JP2020110982A - Manufacturing method of strip member for tire - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of a strip member for a tire, which suppresses an outflow of the strip member having a defective folding back of an edge rubber.SOLUTION: A manufacturing method of a strip member 2 for a tire includes: a step (A) of forming a protruding part protruding an edge rubber 6 outward in a width direction from an end of a rubber sheet 4 by bonding the edge rubber 6 to an end part of the rubber sheet 4; a step (B) of detecting the protruding part after the step (A); a step (C) of covering an end of the rubber sheet 4 with the edge rubber 6 by folding back the protruding part at an end of the rubber sheet 4; and a step (D) of detecting a presence or absence of the protruding part after the step (C).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a belt-shaped member that forms a part of a tire.

The tire includes a belt located inside the tread in the radial direction. This belt reinforces the carcass that forms the skeleton of the tire. The belt includes a cord and a topping rubber that covers the cord. This belt is susceptible to damage such as peeling at the widthwise end. From the viewpoint of suppressing this damage, the end portion of the belt is covered with a cover rubber. The cover rubber suppresses damage at the end of the belt. Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-257035) discloses a method of manufacturing a belt whose ends are covered with a cover rubber.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-257035

The cover rubber (hereinafter, also referred to as edge rubber) that covers the end portion covers the end portion of the belt, and is therefore folded back at the end portion of the belt. A tire provided with a belt whose edge rubber is not folded back is inferior in durability. Such tires are discarded. Such a belt hinders tire productivity.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for a tire, which suppresses the outflow of the belt-shaped member in which the edge rubber is not folded back.

In the method for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for a tire according to the present invention, a belt-shaped member for a tire including a belt-shaped rubber sheet and an edge rubber that covers an end of the rubber sheet is manufactured.
The manufacturing method of the belt-shaped member for tire is
(A) a step of adhering the edge rubber to an end portion of the rubber sheet and forming a protruding portion in which the edge rubber protrudes outward in the width direction from the end of the rubber sheet,
(B) a step of detecting the protruding portion after the step (A),
(C) folding back the protruding portion at the end of the rubber sheet and covering the edge of the rubber sheet with the edge rubber; and (D) detecting the presence or absence of the protruding portion after the step (C). ..

In the apparatus for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for a tire according to the present invention, a belt-shaped member for a tire including a belt-shaped rubber sheet and an edge rubber that covers an end of the rubber sheet is manufactured.
The manufacturing device for this belt-shaped member is
A laminating device for laminating the edge rubber to the end portion of the rubber sheet, the edge rubber protruding outward in the width direction from the end of the rubber sheet, forming a protruding portion;
A folding device that folds the protruding portion at the end of the rubber sheet and attaches it to the rubber sheet,
A first sensor for detecting a protruding portion of the edge rubber between the laminating device and the folding device,
A second sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the protruding portion on the rubber sheet sent from the folding device.

Preferably, the laminating apparatus includes a laminating roller that presses the edge rubber against the rubber sheet. The folding device includes a plurality of folding rollers that fold back the protruding portion.

Preferably, the first sensor includes a light emitter and a light receiver that are arranged to face each other with the protruding portion interposed therebetween. The second sensor includes a light emitter and a light receiver that are arranged outside the end of the rubber sheet in the width direction and face each other in the thickness direction of the rubber sheet with the rubber sheet interposed therebetween.

In the method for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for a tire according to the present invention, defective bonding of edge rubber is detected. The outflow of the belt-shaped member having a defective edge rubber is suppressed. This method for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for a tire contributes to an improvement in tire productivity.

FIG. 1(A) is a plan view showing a belt member manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention, and FIG. 1(B) is a sectional view of this belt member. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a part of the manufacturing apparatus used in the manufacturing method of the present invention. FIG. 3A is an explanatory view showing a usage state of the manufacturing apparatus of FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is an explanatory view showing another usage state of the manufacturing apparatus of FIG.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings as appropriate.

FIG. 1A shows a part of the belt member 2 as a belt-shaped member obtained by the manufacturing method according to the present invention. In FIG. 1A, the left-right direction is the longitudinal direction of the belt member 2, the up-down direction is the width direction of the belt member 2, and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface is the thickness direction of the belt member 2. FIG. 1B shows a cross section of the belt member 2 taken along the line segment BB of FIG. 1A with the width direction left and right.

A belt of a tire is formed from the belt member 2. The belt is laminated to the carcass inside the tread to protect the carcass. In the method of manufacturing a tire, the belt member 2 and the members constituting other parts of the tire are combined to form a raw cover. This raw cover is vulcanized with a mold. By this vulcanization, the tire is obtained from the raw cover. A belt is formed from this belt member 2.

The belt member 2 includes a rubber sheet 4 and a pair of edge rubbers 6. The rubber sheet 4 has a strip shape. The rubber sheet 4 includes a large number of cords 8 and a topping rubber 10 that covers the cords 8. The large number of cords 8 extend obliquely in the longitudinal direction. The large number of cords 8 are arranged in the longitudinal direction at predetermined intervals. The cord 8 is made of steel, for example. The topping rubber 10 is made of, for example, unvulcanized rubber.

Each edge rubber 6 has a strip shape. The width of the edge rubber 6 is smaller than that of the rubber sheet 4. The thickness of the edge rubber 6 is smaller than that of the rubber sheet 4. The edge rubber 6 covers the end 4a of the rubber sheet 4. The edge rubber 6 is made of unvulcanized rubber.

FIG. 2 shows a part of the manufacturing apparatus 12 for the belt member 2. In FIG. 2, the belt member 2, the rubber sheet 4, and the pair of edge rubbers 6 are shown together. The arrow X in FIG. 2 indicates the front-back direction of the manufacturing apparatus 12, the arrow Y indicates the left-right direction, and the arrow Z indicates the up-down direction.

The manufacturing apparatus 12 includes a bonding device 14, a folding device 16, a pressure bonding device 18, a first sensor 20, and a second sensor 22. The manufacturing apparatus 12 further includes a transfer device, a control device, and an alarm device, which are not shown.

The laminating device 14 includes a pair of laminating rollers 24. Each bonding roller 24 includes a roller body 24a and a roller body 24b. The roller main body 24a and the roller main body 24b are rotatable about their respective axes. The axis of the roller body 24a is parallel to the axis of the roller body 24b. The roller main body 24a and the roller main body 24b are arranged so as to form a gap between which the rubber sheet 4 and the pair of edge rubbers 6 are sandwiched.

The folding device 16 includes a pair of first tilt rollers 26, a pair of second tilt rollers 28, and a pair of taper rollers 30 as a plurality of folding rollers. Each first tilt roller 26 includes a roller body 26a. The roller body 26a can rotate about its axis. This axis is inclined with respect to the left-right direction in a cross section perpendicular to the front-back direction. Each second tilt roller 28 includes a roller body 28a. The roller body 28a can rotate about its axis. This axis is inclined with respect to the left-right direction in a cross section perpendicular to the front-back direction. The inclination angle of the axis of the roller body 28a is different from the inclination angle of the axis of the roller body 26a.

Each taper roller 30 has a roller body 30a. The axis of the roller body 30a extends vertically. The roller body 30a can rotate about this axis as a rotation axis. The outer peripheral surface 30b of the roller body 30a is a tapered surface that is inclined radially outward from the upper side to the lower side.

The pressure bonding device 18 includes a pair of pressure bonding rollers 32. Each pressure roller 32 includes a roller body 32a and a roller body 32b. The roller main body 32a and the roller main body 32b are rotatable about their respective axes. The axis of the roller body 32a and the axis of the roller body 32b are parallel to each other. The roller body 32a and the roller body 32b are arranged so as to form a gap between which the rubber sheet 4 and the pair of edge rubbers 6 are sandwiched.

The first sensor 20 is arranged between the laminating device 14 and the folding device 16. The first sensor 20 includes a pair of light projectors 20a and a pair of light receivers 20b. The one projector 20a and the light receiver 20b are arranged on the left side of the rubber sheet 4, and the other projector 20a and the light receiver 20b are arranged on the right side of the rubber sheet 4. The light receiver 20b receives the light emitted by the light projector 20a.

The second sensor 22 is arranged between the folding device 16 and the crimping device 18. The second sensor 22 may be arranged by positioning the crimping device 18 between the second sensor 22 and the folding device 16. The second sensor 22 includes a pair of light projectors 22a and a pair of light receivers 22b. The one projector 22a and the light receiver 22b are arranged on the left side of the rubber sheet 4, and the other projector 22a and the light receiver 22b are arranged on the right side of the rubber sheet 4. The light receiver 22b receives the light emitted by the light projector 22a.

Although not shown, the transport device transports the belt member 2, the rubber sheet 4, and the edge rubber 6 forward. The transport device includes, for example, a drive roller as a transport roller and a guide roller. The transport device may be a belt conveyor or a combination of a belt conveyor and transport rollers.

Although not shown, the control device includes a CPU as an arithmetic unit, an interface board as an input/output unit, and a memory as a storage unit. The control device receives detection signals from the first sensor 20 and the second sensor 22. The control device determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on these detection signals. The control device stores the detection signal. The control device sends an activation signal to the alarm device when there is an abnormality.

Although not shown, the alarm device informs the operator that an abnormality has occurred. The alarm device issues an alarm when it receives an activation signal of the control device. The alarm device, for example, lights an alarm lamp and sounds an alarm sound.

FIG. 3A shows a usage state of the manufacturing apparatus 12. In FIG. 3A, the edge rubber 6 is pressed against the rubber sheet 4. The edge rubber 6 is attached to the end 4 a of the rubber sheet 4. The edge rubber 6 protrudes outward in the width direction from the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4. By this bonding, the edge rubber 6 is formed with a protruding portion 6a.

The light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b of the first sensor 20 are arranged outside the end 4b in the width direction of the rubber sheet 4 in the width direction. In the thickness direction of the rubber sheet 4, the light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b are arranged with the rubber sheet 4 and the edge rubber 6 in between. The light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b are arranged to face each other with the protruding portion 6a interposed therebetween. The light traveling from the light projector 20a to the light receiver 20b is blocked by the protruding portion 6a.

FIG. 3B shows another usage state of the manufacturing apparatus 12. In FIG. 3B, the edge rubber 6 is folded back at the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4. The end 4 a is covered with the edge rubber 6. In FIG. 3B, the folded-back portion 6b is formed on the edge rubber 6.

The light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b of the second sensor 22 are arranged outside the end 4b in the width direction of the rubber sheet 4. The light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b are arranged outside the edge rubber 6 that covers the end portion 4a of the rubber sheet 4 in the width direction of the rubber sheet 4. In the thickness direction of the rubber sheet 4, the light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b are arranged with the rubber sheet 4 and the edge rubber 6 in between. The light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b are arranged outside the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4 in the width direction and in the thickness direction of the rubber sheet 4 with the rubber sheet 4 interposed therebetween. The light receiver 22b receives the light emitted by the light projector 22a.

A method of manufacturing the belt member 2 according to the present invention will be described using the manufacturing apparatus 12 with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In this manufacturing method, the rubber sheet 4 and the pair of edge rubbers 6 are prepared (STEP 1).

In the bonding device 14, the edge rubber 6 is bonded to the pair of end portions 4a of the rubber sheet 4 by the bonding roller 24 (STEP 2). In this STEP 2, the edge rubber 6 is protruded from the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4 in the width direction, and the rubber sheet 4 and the edge rubber 6 are superposed. The rubber sheet 4 and the pair of edge rubbers 6 are attached to each other by the roller body 24a and the roller body 24b while being conveyed.

While the rubber sheet 4 and the pair of edge rubbers 6 are being conveyed, the first sensor 20 detects the protruding portion 6a of the edge rubber 6 formed in STEP 2 (STEP 3). As shown in FIG. 3A, the protruding portion 6a is inserted between the light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b. As a result, the protruding portion 6a blocks the light emitted by the light projector 20a. Thereby, the first sensor 20 detects the protruding portion 6a.

Next, in the folding device 16, the protruding portion 6a of the edge rubber 6 is folded back at the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4 while conveying the rubber sheet 4 and the pair of edge rubbers 6 (STEP 4). The edge rubber 6 covers the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4. In STEP 4, the first inclined roller 26 bends the protruding portion 6a downward with the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4 as a base point. The second inclined roller 28 bends the protruding portion 6a further deeply. The taper roller 30 attaches the protruding portion 6a to the rubber sheet 4. In this way, the protruding portion 6a and the folded portion 6b are formed.

The second sensor 22 detects the presence or absence of the protruding portion 6a outside the width direction of the rubber sheet 4 to which the folded-back portion 6b formed in STEP 4 is attached (STEP 5). The presence or absence of the protruding portion 6a is detected while the rubber sheet 4 and the pair of edge rubbers 6 are sent out from the folding device 16 and conveyed. As shown in FIG. 3B, the light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b are arranged outside the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4 in the width direction. The light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b are arranged outside the edge rubber 6 that covers the end 4b of the rubber sheet 4 in the width direction of the rubber sheet 4. The light receiver 22b receives the light emitted by the light projector 22a. As a result, the second sensor 22 detects the presence or absence of the protruding portion 6a.

In the crimping device 18, the rubber sheet 4 and the edge rubber 6 on which the folded-back portion 6b is formed are crimped (STEP 6). In this STEP 6, the rubber sheet 4 and the pair of edge rubbers 6 are pressed by the roller main body 32a and the roller main body 32b while being conveyed.

In the manufacturing apparatus 12, in STEP 3, when the first sensor 20 does not detect the protruding portion 6a, the control device activates the alarm device. The alarm device turns on an alarm lamp and emits an alarm sound. In STEP 5, when the second sensor 22 detects the protruding portion 6a, the control device activates the alarm device. In other words, when the light receiver 22b cannot receive the light emitted by the light projector 22a, the control device activates the alarm device. The alarm device turns on an alarm lamp and emits an alarm sound.

In the manufacturing method of the belt member 2, the protruding portion 6a is detected in STEP3. Further, in this manufacturing method, in STEP 5, the presence or absence of the protruding portion 6a is detected. In this manufacturing method, it is confirmed that the protruding portion 6a is not detected in STEP 5 after detecting the protruding portion 6a. As a result, defective folding back of the edge rubber 6 is detected. As a result, the belt member 2 in which the folding back defect has occurred is prevented from flowing out to the next step. Production of a tire using the belt member 2 that is not folded back is suppressed.

Further, in this manufacturing method, in STEP 3, by detecting the protruding portion 6a, cutting or damage of the edge rubber 6 can be detected. In this STEP 3, it is possible to detect a shift in the attachment position of the edge rubber 6, peeling, or the like. This manufacturing method contributes to the improvement of the quality of the belt member 2 by detecting the protruding portion 6a.

In the bonding device 14, the bonding roller 24 bonded the edge rubber 6 to the rubber sheet 4, but the bonding in this manufacturing method is not limited to this. In this manufacturing method, the edge rubber 6 may be attached to the rubber sheet 4.

In the crimping device 18, the crimping roller 32 crimps the edge rubber 6 to the rubber sheet 4, but the crimping of this manufacturing method is not limited to this. In this manufacturing method, the edge rubber 6 may be pressure-bonded to the rubber sheet 4.

Generally, the color of the rubber sheet 4 is black. The color of the edge rubber 6 is also black. It is difficult to detect the boundary between the rubber sheet 4 and the edge rubber 6 as described above. These boundaries are not easy to identify with a camera or the like. In this manufacturing method, by using the first sensor 20 and the second sensor 22, it is possible to accurately detect that the protruding portion 6a to the folded-back portion 6b are formed.

The first sensor 20 has been described as an example of a transmissive sensor including the light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b, but the first sensor 20 is not limited to this. A light projecting/receiving device and a reflector may be used in place of the light projecting device 20a and the light receiving device 20b. The light emitted from the light emitter/receiver may be reflected by the reflector so that the light emitter/receiver receives the reflected light. The first sensor 20 may be a reflective sensor as long as it can detect the protruding portion 6a. Furthermore, the first sensor 20 may be a contact sensor.

Similarly, the second sensor 22 is described as an example of a transmissive sensor including a light projector 22a and a light receiver 22b, but the second sensor 22 is not limited to this. A light projecting/receiving device and a reflector may be used instead of the light projecting device 22a and the light receiving device 22b. The light emitted from the light emitter/receiver may be reflected by the reflector so that the light emitter/receiver receives the reflected light. The second sensor 22 may be a reflective sensor as long as it can detect the presence or absence of the protruding portion 6a. Furthermore, the second sensor 22 may be a contact sensor.

In the first sensor 20 of the manufacturing apparatus 12, the light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b are arranged outside the end 4b in the width direction of the rubber sheet 4, but the arrangement is not limited to this. The light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b only need to be able to detect the protruding portion 6a. The light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b may be arranged to face each other with the protruding portion 6a interposed therebetween. Either one of the light projector 20a and the light receiver 20b may be arranged in the width direction of the rubber sheet 4 rather than the end 4b as long as they are opposed to each other with the protruding portion 6a interposed therebetween.

Similarly, in the second sensor 22, the light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b are arranged outside the edge rubber 6 covering the end 4a in the width direction of the rubber sheet 4, but the arrangement is not limited to this. The light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b only need to be able to detect the presence or absence of the protruding portion 6a. The light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b may be arranged so as to be able to detect the presence or absence of the protruding portion 6a, and may be arranged to face each other with the rubber sheet 4 sandwiched in the thickness direction of the rubber sheet 4. Either one of the light projector 22a and the light receiver 22b may be arranged within the width direction of the rubber sheet 4 from the end 4b.

Hereinafter, the effects of the present invention will be clarified by examples, but the present invention should not be limitedly interpreted based on the description of the examples.

[Example 1]
A belt member was obtained by the manufacturing method according to the present invention using the manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG.

[Comparative Example 1]
A belt member was obtained using a conventional manufacturing apparatus. This manufacturing apparatus was the same as the manufacturing apparatus of FIG. 1 except that the first sensor and the second sensor were not provided.

[Outflow evaluation of defective protrusion]
For these belt members, the presence or absence of folding back defects was recorded for one month in the next step. The results are shown in Table 1. The evaluation result is represented by an index with the outflow number of Comparative Example 1 being 10. The smaller this index, the smaller the number of outflows to the next process, which is preferable. In Example 1, the number of outflows to the next process was 0.

As shown in Table 1, the manufacturing method of the example has a higher evaluation than the manufacturing method of the comparative example. From this evaluation result, the superiority of the present invention is clear.

The method described above can be widely applied to a method for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for tire in which an end of a rubber sheet is covered with edge rubber.

2... Belt member 4... Rubber sheet 4a... End part 4b... End 6... Edge rubber 6a... Projection part 6b... Folding part 12... Manufacturing device 14... Laminating device 16... Folding device 18... Crimping device 20... First sensor 20a, 22a... Emitter 20b, 22b... Light receiver 22... Second sensor 24... Laminating Roller 26...First tilt roller 28...Second tilt roller 30...Taper roller 32...Pressing roller

Claims (4)

A method for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for a tire, which comprises a belt-shaped rubber sheet and an edge rubber covering an end of the rubber sheet,
(A) a step of adhering the edge rubber to an end portion of the rubber sheet and forming a protruding portion in which the edge rubber protrudes outward in the width direction from the end of the rubber sheet,
(B) a step of detecting the protruding portion after the step (A),
(C) folding the protruding portion at the end of the rubber sheet, covering the edge of the rubber sheet with the edge rubber, and (D) detecting the presence or absence of the protruding portion after the step (C). A method for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for a tire. A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a belt-shaped member for a tire, comprising a belt-shaped rubber sheet and an edge rubber covering an end of the rubber sheet,
A laminating device for laminating the edge rubber to the end portion of the rubber sheet, the edge rubber protruding outward in the width direction from the end of the rubber sheet, forming a protruding portion;
A folding device that folds the protruding portion at the end of the rubber sheet and attaches it to the rubber sheet,
A first sensor for detecting a protruding portion of the edge rubber between the laminating device and the folding device,
A device for manufacturing a belt-shaped member, comprising: a second sensor that detects the presence or absence of the protruding portion in the rubber sheet sent out from the folding device. The laminating device includes a laminating roller that presses the edge rubber against the rubber sheet,
The strip-shaped member manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the folding device includes a plurality of folding rollers that fold back the protruding portion. The first sensor includes a light emitter and a light receiver arranged to face each other with the protruding portion interposed therebetween,
The second sensor comprises a light emitter and a light receiver, which are arranged outside the end of the rubber sheet in the width direction and face each other in the thickness direction of the rubber sheet with the rubber sheet interposed therebetween. 3. The belt-shaped member manufacturing apparatus according to item 3.

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