Patent Publication Number: US-2022219419-A1

Title: Stitcher device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-002417, filed on Jan. 8, 2021; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a stitcher device used for building a carcass band in a tire building device for building a green tire. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In general, a pneumatic tire is configured to include a plurality of rubber members and a plurality of reinforcing members each having a cord as a main material. Typically, as shown in  FIG. 12 , each part of a tire T, such as an inner liner  1 , a tread rubber  2 , sidewall rubbers  3 , and rim strips  4 , is formed of rubber members according to a required characteristic. The tire T is configured by combining these rubber members with a belt ply  5 , a carcass ply  6 , a bead  7 , and the like, which are reinforcing members including a cord. 
     The following method is used as a method for building such a tire. The carcass ply is laminated on the rubber member including the inner liner to build a cylindrical carcass band. Next, bead set and turn-up are performed on the carcass band to build a cylindrical green case. A cylindrical belt band in which a belt, a tread, and the like are laminated is assembled and combined to an outer periphery of the green case to build a green tire (an unvulcanized tire). In addition, in order to improve productivity, it is known that a step of building a carcass band, a step of building a green case, a step of building a belt band, and a step of combining the green case and the belt band are performed by using separate building drums (see WO 2006/048924 (US 2009/0133808 A1)). 
     In addition, in the step of building the carcass band, the following method is known. The rubber member such as the inner liner is wound around an outer periphery of a building drum movable along a drum guide path, and the carcass ply is attached thereon. Then, by pressing the carcass ply from its outer periphery by using a stitcher device, air between the carcass ply and the rubber member inside the carcass ply is discharged, and the carcass ply is pressure-bonded to the rubber member (see WO 2007/080640 (US 2010/0043949 A1)). 
     SUMMARY 
     When different building drums are used in the step of building the carcass band and the step of building the green case thereafter, it is necessary to transfer the carcass band to the building drum for building the green case by a transfer device. In this case, in order to deliver the building drum having the carcass band after building to the transfer device, the building drum is moved to a carcass band take-out position. 
     When the carcass band is taken out in this way, from the viewpoint of productivity, it may be desirable to provide a stitcher device for pressure-bonding the carcass ply between a building position for winding the carcass ply and the take-out position of the carcass band. However, in such a case, if the stitcher device including an annular frame surrounding the outer periphery of the building drum is used, the following problem occurs. That is, in order to move the building drum having the carcass band after pressure-bonding to the take-out position, once the building drum is retracted, the stitcher device must be withdrawn from the drum guide path and then the building drum is advanced. Therefore, it takes time to take out the carcass band. 
     Embodiments of the invention have been made in view of such a problem, and have an object to provide a stitcher device capable of moving a building drum after pressure-bonding a carcass ply to a carcass band take-out position without retracting the building drum. 
     The stitcher device according to an embodiment of the invention is a stitcher device for pressure-bonding a carcass ply, which is wound around an outer periphery of a building drum movable along a drum guide path via a rubber member, to the rubber member. The stitcher device includes an annular frame that is able to surround the outer periphery of the building drum by inserting the building drum thereinto, and a pressure-bonding device provided in the annular frame so as to be able to press the carcass ply from its outer periphery and pressure-bond the carcass ply to the rubber member, wherein the annular frame is provided so as to be openable and closable by being divided into a plurality of parts in a peripheral direction. 
     In the stitcher device according to the embodiment of the invention, the annular frame provided with the pressure-bonding device is configured so as to be openable and closable by being divided into a plurality of parts in a peripheral direction. Therefore, after pressure-bonding with the pressure-bonding device, it is possible to pass through the building drum by opening the annular frame. Thus, the building drum can be moved to a carcass band take-out position along the drum guide path without retracting the building drum after the carcass ply is pressure-bonded. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a stitcher device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view showing a carcass band building drum, the stitcher device, a transfer device, and a bead set drum in the embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view at a pressure-bonding stage by the stitcher device. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view showing a state immediately after pressure-bonding in the stitcher device. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view showing a state in which fixing by a fixing portion is released after completion of pressure-bonding in the stitcher device. 
         FIG. 6  is a front view showing a state in which an annular frame of the stitcher device is opened. 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view showing a state in which the building drum is inserted into the annular frame of the stitcher device. 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view showing a state in which the annular frame of the stitcher device is opened. 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view showing a state in which the building drum is moved to a carcass band take-out position in the embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a partially enlarged front view showing arrangements of pressure-bond rollers of the stitcher device. 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view showing an opening and closing operation of a stitcher device according to another embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a tire structure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
     A stitcher device  10  according to an embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  is used to press an outer periphery of a carcass ply  6  and pressure-bond it to a rubber member  14  on an inner peripheral side when building a carcass band  12  in a tire building device for building a green tire. 
     Here, the carcass band  12  is a cylindrical tire constituent member including the rubber member  14  including an inner liner and the carcass ply  6  laminated on an outer periphery of the rubber member  14 . Examples of the rubber member  14  include the inner liner  1 , rim strips  4 , sidewall rubbers  3 , and a squeegee (not shown) (see  FIG. 12 ). The carcass ply  6  is made of one or a plurality of ply sheets in which reinforcing cords are embedded, and a ply tape (not shown) may be attached between the ply sheets. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a building drum  16  for building the carcass band  12  is configured to be movable along a drum guide path  18 . The building drum  16  has a peripheral surface having a width larger than the width of the carcass band  12  to be built, and is configured to be expandable and contractible by a plurality of pieces for peripheral surface configuration. 
     The building drum  16  is supported by a drum support  20 . The drum support  20  supports the building drum  16  in a cantilevered state so as to be rotationally driven at one end of a shaft portion  16 A, and is also referred to as a headstock. The drum support  20  is configured to move the building drum  16  along the drum guide path  18  by traveling on a rail  22  provided on the drum guide path  18  with a motor. 
     The drum guide path  18  includes the rail  22  and a support base  24  that supports the rail  22 . The drum guide path  18  extends to each building position such that the building drum  16  can be moved to the building positions (not shown) for winding the rubber member  14  around the outer periphery of the building drum  16  and further winding the carcass ply  6  thereon. In addition, the drum guide path  18  extends to the front of a carcass band take-out position such that the building drum  16  can be moved to the stitcher device  10  after the carcass ply  6  is wound, and then the building drum  16  can be moved to the carcass band take-out position (a position of a transfer device  26  shown in  FIG. 2 ) at which the transfer device  26  waits. 
     A method for winding the rubber member  14  such as the inner liner  1  and the rim strip  4  around the peripheral surface of the building drum  16  is not particularly limited. For example, the rubber member  14  may be laminated and formed by spirally winding a ribbon-shaped rubber strip extruded by an extruder around the building drum  16 . 
     A method for winding the carcass ply  6  on the rubber member  14  is not particularly limited. For example, the one or a plurality of ply sheets may be supplied from each servicer, and the ply sheets may be cylindrically wound around the rubber member  14  of the building drum  16  around which the rubber member  14  is wound. In this case, in order to attach the ply tape between the ply sheets, for example, the ply tape may be laminated and formed by winding the ribbon-shaped rubber strip extruded by the extruder. 
     The transfer device  26  is a device for receiving the carcass band  12  from the building drum  16  and transferring it to a bead set drum  28 , which is a building drum for building a green case as a next step, and can adopt a known configuration. 
     The transfer device  26  has a space capable of receiving the building drum  16 , and receives the carcass band  12  from the building drum  16  by holding the carcass band  12  from an outer peripheral side. Then, after the building drum  16  exits from the transfer device  26 , the bead set drum  28  enters the transfer device  26  and receives the carcass band  12  from the transfer device  26 . As a result, delivery to the bead set drum  28  is performed. 
     The stitcher device  10  is a device in which the carcass ply  6  is attached to and laminated on the rubber member  14 , and then the carcass ply  6  is pressed against the outer periphery of the rubber member  14  over the entire periphery to be pressure-bonded. The stitcher device  10  is installed so as to be adjacent to a building position where the carcass ply  6  is wound around the building drum  16  and to face a non-support side of the building drum  16  supported in a cantilever manner by the drum support  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the stitcher device  10  includes an annular frame  30  that can surround the outer periphery of the building drum  16  over the entire periphery by inserting the building drum  16 . The annular frame  30  is provided such that the building drum  16  can pass therethrough in an axial direction in a space inside it. Specifically, the annular frame  30  faces the building drum  16  supported in a cantilever manner by the drum support  20 , is disposed so as to be axially aligned with the building drum  16 , and has an inner periphery in a circular shape having a diameter larger than that of the building drum  16 . 
     The annular frame  30  is provided with a pressure-bonding device  32  for pressing the carcass ply  6  wound around the outer periphery of the building drum  16  from the outer periphery of the carcass ply  6  and pressure-bonding the carcass ply  6  to the rubber member  14 . The pressure-bonding device  32  is not particularly limited as long as the pressure-bonding device can pressure-bond the carcass ply  6  to the rubber member  14  on an inner side by pressing the carcass ply  6 . 
     In this example, the pressure-bonding device  32  is configured by pressure-bond rollers described in US 2010/0043949 A1, which is incorporated by reference. That is, as shown in  FIG. 1 , in the pressure-bonding device  32 , a plurality of pressure-bond rollers  34  are arranged on an inner periphery of the annular frame  30 . The plurality of pressure-bond rollers  34  have an axial center in a tangential direction on a concentric circle having a diameter larger than that of the building drum  16 , are rotatably arranged around the axial center, and are arranged in a plurality of rows (two rows in the figure) in the peripheral direction and in a circle shape at a constant pitch. As shown in  FIG. 10 , each of the pressure-bond rollers  34  is supported so as to be able to advance and displace inward in a radial direction by an advancing and retreating unit  36  such as a cylinder device. The pressure-bond rollers  34  and  34  in each row are arranged so as to be displaced in the peripheral direction so as not to be spaced apart from each other in the peripheral direction as a whole in an advance-displacement state inward in the radial direction, and are provided so as to partially overlap the pressure-bond rollers  34  in the adjacent row in the axial direction. As a result, the carcass ply  6  on the building drum  16  passing through inward a circular arrangement of the pressure-bond rollers  34  can be pressed simultaneously over the entire periphery by the pressure-bond rollers  34 . In  FIGS. 1 and 4 to 6 , the two rows of the pressure-bond rollers  34  and the advancing and retreating units  36  are shown by solid lines in a front row and dotted lines in a back row. 
     The annular frame  30  is provided so as to be openable and closable by being divided into a plurality of parts in the peripheral direction. The peripheral direction of the annular frame  30  is a direction on a circumference centered on the axial center thereof, and is a direction along the outer periphery of the building drum  16 . 
     In this example, the annular frame  30  is a two-division type frame including a pair of left and right frame portions  38  and  40  facing each other in a horizontal direction, and is opened and closed in a left-right direction X as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . That is, the annular frame  30  includes the pair of left and right frame portions  38  and  40  that are movable in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the annular frame  30 , in this example, in the horizontal direction. By moving the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  in the horizontal direction so as to be separated from each other, the annular frame  30  is in an opened state. Here, the direction perpendicular to the axis of the annular frame  30  is a direction perpendicular to the axial center (a center) of the annular frame  30 , and corresponds to a radial direction in a hollow portion having a circular cross section. 
     More specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  divide the annular frame  30  into right and left substantially evenly by using a vertical surface parallel to the axial direction of the annular frame  30  as a dividing surface  42 . Then, by moving the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  so as to be separated from each other toward both sides sandwiching the drum guide path  18 , the annular frame  30  is in the opened state. In addition, by bringing the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  close to each other and joining them, the annular frame  30  is in a closed state, and is formed in an annular shape capable of surrounding the building drum  16  over the entire periphery. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the annular frame  30  is suspended from a portal frame  44 . The portal frame  44  includes a pair of posts  44 A and  44 A provided on both sides of the drum guide path  18 , and a horizontal member  44 B bridged between the pair of posts  44 A and  44 A. The horizontal member  44 B extends in a direction perpendicularly intersecting the drum guide path  18  above the drum guide path  18 . 
     The horizontal member  44 B of the portal frame  44  is provided with a frame guide path  46  for horizontally moving the pair of frame portions  38  and  40 . The frame guide path  46  includes a rail  48  provided on an upper surface of the horizontal member  44 B, and extends in the direction perpendicularly intersecting the drum guide path  18  above the drum guide path  18 . 
     A pair of left and right frame supports  50  and  52  for suspending and supporting the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  are provided on the frame guide path  46  so as to be slidable along the frame guide path  46 . The frame supports  50  and  52  include traveling portions  50 A and  52 A that can travel on the rail  48 , and hanging portions  50 B and  52 B that hang from the traveling portions  50 A and  52 A and respectively hold the pair of frame portions  38  and  40 . 
     The horizontal member  44 B of the portal frame  44  is provided with drive portions  54  and  56  such as cylinder devices for performing advancing and retracting displacement of the traveling portions  50 A and  52 A of the frame supports  50  and  52  along the rail  48 , respectively. The pair of frame supports  50  and  52  are configured to open and close the annular frame  30  by moving in a direction away from each other and a direction approaching each other along the frame guide path  46  by the drive portions  54  and  56 . That is, the pair of frame supports  50  and  52  move in the direction away from each other by the drive portions  54  and  56 , whereby the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  are opened to the left and right, and the annular frame  30  is in the opened state shown in  FIG. 6 . Then, in this state, the pair of frame supports  50  and  52  move in the direction approaching each other by the drive portions  54  and  56 , whereby the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  are brought close to each other and joined, and the annular frame  30  is in the closed state shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     A fixing portion  58  for fixing the annular frame  30  in the closed state is provided on a bottom side of the annular frame  30 . In this example, the fixing portion  58  includes a pair of frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  respectively provided at bottoms of the pair of frame portions  38  and  40 , and a guide path side engaging portion  64  provided on the drum guide path  18  side. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in the state where the annular frame  30  is closed, the frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  are configured such that both frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  are integrated to have a convex shape having a narrower width toward a tip end (that is, a lower end). In other words, the pair of frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  are formed by dividing a convex portion having a tapered cross-section provided on a bottom surface of the annular frame  30  into left and right on the extension of the dividing surface  42 . In the state where the annular frame  30  is closed, the pair of frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  are joined to form the convex portion having a tapered cross-section that has inclined surfaces on both left and right sides (a trapezoidal convex portion whose width gradually narrows toward the tip end in a cross section perpendicular to the axis center of the annular frame  30 ). 
     The guide path side engaging portion  64  has a concave shape in which the integrated frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  are fitted, and fixes the annular frame  30  in the closed state by fitting the frame side engaging portions  60  and  62 . That is, the guide path side engaging portion  64  has a concave portion  64 A in which both side surfaces are inclined such that the width becomes narrower toward the bottom side, corresponding to the convex portion having a tapered cross-section of the frame side engaging portions  60  and  62 . 
     The guide path side engaging portion  64  is supported so as to be displaceable in a vertical direction by an advancing and retreating unit  66  such as a cylinder device. The advancing and retreating unit  66  is attached to a lower surface of the support base  24  of the drum guide path  18 . An output shaft  66 A of the advancing and retreating unit  66  protrudes upward from an opening  68  provided in the support base  24 , and the guide path side engaging portion  64  is attached to an upper end of the output shaft  66 A. 
     The method for pressure-bonding the carcass ply  6  using the stitcher device  10  described above and then taking out the carcass band  12  is performed as follows. 
     After the carcass ply  6  is attached on the rubber member  14  wound around the building drum  16  (see  FIG. 2 ), the building drum  16  is moved to the stitcher device  10  and inserted inside the annular frame  30  to pressure-bond the carcass ply  6  (see  FIG. 7 ). 
     As a method of pressure-bonding the carcass ply  6 , the pressure-bond rollers  34  of the annular frame  30  may be displaced inward in the radial direction in advance by the advancing and retreating units  36 , and in this state, the building drum  16  may axially enter the inside of the annular frame  30 , and the carcass ply  6  on the building drum  16  may be pressed by the pressure-bond rollers  34  from one end to the other end at the same time as entering. Alternatively, in a state where the pressure-bond rollers  34  are positioned outward in the radial direction, the building drum  16  may enter the vicinity of a central portion in the axial direction inside the annular frame  30 , and the pressure-bond rollers  34  may be displaced inward in the radial direction by the advancing and retreating units  36  and the carcass ply  6  may be pressed while the building drum  16  is moved to both sides in the axial direction with reference to the vicinity of the central portion. 
     After the carcass ply  6  is pressure-bonded in this manner, the pressure-bond rollers  34  are displaced outward in the radial direction by the advancing and retreating units  36  (see  FIG. 4 ). Thereafter, the fixing by the fixing portion  58  is released on the bottom side of the annular frame  30 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the guide path side engaging portion  64  is displaced downward by the advancing and retracting unit  66  to release the engagement with the frame side engaging portions  60  and  62 . As a result, the fixing can be released in a short time immediately after the pressure-bonding is completed. 
     Thereafter, the drive portions  54  and  56  slide the pair of frame supports  50  and  52  in the direction away from each other. As a result, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  are opened to the left and right, and the annular frame  30  is in the opened state. 
     When the annular frame  30  is in the opened state, a gap through which the drum support  20  can pass along the drum guide path  18  together with the building drum  16  is formed between the pair of frame portions  38  and  40 . Therefore, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the drum support  20  can be moved through the gap between the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  to the carcass band take-out position where the building drum  16  delivers the carcass band  12  to the transfer device  26 . 
     At the carcass band take-out position, the building drum  16  is inserted into the transfer device  26 , and in this state, the transfer device  26  holds the carcass band  12  from the outer peripheral side to receive the carcass band  12 . Thereafter, the building drum  16  moves on the drum guide path  18  to exit from the transfer device  26 , and returns to a building position for winding the rubber member  14  through the gap between the pair of frame portions  38  and  40 . 
     After the building drum  16  passes through the gap between the pair of frame portions  38  and  40 , the pair of frame supports  50  and  52  are slid and joined in the direction approaching each other by the drive portions  54  and  56  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     Thereafter, the pair of frame supports  50  and  52  are fixed to the bottom side of the annular frame  30  by the fixing portion  58 . In this example, the guide path side engaging portion  64  is displaced upward by the advancing and retracting unit  66  and is engaged with the frame side engaging portions  60  and  62 . That is, the convex portion having a tapered cross-section that is formed by joining the pair of frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  is fitted in the concave portion  64 A by moving the guide path side engaging portion  64  upward. As a result, the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  are fixed at the bottom side of the annular frame  30 , and the annular frame  30  is in the closed state. 
     From the above, a take-out operation of the carcass band  12  from the building drum  16  is completed. 
     In the present embodiment, in the stitcher device  10  provided between the building position for winding the carcass ply  6  and the take-out position of the carcass band  12 , the annular frame  30  including the pressure-bonding device  32  is configured so as to be openable and closable to the left and right. Therefore, the annular frame  30  is opened by moving the left and right frame portions  38  and  40  on both sides sandwiching the drum guide path  18  after the pressure-bonding by the pressure-bonding device  32 , so that the building drum  16  can pass through the gap between the opened pair of frame portions  38  and  40  together with the drum support  20 . Therefore, after the carcass ply  6  is pressure-bonded, the building drum  16  can be moved forward to the carcass band take-out position as it is without retracting once. Accordingly, the time required for taking out the carcass band  12  can be shortened. 
     In addition, the annular frame  30  is suspended, that is, is suspended and supported from the frame guide path  46  provided above the drum guide path  18  via the frame supports  50  and  52 , and the annular frame  30  is fixed by the fixing portion  58  on the bottom side thereof so as to be in a closed state. Therefore, the pair of frame portions  38  and  40  can be fixed so as not to be displaced to the left and right due to a pressure at the time of pressing the carcass ply  6  by the pressure-bonding device  32 . 
     In addition, since the fixing portion  58  is configured by fitting the convex portion having a tapered cross-section that is formed by the joining of the pair of frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  and the concave portion  64 A of the guide path side engaging portion  64 , the axis center of the annular frame  30  can be positioned and fixed by the guide path side engaging portion  64 . Therefore, when the left and right two-division type annular frame  30  is closed, the axial center thereof does not shift to the left or right with respect to the axial center of the building drum  16 , and the building drum  16  and the annular frame  30  can be axially aligned with each other with a simple configuration. 
     The fixing method by the fixing portion  58  is not limited to the mechanical fixing by the engagement between the pair of frame side engaging portions  60  and  62  and the guide path side engaging portion  64  as described above, and the fixing may be realized by, for example, an electromagnetic method. 
     In the embodiment described above, the annular frame  30  is a two-division type annular frame, but the number of divisions is not limited as long as the annular frame is divided into a plurality of parts, and the annular frame may be divided into, for example, three or four parts. 
     In the embodiment described above, the pair of left and right frame portions  38  and  40  are moved away from each other on both sides of the drum guide path  18  to make the annular frame  30  in the opened state, and a gap through which the building drum  16  passes together with the drum support  20  is formed. Similarly, when the annular frame includes three or more frame portions, the plurality of frame portions may be provided so as to be movable in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the annular frame, and the annular frame may be in the opened state by moving the plurality of frame portions in the direction away from each other in the direction perpendicular to the axis. As a result, the gap through which the building drum passes together with the drum support can be formed, and the building drum can pass through the gap and move to the carcass band take-out position. 
     The moving direction of the frame portions  38  and  40  when the annular frame  30  is opened and closed is not limited to the direction perpendicular to the axis of the annular frame  30  (the left-right direction X in the embodiment described above). For example, as in a stitcher device  10 A of another embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 , an annular frame  30 A may be opened and closed by rotating the pair of left and right frame portions  38  and  40  forward and backward, respectively. 
     That is, the pair of left and right frame portions  38  and  40  are provided so as to be rotatable around vertical shafts  70  and  72  respectively installed on both sides sandwiching the drum guide path  18 . From the closed state shown in  FIG. 11 , as shown by arrows, the frame portion  40  (one) rotates rearward, that is, toward the building position side of the carcass ply  6 , and the frame portion (the other one) rotates forward, that is, toward the take-out position side of the carcass band  12 . Therefore, the dividing surface  42  is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the annular frame  30 , so that the tip ends thereof do not interfere with each other when the frame portions  38  and  40  rotate. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented as examples only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and modifications can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.