The invention relates to a belt forming system comprises an upstream conveyor (33), a downstream conveyor (32) located downstream of the upstream conveyor, and a belt assembly system in communication with the upstream conveyor and the downstream conveyor. The belt assembly system comprises an arm (52), an actuator for moving the arm (54), and a holding component (53) coupled to the arm and adapted to move a strip section from the upstream conveyor to a desired position on the downstream conveyor such that the strip section is oriented at a predetermined angle on the downstream conveyor. In one embodiment, the belt forming system comprises a belt cutter (42). The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing at least a portion of a tire belt.

A method of forming a layer of tire ply is disclosed. A first strip of ply is provided having a plurality of evenly spaced reinforcement cords, having a spacing S, and having a lateral end, wherein the last cord is spaced apart from strip end a distance X, wherein X is not equal to S. A second strip of ply is provided having a plurality of evenly spaced reinforcement cords, having a spacing S, and having a lateral end, wherein the last cord is spaced apart from strip end a distance Y, wherein Y is not equal to S. The lateral ends of the first and second strip are joined together in a lap joint. The first and second lateral ends are overlapped so that the spacing X preferrably does not overlap, but may partially overlap with the spacing Y.

A method of forming a layer of tire ply is disclosed. A first strip of ply is provided having a plurality of evenly spaced reinforcement cords, having a spacing S, and having a lateral end, wherein the last cord is spaced apart from strip end a distance X, wherein X is not equal to S. A second strip of ply is provided having a plurality of evenly spaced reinforcement cords, having a spacing S, and having a lateral end, wherein the last cord is spaced apart from strip end a distance Y, wherein Y is not equal to S. The lateral ends of the first and second strip are joined together in a lap joint. The first and second lateral ends are overlapped so that the spacing X preferrably does not overlap, but may partially overlap with the spacing Y.

In a pneumatic tire, respective end portions in the tire circumferential direction of a composite layer of an inner liner and a rubber layer are jointed at a joint portion; the lower inner liner layer has a first edge and the upper inner liner layer has a second edge at the joint portion; the first edge is separated from the upper inner liner layer by the rubber layer; provided that a position on the upper inner liner layer at the same height as the lower inner liner layer and closest to the first edge is P, a circumferential distance measured from the first edge to the position P is L, and a circumferential distance measured from the second edge to the position P is T, T35 mm, TL/29 mm, and 0T<L0.2T.

In a pneumatic tire, respective end portions in the tire circumferential direction of a composite layer of an inner liner and a rubber layer are jointed at a joint portion; the lower inner liner layer has a first edge and the upper inner liner layer has a second edge at the joint portion; the first edge is separated from the upper inner liner layer by the rubber layer; provided that a position on the upper inner liner layer at the same height as the lower inner liner layer and closest to the first edge is P, a circumferential distance measured from the first edge to the position P is L, and a circumferential distance measured from the second edge to the position P is T, T35 mm, TL/29 mm, and 0T<L0.2T.

Provided is a pneumatic tire improved in the durability at a splice part (2) of a tire-constituting member (1) and in the uniformity of the tire, and a process for producing the same. The pneumatic tire includes a tire-constituting member (1) having a splice part (2) on which a thin film (3) made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition is coated and fusion-bonded. In addition, the process for producing the pneumatic tire includes a step of heating the thin films (3) each arranged at the splice part (2) of an inner liner layer (14) or the splice part (2) of a carcass layer (13) so as to thermally fusing the thermoplastic resin or the thermoplastic elastomer composition constituting the thin films (3).

Provided is a pneumatic tire improved in the durability at a splice part (2) of a tire-constituting member (1) and in the uniformity of the tire, and a process for producing the same. The pneumatic tire includes a tire-constituting member (1) having a splice part (2) on which a thin film (3) made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition is coated and fusion-bonded. In addition, the process for producing the pneumatic tire includes a step of heating the thin films (3) each arranged at the splice part (2) of an inner liner layer (14) or the splice part (2) of a carcass layer (13) so as to thermally fusing the thermoplastic resin or the thermoplastic elastomer composition constituting the thin films (3).

The present invention refers to a method for controlling the laying down of components of tyres on forming drums, said method comprising: sending a first electromagnetic radiation (Ri1) on a first laying down structure (3a) comprising a forming drum (2) and a first component (CI) of a tyre laid down on said forming drum (2); detecting at least a first corresponding reflected radiation (Rr1), determining as a function of said first reflected radiation (Rr1) a first parameter (PI) representative of a first main length (LI) of said first component (CI); comparing said first parameter (PI) with one or more pre-stored reference values; generating a first correction signal (SI) as a function of said comparison; sending said first correction signal (SI) to at least one preparation station adapted to prepare said first component (CI) to regulate the preparation of further components. An apparatus for controlling the laying down of components of tyres on forming drums is also described.

The present invention refers to a method for controlling the laying down of components of tyres on forming drums, said method comprising: sending a first electromagnetic radiation (Ri1) on a first laying down structure (3a) comprising a forming drum (2) and a first component (CI) of a tyre laid down on said forming drum (2); detecting at least a first corresponding reflected radiation (Rr1), determining as a function of said first reflected radiation (Rr1) a first parameter (PI) representative of a first main length (LI) of said first component (CI); comparing said first parameter (PI) with one or more pre-stored reference values; generating a first correction signal (SI) as a function of said comparison; sending said first correction signal (SI) to at least one preparation station adapted to prepare said first component (CI) to regulate the preparation of further components. An apparatus for controlling the laying down of components of tyres on forming drums is also described.

A pneumatic tire is provided with a carcass configured from at least one carcass ply. The carcass ply is formed by arranging, in the tire circumferential direction, rectangular sheet-shaped ply pieces, each having a radial direction length larger than a tire circumferential direction length. In each of the ply pieces, carcass cords are arranged parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction, and adjacent ply pieces at least partially overlap with each other in the tire circumferential direction, and in each of the ply pieces, the distance (Pe) between the carcass cords in at least one side edge portion in the circumferential direction of the ply piece, is larger than the distance (Pc) between the carcass cords in a central portion of the ply piece.