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US 11,351,700 B2Granted
System and method for producing rubber mixture for tires
AssigneeCompagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
InventorsLionel Le-Bars, Stephane Bornes, Stephan Otto, Claude Thiallier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the field of tire production, systems and methods make it possible to selectively carry out monopassage and multipassage rubber production sequences in a common rubber production facility. A tire is formed according to the methods described.
Claims16
A system for producing rubber mixtures having expected properties comprising:
- a series of rubber mixture production installations that define monopassage and multipassage sequences of rubber mixture production, each rubber mixture production installation permitting execution of at least one rubber mixture production process, and the rubber mixture production installations including at least one initial mixing installation that performs an initial mixing process and at least two mixing and cooling installations that perform a mixing and cooling process;
- a first feed belt that transports a rubber mixture from the initial mixing installation toward a first mixing and cooling installation;
- a second feed belt that transports the rubber mixture from the first mixing and cooling installation toward a second mixing and cooling installation;
- and
- transport means that sequentially directs the rubber mixture from the second mixing and cooling installation to at least one additional rubber mixing installation, including the initial mixing installation and the first mixing and cooling installation, according to a rubber mixture recipe selected for producing a rubber mixture having expected properties,
- wherein each mixing and cooling installation comprises:
- at least one external mixer in which a pair of cylinders transforms the rubber mixture into a continuous rubber mixture sheet;
- at least one spray system in which one or more spray rails are positioned at each of an upper spray station and a lower spray station, each spray rail being in communication with a source for supplying water and air to one or more nozzles at a predetermined water flow rate and a predetermined air pressure;
- and
- at least one aspiration system in which one or more aspiration hoods are positioned downstream of each respective spray rail, each aspiration hood being in communication with a source for supplying air at a predetermined air flow rate, and
- wherein, during the mixing and cooling process, each mixing and cooling installation sprays the continuous rubber mixture sheet and evacuates the air containing the evaporated water in order to produce the continuous rubber mixture sheet at target values of temperature and water content before a complementary mixing process.
8 more elements
A method for selectively producing a rubber mixture from one or more sequences according to a selected rubber mixing recipe, the process comprising:
- providing a system comprising:
- a series of rubber mixture production installations that define monopassage and multipassage sequences of rubber mixture production, each rubber mixture production installation permitting execution of at least one rubber mixture production process, and the rubber mixture production installations including at least one initial mixing installation that performs an initial mixing process and at least two mixing and cooling installations that perform a mixing and cooling process;
- a first feed belt that transports a rubber mixture from the initial mixing installation toward a first mixing and cooling installation;
- a second feed belt that transports the rubber mixture from the first mixing and cooling installation toward a second mixing and cooling installation;
- and
- transport means that sequentially directs the rubber mixture from the second mixing and cooling installation to at least one additional rubber mixing installation, including the initial mixing installation and the first mixing and cooling installation, according to a rubber mixture recipe selected for producing a rubber mixture having expected properties;
- sequentially directing a rubber mixture to at least one rubber mixture production installation in accordance with a selected rubber mixture recipe;
- selectively transferring the rubber mixture to a preselected rubber mixture installation;
- performing an initial mixing process at an initial mixing installation;
- performing a mixing and cooling process at the mixing and cooling installations;
- performing a complementary mixing process at a complementary mixing installation;
- performing an end-of-line process at an end-of-line installation;
- and
- during the cooling process:
- transforming a rubber mixture into a continuous rubber mixture sheet;
- spraying water onto the continuous rubber mixture sheet at a predetermined water flow rate;
- and
- evacuating the sprayed water with an air intake source,
- wherein the continuous rubber mixture sheet reaches target values of temperature and water content before the complementary mixing process.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.