US 10,081,222 B2Granted

Tire spreader for tire repair

AssigneeCompagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

InventorsMetodi Lubenov Ikonomov, Adib Tony Chebli, Cesar Enrique Zarak, Michael Collins Chandler

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for spreading beads in a tire. Particular embodiments of such methods include securing at least a portion of a first bead of the tire and positioning a tire spreader within the central opening of the tire, the tire spreader having a bead engaging portion for engaging a portion of a second bead generally opposite the secured portion of the first bead. Such methods may further include automatically translating the bead engaging portion of the tire spreader generally in an axial direction of the tire to displace the engaged portion of the second bead a desired distance to increase the distance between the opposing beads to form a widened interior cavity opening.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for preparing an interior surface of a tire for repair, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a tire having:
a central opening extending axially through the tire along a rotational axis of the tire being bounded radially by an inner bead diameter;
an interior tire cavity extending radially outward from the inner bead diameter and being bound by an interior surface of the tire;
and an interior tire cavity opening extending between opposing an annular beads of the tire, the cavity being positioned between the central cavity and the interior tire cavity;
securing at least a portion of the first bead of the tire;
positioning a tire spreader within the central opening of the tire, the tire spreader having a bead engaging portion for engaging a portion of the second bead, the bead engaging portion having a surface for engaging the portion of the second bead, the surface extending in a direction biased relative to a translation direction of the tire spreader, wherein the tire spreader further includes a base generally extending perpendicular to the translation direction of the tire spreader, the bead engaging portion extending outwardly from a portion of the base, where the base is slideably retained within a mount member of the tire spreader to slide generally in a radial direction of the tire;
and,
automatically translating the bead engaging portion of the tire spreader generally in an axial direction of the tire to displace the engaged portion of the second bead a desired distance to increase the distance between the opposing beads to form a widened interior cavity opening,
where the step of positioning a tire spreader within the central opening of the tire includes manually positioning the bead engaging portion of the bead spreader against the portion of the second bead before performing the step of automatically translating the bead engaging portion, the tire spreader being independently moveable from a tire spreader actuator used to translate the bead engaging portion of the tire spreader.

6 more elements

A machine for spreading the interior of a tire, the machine comprising:

a tire spreader translatably mounted to the machine, the tire spreader being in communication with a translation means for forcefully translating a tire engaging portion of the tool a predetermined distance in a translation direction, the tire engaging portion having a surface for engaging a bead of a corresponding tire, the surface extending in a direction biased relative to the translation direction of the tire spreader;
and,
a controller for automatically translating the tire engaging portion of the tire spreader generally in an axial direction of the tire,
where the tire engaging portion of the bead spreader is manually positionable against a portion of a second bead of the tire before automatically translating the tire engaging portion of the tool with the translation means, the tire spreader being independently moveable from the translation means used to translate the tire engaging portion of the tire spreader, and
where the translation means is a linear actuator arranged to independently engage and disengage a translation member of the tire spreader, the translation member extending longitudinally in a translation direction of the tire spreader, the tire engaging portion of the tire spreader extending generally in a radial direction of the tire, the translation member of the tire spreader being slideably retained by a translation guide.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/879,740Filed 9 Oct 2015 · continuation
Published: US 2016/0031274 A14 Feb 2016
Granted: 25 Sep 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B60C 25/142
Apparatus or tools for spreading or locating tyre beads: devices for tightening or expanding the felly, devices for spreading the tyres
B60C 25/14
Apparatus or tools adapted for mounting, removing or inspecting tyres: apparatus or tools for spreading or locating tyre beads
Y10T 29/49718
Method of mechanical manufacture: repairing
B60C
Vehicle tyres

Family

PCT/US2011/023210Parent of this continuation · filed 31 Jan 2011
US 2016/0031274 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Feb 2016
Application13/982,999Parent of this continuation
US 9,193,228 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2013/0309949 A1Published application
US 10,081,222 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.