Method For Constructing The Tread Of A Tire, Device Configured For Performing The Method And Uncured Rubber Strip

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for constructing the tread of a tyre, including arranging a plurality of layers of uncured rubber with a layer thickness per layer of between 30 and 500 μm on a base; removing material from the layers for the purpose of arranging a predetermined pattern; and at least partially separately curing each layer. The invention also relates to a device, comprising a preferably cylindrical base and a control configured to perform this method on a base, and to an uncured rubber strip suitable for use in the method.

Claims

1-33. (canceled)

34. A method for constructing the tread of a tyre, comprising: arranging a plurality of layers of uncured rubber with a layer thickness per layer of between 30 and 500 μm on a base; removing material from the layers for the purpose of arranging a predetermined pattern; and at least partially separately curing each layer.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein step a) comprises wrapping the base multiple times with one strip for the purpose of forming the plurality of layers.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the strip comprises a start and end zone, of which at least one zone has a layer thickness decreasing relative to the layer thickness.

37. The method according to claim 34, the method comprises a step selected from the group consisting of: the removal takes place by means of laser ablation, the removal of material from a layer takes place prior to a subsequent layer, step c) takes place after step b) and combinations thereof.

38. The method according to claim 34, wherein in step a) the rubber strip is arranged from a carrier.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the method comprises a step d) of arranging a surface structure in at least a part of the layers and/or the base.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein a side of the carrier directed toward the layer defines a negative of the surface structure.

41. The method according to claim 34, the method comprises a step selected from the group consisting of: the layer and/or the base are heated during step a), the layer is pressed against the base during step a), the layer is pressed against the base during step a) with a pressure of between 5 kg/cm.sup.3 and 40 kg/cm.sup.3, the layer is pressed against the base during step a) with a pressure between 10 kg/cm.sup.3 and 30 kg/cm.sup.3, the layer is pressed against the base during step a) with a pressure between 18 kg/cm.sup.3 and 20 kg/cm.sup.3, the layer is pressed against the base during step a) with a roller, the layer is pressed against the base during step a) with a roller with a diameter smaller than a diameter of the base, and combinations thereof.

42. The method according to claim 34, wherein the method comprises prior to step a) a step e) of measuring the geometry of the base and storing the measured geometry.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the method comprises a step selected from the group consisting of: a step f) of comparing the measured and stored geometry to a desired geometry, a step of determining the number of layers to be arranged in step a) on the basis of the comparison, a step of performing step b) on the basis of the comparison, and combinations thereof.

44. The method according to claim 41, wherein the base is a used tyre.

45. The method according to claim 42, wherein the tyre profile present on the used tyre is measured in step e).

46. The method according to claim 42, wherein the method comprises a step selected from the group consisting of: prior to step a) the step g) of cleaning the used tyre, the method comprises prior to step a) the step g) of cleaning the used tyre by laser ablation, the method further comprises a step h) of uncuring the tread of the used tyre prior to step a), the method further comprises a step h) of uncuring the tread of the used tyre prior to step a) and the uncuring takes place using microwave radiation, and combinations thereof.

47. The method according to claim 34, wherein the method comprises a step selected from the group consisting of: at least one of the steps b) and d) takes place with an infrared laser and/or a laser with a wavelength of about 400 nm, a step i) of determining a force distribution profile of forces exerted during use on the tyre to be constructed, at least one of the steps b) and d) takes place on the basis of the force distribution profile determined in step i), and combinations thereof.

48. The method according to claim 34, further comprising a step selected from the group consisting of: a step j) of arranging at least one additive, optionally selected from an aluminium oxide and/or silicon and/or (a polyurethane) and/or, a combination thereof, a step k) of arranging a wear-resistant top layer, a step I) of wholly curing the plurality of layers and combinations thereof.

49. A device, comprising a base and a control configured to perform the method according to claim 1 on the base.

50. An uncured rubber strip, suitable for use in the method according to claim 1.

51. The strip according to claim 50, wherein the strip has a layer thickness selected from the group consisting of: between 30 and 120 μm, between 60 and 110 μm, and about 80 μm.

52. The strip according to claim 50, wherein the strip comprises a start and end zone, at least one zone of which has a layer thickness decreasing relative to the layer thickness.

53. The strip according to claim 50, wherein the strip is arranged on the group consisting of: a carrier, a film, a polyester film and a carrier where a side of the carrier directed toward the layer defines a negative of a surface structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0082] The invention is elucidated on the basis of a number of embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0083] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a strip according to the invention.

[0084] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the strip according to FIG. 1, arranged on a base.

[0085] FIGS. 3A-3C show components of a device configured to perform a method according to the invention.

[0086] FIG. 4 shows a flow diagram of a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0087] FIG. 1 shows an uncured rubber strip 1 with a central zone 2 and at the respective outer ends a start zone 3 and an end zone 4. Central zone 2 has a thickness D of 80 μm, while the thickness of start zone 3 and end zone 4 decreases to a thickness of (almost) zero. Strip 1 is provided on one of the sides with a polyester film 5 which extends from start zone 3 to end zone 4. In this case a negative of a surface structure 6 to be formed is arranged in the side of the film directed toward strip 1. The tyre has a width W corresponding to the width of a tyre, such as a car tyre.

[0088] FIG. 2 shows the strip 1 arranged on a cylindrical base 10. As can be seen, strip 1 is wrapped round base 10 multiple times, in this case twice. A greater number of times will however generally be opted for in practice. Start zone 3 and end zone 4 ensure here that tread constructed on base 10 is smooth.

[0089] FIG. 3A shows a used car tyre 21 arranged on a base 20. Provided along the external surface of tyre 21 is a laser 22, which can on the one hand be used to clean tyre 21 and on the other to arrange a surface structure in the external surface. The base 20 is configured to rotate the tyre around its axis in the direction R1. Provided under the laser is an extraction channel 23 connected to a fan 24 and configured to discharge material coming from tyre 21 as a result of the action of laser 22.

[0090] In FIG. 3B this tyre 21 is then shown in the vicinity of a measuring device 30 for the purpose of measuring the profile present on the used tyre 21. The measuring device 30 can for instance comprise a camera. Axis 20 rotates in direction R2.

[0091] In FIG. 3C this tyre 21, rotatable in direction R3, is shown with a roll 30 of cured rubber, such as for instance strip 1 of FIG. 1. Strip 1 is carried toward the surface of tyre 21 in direction R4 by rotation of roll 30, where it is pressed against the surface of tyre 21 in direction R5 by rotation of pressure roller 31. Pressure roller 31 has a diameter smaller than the diameter of tyre 21. The film layer 5 arranged on one of the sides of strip 1 is wound onto a roll 32 by rotation of this roll 32 in direction R6. Tyre 21 with the layer arranged thereon is then carried to laser 33, which removes material from the arranged layer for the purpose of forming a predetermined pattern. Laser 33 is here also provided with an extraction channel 34 with a fan 35. After this, the tyre with the pattern arranged therein will be carried to a curing station 36 which cures the arranged layer at least partially.

[0092] The components as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C can of course overlap. Laser 22 can thus for example be the same laser as laser 33 and/or fan 35 can be the same fan as fan 24.

[0093] FIG. 4 shows a method 100 according to the invention. The method comprises the step 101 of selecting a used tyre, which forms the basis for the method, followed by the step 102 of cleaning the used tyre. In step 103 a desired geometry for the used tyre is determined, after which or wherein in step 104 a force distribution profile is determined on the basis of the desired geometry. Step 105 comprises of measuring the geometry of the used tyre, including the residual profile, and of storing the measured geometry, after which the measured and stored geometry is compared to the desired geometry in step 106. In step 107 the number of layers to be arranged and the pattern to be arranged are determined on the basis of the determined geometry and the force distribution profile, after which the tread of the used tyre is uncured in step 108. A number of arranging cycles consisting of the steps 109-113 then follows, wherein step 109 comprises the step of arranging a layer of uncured rubber with a layer thickness of 80 μm on the used tyre, wherein the layer is pressed against the tyre and wherein the tyre is heated, step 110 comprising the step of then removing material from the layer for the purpose of arranging a predetermined pattern, and step 111 comprises the step of partially separately curing the layer, after which a surface structure is arranged in the layer in step 112, and after which an additive is applied to the layer in step 113. When the final layer is reached, the whole tyre can be cured in step 114. The step 112 will otherwise be absent in the final cycle.

[0094] The invention is otherwise not limited to the foregoing embodiments. The method is thus suitable for constructing treads on all manner of tyres, and is not limited to car tyres. It is not limited to renovation of used tyres either, but is also suitable for constructing the tread of new tyres.

[0095] The scope of protection is therefore defined on the basis of the following claims.