By Winding Or Including Application Of Inextensible Lamina Under Tread Bond Patents (Class 156/130)
  • Patent number: 11691370
    Abstract: A process for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes: forming a tyre in process, the tyre including a belt structure and depositing a tread band in a position radially external to the belt structure by winding a continuous elongated element made of elastomeric material according to axially adjacent or partially overlapped coils. During the deposition of the tread band and on at least one of the coils already wound, a conductive liquid elastomeric compound is applied, the compound continuously extended between a radially outer surface of the tread band and a radially outer surface of the belt structure to generate electrically conductive paths and free zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Cesare Emanuele Amurri, Christian De Col
  • Patent number: 11247423
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and an assembly for applying a tire component onto a receiving member. The method includes the steps of: receiving the tire component on the apply member; detecting a plurality of leading endpoints at the leading edge and detecting a plurality of trailing endpoints at the trailing edge in-line with the leading endpoints in the longitudinal direction; determining the distance in the longitudinal direction between the leading endpoint and the trailing endpoint for each pair of endpoints; driving the apply member at an apply speed in a transfer direction to transfer the tire component onto the receiving member while driving the receiving member at a receiving speed; and adjusting the ratio between the apply speed and the receiving speed during the transfer of the tire component in the order in which the pairs of endpoints are spliced to improve the relative positioning of each pair of endpoints for splicing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Inventors: Hans De Boer, Henk-Jan Grolleman
  • Patent number: 10875269
    Abstract: A tyre building plant (1; 100) comprises a forming drum (4) and a supply device (10) for supplying an elongated element (3) towards the forming drum. The supply device comprises at least one conveyor belt (11; 101) which extends in a supply direction (X) between a loading region (12), in which the elongated element is loaded on the conveyor belt and an unloading region (13), a control unit (19) for controlling the loading of the elongated element (3) on the conveyor belt (11; 101), at least a first detection element which is fixed with a first portion (20) of the conveyor belt, a sensor (22) which is fixed and independent with respect to the conveyor belt and which detects the position of the first portion (20) with respect to the supply device. The loading of the elongated element on the conveyor belt is performed when the first portion is at a predefined reference distance from the loading region (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.p.A.
    Inventor: Davide Conti
  • Patent number: 10730198
    Abstract: Within tyre manufacturing, a reinforcing structure of the tyre, such as the zero-degree layer of the belt structure, is made by an apparatus having devices for guiding a continuous elongated element towards a forming drum, devices for applying the elongated element against a laying surface of the drum, and a cutting unit to cut off the continuous elongated element when application has been completed. Once the cutting operation has been carried out, the free end of the continuous elongated element is set to a grip position downstream of the cutting unit, through a reciprocating slider and a threading element blocking the continuous elongated element with respect to the slider when the latter moves towards the forming drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Bigogno, Gianni Portinari
  • Patent number: 10668680
    Abstract: A device and method are provided for manufacturing a cylindrical member. By inserting an edge of the forming drum on one side in a width direction between an arm and a projection of a holding unit disposed opposite one another and bringing the arm and the projection closer together in a direction in which a separation distance is reduced, a first end of the rubber member disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the forming drum is disposed between the arm and the projection, pressed by the arm, and held on the outer circumferential surface, and a holding unit attached to the forming drum is rotated about a drum shaft together with the forming drum; and the rubber member is wound around the outer circumferential surface and formed into a cylindrical shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuki Furubayashi
  • Patent number: 10232576
    Abstract: In a tire, a ribbon rubber includes a first inclining portion which inclines with respect to a tire-circumferential direction from an outside second row of a tire-width direction toward an outside first row in a winding direction; and a first parallel portion placed parallel to the tire-circumferential direction to configure the outside first row of the tire-width direction, a winding-start end of the first parallel portion being connected to a winding-finishing end of the first inclining portion, the winding-finishing end of the first parallel portion is placed closer to the winding direction than the winding-finishing end of the first inclining portion, or is placed at the same position as the winding-finishing end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Toyo Tire Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 10042349
    Abstract: A method and equipment for controlling a manufacturing process of a component of a tire for vehicle wheels, wherein at least one continuous elongated element fed by a supplying member is placed on a forming support by means of at least one pressing member active on the at least continuous elongated element along an application direction. During the manufacturing of the component of the tire, at successive sampling times Ti, the value Pi of a quantity indicative of the position of the pressing member is acquired along the application direction, where i is an integer greater than or equal to 1, Ti=i*1/f, and f is the sampling frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Cesare Emanuele Amurri
  • Patent number: 9836041
    Abstract: A robot arm having seven axes of actuation imparts to a toroidal support a circumferential distribution motion about its own geometric axis simultaneously with controlled transverse distribution displacements in front of a dispensing organ of a strip of elastomeric material. The strip thus forms a plurality of turns, the orientation and mutual superposition whereof are controlled in such a way as to control the thickness variations to be conferred to a component of a tire being manufactured, based on a pre-determined laying scheme pre-set on an electronic computer. The rotation of the toroidal support is controlled in such a way as to obtain a peripheral speed of application exceeding the theoretical feeding rate of the strip, able to be increased or decreased as needed to form turns with reduced or, respectively, enlarged cross section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Renato Caretta, Marco Cantu, Maurizio Marchini, Ignazio De Gese
  • Patent number: 9550337
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Cesare Emanuele Amurri, Maurizio Marchini, Gaetano Lo Presti
  • Patent number: 9381774
    Abstract: The invention relates to a pneumatic vehicle tire, comprising a carcass (5), a belt (9), and a profiled tread (10), wherein the belt (9) is composed of at least three belt plies (13, 14, 15) arranged one on top of the other from the radial inside to the radial outside, wherein the radially inner (13) and the radially outer (15) working plies have opposite axial inclination directions of the reinforcements (25), and wherein a belt ply (14) arranged between said two working plies (13, 15) has reinforcements (24), the orientations of which include an angle ? of 0°???5° with respect to the circumferential direction U, and wherein the orientations of the reinforcements (23, 25) of one of the two working plies (13, 15) include an angle ? of 10°??<45° with respect to the circumferential direction U, and the orientations of the reinforcements (25, 23) of the other of the two working plies (15, 13) include an angle ? of 45°???90° with respect to the circumferential direction U.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Theresia Becker, Maike Schulte
  • Patent number: 9108372
    Abstract: A plant for building tires includes a plurality of working locations, at least one first working location being associated with at least two loading/unloading locations, a proximal one and a distal one, each of said working locations and loading/unloading locations being associable with a forming drum. The production cycle is controlled by the method of: (i) loading a first forming drum into the at least one first working location; (ii) loading a second forming drum into the loading/unloading location; (iii) at the end of the working provided in the at least one first working location, unloading the first forming drum into the proximal loading/unloading location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: PIRELLI TYRE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Maurizio Marchini, Gianni Mancini
  • Patent number: 9028630
    Abstract: In the invention, at least a tire outer circumferential side portion of a tread portion is formed of a non-conductive rubber layer. The non-conductive rubber layer is formed by winding and laminating a non-conductive rubber ribbon along a tire circumferential direction. A conductive layer is provided on an outer circumference of the non-conductive rubber ribbon, and the conductive layer continuously and spirally extends along the tire circumferential direction, and is exposed on a tread surface from a bottom surface of the non-conductive rubber layer toward a tire outer circumferential side. Accordingly, an electricity generated in a vehicle body is discharged to a road through the conductive layer. Since the conductive layer is scattered within the non-conductive rubber layer and exposure on the tread surface is preferably secured, it is possible to achieve an excellent conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Asayama, Eiji Azuma
  • Publication number: 20150000808
    Abstract: The collapse of conductive terminal rubber strips is prevented while a conductive terminal portion is formed stably to have an exposure width of 5 mm or less. The conductive terminal portion is formed by continuously winding the terminal strips formed of a conductive rubber toward an outward radial direction from a tread conductive layer to a tread ground contacting surface. The terminal strip is sequentially wound while shifting a position at a pitch D of a distance in a tire axial direction while the terminal strip goes around such that the conductive terminal portion constitutes a trapezoidal cross section in which a width (Wa) of an upper base is smaller than a width (Ws) of the terminal strip and a width (Wb) of a lower base is larger than the width (Ws) of the terminal strip. The width (Wa) of the upper base is within a range of between 2 mm and 5 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Mafune
  • Patent number: 8900386
    Abstract: A method and system for retreading a tire; the method including the steps of: removing the worn tread from the tire; winding a green-rubber cushion about the tire; forming at least one longitudinal groove in an inner surface of a tread strip; applying to the inner surface of the tread strip a green-rubber strip which is inserted inside the longitudinal groove to fill the longitudinal groove; winding the tread strip about the tire and on top of the green-rubber cushion; and curing the tire fitted with the green-rubber cushion and the tread strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Simone Neroni
  • Patent number: 8876997
    Abstract: In the field of tire building, underbelt inserts are applied to an expandable support associated with an auxiliary drum on which the belt structure is made, simultaneously with manufacture of a carcass structure on a primary drum. Following expansion of the expandable support, the underbelt inserts are applied to the belt structure that can be directly made on the support itself in an expanded condition. The belt structure together with the underbelt inserts and a tread band are then transferred onto the carcass structure formed on the primary drum to complete building of the tire following shaping of the carcass into a toroidal conformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Claudio Lacagnina, Luigi Braghieri
  • Patent number: 8815032
    Abstract: A process for producing a tread for a tire with a radially inner layer composed of a first rubber material and with a radially outer second layer composed of a second rubber material and forming the ground-contact surface of the pneumatic tire. The first rubber material has higher electrical conductivity than the second rubber material, and where, in a form of a web axially dividing the second layer around the periphery of the tire, the first rubber material extends radially outwards through the second layer as far as the ground-contact surface. A ply of the first and second layers are constructed radially one on the other, on a rotationally symmetric construction surface, on one of the two axial sides of the web to be produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Udo Frerichs
  • Patent number: 8714222
    Abstract: On a building drum, anchoring structures to beads, carcass plies, a belt structure and/or other annular composite components are sequentially assembled with a liner, sidewalls, sidewall inserts, under-belt inserts or other annular elastomer components. Each of the sidewall inserts, sidewalls, or under-belt inserts is made as a one piece construction in a service station operating far away from the building drum for storage on a movable storing device. Actuating members operating on the movable storing device carry the annular elastomer components from the service station to the building drum. A transfer member picks up the annular elastomer components from the movable storing device to transfer them to the building drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Mancini
  • Patent number: 8550132
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has a conductive portion formed by a conductive rubber is provided in the tread rubber formed by a nonconductive rubber. The conductive portion has an outer skin portion and a projection portion. The outer skin portion is formed on a surface of the tread rubber, and extends to an inner side in a tire width direction from a side surface of the tread rubber so as to terminate at a position which goes beyond a contact end. The projection portion spirally extends from a position in an outer side than contact end so as to reach a position in an inner side in the tire width direction than the contact end, and protrudes to an inner side in a tire diametrical direction from the outer skin portion so as to terminate without reaching a bottom surface of the tread rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daiki Deguchi
  • Patent number: 8524024
    Abstract: An unvulcanized rubber member passed from the transfer terminal end of a liner to the outer peripheral surface of a winding roller is transferred and press-fitted to a winding body by rotating the winding roller. By this, the unvulcanized rubber member is transferred from the transfer terminal end of the liner to the winding body while being restrained by an outer peripheral surface of the winding roller. Thus, even if vibration is applied to a transfer means due to a diagonal waving, the winding position and the wound shape of the rubber member can be maintained substantially unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichiro Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8465610
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Hirai, Kenji Yamada, Katsuto Koyama
  • Patent number: 8444795
    Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire manufacturing method capable of improving the productivity of pneumatic tires each having surface fasteners in its tire inner surface, and of avoiding manufacturing a pneumatic tire having a deteriorated uniformity, as well as of preventing engagement elements of each surface fastener from being crushed. Also, provided is a pneumatic tire manufactured by the pneumatic tire manufacturing method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanno, Shiro Ogawa, Akira Fujita, Tomio Yamabe
  • Patent number: 8403013
    Abstract: An object is to provide a pneumatic tire which can exhibit a static elimination function in an ensured fashion and be fabricated easily. As a means therefor, there is provided a pneumatic tire in which a conductive layer 12a and a non-conductive layer 14a are wound alternately in a tire circumferential direction in a partially overlapping fashion at least in part of a tread portion, characterized in that the conductive layer 12a is provided wider than the non-conductive layer 14a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Kudo, Osamu Fujiki
  • Patent number: 8382925
    Abstract: Adhering a belt edge tape to both respective side edge portions of the belt on the outer peripheral surface of the building drum by supplying a belt edge tape toward the outer peripheral surface of the building drum by pressing using an extruder which constitutes a supply device facing the building drum in an opposed manner and by pressing the tape to the building drum using a press roller on a leading side as viewed from a position where the tape is supplied in the rotational direction of the building drum, the building drum is rotated in the direction that end portions of the reinforcing cords on the side edge portion of the belt which constitutes a tape adhering side are positioned on a trailing side in the rotational direction of the building drum thus adhering the tape to the side edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Takatsuka, Taizo Yamamoto, Makoto Koumo, Yu Hatayama
  • Patent number: 8365791
    Abstract: According to the present invention, in adhering a belt edge tape (1) which is interposed between belt layers of a tire, press rollers surely adhere by pressing the belt edge tape (1) to a building drum (D) while preventing the press rollers from being caught by end portions of inclined cords which constitute a belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., LTd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Takatsuka, Taizo Yamamoto, Makoto Koumo, Yu Hatayama
  • Patent number: 8304056
    Abstract: When forming a rubber member which is made up of a combination of a plurality of rubber compounds by winding spirally a ribbon-shaped unvulcanized rubber strip material in an overlapping fashion, the number of times of winding is reduced so as to shorten a fabrication cycle time of the rubber member to thereby increase the productivity thereof. As a means therefore, a rubber strip material whose cross section is divided into two or more regions which are made up of different rubber compounds is wound spirally on to a drum in an overlapping fashion so as to build a green tire or a tire rubber member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeo Kudo, Tetsuo Tatara, Osamu Fujiki, Mitsuru Hitotsuyanagi
  • Patent number: 8226785
    Abstract: A method and a plant for manufacturing tires 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: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Mancini
  • Patent number: 8211258
    Abstract: A tread for a vehicle tire, such as a pneumatic vehicle tire, is provided with an electrically conducting layer axially inside a portion of a first, radially outer rubber layer of the tread. The electrically conductive layer extends from a second, radially inner rubber layer of the tread on the radially inner side of the tread rubber material up to a ground contact surface of the tread. The rubber material of the electrically conducting layer and the rubber material of the radially inner rubber layer of the tread have a higher electrical conductivity than the rubber material of the radially outer rubber layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Udo Frerichs
  • Patent number: 8202604
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire having an air permeation preventive layer formed by adhering a resin film containing thermoplastic resin as a main component thereof to a tire inner wall surface, wherein the resin film is laminated, as a narrow width slit film shape, with an elastomer and the resultant ribbon-shaped laminate is continuously and spirally wound in a tire circumferential direction so that the edges thereof partially overlap to thereby form the air permeation preventive layer, whereby a pneumatic tire having a light weight and superior air permeation preventive property, no splice openings of the air permeation preventive layer at the time of tire processing, and capable of shortening the processing time can be obtained as well as the production method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Patent number: 8171966
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire according to the invention includes a cap rubber 12 as a non-conductive rubber layer and a conductive layer 13 that extends from the tread surface to the bottom surface of the cap rubber 12 through the cap rubber 12. The conductive layer 13 has a main portion 13a extending from the tread surface toward the inner periphery of the tire, and plural branch portions 13b branched from the main portion 13a and extending toward the outer periphery of the tire. At least, one of the branch portions 13b is exposed to the tread surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuki Kawakami
  • Patent number: 8168021
    Abstract: A process for assembling a tire, including producing a crown of said tire on a drum of variable diameter of a generally cylindrical form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventor: Jacques Auclair
  • Patent number: 8167014
    Abstract: A tread forming step of forming a non-conductive tread rubber includes a first step of forming the tread rubber in such a manner that a shoulder portion becomes smaller in diameter than a finish cross sectional shape, a second step of setting up a conductive layer extending along a tire circumferential direction while alternately passing through a first position which is exposed to a tread surface of the shoulder portion, and a second position which comes into contact with a sidewall rubber in an outer side in a tire width direction than the first position, and a third step forming a finish cross sectional shape of the tread rubber by adding a non-conductive rubber to the shoulder portion of the tread rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kensuke Fukase
  • Patent number: 8167015
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a non-conductive tread surface and has an electrically conductive rubber in a wave-like or other configuration arranged in a tire circumferential direction. The tire has an electrically conductive sidewall rubber. Upper portions of the wave-like conductive rubber configuration are on the tread surface, while lower portions of the wave-like rubber configuration contact the electrically conductive sidewall rubber. As the tread surface and the electrically conductive rubber on the tread surface are worn away through use, the diametrically outermost portion of the electrically conductive sidewall rubber of the tire comes into contact with the ground and maintains an effective electrically conductive path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tamotsu Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8083877
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire containing a tread, a carcass having at least one belt ply disposed below the tread, and a cap ply located between the carcass and the tread. The cap ply comprises at least one layer of an open construction leno weave tape having a pair of warp yarns in the longitudinal direction and a weft yarn in the weft direction. The pair of warp yarns comprises a first warp yarn and a second warp yarn, where the second warp yarn has a force of elongation of between about 1 and 40% the force of elongation of the first warp yarn, where the second warp yarn is in tension, and where the second warp yarn has an elongation at break of greater than 2%. The leno weave tape is disposed in a flat pattern around the circumference of the carcass in the area of the belt ply. A method of making a pneumatic tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Dany F. Michiels, Johann Peschek, Willy Delanoy, Boudewijn Snauwaert
  • Patent number: 8052817
    Abstract: First, a first belt ply is wound around an outer peripheral surface of a belt drum having a curvature so as to be formed as a tubular shape, and a rubber layer protruding to an outer side than an end portion in a width direction of a belt reinforcing layer is arranged in an outer periphery of an end portion in a width direction of the first belt ply. Further, a second belt ply which is narrower than the first belt ply is wound around an outer periphery of the second belt ply so as to be formed as a tubular shape, and a belt layer is formed in such a manner that the first belt ply and the second belt ply are laminated. The belt reinforcing layer is formed by spirally winding a rubber-coated reinforcing cord around an outer peripheral side of the formed belt layer, and an end portion in a width direction of the belt reinforcing layer is arranged in an outer side than the first belt ply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryuichi Ueda
  • Patent number: 8043456
    Abstract: A robotized arm drives in rotation a drum carrying a tire being processed and conveniently moves it in front of a delivery nozzle supplying a continuous elongated element of elastomer material in order to form a tire component. The delivery nozzle is connected through at least one selecting valve with two or more extruders, each designed to supply a respective blend. The selecting valve connects the delivery nozzle with the outlet of one of the extruders, breaking communication between the nozzle and the other extruders. The outlets of the non-active extruders can be connected with at least one outlet duct. It is thus possible to replace the type of blend used for manufacturing the tire component without the article of manufacture having to be moved away from the delivery nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventors: Giovanni Pozzati, Roberto Rungo, Claudio Lacagnina
  • Patent number: 8029632
    Abstract: A belt package for a pneumatic vehicle tire has at least two belt plies. The belt plies are built up in at least two sub-packages, which are automatically placed on a belt drum and automatically spliced independently of one another. The sub-packages are then joined together to form the complete belt package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Continental AG
    Inventors: Jörn Seevers, Ewald Kneussel, Oliver Kirschning
  • Patent number: 8025750
    Abstract: A retreaded tire capable of improving unbalance of the tire is efficiently produced. Retread rubber has the largest thickness in a joint part F on the circumference. Such a joint part F is arranged in a minimal location S (corresponding to a light location of static unbalance), in which a rubber gauge G as measured in a radial direction of the tire from a buffed surface K of a base tire D to an outer surface of an outermost belt cord L embedded in an outermost belt layer disposed in a radially outermost side among belt layers constituting a belt is minimal on the circumference in an equatorial plane of the tire in attaching so that the total rubber gauge of the retread rubber T at the joint part F surely approaches total rubber gauges at other locations on the circumference to effectively reduce unbalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8007613
    Abstract: The constituent elements of a carcass structure of a tire are formed by laying elementary components on a building support including an inflatable bladder set in an inflated condition in which it substantially reproduces the inner configuration of the carcass structure to be obtained. A belt structure carrying a tread band, both produced separately, is coaxially disposed around the carcass structure formed on the building support and applied thereto following a radial expansion of the inflatable bladder. In a vulcanization mold, the building support is submitted to an over-inflation step to press the tire against the inner walls of the mold. The circumferential edges of the inflatable bladder are in engagement with respective anchoring flanges with possibility of movement in a radial direction, so as to be submitted to an elastic expansion during the over-inflation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Mancini
  • Patent number: 8006733
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire containing a tread, a carcass having at least one belt ply disposed below the tread, and a cap ply located between the carcass and the tread. The cap ply comprises at least one layer of an open construction leno weave tape having a pair of warp yarns in the longitudinal direction and a weft yarn in the weft direction. The pair of warp yarns comprises a first warp yarn and a second warp yarn, where the second warp yarn has a force of elongation of between about 1 and 40% the force of elongation of the first warp yarn, where the second warp yarn is in tension, and where the second warp yarn has an elongation at break of greater than 2%. The leno weave tape is disposed in a flat pattern around the circumference of the carcass in the area of the belt ply. A method of making a pneumatic tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Dany F. Michiels, Johann Peschek, Willy Delanoy, Peter Eeckhout, Boudewijn Snauwaert
  • Patent number: 7947140
    Abstract: A strip member application system for feeding a ribbon-like rubber strip (4) through a clearance between application rollers forming a pair (11), and applying the rubber strip (4) onto a rotational member (2). A guide roller (7) to be wound by the rubber strip (4) is provided on the upstream side of the application roller pair (11), and defines a substantially U-shaped detour path extending downwards. A first and a second auxiliary rollers (6, 8) are arranged on the downstream side and the upstream side of the guide roller (7), respectively. The application roller pair (11) can be swung integrally with the guide roller (7) and the second auxiliary roller (8), within a horizontal plane and about a pivot that is spaced from the guide roller (7) toward the first auxiliary roller (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Yo Uchida, Yasuo Mizota
  • Patent number: 7931767
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing elastomeric components of a tire for a vehicle wheel includes feeding a continuous elongated element from a delivery member by exerting a feeding pressure inside the delivery member, rotating a building support around a geometrical rotation axis of the support, carrying out controlled relative displacements between the delivery member and the support to form a tire component, stopping the feeding of the elongated element when formation of the tire component is complete, and exerting a counter-pressure inside the delivery member after stopping the feeding. Rotating the support assists circumferential distribution of the elongated element on the support. Carrying out controlled relative displacements assists transverse distribution of the elongated element on the support. The tire component is defined by a plurality of coils laid in a pre-established deposition pattern depending on a predetermined cross-section outline to be given to the tire component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.p.A.
    Inventors: Francesco D'Oria, Renato Caretta, Enrico Sabbatani, Maurizio Marchini
  • Patent number: 7931062
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire containing a tread, a carcass having at least one belt ply disposed below the tread, and a cap ply located between the carcass and the tread. The cap ply comprises at least one layer of an open construction leno weave tape having a pair of warp yarns in the longitudinal direction and a weft yarn in the weft direction. The pair of warp yarns comprises a first warp yarn and a second warp yarn, where the second warp yarn has a force of elongation of between about 1 and 40% the force of elongation of the first warp yarn, where the second warp yarn is in tension, and where the second warp yarn has an elongation at break of greater than 2%. The leno weave tape is disposed in a flat pattern around the circumference of the carcass in the area of the belt ply. A method of making a pneumatic tire is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Milliken & Company
    Inventors: Dany F. Michiels, Johann Peschek, Willy Delanoy, Peter Eeckhout, Boudewijn Snauwaert
  • Patent number: 7931768
    Abstract: Device and method for building a radial tire. The device includes a first drum device for building a belt package and a transfer device for transferring the belt package from the first drum device to a second drum device having arranged thereon a carcass tube from at least one airtight inner layer, a carcass play and two bead cores with core profiles. The second drum device is arranged between core clamping devices and is structured and arranged to join the carcass tube and the belt package during expansion of the second drum device. The belt package is contoured or shaped by deformation via the second drum device. This abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joern Seevers, Claudia Thomfohrde, Jens Winkler
  • Patent number: 7857025
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire has two belt layers, each having a plurality of strip pieces formed by pulling together and rubberizing a plurality of steel cords. Strip piece width, strip piece thickness, belt layer cord angle with respect to a tire circumferential direction, numbers of the strip pieces of inner and outer belt layers, and circumferential lengths of the inner and outer belt layers are respectively denoted by A, G, ?, N1, N2, L1 and L2. N2 is equal to N1, and N1 is an integer satisfying L1=N1×A/sin ?. The inner belt layer is formed by joining the N1 strip pieces so each side of each strip piece is butted with one side of another strip piece. The outer belt layer is formed by aligning the N2 strip pieces on the inner belt layer in the tire circumferential direction with spaces of width 2?G/N2 disposed between adjacent strip pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kabe, Tsuneo Morikawa
  • Patent number: 7833374
    Abstract: A method of building a tire carcass onto a toroidally expanded building drum core is disclosed which comprises: transferring a breaker and tread package to a mold; loading the tire carcass at diameter D1 into the mold; toroidally expanding the tire carcass to a second diameter D2 wherein the tire carcass and the breaker and tread package form an uncured tire assembly; curing the uncured tire assembly to form a cured tire in the mold; and removing the cured tire from the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Jean-Claude Girard, Andres Ignacio Delgado
  • Patent number: 7780809
    Abstract: A method of forming an elastomeric tire component is provided, comprising the following steps. An apparatus is provided which includes a rotating applicator head and a non-rotating portion. The non-rotating portion has an internal channel having a first end in fluid communication with a gear pump and a second end in fluid communication with a first channel of the rotating applicator head. The first channel is substantially aligned with the Z axis. The rotating applicator head further includes a second channel in fluid communication with the first channel, and wherein the second channel is oriented at an angle with respect to a Y axis and is in fluid communication with a nozzle. The method further includes pumping a strip of elastomeric material through said internal channel and then into said first and second channel, and then through an outlet of said nozzle onto a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Brian Richard Koch, Gary Robert Burg, Scott Edward Ackerman, Christopher David Dyrlund
  • Patent number: 7766060
    Abstract: A tire comprising a tread layer comprised of a tread rubber and an electrically conductive band arranged in a widthwise middle portion thereof, and a method of producing the tire, wherein the tread rubber is made of a low-conductive continuous rubber ribbon circumferentially wound plural times, and the electrically conductive band is made of a high-conductive thin annular rubber sheet. Also, the electrically conductive band is arranged so as to extend in the widthwise region ranging from a part of the top face of the first tread rubber portion to a part of the bottom face of the second tread rubber portion, whereby the tire uniformity is improved and the production is possible in a multi-size mixed production system and the conductive path from the belt to the treading face can be surely formed at a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichiro Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7712500
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire 1 having improved uniformity and durability and including a toroidal carcass 6 extending from a tread portion 2 to each of bead cores 5 in bead portions 4 through sidewall portions 3, a belt layer 7 disposed radially outward of the carcass 6 in the tread portion 2, and a cushion rubber 9 having an approximately triangular cross section disposed between the carcass 6 and each of axial edge portions 7E of the belt layer 7, and a method for producing the same, wherein the cushion rubber 9 is made from a strip laminated body formed by circumferentially and spirally winding a first ribbon-like unvulcanized rubber strip and a second ribbon-like unvulcanized rubber strip having a different composition from that of the first rubber strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Hayashi, Masanori Takahashi, Kiyoto Maruoka
  • Patent number: 7694709
    Abstract: The invention relates to a tread (1) application device for applying a tread on a building drum (20) for a tire, comprising a tread conveying device (15) for conveying a tread to a building drum, from a feed side (12) of the tread conveying device to a discharge side (13) of the tread conveying device in a conveyance direction, and a positioning device for positioning the tread on the building drum, wherein the positioning device comprises measuring means (17) for determining the position of a segment of the tread and generating a position value, displacement means for displacing a segment of the tread with a displacement directional component parallel to the axis (21) of rotation of the building drum, and control means (28), connected to the measuring means and the displacement means, for on the basis of the position value controlling the displacement device during the application of the tread on the building drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: VMI Epe Holland B.V.
    Inventors: Mattheus Jacobus Kaagman, Franciscus Johannes Wilhelmus Kooiman
  • Patent number: 7641752
    Abstract: A mechanism for laying a strip on a receiving surface rotating about a first axis. The mechanism includes a laying head moving along a second axis oriented parallel to the axis of rotation of the surface and along a third axis oriented parallel to a radial direction passing through the point of contact between the receiving surface and a strip applicator of the laying head. The laying head is rotatable about a front axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the second and third axes and passing through the contact point. the laying includes a device for estimating the value of the of the angle ? formed by a tangent to the transverse profile of the surface and the second axis. The movements of the laying head are determined by the value of the angle ? in such a way as to displace the laying head in a direction parallel to the tangent following the transverse profile of the receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Michelin-Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Serge Nicolas, Nicolas Chevaux, Patrice Monnereau