Abstract:
A festoon assembly, system or arrangement includes at least one festoon roll having first and second opposite sides movably mounted to a respective support member. A linear bearing having an opening at least partially receiving therein a respective support member is arranged on at least one of the first and second sides. 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:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates generally to a twin rod festoon roll as well as a festoon assembly, system or arrangement utilizing one or more festoon rolls and having first and second opposite sides movably mounted to a respective support member. 
         [0003]    This invention also relates to a method of accumulating strip material using a festoon assembly of any of the type disclosed herein. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of Background Information 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,873 to ABE, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a festoon assembly which accumulates tire bead material strip using rolls  35  (see  FIG. 3 ). The rolls move up and down, and accumulate more strip material strip at a lower position than at a higher position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,130 to FUKUDA, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses the use of dancer rolls  25  to absorb slackness of a web material. Furthermore,  FIGS. 1-3  of the instant application show a conventional tire strip festoon assembly. In this conventional arrangement, a plurality of festoon rolls  10  are movable up and down to accumulate tire material strip. Each festoon roll  10  has one end mounted to a vertical support member  20  via a bearing support  30 . The bearing support  30  has a portion that extends into a channel  21  in the support  20  and a relatively large roll connecting portion  31 . A problem or disadvantage of this arrangement is that the bearing support  30  needs to be very robust as it must prevent the festoon roll  10  from rotating perpendicular to an axis of the elongated channel  21  while also allowing the festoon roll  10  to move smoothly up and down. A further issue relates to potential deflection of the opposite end of the festoon roll  10 —which is not connected or mounted to a vertical support  20 . While such an arrangement can function relatively adequately when accumulating a single material strip, the disadvantages of such an arrangement become pronounced when it is desired to run or accumulate two or more material strips in the festoon assembly as the forces, e.g., torqueing and deflection forces, become significant. Moreover, in contrast to embodiments of the invention, the support member  20  needs to be relatively large and stiff, and to have a channel with internal bearing surfaces. The bearing support  30  also needs to be relatively complex and costly. 
         [0006]    It is therefore desirable to provide a more cost effective, robust and stable festoon arrangement which can properly deal with multiple strip materials and/or with the forces generated during tire strip material accumulation as compared to the conventional devices discussed above. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According to one non-limiting aspect of the invention, there is provided a festoon assembly, system or arrangement comprising at least one festoon roll having first and second opposite sides movably mounted to a respective support member. A linear bearing having an opening at least partially receiving therein a respective support member is arranged on at least one of the first and second sides. 
         [0008]    In embodiments, the festoon assembly is a tire manufacturing festoon assembly. 
         [0009]    In embodiments, the festoon roll comprises plural festoon rolls. 
         [0010]    In embodiments, the festoon assembly is sized and configured to accumulate at least one tire sidewall material strip. 
         [0011]    In embodiments, the festoon assembly is sized and configured to accumulate plural side by side tire sidewall material strips. 
         [0012]    In embodiments, the linear bearing having an opening receiving therein a respective support member is arranged on each of the first and second sides. 
         [0013]    In embodiments, each respective support member comprises one of a metal rod, a steel rod, and a solid material rod. 
         [0014]    In embodiments, the assembly further comprises a lift or lifting structure structured and arranged to lift the at least one festoon roll. 
         [0015]    In embodiments, the lift structure comprises at least one shock absorber or damper structured and arranged to contact at least one of an element movable with the at least one festoon roll and a portion of the linear bearing. 
         [0016]    In embodiments, the list structure comprises at least one carrier block having a main opening structured and arranged to receive therein the respective support member. 
         [0017]    In embodiments, the assembly further comprises a lift table structured and arranged to lift the at least one festoon roll to at least one position above a plane defined by plural drive rolls and below a plane defined by plural drive rolls. 
         [0018]    According to one non-limiting aspect of the invention, there is provided a festoon assembly comprising plural festoon rolls each having first and second opposite sides and plural support members. The first side of each festoon roll is movably mounted to a respective support member via a linear bearing. Each linear bearing comprises a bearing block and an opening receiving therein the respective support member. 
         [0019]    In embodiments, the festoon assembly is a tire manufacturing festoon assembly. 
         [0020]    In embodiments, each festoon roll is mounted to two support members and is vertically movable independent of movement of other festoon rolls. 
         [0021]    In embodiments, the festoon assembly is sized and configured to accumulate at least one tire sidewall material strip. 
         [0022]    In embodiments, the festoon assembly is sized and configured to accumulate plural side by side tire sidewall material strips. 
         [0023]    In embodiments, each respective support member comprises one of a metal member having a circular cross-section and a solid steel rod. 
         [0024]    In embodiments, the assembly further comprising a lift structure structured and arranged to lift the plural festoon rolls at the same time and comprising at least one of plural shock absorbers or dampers and plural carrier blocks each having a main opening structured and arranged to receive therein the respective support member. 
         [0025]    In embodiments, there is also provided a method of accumulating strip material using the festoon assembly of any of the types disclosed herein, wherein the method comprises lifting the at least one festoon roll to a position that allows the strip material to pass beneath the festoon roll and above at least one drive roll and allowing the at least one festoon roll to move under the force of gravity to a position below the at least one drive roll. 
         [0026]    According to one non-limiting aspect of the invention, there is provided a festoon assembly comprising plural generally horizontally arranged festoon rolls each having first and second opposite sides and plural generally vertically arranged support members. The first side of each festoon roll is movably mounted to a respective support member via a linear bearing. Each linear bearing comprises a bearing block having an opening sized to receive therein the respective support member. A lifting arrangement is structured and arranged to lift the plural festoon rolls at the same time. The lifting arrangement comprises at least one of plural shock absorbers or dampers and plural carrier blocks each having a main opening structured and arranged to receive therein the respective support member. 
         [0027]    Non-limiting advantages of the invention include greater stability of the festoon rolls through an entire range of motion. The festoon rolls can also accommodate a larger width material strip, e.g., including about a 30 inch extrusion, as well as two or more strips or strip sidewall extrusions. The shocks or dampers function better than standard stops during threading of the material strip. The arrangement of the lifting table, support members and festoon roll bearing supports of the invention can also be used on existing festoon assemblies permitting their modification or retrofit. 
         [0028]    Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]    The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein: 
           [0030]      FIGS. 1-3  show various view of a portion of a conventional tire strip festoon assembly; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  shows a side view single festoon roll having opposite ends mounted to a respective support member via a linear bearing in accordance with the invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  shows an enlarged portion of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  shows a side view of a festoon assembly utilizing the festoon rolls shown in  FIG. 4  and showing an upper frame and material strip drive rolls. A lifting structure used to lift the festoon rolls is not shown for purposes of clarity; 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  shows the festoon assembly of  FIG. 7  when the festoon rolls are raised above the drive rolls so that strip material can be fed into and through the festoon accumulator; 
           [0036]      FIG. 9  shows the festoon assembly of  FIG. 8  when the festoon rolls are lowered below the drive rolls so that strip material is accumulated. The vertical position of the festoon rolls are determined by the slackness of the material strip and the force of gravity; 
           [0037]      FIG. 10  shows a side view of the festoon assembly of  FIG. 7  supported on a lifting structure. Portions of the lifting structure are not shown to illustrate how the support members pass through the carrier blocks and how the linear bearing supports of each festoon roll is resting on shock absorbers or dampers. The lift structure or table can lift the festoons rolls above the drive rolls as shown in  FIG. 8  and then moves back to the lowered position shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 11  shows a right side view of a portion of  FIG. 10  showing the lifting structure supporting a festoon roll; 
           [0039]      FIG. 12  shows a top view of a right side portion of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 13  shows an enlarged portion of  FIG. 10 ; and 
           [0041]      FIG. 14  shows an enlarged portion of  FIG. 7  and shows one non-limiting way in which the drive rolls can be independently driven by a drive motor. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0042]      FIGS. 4-14  show a non-limiting embodiment of the festoon assembly  100  in accordance with the invention. The festoon assembly  100  can, in embodiments, include all or nearly all of the features of a conventional system except that the festoon assembly  100  additionally includes, on the unsupported side, a bearing support  130  is mounted to a support member  120 . Alternatively or additionally, the conventional lifting structure can utilize carrier blocks  180  and shocks  170 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  shows a festoon assembly  100  in accordance with the invention which utilizes twin vertical support members  120 . The vertical support members  120  can be a rod, bar or tubular structure. However, as it is desirable that the support member  120  be relatively stiff and of relatively low cost, a solid rod can be advantageous. The support members  120  can also be of any shape, but is preferably of a shape, e.g., round or circular, so as to correspond to the shape of the opening  133  in the bearing block  132  (see  FIG. 6 ) or vice versa. Each festoon roll  110  of the assembly  100  (which can include multiple, e.g., ten festoon rolls  110 ) has on opposite ends a bearing support  130 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the bearing support  130  has a roll mounting flange  131  bolted or otherwise connected to a bearing block  132 . An opening  133  in the bearing block  132  is sized to be smoothly movable and/or slidably engage with one of the support members  120 . It is advantageous if the bearing support  130  is a linear bearing of the type that is commercially available and that the diameter of the support members  120  is matched to a standard diameter of the available bearing block openings  133 . In embodiments, the materials of the bearing supports  130  (or a major part thereof) can be of aluminum or aluminum alloy to reduce weight. In contrast, the support members  120  can be steel bars which are generally rigid and low cost, and whose weight is not of concern because the support members  120  can be generally supported on or by the floor of the manufacturing facility. The sliding interaction of the linear bearing type bearing supports  130  and the support members  120  is such that they allow each festoon roll  110  to move up and down easily and smoothly so that the festoon assembly  100  can accumulate strip material SM (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ) smoothly and/reliably while the festoon roll  110  maintains a generally horizontal configuration and so that it does not rotate about an axis of either of the support member  120 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 7  shows a festoon assembly  100  utilizing the festoon rolls  110  shown in  FIG. 4  (only one festoon roll is shown for clarity). The assembly  100  additionally includes an upper frame  150  and material strip drive rolls  140  (only one drive roll is shown for clarity). A lifting structure (see  FIG. 10 ) is used to lift the festoon rolls  110  from the lowered position shown in  FIG. 10  to a threading position described below and can then be moved back to a lower position. 
         [0045]      FIG. 8  shows a festoon assembly  100  of  FIG. 7  when the festoon rolls  110  are raised above the drive rolls  140  so that strip material SM can be fed into or threaded through the festoon accumulator or assembly  100 . As described above, this occurs via the lift structure shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 9  shows the festoon assembly  100  of  FIG. 8  when the festoon rolls  110  are lowered below the drive rolls  140  by the lift structure (again not shown for purposes of clarity) so that strip material SM is accumulated. The vertical position of the festoon rolls  110  are thereafter determined by the slackness of the material strip SM and the force of gravity. 
         [0047]      FIG. 10  shows the festoon assembly of  FIG. 7  supported on a lifting structure or table  160  which can be used to lift the festoon rolls  110  as shown in  FIG. 8 . The lift structure  160  includes a frame  161 , carrier blocks  180  and shocks or dampers  170 . The carrier blocks  180  allow the support members  120  pass through the carrier blocks  180 . The shocks  170  have an upper portion which contacts or engages with the linear bearing supports  130  of each festoon roll  110  so that the latter can rest on shock absorbers or dampers  170  when static or moving up and down. The lift structure or table  160  can lift all of the festoons rolls  110  at the same time above the drive rolls  140  as shown in  FIG. 8  and can then move back to the lowered position shown in  FIG. 10  while the festoon rolls  110  assume the running or accumulating position shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 11  shows a right side view of a portion of  FIG. 10  showing the lifting structure  160  supporting a festoon roll  110 . As is apparent from this figure, each bearing block  130  is centrally supported on a respective shock  170 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 12  shows a top view of  FIG. 11  and illustrates how the carrier blocks  180  are fixed or otherwise connected to the frame  161  of the lift structure  160  and are each arranged between two stationary rolls  162 —which move with and/or are fixed with respect to the frame  161 . The main opening  181  of each carrier block  180  is advantageously significantly larger than the cross-section of the support members  120  so that a respective block  180  and member  120  do not contact or engage one another and so that the lift table  160  can move freely up and down independent of the support members and without interference. An upper surface  182  of each carrier block  180  serves as a support/connecting surface for the shock absorber  170 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 13  shows how the upper portion of the shock  170  can move up and down so that it can dampen energy when in contact with or is otherwise supporting the festoon roll  110  during lifting or when the table  160  is static and supporting the festoon rolls  110 . Moreover, if one or more of the festoon rolls  110  drop unexpectedly, their downward fall can be arrested less abruptly. 
         [0051]      FIG. 14  shows an enlarged portion of  FIG. 7  and illustrates one non-limiting way in which one or more, or each drive roll  140  can be independently driven and/or rotated by a drive motor  190 . In this embodiment, each drive motor  190  is connected or otherwise fixed to the upper frame  150  and causes rotation of the drive roll  140 . When the material strip SM is being accumulated in the assembly  100 , the drive rolls  140  drive its movement through the assembly while the strip material SM drives or causes rotation of the festoon rolls  110 . 
         [0052]    The invention contemplates and recognizes using any one or more features or elements of one embodiment or drawing figure on any one or more of the other herein disclosed embodiments of drawing figures. Materials which can be used for various parts where weight is of concern include, e.g., T6061 aluminum. A non-limiting exemplary bearing  130  which can be utilized includes, e.g., A Thompson Super Smart Pillow Block 1¼″ Bore Closed Model # SSUPB20. 
         [0053]    It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. 
       LIST OF REFERENCES 
       [0000]    
       
           10  Festoon Roll 
           20  Support Member 
           21  Receiving Channel 
           30  Bearing Support 
           31  Roll Connecting Portion 
           32  Channel Inserting Portion 
           100  Festoon Assembly 
           110  Festoon Roll 
           120  Support Member 
           130  Linear Bearing 
           131  Roll Connecting Flange 
           132  Bearing Block 
           133  Receiving Opening 
           140  Drive Roll 
           150  Drive Roll Frame 
           160  Lift Structure or Table 
           161  Table Frame 
           162  Stationary Roll 
           170  Shock Absorber or Damper 
           180  Carrier Block 
           181  Main Opening 
           182  Shock Support Surface 
           190  Drive Motor 
         SM Strip Material