Patent Description:
In the prior art devices are known for performing cooling and stabilization processes on a vulcanized tyre, so called PCI - post cure inflator.

Document <CIT> describes a device for processing tyres after vulcanization process, having at least one cleaning station with a PCI for pressurizing the interior of the tyre with an auxiliary gas wherein the at least one cleaning station is configured to assist finishing processing of produced tyres affected by residual heat.

Document <CIT> discloses a device for inflating and cooling a tyre after vulcanization. It comprises a ring at the side of a body and a ring at the mounting/removing side. Both rings are formed with a toe receiving surfaces opposite to the outer surface of a vulcanized tyre toe. A vulcanized tyre is cooled and its shape is stabilized in a state in which the vulcanized tyre is retained between the toe retaining surfaces. The ring from at the mounting/removing side is provided with a coupling catch for releasable gripping the tyre toe. The device presented in the document comprises an electric motor arranged between two stations, and locking of the tyre is effected as a result of threaded connection of the elements. This solution presents a very big and complicated frame arranged for transfer of considerable loads.

Document <CIT> describes a post cure tire inflator for use with a tire press to inflate and cure vulcanized tires. The post cure inflator includes a frame fixed between a pair of outer support columns, a first movable beam that is linearly movable relative to the frame, and a second movable beam that is linearly movable relative to both of the frame and the first movable beam. A pair of inflator stations is arranged in a vertically separated formation with each inflator station including a pair of axially aligned, vertically separable tire inflating chuck rings. One of the tire inflating chuck rings from each pair of inflator stations is secured to the frame, and the other tire inflating chuck ring from each pair of inflator stations is secured to one of the first and second movable beams.

Document <CIT> discloses an inflation device comprises: a lower rim support section for supporting a lower rim; an upper rim support section for supporting an upper rim; a movement restriction section for restricting movement toward the lower side in which the lower rim support section moves away from the upper rim support section; a position adjustment rod that passes through the lower rim support section and extends toward the upper side; a coupler that is attached to the upper rim support section and couples the upper rim support section to the position adjustment rod; and a rim advancer for causing the lower rim support section to advance toward the upper side.

Document <CIT> discloses an apparatus for inflating and cooling a vulcanized tire T by sealing high pressure air into the vulcanized tire, and includes an annular rim for gripping the vulcanized tire at a bead portion, a connecting member fixed at one end portion thereof to the rim, a rim supporting member provided in a body frame, and a clamping device provided in the rim supporting member to clamp the connecting member to the rim supporting member unclampably. This construction permits a post cure inflator in which replacement of the rim is easy and an existing rim can be used.

None of the above-mentioned documents teaches the cooperation of the spline and the securing pocket in order to rotate the thread and thereby axially moving of the second disc.

It is the aim of the invention to provide a device for cooling and stabilizing the cured tyre to ensure adjustment of the tyre compression in the device and enhance process effectiveness through preventing damage to the tyre.

It is the object of the invention to provide a device for cooling and stabilizing the cured tyre, comprising: a beam that comprises at least one non-movable elements; at least one movable element; at least one guide to enable movement of the movable element along the beam; at least one actuator arranged to move the movable element relative to the beam. The non-movable element or the movable element comprises a shaft having at its end at least one spline, and a first disc in the axis of which the shaft is arranged. The other one of the non-movable element or movable element, respectively, comprises a closing mechanism comprising: a second disc with threaded axial opening, a main electric motor and a securing socket having a cylindrical shape with a threat at least at a portion of its height. The invention characterises in that the closing mechanism is configured to cooperate with the shaft via a securing socket shaped correspondingly to at least one spline and to adjust the tyre height by sliding, along the axis, a second disc. The main electric motor is coupled with a securing socket so that it enables rotation of the securing socket. On the securing socket, in its threaded portion, the second disc is secured so that rotation of the securing socket causes the second disc slide along the securing socket. The closing mechanism is configured so that adjustment of the second disc in parallel to the beam axis is possible.

Preferably, the non-movable element is arranged at the first end of the beam, and the movable element is secured to the guide at the other end of the beam.

Preferably, the device comprises two movable elements, namely a first movable element and a second movable element, where the non-movable element is secured to the beam so that it is arranged between the first movable element and the second movable element, and the non-movable element comprises two first discs with a shaft, where the first disc is oriented towards the first end of the beam, and the other first disc is oriented towards the other end of the beam.

Preferably, to the non-movable element an overstroke limitation unit is secured, comprising an additional electric motor and a pinion, where each of the first discs comprises a toothed wheel secured to the first disc at the side of the non-movable element, positioned on the axis of the first disc and the axis of the shaft, to cooperate with the pinion, and the shaft has a thread on its outer surface, at least at a portion of the shaft height, and the additional electric motor is coupled with the pinion so that the overstroke limitation unit is capable to control the distance to at least one first disc, and the pinion is coupled with at least one toothed wheel of at least one first disc so that the rotational movement of the pinion forces a plane movement of at least one first disc in parallel with the beam axis.

Preferably, the overstroke limitation unit comprises at least one transmission gear, preferably a planetary gear or a worm gear.

Preferably, the device comprises two guides.

Preferably, the guides are arranged in parallel relative to the beam axis.

Preferably, the actuator is a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator.

Preferably, the device comprises a base secured to the first end of the beam, preferably, perpendicularly to the beam axis.

Preferably, at least one non-movable element is in a form of a first support beam, preferably arranged perpendicularly relative to the beam axis.

Preferably, at least one movable element is in a form of a second support beam, preferably arranged perpendicularly relative to the beam axis.

Due to the use of the device according to the invention it is possible to carry out the process of cooling the cured tyre. Moreover, the tyre is not prone to damage or destruction, because due to the use of an electric motor there is no possibility for occurrence of oil leakage from hydraulic installation and soiling of the tyre being processed. Furthermore, the frame of the device is lightweight and the device comprises an additional electrically driven control mechanism to prevent overcompression of the tyre when arranged in the device.

The invention will be presented in preferable embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings wherein:.

A device, according to the first preferable embodiment of the invention, comprises a beam <NUM> which comprises at least one non-movable element <NUM>. The device also comprises at least one movable element <NUM> and at least one guide <NUM> to enable movement of the movable element <NUM> along the beam <NUM>. The device also comprises at least one actuator <NUM> arranged to move the movable element <NUM> relative to the beam <NUM>. The actuator <NUM> is in a preferable embodiment a pneumatic actuator or a hydraulic actuator. The non-movable element <NUM> or movable element <NUM> comprises a shaft <NUM> having at its end at least one spline <NUM>, and a first disc <NUM> in the axis of which the shaft <NUM> is arranged. Respectively, the other one of the non-movable element or movable element comprises a closing element shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. The closing element comprises a second disc <NUM> with threaded axial opening <NUM> (<FIG>), a main electric motor <NUM> and a securing socket <NUM> having a cylindrical shape with a thread at least at a portion of its height. The closing mechanism is configured to cooperate with the shaft <NUM> by means of the securing socket <NUM> corresponding to the shape of the at least one spline <NUM> and to adjust the size of the tyre through sliding along the axis of the second disc <NUM>. The main electric motor <NUM> is coupled with the securing socket <NUM> so that it enables rotation of the securing socket <NUM>. On the securing socket <NUM>, on the threaded portion, the second disc <NUM> is mounted so that rotation of the securing socket <NUM> causes sliding of the second disc <NUM> along the axis of the securing socket <NUM>.

In another embodiment, for the station for one tyre, at the first end of the beam <NUM> a non-movable element <NUM> is mounted. At the second end of the beam <NUM> the non-movable element <NUM> is mounted and configured so that it moves along the beam on a guide <NUM>. As a result it is possible to use the device for tyres of varied thickness. Moreover, the device comprises an actuator <NUM>. It is coupled with the movable element and therefore it is arranged for moving the movable element <NUM> relative to the beam <NUM>.

According to yet another preferable embodiment, the device comprises two movable elements <NUM>, namely a first movable element 3a and a second movable element 3b, as shown in detail in <FIG>. The movable element <NUM> is secured to the beam <NUM> so that it is positioned between the first movable element 3a and the second movable element 3b. The non-movable element <NUM> comprises two first discs <NUM> with a shaft <NUM>, wherein one first contact <NUM> is oriented towards the first end of the beam <NUM>, and the first disc <NUM> is oriented towards the other end of the beam <NUM>. Device thus configured enables simultaneous cooling two tyres. This makes it possible to save time and enhance effectiveness of the process.

In another preferable embodiment of the invention, to the non-movable element <NUM> an overstroke limitation unit is mounted, shown in detail in <FIG>. This mechanism provides additional adjustment of the tyre and prevents too strong compression of the tyre before it is pumped up, as well as adjustment of pressure within the tyre during cooling. The mechanism comprises an additional electric motor <NUM> and a pinion <NUM>. To each of the first discs <NUM> a toothed wheel <NUM> is attached at the side of the non-movable element <NUM> that is positioned on the axis of the first disc <NUM> and the axis of the shaft <NUM>. The tooted wheel <NUM> is configured to cooperate with the pinion <NUM>, and the shaft <NUM> has a thread on the outer surface of at least a portion of the height of the shaft <NUM>.

Additional electric motor <NUM> is coupled with the pinion <NUM> so that the overstroke limitation unit is arranged to control the distance to at least one first disc <NUM>. The pinion <NUM> is coupled with at least toothed wheel <NUM> of at least one first disc <NUM> so that the rotational movement of the pinion <NUM> causes a plane motion of at least one first disc <NUM> in parallel to the axis of the beam <NUM>.

Preferably, the overstroke limitation unit comprises at least one transmission gear <NUM>, preferably a planetary gear or a worm gear, as shown in <FIG>. This solution enables the use of an additional electric motor <NUM> with a lower power. The change of the disc position is also slower, and thus adjustment can be done easier. Additionally, the additional electric motor <NUM> is easier to be positioned along the non-movable element <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the device comprises two guides <NUM>, preferably arranged in parallel to the axis of the beam. Preferably, each of the guides is arranged for movement of one movable element <NUM> thereon.

Preferably, the device comprises a base <NUM>, secured to the first end of the beam <NUM>, preferably perpendicularly to the axis of the beam <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. Due to this it is possible to set the device on a flat foundation. In the case when the device is not provided with a base, the device according to the invention may be also secured directly to the wall.

Preferably, at least one non-movable element <NUM> is in a form of a first support beam <NUM>, preferably positioned perpendicularly relative to the axis of the beam <NUM>.

Preferably, at least one movable element <NUM> is in a form of a second support beam <NUM>, preferably positioned perpendicularly to the axis of the beam <NUM>.

Such construction of the first support beam <NUM> and the second support beam <NUM> enables easy securing of the non-movable element <NUM> or the movable element <NUM> to the beam <NUM> or to the guide <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A device for cooling and stabilizing the cured tyre, comprising:
a beam (<NUM>) that comprises at least one non-movable element (<NUM>);
at least one movable element (<NUM>);
at least one guide (<NUM>) to enable movement of the movable element (<NUM>) along the beam (<NUM>);
at least one actuator (<NUM>) arranged to move the movable element (<NUM>) relative to the beam (<NUM>);
and the non-movable element (<NUM>) or the movable element (<NUM>) comprises a shaft (<NUM>) having at its end at least one spline (<NUM>), and a first disc (<NUM>) in the axis of which the shaft (<NUM>) is positioned;
and the other of the non-movable element (<NUM>) or the movable element (<NUM>), respectively, comprises a closing mechanism comprising:
a second disc (<NUM>) with threaded axial opening (<NUM>),
a main electric motor (<NUM>); and
a securing socket (<NUM>) having a cylindrical shape with a thread at least at a portion of the height;
characterised in that the closing mechanism is configured to cooperate with the shaft (<NUM>) by means of the securing socket (<NUM>) corresponding to the shape of the at least one spline (<NUM>) and to adjust the size of the tyre through sliding, along the axis, of the second disc (<NUM>), and the main electric motor (<NUM>) is coupled with the securing socket (<NUM>) so that it enables rotation of the securing socket (<NUM>), and on the securing socket (<NUM>), on the threaded portion, the second disc (<NUM>) is mounted so that rotation of the securing socket (<NUM>) causes sliding of the second disc (<NUM>) along the axis of the securing socket (<NUM>);
and the closing mechanism is configured to enable adjustment of the second disc (<NUM>) in parallel to the axis of the beam.