Patent ID: 8986480
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: B29D

Abstract:
1. A process for assembling tyres, comprising: forming a carcass sleeve on a building drum at a carcass sleeve building line, said carcass sleeve comprising a carcass ply engaged to a pair of annular anchoring structures; forming an outer sleeve on an auxiliary drum, said outer sleeve comprising at least one belt layer and a tread band; using a first transfer unit, in the form of a first robotic arm with at least six movement axes, on the auxiliary drum for moving and engaging the auxiliary drum carrying the outer sleeve formed thereon to an assembly station; picking up the outer sleeve from the auxiliary drum while the auxiliary drum is held by the first transfer unit at one axial end of the auxiliary drum and a mandrel of the assembly station at the other axial end of the auxiliary drum; using a second transfer unit, in the form of a second robotic arm having at least six movement axes, for moving the building drum, carrying the carcass sleeve thereon, to the assembly station; engaging the building drum into contact with the assembly station; positioning the outer sleeve at a radially external position to the carcass sleeve formed on the building drum while the building drum is held in the assembly station by an engagement device at one axial end of the building drum and the mandrel at the other axial end of the building drum; operatively coupling shaping devices carried by the assembly station to the building drum, including engaging a pair of retaining members into contact with the building drum; and then shaping the carcass sleeve into a toroidal configuration to enable coupling thereof to said outer sleeve; wherein after engaging the building drum to the assembly station and before positioning the outer sleeve at a radially external position to the carcass sleeve, disengaging the transfer unit from contact with the building drum.