Method for centering a tire component

Method according to claim 1, wherein the lateral position of the first longitudinal edge is determined and the first conveyor is transversely moved prior to step e).

Method according to claim 1, wherein the second longitudinal edge is determined and the drum is laterally moved prior to step h).

Method according to claim 1, wherein the lateral position of the first longitudinal edge is determined in step c) between the first conveyor and the second conveyor.

Method according to claim 1, wherein the lateral position of the second longitudinal edge is determined in step e) between the first conveyor and the second conveyor.

Method according to claim 1, wherein the leading end is provided with a leading edge extending under an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal edges, wherein the first longitudinal edge extends along the main part and the leading end, wherein at least part of the first longitudinal edge at the leading end of the tire component is aligned along the first edge reference for said first longitudinal edge in step d).

Method according to claim 1, wherein, in step e), the lateral position of the second longitudinal edge is first determined at or near the transition from the leading end to the main part, wherein, during the subsequent conveyance of the tire component from the first conveyor to the second conveyor in step e), the first conveyor is moved transverse with respect to the first direction of conveyance for aligning the lateral center of tire component, at least at the main part, with the lateral center between the determined lateral positions of the longitudinal edges at or near the transition from the leading end to the main part.

Method according to claim 1, wherein the trailing end is provided with a trailing edge extending under an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal edges, wherein the second longitudinal edge extends along the main part and the trailing end, wherein, after the determination of the lateral position of the second longitudinal edge in step e), at least part of the second longitudinal edge at the trailing end of the tire component is aligned along a second edge reference for said second longitudinal edge on the second conveyor in step e).

Method according to claim 1, wherein the leading end and the trailing end are provided with a leading edge and a trailing edge, respectively, extending under an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal edges, wherein during the conveyance of the trailing end from the first conveyor to the second conveyor in step e), the first conveyor is moved transverse to the second direction of conveyance to match the shape of at least part of the trailing edge to the shape of the leading edge.

Method according to claim 1, wherein the centering assembly is provided with one or more sensors for detecting the lateral positions of one or more edges of the tire component and a control system that controls the transverse movement of the first conveyor and the lateral movement of the drum in steps d) and g) based on the detection of the lateral positions of the one or more edges by the one or more sensors.

Method according to claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors are arranged between the first conveyor and the second conveyor.

Method according to claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a line camera for detecting the lateral positions of one or more edges of the tire component along a laterally extending detection line.

Method according to claim 10, wherein the control system controls the transverse movement of the first conveyor in step d) upstream of the one or more sensors.

Method according to claim 10, wherein the control system controls the lateral movement of the drum in step g) downstream of the one or more sensors.

Method according to claim 10, wherein step d) comprises determining the lateral position of the first longitudinal edge based on the detection signals from the one or more sensors, comparing the determined lateral position to a desired lateral position on the second conveyor for said first longitudinal edge, determining the required amount of transverse movement of the first conveyor with respect to the second conveyor for aligning the determined lateral position of the first longitudinal edge with the desired lateral position, sending a control signal from the control system to a first drive associated with the first conveyor for controlling the transverse movement of the first conveyor until the determined lateral position of the first longitudinal edge is aligned along the desired lateral position for said first longitudinal edge.

Method according to claim 10, wherein step e) comprises determining the lateral position of the second longitudinal edge based on the detection signals from the one or more sensors, wherein step g) comprises determining the lateral center between the determined lateral positions of the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge, determining the required amount of lateral movement of the drum with respect to the second conveyor for aligning the lateral center of tire component with the center of the desired application position on the drum, sending a control signal from the control system to a second drive associated with the drum for controlling the lateral movement of the drum until the determined lateral center of the tire component is aligned with the center of the desired application position on the drum.

Method according to claim 16, wherein the determination of the lateral center comprises the step of the control system assigning a center reference to the lateral center between the determined lateral positions of the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge at least at one longitudinal position along the tire component.

Method according to claim 18, wherein the predetermined distance corresponds to corresponds to the desired circumferential length of the tire component when the tire component is applied to the drum.

Method according to claim 1, wherein the transverse movement of the first conveyor is a lateral movement.

Method according to claim 1, wherein the transverse movement of the first conveyor comprises a rotation of an end of the first conveyor facing the second conveyor about a pivot point located at the opposite end of the first conveyor with respect to the second conveyor.

Method according to claim 1, wherein between steps b) and g), a subsequent cycle of the steps of the method is already started by placing a subsequent tire component on the first conveyor according to step a) and/or by conveying the subsequent tire component from the first conveyor towards the second conveyor according to step b).

Method according to claim 22, wherein one or both of steps c) and d) for a subsequent cycle of the method take place simultaneously with one or both of steps f) and g) of the previous cycle of the method.

Method according to claim 22, wherein the subsequent tire component is moved in the first direction of conveyance at a distance from the tire component that is previously conveyed in said first direction of conveyance.

Centering assembly according to claim 25, wherein the second conveyor is fixed with respect to its surroundings in the lateral direction with respect to its second direction of conveyance.

Centering assembly according to claim 25, wherein the one or more sensors are arranged between the first conveyor and the second conveyor.

Centering assembly according to claim 25, wherein the control system is operationally coupled to and is arranged for controlling the first drive upstream of the one or more sensors.

Centering assembly according to claim 25, wherein the control system is operationally coupled to and is arranged for controlling the second drive downstream of the one or more sensors.

Centering assembly according to claim 25, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a line camera for detecting the lateral positions of the edges of the tire component along a laterally extending detection line.