Method, process and plant for controlling the manufacture of tyres for vehicle wheels

Abstract

In building tyres, an intermediate portion of a carcass structure is built at a time on a respective forming drum within an intermediate forming line. The forming drum with the intermediate portion of the carcass structure is made available at a first transfer location. The intermediate portion of the carcass structure is completed through n completion locations with n≥1 and then transferred for the subsequent assembling with a crown structure to a second transfer location. At an operating moment in which the first transfer location is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line or intended for the intermediate forming line, from one to n locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location are occupied by respective forming drums.

Claims

1. A plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels, comprising: a building line for building a carcass structure on a forming drum; and a station for assembling the carcass structure to a crown structure, wherein the building line for building the carcass structure comprises: an intermediate forming line for manufacturing an intermediate portion of the carcass structure on a respective forming drum, wherein the respective forming drum is configured to move in opposite rectilinear directions along a shuttle guide within the intermediate forming line, said intermediate forming line comprising a first transfer location, and wherein the shuttle guide is rectilinear along an entire length of the shuttle guide; n completion locations with n>1 for completing the intermediate portion of the carcass structure; a second transfer location in which the carcass structure is made available for subsequent assembling to the crown structure by unloading the carcass structure from the respective forming drum; and a handling device movable along a first trajectory for receiving the respective forming drum from a first shuttle and transferring the respective forming drum to each completion location by moving along the first trajectory; the first shuttle movable between the handling device and the first transfer location; and a second shuttle for transferring the respective forming drum from the handling device to the second transfer location, the second shuttle being movable between the handling device and the second transfer location along a second trajectory, wherein the first and second shuttles are configured to carry the respective forming drum to the first transfer location and second transfer location, respectively, in cantilevered fashion by holding a terminal end of a central shaft of the respective forming drum, wherein, when the first transfer location is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line or intended for the intermediate forming line, there are one to n locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location that are occupied by respective forming drums, wherein the second trajectory intersects the first trajectory, and wherein the first trajectory and the second trajectory are rectilinear.

2. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line or intended for the intermediate forming line is associated with the first shuttle, there are n forming drums associated with the remaining n completion locations and the second shuttle, thereby leaving one location among the n completion locations and the second shuttle free.

3. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the n completion locations are fixed, and wherein the handling device is movable along the first trajectory between a fixed completion location and the second trajectory.

4. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 3, wherein the handling device is movable along the first trajectory between two fixed completion locations and the second trajectory.

5. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 3, wherein the handling device is movable along the first trajectory between two fixed completion locations, crossing said second trajectory.

6. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first shuttle is movable between the first transfer location and an exchange location along said second trajectory intersecting the first trajectory.

7. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second shuttle is movable between the exchange location and the second transfer location by crossing over and moving past the intersection of said first trajectory and said second trajectory.

8. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 7, wherein the exchange location corresponds to a location at which the forming drum is exchangeable between the handling device and the first shuttle or second shuttle, wherein the forming drum is exchangeable between the second shuttle and the handling device by moving the second shuttle from the second transfer location to the exchange location by crossing the intersection of said first trajectory and said second trajectory.

9. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transfer location, n completion locations and second transfer location are disposed at vertices of a polygon.

10. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the first trajectory and the second trajectory crosses the polygon.

11. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first trajectory and the second trajectory intersect inside the polygon or along a side thereof at an exchange location.

12. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transfer location, one completion location and the second transfer location are disposed at vertices of a triangle, the first trajectory or the second trajectory being coincident with a side of said triangle.

13. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transfer location, two completion locations and the second transfer location are disposed at vertices of a quadrilateral.

14. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein one completion location comprises a tyre bead-forming station.

15. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein one completion location comprises a rolling station.

16. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first transfer location is a location disposed along the intermediate forming line.

17. The plant for controlling building of a tyre for vehicle wheels as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second transfer location is an exchange station interlocked with a station for assembling the carcass structure to the crown structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Such description is provided hereinafter with reference to the attached figures, also being provided purely by way of a non-limiting example, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows in—a plan view—a plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels according to the present invention;

(3) FIGS. 2a-2i are views of a portion of the plant of FIG. 1 in different operating moments;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a radial semi-section of an example of a tyre built with the plant of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) With reference to FIG. 1, a plant for controlling building tyres for vehicle wheels according to the present invention was indicated with its entirety with 1.

(6) An example of a tyre 2, provided in said plant and according to the method and the process according to the present invention, is illustrated in FIG. 3 and essentially comprises a carcass structure 3 having at least one carcass ply (two plies in FIG. 3) 4a, 4b. A layer of impermeable elastomeric material or so-called liner 5 is applied internally to the carcass ply/plies 4a, 4b. Two annular anchoring structures 6, each comprising a so-called bead core 6a carrying an elastomeric filler 6b in a radially external position, are engaged to respective terminal zones of the carcass ply/plies 4a, 4b. The annular anchoring structures 6 are integrated in proximity of areas usually referred to by the name of “beads” 7, at which there usually occurs the engagement between the tyre 2 and a respective mounting rim. A belt structure 8 comprising at least one belt layer (two layers in FIG. 3) 8a, 8b, is circumferentially applied around the carcass ply/plies 4a, 4b, and a tread band 9 is circumferentially superimposed to the belt structure 8.

(7) The so-called “under-belt inserts” 10 each positioned between the carcass ply/plies 4a, 4b and one of the terminal edges axially opposite to the belt structure 8 may be associated to the belt structure 8. Two sidewalls 11, each extending from the respective bead 7 to a respective lateral edge of the tread band 9, are applied in laterally opposite positions on the carcass ply/plies 4a, 4b.

(8) According to the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the aforementioned components of the tyre 2 are made on one or more forming drums moving said forming drums between different dispensing stations of semi-finished products at each of which special devices apply the aforementioned semi-finished products on the forming drum/s.

(9) With reference to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a building line for a carcass structure on a forming drum. In particular the building line of the carcass structure comprises an intermediate forming line 12 along which an intermediate portion of the carcass structure is built. A forming drum is moved between different dispensing stations of semi-finished products predisposed to form said intermediate portion of the carcass structure at a time. For example the intermediate portion of the carcass structure corresponds to a carcass sleeve comprising the carcass plies 4a, 4b, the liner 5, and possibly at least one part of the sidewalls 11.

(10) FIG. 1 illustrates a forming drum 13a transported along the intermediate forming line by a first shuttle 14.

(11) According to the illustrated example, the intermediate forming line 12 comprises a guide 15 which develops preferably rectilinear along a deposition line “L”. The first shuttle 14, capable of moving, driven by a suitable motor (not illustrated), along the guide 15 and in both directions of movement “S1”, “S2” is mounted on the guide 15. The first shuttle 14 is capable of supporting a forming drum at a time and rotating it around a rotation axis “X-X” coincident with the longitudinal symmetry axis of the drum itself and with the rotation axis of the tyre 2 being formed. In the illustrated embodiment, the drum is carried cantilevered by the first shuttle 14, which comprises a gripping element capable of withholding or releasing a terminal end of a central shaft of the forming drum.

(12) Beside the guide 15 and preferably, according to what is illustrated, on only one side of the same, stations for dispensing a semi-finished product are present. According to what is illustrated in the attached FIG. 1, a station 16 for dispensing a liner 5, a station 17 for dispensing the first carcass ply 4a, a station 18 for dispensing the second carcass ply 4b are provided by way of example. The plant illustrated in FIG. 1 is thus predisposed for building the tyre 2 illustrated in FIG. 3.

(13) The first shuttle 14 further comprises movement devices, not illustrated, adapted to vertically move the gripping element and the drum constrained thereto in two directions along a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal development of the guide 15. Such movement is aimed at providing carcass structures of different diameters.

(14) A first transfer location 19 may be defined at one of the terminal ends of the guide 15. In particular the intermediate forming line comprises the first transfer location 19.

(15) The first shuttle 14 is moveable at least up to the first transfer location 19 for making available the forming drum with the intermediate portion of the carcass structure for the subsequent processing operations.

(16) In addition, there are provided n completion locations with n≥1 for completing the intermediate portion of the carcass structure. In the example illustrated in the attached figures there are provided two completion locations for example respectively comprising a tyre bead-forming station 20 and a rolling station 21.

(17) Furthermore, the plant comprises a second transfer location 22 in which the carcass structure is made available for the subsequent assembling with the crown structure by unloading from the respective forming drum and subsequent transfer to a building drum (not illustrated). Preferably said crown structure comprises at least one belt strip and a tread band.

(18) A moveable handling device along a first trajectory 24 is indicated with 23.

(19) Besides the movements related to the deposition of the carcass structure, the first shuttle 14 is moveable, in particular between the handling device and the first transfer location 19, following a second trajectory 25.

(20) The plant 1 also comprises a second shuttle 26.

(21) Besides the movements related to the moving away of the carcass structure, the second shuttle 26 is moveable in particular between the handling device 23 and the second transfer location 22 preferably along the second trajectory 25.

(22) Preferably the first trajectory 24 and/or the second trajectory 25 are rectilinear. In particular the first trajectory 24 and the second trajectory 25 are orthogonal to each other as illustrated in the attached figures.

(23) Possibly the second trajectory 25 may be provided by a broken line with a vertex at the handling device.

(24) According to an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the trajectories could be disposed on incident planes.

(25) With the example illustrated in FIGS. 2a-2i, forming drums used in the building line of the carcass structure in a given operating moment, in conditions of saturation of the plant 1 were indicated with 13a-13c.

(26) With reference to the operating moment represented in FIG. 2a, a forming drum 13a coming from the intermediate forming line 12 is associated with the first shuttle 14. In the same operating moment n forming drums are respectively associated with the remaining n completion locations and with the second shuttle 26 leaving one among the n completion locations and the second shuttle 26 free. In particular in FIG. 2a a forming drum 13b is associated to the second shuttle 26 and a forming drum 13c is associated to the rolling station 21 while the tyre bead-forming station 20 is free.

(27) Generally, in the operating moment in which a forming drum 13a coming from the intermediate forming line 12 or intended for the intermediate forming line 12 is associated with the first shuttle 14, one to n forming drums are respectively associated with the remaining n completion locations and the second shuttle.

(28) It should be observed that the plant 1 may also be operative with only one forming drum for example in the industrialization activities, for example when building small batches of tyres to be controlled step by step.

(29) In the example of the illustrated figures there are n=2 completion stations 20, 21, and n+1=3 forming drums 13a-13c.

(30) For example as illustrated in the attached figures, the second trajectory 25 intersects the first trajectory 24 at a point 27. An exchange location 28 can be observed at or in proximity of such point.

(31) According to the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the n completion locations (tyre bead-forming station 20 and rolling station 21) are fixed. The handling device 23 is moveable along the first trajectory 24 between at least one fixed completion location, preferably two fixed completion locations, and the second trajectory 25 as illustrated hereinafter with reference to the operation of the plant 1.

(32) Generally, at least in one configuration the first transfer location, the n completion locations and the second transfer location are disposed at the vertices of a polygon. In particular, with reference to the attached figures, the first transfer location 19, two completion locations 20, 21 and the second transfer location 22 are disposed at the vertices of a quadrilateral. Preferably the first transfer location 19 and the second transfer location 22 are disposed on opposite vertices of the quadrilateral.

(33) Preferably at least one among the first trajectory 24 and the second trajectory 25 crosses the polygon, in particular the quadrilateral. As illustrated in the figures, the first trajectory 24 and the second trajectory 25 intersect each other inside the polygon or along a side thereof at the exchange location.

(34) With reference to the quadrilateral disposition example illustrated in the figures, the first trajectory 24 and the second trajectory 25 respectively correspond to one diagonal of the quadrilateral.

(35) According to a possible embodiment, not illustrated, the first transfer location, a completion location and the second transfer location are disposed at the vertices of a triangle. In this case, the first or second trajectory may coincide with a side of the triangle.

(36) The aforementioned disposition may for example be provided in the case where the tyre bead-forming station 20 and the rolling station 21 are embedded in a single location.

(37) In use, according to the method and the process according to the invention, according to the manufacturing instructions of the tyre to be built, the dispensing stations are installed in the intermediate forming line 12.

(38) The intermediate forming line 12 operates on a forming drum at a time on which the dispensing stations deposit the respective semi-finished products in a predefined sequence.

(39) In particular, the forming of the components of an intermediate portion of a carcass structure of a tyre on the respective forming drum, is carried out by making available a forming drum 13a on the first shuttle 14 moveable along the intermediate forming line 12, moving the first shuttle 14 on the intermediate forming line to bring to at least some of a plurality of dispensing stations. A component of the intermediate portion of the carcass structure is formed at each of such dispensing stations.

(40) The first shuttle 14 comprising the forming drum 13a provided with the intermediate portion of the carcass structure, thus reaches the first transfer location 19.

(41) The intermediate portion of the carcass structure transferring the respective forming drum 13a between the first transfer location 19, the n completion locations, and the second transfer location 22 up to making available the completed carcass structure for the subsequent assembling with the crown structure by transferring the carcass structure itself to a conformation drum (not illustrated) is completed afterwards. In particular the forming drum 13a is transferred from the first shuttle 14 to the handling device 23 moveable between the n completion locations bringing the first shuttle 14 at the exchange location 28. Thus, the handling device transfers the forming drum 13a between the n completion locations for completing the carcass structure. The forming drum provided with the completed carcass structure is transferred from the handling device 23 to the second shuttle 26 brought in the exchange position 28. Thus, the second shuttle 26 is brought in the second transfer location 22 wherein the carcass structure is made available for the subsequent assembling with the crown structure.

(42) Lastly, the forming drum 13a clear of the carcass structure is transferred from the second transfer location 22 to the first transfer location 19 for building a subsequent intermediate portion of the carcass structure. In particular the forming drum clear of the carcass structure is transferred from the second shuttle 26 to the first shuttle 14, preferably by means of the handling device 23.

(43) With reference to FIGS. 2a-2i, there is explained the use of the plant described above in conditions of saturation which, considering two completion stations, is reached using three forming drums 13a-13c.

(44) For the sake of description simplicity, there shall be considered the condition in which the first shuttle 14 is associated to a forming drum 13a carrying an intermediate portion of the carcass structure disposed along the intermediate forming line 12. In particular the forming drum 13a carrying the intermediate portion of the carcass structure associated with the first shuttle 14, is made available at the first transfer location 19 after the first shuttle 14 was moved along the guide 15 at the dispensing stations adapted to obtain the intermediate portion of the carcass structure of the tyre being processed.

(45) In order to complete an intermediate portion of the carcass structure, the respective forming drum is transferred between the first transfer location 19, n completion locations with n≥1, and the second transfer location 22 in which the completed carcass structure is made available for the subsequent assembling with the crown structure by unloading from the respective forming drum.

(46) Lastly, the forming drum clear of the carcass structure is transferred from the second transfer location 22 to the first transfer location 19 for building a subsequent intermediate portion of the carcass structure of another tyre.

(47) In FIG. 2a the forming drum 13a carrying the intermediate portion of the carcass structure disposed along the intermediate forming line 12 is available at the first transfer location 19. Furthermore, the plant provides for further drums, in particular a drum 13b associated to the second shuttle 26 at the second transfer location 22 and a drum 13c associated to one of the completion locations for example to the rolling station 21.

(48) In order to transfer the forming drum 13a to the tyre bead-forming station 20, the first shuttle is moved along the second trajectory 25 up to the exchange location 28 with the handling device 23.

(49) At the exchange location 28 the forming drum 13a is transferred from the first shuttle 14 to the handling device (FIG. 2b). Following such transfer the handling device 23 is moved along the first trajectory 24 from the exchange location 28 to the free completion location (the bead-forming station 20 in this case). Once the handling device 23 leaves the exchange location 28, the second shuttle 26 provided with the forming drum 13b clear of the carcass structure is moved from the second transfer location 22 to the exchange location 28.

(50) The handling device 23 reaches the tyre bead-forming station 20 (FIG. 2c) in which the forming drum 13a may be transferred from the handling device 23 to the tyre bead-forming station. The handling device 23 is thus moved to return to the exchange location 28, in which the second shuttle 26 is positioned.

(51) The handling device 23 reaches the exchange location 28. The forming drum 13b clear of the carcass structure is transferred from the second shuttle 26 to the handling device 23 (FIG. 2d). Thus, the handling device 23 with the forming drum 13b is moved away from the exchange location 28.

(52) The second shuttle 26 moves away from the exchange location 28 (in particular returning to the second transfer location 22—FIG. 2e). The handling device 23 with the forming drum 13b is moved towards the exchange location 28 (FIG. 2f). The first shuttle 14 is moved towards the exchange location 28.

(53) The handling device 23 and the first shuttle 14 reach the exchange location 28 in which the forming drum 13b is transferred from the handling device 23 to the first shuttle 14 (FIG. 2f). The first shuttle 14 with the empty forming drum 13b is moved towards the first exchange location 19, the handling device 23 is moved towards the rolling station 21 and the second shuttle 26 is moved towards the exchange location 28 (FIG. 2g).

(54) The first shuttle 14 proceeds along the intermediate forming line for the deposition of an intermediate portion of the carcass on the forming drum 13b (step not illustrated).

(55) The handling device 23 reaches the rolling station 21 in which the forming drum 13c is transferred from the rolling station 21 to the handling device 23 (FIG. 2g). The second shuttle 26 reaches the exchange location 28. The handling device 23 is moved towards the exchange location 28.

(56) The handling device 23 reaches the exchange location 28 in which it transfers the forming drum 13c to the second shuttle 26 (FIG. 2h). The handling device 23 is moved from the exchange location 28 to the tyre bead-forming station 20.

(57) The handling device 23 reaches the tyre bead-forming station 20 in which the forming drum 13a is transferred to the handling device 23 (FIG. 2i). The second shuttle 26 with the forming drum 13c is moved towards the second transfer location 22. The handling device 23 with the forming drum 13a is moved towards the rolling station 21.

(58) The second shuttle 26 with the forming drum 13c reaches the second transfer location 22. The handling device 23 with the forming drum 13a reaches the rolling station 21 (FIG. 2i). The forming drum 13a is transferred from the handling device to the rolling station 21. The handling device 23 and the first shuttle 14 with the forming drum 13b—on which the intermediate portion of the carcass structure is disposed—are moved towards the exchange location 28.

(59) The condition of FIG. 2i is analogous to that of FIG. 2a. The two conditions differ in that the forming drums have been subjected to a series of transfers. The exact configuration of FIG. 2a occurs after other two cycles analogous to those described previously.

(60) According to what has been described above, at least in the condition of FIGS. 2a and 2i, corresponding to an operating moment in which the first transfer location is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line (forming drum 13a, 13b) or intended for the intermediate forming line (forming drum 13b, 13c), from one to n locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location are occupied by respective forming drums. In particular n (n=2 in the illustrated example) locations selected from the n completion locations and the second transfer location are occupied by respective forming drums leaving one location (tyre bead-forming station 20), among the n completion locations and the second transfer location, free.

(61) In other words at least in the condition of FIGS. 2a and 2i, corresponding to an operating moment in which the first shuttle 14 is occupied by a forming drum coming from the intermediate forming line (forming drum 13a, 13b) or intended for the intermediate forming line (forming drum 13b, 13c), one to n forming drums are processed between the remaining n completion locations and the second shuttle 26. Preferably there are processed n (n=2 in the illustrated example) forming drums between the remaining n completion locations and the second shuttle leaving one (tyre bead-forming station) from among the n completion locations and the second shuttle 26 free.

(62) With reference to the figures described above, it may be observed that the transfer of a forming drum between the first transfer location 19, the n completion locations and the second transfer location 22 is carried out by moving the forming drum along at least two trajectories 24, 25 intersecting at a point 27.

(63) In particular the transfer between the first transfer location 19, the n completion locations and the second transfer location 22 is carried out by moving the handling device 23 along the first trajectory 24 and at least one shuttle between at least one first and second shuttle along the second trajectory 25 intersecting the first trajectory 24.

(64) The handling device 23 is moved along the first trajectory 24 between the two fixed completion locations, crossing the second trajectory 25.

(65) In particular at least one first shuttle 14 adapted to carry a forming drum is moved between the first transfer location 19 and the exchange location 28 along the second trajectory 25 intersecting the first trajectory 24.

(66) Furthermore at least one second shuttle 26 adapted to carry a forming drum is moved between the exchange location 28 and the second transfer location 22 along the second trajectory 25 intersecting the first trajectory 24.

(67) As illustrated in the figures, the exchange location 28 corresponds to a location at which the forming drum is exchanged between the handling device 23, and the first shuttle 14 or the second shuttle 26.

(68) According to what has been illustrated, the first transfer location 19 is a location disposed along the intermediate forming line 12. Furthermore, the second transfer location 22 is an exchange station interlocked with a station (not illustrated) for assembling the carcass structure with the crown structure.

(69) According to what has been described above, a wide flexibility with low cycle times (about 1 minute) saturating the line and avoiding stand-by or parking stations may be obtained.

(70) Though multi-axis robots may be used, the plant described above may be simple, reliable and rigid using moveable handling device/shuttle (besides the movements required for the processing) along a preferably rectilinear and preferably horizontal trajectory.