Method for designing a tire and method for producing at least one tire

• US 7,133,736 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2001
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Original Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Inventors: Gaiazzi, Stefano, Mervic, Stefano, Caretta, Renato, Cantu', Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp, Chad
• Application Number:
  US10/332,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 700/96, 700/97, 700/98, 700/117, 700/118
• US Class Current: 700/117
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/00 Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof producing inner tubes B29D23/24; constructional form of tyres or parts thereof B60C; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; testing of tyres G01M17/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0083 characterised by the curvature of the tyre tread
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/003 characterised by sidewall curvature
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 3/00 Tyres characterised by the transverse section
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 3/04 characterised by the relative dimensions of the section, e.g. low profile B60C3/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 99/006 Computer aided tyre design or simulation

Abstract

A method for designing a tyre includes defining at least one profile of the tyre based on a group of predefined dimensional constraints; defining at least one additional profile of the tyre based on predefined dimensional values of structural parts of the tyre; defining, within a cross-section of the tyre, shapes of the structural parts of the tyre; and approximating each shape by filling with a respective basic component depending on a function of the respective structural part. A method for producing at least one tyre includes obtaining information from a client'"'"'s processing system; supplying the information to a manufacturer'"'"'s processing system; obtaining manufacturing instructions based on the information; and manufacturing the at least one tyre using the manufacturing instructions. The manufacturer'"'"'s processing system is connected to a computer-controlled tyre factory via a communications link. The at least one tyre is manufactured at the computer-controlled tyre factory.

Claims

1. A method for designing a tyre, comprising:

defining at least one profile of the tyre based on a group of predefined dimensional constraints;

defining at least one additional profile of the tyre based on predefined dimensional values of structural parts of the tyre;

defining, within a cross-section of the tyre, shapes of the structural parts of the tyre; and

approximating each shape by filling with a respective basic component depending on a function of the respective structural part;

wherein the tyre comprises a plurality of the structural parts,

wherein each of the structural parts comprises one of the basic components,

wherein at least some of the structural parts are different from each other in terms of composition, position within the cross-section of the tyre, or one or more dimensions,

wherein one of the structural parts comprises at least one carcass ply disposed within the cross-section of the tyre along a predefined profile, and

wherein the cross-section of the tyre is defined by a radially-external profile and a radially-internal profile.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a first group of absolute values with each of the structural parts.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein associating a first group of absolute values comprises defining dimensional characteristics of the structural parts.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein associating a first group of absolute values comprises defining chemical and physical properties of materials forming the structural parts.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a second group of variables with each of the structural parts;

wherein the second group of variables can be modified for each of the structural parts.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein associating a second group of variables comprises calculating at least one of the variables, and

wherein the at least one of the variables can be modified as a function of a distance between the predetermined profile and one of the radially-external or radially-internal profiles.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein defining at least one profile of the tyre comprises ensuring that at least one portion of the predetermined profile satisfies a condition that, for one or more points on the predetermined profile, a radius of curvature at a respective point multiplied by a distance of the respective point from a fitting diameter of the tyre is equal to a constant value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the condition is satisfied in a zone of the tyre sidewalls.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined profile corresponds to a profile of the at least one carcass ply in an inflated condition of the tyre.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein defining at least one profile of the tyre comprises defining the radially-external profile of the tyre, and

wherein the group of predefined dimensional constraints comprises one or more of fitting size, external diameter, and maximum chord of the tyre.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein approximating each shape by filling comprises disposing a plurality of cross-sections of the respective basic component in a vicinity of each other.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein disposing a plurality of cross-sections of the respective basic component in a vicinity of each other generates instructions for manufacturing the structural part associated with each of the shapes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the instructions for manufacturing comprise positioning a point of the cross-section of each basic component and orientating at least one portion of a contour of each cross-section with respect to a reference axis.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein defining shapes of the structural parts comprises positioning each shape inside the cross-section of the tyre.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein positioning each shape generates a plurality of relations between various dimensional values of the structural parts of the tyre.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, once the dimensional values of the structural parts of the tyre have been fixed for a given tyre size, the plurality of relations defines respective dimensional values of the structural parts for tyres with a size different from the given tyre size.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the defining of the respective dimensional values of the structural parts for tyres with a different size is performed automatically.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the tyre is structurally defined by a plurality of machine cycles, and

wherein each machine cycle comprises the instructions for manufacturing a respective structural part.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the predefined dimensional constraints is derived from a specific request of a client.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the specific request is introduced into the group of predefined dimensional constraints using an on-line connection between a processing system of the client and a processing system of a manufacturer.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the absolute values of the first group is derived from a specific request of a client.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the specific request is introduced into the first group of absolute values using an on-line connection between a processing system of the client and a processing system of a manufacturer.

23. A method for producing at least one tyre satisfying requirements of a client, comprising:

receiving from the client a set of data;

combining the client data set with predefined construction data;

designing a structure of the at least one tyre using predefined correlation equations;

generating construction procedures for the structure of the at least one tyre; and

constructing the at least one tyre comprising characteristics satisfying the client data set;

wherein the client data set comprises data identifying the client,

wherein the client data set further comprises data related to dimensional requirements, performance requirements, or dimensional and performance requirements of the at least one tyre,

wherein the client data set is received from the client via a communication link between a computer of the client and a computer of a manufacturer, and

wherein the structure of the at least one tyre is designed based on the client data set and the predefined construction data.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein generating construction procedures comprises storing geometrical data related to deposition of one or more structural parts, and

wherein the one or more structural parts are defined during the design of the structure of the at least one tyre.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein designing a structure of the at least one tyre comprises automatically generating the construction procedures.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein designing a structure of the at least one tyre comprises automatically constructing the at least one tyre.

27. A method for producing at least one tyre satisfying requirements of a client, comprising:

supplying the client with a predefined set of requested data, comprising;

data identifying the client;

data related to dimensional requirements, performance requirements, or

dimensional and performance requirements of the at least one tyre;

receiving from the client a client data set in response to the requested data;

combining the client data set with predefined construction data;

designing a structure of the at least one tyre using predefined correlation equations;

generating construction procedures for the structure of the at least one tyre; and

constructing the at least one tyre according to the construction procedures;

wherein the predefined set of requested data is supplied to the client via a communication link between a computer of the client and a computer of a manufacturer, and

wherein the structure of the at least one tyre is designed based on the client data set and the predefined construction data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein generating construction procedures comprises storing geometrical data related to deposition of one or more structural parts, and

wherein the one or more structural parts are defined during the design of the structure of the at least one tyre.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein designing a structure of the at least one tyre comprises automatically generating the construction procedures.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein designing a structure of the at least one tyre comprises automatically constructing the at least one tyre.

31. A method for producing at least one tyre, comprising:

obtaining information from a client'"'"'s processing system;

supplying the information to a manufacturer'"'"'s processing system;

obtaining manufacturing instructions based on the information; and

manufacturing the at least one tyre using the manufacturing instructions;

wherein the information comprises data related to dimensional requirements, performance requirements, or dimensional and performance requirements of the at least one tyre,

wherein the information is correlated to a client purchase request,

wherein the manufacturing instructions are obtained via the manufacturer'"'"'s processing system,

wherein the manufacturer'"'"'s processing system is connected to a computer-controlled tyre factory via a communications link, and

wherein the at least one tyre is manufactured at the computer-controlled tyre factory.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the client purchase request is from the client'"'"'s processing system.