Abstract:
A dismountable toroidal support for Tire manufacture includes a plurality of sectors, a flange, a counter-flange, and engagement devices. The sectors are aligned around a reference axis to define an outer surface reproducing an inner conformation of a Tire. The flange carries at least one attachment member for engagement with a handling device. The counter-flange can be operatively linked with the flange. The engagement devices can fixedly hold the sectors between the flange and the counter-flange. Each of the sectors has a main body with a substantially U-shaped outline which is delimited between an outer side defining an outer surface and an inner side facing the reference axis. The engagement devices include at least one attachment plate radially projecting from a respective inner side substantially in a plane normal to the reference axis and adapted to be removably engaged at a position axially interposed between the flange and the counter-flange.
Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a tire for vehicle wheels, includes building, on a forming support extending about an axis, a carcass structure including at least one carcass ply and, at at least one end edge of the at least one carcass ply, at least one annular anchoring structure. Building the carcass structure includes laying the carcass ply on the forming support, bringing the annular anchoring structure in contact position with the end edge of the carcass ply and turning up the end edge about the annular anchoring structure so as to form a turned up end portion of the carcass ply including the annular anchoring structure. A first part of turning up the end edge of the carcass ply is carried out while at least one positioning device retains the annular anchoring structure in contact position with the end edge of the carcass ply.
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:
An apparatus for the deposition of at least one reinforcing element on a forming including at least one feeding unit of at least one reinforcing element at a forming support, at least one deposition unit of the at least one reinforcing element on the forming support, the at least one deposition unit including at least one presser member, a control unit of the at least one deposition unit, at least one detection device of the deviations between an actual deposition profile and a theoretical deposition profile along a first deposition path defined based upon the theoretical profile, and a processing unit to define, based upon said deviations, an actual deposition path of the at least one reinforcing element on the forming support.
Abstract:
A method of building a sequence of tyres different from each other, includes generating a first deposition surface by a first series of consecutive circumferential sectors. The first deposition surface is selected as a function of the type of a first tyre to be built. Each circumferential sector of the first series is removably coupled to a central body of a forming drum. The method further includes manufacturing at least one component of the at least one first tyre by deposition of the at least one component at a radially external position to the first deposition surface of the forming drum, removing the at least one component from the forming drum and replacing each circumferential sector of the first series with a circumferential sector of a second series for generating a second deposition surface selected as a function of the type of a second tyre to be built which is different from the first tyre. The replacement includes uncoupling each circumferential sector of the first series from the central body and removably coupling each circumferential sector of the second series to the same central body.
Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a tyre for vehicle wheels includes: laying at least one carcass ply on a forming support having a rotation axis; bringing an annular anchoring structure in contact position with an end edge of the carcass ply; holding through a positioning device, the annular anchoring structure in contact position with the end edge while an air chamber is partially inflated to carry out a first part of turning up the end edge around the annular anchoring structure; moving the positioning device away from the annular anchoring structure; and completing the inflation of the air chamber to carry out the remaining part of turning up the end edge around the annular anchoring structure, so as to form a turned up end portion of the carcass ply including the annular anchoring structure.
Abstract:
A green tire is built on a rigid toroidal support externally having a forming surface of a conformation corresponding to an inner conformation of the tire. The built tire is removed from the rigid toroidal support and engaged on an expandable toroidal support which includes a bladder. The green tire engaged on the expandable toroidal support is introduced into a vulcanization mold and submitted to a vulcanization cycle.
Abstract:
In tire manufacture, a belt structure is made by means of strip-like segments each including parallel cords incorporated into an elastomeric layer, which strip-like segments are sequentially laid down in mutual circumferential side by side relationship on a toroidal support. The apparatus for manufacturing such a reinforcing structure for vehicle tires includes: a feeding unit to supply strip-like elements, each including threadlike elements disposed parallel to each other and at least partly coated with at least one layer of elastomeric material; a laying unit including at least one laying assembly to apply each of said strip-like elements onto a toroidal support according to a predetermined laying angle relative to a circumferential extension direction of the toroidal support itself, the laying unit including at least one presser element movable in contrast relationship against the outer surface of the toroidal support and at least one guide element to keep the strip-like element centered and guide it during laying of same, wherein the guide element includes at least one cavity in which the presser element is at least partly housed during laying of said strip-like element.
Abstract:
A process and apparatus for turning up the carcass plies in a tire, the tire including a carcass structure including at least one carcass ply provided with at least one reinforcing element coated with at least one layer of elastomeric material, and at least one annular reinforcing structure. The apparatus is equipped with a support drum conveniently shaped for supporting at least one ply and with at least one turning up device provided with an annular continuous presser element. The latter is axially translatable along an axis of the support drum and radially expandable or contractible relative to the axis of the support drum between a contracted position and an expanded position to turn up the carcass ply around an annular reinforcing structure. The device is further provided with means of adjusting the contracted position of the annular element depending on the size of the tire to be manufactured.
Abstract:
A process and an apparatus for building tires for vehicle wheels wherein the process includes the step of assembling components of elastomeric material on a forming support, in which at least one of the components of elastomeric material is manufactured by the steps of: i) dispensing a continuous elongated element of elastomeric material; ii) applying the continuous elongated element in the form of coils disposed in side by side relationship or at least partly superposed, wound up on the forming support, so as to form the at least one component of elastomeric material of the tire; iii) exerting a first pressure on a central region of a portion of the continuous elongated element applied onto the forming support; and iv) exerting a second pressure on side regions of the portion of the continuous elongated element applied onto the forming support.