Pirelli Tyre S.p.a.

Pirelli Limited

Silvio Montanari

Mario Mariani

Maurizio Marchini

Oliver Haupt

Davide Lupo Conti

Pierangelo Misani

Luca Bruschelli

Francesco Gagliardi

Paolo Brivio

Misani Pierangelo

A carcass sleeve is situated in a radially external position with respect to a toroidal forming drum, arranged in a first radially contracted operative condition. The carcass sleeve is shaped according to a toroidal configuration while the forming drum is positioned inside the carcass sleeve. During shaping of the carcass sleeve, the forming drum is radially expanded up to a second radially expanded operative condition. Upon completed shaping, the carcass sleeve is coupled to the forming drum in the second operative condition. The forming drum, coupled to the shaped carcass sleeve, is arranged in proximity to at least one device for building at least one belt layer at a radially external position relative to the shaped carcass sleeve.

Method for building tyres

A process and an apparatus for building tyres, wherein, in the process, a carcass sleeve including at least one carcass ply and a pair of annular anchoring structures is transferred to a shaping drum including flange elements that are each engageable with one of said annular anchoring structures. The carcass sleeve is shaped according to a toroidal configuration. Before shaping, annular grip elements respectively carried by the flange elements are radially expanded, each inside one of the annular anchoring structures, in order to engage the carcass sleeve. The annular anchoring structures are moved axially apart from each other before engaging the carcass sleeve by the annular grip elements.

Process and apparatus for building tyres

Method and plant for building tyres

A toroidal forming drum and a process for building tyres. The toroidal forming drum () is expanded within a shaped carcass sleeve (), for supporting the carcass sleeve () against an abutment surface ('S') externally provided by the forming drum (). An elementary semi-finished product () is applied around the shaped carcass sleeve (), by pressing the elementary semi-finished product () towards the abutment surface ('S'). The abutment surface (&#x201c;S&#x201d;) has circumferential rows of solid portions () alternated with hollow portions (). The solid portions (), arranged along axially opposite circumferential edges of the abutment surface (&#x201c;S&#x201d;), have a transverse size comprised between 10% and 60% of a transverse size presented by the solid portions () arranged in proximity to an axial centreline plane of the abutment surface (&#x201c;S&#x201d;).

Expandable forming drum, and process for building tyres

A toroidal forming drum and a process for budding tyres. The toroidal forming drum is expanded within a shaped carcass sleeve for supporting the carcass sleeve against an abutment surface externally provided by the forming drum. An elementary semi-finished product is applied around the shaped carcass sleeve by pressing the elementary semi-finished product toward the abutment surface. The abutment surface has circumferential rows of solid portions alternated with hollow portions. The solid portions, arranged along axially opposite circumferential edges of the abutment surface, have a transverse size between 10% and 60% of a transverse size presented by the solid portions arranged in proximity to an axial centreline plane of the abutment surface.

Tire for motorcycles, having a tread band includes a central annular portion symmetrically located astride an equatorial plane and two shoulder annular portions located on axially opposite sides with respect to the central annular portion. The tread band has a void-to-rubber ratio not greater than 25%. The central annular portion has an axial extension not greater than 65% of the axial development of the tread band and the central portion has at least one module circumferentially repeated. Each shoulder portion has an axial extension not greater than 40% of the axial development of the tread band and the module includes at least one pair of first grooves with substantially circumferential course, at least partially located on opposite sides with respect to the equatorial plane. The central annular portion has a void-to-rubber ratio not smaller than 10% and the module includes a plurality of second grooves located substantially transversally with respect to the equatorial plane. The substantially transverse second grooves define in each module together with said first grooves at least two tread band solid portions. The second grooves have at least one end spaced away from the adjacent first groove by a distance so as to form a substantially continuous tread portion adapted to connect at least two tread band solid portions.

Tyre for motorcycles

A tire for motorcycles, having a tread band includes a central annular portion, two lateral annular portions and two shoulder annular portions. The axial extension of these portions is not greater than 25%, 35%, and 20% of the axial development of the tread band, respectively. The tread band includes a module repeated along the circumference of the tire in which at least two substantially longitudinal grooves, mainly extending in the lateral annular portions, include, moving axially away from the equatorial plane of the tire, at least three substantially straight and substantially consecutive segments, wherein the first segment forms an angle with respect to the equatorial plane greater than 150&#xb0;; and the second segment has a length measured along its extension smaller than the length of the first segment.

Growing community of inventors

Milan, Italy

Silvio Montanari