Patents by Inventor Michele Ballabio
Michele Ballabio has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10899095Abstract: A process and an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes assembling at least one tyre component through laying of strip-like elements disposed circumferentially close to each other on a deposition surface radially external to the forming drum, wherein laying of each strip-like element includes: radially moving the strip-like element close to the deposition surface; locking a central portion of the strip-like element against the deposition surface; and pulling the strip-like element in opposite directions starting from the central portion toward the opposite ends thereof, while the central portion is maintained in a locked condition against the deposition surface, so as to progressively lay down the strip-like element against the deposition surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2016Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Stefano Boracco
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Patent number: 10377101Abstract: In an assembly station, a carcass sleeve and an outer sleeve manufactured along respective building lines are mutually coupled. Integrated into the assembly station are engagement devices that can be alternatively-coupled to an auxiliary drum carrying an outer sleeve and to a building drum carrying a carcass sleeve. The building drum is engaged on the assembly station before removal of the auxiliary drum. A grip unit picks up the outer sleeve from the auxiliary drum associated with the engagement devices in order to position it around the carcass sleeve carried by the building drum.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2015Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.Inventors: Gianni Mancini, Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Stefano Boracco
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Patent number: 10201945Abstract: Production of carcass structures and/or production of crown structures includes: positioning a first continuous elongated element so that its end stretch is aligned with a cutting position; positioning a second continuous elongated element so that its end stretch is in side by side relationship with the end stretch of the first continuous elongated element; forming first strip-like elements from the first continuous elongated element; depositing the first strip-like elements on at least one forming drum; translating the end stretches of the first and second continuous elongated element in a transverse direction relative to their longitudinal extension to align the end stretch of the second continuous elongated element to said cutting position; forming second strip-like elements from the second continuous elongated element; and depositing the second strip-like elements on said at least one forming drum.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2012Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio
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Patent number: 10118356Abstract: Building the carcass structure of tyres for vehicle wheels includes associating, at each end edge of a carcass ply, at least one respective annular reinforcement structure formed by depositing along a circumferential direction a plurality of reinforcement elements having a first length. Such elements are cut to size from a reinforced continuous band-like element fed to a cutting group arranged at a first operative position adapted to allow a barycentric grip of the reinforcement elements. The cutting group can translate along a feeding direction of the band-like element to a second operative position for cutting to size a plurality of second reinforcement elements having a second length different from the first length. The second operative position is defined on the basis of the second length, so as to have a barycentric grip of the second reinforcement elements too.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Christian De Col
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Publication number: 20170282471Abstract: A process and an apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes assembling at least one tyre component through laying of strip-like elements disposed circumferentially close to each other on a deposition surface radially external to the forming drum, wherein laying of each strip-like element includes: radially moving the strip-like element close to the deposition surface; locking a central portion of the strip-like element against the deposition surface; and pulling the strip-like element in opposite directions starting from the central portion toward the opposite ends thereof, while the central portion is maintained in a locked condition against the deposition surface, so as to progressively lay down the strip-like element against the deposition surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2016Publication date: October 5, 2017Applicant: Pirelli Tyre S.P.A.Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Stefano Boracco
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Patent number: 9527256Abstract: A process and an apparatus for building tires for vehicle wheels includes assembling at least one tire component through laying of strip-like elements disposed circumferentially close to each other on a deposition surface radially external to the forming drum, wherein laying of each strip-like element includes: radially moving the strip-like element close to the deposition surface; locking a central portion of the strip-like element against the deposition surface; and pulling the strip-like element in opposite directions starting from the central portion toward the opposite ends thereof, while the central portion is maintained in a locked condition against the deposition surface, so as to progressively lay down the strip-like element against the deposition surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2010Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Stefano Boracco
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Patent number: 9498926Abstract: A process and an apparatus for building tires for vehicle wheels includes assembling at least one tire component through laying of strip-like elements disposed circumferentially close to each other on a deposition surface radially external to the forming drum, wherein laying of each strip-like element includes: radially moving the strip-like element close to the deposition surface; locking a central portion of the strip-like element against the deposition surface; and pulling the strip-like element in opposite directions starting from the central portion toward the opposite ends thereof, while the central portion is maintained in a locked condition against the deposition surface, so as to progressively lay down the strip-like element against the deposition surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Stefano Boracco
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Publication number: 20160144584Abstract: Building the carcass structure of tyres for vehicle wheels includes associating, each end edge of a carcass ply, at least one respective annular reinforcement structure formed by depositing along a circumferential direction a plurality of reinforcement elements having a first length. Such elements are cut to size from a reinforced continuous band-like element fed to a cutting group arranged at a first operative position adapted to allow a barycentric grip of the reinforcement elements. The cutting group can translate along a feeding direction of the band-like element to a second operative position for cutting to size a plurality of second reinforcement elements having a second length different from the first length. The second operative position is defined on the basis of the second length, so as to have a barycentric grip of the second reinforcement elements too.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2015Publication date: May 26, 2016Applicant: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.Inventors: Maurizio MARCHINI, Michele BALLABIO, Christian DE COL
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Patent number: 9289956Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the deposition of elementary semifinished products in a process for building tires for vehicle wheels includes: driving in rotation, around a rotation axis, at a rotation speed between about ?/8 rad/s and about 6? rad/s, a tire being processed which tire has a radially external surface including one or more elementary semifinished products; sending a first electromagnetic radiation to the radially external surface, the latter generating a corresponding first reflected radiation; detecting, through a first detecting device, at least one first image representative of the first reflected radiation; controlling the first detecting device in such a manner that a first exposure time for detecting the at least one first image is included between about 0.1 s and about 10 s; carrying out a first comparison between the at least one first image and one or more reference data; and generating a first notification signal as a function of the first comparison.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2012Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignees: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A., Politecnico Di TorinoInventors: Michele Ballabio, Gaetano Lo Presti, Bartolomeo Montrucchio, Vincenzo Orlando
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Patent number: 9205614Abstract: Building the carcass structure of tires for vehicle wheels includes associating, at each end edge of a carcass ply, at least one respective annular reinforcement structure formed by depositing along a circumferential direction a plurality of reinforcement elements having a first length. Such elements are cut to size from a reinforced continuous band-like element fed to a cutting group arranged at a first operative position adapted to allow a barycentric grip of the reinforcement elements. The cutting group can translate along a feeding direction of the band-like element to a second operative position for cutting to size a plurality of second reinforcement elements having a second length different from the first length. The second operative position is defined on the basis of the second length, so as to have a barycentric grip of the second reinforcement elements too.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2012Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Christian De Col
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Patent number: 9207656Abstract: A method of controlling the deposition of semifinished elements for tire production, includes: sending a first radiation onto one tire being processed, consisting of one forming support with at least one portion of the tire component laid on the support, the tire component being at least partly formed of a plurality of semifinished elements defining a radially external layer of the tire being processed; receiving a first reflected radiation from a radially external surface of the tire being processed; determining, as a function of the reflected radiation, parameters representative of the thickness of the layer; comparing the parameters with reference values; and generating an alarm signal as a function of the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2011Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.Inventors: Michele Ballabio, Gaetano Lo Presti, Giuliana Mattiazzo, Vincenzo Orlando, Simone Corbellini
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Patent number: 9188975Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling the movement of building members of a tyre in a process for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels includes: providing a first device of a first electromagnetic radiation on a first tyre building member; detecting, during a movement of the first building member, a first image in which the first electromagnetic radiation defines a trajectory followed, in the movement, by the first emitter device; carrying out a first comparison between the first image and one or more first reference data; and generating a first notification signal as a function of the first comparison.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2012Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignees: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A., Politecnico Di TorinoInventors: Michele Ballabio, Gaetano Lo Presti, Bartolomeo Montrucchio, Vincenzo Orlando, Gianni Mancini
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Publication number: 20150321432Abstract: In an assembly station, a carcass sleeve and an outer sleeve manufactured along respective building lines are mutually coupled. Integrated into the assembly station are engagement devices that can be alternatively-coupled to an auxiliary drum carrying an outer sleeve and to a building drum carrying a carcass sleeve. The building drum is engaged on the assembly station before removal of the auxiliary drum. A grip unit picks up the outer sleeve from the auxiliary drum associated with the engagement devices in order to position it around the carcass sleeve carried by the building drum.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Applicant: Pirelli Tyre S.p.AInventors: Gianni MANCINI, Maurizio MARCHINI, Michele BALLABIO, Stefano Boracco
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Patent number: 9061476Abstract: In an assembly station, a carcass sleeve and an outer sleeve manufactured along respective building lines are mutually coupled. Integrated into the assembly station are engagement devices that can be alternatively-coupled to an auxiliary drum carrying an outer sleeve and to a building drum carrying a carcass sleeve. The building drum is engaged on the assembly station before removal of the auxiliary drum. A grip unit picks up the outer sleeve from the auxiliary drum associated with the engagement devices in order to position it around the carcass sleeve carried by the building drum.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2009Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.Inventors: Gianni Mancini, Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Stefano Boracco
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Publication number: 20140374008Abstract: Building the carcass structure of tyres for vehicle wheels includes associating, at each end edge of a carcass ply, at least one respective annular reinforcement structure formed by depositing along a circumferential direction a plurality of reinforcement elements having a first length. Such elements are cut to size from a reinforced continuous band-like element fed to a cutting group arranged at a first operative position adapted to allow a barycentric grip of the reinforcement elements. The cutting group can translate along a feeding direction of the band-like element to a second operative position for cutting to size a plurality of second reinforcement elements having a second length different from the first length. The second operative position is defined on the basis of the second length, so as to have a barycentric grip of the second reinforcement elements too.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2012Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio, Christian De Col
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Publication number: 20140341460Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the deposition of elementary semifinished products in a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes: driving in rotation, around a rotation axis, at a rotation speed between about ?/8 raft and about 6 ? rad/s, a tyre being processed which tyre has a radially external surface including one or more elementary semifinished products; sending a first electromagnetic radiation to the radially external surface, the latter generating a corresponding first reflected radiation; detecting, through a first detecting device, at least one first image representative of the first reflected radiation; controlling the first detecting device in such a manner that a first exposure time for detecting the at least one first image is included between about 0.1 s and about 10 s; carrying out a first comparison between the at least one first image and one or more reference data; and generating a first notification signal as a function of the first comparison.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2012Publication date: November 20, 2014Inventors: Michele Ballabio, Gaetano Lo Presti, Bartolomeo Montrucchio, Vincenzo Orlando
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Publication number: 20140311655Abstract: Production of carcass structures and/or production of crown structures includes: positioning a first continuous elongated element so that its end stretch is aligned with a cutting position; positioning a second continuous elongated element so that its end stretch is in side by side relationship with the end stretch of the first continuous elongated element; forming first strip-like elements from the first continuous elongated element; depositing the first strip-like elements on at least one forming drum; translating the end stretches of the first and second continuous elongated element in a transverse direction relative to their longitudinal extension to align the end stretch of the second continuous elongated element to said cutting position; forming second strip-like elements from the second continuous elongated element; and depositing the second strip-like elements on said at least one forming drum.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2012Publication date: October 23, 2014Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Michele Ballabio
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Publication number: 20140288689Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling the movement of building members of a tyre in a process for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels includes: providing a first device of a first electromagnetic radiation on a first tyre building member; detecting, during a movement of the first building member, a first image in which the first electromagnetic radiation defines a trajectory followed, in the movement, by the first emitter device; carrying out a first comparison between the first image and one or more first reference data; and generating a first notification signal as a function of the first comparison.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2012Publication date: September 25, 2014Inventors: Michele Ballabio, Gaetano Lo Presti, Bartolomeo Montrucchio, Vincenzo Orlando, Gianni Mancini
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Publication number: 20130103181Abstract: A method of controlling the deposition of semifinished elements for tyre production, includes: sending a first radiation onto one tyre being processed, consisting of one forming support with at least one portion of the tyre component laid on the support, the tyre component being at least partly formed of a plurality of semifinished elements defining a radially external layer of the tyre being processed; receiving a first reflected radiation from a radially external surface of the tyre being processed; determining, as a function of the reflected radiation, parameters representative of the thickness of the layer; comparing the parameters with reference values; and generating an alarm signal as a function of the comparison.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2011Publication date: April 25, 2013Inventors: Michele Ballabio, Gaetano Lo Presti, Giuliana Mattiazzo, Vincenzo Orlando, Simone Corbellini
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Publication number: 20130078058Abstract: A method of controlling the management of forming drums in building tyres for vehicle wheels and a plant for production of tyres for vehicle wheels, wherein the plant includes at least one building line including at least one assembly of “m” work stations, each adapted to form at least one portion of a component of the tyre; devices for feeding and picking up “n” forming drums, one at a time, to and from the building line at each time interval equal to a cycle time; transfer devices for respectively bringing and moving apart “m” distinct forming drums to and from “m” distinct work stations of the assembly, wherein each of the “m” work stations respectively receives and releases a forming drum at each time interval equal to a multiple of “m” of said cycle time, wherein “m” is greater than or equal to 2 and “n” is greater than or equal to “m”.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2011Publication date: March 28, 2013Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Gianni Mancini, Michele Ballabio