Device and method for producing unvulcanized ring-shaped rubber member

A method for producing an unvulcanized ring-shaped rubber member, the method comprising:

• conveying an unvulcanized band-like rubber member toward a forming drum by a transport conveyor;
• disposing a front edge portion of the band-like rubber member on an outer circumferential surface of the forming drum;
• winding a predetermined length of the band-like rubber member on the outer circumferential surface of the forming drum by rotating the forming drum;
• and
• bonding the front edge portion on the outer circumferential surface and a rear edge portion of the band-like rubber member by a preset allowable bonding margin,
• the rear edge portion being held by a plurality of holding portions arranged side by side in a width direction of the band-like rubber member to allow each of the holding portions to move in a front-rear direction individually by respective movement portions, and
• before bonding the rear edge portion to the front edge portion, a control unit controlling an amount of movement of the respective movement portions in the front-rear direction using distribution data on a length of the band-like rubber member in the width direction, and thus a degree of elongation around a held portion of the rear edge portion in the front-rear direction that is held by each of the holding portions being adjusted;
• wherein the control unit is configured to control the movement portions such that a movement velocity of each of the movement portions in the front-rear direction is identical.

A device for producing an unvulcanized ring-shaped rubber member, the device comprising:

• a transport conveyor that transports an unvulcanized band-like rubber member toward a forming drum;
• a front edge arrangement mechanism that holds and disposes a front edge portion of the band-like rubber member onto an outer circumferential surface of the forming drum;
• a rear edge bonding mechanism that holds and bonds a rear edge portion of the band-like rubber member to the front edge portion on the outer circumferential surface;
• and
• a control unit configured to control movement of the transport conveyor, the front edge arrangement mechanism, and the rear edge bonding mechanism,
• the front edge portion and the rear edge portion of the band-like rubber member wound around the outer circumferential surface being bonded by a preset allowable bonding margin,
• the rear edge bonding mechanism comprising a plurality of holding portions arranged side by side in a width direction of the band-like rubber member, and movement portions that individually move each of the holding portions in a front-rear direction of the band-like rubber member, and
• before bonding the rear edge portion to the front edge portion, the control unit controlling an amount of movement of each of the movement portions in the front-rear direction using distribution data on a length of the band-like rubber member in the width direction, and thus a degree of elongation around a held portion of the rear edge portion in the front-rear direction that is held by each of the holding portions being adjusted;
• wherein the control unit is configured to control the movement portions such that a movement velocity of each of the movement portions in the front-rear direction is identical.