Apparatus and method for splicing a tire component

An apparatus for splicing a leading end of a tire component to a trailing end of the same or another tire component, the apparatus comprising:

• a splicer unit with a splicer head that is moveable along a splicer track for splicing the leading end to the trailing end;
• a tire building drum comprising a circumferential working surface for supporting the tire component,
• wherein the working surface is arranged spaced apart from and facing towards the splicer head, and
• wherein the tire building drum comprises a drive for rotating the working surface about a first rotation axis and for generating a correction motion of the working surface in a circumferential direction about said first rotation axis;
• a separator body for separating the leading end and the trailing end from the working surface,
• wherein the separator body is arranged between the splicer head and the working surface when considered in a direction extending perpendicularly outwards from the working surface,
• wherein the separator body comprises a support surface at a side of the separator body facing away from the working surface for supporting the leading end and the trailing end at a distance from the working surface,
• wherein the correction direction extends perpendicular to a radial line of the tire building drum that intersects the separator body in a separation position;
• and
• a separator drive for moving the separator body in a direction parallel to the splicer track,
• wherein the correction motion of the working surface comprises a first vector component in a correction direction perpendicular to the splicer track for positioning the leading end and the trailing end relative to the splicer track after placement of tire component on the tire building drum and the leading end and the trailing end on the support surface of the separator body;
• wherein the separator drive comprises a coupling assembly which is configured for providing that the separator body is movable with a second vector component in the correction direction for at least partially following the correction motion of the working surface.

A method for splicing a leading end of a tire component to a trailing end of the same or another tire component, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

• providing a tire building drum that comprises a circumferential working surface for supporting the tire component(s);
• providing a separator body that comprises a support surface and arranging the separator body at a distance from the tire building drum, wherein the support surface is facing away from the working surface;
• providing and arranging the leading end of the tire component and the trailing end of the same or the other tire component on the support surface;
• providing a splicer unit with a splicer head that is moveable along a splicer track for splicing the leading end to the trailing end;
• determining a deviation between a center between the leading end and the trailing end, and the splicer track along a correction direction, wherein the correction direction is perpendicular to the splicer track and perpendicular to a radial line of the tire building drum that intersects the separator body in a separation position;
• moving the splicer head along the splicer track to splice the leading end to the trailing end;
• and
• prior or during said splicing, rotating the working surface about a first rotation axis and generating a correction motion of the working surface in a circumferential direction about said first rotation axis,
• wherein the correction motion of the working surface comprises a first vector component in the correction direction, and moving the separator body with a second vector component in the correction direction for at least partially following the correction motion of the working surface, in order to reduce said deviation.