Abstract:
Device and method for building a radial tire. The device includes a first drum device for building a belt package and a transfer device for transferring the belt package from the first drum device to a second drum device having arranged thereon a carcass tube from at least one airtight inner layer, a carcass play and two bead cores with core profiles. The second drum device is arranged between core clamping devices and is structured and arranged to join the carcass tube and the belt package during expansion of the second drum device. The belt package is contoured or shaped by deformation via the second drum device. This abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a U.S. National Stage of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2005/011958 filed Nov. 9, 2005 which published as WO 2006/058599 on Jun. 8, 2006, and claims priority of German Patent Application No. 10 2004 058 522.9 filed Dec. 4, 2004. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a method for building a radial tire utilizing the following steps: Building a belt package of at least two, in particular, automatically spliced belt plies on a segmented belt build-up drum having a cylindrical outside circumference; Building a carcass tube having an airtight inner layer, at least one carcass ply and two bead cores with core profiles on a separate building drum; Transferring the carcass tube to a further segmented building drum to which bellows supports moveable in the axial direction or core clamping devices with inflatable bellows or deflector devices are connected laterally; and Transferring the belt package to the further building drum and positioning the same over the carcass tube. 
     The invention further relates to a device for building a radial tire with the following features: A segmented belt build-up drum having a cylindrical outside circumference; A separate building drum for building a carcass tube from at least one airtight inner layer, a carcass ply and two bead cores with core profiles; A transfer device for transferring the belt package from the belt build-up drum to a further segmented building drum; On which the carcass tube and the finished belt package can be joined; Whereby axially moveable bellows supports or core clamping devices are arranged at the side of the further building drum. 
     2. Discussion of Background Information 
     In the conventional manufacture of radial tires for automobiles, the contouring of the steel belt comprising at least two belt plies generally does not occur until the vulcanization of the tire by the molding of the green-cover built on cylindrical building drums by means of a bellows inflated in the interior of the green-cover inserted into the tire mold. The belt and the tread are thereby given their final contour, whereby the elevation or extension of the belt is larger in the zenith of the tire than in the shoulder areas. A non-uniform expansion of the material in the tire, in particular, the strength supports in the belt plies and the winding bandage, occurs in this manner across the cross section of the tire. This non-uniform expansion results in a material displacement of the belt plies relative to the components surrounding them, in particular, a change in the angle of the strength supports in the belt plies over the cross section of the tire and an inward contraction of the belt edges radially inside the bandage applied to the belt and an unequal distribution of tension of the strength supports located above the belt. 
     Furthermore, methods and devices are known for building a green-cover on a segmented stable core, the external surface of which corresponds at least essentially to the inner surface of the tire to be formed. In this context, reference is made, e.g., to U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,209. Most of the components of the tire are thereby produced from strip-shaped rubber mixtures and from textile or metallic threads by application by means of special devices. The tire is heated together with the stable core and therefore without bellows, so no residual elevation occurs either during the vulcanization. These methods are technically very complex and economical only to a limited extent. 
     In the production of radial tires for trucks, it is known to apply the belt to a building drum already contoured according to the desired contour of the belt package in a conventional manner. However, with this building method the belt plies can be spliced only manually, since the splice of the overlapping end sections of each belt ply cannot be supported over the entire width of the building drum. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides for a method and a device of the type mentioned at the outset wherein a contoured belt can already be produced during the building of the tire, whereby the method should run automatically and, in particular, renders possible the automatic splicing of the belt plies. 
     According to one aspect of the invention a further building drum is shaped on the outside in a manner coordinated with or similar to the provided cross-sectional contour of the belt package in the finished tire. Through the expansion of the further building drum the carcass tube is joined to the belt package such that the belt package is contoured or shaped by the building drum and/or a device that can be brought into contact with the belt package from the outside. 
     According to another aspect of the invention the further building drum is shaped on the outside in a manner coordinated with or similar to the contour of the belt package in the finished tire. With the building drum expanded the carcass tube can be joined to the belt package with deformation of the same. 
     The invention makes it possible in a simple manner to provide the belt with a largely distortion-free final shaping during the tire building. The steel belt package is therefore expanded essentially evenly during the molding of the green tire in the subsequent vulcanization of the tire. The method according to the invention, and the device according to the invention, can be easily incorporated into a conventional building method or into conventional building devices. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention the belt package is contoured or shaped at least on the shoulder side via the device acting on the belt package from the outside. The initially cylindrical belt package can thus be contoured according to the outer contour of the further building drum in a particularly rational manner. 
     This device is preferably utilizes a rubber collar or the like, and can, in particular, be inflatable. The device is capable of encasing the belt package, and the inside of the collar in the inflated condition assumes a contour corresponding to the desired cross-sectional contour of the belt package. With a device of this type, the belt package can be contoured in a simple and uncomplicated manner. It is advantageous when this device is arranged on the transfer device. 
     During the expansion of the building drum, the core clamping devices are moved to the building drum laterally. The movement of the core clamping devices is thereby synchronized with the expansion movement of the building drum. It can thus be ensured at the same time that the carcass ply is placed under tension in a controlled manner during the expansion of the building drum. 
     A particular advantage of the method according to the invention is that the winding bandage can be applied to an already contoured belt. It is therefore also possible to apply the winding bandage as it were “close to the final contour” and to thus ensure the desired bandage tension in a simple manner. As with the conventional building method, the winding bandage can thereby be wound in a spiral manner from one or more material strips provided with strength supports and utilizing a winding head or several winding heads. 
     The devices used in conventional tire building can thereby also be used with the invention, with which the winding head or the winding heads is or are moved parallel to the axis of the rotating building drum for the spiral winding of the material strip or material strips. 
     A better winding quality is achieved by moving the winding head or the winding heads in the tire transverse direction following the contour of the belt package for the spiral winding of the material strip, whereby it is of additional advantage if the winding head or the winding heads are aligned perpendicular to the surface of contoured belt package. This permits the application of the winding bandage with constant tension over the material width and thus a particularly high-grade and high-quality production of the winding bandage. 
     In this connection it is of particular advantage if the further building drum is shaped on the outside such that the residual elevation is larger in the shoulder areas than in the zenith area during the molding of the fully built green tire in a vulcanizing mold. The winding bandage can thus be applied to the green tire with a constant tension. The different residual elevation produces the desired greater tension of the winding bandage in the shoulder areas. 
     The invention also provides for a method for building a radial tire comprising building a belt package on a build-up drum having a cylindrical outside circumference, building a carcass tube having an airtight inner layer, at least one carcass ply and two bead cores with core profiles, transferring the carcass tube to a building drum arranged between axially movable core clamping devices each comprising an inflatable bellows, transferring, with a transferring device, the belt package to the building drum and positioning the belt package over the carcass tube, and expanding the building drum to cause the carcass tube to be joined to the belt package, wherein the belt package is contoured or shaped by at least one of the building drum and a device acting on the belt package from outside. 
     The building drum may have an outside shape which corresponds to or is similar to a cross-sectional contour of the belt package of a finished tire. The belt package may comprise one of at least two belt plies and at least two automatically spliced belt plies. The belt package may be contoured or shaped at least on a shoulder side via the device acting on the belt package from the outside. The device acting on the belt package from the outside may comprise one of a rubber collar, an inflatable device encasing the belt package, a device which, in an inflated condition, assumes a contour corresponding to a desired cross-sectional contour of the belt package. The device acting on the belt package from the outside may be arranged on the transfer device. The method may further comprise during the expansion of the building drum, moving the core clamping devices laterally. The method may further comprise placing the carcass ply under tension during the expanding. The method may further comprise winding one or more material strips provided with strength supports on the belt package in a spiral manner utilizing one or more winding heads. The method may further comprises moving the one or more winding heads parallel to an axis of the building drum. The method may further comprise moving the one or more winding heads in a manner which follows a contour of the belt package. The method may further comprise one of adjusting the one or more winding heads perpendicular to a surface of the belt package and aligning the one or more winding heads perpendicular to a surface of the belt package. 
     The invention also provides for a device for building a radial tire comprising a first drum device for building a belt package, a transfer device for transferring the belt package from the first drum device to a second drum device having arranged thereon a carcass tube from at least one airtight inner layer, a carcass play and two bead cores with core profiles, and the second drum device being arranged between core clamping devices and being structured and arranged to join the carcass tube and the belt package during expansion of the second drum device, wherein the belt package is contoured or shaped by deformation via the second drum device. 
     The second drum device may have an outside shape which corresponds to or is similar to a cross-sectional contour of the belt package of a finished tire. The second drum device may have an outside shape whereby a residual elevation in shoulder areas is the same as or greater than in a zenith area of a finished green tire. The device may further comprise a device for shaping an outside of the belt package. The device for shaping may comprise an inflatable rubber collar that encases the belt package and that is arranged on the transfer device, whereby, in an inflated condition, said collar assumes an interior contour corresponding to a desired cross-sectional contour of the belt package. The transfer device may be adapted to include gripper devices for holding the belt package. The device may further comprise at least one winding head for applying a winding bandage on the belt package. The at least one winding head may be moveable perpendicular to an axis of the building drum. The at least one winding head may be moveable parallel to an axis of the building drum. The at least one winding head may be moveable parallel to an outside contour of the belt package. 
     The invention also provides for a device for building a radial tire comprising an expandable first drum device for building a belt package, an expandable second drum device for supporting a carcass tube comprising at least one airtight inner layer, a carcass play and two bead cores with core profiles, the second drum device being arranged between core clamping devices and being structured and arranged to join the carcass tube and the belt package during expansion of the second drum device, and a movable transfer device for transferring the belt package from the first drum device to a second drum device parallel to an axis of the first and second drum devices. 
     The invention also provides for a method for building a radial tire on the device described above, wherein the method comprises building a belt package, building a carcass tube, transferring the carcass tube to the second drum device, positioning the belt package over the carcass tube, and expanding the second drum device to cause the carcass tube to be joined to the belt package, wherein the belt package is contoured or shaped by at least one of the second drum device and a device acting on the belt package from outside. 
     The invention also provides for a method for building a radial tire comprising positioning a carcass tube on a drum device, positioning a belt package over the carcass tube, and expanding the carcass tube to be joined the carcass tube to the belt package and to contour the belt package. 
     The belt package may be contoured by at least one of a profile of the drum device and a device acting on the belt package from the outside. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features, advantages and details of the invention are described in more detail based on the drawing, which shows diagrammatic exemplary embodiments of the invention wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a partial cross section through a radial automobile tire; 
         FIGS. 2   a  through  2   e  show process steps in the building of a radial tire; and 
         FIGS. 3   a  through  3   c  show alternative movements of a winding head applying a winding bandage during the building of a tire. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a partial cross section through a radial tire for automobiles and shows only the main components of the tire, which include an airtight inner liner  1 , a carcass ply  2 , bead areas with bead cores  3  and core profiles  4 , a belt package  5 , which by way of example has two belt plies  5   a ,  5   b , as well as sidewalls  6  and a profiled tread rubber  7 . In the embodiment shown the belt package  5  is covered with a bandage  20  that is a so-called winding bandage produced in a known manner by winding a material strip in a spiral manner. The carcass ply  2  of an automobile tire generally has, in particular, textile or metallic strength supports embedded in a rubber mixture, which run from bead area to bead area. The carcass ply  2  is guided from inside to outside around the bead cores  3  so that its free end sections form the so-called turn-ups  2   a  and can also be embodied in a two-ply manner. The bead cores  3  can comprise one or more steel cable(s). The core profiles  4  resting thereon are profiles of a generally relatively hard rubber mixture. In tire production, or the building of the tire from its components, the bead cores  3  are prefabricated as a unit together with the as yet unvulcanized core profiles  4 . This unit can be provided with a single-ply or multi-ply outer covering of a rubberized fabric, so-called bead protection strips. 
     A building process occurring on a contoured building drum  10  is respectively shown in the left half of  FIGS. 2   a  through  2   e . The right half of these figures respectively shows a cylindrical belt drum  11  and the building process optionally occurring here. The dot-dashed line “a” illustrates the axis of the building drum  10  and the axis of the belt drum  11 , i.e., the second halves are not shown. That is, the second halves of the building drum  10  and the belt drum  11  are located below line “a” and as a mirror image to line “a”. 
     In a building method according to the invention, a carcass tube  12  is first built in a conventional manner (not shown), and using a device embodied conventionally, preferably a cylindrical building drum, and is subsequently transported by a transfer device (not shown) to the building drum  10  and is there clamped to the core. The carcass tube  12  comprises at least the inner layer  1 , the carcass ply  2  as well as the bead cores  3  with core profiles  4 . As shown, the sidewalls  6  can already have been positioned as well. 
     The building drum  10  is a segmented drum, and therefore has over its circumference a number of identical segments, the outsides of which form the outside of the drum  10  and which can be moved in the radial direction for the uniform enlargement and reduction of the outside diameter. The segments can fundamentally be embodied in a manner known per se, with the difference from known embodiments being that the outsides of the segments are shaped such that in the expanded condition the cross-sectional contour of the segments largely or approximately correspond to the cross-sectional contour of the belt package  5  in the finished tire. As  FIG. 1  shows, this cross-sectional contour is a round contour, such that the normal spacing of the outside of the segments from the axis “a” is largest in the zenith or the zenith area and smallest in the lateral areas. Generally, this spacing becomes smaller starting from the zenith towards the sides, whereby the contour can be designed per se in different ways. However, this design is not the subject matter of the invention. The segments of the building drum  10  can furthermore be embodied such that they mesh with finger-like extensions, or the like, at least in the non-expanded condition. Furthermore, the building drum  10  can be wrapped over its outside circumference with an elastically resilient collar or with a compressed air connection. A core clamping device or bellows support  14  is respectively positioned at each of the sides of the building drum  10  and can be moved in the direction of the axis “a” in a manner that is coordinated with the expansion and retraction movements of the building drum  10 . A bellows  15  is arranged on the outside of each core clamping device  14 . The bellows  15  turn up the sections of the carcass tube  12  located at the side of the set bead cores  3  utilizing inflation, thus producing the carcass turn-ups. This turn-up building stage, however, is not the subject matter of the invention. 
     The belt drum  11  is also embodied in a segmented manner, in particular, in a conventional manner. The outsides of the segments form an overall cylindrical drum exterior. 
     Relevant stages in the building of the tire will now be described based on  FIGS. 2   a  through  2   c . According to  FIG. 2   a , the carcass tube  12  is positioned and clamped on the building drum  10 , and each core clamping device  14  is in a starting position and therefore spaced from the building drum  10 . The belt drum  11  is expanded to a larger outside diameter in  FIG. 2   a , whereby the belt plies  5   a ,  5   b  have already been placed on the belt drum  11  and have preferably been automatically spliced. A transfer device  16  is located in a standby position in  FIG. 2   a . The transfer device  16  includes an inflatable rubber collar  17  (in one or more parts) on the inside circumference. The inside  17   a  of the collar assumes the desired outer contour of the belt in the inflated condition. 
     Gripper elements (not shown) for holding the belt package  5  built on the belt drum  11  are provided on the collar  17 . 
       FIG. 2   b  shows the next building step. The transfer device  16  is moved over the belt drum  11  from the position shown in  FIG. 2   a , to pick up the belt package  5  from an expanded belt drum  11 . Thereafter, the belt drum  11  retracts in order to be able to remove the transfer device  16  together with the belt package  5  from the belt drum  11 .  FIG. 2   c  shows a next stage. The transfer device  16  is positioned over the carcass tube  12  such that the belt package  5  is located centrally over the contoured building drum  10 . The building drum  10  is expanded and simultaneously both core clamping devices or bellows supports  14  are moved in the direction of the building drum  10  in order to reposition the bead cores  3 . The movement of the bellows supports  14  is synchronized accordingly with the expansion movement of the building drum  10 . This applies a certain tension to the carcass ply in a targeted manner. In addition it can be provided to apply tension to the carcass tube  12  from inside via the interior of the building drum  10  by compressed air or the like.  FIG. 2   d  shows the process after expansion, the arrows p 1  through p 3  illustrate the movements carried out by the bellows supports  14  and the segments of the building drum  10 . The collar  17  is inflatable, and in  FIG. 2   d  is shown in an already inflated position. The belt package  5  is shaped in this manner according to the contour of the outside of the building drum  10 . Subsequently, the air is released from the collar  17  and the transfer device  16  is removed.  FIG. 2   e  shows this stage of the tire construction. 
     With the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2   a  through  2   e , the shaping of the contour of the belt package  5  on the expanded building drum  10  takes place utilizing the inflated collar  17 . The diameter of the expanded building drum  10  in the zenith therefore corresponds to the inside diameter of the belt package  5 . In another embodiment (not shown separately), the collar can be omitted, in that the building drum  10  itself carries out the shaping of the belt package  5 . To this end the gripper elements (not shown) of the transfer device  16  can be moved radially or alternatively can be elastically deformed accordingly. The diameter of the expanded building drum  10  in the shoulder areas thereof corresponds to the inside diameter of the as yet unshaped belt package  5 . The belt package  5  is therefore stretched over the entire belt width through the expansion of the building drum  10  and in this manner contoured in the desired manner. 
     In another embodiment (not shown) of the invention the diameter of the expanded building drum  10  is larger in the zenith and smaller in the shoulder areas than the inside diameter of the as yet unshaped belt package  5 . In this embodiment, the belt package  5  is stretched in the zenith by the expansion movement of the building drum  10 , in the shoulder areas the belt package  5  is compressed, and in this manner is contoured by the inflated collar  17  of the transfer device  16 . 
     Using diagrammatic representations,  FIGS. 3   a  through  3   c  show possibilities for placing a winding bandage on the already contoured belt package  5 . Only the contoured outer area of the building drum  10  is thereby respectively shown in section with the associated components of the tire. While the building drum  10  is rotating, a winding bandage is applied by continuous winding of one or more strip(s)  19  in a spiral manner over the outer circumference of the belt package  5  in order to prevent an undesirable circumferential growth of the tire at high speeds. The strip  19  is composed of textile strength supports capable of thermal contraction, embedded in a rubber mixture and running in the longitudinal direction of the strip  19 . The strength supports can be, e.g., nylon threads, whereby several threads per centimeter bandage width are used, in particular 7 to 12 threads per centimeter. The bandage strip  19  itself generally has a width of 10 to 15 mm and is fed automatically via a suitable device. This device is not the subject matter of the invention and is not shown. What is shown is respectively only a winding head  18 ,  18 ′,  18 ″, thus that part of the device that places the bandage strip  19  on the belt package  5 . If the bandage is to be produced with several strips  19 , a corresponding number of winding heads can be provided. 
     It should furthermore be noted that the individual windings of the bandage strip  19  can be applied joint to joint or also overlapping, and a winding of several plies of bandage strips  19  is possible to be provided section by section or over the entire width of the belt package. The type of winding or the winding pattern and the number of any plies are not the subject of the invention. 
       FIGS. 3   a  through  3   c  show different possibilities for carrying out the movement of the winding head  18 ,  18 ′,  18 ″ or the winding heads (if several are provided), with two windings of the strip  19  being illustrated. According to  FIG. 3   a , a movement of the winding head  18  parallel to the drum axis “a” is provided. The winding of the bandage therefore occurs analogously to the winding on a cylindrical belt drum, similar to the conventional building method, and therefore has the advantage that equipment already available can be used. 
       FIG. 3   b  shows a variant in which a movement of the winding head  18 ′ is performed parallel to the contour of the drum surface or of the applied belt package  5 . The orientation of the winding head  18 ′ is perpendicular to the drum longitudinal axis “a”.  FIG. 3   c  shows an embodiment in which the winding head  18 ″ follows the drum surface or the contour of the applied belt package. A variable position of the winding head  18 ″ preferably to the drum surface or the surface of the belt package  5  is also possible. 
     The variants shown in  FIG. 3   b  and  FIG. 3   c  have the advantage of providing a better winding quality through the constant spacing of the winding head  18 ′,  18 ″ from the drum surface or the surface of the belt package  5 . In the variant shown in  FIG. 3   c , it is additionally advantageous that a constant tension within the bandage strip renders possible a particularly high-quality application of the winding bandage. 
     After the application of the belt package  5  and the winding bandage, the building of the tire is finished and it is heated in a conventional manner in a vulcanizing mold. 
     With all the variants, the winding tension can be varied by suitable and known methods. It is usually desired for the tension of the bandage to be higher in the shoulder areas than in the central area. With one possible embodiment of the invention, the building drum  10  can be contoured such that the belt package  5  and thus the bandage applied thereto during the molding of the finished green tire in the vulcanizing mold have a residual elevation that is somewhat larger in the shoulder areas than in the central area of the belt package. The tension of the bandage in the shoulder areas is thus increased via the residual elevation.