An apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels are described. A substantially cylindrical carcass sleeve, having at least one carcass ply, includes consecutively adjacent strip-like elements laid one after the other around the circumferential extension of a substantially cylindrical deposition surface. Circumferentially consecutive strip-like elements laid one after the other form overlap zones along respective longitudinal edges superimposed on each other. Each overlap zone has, along a longitudinal extension thereof, terminal sections that are laterally opposite with respect to an intermediate section. The intermediate section of each overlap zone has greater width than the width of the terminal sections.

The invention relates to a method and a device for producing an annular multiaxial laid fabric and to an annular object produced therewith. The object of the invention is therefore to create a method and a device for forming a multiaxial laid fabric for annular structures which has no twisting or displacement of the thread layers. Furthermore, it should no longer be necessary to close a butt join or overlap separately to form a closed ring of the multiaxial laid fabric. This object is achieved in that at least a lower thread layer (2a) and an upper thread layer in the form of an endless thread array or an endless single thread, or in the form of thread-array sections or single-thread sections, are laid around the entire circumference of two mutually spaced ring elements (3) with differing thread orientations, and the first and upper thread layers (2a, 2b) are then fixed to each other at points.

A tyre for vehicle wheels includes a carcass structure with at least one carcass ply formed by strip-like elements consecutively adjacent one after the other along a circumferential extension and having overlap zones along respective longitudinal edges superimposed on each other. Each overlap zone has, along a longitudinal extension thereof, terminal sections that are laterally opposite with respect to an intermediate section. The intermediate section of each overlap zone has an intermediate overlap width greater than a terminal overlap width of the terminal sections.

A belt layer is provided at a tire radial direction (arrow R direction) outer side of a carcass. This belt layer is structured to include a reinforcing portion and a resin portion. The reinforcing portion of the belt is formed by reinforcing cords crossing, and surfaces of the resin cords are covered by the resin portion.

An apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels are described. A substantially cylindrical carcass sleeve, having at least one carcass ply, includes consecutively adjacent strip-like elements laid one after the other around the circumferential extension of a substantially cylindrical deposition surface. Circumferentially consecutive strip-like elements laid one after the other form overlap zones along respective longitudinal edges superimposed on each other. Each overlap zone has, along a longitudinal extension thereof, terminal sections that are laterally opposite with respect to an intermediate section. The intermediate section of each overlap zone has greater width than the width of the terminal sections.

A process and an apparatus for building tyres and a tyre for vehicle wheels are described. A substantially cylindrical carcass sleeve, having at least one carcass ply, is formed by laying consecutively adjacent strip-like elements one after the other around the circumferential extension of a substantially cylindrical deposition surface. Circumferentially consecutive strip-like elements are laid one after the other to form overlap zones along respective longitudinal edges superimposed on each other. Each overlap zone has, along a longitudinal extension thereof, terminal sections that are laterally opposite with respect to an intermediate section. The intermediate section of each overlap zone has greater width than the width of the terminal sections.

A pneumatic tire (1) is provided with a cylindrical annular structure (10) that is disposed around the rotational axis and that has an outer surface and an inner surface, a carcass portion (12) at least a part of which is disposed on an outer side of the annular structure in a direction parallel to the rotational axis, the carcass portion (12) having a cord covered by rubber, a rubber layer (11) at least a part of which is disposed so as to face the outer surface of the annular structure, the rubber layer (11) including a tread portion, and a fiber (2) disposed between the annular structure and the rubber layer so as to suppress generation of a gas space between the annular structure and the rubber layer.

A method for making a carcass for a pneumatic vehicle tire includes building up a carcass free from sidewalls with an inner liner, a single-ply or multi-ply carcass inlay and bead cores, at a carcass station on a carcass building drum, while creating ply turnups. The carcass produced without sidewalls is transferred to a transfer device. The carcass is kept on the transfer device while applying sidewalls to the carcass. The carcass is retained on the transfer device while transferring the carcass provided with the sidewalls to a shaping machine where the carcass is shaped into a toroidal shape.

The invention is directed to a method for making a vehicle tire having a tire carcass defining an axial center, a first and a second tire bead, a tire belt and a tread. The carcass is completed on a carcass drum wherein the carcass drum is free of sidewalls. The tire carcass is removed from the carcass drum and moved to a transfer position for arranging sidewalls. The sidewalls are arranged on sidewall drums on sides of the carcass. The sidewall drums are moved in axial direction toward the axial center of the tire carcass. The sidewall drums with the sidewalls are expanded and connected to the tire carcass. Thereafter, the sidewall drums are collapsed and moved outward and the tire carcass is released for further transport. The carcass and the attached sidewalls are transferred to a shaping drum where the tire carcass with the sidewalls is shaped.

A method manufactures a wheel and tire assembly for a vehicle by extruding a sprocket from a first polymer; sliding the sprocket over a drum; forming a layer by wrapping a ply around inflatable bladders; transferring the ply and bladders to the sprocket; positioning the bladders and ply to correspond to curved indentations of the sprocket; inflating the bladders to tension to position the ply; extruding a ring from a second polymer; sliding the ring over the drum; positioning the bladders and ply to correspond to curved indentations of the ring; forming cylindrical cavities by the curved indentations of the sprocket and ring; securing a layer about an outer surface of the ring; deflating the bladders; contracting the drum; removing the bladders and drum from a complete structure including the sprocket, ply, ring and the layer; curing the complete structure; and mounting the complete, cured structure on a vehicle wheel.