Method and device for producing green tires

Abstract

A method and a device for the production of a green tire, in which at least two materials in strip form are positioned on a tire building drum. At least two cores are set in place. The tire building drum is equipped both with a core clamping device and with a core fixing device. The tire building drum is composed of a central part and of two drum halves arranged adjacent to the central part on both sides. The drum halves are arranged such that they can be positioned in an axial direction. The central part is equipped with a variable diameter in a radial direction. A radial enlargement of the diameter of the central part is performed before the cores are set in place.

Claims

1. A device for producing a green tire, comprising: a tire building drum on which at least two materials in strip form are positioned; core setting means for setting at least two cores of the green tire in place in the device; wherein the tire building drum is equipped both with a core clamping means and with a core fixing means, wherein the tire building drum is formed from a central part and two drum halves arranged adjacent to the central part on both sides, wherein the drum halves are positionable in an axial direction, wherein the central part has a variable diameter in a radial direction perpendicular to the axial direction; and further comprising a center device for stretching materials of the green tire, wherein the drum halves and the center device are positioned so as to be able to form a free space between the center device and the two drum halves, wherein the core fixing means is expandable in the radial direction prior to setting of the cores and lifts the center device in the radial direction whereby the materials of the green tire are tensioned in the radial direction by movement of the center device, wherein the cores after setting are clamped from below by a radial expansion of the core clamping means, and wherein the core fixing means is expanded in a radial direction to fully fix the cores in the axial direction in addition to the radial direction by a combination of the core fixing means and the core setting means before the green tire is subjected to internal pressure and rises from the drum in a center region, and wherein the clamping means and the fixing means are movable in the axial direction by a movement of the drum halves, wherein the drum halves are positioned in the axial direction in a first step and, after the first step, away from the center device in a second step so that there are free spaces between the center device and each of the drum halves, wherein the spaces are configured to permit laying-on further material that is folded over under the core by rolling-on means.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central part is configured so that a radial enlargement of the diameter of the central part is performable before the cores are set in place.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drum halves are positionable independently of one another.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core setting means includes at least one core setting device that is positionable in an axial direction.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core fixing means is expandable by a relatively low pressure or a relatively high pressure.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core clamping means and the core fixing means are positionable independently of one another.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core fixing means includes a radially outwardly directed external shoulder.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the center device is positionable in an expanded position without the drum halves.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated in the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of a tire building drum which is equipped with a core clamping means and a core fixing means,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the tire building drum as per FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the drum in a flat state,

(5) FIG. 4 shows the drum as per FIG. 3 in a flat state with material laid thereon,

(6) FIG. 5 shows the tire building drum with an expanded core fixing means and an outwardly displaced center device,

(7) FIG. 6 shows the tire building drum with cores held from the outside and with cores set in place for the purpose of tensioning the material,

(8) FIG. 7 shows the tire building drum with cores held from the outside and set in place,

(9) FIG. 8 shows the tire building drum after ply fold-over has been performed, and with cores set in place and held on the central part,

(10) FIG. 9 shows the tire building drum with a material assembly seated firmly on the central part,

(11) FIG. 10 shows the tire building drum after a fold-over of the material under the core,

(12) FIG. 11 shows the tire building drum with drum halves having been moved together,

(13) FIG. 12 shows the tire building drum with a core fixing means having been expanded using little pressure, and

(14) FIG. 13 shows the tire building drum with a fully fixed carcass assembly which is subjected to pressure and is lifted toward the center, and

(15) FIG. 14 shows further views of the tire building drum in different positions of the individual parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(16) FIG. 1 shows a tire building drum (1) for use as a device for producing a green tire. The tire building drum (1) is fixed to a shaft (2). The shaft (2) is guided in rotatable fashion in the region of a bearing (3).

(17) Two central parts (7, 8) are arranged between the drum halves (4, 5) in a longitudinal direction (6).

(18) FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the tire building drum (1) as per FIG. 1. It can be seen that the drum halves (4, 5) are arranged so as to be displaceable along the shaft (2). Center devices (9, 10) are arranged between the drum halves (4, 5). It is also possible to see a core clamping means (11) and a core fixing means (12). The method sequence basically corresponds to the process steps discussed below. In a first step, the material is prestressed by virtue of the center device (9, 10) being deployed. Subsequently, the cores are set in place laterally against the center device (9, 10) and are clamped from the inside. In the process, the material is tensioned further. Subsequently, the material is folded over onto the center device (9, 10). In a final process step, the core clamping means (11) is released, and the drum halves (4, 5) are moved outward.

(19) The movement of the drum halves (4, 5) gives rise to a free space between the center device (9, 10) and the drum halves (4, 5). It is then possible for further material to be laid on. The material is then folded over under the core by way of a rolling-on means.

(20) In a subsequent process step, the drum halves (4, 5) move toward the center device (9, 10) and the core fixing means (12) is placed in position under the core. Owing to the process steps of an initial slight expansion, then moving together and subsequent full expansion, the core is fully fixed in interaction with the center device (9, 10). The process is continued to the required extent.

(21) The individual process steps, discussed above in an abbreviated manner, will be discussed in detail below on the basis of the further figures.

(22) FIG. 3 shows the tire building drum (1) in a flat state. It is possible to see the drum halves (4, 5), the central parts (7, 8) and the core clamping means (11) and the core fixing means (12).

(23) In FIG. 4, the tire building drum (1) is again in the flat state. The material (13) has been laid on.

(24) In the process step illustrated in FIG. 5, the core fixing means (12) has been expanded and, in this case, lifts the center device (9) outward. The material (13) is hereby tensioned.

(25) In the process steps illustrated in FIG. 6, the cores are defined by means of the device and are held from the outside. The cores are set in place and the material is hereby further tensioned. The core setting spacing, or the spacing from core to core, is exactly predefined by the center device (9), and is thus much more clearly defined than in processes according to the prior art.

(26) In the process step illustrated in FIG. 7, the cores are defined by means of the device and are held from the outside. The cores are set in place and the cores are clamped from below by the expanding core clamping means (11). Here, a front part of a bellows is raised and hereby tensions the material (13) further.

(27) In the process step illustrated in FIG. 8, the ply fold-over has been performed and the cores are set in place and are held in a defined manner on the central part. The interconnection of the material ensures that the material assembly (13) rests firmly on the central part. The core clamping means (11) is retracted, and the core fixing means (12) is likewise retracted. The drum halves (4, 5) can move apart.

(28) In the process step shown in FIG. 9, the cores are set in place and are held in a defined manner on the central part.

(29) The interconnection of the material ensures that the material assembly (13) rests firmly on the central part. The two drum halves (4, 5) have been moved apart. This gives rise to a free space between the drum halves (4, 5) and the center device (9, 10). In a subsequent step, the material is laid on.

(30) In the process step shown in FIG. 10, the material (13) is folded over under the core and the two drum halves (4, 5) move together.

(31) In the process step shown in FIG. 11, the two drum halves (4, 5) are moving together and the core fixing means (12) is in position under the cores.

(32) In the process step shown in FIG. 12, the core fixing means (12) is expanding with little pressure and the drum halves (4, 5) are moving in the direction of the center of the drum in order to fix the core with the outer contact edge of the core fixing means (12). The core fixing means (12) then expands at high pressure in order to fully fix the core.

(33) In the process step shown in FIG. 13, the fully fixed carcass assembly is being subjected to pressure and is rising in the center. In parallel with this process, the drum halves (4, 5) and the center device (9, 10) move together. Owing to the fact that the spacing between the cores is defined at each point in time in the process, excellent uniformity of the tires can be achieved. Another contributing factor to this uniformity is that the core is supported during the entire process.

(34) For illustrative purposes, FIG. 14 shows further views of the tire building drum (1) in different positions of the individual parts.