A method of manufacturing a tire including a reinforcing cord continuously wound a plurality of times in a tire circumferential direction or wound in the tire circumferential direction while continuously extending in a tire width direction.

A preceding carcass cord from one feeding unit is used to form a carcass layer while being fed to a forming drum, and a leading edge portion of a next carcass cord is paid out from another feeding unit in advance. When a predetermined length of the preceding carcass cord is fed, a splice mechanism is used to join the leading edge portion of the next carcass cord to the preceding carcass cord to make the leading edge portion of the next carcass cord continuous with the preceding carcass cord. Then, with the next carcass cord fed to the forming drum, formation of the carcass layer is continued to complete the carcass layer.

A method of manufacturing a tire including a reinforcing cord continuously wound a plurality of times in a tire circumferential direction or wound in the tire circumferential direction while continuously extending in a tire width direction.

A preceding carcass cord from one feeding unit is used to form a carcass layer while being fed to a forming drum, and a leading edge portion of a next carcass cord is paid out from another feeding unit in advance. When a predetermined length of the preceding carcass cord is fed, a splice mechanism is used to join the leading edge portion of the next carcass cord to the preceding carcass cord to make the leading edge portion of the next carcass cord continuous with the preceding carcass cord. Then, with the next carcass cord fed to the forming drum, formation of the carcass layer is continued to complete the carcass layer.

A pneumatic tire for resonance noise reduction, which includes a plurality of resonance noise-reducing members that are disposed along the circumferential direction of the inner liner of a tire, and are formed to protrude from the inner liner so as to reduce the interference of the resonance noises generated inside the tire. The resonance noise-reducing members are formed at an irregular interval of disposition along the circumferential direction of the inner liner.

A pneumatic tire for resonance noise reduction, which includes a plurality of resonance noise-reducing members that are disposed along the circumferential direction of the inner liner of a tire, and are formed to protrude from the inner liner so as to reduce the interference of the resonance noises generated inside the tire. The resonance noise-reducing members are formed at an irregular interval of disposition along the circumferential direction of the inner liner.

In a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels, a carcass sleeve is arranged on a shaping drum including two half-drums and two supports. Each support is operatively associated with one of the half-drums and carries a plurality of turning-up levers having free ends positioned close to the respective half-drum. Two annular anchoring structures are disposed around the carcass sleeve and each of the two supports is locked to the respective half-drum by interposing only stiff mechanical elements in mutual contact between the support and the half-drum. The carcass sleeve is shaped in a toroidal conformation, by setting a threaded shaft in rotation and moving the half-drums close to each other. Subsequently, each of the two supports is unlocked from the respective half-drum and the threaded shaft is set in rotation to move each support close to the respective half-drum and lift up the free ends of the turning-up levers until the end flaps of the carcass sleeve are turned up around the annular anchoring structures.

In a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels, a carcass sleeve is arranged on a shaping drum including two half-drums and two supports. Each support is operatively associated with one of the half-drums and carries a plurality of turning-up levers having free ends positioned close to the respective half-drum. Two annular anchoring structures are disposed around the carcass sleeve and each of the two supports is locked to the respective half-drum by interposing only stiff mechanical elements in mutual contact between the support and the half-drum. The carcass sleeve is shaped in a toroidal conformation, by setting a threaded shaft in rotation and moving the half-drums close to each other. Subsequently, each of the two supports is unlocked from the respective half-drum and the threaded shaft is set in rotation to move each support close to the respective half-drum and lift up the free ends of the turning-up levers until the end flaps of the carcass sleeve are turned up around the annular anchoring structures.

A process for building tyres employing a forming drum having circumferentially consecutive sectors that are radially movable between a contracted condition and an expanded condition in which the sectors are radially moved away from a geometric axis in order to define a radially external abutment surface. Each sector has circumferentially opposite coupling portions each having circumferential projections alternated with circumferential cavities. The projections of each sector are slidably engaged in the respective cavities of circumferentially adjacent sectors. From at least one of the projections, at least one support wing is extended having a first side and a second side that are respectively opposite. The first side coincides with a portion of the abutment surface and the second side at least partially overlaps one of the projections belonging to an adjacent sector.

A process for building tyres employing a forming drum having circumferentially consecutive sectors that are radially movable between a contracted condition and an expanded condition in which the sectors are radially moved away from a geometric axis in order to define a radially external abutment surface. Each sector has circumferentially opposite coupling portions each having circumferential projections alternated with circumferential cavities. The projections of each sector are slidably engaged in the respective cavities of circumferentially adjacent sectors. From at least one of the projections, at least one support wing is extended having a first side and a second side that are respectively opposite. The first side coincides with a portion of the abutment surface and the second side at least partially overlaps one of the projections belonging to an adjacent sector.

The invention relates to a toroidal forming drum and a process for building tyres. The toroidal forming drum (23) is expanded within a shaped carcass sleeve (12), for supporting the carcass sleeve (12) against an abutment surface (S) externally provided by the forming drum (23). An elementary semi-finished product (54a, 54b) is applied around the shaped carcass sleeve (12), by pressing said elementary semi-finished product (54a, 54b) towards the abutment surface (S). The abutment surface (S) has circumferential rows of solid portions (40) alternated with hollow portions (41). The solid portions (40), arranged along axially opposite circumferential edges of the abutment surface (S), have a transverse size comprised between 10% and 60% of a transverse size presented by the solid portions (40) arranged in proximity to an axial centreline plane of the abutment surface (S).

The invention relates to a toroidal forming drum and a process for building tyres. The toroidal forming drum (23) is expanded within a shaped carcass sleeve (12), for supporting the carcass sleeve (12) against an abutment surface (S) externally provided by the forming drum (23). An elementary semi-finished product (54a, 54b) is applied around the shaped carcass sleeve (12), by pressing said elementary semi-finished product (54a, 54b) towards the abutment surface (S). The abutment surface (S) has circumferential rows of solid portions (40) alternated with hollow portions (41). The solid portions (40), arranged along axially opposite circumferential edges of the abutment surface (S), have a transverse size comprised between 10% and 60% of a transverse size presented by the solid portions (40) arranged in proximity to an axial centreline plane of the abutment surface (S).