A process and a drum for looping annular anchoring structures in a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes: depositing a loop on a drum including a radially expandable/contractible intermediate annular portion and, in a position axially adjacent to the opposite axial ends of the intermediate annular portion, a pair of radially expandable/contractible lateral annular portions; associating an annular anchoring structure with a radially outer annular surface portion of the loop defined at the intermediate annular portion; and turning up each of opposite end edges of the loop on the annular anchoring structure through the lateral annular portions as a result of a thrusting stress imparted by a respective lateral annular portion of the pair of lateral annular portions because of a synchronous radial movement and a synchronous axial displacement of a respective plurality of circumferentially adjacent first angular sectors.

A bead member manufacturing method for manufacturing a bead member by forming an annular bead filler in an outer peripheral side of an annular bead core includes a step of arranging the bead core on a forming surface of a forming table, a step of forming a first bead filler portion by winding a first rubber in an area closer to an outer side in a width direction than a side surface which does not face toward the forming surface in the outer peripheral surface of the arranged bead core, a step of turning over and rearranging the bead core and the first bead filler portion on the forming surface, and a step of forming a second bead filler portion by winding a second rubber in the outer peripheral sides of the bead core and the first bead filler portion so as to form the bead filler.

A production method for a bead core of the present disclosure includes a forming step of forming a plurality of one or more types of annular bodies, each of which is formed by winding a strip member two or more turns, and a joining step of joining the plurality of one or more types of annular bodies to one another in an axial direction of the annular body. A bead core of the present disclosure is formed by joining one or more types of a plurality of annular bodies in an axial direction of the annular body, each of the annular bodies being formed by winding a strip member two or more turns. A pneumatic tire of the present disclosure includes a pair of bead portions, and the above-described bead core in the bead portion.

A process and a drum for looping annular anchoring structures in a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes: depositing a loop on a drum including a radially expandable/contractible intermediate annular portion and, in a position axially adjacent to the opposite axial ends of the intermediate annular portion, a pair of radially expandable/contractible lateral annular portions; associating an annular anchoring structure with a radially outer annular surface portion of the loop defined at the intermediate annular portion; and turning up each of opposite end edges of the loop on the annular anchoring structure through the lateral annular portions as a result of a thrusting stress imparted by a respective lateral annular portion of the pair of lateral annular portions because of a synchronous radial movement and a synchronous axial displacement of a respective plurality of circumferentially adjacent first angular sectors.

A bead forming system for forming a tire bead may include the following: a housing, a first bead former configured to facilitate the formation of the tire bead, and a base secured to the first bead former, where the first bead former includes a bead-receiving surface that is rotatable relative to the base. The base may be adjustable such that the first bead former is movable from a first position to a second position. The first position may be on a first side of the housing, and the second position may be on a second side of the housing. A second bead former may be located in the second position when the first bead former is located in the first position, where the second bead former is located in the first position when the first bead former is located in the second position.

The present invention discloses a pneumatic tire.

The pneumatic tire includes a bead portion and a rim flange provided outside the bead portion. The rim flange is made of a rubber resistant to ozone and fatigue and a hardness reinforcing rubber portion is interposed between the rim flange and the bead portion. The pneumatic tire of the present invention avoids a change in the physical properties of the flange rubber, ozone cracks caused by ozone present in the air, and fatigue cracks caused by frequent flexion and extension to achieve improved handling stability and straight ahead ability.

A bead-forming system for forming a tire bead may include the following: a housing, a first bead former configured to facilitate the formation of the tire bead, and a base secured to the first bead former, where the first bead former includes a bead-receiving surface that is rotatable relative to the base. The base may be adjustable such that the first bead former is movable from a first position to a second position. The first position may be on a first side of the housing, and the second position may be on a second side of the housing. A second bead former may be located in the second position when the first bead former is located in the first position, where the second bead former is located in the first position when the first bead former is located in the second position.

A bead-apex assembly system comprising a bead forming system and an apex application system. In one embodiment, a supporting assembly is located at least partially between the bead forming system and the apex application system, and the supporting assembly is adapted to move an annular bead ring from the bead forming system to the apex application system.

Disclosed is a filler-raising device that raises a filler upright to couple the filler with a bead core. The filler-raising device includes a balloon that raises the filler upright toward the bead core and an air controller that supplies air into the balloon and draws air out of the balloon.

A method and apparatus for forming an apex or an apex in combination with a bead, the method comprising the steps of: winding a strip of rubber onto a rotatable platen to form an apex, wherein the rotatable platen may further include a radially expandable bead chuck for supporting a bead. The rotatable platen may optionally include a nonstick coating such as titanium nitride and optionally include one or more radially oriented bars. The optional one or more radially oriented bars may be movable into a first position flush with the outer surface of the platen, and movable into a second position that preferably is nonflush and protrudes from the outer surface of the platen. The rotatable platen is further optionally retractable from the bead chuck to facilitate removal of the apex from the apparatus.