JP2013107282A - Device and method of replacing bladder assembly in tire vulcanizer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lock and unlock a bladder assembly without complicating the structure.SOLUTION: When a piston rod 6 moves upwards in a state that a hub 7 is fitted in a lower clamp ring 14, an upper guide 53 pushes out a lock pin 51 to the lower clamp ring 14 side, by which an end 51b of the lock pin 51 is fitted in a groove 14a, and the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 are locked. Meanwhile, when the piston rod 6 comes down, the upper guide 53 is pushed down by a stepped part 6a to the lower side compared to the lock pin 51, and the end 51b of the lock pin 51 biased to the piston rod 6 side drops out of the groove 14a, by which the lock of the hub 7 with the lower clamp ring 14 unlocks.

Description

  The present invention relates to a bladder assembly replacement apparatus and replacement method in a tire vulcanizer for vulcanizing a green tire.

  In the tire manufacturing process, a green tire in which the constituent members of the tire are assembled is vulcanized with a tire vulcanizer. As disclosed in Cited Document 1, a bladder that is inflated with a low-pressure medium is brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of a green tire inserted between upper and lower molds that can be freely opened and closed by a central mechanism of a tire vulcanizer. The Thereafter, the upper and lower molds are clamped and a high-pressure heating medium is introduced into the bladder. The upper and lower molds are always heated by the platen. Thus, the tire vulcanizer vulcanizes the green tire by heating it from the inner surface and the outer surface.

  The bladder is usually made of heat-resistant rubber, but deteriorates when exposed to a high-temperature medium. Therefore, the bladder is replaced every time several hundred tires are vulcanized. Since passenger car tires have a vulcanization time of about 10 minutes, it is necessary to replace the bladder once every few days when continuously vulcanized with the same tire vulcanizer. The shape of the bladder is determined according to the shape of the green tire, and it is necessary to replace the bladder with a different size even when the tire size is changed. Also, because the bladder is made of rubber, it may be damaged due to contact during operation, etc., and may need to be replaced. Usually, in a factory that vulcanizes tires for passenger cars and light trucks, several hundred tire vulcanizers are installed and operating. For this reason, in a factory of such a scale, a bladder replacement operation is always performed in one or more tire vulcanizers.

  The bladder is replaced with the bladder, the upper clamp ring and the upper bead ring that clamp the upper end of the bladder, and the lower clamp ring and the lower bead that clamp the lower end of the bladder from the viewpoint of improving the operating rate of the tire vulcanizer. This is done by replacing the bladder assembly with the ring. A bladder assembly is assembled in advance outside the tire vulcanizer, and is loaded into the tire vulcanizer with a lifting device such as a forklift and attached. Thereafter, when it is necessary to replace the bladder, the bladder assembly is removed from the tire vulcanizer and transported outside the tire vulcanizer, where the bladder assembly is disassembled.

  In the replacement operation of the bladder assembly, first, the upper and lower molds are fully opened, the operator goes up onto the lower mold, and the bolts that attach the upper clamp ring and the piston rod are removed. Then, a wire is put on the upper clamp ring and the entire upper clamp ring is supported by a lifting device. In this state, the piston rod is lowered and the piston rod is pulled out from the center of the upper clamp ring. Further, the entire bladder is raised while the upper clamp ring is pulled upward by a lifting device. Next, the entire central mechanism is raised, and when the entire central mechanism reaches the rising point, the entire bladder is manually rotated to release the screwing between the lower clamp ring and the central mechanism, and the entire bladder assembly is vulcanized. Remove from the machine.

  Next, lift the new bladder assembly with a lifting device, carry it directly above the center mechanism of the tire vulcanizer, place it on the rising center mechanism, and then rotate the entire bladder to rotate the center mechanism and the lower part. Screw the clamp ring. The lower clamp ring is lowered while the upper clamp ring is suspended, and the piston rod is further lifted to insert the piston rod into the hole in the center of the upper clamp ring. The vertical position of the upper clamp ring is appropriately adjusted with the lifting device with respect to the raised piston rod, and then the upper clamp ring is fixed to the predetermined position of the piston rod with a bolt.

  With this series of operations, the bladder replacement operation is completed, but there are three types of operations: operation of the suspension equipment, operation of attaching / detaching wires on the tire vulcanizer, and opening / closing operation of the upper and lower molds. Since it is necessary, usually three workers perform replacement work, and the replacement takes 30 minutes or more.

  Therefore, Patent Document 2 discloses a central mechanism of a tire vulcanizer that facilitates replacement of a bladder assembly. That is, a step is provided at the upper end of the piston rod, and the center of the upper clamp ring is engaged with the step, and the upper clamp ring is fixed to the upper end of the piston rod with a stepped block and pipe material. In addition, the engagement member is rotatably supported in the lift cylinder that houses the piston rod, and the engagement member is rotated by a gear to engage the inner diameter portion of the lower bead ring with the engagement member. The lower bead ring is fixed to the lift cylinder. When the bladder assembly is attached, the lower bead ring is placed on the central mechanism and fixed to the lift cylinder, and then the piston rod is raised to fix the upper clamp ring to the piston rod. On the other hand, when the bladder assembly is removed from the central mechanism, the reverse operation is performed.

  Thus, in patent document 2, the replacement | exchange operation | work of the bladder assembly is simplified. However, a positioning operation in the circumferential direction of the bladder, a fitting operation of the upper and lower clamp rings into the central mechanism, and an attaching operation of the engaging member on the lower mold are necessary. In addition, a plurality of workers are necessary for this replacement work.

  Therefore, Patent Document 3 discloses a tire vulcanizing apparatus that further facilitates the replacement operation of the bladder assembly. Specifically, the center post and the upper bladder ring (upper clamp ring) are provided by a lock mechanism having a plurality of constricting members provided at the tip of the center post (piston rod) and expanding in a state where no external force is applied. The center post and the upper bladder ring are unlocked by a cylindrical unlocking member. That is, when the center post is lifted and penetrated through the central through hole of the upper bladder ring, the constricting member expands toward the end so that the center post and the upper bladder ring are locked, while the locking mechanism is provided in the unlock member. When accommodated, the constriction member is constricted, so that the lock between the center post and the upper bladder ring is released.

  In addition, a locked portion provided below the lower bladder ring (lower bead ring), a first lock member fixed to the central mechanism, and a second moved up and down along the first lock member by the actuator The lower bladder ring and the central mechanism are locked by the lock member and the spherical body that is accommodated between the locked portion and the first lock member or between the first lock member and the second lock member, The lock is released. That is, by lowering the second lock member and placing the spherical body between the locked portion and the first lock member, the lower bladder ring and the central mechanism are locked, while the second lock member is By raising the spherical body between the first lock member and the second lock member, the lower bladder ring and the central mechanism are unlocked.

  Patent Document 3 also discloses a lock mechanism other than the above-described lock mechanism. Specifically, a plurality of locking members provided on the upper surface around the central through hole of the upper bladder ring, and elastic support means for projecting the locking member toward the central through hole by the biasing force of the spring, The post and the upper bladder ring are locked, and the center post and the upper bladder ring are unlocked by a cylindrical unlock member. That is, when the center post is raised and passed through the center through hole of the upper bladder ring, the center post and the upper bladder ring are locked while the center member and the upper bladder ring are locked to each other. When the unlocking member is inserted, the locking between the center post and the upper bladder ring is released by pushing back the locking member.

  In addition, a locked portion provided below the lower bladder ring, a first lock member having a claw portion that comes into contact with the upper surface of the locked portion, and a second member that is moved up and down by an actuator to rotate the claw portion. The lower bladder ring and the central mechanism are locked by the lock member, and the lock is released. That is, by lowering the second lock member and bringing the claw portion into contact with the upper surface of the locked portion, the lower bladder ring and the central mechanism are locked, while the second lock member is raised and the claw portion is raised. By releasing the part from the upper surface of the locked part, the lock between the lower bladder ring and the central mechanism is released.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 53-11031 JP-A-5-131453 JP 2000-326330 A

  However, in Patent Document 3, an actuator for moving the second lock member up and down is separately required for locking the lower bead ring. If such an actuator is incorporated in the central mechanism, the structure becomes complicated and the cost is increased. Bulky. Moreover, the operation | work which fits a bladder assembly in a center mechanism is required.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a bladder assembly exchanging apparatus and exchanging method in a tire vulcanizer that can lock and release the bladder assembly without complicating the structure.

  An apparatus for exchanging a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer according to the present invention includes a bladder, an upper clamp ring and an upper mold ring that sandwich the upper end of the bladder, and a lower clamp ring and a lower bead ring that sandwich the lower end of the bladder. An exchange device for exchanging a bladder assembly with a central mechanism of a tire vulcanizer, the central mechanism passing through a center of the hub and a hub that fits on an inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring. A center post that is lifted and lowered, and a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the center post, and includes a lock mechanism that locks the hub and the lower clamp ring and releases the lock, A through hole drilled in the hub in the radial direction of the center post, a pin provided in the through hole, and provided in the through hole. A first urging means for urging the pin toward the center post; a pressing member provided between the center post and the hub; and the pressing member between the center post and the hub. A second urging means that is provided below and urges the pressing member upward; a stepped portion that is provided above the center post and can contact the pressing member from above; and the lower clamp A groove provided on an inner peripheral surface of the ring, and when the center post is raised in a state where the hub is fitted to the lower clamp ring, the pressing member abutting on the pin When the pin is pushed out to the lower clamp ring side, the end of the pin fits into the groove, and the hub and the lower clamp ring are locked while the center post is lowered. When the pressing member is pushed down below the pin by the stepped portion, the end portion of the pin biased toward the center post side is disengaged from the groove, and the hub and the The lock with the lower clamp ring is released.

  According to the above configuration, when the center post is raised while the hub is fitted to the lower clamp ring, the pressing member pushes the pin toward the lower clamp ring, so that the end of the pin fits into the groove, When the center post is lowered while the lower clamp ring is locked, the pressing member is pushed down below the pin by the stepped portion, and the end of the pin urged toward the center post is pulled out of the groove. The lock between the hub and the lower clamp ring is released. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide an actuator for locking the hub and the lower clamp ring and releasing the lock in the central mechanism. This allows the bladder assembly to be locked and unlocked without complicating the structure. In addition, since the replacement operation of the bladder assembly becomes safe and the operation time is shortened, the operating rate of the tire vulcanizer can be improved.

  Further, in the bladder assembly replacement device in the tire vulcanizer according to the present invention, a tire transport device that transports a tire to the central mechanism, and the upper clamp of the bladder assembly that is attached to the tire transport device A jig capable of gripping the ring, and the jig holding the upper clamp ring is moved by the tire conveying device, so that the bladder assembly is moved with respect to the central mechanism. It may be carried in or out. According to the above configuration, the bladder assembly is loaded into or unloaded from the central mechanism by moving the jig holding the upper clamp ring with the tire conveying device. Accordingly, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated device for loading or unloading the bladder assembly with respect to the central mechanism, so that the cost can be suppressed.

  Further, in the bladder assembly exchanging device in the tire vulcanizer according to the present invention, an outer groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the central portion of the upper clamp ring, and the tire conveying device is capable of gripping the tire. And an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes the plurality of chucks in the tire radial direction, and the jig is disposed inside the plurality of chucks in the tire radial direction and is closed by the opening / closing mechanism. A pair of hooks that are pressed by the chuck and moved toward the center of the upper clamp ring; and a third biasing means that biases each hook in a direction away from the center of the upper clamp ring, The outer groove may be gripped by the pair of hooks moved toward the center of the upper clamp ring. According to the above configuration, the outer groove of the upper clamp ring is gripped by the pair of hooks by pressing the pair of hooks with the chuck closed by the opening / closing mechanism and moving the pair of hooks toward the center of the upper clamp ring. On the other hand, the pair of hooks are released from the outer grooves of the upper clamp ring by opening the plurality of chucks and moving the pair of hooks away from the center of the upper clamp ring by the biasing force of the third biasing means. . Thus, the pair of hooks are opened and closed by the plurality of chucks closed by the opening / closing mechanism and the third urging means for urging each hook in a direction away from the center of the upper clamp ring. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated device for opening and closing the pair of hooks, so that the cost can be suppressed.

  The bladder assembly replacement device in the tire vulcanizer according to the present invention further includes a centering device used when the bladder assembly is carried into the center mechanism, and the centering device includes: A guide rod inserted into a center through hole into which the center post provided at the center of the upper clamp ring can be inserted, and a holding member attached above the lower clamp ring and through which the guide rod penetrates the center , May be included. According to the above configuration, the guide rod is inserted into the center through hole provided in the center of the upper clamp ring, and the center of the holding member attached above the lower clamp ring is penetrated by the guide rod. The lower clamp ring and the lower bead ring can be positioned with respect to the upper clamp ring and the upper mold ring when the solid is loaded. Further, when the bladder assembly is moved by the tire transport device, the lower clamp ring and the lower bead ring can be prevented from swinging.

  Further, in the bladder assembly exchanging apparatus in the tire vulcanizer according to the present invention, the center post and the upper clamp ring are further locked, and an upper lock mechanism for releasing the lock is further provided. A rod head that is attached to the upper end of the center post and includes a vertically movable piston and a fourth urging means that urges the piston downward, and supplies fluid to the sealed space in the rod head A fluid supply / discharge device for discharging the fluid from the sealed space, a hole drilled in the peripheral wall of the rod head, and a central through hole into which the rod head provided at the center of the upper clamp ring can be inserted When the piston is pushed down by the inner groove provided on the inner surface of the lens and the fourth urging means, the front is positioned so as to be positioned below the hole. An outer groove provided on an outer surface of the piston and a space formed by the inner groove and the hole or a sphere accommodated in a space formed by the hole and the outer groove, In a state where the rod head is inserted into the hole, when the fluid is discharged from the sealed space, the piston urged by the fourth urging means is lowered, and the inner groove and the hole are lowered. The center post and the upper clamp ring are locked when the sphere is accommodated in the space formed by and when the fluid is supplied to the sealed space, the piston is raised, The center post and the upper clamp ring may be unlocked by accommodating the sphere in a space formed by the hole and the outer groove. According to the above configuration, in a state where the rod head is inserted into the central through hole, the fluid is discharged from the rod head and the piston is lowered by the urging force of the fourth urging means. The spherical body is accommodated in the space formed by and the center post and the upper clamp ring are locked, while the fluid is supplied into the rod head and the piston is raised to form the space formed by the hole and the outer groove. The spherical body is accommodated in the inner wall, and the lock between the center post and the upper clamp ring is released. In this way, the center post and the upper clamp ring can be locked and unlocked simply by supplying the fluid into the rod head and discharging the fluid from the rod head. Therefore, since the replacement operation of the bladder assembly becomes safe and the operation time is shortened, the operating rate of the tire vulcanizer can be improved.

  Further, in the bladder assembly exchanging apparatus in the tire vulcanizer according to the present invention, the center post and the upper clamp ring are further locked, and an upper lock mechanism for releasing the lock is further provided. A rod head that is attached to the upper end of the center post and is movable up and down and has an exposed upper end surface, and a fifth biasing means that biases the piston upward, and a peripheral wall of the rod head The piston is pushed up by the hole formed, the inner groove provided in the inner surface of the central through hole into which the rod head provided in the center of the upper clamp ring can be inserted, and the fifth urging means. An outer groove provided on the outer surface of the piston so as to be positioned above the hole, and the rod head outside the central mechanism. A cylinder provided above and capable of pushing down the piston downward; a space formed by the inner groove and the hole; or a sphere received in a space formed by the hole and the outer groove; When the piston is pushed up by the fifth urging means in a state where the rod head is inserted into the central through hole, the space formed by the inner groove and the hole is When the spherical body is accommodated, the center post and the upper clamp ring are locked, and when the piston is pushed down by the cylinder, the spherical body is formed in a space formed by the hole and the outer groove. May be released so that the center post and the upper clamp ring are unlocked. According to the above configuration, in a state where the rod head is inserted into the central through hole, the sphere is accommodated in the space formed by the inner groove and the hole by pushing up the piston by the urging force of the fifth urging means. The center post and upper clamp ring are locked, while the piston is pushed down by the cylinder, so that the sphere is accommodated in the space formed by the hole and outer groove, and the lock between the center post and upper clamp ring is released. Is done. In this way, the center post and the upper clamp ring can be locked and released by simply pushing up the piston with the fifth biasing means and pushing down the piston with the cylinder. Therefore, since the replacement operation of the bladder assembly becomes safe and the operation time is shortened, the operating rate of the tire vulcanizer can be improved. Further, by providing the cylinder outside the center mechanism, the structure of the center mechanism can be simplified.

  Further, the bladder assembly replacement method in the tire vulcanizer according to the present invention includes a bladder, an upper clamp ring and an upper mold ring that sandwich the upper end of the bladder, and a lower clamp ring and a lower bead that sandwich the lower end of the bladder. An exchange method for exchanging a bladder assembly having a ring with respect to a central mechanism of a tire vulcanizer, wherein the hub of the central mechanism is fitted on an inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring. A through hole that is provided between the center post and the hub and is urged upward by raising the center post penetrating the center, and is drilled in the hub in the radial direction of the center post It is provided inside and brought into contact with the pin urged toward the center post side, and the pin is pushed out toward the lower clamp ring side, A lock step for locking the hub and the lower clamp ring by fitting the end of the pin into a groove provided on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring, and the hub on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring In the fitted state, the center post is lowered to push down the pressing member below the pin at the stepped portion provided on the center post, and is urged toward the center post side. And an unlocking step for releasing the lock between the hub and the lower clamp ring by removing an end of the pin from the groove.

  According to the above configuration, when the center post is raised while the hub is fitted to the lower clamp ring, the pressing member pushes the pin toward the lower clamp ring, so that the end of the pin fits into the groove, When the center post is lowered while the lower clamp ring is locked, the pressing member is pushed down below the pin by the stepped portion, and the end of the pin urged toward the center post is pulled out of the groove. The lock between the hub and the lower clamp ring is released. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide an actuator for locking the hub and the lower clamp ring and releasing the lock in the central mechanism. This allows the bladder assembly to be locked and unlocked without complicating the structure. In addition, since the replacement operation of the bladder assembly becomes safe and the operation time is shortened, the operating rate of the tire vulcanizer can be improved.

  Further, in the method for replacing a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer according to the present invention, a tire transport device for transporting a tire to the central mechanism is attached to the tire transport device, and the upper clamp of the bladder assembly Loading / unloading the bladder assembly with respect to the central mechanism by moving the bladder assembly in a state where the upper clamp ring is gripped by a jig capable of gripping the ring. An unloading step may be further included. According to the above configuration, the bladder assembly is loaded into or unloaded from the central mechanism by moving the jig holding the upper clamp ring with the tire conveying device. Accordingly, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated device for loading or unloading the bladder assembly with respect to the central mechanism, so that the cost can be suppressed.

  In the method of replacing a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer according to the present invention, the tire includes a plurality of chucks that are provided in the conveyance device and that can be opened and closed by an opening / closing mechanism in the tire radial direction to grip a bead portion of the tire. A pair of hooks urged by urging means in a direction away from the center of the upper clamp ring provided in the jig are arranged on the inner side in the radial direction, and the pair of hooks are closed by the opening / closing mechanism. Gripping the outer groove provided on the outer peripheral surface of the center portion of the upper clamp ring with the pair of hooks by pressing the hooks and moving the pair of hooks toward the center of the upper clamp ring A step may be further included. According to the above configuration, the outer groove of the upper clamp ring is gripped by the pair of hooks by pressing the pair of hooks with the chuck closed by the opening / closing mechanism and moving the pair of hooks toward the center of the upper clamp ring. On the other hand, the pair of hooks are detached from the outer grooves of the upper clamp ring by opening the plurality of chucks and moving the pair of hooks away from the center of the upper clamp ring by the biasing means. Thus, the pair of hooks are opened and closed by the plurality of chucks closed by the opening / closing mechanism and the urging means for urging each hook in a direction away from the center of the upper clamp ring. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated device for opening and closing the pair of hooks, so that the cost can be suppressed.

  According to the bladder assembly exchanging apparatus and exchanging method in the tire vulcanizer of the present invention, it is not necessary to provide the central mechanism with a dedicated actuator for locking the hub and the lower clamp ring and releasing the lock. This allows the bladder assembly to be locked and unlocked without complicating the structure.

It is sectional drawing which shows a tire vulcanizer. It is sectional drawing which shows a storage apparatus. It is the top view which looked at FIG. 2 from the B direction. It is a side view which shows a lifting jig | tool. It is the top view which looked at FIG. 4 from the C direction. It is an enlarged view of the principal part D of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the principal part E of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the principal part E of FIG.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]
(Configuration of tire vulcanizer)
The tire vulcanizer 1 includes a bladder assembly replacement device (exchange device) 101 in the tire vulcanizer according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the tire vulcanizer 1 is a central mechanism to which a lower mold 3 and an upper mold (not shown) that detachably accommodate a green tire G and a bladder that is mounted in the green tire G are attached. 2. In the molding process, the green tire G is formed and configured by connecting and bonding each constituent member such as a bead, a tread, and a sidewall. The green tire G is transported to the vulcanization process and vulcanized and molded by the tire vulcanizer 1.

  The lower mold 3 is replaceably provided on a lower platen 4 that is a heating source. Further, the upper mold is replaceably provided below an upper platen (not shown) that is a heating source. An upper structure (not shown) moves the upper mold up and down, so that the upper mold can be opened and closed with respect to the lower mold 3 from above.

  A central mechanism 2 is disposed below the center of the lower mold 3. The central mechanism 2 is provided with a fluid inlet (not shown) for introducing a gas into a bladder 11 described later and a fluid outlet (not shown) for discharging the gas from the bladder 11.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the bladder assembly 10 is placed on the central mechanism 2 in a state where the lower mold 3 and the upper mold are opened. The bladder assembly 10 includes a bladder 11, an upper clamp portion 16 (upper clamp ring 12 and upper mold ring 13) that holds the upper end portion of the bladder 11, and a lower clamp portion 17 (lower clamp) that holds the lower end portion of the bladder 11. Ring 14 and lower bead ring 15). The lower bead ring 15 is placed on the lower mold 3.

  The center mechanism 2 includes a hub 7 that fits on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring 14, a piston rod 6 that passes through the center of the hub 7, and is lifted and lowered by a lifting mechanism (not shown), and a center mechanism. 2 has a drive mechanism (not shown) that raises and lowers the whole and a guide 5 that guides raising and lowering of the whole central mechanism 2. The center mechanism 2 is provided with a sensor (not shown) so that the height of the piston rod 6 can be stopped at a predetermined height position in accordance with the height of the green tire G and the height of the bladder 11. It has been.

  During vulcanization, the upper clamp ring 12 of the bladder assembly 10 is locked to the piston rod 6 and the lower clamp ring 14 of the bladder assembly 10 is locked to the hub 7. When the bladder assembly 10 is replaced, these locks are respectively released.

  A holding member 93 is attached to the upper part of the lower clamp ring 14. The holding member 93 is for positioning the lower clamp portion 17 of the bladder 11 with respect to the upper clamp portion 16 when the bladder assembly 10 is attached to the hub 7, and will be described in detail later.

  Further, the exchange device 101 includes a tire charging device (tire transporting device) 20 that moves between the outside of the tire vulcanizer 1 and the central mechanism 2 and carries the green tire G into the central mechanism 2. ing. The tire charging device 20 includes a plurality of chucks 21 provided with paddles 22 and capable of gripping the green tire G in the circumferential direction of the green tire G. The chuck 21 is usually composed of 4 to 8, and is opened and closed in the radial direction of the green tire G in synchronization with an opening / closing mechanism (not shown).

  In the tire charging device 20 having such a configuration, the chuck 21 having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter (bead portion inner diameter) of the green tire G is placed from above the green tire G into the green tire G outside the tire vulcanizer 1. The green tire G is gripped by inserting and expanding the paddle 22 at that position. Then, the tire charging device 20 conveys the green tire G directly above the bladder assembly 10, lowers the green tire G, and places the green tire G on the central mechanism 2. Thereafter, the tire charging device 20 opens the green tire G by reducing the diameter of the chuck 21 from the inner diameter of the green tire G, and returns to the position outside the tire vulcanizer 1.

  The tire charging device 20 includes a lifting mechanism that moves the tire charging device 20 up and down, a moving mechanism that moves the tire charging device 20 between the outside of the tire vulcanizer 1 and directly above the central mechanism 2, and An opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the chuck 21 is included.

  In such a configuration, when vulcanizing the green tire G, the central mechanism 2 lowers the piston rod 6 while extending the bladder 11 by introducing low-pressure nitrogen gas into the bladder 11. Then, the upper clamp ring 12 locked to the piston rod 6 is lowered to a predetermined position, and the bladder 11 is brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the green tire G placed on the lower mold 3. This process is called a shaping process.

  When the shaping process is finished, the green tire G is vulcanized. That is, when the upper mold is lowered, the upper mold and the lower mold 3 are closed, and a clamping force is generated between the upper mold and the lower mold 3. At the same time, high-temperature and high-pressure nitrogen gas is introduced into the bladder 11 from the fluid inlet. Thus, the green tire G is heated from the inside and the outside, so that the green tire G is vulcanized.

  At the end of the vulcanization molding process, some vulcanized tires are cooled in an air-inflated state to prevent deformation during cooling in a device called a post-inflator and then transported to the next process. It becomes. Further, some vulcanized tires are naturally cooled as they are and are transported to the next step.

(Configuration of storage device)
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the exchange device 101 includes a storage device 40 for storing the bladder assembly 10 before replacement. The storage device 40 includes a protrusion 41 that fits on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring 14, a central through hole 42 through which a guide rod 91 (described later) formed in the plate-like member of the protrusion 41 passes, and a plurality of upward extending holes. Rod 43. A seating surface on which the lower bead ring 15 is placed is formed on the upper surface of the plate member of the protrusion 41. Further, a frame 45 to which wheels 44 are attached is provided at the lower part of the storage device 40 so that the entire storage device 40 can be moved.

  Further, the exchange device 101 includes a centering device 90 that is used when the bladder assembly 10 is carried into the central mechanism 2. The centering device 90 is provided at the upper end of the guide rod 91 and the guide rod 91 inserted into the center through hole 12b into which the piston rod 6 (see FIG. 1) provided at the center of the upper clamp ring 12 can be inserted. A stopper 92 having a diameter larger than the diameter of the guide rod 91 and a holding member 93 attached above the lower clamp ring 14 are provided.

  The guide rod 91 is used only when the bladder assembly 10 is carried in, and is lifted and lowered by a lifting mechanism (not shown). The stopper 92 prevents the guide rod 91 from falling off the upper clamp ring 12. The holding member 93 includes an annular holding plate 93a through which the guide rod 91 passes through the center, and a rib 93b that is fixed above the lower clamp ring 14 and supports the holding plate 93a. The holding member 93 positions the lower clamp portion 17 with respect to the upper clamp portion 16 when the bladder assembly 10 is attached to the central mechanism 2, and the bladder assembly 10 is moved by the tire charging device 20 as will be described later. The lower clamp 17 is prevented from swinging when being held and moved.

  The bladder assembly 10 is assembled at another place, and is placed on the storage device 40 by a lifting device such as a forklift with the guide rod 91 inserted in the center.

  As shown in FIG. 3 which is a plan view of FIG. 2 as viewed from the direction B, the guide rod 91 is arranged so that the rib 93b of the holding member 93 attached on the lower clamp ring 14 and the rod 43 do not interfere with each other. The centers are alternately arranged at intervals of 60 °. Note that the bladder 11 is not shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the bladder assembly 10 is positioned with respect to the storage device 40 by the protrusion 41 and the lower clamp ring 14. Further, the upper clamp ring 12 is placed on the rod 43.

  In such a configuration, the bladder assembly 10 stored in the storage device 40 is a tire charging device that is stored by the storage device 40 in a state where the lower clamp portion 17 is positioned with respect to the upper clamp portion 16 by the centering device 90. It will be conveyed to just below 20.

(Configuration of lifting jig)
In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the exchange device 101 includes a lifting jig (jig) 30 for lifting the bladder assembly 10. The lifting jig 30 is attached to the fixing portion 23 of the chuck 21 above the chuck 21 of the tire charging device 20 that carries the green tire G into the central mechanism 2. The lifting jig 30 can grip the outer groove 12 a provided on the outer peripheral surface of the central portion of the upper clamp ring 12. The lifting jig 30 is used only when the bladder assembly 10 is carried in or out of the central mechanism 2 and is removed from the chuck 21 after the bladder assembly 10 is replaced.

  As shown in FIG. 5 which is a plan view of FIG. 4 viewed from the direction C, the lifting jig 30 includes a support plate 31 attached to the fixing portion 23 of the chuck 21 and two sets provided at the lower portion of the support plate 31. Rails 32, a pair of LM guides (linear motion guides) 33 supported by the two sets of rails 32, and a pair of hooks 34 provided on the upper side, and the hooks 34 are urged away from the center of the upper clamp ring 12. A tension spring (third biasing means) 35 and a hole 36 through which the guide rod 91 passes. In FIG. 5, the tire charging device 20 and the bladder assembly 10 are not shown.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the pair of hooks 34 are disposed inside the plurality of chucks 21 in the tire radial direction. When the chuck 21 is closed by the opening / closing mechanism and the paddle 22 is moved toward the center of the upper clamp ring 12, the paddle 22 contacts the hook 34. When the paddle 22 is further moved toward the center of the upper clamp ring 12, the hook 34 is pressed by the paddle 22 and moved toward the center of the upper clamp ring 12 against the urging force of the tension spring 35. In this way, the outer groove 12 a of the upper clamp ring 12 is gripped by the pair of hooks 34. When the chuck 21 is opened from this state, the hook 34 returns to the origin position by the urging force of the tension spring 35.

  In such a configuration, the chuck 21 to which the lifting jig 30 is attached is lowered from above the bladder assembly 10 stored in the storage device 40 by the lifting mechanism of the tire insertion device 20 and stopped at a predetermined position. . The pair of hooks 34 are pressed by the chuck 21 closed by the opening / closing mechanism and the pair of hooks 34 are moved toward the center of the upper clamp ring 12, so that the outer groove 12 a of the upper clamp ring 12 is paired with the pair of hooks 34. Is gripped by. Thereafter, the lifting jig 30 holding the upper clamp ring 12 is moved by the tire charging device 20, whereby the bladder assembly 10 is carried onto the central mechanism 2 of the tire vulcanizer 1. Further, also when the bladder assembly 10 is carried out from the central mechanism 2, the lifting jig 30 that holds the upper clamp ring 12 is moved by the tire charging device 20.

(Configuration of lower locking mechanism)
Further, as shown in FIG. 6, which is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part D of FIG. 1, the exchange device 101 locks the hub 7 of the central mechanism 2 and the lower clamp ring 14 of the bladder assembly 10. A lower lock mechanism (lock mechanism) 50 is provided.

  The lower lock mechanism 50 includes a plurality of through holes 7a drilled in the hub 7 in the radial direction of the piston rod 6, a lock pin (pin) 51 provided in the through hole 7a, and a through hole 7a. And a compression spring (first urging means) 54 that urges the lock pin 51 toward the piston rod 6, and a compression spring 54 that is screwed into the through hole 7 a from the outer peripheral side of the hub 7 and penetrates the lock pin 51. Stopper plate 52 that prevents the through hole 7a from being removed, an annular upper guide (pressing member) 53 provided between the piston rod 6 and the hub 7, and an upper portion between the piston rod 6 and the hub 7. A compression spring (second urging means) 55 that is provided below the guide 53 and urges the upper guide 53 upward, and is provided above the piston rod 6 and contacts the upper guide 53 from above. A stepped portion 6a that can have a groove 14a provided annularly on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring 14.

  The lock pin 51 has a large diameter part 51 a on the inner peripheral surface side of the hub 7. A taper is provided at the tip of the large diameter part 51a. The compression spring 54 is provided between the large diameter portion 51 a of the lock pin 51 and the stopper plate 52. The upper guide 53 abuts against the lock pin 51 when the piston rod 6 is raised and pushes the lock pin 51 toward the lower clamp ring 14. On the other hand, when the piston rod 6 is lowered, the upper guide 53 is pushed down below the lock pin 51 by the stepped portion 6 a. It is done. A taper that slides with the taper of the large-diameter portion 51 a is provided on the upper portion of the upper guide 53. The end portion 51 b of the lock pin 51 pushed out by the upper guide 53 is fitted into the groove 14 a.

  A head 60 is fixed to the upper part of the hub 7. The head 60 is provided with a supply port 61 and a discharge port 62 for a high-pressure heating medium supplied into the bladder 11. The supply port 61 includes a plurality of small-diameter holes, and the exhaust port 62 includes a rectangular opening. The hole penetrating the center of the head 60 has a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the stepped portion 6a so as not to interfere with the stepped portion 6a.

  The hub 7 is provided with an inlet / outlet of a pipe (not shown) for connecting an external pipe to the supply port 61 and the discharge port 62. Further, packings 63 and 64 for sealing a high-pressure heating medium are provided between the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14. A packing assembly 65 for guiding the piston rod 6 and sealing the heating medium is provided below the compression spring 55.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 are locked, the piston rod 6 operates above the position shown in the figure (the upper clamp portion 16 is moved up and down). The compression spring 55 pushes up the upper guide 53 and presses it against the lower surface of the head 60. Further, the lock pin 51 is pushed to the lower clamp ring 14 side against the urging force of the compression spring 54 by contacting the outer periphery of the upper guide 53, and the end 51b of the pushed lock pin 51 is pushed into the groove 14a. It fits.

  In such a configuration, when the lock between the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 is released, the piston rod 6 is lowered after the upper clamp ring 12 is removed from the piston rod 6. Then, the upper guide 53 is pushed down by the stepped portion 6a. When the upper guide 53 is pushed down to a position below the lock pin 51 against the urging force of the compression spring 55, the large-diameter portion 51 a of the lock pin 51 is moved to the stepped portion 6 a of the piston rod 6 by the urging force of the compression spring 54. By moving until it comes into contact with the upper outer peripheral surface, the end portion 51 b of the lock pin 51 is accommodated inside the hub 7 and detached from the groove 14 a of the lower clamp ring 14. As a result, the lock between the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 is released.

  When the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 are locked, the piston rod 6 is raised after the lower clamp ring 14 of the new bladder assembly 10 is fitted to the hub 7. Then, the upper guide 53 biased by the compression spring 55 moves upward. Then, the taper of the upper guide 53 slides with the taper of the large-diameter portion 51 a of the lock pin 51, so that the lock pin 51 is pushed from the inside of the hub 7 toward the lower clamp ring 14 against the urging force of the compression spring 54. Thus, the end 51 b of the lock pin 51 fits into the groove 14 a of the lower clamp ring 14. As a result, the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 are locked.

(Configuration of upper locking mechanism)
Further, as shown in FIG. 7 which is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part E of FIG. 1, the exchange device 101 locks the piston rod 6 of the central mechanism 2 and the upper clamp ring 12 of the bladder assembly 10. An upper lock mechanism 70 for releasing the lock is provided.

  The upper lock mechanism 70 is attached to the upper end of the piston rod 6 with a bolt 81 and includes a piston 72 that can move up and down and a compression spring (fourth biasing means) 73 that biases the piston 72 downward. Fluid is supplied to the sealed space in the rod head 71 by the rod head 71, the lid 74 fixed to the upper end of the rod head 71, and the pipe 83 connected to the rod head 71. A fluid supply / discharge device (not shown) for discharging the fluid, a plurality of steel ball holding holes (holes) 71a drilled in the peripheral wall of the rod head 71, and the rod head 71 provided at the center of the upper clamp ring 12 can be inserted. A steel ball fixing groove (inner groove) 12c provided annularly on the inner peripheral surface of the central through hole 12b, and provided on the outer peripheral surface of the piston 72 below the steel ball holding hole 71a. Steel accommodated in a space formed by the ball escape groove (outer groove) 72a, the steel ball fixing groove 12c, and the steel ball holding hole 71a, or a space formed by the steel ball holding hole 71a and the steel ball escape groove 72a. Sphere (sphere) 75.

  The lid 74 functions as a stopper for the piston 72 that rises due to fluid pressure. The steel ball holding hole 71a is formed so that the opening area becomes smaller toward the upper clamp ring 12 side so that the steel ball 75 does not fall out of the rod head 71, so that the steel ball 75 is partially exposed. It is supposed to be able to make it. The steel ball fixing groove 12c has a cross section whose shape corresponds to an arc shape corresponding to a part of the steel ball 75 exposed from the steel ball holding hole 71a, that is, a curvature radius of the steel ball 75.

  A packing 82 for sealing the heating medium supplied into the bladder 11 is provided between the upper clamp ring 12 and the rod head 71. Further, the rod head 71 is provided with a stepped portion 71 b for positioning the position of the rod head 71 in the height direction by contacting the lower surface of the upper clamp ring 12. Further, the inner peripheral surface of the rod head 71 and the outer peripheral surface of the piston 72 are sealed by an O-ring 84.

  In such a configuration, when the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 are locked, after the upper clamp ring 12 and the rod head 71 are fitted, the rod head 71 is positioned below the O-ring 84. The fluid is discharged from the formed sealed space. Then, the piston 72 is lowered by the weight of the piston 72 and the urging force of the compression spring 73, so that the steel ball 75 accommodated in the space formed by the steel ball holding hole 71a and the steel ball escape groove 72a The ball escapes from the ball escape groove 72a, is pushed by the outer peripheral surface of the piston 72, fits into the steel ball fixing groove 12c, and is accommodated in a space formed by the steel ball fixing groove 12c and the steel ball holding hole 71a. Thereby, the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 are locked.

  Further, when unlocking the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12, fluid is supplied to a sealed space formed below the piston 72 in the rod head 71. Then, the steel that was housed in the space formed by the steel ball fixing groove 12c and the steel ball holding hole 71a by being lifted until the piston 72 comes into contact with the lid 74 against the urging force of the compression spring 73, and was in a fixed state. The sphere 75 is accommodated in a space formed by the steel ball holding hole 71a and the steel ball escape groove 72a by being detached from the steel ball fixing groove 12c. As a result, the lock between the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 is released.

(Bladder assembly replacement method)
Next, an operation of the exchange device 101 (a method for exchanging the bladder assembly 10) will be described.

  First, a method for attaching the bladder assembly 10 will be described. In FIG. 1, the lower mold 3 is mounted on the lower platen 4 and the upper mold is mounted below the upper platen with nothing on the central mechanism 2 of the tire vulcanizer 1. Further, the entire central mechanism 2 is raised by a drive mechanism (not shown), and the piston rod 6 is lowered by a lift mechanism (not shown). The lower lock mechanism 50 and the upper lock mechanism 70 are waiting in a state where the lock is released. In addition, the tire charging device 20 is on standby outside the tire vulcanizer 1 with the chuck 21 opened.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the bladder assembly 10 with the guide rod 91 inserted into the central through hole 12 b of the upper clamp ring 12 is placed on the storage device 40. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a lifting jig 30 is attached to the chuck 21 of the tire charging device 20. Then, the storage device 40 on which the bladder assembly 10 is placed is moved directly below the tire charging device 20.

  Next, by lowering the chuck 21 to a predetermined position and closing the chuck 21, the outer groove 12 a of the upper clamp ring 12 is gripped by the pair of hooks 34. Then, the bladder assembly 10 is lifted by the tire charging device 20 and conveyed directly above the central mechanism 2. At this time, the lower clamp portion 17 is prevented from swinging by the holding member 93 through which the guide rod 91 is inserted. Further, by moving the lifting jig 30 holding the upper clamp ring 12 with the tire charging device 20, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated device for carrying the bladder assembly 10 into the central mechanism 2. Further, by closing the pair of hooks 34 with the plurality of chucks 21 that are closed by the opening / closing mechanism of the tire charging device 20, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated device for closing the pair of hooks 34. Then, the bladder assembly 10 is lowered, and the bladder assembly 10 is placed on the hub 7 of the central mechanism 2 in a state where the bladder assembly 10 is raised in advance. At this time, the lower clamp portion 17 is positioned with respect to the upper clamp portion 16 by the guide rod 91 and the holding member 93.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6, it is confirmed that the lower clamp ring 14 is fitted in the hub 7, and the piston rod 6 that has been lowered in advance is slightly raised, so that the lower lock mechanism 50 causes the hub 7 and the lower portion to be lowered. The clamp ring 14 is locked. Specifically, the upper guide 53 pushes the lock pin 51 against the lower clamp ring 14 against the urging force of the compression spring 54, and the end 51b of the lock pin 51 is fitted into the groove 14a of the lower clamp ring 14, The hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 are locked. At this time, since the operation of the piston rod 6 is used to lock the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14, no special actuator is required.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the piston rod 6 is further raised, and the rod head 71 is inserted into the central through hole 12 b of the upper clamp ring 12. Then, the stepped portion 71 b of the rod head 71 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the upper clamp ring 12. At this time, the guide rod 91 is also raised as the piston rod 6 is raised. The upper clamp ring 12 may be fitted into the fixed piston rod 6. After confirming that the rod head 71 is inserted into the central through hole 12b of the upper clamp ring 12, and discharging the fluid from the sealed space in the rod head 71, the upper clamp ring 12 and the piston rod are discharged by the upper lock mechanism 70. 6 and lock. Specifically, the piston 72 is lowered by the biasing force of the compression spring 73, and the steel ball 75 accommodated in the space formed by the steel ball holding hole 71a and the steel ball escape groove 72a is replaced with the steel ball fixing groove 12c. The piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 are locked by being accommodated and fixed in the space formed by the steel ball holding hole 71a.

  Next, the chuck 21 is opened, and the pair of hooks 34 holding the outer groove 12a of the upper clamp ring 12 are separated. Then, the upper surface of the rod head 71 is lowered from the lower surface of the hook 34 by lowering the piston rod 6 slightly. Thereafter, the chuck 21 is closed again and the guide rod 91 is gripped by the hook 34. Then, the entire central mechanism 2 and the piston rod 6 are lowered to confirm that a gap is formed between the lower end of the guide rod 91 and the upper surface of the rod head 71, and the tire charging device 20 is tire vulcanized. Carry out of machine 1. Then, the chuck 21 is lowered and the guide rod 91 is removed upward. Thereafter, the chuck 21 is opened and the lifting jig 30 is removed from the chuck 21. As a result, the tire charging device 20 can carry the green tire G into the tire vulcanizer 1.

  Next, a method for removing the bladder assembly 10 will be described. A lifting jig 30 shown in FIG. 5 is attached to the chuck 21 of the tire charging device 20. At this time, the chuck 21 is kept open. Further, the upper clamp ring 12 and the lower clamp ring 14 are raised by raising the entire central mechanism 2 and the piston rod 6. The tire charging device 20 to which the lifting jig 30 is attached is raised and conveyed to just above the central mechanism 2. Then, the chuck 21 is lowered to a height position at which the upper clamp ring 12 can be gripped by the hook 34 of the lifting jig 30.

  Next, by closing the chuck 21 and moving the pair of hooks 34 toward the center of the upper clamp ring 12, the outer grooves 12 a of the upper clamp ring 12 are gripped by the pair of hooks 34. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the upper clamp ring 12 and the piston rod 6 are unlocked by the upper lock mechanism 70 by supplying fluid to the sealed space in the rod head 71. Specifically, by lifting the piston 72, the steel ball 75 that is housed and fixed in the space formed by the steel ball fixing groove 12c and the steel ball holding hole 71a is replaced with the steel ball holding hole 71a and the steel ball. The piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 are unlocked by being accommodated in the space formed by the escape groove 72a.

  After that, as shown in FIG. 6, the piston rod 6 is lowered to the lower limit, and the lock between the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 is released by the lower lock mechanism 50. Specifically, the upper guide 53 is pushed down to a position below the lock pin 51 by the stepped portion 6 a, and the end 51 b of the lock pin 51 is removed from the groove 14 a of the lower clamp ring 14 by the biasing force of the compression spring 54. Thus, the lock between the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 is released. At this time, since the operation of the piston rod 6 is used to unlock the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14, no special actuator is required.

  Thereafter, the entire central mechanism 2 is lowered to confirm that there is a gap between the lower surface of the lower clamp ring 14 and the central mechanism 2, and the tire charging device 20 is carried out of the tire vulcanizer 1. Thereafter, the chuck 21 is lowered and the bladder assembly 10 is placed on a predetermined base, and then the chuck 21 is opened to remove the hook 34 from the outer groove 12 a of the upper clamp ring 12.

(effect)
As described above, according to the exchange device 101 and the exchange method according to the present embodiment, when the piston rod 6 is raised in a state where the hub 7 is fitted to the lower clamp ring 14, the upper guide 53 causes the lock pin 51 to move. By pushing out toward the lower clamp ring 14, the end 51b of the lock pin 51 fits into the groove 14a, and the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 are locked. On the other hand, when the piston rod 6 is lowered, the stepped portion 6a The upper guide 53 is pushed down below the lock pin 51 and the end 51b of the lock pin 51 urged toward the piston rod 6 is removed from the groove 14a, so that the lock between the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 is released. Is done. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the central mechanism 2 with a special actuator for locking the hub 7 and the lower clamp ring 14 and releasing the lock. As a result, the bladder assembly 10 can be locked and unlocked without complicating the structure. Moreover, since the replacement | exchange operation | work of the bladder assembly 10 becomes safe and work time is shortened, the operation rate of the tire vulcanizer 1 can be improved.

  Further, the bladder assembly 10 is carried in or out of the central mechanism 2 by moving the lifting jig 30 holding the upper clamp ring 12 by the tire charging device 20. As a result, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated device for loading or unloading the bladder assembly 10 with respect to the central mechanism 2, thereby reducing costs.

  In addition, the pair of hooks 34 are pressed by the chuck 21 closed by an opening / closing mechanism (not shown) in the tire charging device 20 to move the pair of hooks 34 toward the center of the upper clamp ring 12. While the outer grooves 12a are gripped by the pair of hooks 34, the plurality of chucks 21 are opened, and the pair of hooks 34 are moved away from the center of the upper clamp ring 12 by the urging force of the tension spring 35. The pair of hooks 34 is detached from the outer groove 12 a of the ring 12. In this manner, the pair of hooks 34 is opened and closed by the plurality of chucks 21 closed by the opening / closing mechanism and the tension springs 35 that urge the hooks 34 in the direction away from the center of the upper clamp ring 12. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a dedicated device for opening and closing the pair of hooks 34, so that the cost can be reduced.

  Further, the guide rod 91 is inserted into the center through hole 12b provided at the center of the upper clamp ring 12, and the center of the holding member 93 attached above the lower clamp ring 14 is penetrated by the guide rod 91. When the assembly 10 is loaded, the lower clamp ring 14 and the lower bead ring 15 can be positioned with respect to the upper clamp ring 12 and the upper mold ring 13. Further, when the bladder assembly 10 is moved by the tire charging device 20, it is possible to prevent the lower clamp ring 14 and the lower bead ring 15 from swinging.

  Further, in a state where the rod head 71 is inserted into the central through hole 12 b, the fluid is discharged from the sealed space formed below the piston 72 in the rod head 71 and the piston 72 is lowered by the urging force of the compression spring 73. Thus, the steel ball 75 is accommodated in the space formed by the steel ball fixing groove 12c and the steel ball holding hole 71a to be in a fixed state, and the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 are locked, while the rod head 71 is locked. By supplying fluid to the enclosed space and raising the piston 72, the steel ball 75 is accommodated in the space formed by the steel ball holding hole 71a and the steel ball escape groove 72a, and the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 is released. In this way, simply by supplying the fluid into the rod head 71 and discharging the fluid from the rod head 71, the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 can be locked and unlocked. Therefore, the replacement operation of the bladder assembly 10 becomes safe and the operation time is shortened, so that the operating rate of the tire vulcanizer 1 can be improved.

[Second Embodiment]
(Configuration of upper locking mechanism)
Next, the exchange device 201 according to the second embodiment will be described. In addition, about the structure similar to the exchange apparatus 101 by 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted. The difference between the exchange device 201 of the second embodiment and the exchange device 101 of the first embodiment is that the configuration of the upper lock mechanism 270 is different as shown in FIG. 8 which is an enlarged sectional view of the main part E of FIG. It is a point.

  The upper lock mechanism 270 is attached to the upper end of the piston rod 6 with a bolt 81, and can be moved up and down and the upper end (upper end surface) is exposed, and a compression spring (fifth bias) Means) The rod head 271 provided with 273 inside, the lid 274 fixed (screwed) to the upper end of the rod head 271 and penetrating the upper end of the piston 272, and the peripheral wall of the rod head 271 A steel ball holding hole (hole) 271a, and a steel ball fixing groove (inner groove) 12c provided annularly on the inner surface of the central through hole 12b into which the rod head 271 provided at the center of the upper clamp ring 12 can be inserted; A steel ball escape groove (outer groove) 272a provided on the outer surface of the piston 272 above the steel ball holding hole 271a, and the rod head 27 outside the center mechanism 2 Or a space formed by a steel ball fixing groove 12c and a steel ball holding hole 271a or a steel ball holding hole 271a and a steel ball. A steel ball (sphere) 275 that is accommodated in a space formed by the escape groove 272a.

  The lid 274 functions as a stopper for the piston 272 urged upward by the compression spring 273. The steel ball holding hole 271a is formed so that the opening area becomes smaller toward the upper clamp ring 12 side so that the steel ball 275 does not fall out of the rod head 271, thereby partially exposing the steel ball 275. It is supposed to be able to make it. The steel ball fixing groove 12c has a cross section whose shape corresponds to an arc shape corresponding to a part of the steel ball 275 exposed from the steel ball holding hole 271a, that is, a curved surface of the steel ball 275.

  Further, the rod head 271 is provided with a stepped portion 271 b for positioning the position of the rod head 271 in the height direction by contacting the lower surface of the upper clamp ring 12.

  The cylinder 276 is attached to the center of the lower surface of the support plate 31 of the lifting jig 30. That is, in the present embodiment, a cylinder 276 is provided instead of providing the hole 36 through which the guide rod 91 passes in the central portion of the support plate 31 shown in FIG. Therefore, in this embodiment, positioning by the centering device 90 is not performed. The cylinder 276 is driven by a fluid used to open and close the chuck 21. The cylinder 276 may be attached to a separate body from the lifting jig 30.

  In such a configuration, when the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 are locked, the piston rod 6 is lifted with the rod of the cylinder 276 protruding downward. The piston 272 is pressed against the cylinder 276 so that the steel ball 275 is accommodated in a space formed by the steel ball holding hole 271a and the steel ball escape groove 272a. In this state, the rod head 271 is inserted into the central through hole 12 b of the upper clamp ring 12. When the stepped portion 271b of the rod head 271 contacts the lower surface of the upper clamp ring 12, the rod of the cylinder 276 is moved upward. Then, the piston 272 is raised by the urging force of the compression spring 273, and the steel ball 275 accommodated in the space formed by the steel ball holding hole 271a and the steel ball escape groove 272a is released from the steel ball escape groove 272a, and the piston 272 And is fitted in the steel ball fixing groove 12c, and is received and fixed in a space formed by the steel ball fixing groove 12c and the steel ball holding hole 271a. Thereby, the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 are locked.

  Further, when the lock between the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 is released, the piston 272 is pushed down by the cylinder 276. Then, when the piston 272 descends, the steel ball 275 that is housed and fixed in the space formed by the steel ball fixing groove 12c and the steel ball holding hole 271a is released from the steel ball fixing groove 12c, and the steel ball escapes. It moves to the groove 272a and is accommodated in the space formed by the steel ball holding hole 271a and the steel ball escape groove 272a. As a result, the lock between the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 is released. Then, when the piston 272 is pushed down by the cylinder 276 and the piston rod 6 is lowered, the rod head 271 is extracted from the upper clamp ring 12. When the rod head 271 is extracted from the upper clamp ring 12 and the piston 272 is separated from the rod of the cylinder 276, the piston 272 is raised by the urging force of the compression spring 273, and the steel ball 275 is fitted into the steel ball holding hole 271a. The part is exposed to the outside.

(effect)
As described above, according to the exchange device 201 and the tire vulcanizing method according to the present embodiment, the piston 272 is raised by the urging force of the compression spring 273 in a state where the rod head 271 is inserted into the central through hole 12b. Thus, the steel ball 275 is accommodated in the space formed by the steel ball fixing groove 12c and the steel ball holding hole 271a, and the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 are locked, while the cylinder 276 pushes down the piston 272. Thus, the steel ball 275 is accommodated in the space formed by the steel ball holding hole 271a and the steel ball escape groove 272a, and the lock between the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 is released. In this way, the piston rod 6 and the upper clamp ring 12 can be locked and released only by raising the piston 272 with the compression spring 273 and pushing down the piston 272 with the cylinder 276. Therefore, the replacement operation of the bladder assembly 10 becomes safe and the operation time is shortened, so that the operating rate of the tire vulcanizer 1 can be improved. Further, by providing the cylinder 276 outside the center mechanism 2, the structure of the center mechanism 2 can be simplified.

(Modification of this embodiment)
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but only specific examples are illustrated, and the present invention is not particularly limited, and the specific configuration and the like can be appropriately changed in design. Further, the actions and effects described in the embodiments of the invention only list the most preferable actions and effects resulting from the present invention, and the actions and effects according to the present invention are described in the embodiments of the present invention. It is not limited to what was done.

  For example, although the compression springs 54 and 55, the tension spring 35, and the compression springs 73 and 273 are used as the urging means, the urging means is not limited to the coil spring, and may be an elastic body such as rubber. Good. Further, although the piston rod is used as the center post, it may be a center post made up of another rod that can be raised and lowered. Further, the bladder is carried in and out using a tire charging device that handles the green tire G as a tire conveying device, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the bladder is carried in and out by using a tire conveying device configured to be similar to the tire charging device and capable of handling the green tire G and the vulcanized tire or a tire conveying device capable of handling the vulcanized tire. You may do it. In addition, a tire loading device capable of handling green tires G and a tire unloading device capable of handling vulcanized tires are provided as tire conveying devices, and loading and unloading of bladders into and from the tire charging device and the tire unloading device, respectively. You may make it carry out by sharing.

1 Tire vulcanizer 2 Central mechanism 3 Lower mold 6 Piston rod (center post)
6a Stepped portion 7 Hub 7a Through hole 10 Bladder assembly 11 Bladder 12 Upper clamp ring 12a Outer groove 12b Center through hole 12c Steel ball fixing groove (inner groove)
13 Upper mold ring 14 Lower clamp ring 14a Groove 15 Lower bead ring 20 Tire charging device (tire conveying device)
21 Chuck 22 Paddle 23 Fixed part 30 Lifting jig (jig)
31 support plate 32 rail 33 LM guide 34 hook 35 tension spring (third urging means)
40 Storage Device 41 Projection 42 Center Through-hole 43 Rod 50 Lower Lock Mechanism (Lock Mechanism)
51 Lock pin (pin)
51a Large diameter part 51b End part 53 Upper guide (pressing member)
54 Compression spring (first biasing means)
55 Compression spring (second biasing means)
60 Head 70, 270 Upper lock mechanism 71, 271 Rod head 71a, 271a Steel ball holding hole (hole)
72,272 Piston 72a, 272a Steel ball escape groove (outer groove)
73 Compression spring (fourth biasing means)
75,275 Steel balls (spheres)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 90 Centering apparatus 91 Guide rod 93 Holding members 101 and 201 Exchanger 273 Compression spring (5th biasing means)
276 cylinder (actuator)

Claims (9)

A bladder assembly having a bladder, an upper clamp ring and an upper mold ring for sandwiching the upper end of the bladder, and a lower clamp ring and a lower bead ring for sandwiching the lower end of the bladder is attached to the central mechanism of the tire vulcanizer. An exchange device for exchanging
The central mechanism is
A hub that fits on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring;
A center post that goes up and down through the center of the hub;
An elevating mechanism for elevating the center post;
Have
A lock mechanism for locking the hub and the lower clamp ring and releasing the lock;
The locking mechanism is
A through hole drilled in the hub in the radial direction of the center post;
A pin provided in the through hole;
A first biasing means provided in the through hole and biasing the pin toward the center post;
A pressing member provided between the center post and the hub;
A second biasing means provided below the pressing member between the center post and the hub, and biasing the pressing member upward;
A stepped portion provided on the center post and capable of contacting the pressing member from above;
A groove provided on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring;
Have
In a state where the hub is fitted to the lower clamp ring, when the center post is raised, the pin is pushed out to the lower clamp ring side by the pressing member that is in contact with the pin. When the center post is lowered, the pressing member is pushed down below the pin by the stepped portion while the end of the center portion is fitted into the groove and the hub and the lower clamp ring are locked. So that the end portion of the pin urged toward the center post side is removed from the groove, and the lock between the hub and the lower clamp ring is released. Three-dimensional exchange device. A tire transport device for transporting a tire to the central mechanism;
A jig attached to the tire transport device and capable of gripping the upper clamp ring of the bladder assembly;
Further comprising
2. The bladder assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bladder assembly is loaded into or unloaded from the central mechanism by moving the jig holding the upper clamp ring by the tire conveyance device. Replacement device for bladder assembly in tire vulcanizer. An outer groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the center portion of the upper clamp ring,
The tire conveying device is:
A plurality of chucks capable of gripping the bead portion of the tire;
An opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the plurality of chucks in a tire radial direction;
Have
The jig is
A pair of hooks disposed inside the plurality of chucks in the tire radial direction and moved toward the center of the upper clamp ring by being pressed by the chucks closed by the opening and closing mechanism;
Third biasing means for biasing each hook in a direction away from the center of the upper clamp ring;
Have
The apparatus for replacing a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer according to claim 2, wherein the outer groove is gripped by the pair of hooks moved toward the center of the upper clamp ring. A centering device used when carrying the bladder assembly into the central mechanism;
The centering device is
A guide rod inserted into a central through hole into which the center post provided at the center of the upper clamp ring can be inserted;
A holding member attached above the lower clamp ring and through which the guide rod penetrates the center;
The apparatus for replacing a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: An upper lock mechanism for locking the center post and the upper clamp ring and releasing the lock;
The upper locking mechanism is
A rod head that is attached to the upper end of the center post and includes a vertically movable piston and a fourth urging means that urges the piston downward;
A fluid supply / discharge device for supplying fluid to the sealed space in the rod head and discharging the fluid from the sealed space;
A hole drilled in the peripheral wall of the rod head;
An inner groove provided on the inner surface of a central through hole into which the rod head provided at the center of the upper clamp ring can be inserted;
An outer groove provided on the outer surface of the piston so as to be positioned below the hole when the piston is pushed down by the fourth urging means;
A sphere accommodated in a space formed by the inner groove and the hole, or a space formed by the hole and the outer groove;
Have
In a state where the rod head is inserted into the central through hole, when the fluid is discharged from the sealed space, the piston urged by the fourth urging means is lowered, and the inner groove The spherical body is accommodated in a space formed by the hole and the center post and the upper clamp ring are locked, while the piston is lifted when fluid is supplied to the sealed space. The lock between the center post and the upper clamp ring is released by accommodating the spherical body in a space formed by the hole and the outer groove. An apparatus for replacing a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer according to any one of the preceding claims. An upper lock mechanism for locking the center post and the upper clamp ring and releasing the lock;
The upper locking mechanism is
A rod head which is attached to the upper end of the center post and which is vertically movable and has an exposed upper end surface; and a fifth biasing means for biasing the piston upward;
A hole drilled in the peripheral wall of the rod head;
An inner groove provided on the inner surface of a central through hole into which the rod head provided at the center of the upper clamp ring can be inserted;
An outer groove provided on the outer surface of the piston so as to be positioned above the hole when the piston is pushed up by the fifth biasing means;
A cylinder provided outside the central mechanism and above the rod head and capable of pushing down the piston;
A sphere accommodated in a space formed by the inner groove and the hole, or a space formed by the hole and the outer groove;
Have
In a state where the rod head is inserted into the central through hole, when the piston is pushed up by the fifth urging means, the sphere is accommodated in a space formed by the inner groove and the hole. Thus, while the center post and the upper clamp ring are locked, the sphere is accommodated in the space formed by the hole and the outer groove when the piston is pushed down by the cylinder. The apparatus for replacing a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lock between the center post and the upper clamp ring is released. A bladder assembly having a bladder, an upper clamp ring and an upper mold ring for sandwiching the upper end of the bladder, and a lower clamp ring and a lower bead ring for sandwiching the lower end of the bladder is attached to the central mechanism of the tire vulcanizer. Exchange method,
In a state where the hub of the center mechanism is fitted on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring, the center post penetrating the center of the hub is raised, so that the center post is provided between the center post and the hub upward. The urging pressing member is provided in a through-hole drilled in the hub in the radial direction of the center post, and is brought into contact with a pin urged toward the center post so that the pin is clamped in the lower clamp. A locking step for locking the hub and the lower clamp ring by pushing the ring side and fitting the end of the pin into a groove provided on the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring;
In a state where the hub is fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the lower clamp ring, the center post is lowered to push down the pressing member below the pin at a stepped portion provided on the center post. And unlocking the lock between the hub and the lower clamp ring by removing the end of the pin biased toward the center post from the groove;
A method for replacing a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer.   A tire transport device that transports a tire to the central mechanism is attached to the tire transport device, and the upper clamp ring is gripped by a jig that can grip the upper clamp ring of the bladder assembly. The tire vulcanization according to claim 7, further comprising a loading / unloading step of loading or unloading the bladder assembly with respect to the central mechanism by moving the bladder assembly in a state. To replace the bladder assembly in the machine. From the center of the upper clamp ring provided in the jig on the inner side in the tire radial direction of a plurality of chucks that can be opened and closed by an opening / closing mechanism in the tire radial direction and that can grip the bead portion of the tire. A pair of hooks urged by the urging means are arranged in the direction of leaving,
By pressing the pair of hooks with the chuck closed by the opening / closing mechanism and moving the pair of hooks toward the center of the upper clamp ring, the chuck is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the center portion of the upper clamp ring. The method for replacing a bladder assembly in a tire vulcanizer according to claim 8, further comprising a gripping step of gripping the outer groove with the pair of hooks.

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