A pneumatic tire 1 comprises a carcass 6 comprising at least one carcass ply 6A extending between bead portions 4 via sidewall portions 3 and a tread portion 2. The carcass ply 6A comprises strip-shaped ply pieces 11 longer in a tire radial direction than in a tire circumferential direction arranged circumferentially. Each of the ply pieces 11 comprises a plurality of carcass cords 12 arranged in parallel in the tire radial direction and at least partly overlapping each other with the ply pieces 11 circumferentially adjacent. At least one of the carcass cords 12 arranged in at least one of side edge portions 11e in the tire circumferential direction of each of the ply pieces 11 having a diameter (Ce) smaller than a diameter (Cc) of at least one of the carcass cords 12 arranged in a center portion 11c of each of the ply pieces 11.

Provided is a device and method for butt-splicing strip members for tire components, having a first clamp and a second clamp arranged for clamping a first end of a first strip member and a second end of a second strip member, respectively, wherein at least one of the first clamp and the second clamp is movable along a butt-splice direction into a butt-splicing position opposite to the other of the first clamp and the second clamp for butt-splicing the ends, wherein the first clamp includes a first upper clamp member and a first lower clamp member, wherein the second clamp includes a second upper clamp member and a second lower clamp member, wherein the first lower clamp member projects beyond the first upper clamp member over a first overlap distance and wherein the second upper clamp member projects beyond the second lower clamp member over a second overlap distance.

Provided is a device and method for butt-splicing strip members for tire components, having a first clamp and a second clamp arranged for clamping a first end of a first strip member and a second end of a second strip member, respectively, wherein at least one of the first clamp and the second clamp is movable along a butt-splice direction into a butt-splicing position opposite to the other of the first clamp and the second clamp for butt-splicing the ends, wherein the first clamp includes a first upper clamp member and a first lower clamp member, wherein the second clamp includes a second upper clamp member and a second lower clamp member, wherein the first lower clamp member projects beyond the first upper clamp member over a first overlap distance and wherein the second upper clamp member projects beyond the second lower clamp member over a second overlap distance.

In a pneumatic tire production method including a step of overlapping end portions of a sheet laminate and vulcanization-molding the tire, the sheet laminate being obtained by layering an elastomer layer and a sheet of a thermoplastic resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin or a blend of a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer, after the end portions of the sheet laminate are overlapped, the overlapped portion of the sheet laminate is compression-bonded at a temperature of not less than a glass transition temperature Tg of the thermoplastic resin and not greater than 120 C.

In a pneumatic tire production method including a step of overlapping end portions of a sheet laminate and vulcanization-molding the tire, the sheet laminate being obtained by layering an elastomer layer and a sheet of a thermoplastic resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin or a blend of a thermoplastic resin and an elastomer, after the end portions of the sheet laminate are overlapped, the overlapped portion of the sheet laminate is compression-bonded at a temperature of not less than a glass transition temperature Tg of the thermoplastic resin and not greater than 120 C.

When overlapping and joining together end portions of a rubber member, it becomes possible to join them at a joining area smaller than a conventional one by increasing the joining area. There is provided a joining device for overlapping end portions, of a rubber member (tire constituent member) with one upper end portion placing on the other lower end portion and joining the end portions of the rubber member, in which a pressing roll (disk-shaped roll) rotating about an inclined shaft is rolled while being pressed against the overlapped upper end portion of the rubber member, and the upper end portion is extended by a shearing force generated at this time to increase a joining area between the both end portions.

When overlapping and joining together end portions of a rubber member, it becomes possible to join them at a joining area smaller than a conventional one by increasing the joining area. There is provided a joining device for overlapping end portions, of a rubber member (tire constituent member) with one upper end portion placing on the other lower end portion and joining the end portions of the rubber member, in which a pressing roll (disk-shaped roll) rotating about an inclined shaft is rolled while being pressed against the overlapped upper end portion of the rubber member, and the upper end portion is extended by a shearing force generated at this time to increase a joining area between the both end portions.

An automatic splicing apparatus and methods thereof are provided herein for splicing together two ends of a sheet of tire material on a tire building drum. The apparatus comprises a frame, a splicer foot assembly, and a splicer roller assembly. The frame is configured to support the apparatus relative to the drum. The splicer foot assembly and the splicer roller assembly are independently longitudinally translatable relative to the frame. The splicer foot assembly includes a splicer foot having forward lower preparation rollers and rearward lower splicer rollers, and upper preparation rollers configured to operate in coordination with the forward lower preparation rollers to pull the two ends of the sheet of tire material together over the splicer foot. The splicer roller assembly includes upper splicer rollers configured to act in coordination with the rearward lower splicer rollers to splice the two ends together.

This disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire without generation of end material when manufacturing an inner liner. The method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire according to this disclosure, which arranges an inner liner on an inner circumferential surface of a tire molded body, includes a cutting process of cutting in a widthwise direction a strip-like resin film having a thermoplastic resin film layer, at a constant spacing in a longitudinal direction of the resin film; a joining process of joining uncut edges of a plurality of resin film pieces generated in the cutting process; and a process of arranging the inner liner generated in the joining process on the inner circumferential surface of the tire molded body.

This disclosure is to provide a method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire without generation of end material when manufacturing an inner liner. The method for manufacturing a pneumatic tire according to this disclosure, which arranges an inner liner on an inner circumferential surface of a tire molded body, includes a cutting process of cutting in a widthwise direction a strip-like resin film having a thermoplastic resin film layer, at a constant spacing in a longitudinal direction of the resin film; a joining process of joining uncut edges of a plurality of resin film pieces generated in the cutting process; and a process of arranging the inner liner generated in the joining process on the inner circumferential surface of the tire molded body.