Tyre belt drum

• US 20070095481A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VMI EPE Holland BV (TKH Group NV)
• Original Assignee: VMI EPE Holland BV (TKH Group NV)
• Inventors: Doppenberg, Evert, Graaf, Martin De
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/414
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/242 for manufacturing substantially cylindrical tyre components without cores or beads, e.g. treads or belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2030/005 Belts

Abstract

Belt drum, particularly for shaping a belt layer and/or a tread layer or another tyre component provided with metal parts and the like into a circumferential whole, wherein the drum is rotatable about a centre line, comprising a number of support members having a rigid support surface for the tyre component and situated at the circumference of the drum, wherein considered in a cross-sectional plane containing the centre line, the support members comprise middle support sections and side support sections movably connected thereto, wherein the middle sections of the support members are moveable by first movement means between a first position, in which the respective support member forms a support surface that is parallel to the centre line, and at least one second position, in which a substantially convex support surface is formed by the respective support member, wherein the first movement means are connected to the middle support sections in order to at least keep them parallel to the centre line in at least the one second position.

Claims

1. Belt drum, particularly for shaping a belt layer and/or a tread layer or another tyre component provided with metal parts and the like into a circumferential whole, wherein the drum is rotatable about a centre line, comprising a number of support members having a rigid support surface for the tyre component and situated at the circumference of the drum, wherein considered in a cross-sectional plane containing the centre line, the support members comprise middle support sections and side support sections movably connected thereto, wherein the middle sections of the support members are moveable by driven first movement assemblies between a first position, in which the respective support member forms a support surface that is parallel to the centre line, and at least one second position, in which a substantially convex support surface is formed by the respective support member, wherein the first movement assemblies are connected to the middle support sections in order to at least keep them parallel to the centre line in at least the one second position.

2. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the middle support section is kept to be oriented parallel to the centre line at all times.

3. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the middle support sections are fixedly attached to the first movement assemblies.

4. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the support members are movable to, particularly are adjustable in, several, selected second positions having a different convexity.

5. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the middle support sections are connected to the related side support sections for subjecting them to a rotational motion during movement between the first position and the at least one second position.

6. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the middle and side support sections are connected to each other so as to be rotatable about an axis tangential to the drum.

7. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the side support sections are movably and rotatably connected to the rest of the drum, again considered in a plane of longitudinal section of the drum.

8. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the drum has a plane of symmetry that is perpendicular to the centre line and the support members in the second position form a support surface that is symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry and in the middle support section is situated further from the centre line than the adjacent side sections are.

9. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the side sections form straight support surfaces and are rotatably connected to the rest of the drum about points of rotation that in a direction parallel to the centre line are spaced apart from the plane of symmetry.

10. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the points of rotation between the support sections one to the other and/or between the support sections and the rest of the drum—

considered in a direction parallel to the centre line—

are adjustable.

11. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the support sections at the location of the mutual connection are movable with respect to each other in a direction parallel to the centre line, such as by means of a mortise and tenon joint, particularly by means of a slotted hole.

12. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the support sections engage into each other considered in a direction parallel to the centre line.

13. Belt drum according to claim 1, provided with a first stop for limiting a radial outward movement of the support members to the second position, as well as with a first adjuster for adjusting the first stop.

14. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the first movement assemblies comprise first cone members and second cone members, wherein the first cone members are situated radially within the second cone members and are movable with a directional component in a direction parallel to the centre line in order to radially displace the second cone members, wherein the support members are connected to the second cone members for movement thereby.

15. Belt drum according to claim 14, wherein the first cone members are movable according to a direction parallel to the centre line.

16. Belt drum according to claim 14, provided with a first stop for limiting a radial outward movement of the support members to the second position, as well as with a first adjuster for adjusting the first stop, wherein the first stop is active in limiting the movement of the first cone members in a direction parallel to the centre line.

17. Belt drum according to claim 1, furthermore provided with second movement assemblies for moving the support members from a position that is radially retracted with respect to the centre line to at least a position that is radially extended with respect to the centre line.

18. Belt drum according to claim 17, wherein the support members are movable by means of the second movement assemblies between both positions in a condition in which the support surfaces, considered in a cross-sectional plane containing the centre line, are situated parallel to the centre line.

19. Belt drum according to claim 17, provided with a second stop for limiting a joint radial outward movement of the support members, as well as with a second adjuster for adjusting the second stop.

20. Belt drum according to claim 17, wherein the second movement members comprise third cone members and fourth cone members, wherein the third cone members are situated radially within the fourth cone members and are movable with a directional component in a direction parallel to the centre line in order to radially displace the fourth cone members, wherein the support members are radially movable by the fourth cone members.

21. Belt drum according to claim 20, wherein the third cone members are movable according to a direction parallel to the centre line.

22. Belt drum according to claim 20, provided with a second stop for limiting a joint radial outward movement of the support members, as well as with a second adjuster for adjusting the second stop, wherein the second stop is active in limiting the movement of the second cone members in a direction parallel to the centre line.

23. Belt drum according to claim 14, furthermore provided with second movement assemblies for moving the support members from a position that is radially retracted with respect to the centre line to at least a position that is radially extended with respect to the centre line, wherein the second movement members comprise third cone members and fourth cone members, wherein the third cone members are situated radially within the fourth cone members and are movable with a directional component in a direction parallel to the centre line in order to radially displace the fourth cone members, wherein the support members are radially movable by the fourth cone members, and wherein the third cone members are movable by the second cone members.

24. Belt drum according to claim 23, provided with a second stop for limiting a joint radial outward movement of the support members, as well as with a second adjuster for adjusting the second stop, wherein the second adjuster is active in adjusting the distance between the second and the third cone members, considered in a direction parallel to the centre line.

29. Belt drum according to claim 1, wherein the support members are biased to the first position.

25. Belt drum, particularly for shaping a belt layer and/or a tread layer or another tyre component provided with metal parts and the like into a circumferential whole, wherein the drum is rotatable about a centre line, comprising a number of support members having a rigid support surface for the tyre component and situated at the circumference of the drum, wherein considered in a cross-sectional plane containing the centre line, the support members are moveable by movement assemblies between a first position, in which a support surface is formed that is parallel to the centre line and is situated at a first radial distance from the centre line and at least one second position, in which a support surface is formed that is parallel to the centre line and is situated at a second radial distance that is larger than the first radial distance from the centre line, wherein the movement assemblies comprise first cone members and second cone members, wherein the first cone members are situated radially within the second cone members and are movable with a directional component in a direction parallel to the centre line in order to radially displace the second cone members, wherein the support members are connected to the second cone members for movement thereby.

26. Belt drum according to claim 25, wherein the first cone members are movable according to a direction parallel to the centre line.

27. Belt drum according to claim 25, provided with a stop for limiting a radial outward movement of the support members, as well as with an adjuster for adjusting the stop, wherein the stop is active in limiting the movement of the first cone members in a direction parallel to the centre line.

28. Belt drum according to claim 25, wherein the second cone members are biased to the first position.

30. Belt drum, particularly for shaping a belt layer and/or a tread layer or another tyre component provided with metal parts and the like into a circumferential whole, wherein the drum is rotatable about a centre line, comprising a number of support members having a rigid support surface for the tyre component and situated at the circumference of the drum, wherein considered in a cross-sectional plane containing the centre line, the support members comprise middle support sections and side support sections movably connected thereto, wherein the middle sections of the support members are moveable by driven first movement assemblies between a first position, in which the respective support member forms a support surface that is parallel to the centre line, and at least one second position, in which a substantially convex support surface is formed by the respective support member, wherein the middle support sections are fixedly attached to the first movement assemblies.

31. Belt drum, particularly for shaping a belt layer and/or a tread layer or another tyre component provided with metal parts and the like into a circumferential whole, wherein the drum is rotatable about a centre line, comprising a number of support members having a rigid support surface for the tyre component and situated at the circumference of the drum, wherein considered in a cross-sectional plane containing the centre line, the support members comprise middle support sections and side support sections movably connected thereto, wherein the middle sections of the support members are moveable by first movement means between a first position, in which the respective support member forms a support surface that is parallel to the centre line, and at least one second position, in which a substantially convex support surface is formed by the respective support member, wherein the first movement means are connected to the middle support sections in order to at least keep them parallel to the centre line in at least the one second position.