Patents Examined by Martin K. Rogers
  • Patent number: 9944035
    Abstract: The present invention forms bead apex rubber with good precision on the outer circumferential surface of the bead core. A molding process, in which unvulcanized rubber is made to flow into a bead apex molding chamber that is surrounded by surfaces that include the outer circumferential surface of a circular bead core and the bead apex rubber is formed directly on the outer circumferential surface of the bead core that is rotating around the core axis, is provided. The molding process comprises: a tip forming step that forms the leading end of the bead apex rubber; a middle section forming step that sequentially forms the bead apex rubber to be continuous with the leading end; and a joining step to join the back end and the leading end of the bead apex rubber by inflowing the unvulcanized rubber therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD., NAKATA ENGINEERING CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Onimatsu, Naoyasu Nakao, Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9937678
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a motorcycle tire includes forming a cylindrical raw tire body including a carcass body including a carcass ply and bead cores on the carcass ply, and forming a cylindrical belt ply wound in a cylindrical shape. The forming of the belt ply includes filling the tire body to expand to first expanded phase, winding a sheet-type belt ply by extending the sheet-type belt ply on bell rings to form the cylindrical belt ply with inner surface bonded to the apex of the tire body, filling the tire body to expand the apex of the tire body along with the belt ply to second expanded phase, increasing diameter of an expandable profile deck to expand the apex of the tire body along with the belt ply to third expanded phase, and winding down edges of the belt ply to bond the belt ply to the tire body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Isaka, Masafumi Otani
  • Patent number: 9908302
    Abstract: A method of assembling a tire having one or more reinforcements or supporting inserts in the sidewalls is provided. The reinforcements are positioned onto one or more air impermeable layers. One or more reinforcing plies are positioned over the reinforcing supports and suspended therebetween. A gas pressure is used to expand the one or more air impermeable layers away from the forming drum and against a reinforcing ply. As such, the creases or wrinkles in the one or more reinforcing plies can be avoided along with other non-uniformities such as deradialization and/or an uneven overlap where the ends of a ply are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Bruce Meyer
  • Patent number: 8580059
    Abstract: A method for separating and removing a rigid core when building a tire. When the rigid core body is to be separated and removed from the inside of the tire, the method includes removing a core holding mechanism and upper and lower support plates; transferring the tire to a support table; raising a second core separation/removal mechanism; horizontally pulling a first type of segment groups until separated from the inner surface of the tire; lowering the first type of the segment groups below the support table; lowering a first core separation/removal mechanism to the center of the height position of the rigid core body; horizontally pulling the second type of the segment groups until they are separated from the inner surface of the tire; transferring a second type of the segment groups with a second core separation/removal mechanism, and conveying the tire to the subsequent process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noboru Takada