Patent ID: 6374888
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: B29D,B60C

Abstract:
A method for forming a tire in a tire building process from a green tire using a cylindrical tire building drum comprising the steps of:a) providing inner sidewall components and rim interface components of the green tire including an innerliner and at least one inner carcass layer and placing said inner sidewall components and said rim interface components around an outer surface of said tire building drum, said rim interface components include elastomeric rubber portions and turn-up portions of said at least one carcass layer; b) providing a pair of bead cores having an annular coil of wire filaments and placing said bead cores axially spaced apart in a position radially outward of respective rim interface components; c) providing a pair of first bead fillers having an axially elongated and tapered cross-sectional shape and placing each one of said first bead fillers around the outer surface of said building drum with a short axial outer edge adjacent to an axial inside edge of a respective bead core in a flat position radially to the outside of said inner sidewall components; d) providing a pair of second bead fillers having a gum-drop shape and placing each one of said second bead fillers around a respective bead core so that a radial internal edge of said second bead filler is adjacent a radial outer edge of said respective bead core; e) folding the rim interface components at each lateral edge around a respective bead core and second bead filler to interface with a radial outer face of said first bead filler; f) placing outer sidewall components having sidewall rubber components and at least one outer carcass layer around the building drum between said bead cores radially outward of said inner sidewall components and said first bead filler and lapping said at least one inner carcass layer with said at least one outer carcass layer; g) removing said above components as assembled components of said green tire from the cylindrical tire building drum and forming said assembled components into a toroidal shape by forcing said pair of bead cores to approach one another while rotating said first bead filler and said rim interface components about each respective bead core and second bead filler; h) adding a belt portion and a tread rubber to a crown area of said assembled components to provide an assembled green tire; i) curing said assembled green tire in a tire mold and providing a cured tire, wherein each second bead filler is positioned to have one side adjacent to said respective bead core, to extend radially outward of said respective bead core and to be bounded by said first bead filler on the other sides of the second bead filler; and j) mounting said cured tire on a rim of a vehicle for transferring loads from said vehicle to a ground surface by way of said rim and cured tire for running of said vehicle.