Back to results
US 11,413,835 B2Granted
Molded article extractor and method
AssigneeBridgestone Bandag, LLC
InventorsJason Len Gridley, Troy Allen Kost
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tire tread extractor used in the manufacture of treads includes a frame, a first nip roller rotatably associated with the frame, and a second nip roller rotatably associated with the frame. The first and second nip rollers are adapted to engage a tire tread at least partially resident in a mold. A driving mechanism associated with the first and/or second nip rollers operates to impart rotational motion thereto. The frame is configured for longitudinal movement along a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of the mold while maintaining the first and second nip rollers in a spaced relation to the mold.
Claims20
A tire tread extractor used in the manufacture of treads, comprising:
- a frame;
- a first nip roller rotatably associated with the frame and defining a first diameter, the first nip roller being configured to rotate about a first centerline;
- a second nip roller rotatably associated with the frame, wherein the first nip roller and the second nip roller are adapted to be capable of engaging a tire tread that at least partially resides in a mold;
- a driving mechanism operable to impart rotational motion to at least one of the first nip roller and the second nip roller such that at least one of the first nip roller and the second nip roller engages the tire tread in a rotational direction;
- and
- a mold engagement mechanism rotatably associated with the frame and configured to rotate about the first centerline, the mold engagement mechanism defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter such that the mold engagement mechanism engages the mold as the first nip roller engages the tire tread,
- wherein the frame is configured for longitudinal movement along a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of the mold while maintaining the first and second nip rollers in a spaced relation to the mold, and
- wherein the rotational direction is in a direction substantially opposite to the longitudinal movement of the frame along the longitudinal length of the mold.
5 more elements
A tire tread extractor used in the manufacture of treads, comprising:
- a frame configured for longitudinal movement along a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of a mold;
- a first nip roller rotatably coupled with the frame and defining a first diameter, wherein the nip roller is configured to engage a plurality of lugs of a tire tread and rotate about a first centerline;
- a second nip roller rotatably coupled with the frame and selectively positionable relative to both the first nip roller and the frame, the second nip roller configured to engage a top surface of the tire tread, the tire tread at least partially residing in the mold;
- a driving mechanism operable to impart rotational motion to at least one of the first nip roller and the second nip roller, and
- a mold engagement mechanism rotatably associated with the frame and configured to rotate about the first centerline, the mold engagement mechanism defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter such that the mold engagement mechanism engages the mold as the first nip roller engages the tire tread,
- wherein the frame is configured to maintain the first nip roller and the second nip roller in a spaced relation to the mold.
3 more elements
A tire tread extractor used in the manufacture of treads, comprising:
- a frame configured for longitudinal movement along a substantial portion of a longitudinal length of a mold;
- a first nip roller rotatably coupled with the frame and defining a first diameter, wherein the first nip roller is configured to engage a plurality of lugs of a tire tread and rotate about a first centerline;
- a second nip roller rotatably coupled with the frame and selectively positionable relative to both the first nip roller and the frame, the second nip roller configured to engage a top surface of the tire tread, the tire tread at least partially residing in the mold;
- a driving mechanism operable to impart rotational motion to at least one of the first nip roller and the second nip roller such that the rotational motion of the at least one of the first nip roller and the second nip roller engages the tire tread in a rotational direction, the rotational direction being a direction substantially opposite to the longitudinal movement of the frame along the longitudinal length of the mold, and
- a mold engagement mechanism rotatably associated with the frame and configured to rotate about the first centerline, the mold engagement mechanism defining a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter such that the mold engagement mechanism engages the mold as the first nip roller engages the tire tread;
- wherein the frame is configured to maintain the first nip roller and the second nip roller in a spaced relation to the mold.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.