Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus – Reshaping – resizing or vulcanizing means for tire – tire...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-01
2002-10-08
Mackey, James P. (Department: 1722)
Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus
Reshaping, resizing or vulcanizing means for tire, tire...
C425S034100, C425S186000, C425S195000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06461134
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates a mold exchanger system for a tire vulcanizing machine.
BACKGROUND ART
It is known that vulcanization step in the final stage of tire production has to accommodate frequent change in size or type of tires customarily performed in the preceding production stages. In most cases, it is necessary to exchange a tire vulcanizing mold, which is installed in the vulcanizing machine, with a new mold corresponding to the change in size or type of tires.
The vulcanizing molds are significantly heavy articles and, thus it is not very easy to perform handlings and operations as required for mounting such molds into vulcanizing machines or exchanging the previous mold, which is installed in the vulcanizing machine, with a new mold. This applies to the case where the mold is a split-type mold comprised of two mold halves, though the problem is more serious in a segmented-type mold having a more complex structure than the split-type mold. This is because the segmented-type mold is comprised of a number of mold elements for forming the tire tread portion, which are arranged in the circumferential direction.
Therefore, it is a conventional practice that the previous and new molds are transferred by using a fork lift truck, and the removal of the prior mold from the vulcanizing machine and the installation of the new mold onto the vulcanizing machine are performed by using a hoist or a crane. However, these operations involve a number of problems that labors and significant time are required, the productivity of the vulcanizing process is lowered and works are inevitably done for a long time under a high temperature condition.
Thus, JP-A-5-229,643 discloses a system for exchanging the upper and lower molds relative to a plurality of vulcanizing machines, such as a low pressure foundry machine, aiming at automation and labor-saving. The exchanger system is comprised of a primary carriage that is movable along a guide means in front of the vulcanizing machines, a secondary carriage mounted on the primary carriage and carrying the upper and lower molds thereon, and a connector rotatably provided for the primary carriage, wherein the secondary carriage is movable along the connector as it is connected to a corresponding connector fixedly provided for the vulcanizing machine so that the secondary carriage can be moved onto the base member of the vulcanizing machine.
With the mold exchanger system having such a structure, it is practically impossible for the running surfaces on the primary carriage, the running surfaces of the connectors, and the running surfaces of the plurality of, or a number of vulcanizing machines, to be aligned on the same horizontal plane relative to each other. Misalignment of the running surfaces of these elements occurs inevitably, thereby causing troubles when the heavy upper and lower molds are moved onto the base member or the secondary carriage. Moreover, the mold cannot be positioned on the base member with a sufficient accuracy, and this is a significant problem when tire vulcanizing molds are to be transferred, for which a precise positioning plays a decisive role for realizing high quality products.
JP-A-6-315,938 discloses a mold exchanger system which is comprised of a main carriage that is movable along a number of vulcanizing machines, a slider carriage provided on the main carriage and movable toward the vulcanizing machine, and a turntable provided on the slider carriage, wherein the slider carriage carrying the mold is reciprocatingly moved along rails on the turntable and rails within the vulcanizing machine which are connected to each other by connector rails.
Such a mold exchanger system also involves problems that, in order to cause a reciprocating movement of the slider carriage, it is necessary to provide rails inside of the vulcanizing machine, thereby requiring an extensive modification of the machine. The positioning means also involves a problem that it is the slider carriage, not the mold itself, which is positioned relative to the vulcanizing machine and, hence, an accurate centering cannot be achieved.
JP-A-10-6345 discloses a mold exchanger system wherein the previous mold removed from the vulcanizing machine is returned to a stock site, and a next mold selected at the stock site is installed into the vulcanizing machine. The exchanger system is comprised of upper and lower mold supports forming a pair, an elevating means for the pair of the supports, and a lifter for moving the supports to and from the vulcanizing machine, wherein the supports are moved by the lifter to an exchanging position.
Such an exchanger systems is superior to the former two types in that the existing vulcanizing machines can be used as they are, without requiring modification of the machines, and that the mold can be exchanged smoothly. However, in connection with the precise positioning of the mold itself, it is desirable to improve the system since it is the exchanger system itself which is positioned relative to the vulcanizing machine. It is also desirable to improve the system since the system as a whole has a complicated structure and is thus costly, besides that the exchange of the mold requires a relatively long time.
In any of the prior art system explained above, the function of the system is insufficient when the mold is of segmented-type, wherein it is desired to remove the used mold from the vulcanizing machine easily and quickly, and precisely transfer a next mold to the vulcanizing machine. This is because the segmented mold is comprised of two elements, i.e., a mold main body which is relevant to the vulcanization and profiling of the tire, and a container enclosing the mold main body.
The mold main body is comprised of a number of radially movable mold elements for forming the tire tread portion, an upper side mold portion and a lower side mold portion. On the other hand, the container serves to separate the mold elements by causing them to move radially outwards, and integrating the mold elements by causing them to move radially inwards. Thus, the segmented-type mold has a more complicated structure as compared to the split-type mold, and it is more difficult to achieve a facilitated and precise transfer of the segmented-type mold.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to eliminate the above-mentioned problems of the prior art.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a mold exchanger system having a simple structure, which allows a precise centering and positioning of the mold relative to the vulcanizing machine, allows the mold to be transferred to the vulcanizing machine and removed therefrom in a smooth and facilitated manner, and allows improvement in the mold exchanging efficiency by significantly reducing the transfer time and removing time.
To attain the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided mold exchanger system comprising a transfer means for transferring into a vulcanizing machine a mold arranged on outside of the vulcanizing machine, and transferring the mold arranged inside of the vulcanizing machine to outside thereof, and a mount for supporting the transfer means, wherein said transfer means comprises a height adjusting means for adjusting the transferring height of the mold, and a positioning means for positioning the mold relative to the vulcanizing machine.
The transfer means in the mold exchanger system according to the present invention may comprise a body that is connected to its mount, a first conveyor fixedly secured to the body, and a second conveyor that can be moved between a position adjacent to the first conveyor on the body and a position inside of the vulcanizing machine. In this instance, transfer means may comprise a movable mould mount plate to be carried by the first and the second conveyors. Also, the transfer means may comprise a drive means for reciprocatingly moving the mold mount plate between said body in the transfer means and inside of the vulcanizing machine
Ito Taizo
Obayashi Akio
Bridgestone Corporation
Mackey James P.
LandOfFree
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