Method and apparatus for manufacturing different types of tyres

摘要

A method of manufacturing tires includes making a plurality of structural components for tires, assembling the components following a pre-established sequence at respective work stations disposed along a manufacturing line, transferring the tires to a curing line, and curing the tires in respective vulcanization molds. The tires are sequentially transferred along the manufacturing line from a first work station to successive work stations. At least one series of tires is simultaneously processed on the manufacturing line and the curing line, and the at least one series of tires includes at least one first tire model and at least one second tire model different from the at least one first tire model. The tires are transferred from the manufacturing line to the curing line at a same rate as the tires are sequentially transferred along the manufacturing line from the first work station to the successive work stations.

主权项

1. An apparatus for manufacturing tyres, comprising:
a manufacturing line comprising a plurality of work stations; first transfer devices operating to sequentially transfer each tyre along the manufacturing line from a first work station to successive work stations; a curing line comprising vulcanization moulds for the tyres; a second transfer device operating to transfer tyres from the manufacturing line to the curing line; and at least one stand-by station in between at least two of the plurality of work stations for temporarily storing a toroidal support of the tyre being processed, the toroidal support being transferred along the manufacturing line; wherein each work station is arranged to selectively assemble at least one structural component on at least one first tyre and at least one second tyre, wherein the at least one first tyre and the at least one second tyre are of different models, wherein the at least one first tyre and the at least one second tyre belong to at least one series of tyres being simultaneously processed on the manufacturing line, wherein the curing line comprises at least one series of vulcanization moulds, wherein each of the at least one series of vulcanization moulds consists of a number of vulcanization moulds corresponding to a total number of tyres included in each of the at least one series of tyres, wherein the second transfer device transfers the tyres from the manufacturing line to the curing line at a same rate as the first transfer devices sequentially transfer the tyres along the manufacturing line from the first work station to the successive work stations, wherein the first transfer devices comprise at least one robotized arm configured to rotate around at least five different axes of oscillation and associated with at least one of the work stations, and wherein one or more of the robotized arms comprises grip and control members configured to hold the toroidal support at the respective work station and to drive the toroidal support in rotation around a geometric axis of the toroidal support during assembling of the at least one structural component.