Gripper, gripper station and method for gripping an annular tire component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12226970-B2
Application number	US-202218683356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2022
Priority date	Aug 27, 2021
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A gripper, a gripper station and a method for gripping an annular tire component, wherein the gripper has a plurality of gripper members distributed in a circumferential direction about a gripper axis and movable with at least a vector component in a radial direction perpendicular to the gripper axis over a main range with a radially inner endpoint and a radially outer endpoint. The gripper further has a limiter for limiting the movement of the plurality of gripper members in the radial direction to a subrange within the main range, wherein the subrange has an adjustable subrange position relative to the main range. The gripper has a synchronization member for synchronizing movements of the plurality of gripper members in the radial direction, wherein the synchronization member defines the main range, and wherein the limiter is arranged for limiting the synchronization member to define the subrange.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gripper for gripping an annular tire component, wherein the gripper comprises a plurality of gripper members distributed in a circumferential direction about a gripper axis and movable with at least a vector component in a radial direction perpendicular to the gripper axis over a main range with a radially inner endpoint and a radially outer endpoint, wherein the gripper further comprises a limiter for limiting the movement of the plurality of gripper members in the radial direction to a subrange within the main range, wherein the subrange has an adjustable subrange position relative to the main range, wherein the gripper comprises a synchronization member for synchronizing the movements of the plurality of gripper members in the radial direction, wherein the synchronization member defines the main range, wherein the limiter is arranged for limiting the synchronization member to define the subrange.

2. The gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the limiter comprises a drive member for driving the synchronization member, wherein the drive member has a drive stroke that defines the subrange.

3. The gripper according to claim 2 , wherein the drive member is switchable between a coupled state for driving the synchronization member within the subrange and an uncoupled state in which the drive member is free to move relative to the synchronization member to adjust the subrange position.

4. The gripper according to claim 3 , wherein the drive member is steplessly adjustable relative to the synchronization member.

5. The gripper according to claim 3 , wherein the drive member is adjustable relative to the synchronization member in steps.

6. The gripper according to claim 5 , wherein the synchronization member comprises an index element that defines a plurality of index positions corresponding to different steps in the subrange position, wherein the driver member comprises a coupling element that is connectable to the index element in any index position of the plurality of index positions.

7. The gripper according to claim 6 , wherein the coupling element is manually operable.

8. The gripper according to claim 6 , wherein the coupling element is remotely controllable.

9. The gripper according to claim 3 , wherein one of the drive member and the synchronization member comprises a first handling element that is engageable by an adjustment member external to the gripper for moving said one of the drive member and the synchronization member relative to the other of the drive member and the synchronization member.

10. The gripper according to claim 2 , wherein the drive member comprises a cylinder that defines the subrange.

11. The gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the synchronization member comprises a spiral plate with a plurality of spiral slots circumferentially distributed about the gripper axis, wherein each gripper member of the plurality of gripper members comprises a cam-follower received in a respective spiral slot of the plurality of spiral slots, wherein the spiral plate is rotatable about the gripper axis to drive the plurality of gripper members in the radial direction through interaction between the respective cam-followers and their respective spiral slots, wherein the limiter is arranged for limiting the rotation of the spiral plate about the gripper axis.

12. The gripper according to claim 11 , wherein the spiral slots are shaped such that the ratio between angular displacement of the spiral plate and radial displacement of the plurality of gripper members is the same for any angular position of the spiral plate within the main range.

13. The gripper according to claim 11 , wherein the synchronization member comprises an index element that defines a plurality of index positions corresponding to different steps in the subrange position, distributed in the circumferential direction.

14. The gripper according to claim 11 , wherein the limiter comprises a drive member for driving the synchronization member, wherein the drive member has a drive stroke that defines the subrange, wherein the synchronization member comprises a first handling element that is engageable by an adjustment member external to the gripper for rotating the synchronization member relative to the drive member.

15. The gripper according to claim 14 , wherein the first handling element protrudes from the spiral plate in a direction parallel to the gripper axis.

16. The gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the subrange is less than fifty percent of the main range.

17. The gripper according to claim 1 , wherein each gripper member is provided with a retaining member that is movable between a retaining position for retaining the tire component at the respective gripper member and a release position for releasing the tire component from the respective gripper member.

18. The gripper according to claim 17 , wherein each gripper member is provided with an ejection member for ejecting the tire component from the respective gripper member in an ejection direction parallel to the gripper axis, wherein the retaining member is configured for blocking the ejection of the tire component from the respective gripper member in the ejection direction when the retaining member is in the retaining position and for allowing the ejection of the tire component from the respective gripper member in the ejection direction when the retaining member is in the release position.

19. The gripper according to claim 1 , wherein each gripper member is provided with an ejection member for ejecting the tire component from the respective gripper member in an ejection direction parallel the gripper axis.

20. The gripper station comprising the gripper according to claim 1 , wherein the gripper station further comprises an adjustment member external to the gripper for setting the subrange position.

21. The gripper station according to claim 20 , wherein the adjustment member is located in an adjustment position, wherein the gripper station further comprises a manipulator for moving the gripper between an operational position in which the gripper is spaced apart from the adjustment member and the adjustment position in which the gripper interacts with the adjustment member for setting the subrange position.

22. The gripper station according to claim 21 , wherein the limiter comprises a drive member for driving the synchronization member, wherein the drive member has a drive stroke that defines the subrange, wherein the adjustment member is arranged to remain stationary in the adjustment position during the setting of the subrange position, wherein the manipulator is arranged for moving one of the drive member and the synchronization member relative to the adjustment member to adjust the subrange position.

23. The gripper station according to claim 21 , wherein the limiter comprises a drive member for driving the synchronization member, wherein the drive member has a drive stroke that defines the subrange, wherein one of the drive member and the synchronization member comprises a first handling element that is engaged by the adjustment member when the gripper is moved into the adjustment position, wherein the manipulator is arranged for moving the other of the drive member and the synchronization member relative to said one of the drive member and the synchronization member when the first handling element is engaged by the adjustment member.

24. The gripper station according to claim 21 , wherei

Assignees

• Vmi Holland Bv

Inventors

• Van Werven Timen Anton
• Nusselder Robin
• Van Beek Willem Marinus

Classifications

• B60B30/08

  the central part of the wheel body · CPC title

• B60B30/06

  engaging the wheel body, e.g. the rim · CPC title

• B29D2030/0044

  Handling tyre beads, e.g., storing, transporting, transferring and supplying to the toroidal support or to the drum · CPC title

• B29D30/0016

  Handling tyres or parts thereof, e.g. supplying, storing, conveying (B29D30/2607 takes precedence; loading and unloading vulcanizing presses B29D30/0603) · CPC title

• B25J15/0047

  for internally gripping hollow or recessed objects · CPC title