Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
  • B29D30/00—Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof
  • B29D30/06—Pneumatic tyres or parts thereof (e.g. produced by casting, moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding, centrifugal casting)
  • B29D30/08—Building tyres
  • B29D30/10—Building tyres on round cores, i.e. the shape of the core is approximately identical with the shape of the completed tyre
  • B29D30/14—Rolling-down or pressing-down the layers in the building process
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
  • B29D30/00—Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof
  • B29D30/06—Pneumatic tyres or parts thereof (e.g. produced by casting, moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding, centrifugal casting)
  • B29D30/08—Building tyres
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
  • B29D30/00—Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof
  • B29D30/06—Pneumatic tyres or parts thereof (e.g. produced by casting, moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding, centrifugal casting)
  • B29D30/08—Building tyres
  • B29D30/10—Building tyres on round cores, i.e. the shape of the core is approximately identical with the shape of the completed tyre
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
  • B29D30/00—Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof
  • B29D30/06—Pneumatic tyres or parts thereof (e.g. produced by casting, moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding, centrifugal casting)
  • B29D30/08—Building tyres
  • B29D30/10—Building tyres on round cores, i.e. the shape of the core is approximately identical with the shape of the completed tyre
  • B29D2030/105—Building tyres on round cores, i.e. the shape of the core is approximately identical with the shape of the completed tyre the cores being movable
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29K—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR MOULDS, REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
  • B29K2021/00—Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material

Definitions

• This invention relates to a method for applying sheets of elastomeric material to a core, and more particularly, to such a method either for moving a core from tool station-to-tool station for applying the sheet or for moving the tools to a fixed core location.
• the present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
• One aspect of the present invention is a simplified method of forming a tire or tube carcass around a core, the steps of which are to load a core into a vacuum chamber, place an elastomeric sheet over that chamber, seal the sheet around the edge of the chamber, press the core into the sheet and evacuate the chamber, stitch the sheet to the core to partially cover the core, trim away excess portions of the sheet, remove the excess elastomeric material, turn over the partially wrapped core, and repeat the above steps as necessary to form the desired number of layers. of elastomeric material on the core.
• Previous methods for forming a tube article on a core by shaping elastomeric material onto one half of a toroidal core have been relatively slow and inefficient requiring frequent handling of the core using generally available material handling equipment.
• the core is loaded in a chamber which can easily carry the core between a plurality of tool stations where, at each station, an. operation is performed on the core, thereby resulting in a more efficient use of the tools and a faster rate of manufacture of the tires.
• the core is loaded in a chamber surrounded by various tools, with each tool advancing into position to perform a desired function on the core before it is retracted and the next tool advances to perform its function until the core is wrapped with the desired number of layers of elastomeric material.
• a third method incorporates both moving the core from one tool station to the next, and moving a tool to the core as the core is held in one location until a completely wrapped core is produced.
• Fig. 1 is a top view showing the layout of an apparatus employing one of the preferred embodiments of the invention
• Fig. 2 is a schematic view indicating the steps of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the vacuum chamber as used in the apparatus of Fig. 1 and as in position prior to forming the sheet on a core;
• Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the elastomeric sheet as applied to a core and prior to severing; and
• Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a second preferred embodiment of the invention wherein a vacuum chamber- remains stationary.
• FIG. 1 The inventive steps and apparatus for use in carrying out one preferred method of forming a tube article on a core are shown in the figures.
• the basic component of the apparatus is a vacuum container 10, shown in Figs. 3 and 4 , which has a rectangular or cylindrical shape with an outwardly extending lip or rim 11 and has a center member 12 topped by a circular support platform 13.
• the walls of the container 10 and the center member 12 form an annular vacuum chamber 14 in which is located a vertically movable annular support member 16.
• Figs. 1 and 2 show a four-station machine having a closed path for movement of the vacuum container 10 with the various steps of the method carried out at succeeding stations.
• an empty vacuum container 10 is brought to a first or initial station 18 where a load, unload and turn over apparatus or tool 21 is located, see Figs. 1 and 2.
• a toroidal core body 20 (Figs. 3 and 4), is delivered either by conveyor, dolly, or the like, (not shown) to a delivery station 19, which station 19 is within reach of a pivoted robot 27 of the tool 21.
• the robot 27 includes an overhead boom 22 rotatable around a base 24, as shown in Fig. 1, and has a core-engaging mechanism 25 that grasps the core 20 without scuffing the surface.
• the robot 27 lifts the core whereupon the core is automatically centered and moves the core either to any one of several horizontally spaced locations, or turns the core top-to-bottom. Specifically, the robot 27 grasps a core that is either at the delivery station 19 or is in the vacuum container 10 at the first or initial station 18, and lifts the core 20 whereupon the core will be centered automatically with respect to a geometric center of the core-engaging mechanism 25. The robot 27 will move the core 20, if it was initially in the delivery station 19, to a vacuum container 10 positioned at the first or initial station 18 or, if it was initially in the vacuum container 10, to turn the core 20 over and reposition it in the vacuum chamber 14 with the previous bottom sideof the core now .facing up. If the core 20 was in the vacuum container 10 and had received all of the applications of elastomeric material required, the robot 27 will lift the core 20 from the vacuum container 10 and swing it to an exit station 23 where it will be moved either to storage or to subsequent processing.
• the programmed controls When the vacuum container 10 arrives at the first or initial station 18, the programmed controls, not shown, will activate valves to energize the air motor or hydraulic cylinder 26 (see Figs. 3,4) to extend the rod 28 to raise the annular support member 16 to a position at the open top of the vacuum container10 so as either to receive a core 20 from the robot 27, or to locate a core 20 so that the robot 27 can grasp and lift the core 20 either for turning and repositioning on the support member 16, or for moving the core 20 to the exit station 23.
• the core 20 Once the core 20 has been positioned on support member 16, support member 16 and core 20 are lowered by the hydraulic cylinder 26 into the annular chamber 14. As shown in Figs.
• the vacuum container 10 is moved by a conveyor or rollers 34 to a second station 33 where movement of the vacuum container 10 is stopped and a tool or apparatus 35 for applying an elastomeric sheet 36 over the top of the vacuum chamber 14 is activated.
• the sheet-applying apparatus may consist of two extending arms (not shown) which pull the sheet 36 from a roll and deposits it on the lip 11 of the container 10 and on the platform 13 whereupon a cutting blade, not shown, cuts the sheet 36 from the roll when the sheet is in position. Since any method for applying the sheet 36 is acceptable, this application is not to be read in a manner to limit it to the operation of the above-described tool or apparatus. With the sheet 36 in position, the vacuum container 10 is again moved over rollers 40 to a wait station 38.
• the container 10 is moved over rollers 40 to a third station 41 where a vacuum forming, stitching and trimming apparatus or tool 43 is located.
• the vacuum container 10 has the core 20 nested in the vacuum chamber 14 with the sheet 36 of elastomeric material laying across the lip 11 and platform 13 of the container 10.
• a stationary sealing member 42 is located at the third station 41 above the lip or rim 11 of the vacuum container 10.
• the vacuum container 10 has tracks 37 on outboard bottom flanges which tracks roll from the elongate rollers 40 onto short rollers 39 carried by a frame of the conveyor.
• the annular support frame 16 is then raised by the hydraulic cylinder 26 so that the core 20 is pressed into the elastomeric sheet 36 as air is evacuated from the vacuum chamber 14, drawing the elastomeric sheet 36 around the core 20 as the core is raised to form the configuration of the sheet on a portion of the core as shown in Fig. 4. It will be noted in Fig. 4 that the container 10 is raised from the rollers 39 by the cylinders 26 and the core and support member 16 are raised from the bottom of the container 10. When so shaped, the stitch and trim steps take place with conventional methods such as those disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 4,044,085, referred to hereinabove.
• these steps consist of passing a machine around the annular body formed by the elastomeric sheet 36 and core 20, which machine cuts and stitches the sheet 36 to the core 20 both around the outside and around the inside of the core.
• the material remaining, between the. lip 11 and the sealing member 42 and the circular portion of material lying on the support platform 13 is considered to be scrap 51.
• the annular support member 16 is lowered to its bottom position in the vacuum chamber 14 and the central hydraulic cylinder 26 is de-energized so that the vacuum container 10 is lowered to rest on the rollers 39 and 40.
• the vacuum container 10 is then moved along the path over the rollers 40 to a fourth station 55 where a scrap removal apparatus or tool 57 is located.
• the scrap removal apparatus or tool 57 used in removing the scrap, is conventional and includes a platen 59 carried by a boom 56 which is pivotable about a base 58.
• the platen 59 may include vacuum cups, or the like, to grasp the scrap portions 51 and to deposit them in one of several bins located close to the apparatus.
• the vacuum container 10 is moved along rollers 60 and 39 toward the first station 18 at the load, unload and turn over apparatus or tool 21. At the load, unload and turn station 18, the tracks 37 of the container 10 roll from the rollers 60 onto short rollers 39 similar to those shown in Fig.
• locating pins 44 will move into the aligned apertures 45 in the container 10 to locate the container 10 in proper position for the raising and lowering of the support member.
• the support member 16 and the core 20 are raised by the hydraulic cylinder 26, whereupon the robot 27 grasps, lifts and turns the core 20 over, and replaces it on the annular support member 16 with the uncovered side now exposed on top.
• the core 20 is lowered into the vacuum chamber 14 and the above steps are then repeated to apply elastomeric material to the other side of the core 20. This entire process may be repeated as many times as is necessary to apply the desired number of layers of elastomeric material to the core 20.
• the core may be removed at the first station 18 by means of the load, unload and turn over apparatus or tool 21.
• the tool 21 grasps the completed core 20, that has been raised by the hydraulic cylinder 26, raises and moves it to the exit station 23.
• a new core 20 is picked up at the delivery station 19 and is placed on the annular support member 16 after which it is lowered into the vacuum chamber 14 and the process is repeated.
• Several, such as four or five, or more, vacuum containers 10 with cores 20 can be in the system and worked on at the same time.
• one container 10 could be in the first or initial station 18 with a second, third, fourth and fifth container 10 at the sheet-applying second station 33, at the wait station 38, at the form, stitch and trim third station 41, and at the scrap removal fourth station 55, respectively.
• the limit on the number of containers is determined by how many "wait" stations, such as wait station 38, are designed into the system. With the system disclosed in Fig. 1, five containers (and five cores) is a practical limit.
• the preprogrammed controls sense the condition of each core 20 in the system, records the number of sheets applied to each core and determines when the core 20 has attained its desired number of sheets and removes it from the system.
• FIG. 5 A second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in Fig. 5, where a vacuum container 110 is affixed to a vertically movable platform with actuators, similar to actuators 48,49 for raising and lowering the vacuum container 110 against a sealing member 42 in the manner of Figs. 3 and 4 for sealing the container 110 and sheet of elastomeric material 36 against the sealing member 42.
• An actuator similar to actuator 26,28 of Figs. 3,4, is provided for raising and lowering an annular support member 16 upon which a core 20 is positioned.
• the apparatus or tools are mounted at stations around the vacuum container 110 with each apparatus or tool being activated to move into position to perform the desired step.
• a first station 118 has a load, unload and turn apparatus or tool 121 which is located to grasp a core 20 from a delivery station 119 and to lift, center and swing said core 20 into alignment with, and to lower it into position on, the support member 16 in the vacuum container 110.
• the tool 121 retracts and the core 20 is lowered into the container 110 by. the programmed controls activating the actuator 26.
• the second station 133 has a sheet-applying apparatus or tool 135 which swings over the vacuum container 110 and applies a sheet of elastomeric material 36 over the lip 111, center platform 113 and open vacuum chamber 114.
• the tool 135 retracts and the container 110 is raised to seal the sheet of material 36 between the lip 111 and a sealing member 42.
• a third station 141 has a form, stitch and trim apparatus or tool 143 which extends over the container 110.
• the preprogrammed controls raise the core 20 in the vacuum chamber 114 as a vacuum is drawn in the chamber 114.
• the elastomeric material is cut around the periphery of the core whereupon the cut edge of the material is stitched to the core 20.
• the unused portion of the sheet 36 rests on the lip 111 and on the platform 113.
• the core 20 retracts into the chamber 114 as the form, stitch and trim apparatus or tool 143 retracts out of alignment with the container 110.
• a fourth station 155 has a scrap removal apparatus or tool 157 which moves over the container 110, lowers, engages the scrap, raises, and moves to a position over an appropriate bin where the scrap is dropped.
• the tool 157 then returns to a rest position.
• the load, unload and turn apparatus or tool 121 now advances as the core 20 is raised in the container 110.
• the tool 121 engages the core 20 and turns it over and replaces it on the support member 16 whereupon the sequence of steps is repeated until the desired number of layers of elastomeric material is deposited on the- core.
• the load, unload and turn apparatus or tool 121 will grasp and remove the core 20 from the container 110 and will deposit it at the exit station 123.
• the programmed controls will be activated by proximity switches, and the like, which will then signal the various functions to start or to stop.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Tyre Moulding (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=22154313

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Citations (7)

• 1980
  • 1980-04-28 WO PCT/US1980/000492 patent/WO1981003146A1/en unknown
  • 1980-04-28 JP JP55502404A patent/JPS57500502A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (7)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events