US 11,865,669 B2 · System and method for pre-conditioning pneumatic tires prior to mounting same onto a wheel

Abstract

A tire pre-conditioning system includes a first mandrel, a second mandrel spaced apart from the first mandrel, and a controller in communication with the first mandrel and the second mandrel. The first mandrel is fixedly attached to a first shaft and including a first tapered sidewall. The second mandrel is fixedly attached to a second shaft and including a second tapered sidewall. The controller is operable to axially move the first mandrel and the second mandrel toward one another until the first and second tapered sidewalls are opposing respective beads of a tire, and supply pressurized fluid into an internal cavity of the tire to inflate the tire. The inflating causing the beads to move relative to mandrels while contacting the opposing respective tapered sidewalls to burnish the beads of the tire.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A tire pre-conditioning system comprising:

a first mandrel attached to a first shaft, the first mandrel including a first sidewall;
a second mandrel attached to a second shaft, the second mandrel including a second sidewall;
and
a controller in communication with the first mandrel and the second mandrel, the controller operable to:
move the first mandrel and the second mandrel toward one another until the first sidewall of the first mandrel is opposing a first bead of a tire and the second sidewall of the second mandrel is opposing a second bead of the tire, and
supply pressurized fluid into an internal cavity of the tire for causing the first bead to move relative to the first mandrel while contacting the first sidewall to burnish the first bead of the tire, and the second bead to move relative to the second mandrel while contacting the second sidewall to burnish the second bead of the tire.

3 more elements

A pre-conditioning system for conditioning a tire, the system comprising:

a first bead-burnishing mandrel attached to a first shaft;
a second bead-burnishing mandrel attached to a second shaft;
an air pressure source in fluid communication with an internal cavity of the tire;
and
a controller in communication with the first mandrel, the second mandrel and the air pressure source, the controller operable to:
arrange the first mandrel adjacent a first bead of the tire and the second mandrel adjacent a second bead of the tire;
and
direct pressurized fluid from the air pressure source into the internal cavity of the tire for causing:
the first bead to move while contacting the first bead-burnishing mandrel, and
the second bead to move while contacting the second bead-burnishing mandrel.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for pre-conditioning pneumatic tires prior to mounting same onto a wheel

Life of this patent

System and method for pre-conditioning pneumatic tires prior to mounting same onto a wheel

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24