U.S. patent application number 11/598586 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-24 for method for winding strips on a tire building machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Osamu Fujiki, Mitsuru Hitotsuyanagi, Kentaro Shimizu.
Application Number | 20070113948 11/598586 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26408901 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070113948 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shimizu; Kentaro ; et
al. |
May 24, 2007 |
Method for winding strips on a tire building machine
Abstract
A strip member is wound by a tire building machine having a
building drum for taking up a strip member of predetermined length
without discrete ends and a transfer conveyor for feeding the strip
member to the building drum. The winding-start end of the strip
member transferred from the transfer conveyor to the building drum
and the winding-finish end of the strip member are detected by
means of end sensors, measuring the angle through which the
building drum has rotated from the output of a winding start signal
to the output of a winding finish signal in response to output
signals from the sensors by means of an angle detector. A lapping
margin between the winding start end and the winding finish end of
the strip member is calculated based on the rotational angle and
diameter of the building drum by means of an operational means.
Inventors: |
Shimizu; Kentaro; (Osaka,
JP) ; Fujiki; Osamu; (Osaka, JP) ;
Hitotsuyanagi; Mitsuru; (Osaka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JORDAN AND HAMBURG LLP
122 EAST 42ND STREET
SUITE 4000
NEW YORK
NY
10168
US
|
Assignee: |
TOYO TIRE & RUBBER CO.,
LTD.
Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
26408901 |
Appl. No.: |
11/598586 |
Filed: |
November 13, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10628612 |
Jul 24, 2003 |
7135080 |
|
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11598586 |
Nov 13, 2006 |
|
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09804567 |
Mar 12, 2001 |
6602367 |
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10628612 |
Jul 24, 2003 |
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08943068 |
Oct 2, 1997 |
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09804567 |
Mar 12, 2001 |
|
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|
08625989 |
Apr 1, 1996 |
|
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|
08943068 |
Oct 2, 1997 |
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08400302 |
Mar 6, 1995 |
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|
08625989 |
Apr 1, 1996 |
|
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08187775 |
Jan 26, 1994 |
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08400302 |
Mar 6, 1995 |
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07666099 |
Mar 7, 1991 |
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08187775 |
Jan 26, 1994 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
156/64 ;
156/134 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29D 30/3007 20130101;
B29D 2030/428 20130101; B29D 2030/427 20130101; B29D 2030/4437
20130101; B29D 2030/4456 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
156/064 ;
156/134 |
International
Class: |
B29D 30/30 20060101
B29D030/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 17, 1990 |
JP |
2-67689 |
Mar 17, 1990 |
JP |
2-67690 |
Claims
1. A method of winding a strip member on a drum of a tire building
machine in a winding operation building a tire, comprising:
providing a first strip end sensor arranged to sense a first
position along a path of rotational advance of a surface of said
drum which is angularly displaced along said path of rotational
advance from an angular position along said path of rotational
advance whereat said strip member is brought into initial contact
with said drum in order to detect a first detection position on
said surface of said drum whereat said strip member is brought into
initial contact with said drum; providing a second strip end sensor
arranged to sense a second position along said path of rotational
advance of said surface of said drum which is angularly displaced
from said first position along said path of rotational advance at
which said first strip end sensor is directed; providing an angle
detector to detect an angle of rotation of said drum; rotating said
drum in a drum rotational direction a front end of said strip
member applied to said drum to begin wrapping said strip member on
said drum; detecting said front end of said strip member at said
first detection position using said first strip end sensor and
initiating a first angular measurement using said angle detector;
detecting arrival of said front end of said strip member at said
second strip end sensor; completing said first angular measurement
using said angle detector; initiating a second angular measurement
based on said front end of said strip member being detected by said
second strip end sensor and continuing to rotate said drum in said
drum rotational direction; calculating a first angle representing
angular displacement from said second strip end sensor to said
first strip end sensor in the drum rotational direction based on
output from said angle detector; detecting arrival of a trailing
end of said strip member at said first strip end sensor brought
about by rotating said drum in said drum rotational direction;
completing said second angular measurement using said angle
detector based on said trailing end of said strip member being
detected by said first strip end sensor to yield a second angle;
and calculating an overlap length if said second angle is greater
than said first angle and calculating a gap length if said second
angle is less than said first angle.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein: said overlap length is calculated
using the formula
X=(D+2t).pi..times.((.theta..sub.1-.theta..sub.0)/360) when said
second angle is greater than said first angle, where: X=said
overlap length; D=a diameter of said drum; t=a thickness of said
strip member; .theta..sub.0=said first angle; and
.theta..sub.1=said second angle; and said gap length is calculated
using the formula
Y=(D+2t).pi..times.((.theta..sub.0-.theta..sub.2)/360) when said
first angle is greater than said second angle and where
.theta..sub.2 equals said second angle and Y equals said gap
length.
3. The method of claim 2 further comprising: determining whether
one of said overlap length and said gap length is outside an
allowable range; and stopping the winding operation of the tire in
response to said one of said overlap length and said gap length
being determined to be outside said allowable range.
4. The method of claim 2 further comprising: determining whether
one of said overlap length and said gap length is outside an
allowable range; and providing an indication of gap length being
out of said allowable range in response to said one of said overlap
length and said gap length being determined to be outside said
allowable range.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining whether
one of said overlap length and said gap length is outside an
allowable range; and stopping the winding operation of the tire in
response to said one of said overlap length and said gap length
being determined to be outside said allowable range.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining whether
one of said overlap length and said gap length is outside an
allowable range; and providing an indication of gap length being
out of said allowable range in response to said one of said overlap
length and said gap length being determined to be outside said
allowable range.
Description
[0001] This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 10/628,612
filed Jul. 24, 2003 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,080 which is
a Continuation of application Ser. No. 09/804,567 filed Mar. 12,
2001, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,367, which is a Divisional
of 08/943,068 filed Oct. 2, 1997, now abandoned, which is a
Continuation of 08/625,989 filed Apr. 1, 1996, now abandoned, which
is a Continuation of 08/400,302 filed Mar. 16, 1995, now abandoned,
which is a Continuation of 08/187,775 filed Jan. 26, 1994, now
abandoned, which is a Continuation of 07/666,099 filed Mar. 7,
1991, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The inventions disclosed in this application relate to
methods for winding an automotive tire building strip member on a
building drum.
[0004] More particularly, the first invention in this application
provides a method for winding a strip member, such as rubberized
steel cord, tread rubber or the like, precut to the circumferential
length of the building drum of a tire building machine, on the
building drum in such a manner that both ends of the strip member
will be exactly abutted against each other on the drum.
[0005] The second invention in this application relates to an
automotive tire building device wherein the lapping margin of ends
of a strip member wound on a building drum can be automatically
measured.
[0006] 2. Prior Art
[0007] In winding a tire strip member on a building drum, it is at
times required to insure exact abutment of its ends and at other
times required that the lapping margin (positive and negative) be
within certain allowable limits.
[0008] As a technology for insuring exact abutment of both ends of
a strip member, such as rubberized steel cord or tread rubber, in
the winding thereof on the building drum of an automotive or other
tire building machine, there is known a method described in
Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-32980. According to this method,
the length of the strip precut to the circumferential length of the
building drum is measured and, then, a leading portion, of
predetermined length, of the strip is taken up on the building drum
at the feeding (takeup) speed equal to the peripheral speed of the
drum. Then, the feeding speed relative to the building drum speed
is altered to either compress or stretch the strip while its
intermediate portion is wound on the building drum. Finally, the
feeding speed is re-equalized with the peripheral speed of the
building drum to wind up the remaining portion of the strip member
on the drum.
[0009] However, the strip member tends to shrink with the progress
of time after cutting and the time to termination of shrinkage and
the amount of shrinkage is dependent on the environment and other
conditions. Under certain conditions, the amount of post-cutting
shrinkage reaches as much as about 0.5%. Moreover, the length of
the strip member varies with the magnitude of the tension that acts
on the strip when it is transferred from a transfer conveyer to the
building drum and the pressure of contact between the strip and the
drum. In the prior art method mentioned above the total length of
the strip member is measured while it is undergoing shrinkage after
cutting and the ratio of the feeding speed to the peripheral speed
of the building drum is set according to the length value thus
found so as to compress or stretch the intermediate portion of the
strip. As a consequence, the aforesaid ratio is often irrelevant
and there occurs an excess or a shortage of compression or
stretching of the strip member, thus causing a lapping of the
leading and trailing ends of the strip member or a gap
therebetween.
[0010] Therefore, in the first invention in this application
provides a winding method which insures exact abutment of the ends
or abutment without an appreciable overlap or gap.
[0011] Furthermore, in the process of manufacture of an automotive
tire, not only the steel cord and tread rubber mentioned above but
a variety of other rubber-based strip members are cut to length and
both ends thereof are joined to build single-layer or multi-layer
ring or cylindrical members. For example, on the primary building
machine, an inner liner (a strip member of rubber) and a plurality
of ply cords (rubberized fiber cords or steel cords), all precut to
the circumferential length of the building drum, are laid up on the
peripheral surface of the drum. In the secondary building machine,
two steel belts (rubberized steel cords), a apply (rubberized nylon
cord), etc. are laid up some of these different strip members are
not joined by abutment at ends as described above but are joined by
lapping the trailing end over the leading end on the drum. As
mentioned above, the strip member has the property to shrink on
standing after cutting to length as mentioned above and the amount
of this shrinkages varies with changes in environment. Also as
mentioned above, the length of the strip member is altered by
external forces that act on the strip when it is transferred from
the conveyer to the drum. Therefore, even if the strip member has
been cut precisely to length, a variation is inevitable in the
degree of lapping of both ends. Therefore, it is common practice
for the operator to trim off the rubber or cord at the trailing end
when the degree of lapping is too large or unwind the strip partway
and rewind it with stretching when there is a gap between ends.
[0012] However, the conventional tire building machine is not
equipped with very effective means for inspecting the end joint of
the strip member and the current trend toward automation of tire
building cannot completely avoid a risk of products with the
surplus or deficiency in end lapping being shipped uncorrected and
marketed.
[0013] Accordingly the second invention in this application
provides a tire building device which is capable of detecting a
surplus or deficiency in end lapping while a strip member is wound
on a building drum of the primary or second building machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The method for winding a strip member on a tire building
machine in accordance with the first invention in this application
comprises feeding a strip member to a building drum by means of a
transfer conveyer, taking up the strip member on the building drum
while controlling the speeds of the transfer conveyer and building
drum and joining free ends of the strip member, which method is
characterized by setting the feeding speed of the transfer conveyer
and the peripheral speed of the building drum to equal values,
taking up a leading portion, of predetermined length, of the strip
member on the building drum, detecting the position of a trailing
end of the strip member on the transfer conveyer to calculate the
length of a trailing portion following the leading portion of the
strip member, setting the ratio of the feeding speed of the
transfer conveyer to the peripheral speed of the building drum to
the ratio L/Lo, where L is the length of the trailing portion and
Lo is the residual circumferential length of the building drum,
only when the L/Lo ratio is within a set range and taking up the
trailing portion of the strip member, while the takeup of the
trailing portion of the strip member is stopped when the ratio L/Lo
deviates out of the set range.
[0015] Thus, after completion of the takeup of a leading portion of
the strip member or just before the beginning of takeup of a
trailing portion of the strip member, the length of the trailing
portion is measured and the trailing portion is wound only when the
ratio L/Lo of the length of the trailing portion of the strip
member to the residual circumferential length Lo of the building
drum is within a set range, with the ratio of the feeding speed to
the peripheral speed of the building drum being set to the ratio
L/Lo, with the result that the error of length L of the trailing
portion of the strip member is minimized to preclude an excessive
overlap or gap between ends of the strip member, thus leading to
exact abutment of the ends or a minimum of overlap or gap.
[0016] The length of the leading portion of the strip member is
preferably set to 30.about.80% of one circumferential length of the
building drum. If the set length is less than 30%, installation of
a leading end sensor is difficult. Conversely if the set length is
over. 80%, the stretching or compression of the strip member is
concentrated in the trailing portion thereof to adversely affect
the quality of the product.
[0017] The ratio L/Lo applicable to the case of continued takeup of
the trailing portion of the strip member is preferably set within
the range of 0.995.about. 1.005. Outside of this range, the amount
of stretching or compression becomes too great to insure the proper
winding.
[0018] The method of winding the strip member in accordance with
the second invention in this application comprises using a tire
building machine having a building drum for taking up a tire
building strip member of predetermined length endlessly and a
transfer conveyer for feeding the strip member to the building
drum, which method is characterized by detecting the winding-start
end of the strip member transferred from the transfer conveyer to
the building drum and the winding-finish end of the strip member
with end sensors, measuring the angle through which the building
drum has rotated from the output of a winding start signal to the
output of a winding finish signal in response to output signals
from the sensors by means of an angle detector, and calculate a
lapping margin between the winding start end and the winding finish
end of the strip member based on the rotational angle and diameter
of the building drum by means of an operational means.
[0019] In the above method, since the lapping margin between the
two ends of the strip member is calculated by the operational
means, the building operation can be continued while the lapping
margin is within a preset allowable range or the operation can be
discontinued or an alarm be actuated when the lapping margin
deviates out of the allowable range, that is to say when the
lapping margin is too large or too small. Therefore, in the
automatic building process for car tires, the risk of products with
lapping defects being shipped can be effectively prevented.
[0020] It may be so arranged that one end sensor of the
above-described type is used to detect both the winding start and
winding, finish ends of the strip member or that two such end
sensors are installed apart from each other by an optional angle
along the circumferential direction of the building drum so that
one of the sensors is used to detect the winding start end with the
other sensor detecting the winding finish end.
[0021] Furthermore, a still more improved accuracy may be insured
by installing end sensors in a plurality of positions, for example
in the center and in positions on both sides thereof, Moreover, to
cope with the case in which one strip member has an intermediate
joint of material and this joint builds a step, it may be so
arranged that the trailing end sensor is rendered operative only
within a certain range, for example in the range of 5 mm, before
and after the winding start end, whereby the risk of the joint
being mistaken for the winding finish end and detected as such.
[0022] In the second invention in this application, the lapping
margin of the strip member wound on the building drum includes both
a positive value and a negative value. In other words, the case in
which the two ends of the strip member actually overlap and the
case in which there is a gap between the ends are included. The
winding operation is stopped when the actual overlap or gap is too
great or too small.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of the first
invention in this application.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing an example of
the second invention in this application.
[0025] FIGS. 3 and 4 each is a schematic side view of the building
drum, which explains the operation of the example shown in FIG.
2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] FIG. 1 shows an example of the first invention in this
application.
[0027] As illustrated, A stands for a tire steel belt, that is to
say a strip member, 1 for a transfer conveyer therefor, 2 for an
end pulley, 3 for a guide pulley, 4 for a drive pulley, and 5 for a
building drum. The drive pulley 3 is connected to a drive shaft of
a transfer servo motor 6 and the rotation of this servo motor 6 is
controlled by a transfer servo amplifier 7. The rotational speed of
the transfer servo motor 6 is detected by a pulse oscillator 8 and
fed back to the servo amplifier 7. On the other hand, the building
drum 5 is connected to a drive shaft of a drum servo motor 9 and
the rotation of this drum servo motor 9 is controlled by a servo
amplifier 10. The rotational speed of the drum servo motor 9 is
detected by a pulse oscillator 11 and fed back to the servo
amplifier 10.
[0028] Disposed over the building drum 5 is a leading end sensor 12
for contactless detection of a front end Aa of the strip member A
and an output of the leading end sensor 12 is connected to a sensor
amplifier 13. On the other hand, a trailing sensor 14 for detecting
the position of the trailing end Ab of strip member A is installed
over the transfer conveyer 1. Output terminals of the trailing end
sensor 14 and the sensor amplifier 13 are respectively connected to
a trailing length meter 15 for calculating the length L of a
trailing portion (the length from point P to Ab) of the strip
member A. When the leading portion of strip member A is
progressively wound on the building drum 5 and the leading end Aa
of strip member A is detected by the leading end sensor 12, the
trailing end sensor 14 detects the position of the trailing end Ab
of strip member A and the trailing length meter 15 calculates the
length L of the trailing portion of A which is still to be wound on
the building drum 5.
[0029] The output terminal of the trailing length meter 15 is
connected to a speed ratio calculator 16. This speed ratio
calculator 16 calculates the ratio L/Lo of the length L of the
trailing portion to a length of strip member A which is still to be
wound on the building drum 5, that is the residual circumferential
length Lo (length from point P to Aa) and transmits a signal
corresponding to the ratio to the transfer servo amplifier 17 and
drum servo amplifier 10. Only when the ratio L/Lo is within a set
range, the transfer conveyer 1 and building drum 5 are driven at a
speed ratio corresponding to the ratio L/Lo. On the other hand,
when the ratio L/Lo deviates from the set range, the transfer
conveyer 1 and building drum 5 are respectively stopped.
[0030] In winding a strip member A having a total length of 2,000
mm on a building drum having a circumferential length of 2,000 mm,
the length of the leading portion of strip member A is set to 1,500
mm (75% of the total length) and the speed of the transfer conveyer
1 and the peripheral speed of the building drum 5 are set to the
same value. In this condition, the leading portion, which is 1,500
mm long, of the strip member A is taken up on the drum. As the
leading end Aa of this strip member A is detected by the leading
end sensor 12, the trailing end sensor 15 detects the position of
the trailing end Ab of strip member A and the trailing end length
meter 15 calculates the length L of the trailing portion of the
strip member A. Then, the ratio L/Lo of this length L of the
trailing portion to the known residual circumferential length Lo of
the building drum 5 is calculated and when this ratio L/Lo is
within the range of 0.995 to 1.005, (when L/Lo is -2.5 mm.sup.-0
mm), the ratio between the peripheral speed of the building drum 5
and the feeding speed of the transfer conveyer 1 is set to the L/Lo
so that the strip member A is taken up under tension, i.e. under a
stretching force, on the building drum, whereby the leading and
trailing ends of the strip member A are exactly abutted against
each other without any surplus or deficiency. However, when the
ratio L/Lo deviates from the above-mentioned range, the transfer
belt 1 and the building drum 5 are respectively stopped and the
strip member A is removed.
[0031] FIGS. 2 through 4 show an embodiment of a second invention
in this application.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 2, A stands for a strip member, 1 for a
transfer conveyer, 2 for a belt pulley and 5 for a building drum.
The building drum 5 and transfer conveyer 1 are driven in the
direction of the arrow marks to wind the strip member A on the
building drum 5.
[0033] Along the path in the direction of advance of the building
drum 5 from point P where the strip member A begins to contact the
drum 5, there are provided a first end sensor 25 and a second end
sensor 26. The end sensors 25 and 26 each comprise a photoelectric
element which photoelectrically detects the end of the strip member
A. Connected to the building drum 5 is an angle detector 30 through
a toothed pulley 27, a toothed belt 28 and a toothed pulley 29. The
output terminals of the first end sensor 25, second end sensor 26
and angle detector 30 are respectively connected to an operational
unit 31 which calculates a degree of end lapping of the strip
member A.
[0034] In the above arrangement, as the building drum 5 and
transfer conveyer 1 are driven to take up the strip member A on the
building drum 5 and the leading end Aa of the strip member A
reaches the position of the first end sensor 25, the angle detector
30 is actuated and as the same leading end Aa then reaches the
position of the second end sensor 26, the angle of rotation of the
building drum 5 from the time of detection of the leading end Aa by
the first end sensor 25 to the time of detection of the same end Aa
by the second end sensor is measured. Then, based on this measured
angle of rotation, the angle.theta..sub.0 (degrees) from the second
end sensor 26 to the first end sensor 25 is calculated and stored
by the operational unit 31 and, at the same time, the indicator of
the angle detector 30 is reset to zero. Then, as the first end
sensor 25 detects the trailing end Ab of strip member A (FIGS. 3
and 4), the building drum 5 stops rotating and the angles of
rotation.theta..sub.1 and.theta..sub.2 (degrees) are measured.
[0035] FIG. 3 shows the situation where the angle of
rotation.theta..sub.1 (degrees) is larger than the
angle.theta..sub.0 between the two end sensors 25 and 26 and the
end Aa and Ab of the strip member A overlap. The lapping margin X
in this situation is defined as follows. ( D + 2 .times. .times. t
) .times. .times. .pi. .times. .theta. 1 - .theta. 0 360 = X
##EQU1## where D is the diameter of the building drum 5 and t is
the thickness of strip member A.
[0036] This value of X is calculated by the operational means
71.
[0037] FIG. 4 shows the situation where the angle of
rotation.theta..sub.2 (degrees) is smaller than the
angle.theta..sub.0 between the two end sensors 25 and 26 and there
is a gap between the ends Aa and Ab of the strip member A. The gap
Y in this situation is given by the following equation ( D + 2
.times. .times. t ) .times. .pi. .times. .theta. 0 - .theta. 2 360
= Y ##EQU2## where D is the diameter of the building drum 5 and t
is the thickness of the strip member A.
[0038] This value of Y is calculated by the operational means
31.
[0039] While the above embodiment employs two end sensors 25 and
26, the second end sensor 26 shown in FIG. 2 may be dispensed with
and only the first end sensor 25 be used to determine the angle
corresponding to approximately one turn. However, when two end
sensors are used in the above embodiment, the change in length
between the two sensors 25 and 26 can be disregarded and a more
accurate measurement can be realized. It should be understood that
in building the second and subsequent layers of strip member A, the
thickness of strip member A already taken up is added to the
diameter D of the building drum.
* * * * *