Method for inflating a tyre
AssigneeNexion S.P.A.
InventorGiulio Corghi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for inflating a tyre mounted on a corresponding wheel rim comprises the following steps in sequence; placing a tool at an operating position, where a first bead of the tyre is interposed between the tool and a second bead of the tyre, and one end of tool is positioned axially between a first flange of the rim and a first rib of the rim and positioned radially between an outside surface of the rim and a tread of the tyre; blowing a gas under pressure through an inflation valve of the tyre into a chamber delimited by the tyre and by the rim, with the tool at the operating position, so that the first sidewall of the tyre is pressed against the end of the tool; removing the tool from the operating position.
Claims18
A method for inflating a tyre by means of a tyre changing apparatus equipped with a base, a column associated with the base, wheel holder unit, and a tool provided with an actuator, where the tyre is mounted on a corresponding wheel rim, the rim being fixed to a wheel-holder unit of the tyre changing apparatus, where the tyre includes a first bead, a first sidewall, a second bead, a second sidewall and a tread and where the rim includes an outside surface, a first flange and a first rib, where the first flange and the first rib jut out radially from the outside surface and are axially spaced from each other to define a first seat for the first bead, wherein the tool is a bead breaker tool or a bead pressing tool,
- the method comprising the following steps, in sequence:
- placing, through the actuator, the tool at an operating position, where one end of it is positioned axially between the first flange and the first rib and radially between the outside surface of the rim and the tyre tread, where the first bead is interposed between the tool and the second bead, wherein the tool is movably connected to the column through an arm;
- blowing a gas under pressure through an inflation valve into a chamber delimited by the tyre and by the rim, while keeping the tool at the operating position during blowing, so that a portion of the first sidewall of the tyre is pressed against the end of the tool, wherein during the step of blowing, the actuator keeps the tool at the operating position;
- removing the tool from the operating position, wherein the actuator includes a liner in which there slides a rod connected to the tool, wherein during the step of blowing, the liner of the actuator is pressurized in order to keep the tool at the operating position.
An apparatus for mounting and demounting a tyre to and from a corresponding rim of a wheel, wherein the wheel has an axis of rotation and the tyre includes a first bead, a first sidewall, a second bead, a second sidewall and a tread and wherein the rim includes an outside surface, a first flange and a first rib, wherein the first flange and the first rib jut out radially from the outside surface and are axially spaced from each other to define a first seat for the first bead, the apparatus comprising:
- a base and a column associated with the base;
- a wheel-holder unit for locking the rim in place and setting it in rotation about the axis of rotation of the wheel;
- an inflation unit, having an active configuration, where it is configured to blow a gas into a chamber delimited by the tyre and the rim through an inflation valve of the tyre, and an inactive configuration, where gas is prevented from escaping from the inflation unit;
- a tool provided with an actuator, wherein the tool is movably connected to the column through an arm and is movable, through the actuator, at least between a rest position, where it is away from the tyre, and an operating position, where the first bead is interposed between the tool and the second bead, one end of the tool being positioned axially between the first flange and the first rib and radially between the outside surface of the rim and the tyre tread, wherein the tool is a bead breaker tool or a bead pressing tool;
- wherein the apparatus includes an operating configuration in which the tool is at the operating position, the actuator keeping the tool at the operating position, and the inflation unit is, at the same time, in the active configuration, and
- wherein the actuator includes a liner in which there slides a rod connected to the tool, wherein the liner of the actuator is pressurized in order to keep the tool at the operating position, in the active configuration of the inflation unit.
An apparatus for mounting and demounting a tyre to and from a corresponding rim of a wheel, wherein the wheel has an axis of rotation and the tyre includes a first bead, a first sidewall, a second bead, a second sidewall and a tread and wherein the rim includes an outside surface, a first flange and a first rib, wherein the first flange and the first rib jut out radially from the outside surface and are axially spaced from each other to define a first seat for the first bead, the apparatus comprising:
- a base and a column associated with the base;
- a wheel-holder unit for locking the rim in place and setting it in rotation about the axis of rotation of the wheel;
- an inflation unit, having an active configuration, where it is configured to blow a gas into a chamber delimited by the tyre and the rim through an inflation valve of the tyre, and an inactive configuration, where gas is prevented from escaping from the inflation unit;
- a tool provided with an actuator, wherein the tool is movably connected to the column through an arm and is movable, through the actuator, at least between a rest position, where it is away from the tyre, and an operating position, where the first bead is interposed between the tool and the second bead, one end of the tool being positioned axially between the first flange and the first rib and radially between the outside surface of the rim and the tyre tread, wherein the tool is a bead breaker tool or a bead pressing tool;
- wherein the apparatus includes an operating configuration in which the tool is at the operating position, the actuator keeping the tool at the operating position, and the inflation unit is, at the same time, in the active configuration, and
- wherein the actuator is a pneumatic actuator configured to move the tool from the rest position to the operating position, and wherein the actuator includes a liner, in which there slides a rod that supports the tool, and wherein the inflation unit is selectively connectable to the liner of the actuator to pressurize it at a pressure equal to a pressure inside the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.