Patent Description:
In the field of production of products prepared from a rubber mixture (including tires), use is made of devices for making a profiled product based on a rubber mixture in the form of a very thin strip. The strip made may be very wide and may be deposited directly on a known device (including a tire building drum, or "drum"), or directly superposed at the outlet of the device upon another material (for example, one or more plies or layers already deposited on the drum).

One solution that is used (disclosed by the Applicant's European patent <CIT>) includes placing a very thin layer of a rubber product between the products to be adhesively bonded (this layer is sometimes referred to as a "connecting rubber"). With reference to <FIG>, an extrusion device <NUM> includes a rotating roller (or "roller") <NUM> that rotates about its axis X-X', having an outer surface 12a. The extrusion device <NUM> also includes a vault <NUM> with a wall <NUM> extending between a transverse end (hidden by the roller <NUM>), where an inlet orifice is defined, and an opposite transverse end 16a, where an extrusion orifice is defined when the extrusion device <NUM> is closed. The extrusion orifice is delimited by the outer surface 12a of the roller <NUM> and an extrusion plate (or "plate") <NUM> arranged towards the opposite transverse end 16a of the vault <NUM>. The wall <NUM>, which partially circumferentially covers at least part of the outer surface 12a of the roller <NUM>, includes an inner surface 16b with projecting threads 16c oriented towards the roller <NUM> and separating consecutive sectors 16d. Thus, the roller <NUM> and the wall <NUM> delimit a gap between them that forms a chamber for plasticizing the rubber mixture from which the thin strip is formed.

During production, a rubber mixture is subjected to considerable stresses. With reference to <FIG>, in one mode of use of the extrusion device <NUM>, the roller <NUM> arranged relative to the vault <NUM> rotates in a predetermined direction (see the arrow A in <FIG>) depending upon a direction of travel of a substrate on which the strip at the outlet of the extrusion device will be placed (see the arrow B in <FIG>). The rubber mixture introduced via the inlet orifice will follow a path as represented by the strip M. The rubber mixture introduced passes into the gap E<NUM> defined between the inner surface 16b of the wall <NUM> and the outer surface 12a of the roller <NUM>. The rubber mixture passes the projecting threads 16c where significant shearing forces are created. Therefore, sometimes the material close to the roller continues to stick to the roller and passes by the projecting threads, which can result in particles of rubber in the strip formed therefrom (for example, in the case where the projecting threads are not uniform).

A rubber layer generated at the end of this process is cut directly on the roller <NUM> after the application of a rubber complex. For example, <FIG> shows a sectional view of a sample of a tread <NUM> made up of the assembled semi-finished products of a rubber complex. The tread <NUM> shown includes a layer <NUM> designed for wear and gripping the road, a profiled inner lining (or "sub-layer") <NUM> and a joint-cover profile <NUM> for protection against lateral impacts (other types of assembly are of course known). If the sub-layer <NUM> is protruding, it may be on the outside of the tire casing, thus giving rise to cracks in the sidewall of the tire over its lifetime. Therefore, to reduce the generation of protruding rubber layers, the blades that make the cut must pass under the rubber complex.

The disclosed invention thus proposes a complex forming device that ensures the passage of blades under the rubber complex so that non-protruding rubber layers are obtained.

The invention relates to a device for forming a profiled product so as to produce a complex product from non-protruding rubber layers, in which the device includes an extrusion device for forming the profiled product based on a rubber mixture, the extrusion device having a rotating roller, an inlet orifice allowing the rubber mixture to flow and a vault circumferentially covering at least part of an outer surface of the roller, the vault having a wall bearing, on its inner surface oriented towards the roller, projecting threads so as to delimit with the surface of the roller a chamber for plasticizing the rubber mixture, the rubber mixture being driven from the inlet orifice towards an extrusion orifice in a gap defining the profile of the product, delimited by the wall of the vault and the outer surface of the roller, the roller including a pair of shoulders of predetermined equal diameter, with a shoulder in correspondence with each of the two transverse ends of the vault, where the inlet orifice and the extrusion orifice are located, respectively, and with an outer flange and an inner flange being mounted on the two shoulders, characterized in that the device includes:.

In some embodiments of the device, the supports are integrated with the corresponding flanges, and the additional roller includes a separate part that is detachably secured to the supports.

In some embodiments of the device, the additional roller and the supports are integrated in a single part such that the assembly incorporating the additional roller and the supports is detachably secured to the extrusion device of the device.

In some embodiments of the device, the device further includes a securing means that secures the assembly incorporating the additional roller and the supports to the extrusion device of the device.

In some embodiments of the device, at least one part among the additional roller, the supports and the securing means is supplied as a kit incorporating parts having different parameters. The invention also relates to a process for forming a complex product of a profiled product from non-protruding rubber layers, produced by the disclosed device, including the following steps:.

The invention also relates to a tire production line, including at least one installation having the disclosed device.

In some embodiments of the production line, the installation includes a frame on which the roller is mounted and rotated by a motor at a predetermined speed.

In some embodiments of the production line, the production line further includes at least one extruder in which a mixture emerging from the extruder is directed towards the inlet orifice of the extrusion device of the device.

In some embodiments of the production line, the production line further includes an extruder for extruding several rubber mixtures and at least two devices arranged downstream.

Further aspects of the invention will become obvious from the following detailed description.

The nature and various advantages of the invention will become more evident from reading the following detailed description, and from studying the attached drawings, in all of which the same reference numerals denote identical parts, and in which:.

Referring now to the figures, in which the same numbers identify identical elements, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> show an embodiment of a complex forming device (or "device") <NUM> for producing a complex product from rubber layers (or "products"). A profiled product at the outlet from the device <NUM> can be combined with at least one other rubber product so as to produce a product referred to as "complex". The device <NUM> may form part of an installation <NUM> of a tire production line.

It is understood that a rubber mixture (or "mixture") introduced into the device <NUM> may include all materials necessary for producing the rubber product (or "product"), including, without limitation, an elastomer (for example, a natural rubber, a synthetic elastomer and combinations and equivalents thereof) and one or more ingredients, such as one or more processing agents, protective agents and reinforcing fillers. The materials may also include one or more other ingredients such as carbon black, silica, oils, resins and crosslinking or vulcanization agents. During mixing of the rubber mixture, all ingredients are introduced in variable quantities depending on the performance desired from the products obtained by the mixing processes (for example, the tires).

With reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, the device <NUM> includes an extrusion device incorporating elements that are identical to the extrusion device <NUM> shown in <FIG> and disclosed by the Applicant's patent <CIT>. The extrusion device has a rotating roller (or "roller") <NUM> with a substantially circumferential outer surface 112a. The roller <NUM> has a center through which an axis of rotation of the roller is defined. The roller <NUM>, which extends axially between two opposite ends, rotates about its axis of rotation relative to a shaft (not shown) that supports the roller. The roller <NUM> and the shaft may be integrated or they may be supplied as two separate parts. The roller <NUM> also includes a pair of shoulders (not shown) of predetermined equal diameter.

A vault of the extrusion device includes a wall that circumferentially covers at least part of an outer surface 112a of the roller <NUM>. The wall includes an inner surface with projecting threads oriented towards the roller. As understood by a person skilled in the art, the inner surface of the wall has a substantially circumferential profile so as to direct a flow of the rubber mixture into a gap delimited between it and the outer surface 112a of the roller <NUM>, which serves as a chamber for plasticizing the mixture. At the two transverse ends of the vault, corresponding to the shoulders of the roller <NUM>, an inlet orifice and an opposite extrusion orifice are located, respectively. During a process for forming the mixture, the mixture is driven from the inlet orifice, into the gap located between the wall of the vault and the outer surface 112a of the roller <NUM>, towards the extrusion orifice.

It is understood that the vault is not divided into sectors but has at least two projecting threads extending substantially axially from the wall ("axial threads"). These two axial threads guide the mixture towards the extrusion orifice, distributing it over the width of the extrusion orifice. Other projecting threads on the vault may be oriented ("oriented threads") in different directions, such as helical threads or convergent or divergent threads, relative to the axial threads.

An outer flange <NUM> and an opposite inner flange <NUM> are mounted on the two shoulders. Each flange axially bears internally a shoulder that interacts respectively with a corresponding end of the vault. This allows the vault to be secured by one or more known securing means (for example, one or more screws or one or more equivalent means).

As can be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, support elements <NUM> are mounted between the flanges <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively, the support elements being offset circumferentially relative to the roller <NUM>. The support elements <NUM> are rigidly secured to the flanges <NUM>, <NUM> by any suitable means (such as screws or equivalent securing means). It is understood that the flanges <NUM>, <NUM> and the support elements <NUM> may be made in one piece.

The roller <NUM> may be mounted on a frame <NUM> of the installation <NUM> and rotated by a motor at a predetermined speed. The exact position of the roller <NUM> relative to the frame <NUM> is adjustable according to the properties of the mixture and the strip formed (its width and its thickness).

It is understood that an extrusion plate (or "plate"), of the type described above in relation to the extrusion device <NUM> of <FIG>, is arranged internally on the support element <NUM> in such a way that it delimits, with the outer surface 112a of the roller <NUM>, the extrusion orifice. It is thus possible to adjust the spacing between the plate and the outer surface 112a of the roller <NUM> so as to define the height of the extrusion orifice according to the profile of the strip of rubber product to be obtained (for example, a thin strip). The plate may include one or more holes for the passage of textile yarns or metal wires so as to produce a reinforced strip that may be placed directly on a building drum or form.

The roller <NUM> incorporates a means for controlling the temperature inside the roller, this means including, for example, a network of one or more known conveying channels (not shown) passing through the roller. Thus, a corresponding regulating fluid (such as water, steam, a gas or another known temperature regulating fluid) or electricity is conveyed under the outer surface 112a of the roller <NUM> so as to regulate the temperature of the mixture during the process for forming the mixture.

Still with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, and also to <FIG>, the device <NUM> further includes an additional roller <NUM> that allows the passage of at least one pair of blades <NUM> of the device under the complex product (in other words, the profiled product) during production (in the embodiment of the device <NUM> shown in <FIG>, a single blade <NUM> is arranged beside the outer flange <NUM>, but it is understood that a second blade is arranged beside the inner flange <NUM>). The blades <NUM> of the device <NUM> are separated by a predetermined distance from the outer surface 112a of the roller <NUM>. This distance corresponds to a desired width depending on the rubber product profile to be obtained (for example, a profiled inner lining <NUM> as shown in <FIG>). The two blades <NUM> may be positioned automatically relative to edges of the profiled product to create this distance. The blades <NUM> cut the product emerging from the extrusion device of the device <NUM> so as to cut a precise width of the cut product (see the arrow C in <FIG>). The cut product is directed from the roller <NUM> towards the additional roller <NUM> so as to be assembled with other layers of a complex product having a corresponding width. In this configuration, the device <NUM> assembles the rubber products in a complex form from non-protruding rubber layers.

The additional roller <NUM> includes a rotating roller that rotates about its axis, having a substantially circumferential outer surface 122a. The additional roller <NUM> has a center through which an axis of rotation of the roller is defined. The additional roller <NUM> extends axially between two opposite ends that define a predetermined length of the additional roller. The additional roller <NUM> rotates about its axis of rotation relative to one or more supports <NUM> that support the additional roller.

The additional roller <NUM> and the support or supports <NUM> may be integrated or they may be supplied as two separate parts. In one embodiment of the device <NUM>, the supports <NUM> may be integrated with the corresponding flanges <NUM>, <NUM>, and the additional roller <NUM> may be supplied as a separate, replaceable part. For example, an additional roller of predetermined diameter may be replaced by an additional roller of another diameter depending on the selected rubber mixture recipe.

In one embodiment of the device <NUM>, the additional roller <NUM> and the support or supports <NUM> may be integrated such that the whole assembly can be replaceable. In this embodiment, the assembly including the additional roller <NUM> and the supports <NUM> is detachably secured, allowing the assembly to be secured to and removed from the roller <NUM>. The assembly including the additional roller <NUM> and the supports <NUM> may be secured using a securing means <NUM> that secures the assembly to the outer flange <NUM>. It is understood that the additional roller <NUM>, the supports <NUM> and the securing means <NUM> may be supplied as one or more kits incorporating parts having different parameters (for example, additional rollers having different diameters and/or different lengths depending on the selected mixture recipe, supports <NUM> having diameters corresponding to the diameters of the additional rollers and/or different heights for adjusting the height of the additional roller relative to the roller <NUM>). Still with reference to <FIG>, during a complex forming process performed by the device <NUM>, a rubber mixture is introduced into the extrusion device of the device <NUM> via the inlet orifice of the extrusion device. As it continues to rotate, the roller <NUM> conveys the mixture entering in the peripheral direction into the gap between the outer surface 112a of the roller and the inner surface of the wall of the vault. As the mixture passes through, a shearing energy is conferred on the mixture, raising its temperature. The rubber mixture continues to pass through as far as the extrusion orifice of the extrusion device of the device <NUM>, where the plasticized rubber mixture is taken by the plate so as to subsequently emerge from the extrusion device in the form of a profiled rubber product (for example, a thin strip corresponding to an inner lining).

The profiled product emerging from the extrusion device of the device <NUM> is directed towards the roller <NUM> that rotates in a direction depending on a direction of travel of a substrate S on which the strip will be placed at the outlet of the extrusion device (see the arrow D in <FIG>). As it passes by the blades <NUM>, the profiled product is cut by these blades to a width corresponding to the gap separating them. The profiled product, now cut, is then directed towards the additional roller <NUM>, which maintains the profiled product at a predefined tension so as to receive one or more other layers of a complex product having a corresponding width. It is understood that the device <NUM> (or an installation <NUM> incorporating the device <NUM>) may be arranged at the outlet of at least one extruder such that a mixture emerging from the extruder is directed towards the inlet orifice of the extrusion device of the device <NUM>. It is also understood that the device <NUM> (or an installation <NUM> incorporating the device <NUM>) may be incorporated in a production line with an extruder for extruding several rubber mixtures and at least two devices <NUM> arranged downstream so as to allow several products to be deposited successively in order to obtain the desired complex product. For each embodiment of such a production line, the blades make a cut that passes under the rubber layers so as to reduce the generation of protruding rubber layers.

For all embodiments of the device <NUM>, a monitoring system could be installed. At least one part of the monitoring system may be supplied in a portable device such as a mobile network device (for example a mobile telephone, a laptop computer, a camera, one or more portable devices connected to the network (including "augmented reality" and/or "virtual reality" devices, portable clothing connected to the network and/or any combinations and/or any equivalents)).

In embodiments of the invention, the device <NUM> (and/or an installation <NUM> incorporating the device <NUM>) may receive voice commands or other audio data (representing, for example, a start or stop of the process for forming the mixture). The request may include a request for the current state of a process for forming the rubber mixture. A response generated can be represented audibly, visually, in a tactile manner (for example by way of a haptic interface) and/or in a virtual and/or augmented manner.

In one embodiment, the process for forming the mixture, performed by the device <NUM> of the invention, may include a step of training the device <NUM> (or of training an installation <NUM> incorporating the device <NUM>) to recognize values representative of the thin strip (for example, values of length, width and thickness relative to particles detected and removed) and to compare them with expected values. This step may include the step of training the device <NUM> to recognize a lack of equivalence between the compared values. Each training step may include a classification generated by self-learning means. This classification may include, without limitation, the parameters of the selected rubber mixture recipe, the durations of the process for forming the mixture and the expected values during an ongoing cycle of tire production. The data obtained may be fed into one or more neural networks that manage the device <NUM> and/or one or more installations <NUM> incorporating the device <NUM>.

The terms "at least one" and "one or more" are used interchangeably. The ranges given as lying "between a and b" encompass the values "a" and "b".

Claim 1:
A device (<NUM>) for forming a profiled product so as to produce a complex product from non-protruding rubber layers, in which the device comprises an extrusion device for forming the profiled product based on a rubber mixture, the extrusion device comprising a rotating roller (<NUM>), an inlet orifice allowing the rubber mixture to flow and a vault circumferentially covering at least part of an outer surface (112a) of the roller (<NUM>), the vault having a wall bearing, on its inner surface oriented towards the roller (<NUM>), projecting threads so as to delimit with the surface of the roller a chamber for plasticizing the rubber mixture, the rubber mixture being driven from the inlet orifice towards an extrusion orifice into a gap defining the profile of the product, delimited by the wall of the vault and the outer surface of the roller, the roller (<NUM>) comprising a pair of shoulders of predetermined equal diameter, with a shoulder in correspondence with each of the two transverse ends of the vault, where the inlet orifice and the extrusion orifice are located, respectively, and with an outer flange (<NUM>) and an inner flange (<NUM>) being mounted on the two shoulders, characterized in that the device (<NUM>) comprises:
- at least one pair of blades (<NUM>) separated by a predetermined distance between them relative to edges of the profiled product;
- an additional roller (<NUM>) that allows the blades (<NUM>) of the device to pass under the profiled product, the additional roller (<NUM>) comprising a rotating roller that rotates about its axis, having a substantially circumferential outer surface (122a) and having a center through which an axis of rotation of the roller is defined, the additional roller (<NUM>) extending axially between two opposite ends that define a predetermined length of the additional roller; and
- one or more supports (<NUM>) that support the additional roller (<NUM>) in such a way as to allow the additional roller (<NUM>) to rotate about its axis of rotation;
- in such a way that the blades (<NUM>) cut a product emerging from the extrusion device of the device (<NUM>) so as to cut a precise width of the profiled product in order to direct the profiled product towards the additional roller (<NUM>) so that it is assembled in a complex form from non-protruding rubber layers.