Abstract: The invention relates to an applicator unit, a tire building device and a method for applying a strip to a drum, wherein the applicator unit comprises an applicator roller and a cutter, wherein the applicator roller comprises a roller body that is rotatable about a roller axis for applying the strip to the drum in an application direction perpendicular to said roller axis, wherein the applicator roller and the cutter are configured to cooperate for cutting the strip on the applicator roller along a helical cutting path about the roller axis.

Abstract: Disclosed are a round knife, a cutting assembly, and a method for cutting tire components wherein the round knife includes a carrier that is rotatable about a rotation axis (X) and a plurality of first edge segments which are arranged to be mounted side-by-side in a circumferential direction (G) about the rotation axis (X) to the carrier to form a circular cutting edge (E) extending concentrically about the rotation axis (X), wherein the segment body is arranged to be spaced apart from the carrier in the radial direction (R) at the center between the first lateral side and the second lateral side.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an extruder head for extruding cord reinforced extrudate, wherein the extruder head includes a die and a cord guide, wherein the extruder head further includes a first flow channel that extends along a first flow path through the extruder head at and debouches into the die from a first side of a cord plane and a second flow channel that extends along a second flow path through the extruder head at and debouches into the die from a second side of the cord plane, wherein the first flow path and the second flow path each include a supply section and a coat-hanger section, wherein the first flow path and the second flow path, in their respective coat-hanger sections, extend within a first range of eighty-five to ninety-five degrees with respect to the cord plane along at least seventy percent of the coat-hanger sections.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tire building apparatus and a method for joining or cutting tire components. The tire building apparatus includes a rocking member that is movable in a rocking plane in a rocking motion along a rocking line, a translation guide extending parallel to the rocking line and a carriage that is displaceable along the translation guide, wherein the rocking member has a convex edge that defines a minor arc of a circle and extends up to a rotation center, wherein the rocking member is supported by the carriage at the rotation center and is angularly displaceable with respect to the carriage about a rotation axis extending through the rotation center.

Abstract: Provided is a drum set for manufacturing a bead-apex for a tire and an assembly including the drum set, wherein the drum set has drum segments which form a drum, wherein the drum segments are radially movable, wherein the drum set is arranged to be movable between an operational position in which the drum set is supported on a base and a storage position in which the drum set is unsupported by the base. The drum set further includes a support member for supporting the drum segments of the drum set with respect to each other, wherein the support member is provided with guides for guiding the radial movements of the drum segments when the drum set is in the operational position, while the guides are arranged for retaining the drum segments of the drum set to the support member when the drum set is in the storage position.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for correcting misalignment of a strip, wherein the apparatus includes a correction device with an alignment surface for supporting a strip in a support plane, wherein the support plane extends at a support angle with respect to a first vertical plane in a range of five to thirty degrees, wherein the support plane intersects with a second vertical plane that is perpendicular to the first vertical plane at an intersecting line, wherein the correction device further includes one or more correction elements for exerting a displacement force onto said strip in a correction direction parallel to the support plane and transverse to the intersecting line.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tire building apparatus and a method for joining or cutting tire components. The tire building apparatus includes a rocking member that is movable in a rocking plane in a rocking motion along a rocking line, a translation guide extending parallel to the rocking line and a carriage that is displaceable along the translation guide, wherein the rocking member has a convex edge that defines a minor arc of a circle and extends up to a rotation center, wherein the rocking member is supported by the carriage at the rotation center and is angularly displaceable with respect to the carriage about a rotation axis extending through the rotation center.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an extruder head for extruding cord reinforced extrudate, wherein the extruder head includes a die and a cord guide, wherein the extruder head further includes a first flow channel that extends along a first flow path through the extruder head at and debouches into the die from a first side of a cord plane and a second flow channel that extends along a second flow path through the extruder head at and debouches into the die from a second side of the cord plane, wherein the first flow path and the second flow path each include a supply section and a coat-hanger section, wherein the first flow path and the second flow path, in their respective coat-hanger sections, extend within a first range of eighty-five to ninety-five degrees with respect to the cord plane along at least seventy percent of the coat-hanger sections.

Abstract: A cutting station for a tire building machine includes a cutting device and a feeding device for feeding a strip of rubber material into the cutting device. The cutting device includes a cutting table for supporting the strip of rubber material in a support plane (P) and a cutting element for cutting the strip of rubber material along a cutting line (C) that extends parallel to the support plane (P), wherein the support plane (P) extends at a support angle (B) with respect to a first vertical plane in a range of five to thirty degrees and wherein the feeding device (5) is arranged for feeding the strip of rubber material onto the cutting table in a downward feeding direction parallel to the support plane. Also provided is a tire building machine incorporating the cutting station and a cutting method.

Abstract: A gripper assembly has a gripper having a gripping element with a gripping face to engage and retain a tire component through suction. The gripping face has a plurality of sections; each section has a vacuum channel and a valve placed between the vacuum channel of the respective section and a vacuum source. Each valve is individually operable to an open position and a closed position, wherein the gripping face in use has a suction area formed by the sections of which the respective valves are in the open position, wherein the suction area is adjustable by selectively operating the plurality of valves to open positions and closed positions wherein the gripper assembly further has a configuration tool which is arranged to control the respective valves to their open and closed positions.

Abstract: A deflection roller for guiding and/or deflecting a rubber tire component, has a shaft that defines an axis of rotation of the deflection roller and a plurality of bristles distributed circumferentially around the shaft and extending radially outwards and orthogonally with respect to the axis of rotation to form a circumferential brush surface that is concentric to the axis of rotation. The deflection roller further has a first boundary element and a second boundary element extending adjacent to the plurality of bristles in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation and protruding radially outside the circumferential brush surface at a first end and a second end of the circumferential brush surface, respectively, for binding the circumferential brush surface in the axial direction.

Abstract: Provided is a drum set for manufacturing a bead-apex for a tire and an assembly including the drum set, wherein the drum set has drum segments which form a drum, wherein the drum segments are radially movable, wherein the drum set is arranged to be movable between an operational position in which the drum set is supported on a base and a storage position in which the drum set is unsupported by the base. The drum set further includes a support member for supporting the drum segments of the drum set with respect to each other, wherein the support member is provided with guides for guiding the radial movements of the drum segments when the drum set is in the operational position, while the guides are arranged for retaining the drum segments of the drum set to the support member when the drum set is in the storage position.

Abstract: A cutting station for a tire building machine includes a cutting device and a feeding device for feeding a strip of rubber material into the cutting device. The cutting device includes a cutting table for supporting the strip of rubber material in a support plane (P) and a cutting element for cutting the strip of rubber material along a cutting line (C) that extends parallel to the support plane (P), wherein the support plane (P) extends at a support angle (B) with respect to a first vertical plane in a range of five to thirty degrees and wherein the feeding device (5) is arranged for feeding the strip of rubber material onto the cutting table in a downward feeding direction parallel to the support plane. Also provided is a tire building machine incorporating the cutting station and a cutting method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a positioning device for use in a tire building system and a method for positioning a bead. The device includes a holding unit including a substantially planar holding surface having a first side, a transport unit movable parallel to the holding surface and including a gripper for gripping the bead and moving the gripped bead substantially along the holding surface, and a bead retainer arranged for at least temporarily retaining the bead in abutment against the holding surface at the first side thereof. The gripper is moveable between a first position in which the gripper projects at least partially out of the holding surface at the first side thereof for gripping the bead, and a second position, in which the gripper is completely arranged behind the holding surface, as viewed from the first side.

Abstract: A deflection roller for guiding and/or deflecting a rubber tire component, has a shaft that defines an axis of rotation of the deflection roller and a plurality of bristles distributed circumferentially around the shaft and extending radially outwards and orthogonally with respect to the axis of rotation to form a circumferential brush surface that is concentric to the axis of rotation. The deflection roller further has a first boundary element and a second boundary element extending adjacent to the plurality of bristles in an axial direction parallel to the axis of rotation and protruding radially outside the circumferential brush surface at a first end and a second end of the circumferential brush surface, respectively, for binding the circumferential brush surface in the axial direction.

Abstract: A gripper assembly has a gripper having a gripping element with a gripping face to engage and retain a tire component through suction. The gripping face has a plurality of sections; each section has a vacuum channel and a valve placed between the vacuum channel of the respective section and a vacuum source. Each valve is individually operable to an open position and a closed position, wherein the gripping face in use has a suction area formed by the sections of which the respective valves are in the open position, wherein the suction area is adjustable by selectively operating the plurality of valves to open positions and closed positions wherein the gripper assembly further has a configuration tool which is arranged to control the respective valves to their open and closed positions.

Abstract: A cutting device for cutting tire components. The cutting device includes an upper cutting member and a lower cutting member. The upper cutting member is arranged to be moved in a cutting plane along the lower cutting member to cut the tire component in cooperation with the lower cutting member along a cutting line. The upper cutting member includes an upper knife with an upper cutting edge that is convexly arcuate in the cutting plane with respect to the lower cutting member. The upper cutting member is arranged to be moved with the arcuate upper cutting edge thereof along the lower cutting member in a rocking motion in the cutting plane. The arcuate upper cutting edge has a radius and a rotation center for the rocking motion at the origin of the radius, wherein the rotation center is located outside the upper cutting member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for providing a bead to a number of workstations, the device includes a frame and a turret rotatable relative to the frame around an indexing axis between one or more predetermined positions relative to the frame, the turret including arms extending substantially radially relative to the indexing axis and being provided with bead-holding members for holding a substantially circular bead, wherein each of the bead-holding members is adapted to rotate around an associated axis of rotation for rotating a bead around its center.

Abstract: The invention relates to a positioning device for use in a tire building system and a method for positioning a bead. The device includes a holding unit including a substantially planar holding surface having a first side, a transport unit movable parallel to the holding surface and including a gripper for gripping the bead and moving the gripped bead substantially along the holding surface, and a bead retainer arranged for at least temporarily retaining the bead in abutment against the holding surface at the first side thereof. The gripper is moveable between a first position in which the gripper projects at least partially out of the holding surface at the first side thereof for gripping the bead, and a second position, in which the gripper is completely arranged behind the holding surface, as viewed from the first side.

Abstract: Assembly of a manufacturing device with drum segments for manufacturing bead wire bundles and a tool for removing or arranging the drum segments, wherein the manufacturing device is provided with segment holders each having a first coupling section, wherein the drum segments each comprise a second coupling section, wherein the tool is provided with a support body and third coupling sections that are distributed over the support body, wherein the number of third coupling sections at least equals the number of second coupling sections wherein the positions of the third coupling sections of the tool are a direct reflection of the positions of the second coupling sections of the drum segments, wherein the drum segments are provided with coupling members, wherein in a first condition of the coupling members, the second coupling sections are coupled to the first coupling sections by means of the coupling members, wherein, in a second condition of the coupling members, the third coupling sections of the tool are cou