Method of managing the feeding of an elongated element to a tyre building station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059069-B2
Application number	US-201314654123-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2013
Priority date	Dec 27, 2012
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

A method for managing the continuous feeding of an elongate element wound on reels to a station for building a tire, wherein the elongate element is continuously supplied from an unwinding device of successive reels. When the terminal end of the elongate element wound on a first reel leaves said first reel, the method provides for: the first reel to be moved away from the unwinding device on a first movable carriage; a second reel, successive to the first reel, and mounted on a second movable carriage, to be positioned in place of the first reel; and the terminal end of the elongate element previously wound on the first reel, to be joined to the starting end of the elongate element wound on the second reel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for managing the continuous feeding of an elongate element wound on reels to a station for building a tyre, wherein said elongate element is continuously supplied from a processing unit of an unwinding device of successive reels, and wherein, when a terminal end of said elongate element wound on a first reel leaves said first reel, the method comprising:
moving said first reel away from said unwinding device on a first movable carriage;
positioning a second reel, which is successive to the first reel and mounted on a second movable carriage, in place of said first reel; and
joining said terminal end of the elongate element previously wound on said first reel to a starting end of the elongate element wound on said second reel;
and wherein said first and second movable carriage are associated with said processing unit by removably fixing said first and second movable carriages at a seat of a fixed frame of said processing unit by respective fastening elements provided on said first and second movable carriages and on said fixed frame.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, prior to exit of said terminal end, said elongate element unwound from said first reel fills a temporary bunching system positioned upstream of said building station.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein, at the exit of said terminal end, said elongate element, unwound from said first reel, is locked at said terminal end, and said building station is supplied by said temporary bunching system.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein said terminal end of the elongate element exiting said first reel is joined to said starting end of the elongate element wound on said second reel in a time shorter than a time for emptying said temporary bunching system.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first and second reels are mounted and dismounted on said first and second movable carriages, respectively, in a storage warehouse for said reels.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said elongate element wound on said first or second reel is coupled to a service fabric, and wherein said service fabric is separated from said elongate element, once unwound from said first or second reel, at said first or second carriage.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein said service fabric, after being separated from said elongate element, is wound on a service reel mounted on said first or second carriage, respectively.

8. An unwinding device of an elongate element wound on a reel for building tyres, comprising:
a first support for a first reel on which said elongate element is wound, said first support allowing rotation of said first reel about an axis of rotation thereof,
a processing unit of said elongate element, said unit being arranged to continuously supply said elongate element to a building station of said tyre, said processing unit comprising:
i) a plurality of rotating rollers over which said elongate element is led in exit of said first reel;
ii) a locking mechanism of said elongate element arranged to lock a terminal end of said elongate element at the exit of said first reel; and
iii) a temporary bunching system for said elongate element adapted to allow continuous supplying of said elongate element, while said terminal end is locked and is joined to a starting end of said elongate element wound on a second reel supported by a second support which allows rotation of said second reel about an axis of rotation thereof;

wherein said first and second supports for said first and second reels are housed on a first and a second movable carriage, respectively, which can be individually associated with said processing unit and moved independently with respect thereto;
wherein said first and second movable carriages can be associated with said processing unit at a seat defined on a fixed frame of said processing unit; and
wherein said respective fastening elements are provided on said first and second movable carriages and said fixed frame for removably fixing said first and second movable carriages to said processing unit at said seat.

9. The unwinding device according to claim 8 , wherein said fastening elements comprise wedge-shaped couplings.

10. The unwinding device according to claim 8 , wherein guide rollers are provided on said fixed frame or on said first or second movable carriage to guide said first and second movable carriages away from and toward said seat.

11. The unwinding device according to claim 8 , wherein said first and second movable carriages comprise a plurality of wheels resting on ground, a bearing structure on which the first or second support for said reels are mounted, as well as a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering said bearing structure relative to said wheels.

12. The unwinding device according to claim 8 , wherein said fastening elements are arranged to allow a fastening between said first or second movable carriage and said fixed frame in a substantially vertical direction.

13. The unwinding device according to claim 8 , wherein said first and second supports comprise a pair of support rollers, which are idle and adapted to receive in support a hub of said first or second reel, as well as a third roller which is idle and displaceable relative to said pair of support rollers between a locking position, in which said third roller is in abutment against said hub to retain said first or second reel supported on said first or second support, and a release position, in which said third roller is moved away from said hub to allow displacement of said first or second reel from said first or second support.

14. The unwinding device according to claim 8 , wherein said processing unit comprises a first motor selectively associable with said first or second reel to rotate said first or second reel about said axis of rotation.

15. The unwinding device according to claim 14 , wherein, when said first or second movable carriage is associated with said processing unit, said first motor is displaceable away from and toward a coupling element provided on a hub of said first or second reel.

16. The unwinding device according to claim 8 , wherein said elongate element is wound on said first and second reels in conjunction with a service fabric and separator rollers are arranged on said first and second movable carriages, over which rollers said elongate element and said service fabric are led in order to separate said elongate element from said service fabric.

17. The unwinding device according to claim 16 , wherein there is rotatably mounted on each of said first and second movable carriages a service reel on which said service fabric is wound when separated from said elongate element.

18. The unwinding device according to claim 17 , wherein a coiling member is mounted on each of said first and second movable carriages, the coiling member being enslaved to said service reel to wind said service fabric in successive ordered turns when separated from said elongate element.

19. The unwinding device according to claim 18 , wherein said processing unit comprises a second motor selectively associable with said service reel to rotate said service reel about an axis of rotation thereof.

20. The unwinding device according to claim 19 , wherein, when said first or second movable carriage is associated with said processing unit, said second motor is displaceable away from and toward a coupling element provided on a hub of said service reel.

21. The unwinding de

Assignees

• Pirelli

Inventors

• Marchini Maurizio
• Boscaino Ivan Gildo
• Fabbretti Marco

Classifications

• B65H19/126

  with both-ends supporting arrangements · CPC title

• B65H2402/64

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B65H2301/41342

  shaft transversing the roll · CPC title

• B29D2030/0038

  Handling tyre parts or semi-finished parts, excluding beads, e.g., storing, transporting, transferring (B29D2030/0044 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H2405/422

  Trolley, cart, i.e. support movable on floor · CPC title