Building Tires Directly From Strands Or Cords Patents (Class 156/117)
  • Patent number: 7479196
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tire includes forming a carcass structure, forming a tread band, placing the tire in a curing mold, and molding and curing the tire. The carcass structure includes a crown portion defined between two axially opposed sidewalls that extend radially toward an axis of rotation of the tire and terminate in a circumferential portion comprising an annular reinforcing structure for mounting the tire on a rim. The tread band extends circumferentially around the carcass structure and includes a molded relief pattern. Forming the tread band includes producing a strip of elastomeric material and winding it onto the crown portion. The strip includes an elongated right cross-section that is asymmetrical in a transverse direction. The strip is wound in a plurality of axially consecutive turns until the tread band is formed. At least one turn is at least partly overlapped onto a previously deposited, axially consecutive turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gaetano Lo Presti, Rodolfo Noto
  • Publication number: 20090008012
    Abstract: High-speed durability of a pneumatic tire is maintained and abrasion is improved by making a cornering force hardly affecting on the tire. A tread is formed by winding narrow-width ribbon-like rubber members (1) in a range of the gauge from 0.5 to 2 mm and the width of 5 to 15 mm in spirals by continuous repetition of partially overlapped winding, the traveling direction of the helical winding is made to accord with a direction from the inside to the outside when mounted on a vehicle, and the direction of the cornering force received at running becomes a direction to slick down on an exposed surface of the laminated ribbon-like rubber members (1) in mounting of this pneumatic tire (T).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masayuki Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20080314504
    Abstract: A method and a plant for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels. The method includes the steps of: a) building in a building station a substantially cylindrical carcass structure; b) manufacturing in a finishing station a substantially cylindrical sleeve including a tread band applied at a radially outer position with respect to a belt structure including at least one belt layer, step b) including the steps of: b1) assembling a first belt structure at a first working position on a first auxiliary drum of the finishing station; b2) applying at a second working position at least one first portion of the tread band at a radially outer position with respect to a second belt structure previously assembled on a second auxiliary drum of the finishing station; applying at at least one third working position at least one second portion of the tread band at a radially outer position with respect to a third belt structure assembled on at least one third auxiliary drum of the finishing station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventor: Gianni Mancini
  • Publication number: 20080277046
    Abstract: Device for manufacturing a reinforcement from a thread laid directly in its final position by spraying lengths of the thread onto a receiving surface. The thread lengths are delivered from a conduit to a guide as the conduit rotates about an axis. The guide includes deflectors forming therebetween a slot having a thread inlet orifice and a thread spray (discharge) orifice spaced apart along the guide's height. The separation between the deflectors narrows toward the spray orifice, wherein the deflectors form therebetween an angle in the range of 3° and 7° when measured at any point along the height of the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Pascal Martin, Dominique Cordaillat
  • Patent number: 7449083
    Abstract: A cord-reinforced tire structural member is formed by successively arranging strips of a predetermined width w of about ? in. and bonding together edge parts of adjacent strips 3. The number of cords included in each of the strips 3 is determined for the type of the cords. A tire structural member 4 is formed by successively arranging a number of the strips 3, equal to a tire size in inch in a direction parallel to the width of the strips and bonding together edge parts of adjacent strips 3. Thus, the number of cords to be included in the tire structural member 4 for one tire can be easily fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Suda
  • Patent number: 7449078
    Abstract: A cord is supplied continuously and on demand by a suitable distributor. The apparatus is used with a revolving form (1) on which the reinforcement is progressively built up by depositing sections of the cord along a desired trajectory for the cord on the surface of the form. The apparatus comprises an element for depositing the cord on the surface of the form (1), describing an alternating path between two turning points, pressers close to the turning points in order to apply the cord to the form at the ends of the trajectory, acting synchronously with the depositing element, a mobile guide (5) disposed opposite the form, in the space between the form and the path described by the depositing element, a fixed guide (6) substantially parallel to the mobile guide (5), control means for moving the mobile guide (5) in a circumferential direction, and motorization means for synchronously piloting the depositing element, the pressers, and the control means of the mobile guide (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Claude Mayet
  • Patent number: 7445687
    Abstract: A tire component is fabricated by the steps of forming a narrow belt by arranging a plurality of cords and embedding the cords in a rubber layer, cutting the belt into strips of a predetermined length, and successively arranging and joining a necessary number of the strips such that edge parts of adjacent strips overlap each other with the outermost cord in the edge part of one of the adjacent strips overlying the outermost cord in the edge part of the other strip. The strips can be surely joined without requiring advanced techniques, without wasting materials and without increasing weight. Thus a desired annular tire component can be accurately formed in a desired circumference. The cords are arranged in each strip in a width equal to a length shorter than a length equal to an integral division of the predetermined circumference of a tire by a length corresponding to an increase in the diameter of the tire component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Suda, Akira Kubota
  • Publication number: 20080251185
    Abstract: A device that enables a rubber strip to be applied to a tire blank. The device comprises a rubber extruder provided with an extrusion orifice for shaping the rubber strip and delivering said strip from the extruder. The orifice is defined by a roller mounted to rotate on the extruder. The device further comprises thrust means for thrusting the roller against the blank so that the roller constitutes an applicator for applying the rubber strip against the blank. The extruder is mounted to pivot about an axis so as to form a lever on which the thrust means act to thrust the roller against the strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Cappa, Arnaud Letocart
  • Patent number: 7431786
    Abstract: In an apparatus for affixing a tire component member, a capacity of a driving means for a traveling head is decreased, and start end positions of affixing the tire component member are aligned in a peripheral direction of a drum and a widthwise overlap amount between the tire component members is made constant as is expected, and also a cycle time is shortened, in which the apparatus comprises a traveling head 2 moving forward and rearward in an axial direction of a drum 1, a clamp means 9 pushing a front end portion of the tire component member 3 protruded ahead from the traveling head 2 onto the peripheral face of the drum, a cutting means 12 arranged at one end side of the drum apart from the clamp means 9, guide rolls 5 arranged on the traveling head 2 and specifying a widthwise position of the tire component member 3, and a chuck means pulling the tire component member 3 to the clamp means 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Suda
  • Patent number: 7431063
    Abstract: A method for producing a vehicle tire belt structure includes forming at least one belt strip including at least one circumferential edge with a profile extending along a broken line. A vehicle tire includes a carcass structure, tread band, and belt structure. At least one carcass ply of the carcass structure includes reinforcing cords oriented substantially along radial planes of the tire. The belt structure includes at least one pair of radially superimposed belt strips including a plurality of reinforcing cords parallel to each other. The reinforcing cords of a first belt strip cross those of a radially adjacent belt strip. The reinforcing cords of the first and radially adjacent belt strips are obliquely oriented in opposite directions with respect to an equatorial plane of the tyre. At least one of the belt strips includes at least one circumferential edge with a profile extending along a broken line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Rodolfo Noto, Gaetano Lo Presti
  • Patent number: 7426950
    Abstract: A radial pneumatic tire includes a body ply and two belts. Each of the body ply and the belts has ribbon pieces that are arranged along the circumferential direction of the tire. Each ribbon piece is joined with the adjacent ribbon pieces at the lateral sides. Each ribbon piece has parallel cords coated with rubber. The cords are arranged at a predetermined first cord interval. The cords at the joined ends of the adjacent ribbon pieces, or the cords with the joint in between, are arranged at a predetermined second cord interval. As a result, a tire having a high consistency and an improved weight balance is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Fuji Seiko Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigemasa Takagi
  • Publication number: 20080223508
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for building a green tire or a tire component member by winding and laminating a rubber strip on a rigid core or a building drum. The apparatus includes a flattening roll and a rubber strip winder. The flattening roll flattens a projection of a stepped portion produced by overlapping portions of the rubber strip, and a roller of the flattening roll is moved so that it is constantly located at a given position with reference to the rigid core or building drum. The flattening roll moves in a direction opposite to a moving direction of the rubber strip winder during helical winding of the rubber strip on the rigid core or building drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirai, Kenji Yamada, Katsuto Koyama
  • Publication number: 20080223507
    Abstract: A rubber sheet joining apparatus comprises: a cutting unit for cutting a ribbon of rubber sheet reinforced with cords to generate rubber sheet strips having different lengths; a sheet overlapping unit for overlapping and joining the rubber sheet strips having different lengths to make an overlapped and joined strip; first holding members for holding a front end portion of a following overlapped and joined strip; second holding members for holding a rear end portion of a preceding overlapped and joined strip; support guides for movably supporting the first holding members relative to the second holding members; and an operating unit for moving the first holding members relative to the second holding members to butt-join the side surfaces of two successive overlapped and joined strips held respectively by the first holding members and the second holding members to generate a ply sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicants: FUJI SEIKO CO., LTD., FUJI SHOJI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigemasa Takagi, Chikara Takagi
  • Publication number: 20080216929
    Abstract: A first conductive rubber layer is formed by arranging a filament conductive rubber within a ground surface of a shoulder portion of a nonconductive tread rubber so as to be along a tire circumferential direction, before vulcanizing a tire. Further, a second conductive rubber layer is formed by arranging a filament conductive rubber extending to an outer side in a tire width direction along an extending direction of a slit from the first conductive rubber layer and reaching a strip rubber while cutting across a ground end E, before vulcanizing the tire. Further, a tread pattern is formed in such a manner that the first conductive rubber layer vertically cuts across the slit and the second conductive rubber layer is arranged within the slit, at a time of vulcanizing the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tamotsu Mizutani
  • Patent number: 7416625
    Abstract: A green tire or a tire component member is built by winding and laminating a rubber strip having a cross section in which at least one edge viewed in the width direction has a thickness that is substantially zero, and thickness of the rubber strip gradually decreases in a width direction from a maximum thickness position nearest to the edge to said edge, or a projection of a stepped portion of the green tire or the tire component member built by winding and laminating the rubber strip is flattened under pressure, so that the green tire is prevented from producing residual air and a saw blade like surface. Therefore, occurrences of residual air, bare, a flow crack or embedded contaminant in a product tire can be suppressed to enhance the durability of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirai, Kenji Yamada, Katsuto Koyama
  • Publication number: 20080196817
    Abstract: A method and a plant for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels wherein the method includes the steps of: a) building in a building station a substantially cylindrical carcass structure; b) manufacturing in a finishing station a substantially cylindrical sleeve including a tread band applied at a radially outer position with respect to a belt structure including at least one belt layer. Step b) includes the steps of assembling a first belt structure at a first working position on a first auxiliary drum of the finishing station; applying a tread band at a second working position at a radially outer position with respect to a second belt structure previously assembled on a second auxiliary drum of the finishing station, positioning the first auxiliary drum supporting the first belt structure at the second working position; and positioning the second auxiliary drum supporting the substantially cylindrical sleeve thus obtained at a picking position of the finishing station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: Gianni Mancini
  • Publication number: 20080190549
    Abstract: The invention resides in enabling high-mix low-volume production by a compact apparatus for a rubber sheet reinforced with a cord of a belt material for a tire, a body-ply material, etc. variously changing a cord material, cord arrangement angle, width of sheet, etc. and relates to manufacturing apparatus and method for a rubber sheet reinforced with a cord according to wrapping around a rubber coated cord group continuously on a surface of a pair of a cylindrical rotating body rotating in the same direction or on a surface of a cylindrical rotating body disposed small diameter roller groups of plural number on a side surface of a cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2005
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Sigemasa Takagi, Tosiaki Morisaki, Hikaru Yamada
  • Publication number: 20080190539
    Abstract: A tire comprising sidewalls joining a crown part to beads that are intended to come into contact with a mounting rim, these sidewalls comprising a carcass reinforcement anchored in each bead to at least one bead wire and having an end in each bead, the bead wire having, seen in meridian cross-section, an outer profile comprising two profile parts, a first part radially to the inside of axial width L, extending between an axially innermost point and an axially outermost part, and a second part radially to the outside between said points. Each bead comprises at least one additional coupling reinforcement in contact with the carcass reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Olivier Ferlin, Bopha Grisin
  • Publication number: 20080190550
    Abstract: A method that can be used in the automated construction of a vehicle tire, using butt spliced tire components consisting of material webs, for example textile cords or steel cords that are embedded in a rubber mixture, to produce a carcass insert of the vehicle tire. The end sections of the cut material web can be clamped in a splicing device with pairs of upper and lower splicing elements, which can be displaced in relation to one another and the sections can be butt spliced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Markus Groppe, Jens Winkler
  • Publication number: 20080190540
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a pneumatic tire in which a green tire having a layer of film having a thermoplastic resin as a main component, and an uncured rubber layer provided thereon is cured. When the uncured rubber layer is formed on the film layer, at least one uncured rubber strip is applied serially onto the film layer to form the uncured rubber layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hashimura, Takahiko Sawada
  • Patent number: 7399374
    Abstract: A tire reinforcement structure having parallel threads is made by providing a substantially toroidal rotatable form and a reinforcement-constructing an apparatus disposed adjacent the form. At a forming section of the apparatus a group of multiple parallel threads is formed. The group of threads is fed to a joining section where the threads are embedded in an elastomeric composition to form a strip which is fed to a cutting section where the strip is successively cut into portions. The strip portions are successively fed to a depositing section which successively deposits the portions of the strip along a predetermined trajectory onto the surface of the rotating form. The strip portions are formed in situ at the form and are deposited directly onto the form from the depositing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Frédéric Pialot
  • Patent number: 7396426
    Abstract: A method for making a reinforcing structure for a vehicle tire includes laying down at least one continuous thread element onto a support element, generating one or more layers. A path of the at least one thread element is substantially concentric with a rotation axis of the tire. The at least one thread element is laid down according to an undulated trajectory including a plurality of waves succeeding each other along a line circumferentially extended around the rotation axis of the tire. A tire for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure, a pair of annular anchoring structures, reinforcing structures disposed at axially opposite side portions of at least one carcass ply of the carcass structure, a belt structure, a pair of sidewalls, and a tread band. Each reinforcing structure includes one or more layers of at least one continuous thread element extending according to the undulated trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Fiorenzo Mariani, Maurizio Marchini
  • Publication number: 20080156407
    Abstract: A green tire includes a surface layer defining a green tire surface and made up of a plurality of windings of an unvulcanized rubber tape. A part of each of the windings is exposed on the green tire surface so that the exposed part has a width of from 50% to 80% of the width W1 of the rubber tape. Each of the windings has a substantially rhomboid cross section and has one end at an acute angle corner exposed on the green tire surface and the other end at the opposing acute angle corner. An angle theta of a diagonal line of the rhomboid drawn between the one end and the other end is not more than 30 degrees with respect to a tangential line to a profile line of the green tire surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakamoto, Toshiaki Ono, Toshiyuki Mafune, Takamichi Sagawa
  • Publication number: 20080149246
    Abstract: A sheathed thread comprises a bare thread coated in a rubber sheath. The sheath comprises a plurality of segments spaced apart from one another along the bare thread in such a manner that bare portions of thread alternate with sheathed portions of thread. The device for fabricating the sheathed thread comprises a sheathing chamber through which the thread passes. An isolator member is movable between a position in which it isolates the portion of the thread passing through the sheathing chamber from the rubber, and a position in which it puts the portion of the thread passing through the sheathing thread into contact with the rubber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Dominique Leblanc, Daniel Guinet, Henri Hinc, Alain Legagneur
  • Publication number: 20080149258
    Abstract: The invention provides a device and method of cutting a sheet of feed stock comprising: positioning a cutting mechanism having a cutting line positioned between a first conveyor roller and a second conveyor roller; advancing the feed stock to align the feed stock into position over the cutting line; lowering the cutting blade to cut through the feed stock, traversing the cutting blade through the feed stock to cut the feed stock into sheets of a desired length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Daniel Ray Downing, Stephen Michael Baumhoer, Matthew Todd Kent, William Robert Porter
  • Publication number: 20080142150
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of obtaining a preformed wire intended to be incorporated during the manufacture of a tire, comprising a step during which a deformable wire is selected (32), this deformable wire is elastically deformed (34) and this deformable wire is held (36) using holding means which are able to deform or to “disappear” during a shaping step. The invention also relates to an assembly of a sheet of uncured rubber and of a deformable wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Michel Robert
  • Publication number: 20080128072
    Abstract: The apparatus for manufacturing a reinforcement for a tire comprises an eyelet 60 through which the cord 4 can slip; the eyelet 60 is carried by a drive mechanism 3. A guide ring 5 is positioned relative to a main arm 31 in such a manner that this passes through the ring during its cyclical movement. The ring comprises a slot 54 through which the cord passes. The ring 5 comprises a base 50, two lateral walls 51 which are rigidly connected to the base and which are disposed on either side thereof, two deflectors 52 each rigidly connected to one of the lateral partition walls disposed at the end thereof opposite the base, the two deflectors being oriented towards one another and each ending with a lip 53, the lips being of similar and opposite shapes, the slot 54 being defined by the lips of the deflectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventor: Henri HINC
  • Publication number: 20080105359
    Abstract: A device for manufacturing a reinforcement from a thread laid down directly in its final location by projecting lengths of the thread onto a receiving surface (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Pascal Martin, Jean-Louis Souche
  • Publication number: 20080099114
    Abstract: The manufactured pieces are the ones both end surfaces thereof in the tire circumferential direction are cut from the pieces before cutting 1 and the pieces before cutting 1 have the cutting regions whose cross-sectional shapes in the tire width direction are the same at both ends of its circumferential direction. And in the cutting process of cutting the pieces for modifying the lengths in the circumferential direction from each of the pieces before cutting 1, in order that the length in the tire circumferential direction of each piece after cutting and that both of the end surfaces in the circumferential direction of the piece after cutting are included in the cutting regions, the cutting lines of each piece are set at different not less than two positions (a, a? and b, b?) in the tire circumferential direction and the pieces are cut by either one of the set cutting lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaaki Ohara
  • Patent number: 7364635
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a pneumatic tire in which a line, a letter or the like having a different color from a main body rubber is formed in a side wall portion. A manufacturing method of a pneumatic tire in which a portion having a different color from a main body rubber is formed in a side wall portion, is provided with a step of forming a band-like rubber member having a white rubber layer having a different color from a main body rubber, and a cover rubber layer formed in an outer side of the white rubber layer at a fixed thickness and having the same color as the main body rubber, and a step of spirally overlapping and winding a rubber ribbon along a tire peripheral direction so as to bond to both sides in a width direction of the band-like rubber member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuma Nishitani
  • Patent number: 7361243
    Abstract: Using a core manufacturing method, a green tire is obtained in which edge portions of a carcass ply are turned up at bead cores. An inner liner 40 is set on an external surface of a hard core 12, and a carcass 46 is formed thereon. A bladder 36 disposed inside the core is inflated, whereby edge portions of the carcass 46 can be turned up. Thereafter, conventionally known tire structural members such as a belt, a side tread and a top tread are set on, and a green tire is completed on the external surface of the hard core 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yuuichirou Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7353852
    Abstract: A carcass ply producing apparatus for producing a carcass ply constituting a carcass layer of a tire includes a supply head for supplying one or a plurality of ply cords, a head driving mechanism for reciprocating the supply head along a widthwise direction of the carcass ply, a sticking body having a sticking surface to which the ply cord supplied by the supply head is stuck, a sticking body driving mechanism for moving the sticking surface of the sticking body along a longitudinal direction of the carcass ply, and a moving amount controlling mechanism capable of controlling a moving amount of the sticking surface with respect to a moving amount of the supply head. When the ply cord is supplied along the widthwise direction of the carcass ply, a disposition angle of the ply cord with respect to the longitudinal direction can be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Hitotsuyanagi, Katsuhiro Nakatani
  • Patent number: 7344614
    Abstract: A method for applying a breaker or other reinforcement layer to a carcass strip by strip includes the steps of calculating an end gap based upon a nominal strip width, the size of the carcass, and the end count desired; calculating a distributed gap required to distribute the calculated end gap substantially equally between each strip; and applying the breaker strip by strip with each strip being separated from an adjacent strip by the distributed gap spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Albert James Yovichin, Andres Ignacio Delgado, Mary Beth Dombrosky, Mark Anthony Sieverding
  • Patent number: 7341640
    Abstract: Method for forming a rubber strip which enables a wider rubber of small thickness without lowering an extruding speed and enables to reduce a building cycle time, thereby increasing the efficiency of tire manufacturing. Temperatures at a main-part casing 11, a screw shaft 12 and a head region included with the die 13 are controlled to be different from each other in a manner that: the temperature as controlled in the main-part casing 11 is higher than that in the screw shaft 12; and the temperature as controlled in the head region is higher than that in the main-part casing 11, when continuously extruding a rubber material in a form of a ribbon in forming a rubber strip 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Kudo, Tetsuo Tatara, Masami Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20080041513
    Abstract: A method for building a tire on a toroidal core, to include carcass plies with a high tensile resistance and bead portions with an improved rigidity, wherein the carcass plies (4, 10) are formed by continuously applying carcass cords (3, 9) onto an outer surface of the core over entire periphery thereof. An inner carcass ply (4) is formed by feeding the carcass cord (3) in a meridian direction of the core (1), and folding back the carcass cord (3) at each side portion of the core. Each radially inner peripheral portion (7) of the inner carcass ply (9) is turned-up radially outwards about a bead core (6). A skim rubber (8) is subsequently applying onto an outer surface of the inner carcass ply (9), which has been formed with the turned-up portions (7a). An outer carcass ply (10) is formed by feeding a carcass cord (4) in the meridian direction of the core (1) and folding back the carcass cord (4) at each side portion of the core (1), and applied onto an outer surface of the skim rubber (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichiro Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7306019
    Abstract: A rubber composition is provided with a large friction force even on a body having, for example, an ice face of a low friction coefficient. The composition is constituted by a foamed rubber having a rationalized foaming state. The composition is applied to an upper-layer rubber part of a tread rubber constituting at least a ground contact face to enhance a gripping force on a frozen road surface or a snow covered road surface. The foamed rubber has continuous cells 6 each continuously extending substantially along a particular direction 4 and sealed with a resin protection membrane 5. Also, a method is provided for producing such a tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 7285176
    Abstract: The thread 4, intended to form a carcass reinforcement, is laid in continguous hoops on a rigid core 1 by a system with at least two oscillating arms transporting an orifice 6 so as to enable it to pass over a core 1 and thus lay adjacent hoops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Claude Mayet
  • Patent number: 7276131
    Abstract: A method of making a tire includes making a carcass structure; applying a belt structure, tread band, and at least one pair of sidewalls; and vulcanizing the tire. Making the carcass structure involves formation of at least one first carcass ply, including preparing and depositing at least one continuous strip element onto a toroidal support in alternating deposition sections. Each deposition section extends in a substantially U-shaped conformation against a profile in transverse section of the toroidal support or a previously deposited deposition section, substantially over an entire length of the section, to define two side portions, a crown portion, and two transition regions defined between the side and crown portions. The crown portions of the deposition sections are arranged consecutively in side-by-side relationship along a circumferential extension of the toroidal support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Renato Caretta, Fiorenzo Mariani
  • Patent number: 7275576
    Abstract: A method of making reinforcing elements for a vehicle tire includes laying down at least one continuous thread element on a support element of the tire according to a deposition path substantially concentric with a rotation axis of the tire. A tire for a vehicle wheel includes a carcass structure, a belt structure, a pair of sidewalls, a tread band, and reinforcing elements. The reinforcing elements include at least one continuous thread element formed into coils around a rotation axis of the tire. For the method and in the tire, the at least one continuous thread element is superposed on itself at a plurality of crossing points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giancarlo Armellin
  • Publication number: 20070151642
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire is manufactured by vulcanizing the uncured tire formed by assembling uncured rubber tire components, at least one of which is made by winding a plurality of tapes around an axis while traversing the tapes along the axis, wherein the number of stroke of the traversing of the tapes is increased in a thick portion than in a thin portion of the tire component, and an angle between one end and the other end of each of the tapes around said axis is at most 90 degrees. The respective midpoints between the one end and the other end around the axis, of the tapes are sifted from each other in the circumferential direction of the tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventor: Youjirou Miki
  • Patent number: 7238248
    Abstract: A method of building a tyre includes forming a carcass structure comprising at least one carcass ply, applying a belt structure at a radially external position with respect to the at feast one carcass ply, applying a pair of sidewalls at an axially external position with respect to side surfaces of the at least one carcass ply, applying a tread band to the belt structure at a radially external position of the belt structure, and applying annular stiffening inserts against the side surfaces of the at least one carcass ply before applying the sidewalls. Ends of the at least one carcass ply engage respective circumferentially inextensible annular anchoring structures. Each sidewall extends radially away from one of the annular anchoring structures. Each annular insert extends between one of the annular anchoring structures and a corresponding edge of the belt structure. A tyre for a two-wheeled vehicle is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventor: Giancarlo Armellin
  • Patent number: 7235147
    Abstract: There is provided a tire structural member forming method capable of forming a structural member of a tire for a vehicle at a low cost, using a simple mechanism satisfactory in space efficiency and capable of setting a band-shaped member of a predetermined length on a forming drum in a high setting accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Suda
  • Patent number: 7216684
    Abstract: Pneumatic tires for aircraft service having a belt package with shoulder reinforcement. The tire includes a belt reinforcing structure or belt package having multiple cut belts, multiple spiral wound belt layers positioned radially between the cut belts and the tread, and multiple spiral wound shoulder layers proximate the shoulder. The spiral wound belt layers and the spiral wound shoulder layers are formed by a continuous cord-reinforced strip having a strip width. The spiral wound belt layers are characterized by a first winding pitch of approximately one strip width per revolution and the spiral wound shoulder layers are characterized by a second winding pitch of less than one strip width per revolution. Alternatively, the spiral wound shoulder layers may be formed with a tiered arrangement by shifting the starting location for successive spiral wound belt layers laterally so that the side edges are not coincident.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Roel Domingo Villanueva, John Joseph Slivka
  • Patent number: 7175726
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuously winding a rubber strip extruded from a rubber-strip extruding machine, on a tire-building drum, comprises: a rubber-strip extruding machine including a gear pump for delivering the rubber material outputted from the extruder to a forming nozzle; a tire-building drum on which a rubber strip is wound, the rubber strip outputted from the rubber-strip extruding machine and having a predetermined sectional shape; a first driver unit for moving the extruding machine relative to the drum; a second driver unit for driving the drum into rotation; a pressure roller for pressing the rubber strip against the drum when the rubber strip is wound on the drum; and a control unit for controlling the first driver unit; said controlling being made such that said extruding machine is moved relative to the drum when the drum is driven as rotated, as to sequentially wind the rubber strip on the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Abe, Masaya Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 7131476
    Abstract: A tread rubber G has a short-fiber-mixed rubber portion 10 forming a grounding surface. In a region Y1 between an outer grounding end Eo and a tire equator C located outside of a vehicle when a tire is mounted to the vehicle, the short fibers f are inclined and oriented at an angle ? outward of the vehicle radially outward of the tire, and an angle ?1 of the short fibers f in the outer grounding end Eo is greater than an angle ?2 of the short fibers f in the tire equator C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ikuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7093629
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rubber component for a pneumatic tire which comprises a process of overlap-winding at least one rubber tape into a target cross sectional shape for the rubber component, wherein each rubber tape has a thickness of from 0.3 to 3.0 mm and a width of from 5 to 40 mm, and an inner surface and/or an outer surface of the rubber component are defined by a surface layer made of windings of the rubber tape which windings are overlapped by a width WJ less than 75% of the rubber tape width but more than 1.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Tanaka, Genichiro Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7094302
    Abstract: A method of forming a belt structure for a tire includes forming at least one laying layer of elastomer material on an outer surface of a support mandrel and helically winding up at least one continuous bare cord on the at least one laying layer to form a plurality of coils. The at least one laying layer is formed by laying down at least one first continuous strip element of elastomer material in a form of helical coils. The helical coils of the at least one first strip element are axially distributed on an outer surface of the support mandrel. The support mandrel is conformed in shape to an outer surface of a carcass structure of the tire. The coils of the at least one cord are disposed axially in side-by-side relationship. The tire may be a tire for a motorcycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giancarlo Armellin, Pierangelo Misani
  • Patent number: 7060146
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire comprises assembling unvulcanized rubber components to make a green tire, vulcanizing the green tire, and winding an unvulcanized rubber tape so that the windings collectively have a predetermined cross sectional shape for at least one of the unvulcanized rubber components to thereby make said at least one of the unvulcanized rubber components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuji Ikeda, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Naohiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7055568
    Abstract: A cord-embedded rubber tape, a tire component made by winding such a tape, and a pneumatic tire comprising such a tire component are disclosed, wherein the tape is made of unvulcanized rubber and at least one cord is embedded therein along the length of the tape. The unvulcanized rubber may include short fibers oriented in the longitudinal direction of the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7041185
    Abstract: A method of making a tire includes forming at least one first carcass ply of a structure, forming at least one circumferentially-inextensible annular structure, and applying the at least one circumferentially-inextensible annular structure to a region close to inner cicumferential edges of the at least one first carcass ply. Forming the at least one first carcass ply includes preparing first strip lengths, each first strip length including longitudinal and parallel thread elements at least partly coated with at least one layer of raw elastomer material, and depositing the first strip lengths onto a toroidal support to define two side portions and a crown portion. The crown portions are disposed consecutively in side-by-side relationship along a circumferential extension of the toroidal support. The side portions of each first strip length cover in part or are partly covered by a side portion of at least one circumferentially-consecutive first strip length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Renato Caretta, Maurizio Marchini