Tread-line paint applicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12186773-B2
Application number	US-202318164079-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2023
Priority date	Feb 9, 2022
Publication date	Jan 7, 2025
Grant date	Jan 7, 2025

Abstract

A paint applicator apparatus for applying a paint line to a moving strand of a tire component comprising a paint neck and a paint head. The paint neck includes a receiving neck portion, a discharge neck portion, and a paint supply passage. The receiving neck portion extends along a receiving neck portion axis and the discharge neck portion neck portion extends along a discharge neck portion axis. The paint supply passage includes a paint inlet in the receiving neck portion and a paint outlet in the discharge neck portion. The receiving neck portion axis and the discharge neck portion axis define an obtuse angle. The discharge neck portion axis is oriented substantially parallel to the moving strand, and the receiving neck portion axis is oriented upwardly relative to the moving strand. The paint head is coupled to the discharge neck portion and includes a rotatable paint wheel for carrying paint from the paint outlet to the moving strand.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A paint applicator apparatus for applying a paint line to a moving strand of a tire component, comprising:
a paint neck, including:
a receiving neck portion extending along a receiving neck portion axis;
a discharge neck portion extending along a discharge neck portion axis;
a paint supply passage defined through the paint neck and including a paint inlet defined in the receiving neck portion and a paint outlet defined in the discharge neck portion;
wherein the receiving neck portion axis and the discharge neck portion axis define an obtuse angle therebetween so that the discharge neck portion axis can be oriented substantially parallel to the moving strand while the receiving neck portion axis is oriented at an upwardly directed angle relative to the moving strand to receive a gravity feed of paint; and

a paint head coupled to the discharge neck portion, the paint head including a rotatable paint wheel configured to carry paint from the paint outlet to the moving strand.

2. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the receiving neck portion axis and the discharge neck portion axis define an axial plane of the paint neck; and
the rotatable paint wheel lies substantially parallel to and in the axial plane and rotates about a wheel axis normal to the axial plane.

3. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the paint outlet includes a paint outlet slot communicating the paint supply passage with an external surface of the discharge neck portion, the paint outlet slot lying substantially parallel to and in the axial plane; and
the rotatable paint wheel extends partially into the paint outlet slot so that when the discharge neck portion is pointed in a direction of travel of the moving strand and the paint wheel is engaged with the moving strand the paint wheel rotates downward out of the paint outlet slot to carry paint from the paint outlet slot down to the moving strand and the paint wheel carries excess paint back up into the paint head.

4. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
the paint head includes a paint head slot communicated with the paint outlet slot; and
the paint wheel includes opposed parallel wheel sides closely received in the paint head slot so that as the wheel rotates downwardly through the paint head slot paint is primarily carried by a periphery of the paint wheel and paint is wiped off the wheel sides by edges of the paint head slot.

5. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the obtuse angle is in a range of from about 120 degrees to about 150 degrees.

6. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the obtuse angle is in a range of from about 130 degrees to about 140 degrees.

7. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the paint supply passage includes a receiving passage portion oriented generally co-axially with the receiving neck portion axis and a discharge passage portion oriented generally co-axially with the discharge neck portion axis.

8. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the receiving passage portion has a substantially constant first diameter; and
the discharge passage portion includes a tapered portion tapering from the first diameter to a second diameter smaller than the first diameter.

9. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the first diameter is in a range of from about 20 mm to about 30 mm; and
the second diameter is in a range of from about 5 mm to about 10 mm.

10. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the paint inlet includes a threaded internal inlet bore co-axial with the receiving neck portion axis for connection of the paint neck to a paint supply.

11. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the discharge neck portion includes a cylindrical outer surface on a distal end portion of the discharge neck portion;
the paint head includes a collar concentrically received about the cylindrical outer surface of the distal end portion; and
the paint applicator apparatus further includes an O-ring seal between the cylindrical outer surface of the distal end portion and the collar.

12. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a mounting flange defined on a proximal end of the receiving neck portion for mounting the paint applicator apparatus in a fixture adjacent the moving strand.

13. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the paint neck includes a bend portion connecting the receiving neck portion and the discharge neck portion.

14. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the paint head includes an axle received in two roller bearings on opposite sides of the paint wheel, the paint wheel being mounted on the axle.

15. The paint applicator apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the paint neck includes a plurality of external reinforcing structures extending generally parallel to the receiving neck portion axis.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Llc

Inventors

• Hardy Allen D
• Ford Ii Edward F

Classifications

• B05C1/165

  using a roller or other rotating member which contacts the work along a generating line · CPC title

• B05D1/28

  performed by transfer from the surfaces of elements carrying the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. brushes, pads, rollers · CPC title

• B05C1/0813 Primary

  characterised by means for supplying liquid or other fluent material to the roller · CPC title