A process for producing tyres including building a green tyre having two bead structures. Each bead structure includes a bead filler. The bead filler or another rigid component of the green tyre includes a final elastomeric compound produced by the following: feeding elastomeric polymer and reinforcement filler to a first batch mixing device; mixing and dispersing the reinforcement filler in the elastomeric polymer and unloading the obtained elastomeric compound; feeding the obtained elastomeric compound, along with at least 5 phr of reinforcement resin, to a continuous mixing device of intermeshing and co-rotating twin-screw or multi-screw type or of planetary type; mixing the reinforcement resin in the elastomeric compound and unloading the obtained elastomeric compound; and feeding the obtained elastomeric compound along with the components capable of facilitating the cross-linking to a second batch mixing device and mixing to obtain the final elastomeric compound. The first and second batch mixing device have two counterrotating rotors.

A process for producing a rubber mixture in a mixing apparatus having at least one mixing chamber (4, 4) in which rotors (5) are disposed, wherein a plant control system process parameters (especially the speed of the rotors (5), the suction output of a suction device (13, 14, 15) and the mixing time) are controlled by open- and closed-loop control is provided, wherein at least one rubber is mixed in the mixing chamber with at least one filler, especially silica, preferably with addition of at least one coupling agent, especially a silane, and wherein the gas mixture present in and above the mixing chamber is sucked out by the suction device, wherein volatile organic compounds, especially alcoholic gases, present in the gas mixture sucked in are detected continuously, wherein, in the event of exceedance of a concentration of organic compounds in the gas mixture sucked in that has been defined as the control limit, the concentration measured is employed as control variable in the plant control system for closed-loop control of at least one of the process parameters, and wherein, in the event of exceedance of a concentration of organic compounds in the gas mixture sucked in that has been defined as the safety limit, there is a safety shutdown of the mixing apparatus via the plant control system.

A method of mixing a rubber composition includes a carbon introduction step and a uniform dispersion step. In the carbon introduction step, on the basis of a deviation between a rate of temperature increase of the rubber mixture (R) and a target value, at least one of a ram pressure (Pr) and a rotational speed (N) of the mixing rotor (2) is PID controlled so that the ultimate temperature of the rubber mixture (R) at the conclusion of the step is within a tolerance range. In the uniform dispersion step, the ram pressure (Pr) or the rotational speed (N) of the mixing rotor (2) is adjusted to reduce a deviation between a value based on successively detected data associated with a predetermined control target and a target value.

Provided is a kneading device 1 for dispersing a dispersoid in a dispersion medium. The kneading device includes a casing in which a kneading material containing the dispersion medium and the dispersoid is accommodated, a rotor disposed in the casing and kneading the kneading material while dispersing the dispersoid in the dispersion medium by rotating about a rotation axis, and a detection unit detecting a dispersion degree of the dispersoid into the dispersion medium by observing a state of the kneading material in the casing.

Provided are a polymer ready for introduction into a kneading machine which is milled with good milling efficiency in a kneading machine and which provides a kneaded mixture with excellent filler dispersion, and a rubber composition and a pneumatic tire containing the polymer. The present invention relates to a polymer ready for introduction into a kneading machine, excluding natural rubber, the polymer having a temperature within the range of 20 C. to 80 C. and satisfying the following formula (I):

(Tip clearance d of kneading machine).sup.3(Volume V of polymer ready for introduction into kneading machine)2.010.sup.4 cm.sup.3(I).

A mixer (2) includes: a pair of rotors (44) arranged to have a gap (SP2) therebetween; a casing (45) in which a chamber (C2) in which the pair of rotors (44) is disposed, an introduction port (51) for introducing a material to be mixed (W) into the chamber (C2), and a discharge port (52) for discharging the material to be mixed (W) from the chamber (C2) are formed; a sensor (80) which is disposed above the pair of rotors (44) and detects variation in position or pressure of the material to be mixed (W); and a control unit (82) which controls rotation of the pair of rotors (44), based on a detection result of the sensor (80).

A kneading state determination system includes a kneading unit and a determination unit. The kneading unit kneads a kneading material, and transmits a kneading state value indicating a kneading state to the determination unit. Based on the kneading state value transmitted from the kneading unit, the determination unit determines kneading of the kneading material in the kneading unit in accordance with a preset determination condition. The determination condition includes a determination period and a state value range. The state value range is set as a range for the kneading state value. The determination period is a partial period of a period from start to completion of the kneading in the kneading unit.

A system and a method are provided for producing rubber mixtures. The system includes installations for performing a monopassage process and a multipassage process to produce a rubber mixture, and a transport system that transports the rubber mixture to one or more of the installations according to a selected recipe. The installations include a mixing and cooling installation that performs a mixing and cooling procedure in which the rubber mixture is formed into a sheet, the sheet is sprayed with water using at least one nozzle provided with water at a predetermined water flow rate and air at a predetermined air pressure, and evaporated water from the spraying of the sheet is evacuated at a predetermined air flow rate. The mixing and cooling procedure causes the rubber mixture of the sheet to reach target temperature and water-content values before a complementary mixing procedure is performed.

A kneader internal inspection device according to the present invention suspends and supports a photographing unit, which is arranged in an interior of a kneader and which photographs the interior, so as to be vertically movable in the interior of the kneader. Therefore, such a kneader internal inspection device is capable of easily inspecting the interior of the kneader.

In the field of tire production, systems and methods make it possible to selectively carry out monopassage and multipassage rubber production sequences in a common rubber production facility. A tire is formed according to the methods described.