A tyre for vehicle wheels includes a carcass structure with at least one carcass ply formed by strip-like elements consecutively adjacent one after the other along a circumferential extension and having overlap zones along respective longitudinal edges superimposed on each other. Each overlap zone has, along a longitudinal extension thereof, terminal sections that are laterally opposite with respect to an intermediate section. The intermediate section of each overlap zone has an intermediate overlap width greater than a terminal overlap width of the terminal sections.

A tyre for vehicle wheels includes a carcass structure with at least one carcass ply formed by strip-like elements consecutively adjacent one after the other along a circumferential extension and having overlap zones along respective longitudinal edges superimposed on each other. Each overlap zone has, along a longitudinal extension thereof, terminal sections that are laterally opposite with respect to an intermediate section. The intermediate section of each overlap zone has an intermediate overlap width greater than a terminal overlap width of the terminal sections.

A first forming apparatus includes a forming drum, a forming unit, a conveyance path, and a conveyance unit that conveys the forming drum along the conveyance path. A tire member is formed with tire components wound on the forming drum by the forming unit. The first forming apparatus also includes a measurement unit that performs, on a downstream side of the forming unit in the conveyance path, measurement on the tire components wound on the forming drum while the forming drum is moving through the measurement unit, in a tire radial direction over a width direction of the forming drum, and an inspection unit that performs inspection on winding states of the tire components based on a measurement result due to the measurement unit.

A first forming apparatus includes a forming drum, a forming unit, a conveyance path, and a conveyance unit that conveys the forming drum along the conveyance path. A tire member is formed with tire components wound on the forming drum by the forming unit. The first forming apparatus also includes a measurement unit that performs, on a downstream side of the forming unit in the conveyance path, measurement on the tire components wound on the forming drum while the forming drum is moving through the measurement unit, in a tire radial direction over a width direction of the forming drum, and an inspection unit that performs inspection on winding states of the tire components based on a measurement result due to the measurement unit.

A method for building tyres for vehicle wheels is described. Second stage forming drums are moved in a crown structure building line for building respective crown structures. Movement occurs along a first path for building a first part of components of the crown structure and a second path for building a second part of components of the crown structure. Additionally, first stage forming drums are moved in a carcass structure building line for building respective carcass structures. The flow of the second stage forming drums is managed through a first manipulator, while the flow of the first stage forming drums is managed through a second manipulator.

In building tyres, an intermediate portion of a carcass structure is built at a time on a respective forming drum within an intermediate forming line. The forming drum with the intermediate portion of the carcass structure is made available at a first transfer location. The intermediate portion of the carcass structure is completed through n completion locations with n≥1 and then transferred for the subsequent assembling with a crown structure to a second transfer location. At an operating moment in which the first transfer location is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line or intended for the intermediate forming line, from one to n locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location are occupied by respective forming drums.

In building tyres, an intermediate portion of a carcass structure is built at a time on a respective forming drum within an intermediate forming line. The forming drum with the intermediate portion of the carcass structure is made available at a first transfer location. The intermediate portion of the carcass structure is completed through n completion locations with n≥1 and then transferred for the subsequent assembling with a crown structure to a second transfer location. At an operating moment in which the first transfer location is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line or intended for the intermediate forming line, from one to n locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location are occupied by respective forming drums.

A plant for building tyres is described, with a shaping station having engagement devices for a carcass sleeve, shaping devices, an expandable toroidal forming drum, actuator and application devices, and an annular contrast element. The annular contrast element is positionable around the forming drum and the carcass sleeve in the shaping station.

A plant for building tyres is described, with a shaping station having engagement devices for a carcass sleeve, shaping devices, an expandable toroidal forming drum, actuator and application devices, and an annular contrast element. The annular contrast element is positionable around the forming drum and the carcass sleeve in the shaping station.

A carcass sleeve including a carcass ply and a pair of annular anchoring structures is fitted around a toroidal forming drum arranged in a first radially contracted operational condition. The carcass sleeve is toroidally shaped against a radially inner surface of an annular contrast element. The forming drum is positioned inside the carcass sleeve and is concurrently expanded towards a second operational condition. Upon reaching the second operational condition, the toroidally shaped carcass sleeve is coupled to the forming drum. The forming drum, coupled to the carcass sleeve, is adapted to be transferred in proximity of an application device of additional components externally to the carcass sleeve.