Tire sealant cell
AssigneeBridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
InventorsJustin R. Martin, Randal T. McJunkin, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods are provided for applying a sealant layer to an inner surface of a tire. A first tire may be picked up with a tire handling robot and placed on a first sealant application stand. A sealant bead may be applied to the inner surface of the first tire by a dispense robot. A second tire may be picked up by the tire handling robot and placed on a second sealant application stand. A sealant bead may be applied to the inner surface of the second tire by the dispense robot. The first and second sealant application stands may be arranged adjacent to each other. The tire handling robot and the dispense robot may be located on opposite sides of the sealant application stands.
Claims12
A method of applying a sealant layer to inner surfaces of tires, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a tire sealant cell including:
- first and second sealant application stands arranged adjacent each other such that when tires are received on the first and second sealant application stands with rotational axes of the tires oriented generally horizontally, the tires are aligned end to end with tread areas of the tires facing each other;
- a tire handling robot located on one side of the first and second sealant application stands;
- and
- a dispense robot located on an opposite side of the first and second sealant application stands from the tire handling robot;
- (b) picking up a first tire with the tire handling robot and placing the first tire on the first sealant application stand;
- (c) applying a sealant bead to an inner surface of the first tire with a dispense tool carried by the dispense robot as the first tire is rotated by the first sealant application stand to form a sealant layer on the inner surface of the first tire;
- (d) picking up a second tire with the tire handling robot and placing the second tire on the second sealant application stand;
- and
- (e) applying a sealant bead to an inner surface of the second tire with the dispense tool carried by the dispense robot as the second tire is rotated by the second sealant application stand to form a sealant layer on the inner surface of the second tire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.