Device for constructing a belt for pneumatic vehicle tire

• US 20030066610A1
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental AG
• Inventors: Kolker, Martin, Sergel, Horst
• Granted Patent: US 6,994,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/394.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/4406 Adjusting the positions of the layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/4418 laterally, e.g. sideways
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/44 Stretching or treating the layers before application on the drum during application B29D30/30
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/93 Tyres

Abstract

Device for conveying and preparing belt construction strip having parallel reinforcing members embedded in belt construction material includes first and second conveying devices, successively positioned in the feed direction without lateral stops for belt construction strip, to laterally align belt construction strip. Drive device laterally moves first conveying device relative to feed direction, sensor device has at least two sensors to detect position of side edges of belt construction strip, and holding device holds a front tip of belt construction strip in controlled manner in region of second conveying device. First conveying device positioned upstream of second conveying device relative to feed direction, and sensor device positioned to determine alignment of edge of belt construction strip and/or alignment of center of belt construction strip. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Claims

1. A device for conveying and preparing a belt construction strip including parallel reinforcing members embedded in a belt construction material for processing in a subsequent processing device, the device comprising:

first and second conveying devices successively positioned in a feed direction without a lateral stop for the belt construction strip, the first and second conveying devices providing lateral alignment of the belt construction strip;

a drive device that laterally moves the first conveying device relative to the feed direction;

a sensor device comprising at least two sensors detecting a position of side edges of the belt construction strip;

a holding device that holds a front tip of the belt construction strip in a controlled manner in a region of the second conveying device;

the laterally movable first conveying device being positioned upstream of the second conveying device relative to the feed direction; and

the sensor device positioned to determine at least one of alignment of an edge of the belt construction strip and alignment of a center of the belt construction strip.

2. The device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a dividing device for cutting the belt construction strip off from a belt band material supply, the dividing device being positioned on the first conveying device.

3. The device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

an additional sensor positioned adjacent the second conveying device to detect a front edge of the band construction strip and to determine a length of the band construction strip between the front edge and the dividing device; and

the dividing device comprising a cutting device actuatable by a determination that the length of the band construction strip between the front edge and the dividing device corresponds to a desired length.

4. The device in accordance with claim 1, the holding device comprising:

a support roll being rotatably supported and mounted to be raised and lowered relative to the second conveying device,

wherein the support roll is lowered for aligning a position of the edge of the belt construction strip and exerts a sufficient force to enhance a frictional force between the belt construction strip and the second conveying device secure the front tip during alignment, and wherein the support roll is raised for aligning the center of the belt construction strip.

5. The device in accordance with claim 4, the holding device further comprising:

a support roll being rotatably supported and mounted to be raised and lowered relative to the first conveying device,

wherein the support roll is lowered for aligning a position of the edge of the belt construction strip and exerts a sufficient force to enhance a frictional force between the belt construction strip and the first conveying device secure the front tip during alignment, and wherein the support roll is raised for aligning the center of the belt construction strip.

6. The device in accordance with claim 1, the parallel reinforcing members comprising steel.

7. The device in accordance with claim 1, the subsequent processing device comprising a belt construction drum.

8. The device in accordance with claim 1, the belt construction material comprising rubber.

9. A device for conveying and preparing a belt construction strip having parallel reinforcing members embedded in a belt construction material, said device comprising:

first and second conveying devices successively positioned in a feed direction, said first and second conveying devices providing lateral alignment of the belt construction strip without a lateral stop;

a drive device structured and arranged to laterally move said first conveying device relative to the feed direction;

a sensor device comprising at least two sensors arranged to detect a position of side edges of the belt construction strip;

a holding device structured and arranged to hold a portion of the belt construction strip in a controlled manner in a region of the second conveying device; and

said sensor device being positioned to determine at least one of alignment of an edge of the belt construction strip and alignment of a center of the belt construction strip.

10. The device in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

a belt band material supply; and

a dividing device structured and arranged to separate the belt construction strip from said belt band material supply.

11. The device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said dividing device is positioned on said first conveying device and comprises a cutting device structured and arranged to form an oblique cut when separating the belt construction strip.

12. The device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said dividing device comprises a cutting device structured and arranged to form a front edge and a rear edge on the belt construction strip.

13. The device in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

an additional sensor positioned adjacent said second conveying device to detect the front edge of the band construction strip and to determine a length of the band construction strip between the front edge and said dividing device; and

said cutting device is actuatable when a length of the band construction strip between the front edge and said dividing device corresponds to a desired length.

14. The device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said holding device comprises a rotatably supported and mounted support roll structured and arranged to be raised and lowered relative to said second conveying device, and the portion of the belt construction strip is a front tip.

15. The device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said support roll is lowered during alignment of the edge of the belt construction strip to exert a force sufficient to secure the front tip during alignment, and said support roll is raised during alignment of the center of the belt construction strip.

16. The device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said holding device further comprises a rotatably supported and mounted second roll structured and arranged to be raised and lowered relative to said first conveying device.

17. The device in accordance with claim 16, wherein said second support roll is lowered during alignment of the edge of the belt construction strip to exert a sufficient force to secure the front tip during alignment, and wherein said second support roll is raised during alignment of the center of the belt construction strip.

18. The device in accordance with claim 13, wherein said holding device comprises a rotatably supported and mounted support roll structured and arranged to be raised and lowered relative to said second conveying device, and the portion of the belt construction strip is a rear tip.

19. The device in accordance with claim 18, wherein said support roll is lowered during alignment of the edge of the belt construction strip to exert a force sufficient to secure the rear tip during alignment, and

wherein said support roll is raised during alignment of the center of the belt construction strip.

20. The device in accordance with claim 18, wherein said holding device further comprises a rotatably supported and mounted second roll structured and arranged to be raised and lowered relative to said first conveying device.

21. The device in accordance with claim 20, wherein said second support roll is lowered during alignment of the edge of the belt construction strip to exert a sufficient force to secure the rear tip during alignment, and

wherein said support roll is raised during alignment of the center of the belt construction strip.

22. The device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said holding device comprises a rotatably supported and mounted support roll structured and arranged to be raised relative to said second conveying device during alignment of the center of the belt construction strip and to be lowered relative to said second conveying device during alignment of the edge of the belt construction strip so as to exert a force sufficient to secure the portion of the belt construction strip during alignment.

23. The device in accordance with claim 22, wherein said holding device comprises a rotatably supported and mounted second support roll structured and arranged to be raised relative to said first conveying device during alignment of the center of the belt construction strip and to be lowered relative to said first conveying device during alignment of the edge of the belt construction strip so as to exert a force sufficient to secure the portion of the belt construction strip during alignment.