Pirelli Tyre S.p.a.

Christian De Col

Maurizio Marchini

Albert Berenguer

Gianni Mancini

Mario Mariani

Gianni Portinari

Vincenzo Boffa

Davide Lupo Conti

Cristiano Puppi

Cesare Emanuele Amurri

Alessandro Held

Stefano Testi

Michele Ballabio

Marco Cantu′

Marco Lepore

Gian Luigi Bosio

Francesco D'Oria

Marco Cantu'

Erika Vaniglia

Antonio Mirto

Cristian Di Felice

Stefano Mervic

Francesco Broggi

Henrique Scarmagnan Saraiva

Jury De Col

Alessandro Davario

Andrea Trombin

Roger Basilico

Damiano Martin

Stefano Rosario Mervic

Gianni Enrico Portinari

Francesco D'oria

Andrea Anfossi

A process and a plant for producing tyres for vehicle wheels are described. Building of a crown structure of the tyre includes building a crossed belt structure on a substantially cylindrical first forming drum, transferring the crossed belt structure from the first forming drum to an annular holding member, positioning a second forming drum in a radially inner position with respect to the annular holding member, transferring the crossed belt structure from the annular holding member to the second forming drum by radially expanding the second forming drum until it is brought into contact with the crossed belt structure so as to toroidally shape the crossed belt structure, and depositing at least one zero degrees belt layer on the second forming drum in a radially outer position with respect to the toroidally-shaped crossed belt structure.

Process and plant for producing tyres for vehicle wheels

A method for building belt assemblies for tyres for vehicle wheels is described. The method includes building a crossed belt structure on a forming drum. Depending on the type of tyre to be produced, the method selects whether to build a belt assembly having a cylindrical shaping or a belt assembly having a toroidal shaping. In order to build a belt assembly having a cylindrical shaping, a zero degrees belt layer is deposited on the forming drum in a radially outer position with respect to the crossed belt structure. In order to build a belt assembly having a toroidal shaping, the crossed belt structure is picked up from the forming drum. The crossed belt structure is then toroidally shaped and transferred onto another forming drum. A zero degrees belt layer is then deposited on the other forming drum in a radially outer position with respect to the toroidally shaped crossed belt structure.

Method for building belt assemblies for tyres for vehicle wheels

An application device for applying a conductive insert on a tyre being processed. The application device includes a supply device for supplying a conductive liquid elastomeric compound, and an applicator having a movable surface for being operatively coupled with the supply device and receiving the conductive liquid elastomeric compound. The movable surface is for being placed in contact with a rotating tyre being processed and for applying the conductive liquid elastomeric compound on at least one coil of axially adjacent and/or partially superimposed coils. The applicator generates depressions in the tyre in a pattern defined by elements in relief and fills the depressions in the tyre with the conductive liquid elastomeric compound to covering the elements as the depressions in the tyre are generated.

Process and apparatus for building tyres for vehicle wheels

A method for applying rubberized electronic tags to a tyre being processed. A continuous band is extended lengthwise along a longitudinal direction. The rubberized electronic tags are adhered to the front surface of the band and arranged sequentially along that direction. A rubberized electronic tag is peeled from the continuous band and applied to the tyre. The peeling includes imposing a longitudinal sliding motion and a sliding path on the band.

Method and apparatus for applying rubberized electronic tags to a tyre being processed

A plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels is described. The plant includes a crown structure building for building crown structures on second stage forming drums, a carcass structure building line for building carcass structures on first stage forming drums, a shaping and assembly station, a first manipulator, and a second manipulator. The first manipulator is configured to manage the flow of the second stage forming drums and the second manipulator is configured to manage the flow of the first stage forming terms.

Plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels

After a support structure () has been circumferentially positioned around an annular component () of a tyre (), gripping elements () carried by the support structure () and circumferentially distributed around a central axis (X) are radially approached to the annular component () bringing into contact therewith a plurality of feeler pins (), slidably carried by each of said gripping elements (). Once contact is made, the radially approaching of the gripping elements () to the annular component () continues by sliding the gripping elements themselves along the feeler pins (). All the feeler pins () can therefore come into contact with the annular component (), copying the shape of the outer surface. The feeler pins () are then locked with respect to the gripping elements () in order to allow the removal of a support drum () from the annular component () and support the latter in the absence of normal stresses.

Gripping method and apparatus for annular components of tyres for vehicle wheels

In a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels, at least one tread band () or other elastomeric component of a tyre () is made by applying at least one continuous elongated element () according to a plurality of turns (C) around a forming drum () rotating around a geometric rotation axis (X) thereof. The continuous elongated element () is made by the action of extruding a first material through an extrusion nozzle (), to form an inner core () of said continuous elongated element () exiting from an outlet opening () of the extrusion nozzle (). During the extrusion, a second material different from the first material is conveyed around the first material, at the extrusion nozzle () and upstream of the outlet opening (), to form a coating layer () which entirely surrounds the inner core ().

Process for building tyres for vehicle wheels

A method for building tyres for vehicle wheels is described. Second stage forming drums are moved in a crown structure building line for building respective crown structures. Movement occurs along a first path for building a first part of components of the crown structure and a second path for building a second part of components of the crown structure. Additionally, first stage forming drums are moved in a carcass structure building line for building respective carcass structures. The flow of the second stage forming drums is managed through a first manipulator, while the flow of the first stage forming drums is managed through a second manipulator.

Method for building tyres for vehicle wheels

A method for checking tyres, includes: arranging a tyre in a station for checking tyres; moving a sensor within the tyre; performing first checks on an inner surface of the tyre with the at least one sensor; engaging a radially outer portion of the tyre with grip elements of an overturning device; extracting the sensor from the tyre and spacing the sensor from the tyre; overturning the tyre by 180° by rotation of the grip elements; moving again the sensor within the tyre; performing second checks on the inner surface of the tyre with the sensor; extracting again the sensor from the tyre and spacing the sensor from the tyre; and transporting the tyre outside the station for checking tyres.

Method for checking tyres configured for overturning tyres perpendicular to a tyre rotation axis

A process for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes: forming a tyre in process, the tyre including a belt structure and depositing a tread band in a position radially external to the belt structure by winding a continuous elongated element made of elastomeric material according to axially adjacent or partially overlapped coils. During the deposition of the tread band and on at least one of the coils already wound, a conductive liquid elastomeric compound is applied, the compound continuously extended between a radially outer surface of the tread band and a radially outer surface of the belt structure to generate electrically conductive paths and free zones.

A station for checking tyres includes a support structure defining an operating space for receiving a tyre and an overturning device with grip elements for engaging a radially outer portion of the tyre. A checking device includes a mechanical arm and at least one sensor associated with the mechanical arm. The overturning device overturns the tyre around an overturning axis perpendicular to a rotation axis of the tyre when the tyre is in the operating space. The mechanical arm is operatively active within the operating space and carries the sensor at least partially within the tyre for executing checks on an inner surface of the tyre housed in the operating space.

Station for checking tyres configured for overturning tyres perpendicular to a tyre rotation axis

A process for building tyres employing a forming drum having circumferentially consecutive sectors that are radially movable between a contracted condition and an expanded condition in which the sectors are radially moved away from a geometric axis in order to define a radially external abutment surface. Each sector has circumferentially opposite coupling portions each having circumferential projections alternated with circumferential cavities. The projections of each sector are slidably engaged in the respective cavities of circumferentially adjacent sectors. From at least one of the projections, at least one support wing is extended having a first side and a second side that are respectively opposite. The first side coincides with a portion of the abutment surface and the second side at least partially overlaps one of the projections belonging to an adjacent sector.

Process and expandable forming drum for building tyres for vehicle wheels

A process and a drum for looping annular anchoring structures in a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels includes: depositing a loop on a drum including a radially expandable/contractible intermediate annular portion and, in a position axially adjacent to the opposite axial ends of the intermediate annular portion, a pair of radially expandable/contractible lateral annular portions; associating an annular anchoring structure with a radially outer annular surface portion of the loop defined at the intermediate annular portion; and turning up each of opposite end edges of the loop on the annular anchoring structure through the lateral annular portions as a result of a thrusting stress imparted by a respective lateral annular portion of the pair of lateral annular portions because of a synchronous radial movement and a synchronous axial displacement of a respective plurality of circumferentially adjacent first angular sectors.

Process and drum for looping annular anchoring structures in a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels

A plant () for looping annular anchoring structures () includes a looping device (), a separation station () and a coupling station (). A handling apparatus () is interlocked to the looping device () for managing the plant () by moving the plurality of annular anchoring structures () coupled to respective separation elements (), the looped annular anchoring structures () coupled to respective separation elements () and the separation elements (). The separation elements () are fed, coupled to respective annular anchoring structures (), along a feeding section (A). The separation elements () separated by respective annular anchoring structures () are transferred from the separation station () to the coupling station () along a transfer section (T), stationing in at least a first intermediate station (). The separation elements () are moved away, coupled to respective looped annular anchoring structures (), along a moving-apart section (A).

Method for managing a plant for looping annular anchoring structures and plant for looping annular anchoring structures

A process for manufacturing tyres for vehicle wheels includes associating at least one reinforcing structure with at least one surface portion of at least one tyre component laid on a forming support, wherein associating the at least one reinforcing structure includes bringing, through a handling and deposition member, at least one reinforcing element to the forming support and depositing, through said handling and deposition member, the reinforcing element on a respective deposition part defined on a surface portion of the component. The depositing includes gradually laying the reinforcing element on the deposition part following the profile of the deposition part in a circumferential direction.

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Sedico, Italy

Christian De Col