduce the number of actuators of a lock device which receives a vulcanization internal pressure reaction force, and to handle accessory parts attached to the actuator. An object of the present invention is to provide a tire vulcanizer central mechanism capable of eliminating complicated operations such as disconnection, connection and the like, improving workability and maintainability, and achieving cost reduction.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention is directed to an upper center mechanism incorporated in the center of a movable mold assembly, and a fixed upper and lower mechanism at a mold opening / closing position. A lower central mechanism, which is located at the upper central mechanism, and a lower part of a rod for operating the lowering is provided with a locking device that is engaged with and disengaged from the lower rod, while a cylinder that is located at the lower central mechanism and moves the rod up and down. An actuator for operating the lock device is provided on an upper portion, and the lock device receives a vulcanization internal pressure reaction force of the mold assembly. Further, the lock device of the present invention has a lock lever that is driven to rotate in the horizontal direction by the actuator.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on illustrated embodiments. Here, FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an upper center mechanism incorporated in a mold assembly among the center mechanisms of the tire vulcanizer according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a lower center fixed to a mold opening / closing station. Sectional view of the mechanism, FIG. 3
Is a plan view of a lock device provided in the upper center mechanism of the present embodiment as viewed from below, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of a tire vulcanizing facility to which the center mechanism of the present embodiment is applied.

[0008] The tire vulcanizer according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises:
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this is a machine applied to a multi-mold system, and includes a transportable mold assembly M for vulcanizing a tire T, and a central mechanism described below, which is vertically divided. . As shown in FIG. 4, the mold assembly M has a vulcanizing station 31 that continues to vulcanize by arranging a plurality of them.
(31a and 31b) and the tire assembly T
The upper and lower dies (upper and lower dies housed and arranged in a container) are configured so that they can be transferred to and from a mold opening / closing station 32 (32a and 32b) for taking in and out. And a tread mold, which may be a sectional mold type), a base plate (including a lower heat plate or the like) 1 on a lower side thereof, and a lower metal (not shown) which is assembled by being bolted to an upper surface of the base plate 1. A mold and the like are provided. The vulcanizing station 31 includes a plurality of mold stands 33 (33a and 33b) on which the mold assembly M is mounted, and the rail 3
4 and travels and has a gate-shaped transfer device 35 (35a and 35a) having a die holding means, a lifting / lowering means, and a traversing means.
5b). Also, the mold opening / closing station 3
Reference numeral 2 denotes a mold transfer device 38 (38a and 38) comprising a mold opening / closing device 36 (36a and 36b) and a table running with the rail 37 (37a and 37b) as a guide.
b) and the unloader 39 (3) for unloading the vulcanized tire T
9a and 39b) and a loader 40 (40a and 40b) for loading the unvulcanized tire T.

On the lower side of the mold assembly M, a tire T
Of the central mechanism having a function of introducing steam or an inert gas or the like for vulcanizing the tire and accurately holding the tire T by grasping the end of the bladder B,
An upper central mechanism (central mechanism operating unit) 2 for allowing the user to move in and out of the device is provided. The upper center mechanism 2 is incorporated in the inner peripheral portion of the base plate 1, and is inserted and disposed in a cylindrical body 3 suspended on the base plate 1 and in an upper inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical body 3 so as to be able to move up and down. The lower ring 4 is provided with a center post 6 which is inserted into the center of the lower ring 4 so as to be able to move up and down via a spacer 5, and the lower ring 4 is bolted to the upper part of the spacer 5. The upper center mechanism 2 includes a spacer rod 7 and a heating / pressurizing medium introduction pipe 8 fixed to the lower surface of the lower ring 4, and a lower clamp fixed to the upper surface side of the lower ring 4 so as to sandwich the lower end opening of the bladder B. A ring 9, an upper clamp ring 10 and a bladder presser 11 that sandwich the upper end opening of the bladder B, and a fixture 12 that connects the upper clamp ring 10 and the center post 6 are provided. In addition, the lower end of the center post 6 is connected to the tip of a piston rod of a center post cylinder described later, and the upper and lower ends of the bladder B are separated or approach through the center post 6 by the action of the cylinder. ing.

The spacer rod 7 is provided in the upper central mechanism 2.
The upper end thereof is connected to the lower ring 4 so as to operate the lower ring 4. The lower end of the spacer rod 7 is detachably connected to a bladder retracting cylinder to be described later, and the bladder B is retracted into the tubular body 3 via the spacer rod 7 and the lower ring 4 by the action of the cylinder. Have been.

The lower part of the spacer rod 7 is
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
The locking device 13 is provided with a mold assembly M
It is configured to receive the vulcanization internal pressure reaction force. Therefore, a cylindrical block 14 through which the lower part of the spacer rod 7 is inserted is provided on the lower surface of the cylindrical body 3, and a lock device 13 is attached to an outer side surface of the cylindrical block 14. The locking device 13 includes an apparatus main body 15 that is bolted to the outer side surface of the cylindrical block 14, and an apparatus main body 1.
5 comprises a shaft 16 rotatably mounted on the shaft 5 and a lock lever 17 mounted on the upper end of the shaft 16.

The shaft 16 extends in the up-down direction, and the upper and lower ends are formed to have a length protruding from the apparatus main body 15, and the lower end is provided with a concave portion 16a for coupling with a drive pin described later. I have. And the lock lever 17
Is disposed on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 15 so as to intersect with the shaft 16, and is driven to rotate in the horizontal direction by an actuator described later. For this reason, the lock lever 17
A through hole 18 through which the shaft 16 is inserted is provided at a base end of the base member, and a semicircular arc-shaped lock piece 19 that engages with a lower portion of the spacer rod 7 is formed at the front end thereof. Accordingly, an insertion hole 20 through which the lock lever 17 is inserted is formed in the outer side surface of the cylindrical block 14.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, a lower central mechanism (central mechanism driving unit) 21 for driving the upper central mechanism 2 is incorporated in the lower part of the mold opening / closing station 32. The lower center mechanism 21 is fixed to the base 22 of the mold opening / closing station 32, and includes a center post cylinder 23 that drives the center post 6 up and down, and a bladder retracting cylinder 24 that is provided near the periphery of the center post cylinder 23. The center post cylinder 23 has a piston rod distal end provided with an expandable / reducible claw 23a that is attached to and detached from the lower end of the center post 6. The bladder retracting cylinder 24 is located outside the lower center mechanism 21, and a piston rod 24a is disposed so as to be able to move up and down. The tip of the piston rod 24a is connected to the lower end of the spacer rod 7. ing.

An actuator 25 for operating the lock device 13 is provided above the bladder retracting cylinder 24. The actuator 25 is configured as a rotary actuator that rotates the lock lever 17 in the locking and unlocking directions. Therefore, the actuator 25 is disposed so as to protrude outward from the lower center mechanism 21, and the support plate 2 whose base end is bolted to the outer periphery of the bladder retracting cylinder 24.
6 and an actuator main body 27 installed on the support plate 26. A drive pin 28 coupled to the concave portion 16 a of the shaft 16 is rotatably provided on the upper part of the actuator main body 27.

Next, the operation of the center mechanism of the tire vulcanizer according to this embodiment will be described. After the vulcanization of the tire (unvulcanized tire) T among the plurality of die assemblies M is completed, the die assembly M is transferred to the die opening / closing station 32 and locked on the base 22 by a device (not shown). The pipe attaching / detaching device (not shown) is raised to be connected to the heating / pressurizing medium introduction pipe 8, and the heating / pressurizing medium supplied to the inside of the tire T via the bladder B is discharged from the lower central mechanism 21. Further, after the claw 23a is reduced in diameter, the piston rod of the center post cylinder 23 is raised, the claw 23a is inserted into the lower end of the center post 6, and the claw 23a is expanded in diameter and connected to the center post 6. During this time, the piston rod 24a of the bladder retracting cylinder 24 is raised and connected to the spacer rod 7, and the drive pin 28 of the actuator body 27 is inserted into the concave portion 16a of the shaft 16 and connected thereto.

When the discharge of the heating and pressurizing medium supplied inside the tire T is completed, the actuator 25
Is operated to rotate the lock lever 17 of the lock device 13 in the unlock direction by the drive pin 28 and the shaft 16, disengage from the spacer rod 7 to release the lock, and release the center post 6 by the operation of the center post cylinder 23. The bladder B is lifted up, the upper and lower ends of the bladder B are brought closer to each other, and then the lowering 4 is lowered via the spacer rod 7 by the action of the bladder retracting cylinder 24 to pull out the bladder B from the inside of the tire T, thereby forming the cylindrical body 3.
Pull in and store.

Then, the upper mold (not shown) is lifted through a bolster plate (not shown) to open the mold assembly M,
The upper half of the tire T is peeled from the upper mold, and the lower half of the tire T is peeled from the lower mold. Thereafter, the vulcanized tire T is lifted by the unloader 39, the upper center mechanism 2 is lowered, and then the unvulcanized tire T to be vulcanized next is lifted by the loader 40. When the suspension of the tire T is completed, the bladder retracting cylinder 24 and the center post cylinder 23 are operated in the opposite manner while supplying the small pressure steam or the inert gas into the bladder B, so that the bladder B is T is inserted inside T to expand the diameter, and the actuator 27 is operated to drive the drive pin 28.
The lock lever 17 of the lock device 13 is rotated in the lock direction by the shaft 16 and is engaged with the spacer rod 7 to lock. After the bladder B is inserted, the mold assembly M
Is completed, the mold assembly M is clamped, and a high-pressure and high-temperature pressurized heating medium is supplied to the inside of the tire T via the bladder B to enter a vulcanization step. At this time, the vulcanization internal pressure reaction force generated in the mold assembly M is received by the lock device 13.

Then, when the vulcanization step is started, the pipe attaching / detaching device (not shown) and the piston rod 24a of the bladder retracting cylinder 24 are lowered, and the diameter of the pawl 23a is reduced, and then the piston rod of the center post cylinder 23 is lowered. Then, the lower center mechanism 21 is separated from the upper center mechanism 2. Thereafter, the mold assembly M is transferred to the vulcanizing station 31, and then the mold assembly M for removing the tire T is transferred, and the same operation is repeated.

The central mechanism of the tire vulcanizer according to the embodiment of the present invention is an upper central mechanism 2 for performing an operation of moving the bladder B in and out.
And a lower central mechanism 21 for driving the upper central mechanism 2. The upper central mechanism 2 is incorporated in the center of the mold assembly M that can be transported.
1 is fixed to the base 22 of the mold opening / closing station 32, and a lock device 13 is provided below the spacer rod 7 of the upper center mechanism 2 to receive the vulcanization internal pressure reaction force of the mold assembly M. Since the actuator 25 for actuating the lock device 13 is provided above the bladder retracting cylinder 24 of the mechanism 21, it is not necessary to provide the actuator 25 for each mold assembly M as in the related art. With the transfer of the M, there is no need to carry out the work of routing, disconnecting, or connecting the attached parts such as the pipes, wiring, etc. attached to the actuator 25, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of work troubles associated with this. In addition, the cost can be reduced by reducing the number of parts, and the maintainability is improved.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible based on the technical idea of the present invention. is there. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a rotary actuator is used as the actuator 25.
By changing the moving direction and the shape of the lock lever 17 of the lock device 13, another type of actuator may be used.

[0021]

As described above, the center mechanism of the tire vulcanizer according to the present invention includes an upper center mechanism incorporated in the center of the transportable mold assembly and a lower center fixed in the mold opening / closing position. A lower part of the rod for operating the lowering is provided with a locking device for engaging and disengaging the lower part of the rod, while a lower part of the lower mechanism is located above the cylinder for elevating the rod. Since an actuator for operating the lock device is provided and the lock device is configured to receive the vulcanization internal pressure reaction force of the mold assembly, the number of actuators of the lock device receiving the vulcanization internal pressure reaction force is reduced. , It is possible to eliminate the complicated work required in the conventional central mechanism, such as the handling, disconnection, connection, etc. of the accessory parts attached to the actuator, Maintainability improves, it is possible to reduce the cost, the productivity can be enhanced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an upper central mechanism incorporated in a mold assembly, among central mechanisms of a tire vulcanizer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a lower central mechanism fixed to a mold opening / closing station among the central mechanisms of the tire vulcanizer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lock device provided in the upper center mechanism of the embodiment as viewed from below.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a tire vulcanizing facility to which the central mechanism of the embodiment is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base plate 2 Upper center mechanism 3 Cylindrical body 4 Lowering 6 Center post 7 Spacer rod 8 Heating and pressurizing medium introduction pipe 9 Lower clamp ring 13 Locking device 14 Cylindrical block 15 Device body 16 Shaft 17 Lock lever 18 Through hole 19 Lock piece Reference Signs List 20 insertion hole 21 lower center mechanism 22 base 23 center post cylinder 24 bladder retracting cylinder 25 actuator 26 support plate 27 actuator body 28 drive pin B bladder M mold assembly T tire

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A lower center mechanism fixed to a mold opening / closing position, wherein the lower center mechanism is fixed to a mold opening / closing position and operates a lowering. A lock device for engaging and disengaging the rod is provided at a lower portion of the rod, and an actuator for operating the lock device is provided at an upper portion of a cylinder for raising and lowering the rod, which is located at the lower central mechanism, and the mold assembly is provided by the lock device. A central mechanism of a tire vulcanizer characterized by receiving a three-dimensional vulcanization internal pressure reaction force. 2. The center mechanism of a tire vulcanizer according to claim 1, wherein the lock device has a lock lever that is driven to rotate in the horizontal direction by the actuator.