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US 2019/0240939 A1Published application
System and method for tire retreading
OwnerSARAH JANIE McADOOinventor
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Abstract
A plurality of embodiments of a method and apparatus for retreading individual tires using one or more electrical heating bands and a component or device to apply a force to the retread tire package comprising a new or used core and a new retread along with an adhesive. In particular, the force may be applied using one or more plates that are connected to actuators for pushing the plates into the retread package to apply the force during curing of the package.
Claims21
1:
- A method for performing a tire retread on an individual tire, comprising the steps of:
- placing a layer of adhesive on an outer surface of a tire casing or an inner surface of a retread having a tread pattern on a surface thereof;
- placing the retread on the tire casing with the adhesive layer between the retread and the tire casing to form a retread package;
- providing a heating device around an exterior circumference of the retread package, said heating device configured to heat the retread package using electrical heating elements, wherein said heating device includes a durable layer configured to withstand compression against an uneven surface, said durable layer provided against the tread pattern on the retread;
- applying pressure to the retread package to provide a force into the retread package with the heating device over the retread to compress the adhesive layer between the tire casing and the retread;
- and
- while applying said force, using the heating device to heat the retread package to cure said adhesive and bind said retread to said tire casing.
4 more elements
2:
- The method of claim 1, wherein said heating device includes a temperature sensor with said method further comprising the step of monitoring a temperature of at least a portion of said retread package during the heating step.
3:
- The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing another heating device into an interior of the tire casing, wherein, while applying said force, also using the other heating device to heat the retread package to cure said adhesive.
4:
- The method of claim 1, wherein said force is provided by at least partly encircling said retread package with a device at least partly in contact with said retread package and providing a mechanical force to the retread using said device.
5:
- The method of claim 4, wherein said mechanical force is at least partly provided by a piston pushing against a rigid plate in contact with said retread package.
6:
- The method of claim 5, wherein said force is provided by a plurality of said pistons, each one of said pistons being associated with one of a plurality of said plates, each one of said plates provided in contact with an outer circumference said retread package.
7:
- The method of claim 4, wherein said mechanical force is provided by a clamp.
8:
- The method of claim 1, wherein the heating device is a flexible heating pad.
9:
- The method of claim 8, wherein the durable layer is comprised of is comprised of a metal.
10:
- The method of claim 8, wherein the durable layer is comprised of aluminum.
11:
- The method of claim 8, wherein the durable layer is removable and replaceable from the heating pad.
12:
- The method of claim 1, wherein the heating device is comprised of one or more rigid plates including electrical heating elements embedded therein, such that the force to compress the retread package is provided by pushing the rigid plates into the retread package.
13:
- The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of rigid plates;
- providing a plurality of fittings of different sizes;
- selecting one of the fittings based on a size of the individual tire;
- and
- connecting one or more of said rigid plates to an adjacent one of said rigid plates using the selected fitting to accommodate the size of the individual tire, wherein
- the force to compress the retread package is provided by pushing the rigid plates into the retread package.
4 more elements
14:
- A method for performing a tire retread on an individual tire, comprising the steps of:
- placing a layer of adhesive on an outer surface of a tire casing or an inner surface of a retread having a tread pattern on a surface thereof;
- placing the retread on the tire casing with the adhesive layer between the retread and the tire casing to form a retread package;
- providing a flexible heating pad around an exterior circumference of the retread package, said heating pad including a temperature sensor, said heating pad configured to heat the retread package using electrical heating elements, wherein said heating pad includes a durable layer configured to withstand compression against an uneven surface, said durable layer provided against the tread pattern on the retread;
- applying pressure to the retread package using one or more rigid plates to provide a force into the retread package, with the heating pad positioned under the rigid plates and over the retread, said force configured to compress the adhesive layer between the tire casing and the retread;
- and
- while applying said force, using the heating pad to heat the retread package to cure said adhesive and bind said retread to said tire casing while monitoring a temperature of at least a portion of said retread package during the heating step using a control system.
4 more elements
15:
- The method of claim 14, wherein said force is provided by a plurality of pistons, each one of said pistons being associated with one of a plurality of said rigid plates, each one of said plates provided in contact with an outer circumference said retread package.
The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of fittings of different sizes;
- selecting one of the fittings based on a size of the individual tire;
- and
- connecting one or more of said rigid plates to an adjacent one of said rigid plates using the selected fitting to accommodate the size of the individual tire.
1 more element
17:
- The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of pistons, each one of said pistons being associated with one of a plurality of said rigid plates, said pistons configured
18:
- A method for performing a tire retread on an individual tire, comprising the steps of:
- placing a layer of adhesive on an outer surface of a tire casing or an inner surface of a retread having a tread pattern on a surface thereof;
- placing the retread on the tire casing with the adhesive layer between the retread and the tire casing to form a retread package;
- providing a flexible heating pad around an exterior circumference of the retread package, said heating pad including a temperature sensor, said heating pad configured to heat the retread package using electrical heating elements, wherein said heating pad includes a durable layer configured to withstand compression against an uneven surface, said durable layer provided against the tread pattern on the retread;
- providing a plurality of rigid plates;
- providing a plurality of fittings;
- connecting each one of said rigid plates to an adjacent one of said rigid plates using at least one of said adjustable fittings to link said rigid plates together;
- applying pressure to the retread package via said rigid plates to provide a force into the retread package, with the heating pad positioned under the rigid plates and over the retread, said force configured to compress the adhesive layer between the tire casing and the retread;
- and
- while applying said force, using the heating pad to heat the retread package to cure said adhesive and bind said retread to said tire casing while monitoring a temperature of at least a portion of said retread package during the heating step using a control system.
7 more elements
19:
- the method of claim 18, wherein said plurality of fittings includes fittings of different sizes, said method further including the step of selecting fittings from said plurality of fittings based on a size of the individual tire, wherein the selected fittings are used to connect the ones of said rigid plates to the adjacent ones of said rigid plates.
20:
- The method of claim 18, wherein said force is provided by a plurality of pistons, each one of said pistons being associated with a respective one of the rigid plates.
21:
- A method for performing a tire retread on an individual tire, comprising the steps of:
- placing a layer of adhesive on an outer surface of a tire casing or an inner surface of a retread having a tread pattern on a surface thereof;
- placing the retread on the tire casing with the adhesive layer between the retread and the tire casing to form a retread package;
- providing a flexible heating pad around an exterior circumference of the retread package, said heating pad including a temperature sensor, said heating pad configured to heat the retread package using electrical heating elements;
- applying pressure to the retread package using one or more rigid plates to provide a force into the retread package, with the heating pad positioned under the rigid plates and over the retread, said force configured to compress the adhesive layer between the tire casing and the retread;
- and
- while applying said force, using the heating pad to heat the retread package to cure said adhesive and bind said retread to said tire casing while monitoring a temperature of at least a portion of said retread package during the heating step using a control system.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.