Abstract: A tire building drum is disclosed having first and second sets of deck segments, disposed in an alternating configuration about a central shaft. Each of the segments is mounted to a pair of axially movable hub units via an associated scissor linkage. The scissor linkages of the first segments are slidably mounted to the hub units and biased toward a median plane of the tire building drum. When the hub units are separated, the second segments are disposed radially inwardly of and between the first segments. Movement of the hub units toward one another through a first range of motion expands the first deck segments to an expanded diameter of the drum, and movement of the hub units toward one another through a second range of motion expands the second deck segments to allow the second deck segments to be received between the first deck segments.

Abstract: A carcass ply is applied around an outer surface of a building drum according to an application diameter larger than the fitting diameter of a tire. Coaxially engaged around each of the end flaps is an annular anchoring structure defining the fitting diameter. A pair of sidewalls is manufactured by laying of a continuous elongated element in the form of approached coils on the carcass sleeve. An outer sleeve, including at least one belt structure possibly associated with a tread band, is coaxially centered around the carcass sleeve. Through axial approaching of two halves forming the building drum, the carcass sleeve is shaped into a toroidal configuration to determine application of same against a radially internal surface of the outer sleeve.

Abstract: A carcass ply is applied around an outer surface of a building drum, according to an application diameter greater than the fitting diameter of the tire. An annular anchoring structure defining the fitting diameter is coaxially engaged around each of the end flaps. An outer sleeve including at least one belt structure possibly associated with a tread band is disposed at a coaxially centered position around the carcass sleeve applied onto the building drum. Through axial approaching of two halves forming the building drum, the carcass sleeve is shaped into a toroidal configuration to determine application of same against a radially internal surface of the outer sleeve.

Abstract: The subject invention relates to a method of preparing a tire inner surface to attain better adhesion of balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams. In this method a strip of multi-axially stretchable film is adhered to the inner surface of an uncured tire with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. Then a release agent coating is applied to the film strip on the inner surface of the uncured tire which is subsequently cured in a suitable mold at an elevated temperature. The cured tire is then removed from the mold and after allowing the cured tire to cool the annular circumferential film strip is removed from the inner surface of the tire to provide a circumferential release coating-free tire inner surface onto which balance pads, puncture sealants, and noise reduction foams can be adhered.

Abstract: A winding device is provided that includes a base plate that is rotated by a rotary shaft and segments. With rotation of the base plate, a wire is wound on the outer circumference of the segments, which rotate integrally with the base plate, to form a bead ring. The winding device includes an manipulation shaft that is rotated by a handle, and conversion mechanisms that are provided between the manipulation shaft and each of the segments The conversion mechanisms transmit and convert rotation of the manipulation shaft to movement of each segment in the radial direction of the base plate.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a pneumatic tire comprises a forming step of a tread rubber which includes a two-shot stage of simultaneously winding a first rubber ribbon constructed by a nonconductive rubber, and a second rubber ribbon constructed by a nonconductive rubber. In the two-shot stage, the first rubber ribbon and the second rubber ribbon which are adjacent to each other are spirally wound in such a manner as to come into contact with each other, and a ribbon winding position passes through an L-shaped route. A conductive rubber is partly provided in the first rubber ribbon in the winding process when the ribbon winding position passes through the L-shaped route. A conductive portion which spirally and continuously extends to the tread end from the ground-contacting surface and intermittently appears in the tire meridian cross section is formed by the conductive rubber.

Abstract: A method for preparing a portion of a tire for repair includes the steps of providing a template having a pair of guide edges, securing the template to an interior surface of the tire, providing a tool for forming a discontinuity in the interior surface of the tire, forming a discontinuity in the interior surface of the tire, with the tool, along the guide edges of the template, and removing the template from the tire.

Abstract: A method of controlling deposition of a continuous elongated element in building a tire for vehicle wheels, includes: feeding an initial end of a continuous elongated element of elastomeric material through a slit bounded by a first roller and a second roller of a calender; retaining the continuous elongated element against a peripheral surface of the first roller; laying the initial end of the continuous elongated element against a deposition surface; rotating the calender around an oscillation axis that is substantially coincident with a contact generatrix between the first roller and the second roller; and dragging along the continuous elongated element together with the deposition surface.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method for imparting a unique identifier to a molded polymeric article. The method includes providing a label comprising indicia having a thickness effective for embossing the polymeric article during molding and a melting point greater than the melting point of the molded polymeric article. The method also includes attaching the label to the article prior to vulcanization. The method further includes vulcanizing the article so that indicia emboss the molded polymeric article by forming indentations in the molded polymeric article.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and a process to retread a tire is provided. The retreaded tire has a carcass and a crown region, wherein the crown region comprises a belt reinforcement structure located between the carcass and a tread. The retreaded tire further comprises a cementless cushion layer located radially outward of said belt reinforcement structure, and one or more reinforcement plies located radially outward of the cementless cushion layer. The one or more reinforcement plies is formed from a substantially continuous strip of reinforced elastomer which is wound from one side of the crown to the other side in a substantially continuous manner. The reinforcement ply may be formed from spirally winding the strip about the carcass, or one or more reinforcement plies may be formed from winding the strip about the carcass in a zigzag pattern.

Abstract: An object is to improve the durability of the stiffener having a hard rubber member and a soft rubber member formed on the radially inner side and the radially outer side by laminating rubber strips. A tire includes bead cores, stiffeners provided on the outer circumferences of the bead cores, and a carcass ply. Ends of the carcass ply are disposed on the stiffeners. Each stiffener includes an inner rubber portion on the radially inner side, an outer rubber portion on the radially outer side, and a cover tape. The inner rubber portion is formed by laminating a first rubber strip. The outer rubber portion is formed by laminating a second rubber strip. The second rubber strip is composed of rubber having a lower rigidity than the inner rubber portion. The cover tape covers a part of the stiffener that comes into contact with the end of the carcass ply.

Abstract: A stitcher (1) for connecting strips of rubber material (4, 5) into a substantially continuous strip according to this invention comprises a surface (3), a stitching head (6) placed over it having a stitch unit (7) for stitching the strips of rubber material together along a stitch line, which stitch line includes an angle ? having a longitudinal direction (L) of the continuous strip, a drive mechanism for driving a relative movement of the stitching head with respect to the surface along a first (X) and a second (Y) direction, wherein the second direction is oriented transverse to the first direction, and a control device (11) for controlling the drive mechanism such that the stitch unit follows the stitch line. In one embodiment the stitching head is rotatably connected to the drive mechanism wherein the axis of rotation extends transverse to the surface.

Abstract: Variable-diameter tire-building drum intended for the manufacture of a green tire having a generally cylindrical receiving surface formed of radially mobile sectors and bearing elements the radially external part of which constitutes the receiving surface, the receiving surface comprising at least one circular groove containing an elastic circumferential sleeve which is held radially away from the bottom of the groove by pushers able to move radially with respect to the mobile sectors so as to align the radially external surface of the sleeve with the receiving surface when the drum is brought to a first laying diameter, and which is pressed against the bottom of the groove under the effect of circumferential elastic tensions when the drum is placed at a laying diameter greater than the said first laying diameter.

Abstract: Two auxiliary support members are operatively engaged with a building drum, in axially approached relationship with respective halves of the drum itself, each auxiliary member having a circumferential rest surface extending in the continuation of an outer circumferential surface of the building drum itself. Applied around the outer circumferential surface of the building drum is at least one carcass ply having axially opposite end flaps each lying on the circumferential rest surface of the respective auxiliary support member. A pair of auxiliary shaping members engaged with the building drum in place of the auxiliary support members, each act against a circumferential abutment edge carried by the building drum, to enable the carcass ply to be shaped into a toroidal configuration concurrently with mutual approaching of the halves of the building drum.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming at least one circumferential belt layer of a pneumatic tire comprising: winding the strip for a half length of an outer circumferential length of the crown portion of the carcass along the tire equatorial plane from a widthwise inner side of the belt end region; winding the strip for the remaining half length while shifting the strip for the width of the strip from a widthwise inner to outer side; winding the strip for the outer circumferential length of the crown portion of the carcass along the tire equatorial plane; winding the strip for the half length of the outer circumferential length of the crown portion of the carcass while shifting the strip for the width of the strip from the widthwise outer to inner side; and winding the strip for the remaining half length along the tire equatorial plane.

Abstract: A tire manufacturing apparatus and a tire manufacturing method capable of efficiently manufacturing quality tire by uniformly expanding the diameter of an annular tread and mounting the tread on a base tire without axial deviation. The tire manufacturing apparatus for mounting an annular tread on the outer periphery of a base tire includes a drum for securing a base tire, a plurality of holding means each having a holding surface for holding the outer periphery of the annular tread, a moving means for moving the holding means along the central axis of the base tire, a sealing means for sealing the opening on one side of the annular tread, and an air supplying means for supplying air into a space surrounded by the annular tread and the sealing means.

Abstract: A tire constituting member in an unvulcanized tire having a joint portion is prevented from being triply overlapped and is wound around a body to be formed. When detecting the joint portion, the tire constituting member is cut into a length shorter than a predetermined length while excluding the joint portion. A front end and rear end portions of the wound tire constituting member are held by front and rear end holding members. The tire constituting member is extended into a predetermined length and both holding members are moved to the side of the body. The front end portion is attached to the body, a support member is rotated, the tire constituting member is wound around the body, the rear end holding member is moved to the side of the body as the tire constituting member is wound and the rear end portion is joined to the front end portion.

Abstract: A carcass ply is built on a forming drum by application of a plurality of strip-like elements, through the steps of: setting a width of these strip-like elements, setting a width of the overlapped part between two adjacent strip-like elements, setting a fitting diameter of the forming drum, calculating a whole number of strip-like elements to be applied. The whole number of strip-like elements is applied by rotating the forming drum around a geometric rotation axis thereof, and applying pairs of strip-like elements by means of a first and second laying unit located close to opposite portions of the forming drum. When the calculated whole number of strip-like elements is an odd number, the first laying unit is shifted along an adjustment path orthogonal to the geometric rotation axis and substantially tangent to the radially external laying surface of the forming drum.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for manufacturing tires for vehicle wheels includes the step of building, on a forming support, a belt structure including at least one reinforcing structure of the so-called zero-degree type. The reinforcing structure is formed by depositing a continuous elongated reinforcing element on a deposition surface arranged in a radially outer position with respect to the forming support. The aforementioned deposition includes the step of exerting, through at least one element made from magnetic material, a magnetic attraction on a portion of the continuous elongated reinforcing element arranged at at least one pressing member and moving said at least one pressing member toward the forming support until the continuous elongated reinforcing element is brought into contact with the deposition surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a building drum for building an unvulcanized tire or air spring using rubber components. The building drum comprises a central shaft and a casing that can be slid onto the shaft. The casing is detachably attached to the shaft via a coupling pin that can be moved to a coupled position for mutually coupling the shaft and the casing and into an uncoupled position in which the casing can be removed from the central shaft. The casing further comprises a locking device with a locking pin, wherein the locking pin is adapted for, in the coupled position of the coupling pin, engaging thereon for substantially blocking a movement of the coupling pin. The locking device comprises a locking member that in a condition in which the locking pin does not engage onto the coupling pin, is placed such that it prevents a connection of lines to the casing, and/or provides an indication of the casing being mounted incorrectly.