METHOD AND DEVICE FOR VULCANIZING TIRES

Abstract

A method and a device for vulcanizing tires. The device and method allow a small width and an inexpensive construction of the device in particular by virtue of the special design of or the material flow produced by the device and method. The device has at least one vulcanization chamber and at least one unloader for unloading an at least partially vulcanized tire out of the vulcanization chamber. The device additionally has at least one depositing device, at least one sliding device, and a transport belt for transporting the tire away.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A device for vulcanizing tires, comprising: at least one vulcanization chamber; at least one loader for loading a tire blank into the at least one vulcanization chamber; at least one unloader for unloading an at least partially vulcanized tire from the at least one vulcanization chamber; at least one depositing apparatus; at least one sliding device; and a conveyor belt, wherein the at least one unloader is configured to unload a tire from the at least one vulcanization chamber and deposit the tire on the at least one depositing apparatus, and wherein the at least one sliding device is configured to push the tire deposited on the depositing apparatus onto the conveyor belt for transporting the tire away.

17. The device for vulcanizing tires according to claim 16, further comprising at least one aftertreatment device for aftertreatment of an at least partially vulcanized tire.

18. The device for vulcanizing tires according to claim 16, wherein the device is a double heating press comprising a first vulcanization chamber and a second vulcanization chamber.

19. The device for vulcanizing tires according to claim 18, further comprising a first aftertreatment device assigned to the first vulcanization chamber and a first depositing apparatus assigned to the first aftertreatment device, and a second aftertreatment device assigned to the second vulcanization chamber and a second depositing apparatus assigned to the second aftertreatment device.

20. The device for vulcanizing tires according to claim 19, wherein the at least one sliding device includes an individual sliding device assigned to each depositing apparatus.

21. The device for vulcanizing tires according to claim 18, wherein the double heating press is configured for truck tires.

22. The device for vulcanizing tires according to claim 16, wherein the device for vulcanizing tires has a width of approximately 3.0 m to 3.1 m.

23. The device for vulcanizing tires according to claim 18, including a first loader assigned to the first vulcanization chamber, and a second loader assigned to the second vulcanization chamber.

24. The device for vulcanizing tires according to claim 23, wherein the first loader and the second loader are configured to be actuatable in parallel so that the vulcanization chambers are loaded in parallel.

25. A method for vulcanizing tires, comprising the steps of: loading a tire blank into a vulcanization chamber of a device for vulcanizing tires using a loader; at least partially vulcanizing the tire blank in the vulcanization chamber; unloading the at least partially vulcanized tire from the vulcanization chamber using an unloader; depositing the at least partially vulcanized tire on a depositing apparatus; pushing the at least partially vulcanized tire onto a transport belt by a sliding device; and transporting the at least partially vulcanized tire away by the transport belt.

26. The method for vulcanizing tires according to claim 25, including, after vulcanization in the vulcanization chamber, loading the at least partially vulcanized tire into an aftertreatment device for aftertreatment, and, following the aftertreatment in the aftertreatment device, depositing the tire on the depositing apparatus.

27. The method for vulcanizing tires according to claim 25, wherein the device for vulcanizing tires is a double heating press having a first vulcanization chamber and a second vulcanization chamber, the method including loading and unloading the vulcanization chambers in parallel or alternately.

28. The method for vulcanizing tires according to claim 27, wherein a first loader loads the first vulcanization chamber, and a second loader loads the second vulcanization chamber with tire blanks, and a first unloader unloads the at least partially vulcanized tire from the first vulcanization chamber, and a second unloader unloads the at least partially vulcanized tire from the second vulcanization chamber.

29. The method for vulcanizing tires according to claim 28, wherein the respective unloader performs both the loading of the at least partially vulcanized tire into an assigned aftertreatment device and the unloading of aftertreated tire from the aftertreatment device.

Description

[0078] Exemplary embodiments of devices and methods for vulcanizing tires according to the invention are illustrated in the figures which follow. The drawings show:

[0079] FIG. 1: a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a device for vulcanizing tires according to the invention, in a view from above, with indicated positions of the tire blank during loading of a vulcanization chamber,

[0080] FIG. 2: a schematic illustration of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of a device for vulcanizing tires according to the invention, in a view from above, with indicated positions of the tire during unloading of a vulcanization chamber and loading of an aftertreatment device,

[0081] FIG. 3: a schematic illustration of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of a device for vulcanizing tires according to the invention, in a view from above, with indicated positions of the tire blank/tire from loading of a vulcanization chamber up to loading of an aftertreatment device, and

[0082] FIG. 4: the illustration from FIG. 3 with additional positions of the tire in the region of the device for vulcanizing tires following the aftertreatment.

[0083] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an embodiment of a device according to the invention for vulcanizing tires (1), configured as a double heating press, in a view from above. The figure does not show, inter alia, the at least one unloading device of the double heating press.

[0084] The device for vulcanizing tires (1) comprises a first vulcanization chamber (2a) and a second vulcanization chamber (2b), a first aftertreatment device (3a) and a second aftertreatment device (3b), a first depositing apparatus (4a) and a second depositing apparatus (4b), and a transport belt (5).

[0085] The device for vulcanizing tires (1) furthermore comprises a loader (7) which is configured as two loaders (7a, 7b) which are each assigned to a vulcanization chamber (2a, 2b).

[0086] A sliding device (6a, 6b) is arranged in the region of the deposit apparatus (4a, 4b), by means of which a tire can be pushed from the respective depositing apparatus (4a, 4b) onto the centrally arranged transport belt (5).

[0087] The figure also shows the positions P1 to P5 (indicated by circles) of the tire blank, processed on the right-hand side of the double heating press, during loading of the second vulcanization chamber (2b) by means of the assigned loader (7b), and the indicated positions P1′ of a tire blank, to be processed on the left-hand side, before the first vulcanization chamber (2a), and P12′ of a tire in the first aftertreatment device (3a).

[0088] During loading of the second vulcanization chamber (2b) by means of the assigned loader (7b), the center of the tire blank moves approximately along the dotted line with a slight curve. During loading of the first vulcanization chamber (2a) by means of the assigned loader (7a), the tire blank moves along a corresponding line, mirror-symmetrically about the longitudinal axis of the device for vulcanizing tires (1).

[0089] FIG. 2 shows the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of the device for vulcanizing tires (1) according to the invention, in a view from above, with positions P5 to P12 (indicated by circles) of the at least partially vulcanized tire during unloading of the second vulcanization chamber (2b) and during loading of the second aftertreatment device (3b).

[0090] Preferably, the second vulcanization chamber (2b) is unloaded and the second aftertreatment device (3b) loaded in one process.

[0091] For this, in one embodiment of the invention, the unloader (not shown in this figure) is configured both for unloading the second vulcanization chamber (2b) and also for loading the second aftertreatment device (3b).

[0092] Particularly preferably, the unloader is configured for alternate unloading of both vulcanization chambers (2a, 2b) and for loading the respective assigned aftertreatment device (3a, 3b) with the respective, at least partially vulcanized tire.

[0093] In another embodiment of the invention, an individual unloader is assigned to each vulcanization chamber (2a, 2b).

[0094] The center of the at least partially vulcanized tire moves approximately along the dotted line between positions P5 and P12. The line curves in two opposing directions. The line curves firstly to the right and then to the left.

[0095] For a tire produced on the side of the first vulcanization chamber (2a) and the first aftertreatment device (3a), the movement of the tire is an approximate mirror image about the longitudinal axis of the device for vulcanizing tires (1).

[0096] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of a device for vulcanizing tires (1) according to the invention, in a view from above, with positions P1 to P12 (indicated by circles) of the tire blank/tire from loading of the second vulcanization chamber (2b) up to loading of the second aftertreatment device (3b), and position P13 of the tire on the second depositing apparatus (4b) onto which the tire is placed following aftertreatment in the second aftertreatment device (3b).

[0097] The dotted line indicates the approximate track of the movement of the center of the tire blank or the at least partially vulcanized tire from loading of the second vulcanization chamber (2b) up to loading of the second aftertreatment device (3b). The line has three curves, wherein this curves initially to the left, then to the right, and then back again to the left.

[0098] The approximate track of the movement of the center of a tire produced on the side of the first vulcanization chamber (2a) and the first aftertreatment device (3a) is a corresponding mirror image about the longitudinal axis of the device for vulcanizing tires (1).

[0099] FIG. 4 shows the illustration from FIG. 3 with additionally highlighted positions P13 and P13′ of the tire in the region of the device vulcanizing tires (1), following the aftertreatment, on the respective depositing apparatus (4a, 4b), and the positions P14 and P14′ on the transport belt (5). Also, the longitudinal axis M of the device for vulcanizing tires (1) is marked.