Apparatus and method for manufacturing an air maintenance tire

Abstract

Apparatus and method for manufacturing an air maintenance tire includes an air pumping tube assembly station constructing an air pumping tube sub-assembly, a tire preparation station for modifying a cured tire to accept the air pumping tube sub-assembly, an air pumping tube sub-assembly installation station and a pressure regulator installation station. The air pumping tube sub-assembly inserts into an elongate tire groove opening, facilitated by groove-spreading apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Manufacturing apparatus for an air maintenance tire comprising:
 an air pumping tube assembly station for constructing an air pumping tube sub-assembly, the air pumping tube sub-assembly comprising: an elongate air pumping tube having an internal air passageway, at least one component of an air inlet device for admitting air into the air passageway of the pumping tube and at least one component of the air outlet device for conducting pressurized air from the air passageway into an internal air cavity of an air maintenance tire;   a tire preparation station receiving a cured tire, the cured tire having an elongate groove formed to extend from a groove opening into a flexing region of a sidewall of the cured tire, the elongate groove configured to accept the air pumping tube and the tire preparation station having tire-modifying apparatus operative to modify an inlet and an outlet region of the elongate groove to accept the at least one inlet device component and the at least one outlet device component of the air pumping tube sub-assembly;   a pumping tube sub-assembly installation station for installing the pumping tube sub-assembly into the elongate groove with the at least one inlet device component and the at least one outlet device component located respectively at the modified inlet and the modified outlet regions of the elongate groove.   
     
     
         2 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein further comprising a pressure regulator installation station for installing a pressure regulator to the at least one outlet device component. 
     
     
         3 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one outlet device component part a docking station having a block body configured for mounting against a tire surface opposite the outlet region of the elongate groove; and the docking station block body carrying at least one connector operative to engage and connect to the pressure regulator. 
     
     
         4 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the connector comprises at least one internally threaded insert socket extending into the docking station block body. 
     
     
         5 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the pumping tube sub-assembly installation station comprises apparatus for creating at least one tubular air passageway extending through the block body to the tire cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pumping tube of the pumping tube sub-assembly is in a substantially annular form and the at least one inlet device component and the at least one outlet device component are located substantially at opposite diametric locations within the annular form. 
     
     
         7 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pumping tube sub-assembly installation station comprises groove-spreading apparatus operative to enlarge an opening into the elongate groove for facilitated insertion of the air pumping tube. 
     
     
         8 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the groove-spreading apparatus comprises at least a first moveable chuck operatively engaging and capturing a tire toe and a tire depressing device operatively engaging and pushing against a region of the sidewall proximate to the elongate groove. 
     
     
         9 . Manufacturing apparatus for an air maintenance tire comprising:
 an air pumping tube assembly station for constructing an air pumping tube sub-assembly, the air pumping tube sub-assembly comprising: an elongate air pumping tube having an internal air passageway, at least one component of an air inlet device for admitting air into the air passageway of the pumping tube and at least one component of the air outlet device for conducting pressurized air from the air passageway into an internal air cavity of an air maintenance tire;   a tire preparation station receiving a cured tire, the cured tire having an elongate groove formed to extend from a groove opening into a flexing region of a sidewall of the cured tire, the elongate groove configured to accept the air pumping tube and the tire preparation station having tire-modifying apparatus operative to enlarge inlet and outlet regions of the elongate groove to accept the at least one inlet device component and the at least one outlet device component of the air pumping tube sub-assembly;   a pumping tube sub-assembly installation station for installing the pumping tube sub-assembly into the elongate groove with the at least one inlet device component and the at least one outlet device component registered respectively into the enlarged inlet and the enlarged outlet regions of the elongate groove.   
     
     
         10 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein further comprising a pressure regulator installation station for installing a pressure regulator to the at least one outlet device component, and wherein the at least one outlet device component comprises a docking station having a block body configured for mounting against a tire surface opposite the outlet region of the elongate groove and the docking station block body carrying at least one connector operative to engage and connect to the pressure regulator. 
     
     
         11 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the pumping tube sub-assembly installation station comprises drilling apparatus for drilling at least one tubular air passageway to extend through the block body to the tire cavity. 
     
     
         12 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the pumping tube sub-assembly installation station comprises groove-spreading apparatus operative to enlarge an opening into the elongate groove to operatively facilitate insertion of the air pumping tube. 
     
     
         13 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the groove-spreading apparatus comprises a first chuck operatively engaging and capturing a tire toe and a tire-depressing device engaging and pushing against a region of the sidewall proximate to the elongate groove. 
     
     
         14 . A method of assembling an air maintenance tire comprising:
 constructing an air pumping tube sub-assembly within an air pumping tube assembly station, the air pumping tube sub-assembly comprising: an elongate air pumping tube having an internal air passageway, at least one component of an air inlet device for admitting air into the air passageway of the pumping tube and at least one component of an air outlet device for conducting pressurized air from the air passageway into an internal air cavity of an air maintenance tire;   moving a cured tire into a tire preparation station, the cured tire having an elongate groove formed to extend from a groove opening into a flexing region of a sidewall of the cured tire, the elongate groove configured to accept the air pumping tube;   activating tire-modifying apparatus within the tire preparation station to enlarge inlet and outlet regions of the elongate groove for respective receipt of the at least one inlet device component and the at least one outlet device component of the air pumping tube sub-assembly;   installing the pumping tube sub-assembly into the elongate groove at a pumping tube sub-assembly installation station, the installation operative to register the at least one inlet device component and the at least one outlet device component respectively with the enlarged inlet and the enlarged outlet regions of the elongate groove.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising installing a pressure regulator to the outlet device component part at a pressure regulator installation station, wherein the outlet device component part comprises a docking station having a block body configured for mounting against a tire surface opposite the outlet region of the elongate groove and the docking station block body carrying at least one connector operative to engage and connect to the pressure regulator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising drilling at least one tubular air passageway to extend through the block body to the tire cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein further comprising spreading the pumping tube to enlarge an opening into the elongate groove to operatively facilitate insertion of the air pumping tube. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein spreading the pumping tube comprises:
 capturing a tire toe within a chuck channel; and   pushing a tire-depressing device against a region of the sidewall proximate to the elongate groove.