Plant for producing tyres of different types simultaneously

• US 20030170336A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Original Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Inventors: Caretta, Renato, Cantu, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 6,738,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 425/340
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0016 Handling tyres or parts thereof, e.g. supplying, storing, conveying B29D30/2607 takes precedence; loading and unloading vulcanizing presses B29D30/0603
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/005 General arrangement or lay-out of plants for the processing of tyres or parts thereof round cores or cylindrical drums arranged for a single sequence of tire building operations B29D30/10, B29D30/20; vulcanization presses B29D30/0601
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/128 the workpiece itself serves as a record carrier, e.g. by its form, by marks or codes on it
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32046 On detection workpiece code load program for workpiece from central
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36371 Barcode reader
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45018 Car, auto, vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49302 Part, workpiece, code, tool identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10855 Characterized by the carcass, carcass material, or physical arrangement of the carcass materials

Abstract

Plant for producing tyres of different types simultaneously, comprising a plurality of operating units operating in succession, comprising a central processing unit capable of causing the sequential execution of a plurality of operating steps at work stations, each of which comprises at least one of the said operating units, according to one or more predetermined sequences of types of tyres. The plant also comprises a local processing unit associated with each work station and capable of identifying the type of tyre corresponding to a drum supplied to each of the said operating units, and of selecting, from a predetermined group of operating procedures for each of the said operating units, a specific procedure for the type of tyre corresponding to the drum being worked on.

Claims

1. Plant for producing tyres of different types simultaneously, comprising a plurality of operating units operating in succession, and characterized in that it comprises:

a central processing unit capable of causing the sequential execution of a plurality of operating steps at work stations, each of which comprises at least one of the said operating units, according to one or more predetermined sequences of types of tyres,

a local processing unit associated with each work station and capable of identifying the type of tyre corresponding to a drum supplied to each of the said operating units, and of selecting, from a predetermined group of operating procedures for each of the said operating units, a specific procedure for the type of tyre corresponding to the drum being worked on.

2. Plant according to claim 1, in which each drum comprises a code identifying the type of tyre to be produced on it.

3. Plant according to claim 1, in which each work station comprises at least one reader of the said code identifying the type of tyre.

4. Plant according to claim 2, in which the said identification code is associated with a shaft of the said drum.

5. Plant according to claim 2, in which the said code identifying the type of tyre is a bar code.

6. Plant according to claim 3, in which the said reader of the said identification code is associated with each operating unit.

7. Plant according to claim 3, in which the said reader of the said identification code is associated with each robotic arm of each operating unit.

8. Method for manufacturing tyres of different types in an automatic plant comprising a plurality of operating units operating in succession, characterized in that it comprises the steps of:

causing, in a central processing unit, the sequential execution of a plurality of operating steps in the said operating units, according to one or more predetermined sequences of types of tyres;

identifying the type of tyre corresponding to a drum supplied to each of the said operating units;

selecting, from a predetermined group of operating procedures for each of the said operating units, a specific procedure for the type of tyre corresponding to the drum being worked on.

9. Method according to claim 8, in which the said step of identifying the type of tyre comprises the reading of a code identifying this type associated with the drum being worked on.