Process and plant for producing tyres
AssigneePirelli Tyre S.p.A.
InventorsStefano Testi, Alan Bottomley, Alessio Longoni
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A compound plant for processing elastomeric compounds for tires with both a high quality and a high throughput includes at least one batch mixing device in combination with at least one multi-shaft continuous mixing device having a high number of shafts. For example, the multi-shaft continuous mixing device could be a ring extruder having a plurality of co-rotating screws disposed to form a ring. In operation, a first elastomeric compound is discharged from the at least one batch mixing device and processed with the at least one multi-shaft continuous mixing device to obtain a second elastomeric compound.
Claims15
A process for manufacturing a tyre comprising:
- providing at least one crosslinkable elastomeric compound;
- manufacturing a plurality of structural elements of said tyre, wherein at least one structural element of said plurality of structural elements comprises said at least one crosslinkable elastomeric compound;
- manufacturing a green tyre using said plurality of structural elements;
- and
- subjecting the green tyre to moulding and crosslinking to obtain a finished tyre,
- wherein providing of said at least one crosslinkable elastomeric compound comprises:
- feeding at least one elastomeric polymer and at least one reinforcing filler to a mixing apparatus comprising at least one batch mixing device;
- mixing and dispersing, in said mixing apparatus, said at least one reinforcing filler in said at least one elastomeric polymer, so as to obtain a first elastomeric compound;
- discharging said first elastomeric compound from said mixing apparatus;
- feeding said first elastomeric compound to at least one multi-shaft continuous mixing device, said at least one multi-shaft continuous mixing device being a ring extruder comprising an inner core, an outer housing defining with said inner core an annular chamber, and at least six rotating screws, wherein said ring extruder comprises at least one gas outlet opening provided in said outer housing;
- mixing said first elastomeric compound in said at least one multi-shaft continuous mixing device, so as to obtain a second elastomeric compound;
- and
- applying vacuum to said at least one gas outlet opening during mixing of said first elastomeric compound in said ring extruder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.