Method and apparatus for manufacturing a tyre tread and a tyre
AssigneeBridgestone Europe NV/SA
InventorRoberto Mattocci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing an agricultural tyre (1) with deep cross-lugs (6), comprising the steps of: (a) proving a tyre case (2) and tread belts (3); (b) applying rubber blocks (206) onto tread belts (3), each of such rubber blocks (206) being arranged to make a respective lug (6) of the final tread (4); (c) winding a rubber ribbon (200) above said rubber blocks (206) so as to completely enclose said rubber blocks (206); (d) curing the rubber blocks (206) together with the wound ribbon (200) in a curing mould (105) negatively reproducing a desired pattern of the tread (4).
Claims15
An apparatus for manufacturing a tire, the tire including a tread comprising a tread base and a number of lugs, each of which projects upwards from the tread base and extends substantially crosswise to a travelling direction of the tire, the apparatus comprising the following units arranged in an operative sequence:
- a rubber mixing and extruding unit configured to output an extruded or calendered ribbon for making the tread base and an extruded or calendered strip for making rubber blocks, each of the rubber blocks being configured to make a respective lug of the tread;
- a drum unit configured to allow a tire casing, tread belts and rubber blocks be arranged one upon the other;
- a ribbon tread applicator configured to wind the extruded or calendered ribbon about the rubber blocks so as to shield the rubber blocks;
- a heater configured to join the rubber blocks to the tread belts;
- and
- a curing unit for the rubber blocks and wound ribbon, which curing unit comprises a mould negatively reproducing a desired pattern of the tread.
An apparatus for manufacturing a tire, the apparatus comprising the following units arranged in an operative sequence:
- an extruder configured to extrude a green rubber strip;
- a cutter configured to cut the green rubber strip into a plurality of green rubber blocks;
- a drum unit configured to receive tread belts and the green rubber blocks arranged upon the tread belts;
- a ribbon tread applicator configured to wind a green rubber ribbon about the green rubber blocks so as to shield the green rubber blocks;
- a heater configured to join the green rubber blocks to the tread belts;
- and a vulcanization mold configured to receive the tread belts, the green rubber blocks, and the green rubber ribbon.
An apparatus for manufacturing a tire, the apparatus comprising the following units arranged in an operative sequence:
- a calender configured to calender a green rubber strip;
- a cutter configured to cut the green rubber strip into a plurality of green rubber blocks;
- a drum unit configured to receive tread belts and the green rubber blocks arranged upon the tread belts;
- a ribbon tread applicator configured to wind a green rubber ribbon about the green rubber blocks so as to shield the green rubber blocks;
- a heater configured to join the green rubber blocks to the tread belts;
- and a vulcanization mold configured to receive the tread belts, the green rubber blocks, and the green rubber ribbon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.