Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin

Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.a.

Compagnie Generale Des Establissements Michelin

Bruce Carney

Chinglin Pan

Michael Widmyer

Michael Collins Chandler

A tread support device () for a retread process is provided that has a first support roller () that rotates about a first support roller axis. A second support roller () is present that rotates about a second support roller axis. A third support roller () is also included that rotates about a third support roller axis. The first support roller (), the second support roller (), and the third support roller () all support a tread (). Also in the tread support device (), the first support roller axis, the second support roller axis, and the third support roller axis are arranged with respect to one another so as to be located on a circumference of a circle ().

Tread support device in retread finishing

A measurement system scans the given surface of a tire component (e.g., a brush-finished tread or buffed tire casing) to electronically measure data points corresponding to vertical and horizontal coordinates along the given surface. Associated computer processors electronically calculate the slope at a plurality of different locations by determining the degree of steepness (e.g., rise over run, angle or grade) between selected ones of the first and second coordinates and electronically comparing at least one slope-based parameter to one or more predetermined levels to determine a characterization defining one or more of surface adhesion fitness, finishing brush wear level and brush bristle placement location. Slope may be determined between every adjacent pair of data points or between selected data points (e.g., identified local maximum and minimum). The at least one-slope based parameter compared to the predetermined levels may correspond to the slopes themselves or to a calculated average slope value.

Growing community of inventors

Anderson, SC, United States of America

Bruce Carney