JP5836669B2 - Tire processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a process how a tire, in particular, a tire chain that includes a material other than a thermoplastic material and thermoplastic material, easily separated possible and materials other than thermoplastic material and the thermoplastic material about the process how the tire to be.

  In recent years, as a pneumatic tire used in a vehicle, a pneumatic tire in which a skeleton portion of the tire is formed of a thermoplastic material instead of rubber has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). By forming the skeleton portion of the tire from a thermoplastic material, it may be easier to manufacture compared to a conventional tire made of vulcanized rubber.

  When disposing of conventional rubber pneumatic tires, it is difficult to separate waste tires into rubber and reinforcing materials (belts, beads, plies, etc.), which is troublesome and costly, and causes problems in recycling. was there. As a conventional rubber tire treatment, for example, there is a technique disclosed in Patent Document 2.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 03-143701 JP-A-11-114876

  Unlike vulcanized rubber, thermoplastic materials are easy to recycle and have many uses. Therefore, a method for separating a thermoplastic tire and a material other than the thermoplastic material into a material other than the thermoplastic material and the material other than the thermoplastic material is desired. Conventionally, there has been no processing method and processing apparatus for easily separating a thermoplastic material and a material other than a thermoplastic material for a pneumatic tire configured to include a material other than the material.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a tire including a thermoplastic material and a material other than the thermoplastic material can be easily changed into a thermoplastic material and a material other than the thermoplastic material. it is an object to provide how to handle tire to allow separation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tire processing method comprising: a thermoplastic member formed of a thermoplastic material; and a non-thermoplastic member formed of a material other than the thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member are separated by being vibrated and melted by ultrasonic waves.

In the tire processing method of the first aspect, the thermoplastic member of the tire is vibrated and melted by ultrasonic waves to separate the thermoplastic member from the non-thermoplastic member.
Here, as described above, the thermoplastic member is vibrated by ultrasonic waves and melted to separate the thermoplastic member from the non-thermoplastic member.For example, compared with a material that does not melt the thermoplastic material, The thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member can be easily separated. That is, the tire can be easily separated into a thermoplastic material and a material other than the thermoplastic material.

  Examples of materials other than thermoplastic materials include thermosetting materials, vulcanized rubber, organic fibers, other organic compounds, metal materials, inorganic materials, and the like, and materials other than these may be used. .

  In addition, the “tire” here includes a tire constituent member obtained by dividing the tire into a plurality of parts. Of course, the above-described tire constituent member includes a thermoplastic member and a non-thermoplastic member.

The tire processing method according to the second aspect is the tire processing method according to the first aspect , wherein the thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member at the boundary portion of the thermoplastic member are ultrasonically vibrated and melted. The non-thermoplastic member is peeled off.

In the tire processing method according to the second aspect, the thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member are peeled off while the boundary portion of the thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member is vibrated and melted by ultrasonic waves. The energy required to vibrate and melt the thermoplastic member with ultrasonic waves can be kept low as compared with the case in which the entire thermoplastic member is vibrated or the thermoplastic member is partially vibrated and melted.

A tire processing method according to a third aspect is the tire processing method according to the first aspect or the second aspect , wherein the thermoplastic member is an annular tire skeleton member constituting a skeleton portion of the tire, and the non-thermoplastic material. The member is a tread member that is disposed on an outer peripheral side of the tire frame member and constitutes a tread portion of the tire.

In the method for treating a tire according to the third aspect , the tire skeleton member is separated from the tire skeleton member and the tread member that is a non-thermoplastic member by exciting and melting the tire skeleton member that is a thermoplastic member with ultrasonic waves. And the tread member can be easily separated.
Thus, since the separated tire frame member is made of the thermoplastic material, it can be easily reused (recycled).

Tire processing apparatus of the fourth embodiment includes a holding portion for holding a tire configured to include a thermoplastic material non-thermoplastic member is composed of a thermoplastic member and the material other than the thermoplastic material constituted by the And an ultrasonic vibration unit that separates the thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member while exciting and melting the boundary portion of the thermoplastic member with the non-thermoplastic member with ultrasonic waves.

In the tire processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect , the holding unit holds a tire including a thermoplastic member made of a thermoplastic material and a non-thermoplastic member made of a material other than the thermoplastic material.
And an ultrasonic vibration part peels a thermoplastic member and a non-thermoplastic member, exciting and melting a boundary part with a non-thermoplastic member of a thermoplastic member with an ultrasonic wave.
Here, as described above, the thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member are separated from the thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member by vibrating and melting the boundary portion of the thermoplastic member with ultrasonic waves. Can be easily separated. That is, the tire can be easily separated into a thermoplastic material and a material other than the thermoplastic material.

  Further, in the tire processing apparatus, the thermoplastic member and the non-thermoplastic member are peeled off while the boundary portion of the thermoplastic member is vibrated by ultrasonic waves and melted using an ultrasonic vibration unit. The energy required to vibrate and melt the thermoplastic member with ultrasonic waves can be kept low as compared with a case where the entire thermoplastic member is vibrated or the thermoplastic member is partially melted.

A tire processing apparatus according to a fifth aspect is the tire processing apparatus according to the fourth aspect , wherein the thermoplastic member is an annular tire skeleton member constituting a skeleton portion of the tire, and the non-thermoplastic member is the tire skeleton. The tread member is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the member and constitutes a tread portion of the tire, the holding portion rotatably holds the tire, and the ultrasonic vibration portion is rotated by the holding portion. The tire frame member and the tread member are peeled off while the boundary portion of the tire frame member with the tread member is vibrated and melted by ultrasonic waves.

In the tire processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the ultrasonic oscillating unit vibrates the tire skeleton member and the tread member while ultrasonically oscillating and melting the boundary portion of the tire skeleton member rotated by the holding unit with the tread member. Since it peels, a tire frame member and a tread member can be separated easily. In particular, since the tread member is formed for one turn on the outer peripheral side of the tire frame member, the tire frame member and the tread member are peeled off by the ultrasonic vibration unit while rotating the tire frame member. And the tread member can be easily peeled off.
Thus, since the separated tire frame member is made of the thermoplastic material, it can be easily reused (recycled).
The tire processing method according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a pair of bead portions, a side portion extending outward in the tire radial direction from the bead portion, a tire radial outer end of one side portion, and the other side portion. An annular tire frame member formed of a thermoplastic material, and a tread rubber layer including a tread rubber disposed on the outer peripheral side of the crown portion. A tire processing method comprising: a first step of cutting the tire along a tire equatorial plane to form a tire half; a holding portion for holding the tire half from the inside; and a plate shape A first blade portion with a rounded blade edge formed on one side in the width direction, and an ultrasonic vibration unit for ultrasonic vibration in which a second blade portion with a rounded blade edge formed on the distal end side in the longitudinal direction; Using a tire processing apparatus comprising: The second blade part of the ultrasonic vibration part in a non-ultrasonic vibration state is provided at the boundary between the half body frame member forming the tire half body and the half body tread rubber layer in a state where the tire half body is held by the part. A second step of arranging and inserting the ultrasonic vibration portion in a straight line while scraping a part of a corner portion curved in an arc shape between the crown portion and the side portion so as to follow the boundary; After the second step, the tire half body is rotated together with the holding portion while the ultrasonic vibration portion is ultrasonically vibrated, so that the boundary between the half body tread rubber layer and the half body tread rubber layer is obtained. A third step of melting and cutting a portion with the first blade portion; and after the third step, the ultrasonic vibration portion in a non-ultrasonic vibration state is an outer periphery of the crown portion of the half body skeleton member The angle of the tire half is linearly adjusted along the boundary. After the fourth step of inserting until the second blade portion protrudes from the cross section, and after the fourth step, the tire half body is rotated together with the holding portion while ultrasonically vibrating the ultrasonic vibration portion. A fifth step of melting and cutting a boundary portion of the half body skeleton member with the half body tread rubber layer with the first blade portion and peeling the half body skeleton member and the half body tread rubber layer; , comprising a.

According to the process how the tire of the present invention as described above, the tire is configured to include a material other than a thermoplastic material and thermoplastic material, easy and materials other than thermoplastic material and the thermoplastic material Can be separated.

1 is a perspective view of a tire processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. (A) It is a perspective view which shows the state which made the tire holding part of the tire holding device the minimum diameter, (B) It is a perspective view which shows the state which made the tire holding part of the tire holding device the maximum diameter. It is a perspective view which shows the horn of an ultrasonic welder. It is a tire width direction sectional view which cut a tire along the tire width direction. It is the tire width direction sectional view which cut the tire half body along the tire width direction. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in the tire width direction of the tire half body showing a state in which a tip portion of a horn is brought into contact with a boundary portion between a half body skeleton member and a half tread rubber layer of the tire half body. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in the tire width direction of the tire half body showing a state where a horn is inserted into a boundary portion between the half body skeleton member and the half body tread rubber layer of the tire half body. It is a tire width direction sectional view of a tire half which shows a state before inserting a horn further in a tire half. It is a tire width direction sectional view of the tire half which shows the state where the horn was further inserted in the tire half. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of the horn of an ultrasonic welder. It is a perspective view of the tire processing apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state which has peeled the half body frame member and the half body tread rubber layer using the tire processing apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the tire width direction sectional view which cut the tire of other embodiments along the tire width direction. It is the tire width direction sectional view which cut the tire of other embodiments along the tire width direction.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a tire processing method and a tire processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, the tire 10 that is a processing target in the tire processing method and the tire processing apparatus will be described.

(tire)
FIG. 4 shows a tire 10 in which the skeleton of the tire is made of a thermoplastic material. The tire 10 of the present embodiment has a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to that of a conventional general rubber pneumatic tire.

  The tire 10 includes a pair of bead portions 12 that contact a bead seat portion and a rim flange (not shown), a side portion 14 that extends outward from the bead portion 12 in the tire radial direction, and an outer end in the tire radial direction of one side portion 14. An annular tire frame member 17 including a crown portion 16 that connects the outer end in the tire radial direction of the other side portion 14 is provided. The tire frame member 17 is a frame portion of the tire and is an example of the thermoplastic member of the present invention.

  The tire frame member 17 of the present embodiment is formed of a thermoplastic material. Note that the tire frame member 17 may use thermoplastic materials having different characteristics at each portion (bead portion 12, side portion 14, crown portion 16).

  As the thermoplastic material, a thermoplastic resin having rubber-like elasticity, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or the like may be used.

  Examples of the thermoplastic resin include urethane resin, olefin resin, vinyl chloride resin, and polyamide resin.

  Examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include amide-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPA), ester-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPC), olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPO), styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPS) specified in JIS K6418, Examples thereof include urethane-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPU), crosslinked thermoplastic rubber (TPV), and other thermoplastic elastomers (TPZ).

  The thermoplastic material may be other than the above-described thermoplastic resin and thermoplastic elastomer.

  An annular bead core 18 made of steel cord is embedded in the bead portion 12 of the present embodiment, similar to a conventional general pneumatic tire. In the tire 10 of the present embodiment, the bead core 18 is made of a steel cord, but may be made of an organic fiber cord, a resin-coated organic fiber cord, or a hard resin, or the bead core itself. It may be omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the tire 10 of the present embodiment is formed of rubber as an example of an elastic body at a contact portion with a rim of the bead portion 12 (a portion in contact with a bead sheet and a portion in contact with a rim flange). A sealing layer 24 is provided. The seal layer 24 in contact with the rim flange may be omitted as long as the sealability (airtightness) between the tire frame member 17 and the rim can be secured.

  In the crown portion 16 of the tire frame member 17, a cord 26 made of a monofilament (single wire) of metal fiber or organic fiber or a multifilament (twisted wire) obtained by twisting these fibers spirals in the tire circumferential direction. It is wound and the entire cord 26 is embedded. Note that the cord 26 may be partially embedded in the crown portion 16. The cord 26 forms a crown portion reinforcing layer 28 on the outer peripheral portion of the crown portion 16 to reinforce the tire circumferential rigidity of the crown portion 16. The crown portion reinforcing layer 28 corresponds to a belt disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the carcass of a conventional rubber pneumatic tire.

A tread rubber layer 31 as an example of a tread member is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the crown portion 16. The tread rubber layer 31 includes a cushion rubber 29 and a tread rubber 30 in order from the crown portion 16 side. The cushion rubber 29 improves the ride comfort by buffering the input from the road surface received by the tread rubber 30 when the tire 10 travels, and has an elastic modulus lower than that of the tread rubber 30. In other embodiments, the tread rubber layer 31 may be composed only of the tread rubber 30.
The tread rubber layer 31 (tread rubber 30) is formed with a tread pattern (not shown) including a plurality of grooves 30A on the ground contact surface with the road surface, like a conventional rubber pneumatic tire.

(Tire processing equipment)
Next, the tire processing apparatus 32 which processes the tire 10 (tire half body 10H) of this embodiment is demonstrated.
The tire processing device 32 has a tire holding device 33 for holding the tire 10. The tire holding device 33 is an example of a holding unit according to the present invention. In the tire holding device 33, a horizontally disposed shaft 36 is rotatably supported on an upper portion of a pedestal 34 that is grounded to a floor surface. The shaft 36 is rotated by a motor (not shown).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a tire holding portion 40 is provided on the end portion side of the shaft 36. The tire holder 40 includes a cylinder block 38 fixed to a shaft 36, and the cylinder block 38 is provided with a plurality of cylinder rods 41 extending radially outward at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

At the tip of the cylinder rod 41, there is provided a tire holding piece 42 having an arcuate curved surface 42A whose outer surface is set substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the tire inner surface.
FIG. 2A shows a state where the protruding amount of the cylinder rod 41 is the smallest (the tire holding portion 40 has a minimum diameter), and FIG. 2B shows a state where the protruding amount of the cylinder rod 41 is the largest ( The tire holding part 40 is in the maximum diameter state). Each cylinder rod 41 can move in the same direction in the same direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an ultrasonic welder 44 is disposed in the vicinity of the tire holding device 33. The ultrasonic welder 44 includes an oscillator 45, a converter 46, and a horn 47. The oscillator 45 can oscillate an electric signal having a frequency of 20 kHz to 50 kHz. The converter 46 is connected to the oscillator 45 via a cable, converts an electric signal from the oscillator 45 into vibration energy, and transmits the vibration energy to the horn 47. The horn 47 is attached to the converter 46, and is vibrated by the vibration energy transmitted from the oscillator 45 so as to vibrate ultrasonically.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the horn 47 has a plate shape, and a blade portion 47A having a rounded blade edge is formed on one side in the width direction (plate width direction), and is attached to the converter 46 in the longitudinal direction. A blade portion 47B (see FIG. 6) having a rounded blade edge is formed on the side opposite to the side on which it is formed.

As shown in FIG. 1, a robot arm (not shown) is disposed in the vicinity of the ultrasonic welder 44. A converter 46 is attached to the tip of the robot arm.
The robot arm is capable of adjusting the position and angle of a horn 47 attached to the converter 46 with respect to a tire half body 10H described later held by the tire holder 40.

(Tire processing process)
(1) First, the tire 10 shown in FIG. 4 is cut along the tire equatorial plane CL to form a tire half body 10H shown in FIG.

(2) Next, the tire half body 10H is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the tire holding portion 40 (see FIG. 2A) whose diameter has been reduced, and then the diameter of the tire holding portion 40 is enlarged to make the tire half The plurality of tire holding pieces 42 are brought into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the body 10H, and the tire half body 10H is held from the inside by the plurality of tire holding pieces 42 (see FIG. 1).

(3) Next, as shown in FIG. 6, to place the cutting portion 47 B of the horn 47 to the boundary between the half frame member 17H and the half tread rubber layer 31H by using a robot arm. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the horn 47 is pushed into the tire half body 10H along the boundary. In addition, since the corner | angular part between the crown part 16 and the side part 14 is curving in circular arc shape, as shown in FIG. 7, half body frame member 17H is linear so that a part of corner part may be scraped off. Pierced.
Incidentally, the blade portion 47 B of the horn 47, since the cutting edge is rounded and less likely to cut the half tread rubber layer 31H. Thus, at the time of melting halves skeletal member 17H by the horn 47 will be described later, by cutting the half tread rubber layer 31H by the blade portion 47 B, the rubber pieces, such as rubber powder, melted portion of the half frame member 17H Adhering to or mixing in is suppressed.

Then, after the horn 47 is pushed into the tire half body 10H to a position as shown in FIG. 7, the position of the horn 47 is fixed. Next, while the horn 47 is ultrasonically vibrated at a frequency of 20 kHz to 50 kHz, as shown in FIG. Direction of rotation of the tire halves 10H in this case (arrow A direction) is a direction opposite to the blade portion 47 A of the horn 47.

Here, the half frame member 17H, the contact portion between the blade portion 47 A of the horn 47, heat is generated by ultrasonic vibrations from horn 47 are melted. Then, by rotation of the tire half body 10H, the horn 47 melts and cuts a boundary portion (here, the contact portion) between the half body skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H. The melt cutting by the horn 47 is performed along the trajectory of the horn 47 moving with respect to the rotating half skeleton member 17H.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the angle of the horn 47 is adjusted so as to be along the outer periphery of the crown portion 16 of the half body skeleton member 17H. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the horn 47 is linearly inserted along the boundary. In the present embodiment, the horn 47, the blade portion 47 B is placed against the tire halves 10H to protrude from the cutting plane of the tire halves 10H.

Then, at a position where the blade portion 47 B of the horn 47 projecting from the cut surface of the tire halves 10H, fixing the horn 47. Next, the tire half body 10 </ b> H is rotated in the direction of arrow A together with the tire holding portion 40 while ultrasonically vibrating the horn 47 at a frequency of 20 kHz to 50 kHz.

At this time, the half frame member 17H, the contact portion between the blade portion 47 A of the horn 47, in the same manner as described above, heat is generated by ultrasonic vibrations from horn 47 are melted. Then, by rotation of the tire half body 10H, the horn 47 melts and cuts a boundary portion (here, the contact portion) between the half body skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H.
When the tire half body 10H rotates once, the half body skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H are peeled off.

  Here, the horn 47 separates (peels) the half body skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H while melting the boundary portion of the half body skeleton member 17H. The body tread rubber layer 31H can be easily peeled off.

The rotation speed of the tire half body 10H is preferably set to a speed at which the thermoplastic material at the boundary portion melted by the horn 47 is solidified by natural cooling when it contacts the tread rubber layer 31 again. .
The melted part may be forcibly cooled by blowing cold air or the like to the part melted by the horn 47 and peeled from the half-tread rubber layer 31H. In this case, the rotational speed of the tire half body 10H can be increased.

  Next, the seal layer 24 disposed on the bead portion 12 of the half skeleton member 17H is peeled from the half skeleton member 17H by the same procedure as described above using the horn 47. Thereby, the half body tread rubber layer 31H and the seal layer 24 are removed from the half body skeleton member 17H.

(4) Next, the periphery of the cord 26 of the crown portion 16 of the half skeleton member 17H is heated, and the cord 26 is taken out from the crown portion 16 in a state where the thermoplastic material around the cord 26 is melted or softened. Similarly, the periphery of the bead core 18 of the bead portion 12 is heated, and the bead core 18 is taken out from the bead portion 12 in a state where the thermoplastic material around the bead core 18 is melted or softened.

  In this way, the tire frame member 17 obtained by removing all materials other than the thermoplastic material from the thermoplastic material can be melted again and recycled.

Although the flat horn 47 shown in FIG. 3 is used in the first embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the horn 50 with rounded corners shown in FIG. 10 may be used. As shown in FIG. 10, the horn 50 has a plate shape, and a blade portion 50A having a rounded blade edge is formed on one side in the width direction (plate width direction). is attached blade section 50 cutting edge is rounded to the opposite side) to the side and B is formed, a corner portion between the blade portions 50A and the blade portion 50B is curved in an arc shape. Thus, for example, the horn 50 of the ultrasonic vibration state relative half frame member 17H of the rotating tire halves 10H, gradually inserted at half frame member 17H corners or et blade portion 50A and the blade portion 50B And the half-tread rubber layer 31H can be peeled off. When the horn 50 is gradually inserted into the rotating tire half 10H in this way, for example, compared to the case where the horn is linearly inserted into the stationary tire half 10H, the half tread rubber layer 31H side. The remaining thermoplastic material can be reduced.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a tire processing apparatus and a tire processing method according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same structure as 1st Embodiment, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the tire processing device 52 of the second embodiment includes a tire holding device 33 and an ultrasonic welder 54. The ultrasonic welder 54 includes an oscillator 45, a converter 46, and a horn 56. The horn 56 has a plate shape, and has a shape along the boundary between the half body skeleton member 17H of the tire half body 10H and the tread rubber layer 31 in a side view (viewed from the plate width direction). Further, the horn 56 has a blade portion 56A having a rounded blade edge on one side in the width direction (plate width direction). The horn 56 and the converter 46 are attached to a lifting arm 58 that can move in the vertical direction.

Next, the tire processing method of the second embodiment will be described.
First, the tire 10 is cut to form the tire half 10 </ b> H, and the tire half 10 </ b> H is held by the tire holding unit 40.
Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the tread rubber layer 31 of the tire half body 10H is scraped along the tire width direction. This scraping is performed so that the width becomes wider than the width of the horn 56. At this time, it is preferable that the outer peripheral portion of the half body skeleton member 17H is also cut off to such an extent that the cord 26 cannot be cut.

And as shown in FIG. 12, the raising / lowering arm 58 is lowered | hung and the horn 56 is inserted in the shaved part K formed in the tire half body 10H. At this time, the blade portion 56 A of the horn 56 of the half frame member 17H, into contact with the boundary portion between the half tread rubber layer 31H. Thereafter, the horn 56 is ultrasonically vibrated to melt the contact portion between the horn 56 and the half body skeleton member 17H, while rotating the tire half body 10H, so that the half body skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H are rotated. And melt cut. When the tire half body 10H rotates once, the half body skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H are peeled off.

  Here, since the tire processing apparatus 52 of 2nd Embodiment can peel the half body frame | skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H by rotating one half of a tire, it rotates several times, for example. Compared with the tire processing apparatus which requires this, half body frame member 17H and half body tread rubber layer 31H can be exfoliated rapidly. Moreover, the energy consumed can also be suppressed.

  In 2nd Embodiment, although the shape of the horn 56 is made into the shape along the boundary of the half body frame member 17H of the tire half body 10H, and the half body tread rubber layer 31H, this invention is not limited to this structure, The shape of 56 may be a shape along the boundary between the tire frame member 17 and the tread rubber layer 31 of the tire 10. In this case, the tire frame member 17 and the tread rubber layer 31 can be peeled off without dividing the tire 10 in half.

(Other embodiments)
In the first and second embodiments, the horn has a flat plate shape, but the horn may have a rod shape, a thread shape, or the like.

  Further, in the tire processing method of the first embodiment, the horn 47 is arranged along the boundary between the half body skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H using a robot arm. Without being limited to the configuration, the operator may hold the converter 46 and apply the horn 47 to the boundary portion between the half body skeleton member 17H and the half body tread rubber layer 31H.

Moreover, although the tire 10 of the above-mentioned embodiment was a tubeless type tire using the tire frame member 17 with the bead core 18, the configuration of the tire 10 is not limited to this. As a tire frame member using a thermoplastic material, a hollow tube body 62 that is formed in an annular shape in the tire circumferential direction and is disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the rim 61 may be used as a tire frame member shown in FIG. . The tube bodies 62 may be arranged in a double row or a single row in the tire width direction. In the tire 60, a tread rubber 64 in which, for example, a reinforcing reinforcing layer 68 is embedded in the outer peripheral portion of the three tube bodies 62 is disposed across, for example, a cushion rubber 66 and is vulcanized and bonded. . The tread rubber 64 and the cushion rubber 66 constitute a tread rubber layer 67.
On the other hand, as another embodiment, a tire 70 shown in FIG. 14 may be used. In the tire 70, a tread rubber 74 in which, for example, a reinforcing reinforcing layer 78 is embedded in an outer peripheral portion of one tube body 72 is disposed across, for example, a cushion rubber 76 and vulcanized and bonded. The tread rubber 74 and the cushion rubber 76 constitute a tread rubber layer 77.
The above-described tire processing method and tire processing apparatus can also be applied to the tires 60 and 70 as described above.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the embodiments. However, these embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It goes without saying that the scope of rights of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Tire 12 Bead part 17 Tire frame member (thermoplastic member)
31 Tread rubber layer (tread member (non-thermoplastic member))
32 Tire processing device 33 Tire holding device (tire holding unit)
44 Ultrasonic welder 52 Tire processing device 54 Ultrasonic welder 60 Tire 62 Tube body (tire frame member)
67 Tread rubber layer (tread member (non-thermoplastic member))
70 tire 72 tube body (tire frame member)
77 Tread rubber layer (tread member (non-thermoplastic member))

Claims (1)

A pair of bead portions, a side portion extending outward in the tire radial direction from the bead portion, and a crown portion that connects a tire radial direction outer end of one side portion and a tire radial direction outer end of the other side portion, A tire processing method comprising: an annular tire frame member formed of a thermoplastic material; and a tread rubber layer that is disposed on an outer peripheral side of the crown portion and includes a tread rubber,
Cutting the tire along the tire equatorial plane to form a tire half;
A holding portion that holds the tire half from the inside, a plate-like shape, a first blade portion with a rounded blade edge formed on one side in the width direction, and a second blade edge rounded on the distal end side in the longitudinal direction. A half body skeleton member and a half that form the tire half in a state where the tire half is held by the holding portion, using a tire processing apparatus that includes an ultrasonic vibration portion that is ultrasonically vibrated with a blade portion formed thereon The second blade portion of the ultrasonic vibration portion in a non-ultrasonic vibration state is disposed at the boundary with the body tread rubber layer, and the crown portion and the side portion are arranged so that the ultrasonic vibration portion is along the boundary. A second step of pushing straightly while scraping a part of the corner curved in a circular arc shape between,
After the second step, the tire half body is rotated together with the holding portion while the ultrasonic vibration portion is ultrasonically vibrated, so that a boundary portion between the half body frame member and the half body tread rubber layer is obtained. A third step of melt cutting with the first blade portion,
After the third step, the angle of the ultrasonic excitation part in a non-ultrasonic vibration state is adjusted so as to be along the outer periphery of the crown part of the half body skeleton member, and linearly along the boundary. A fourth step of inserting until the second blade portion protrudes from the cut surface of the tire half;
After the fourth step, the ultrasonic oscillating portion is ultrasonically vibrated, the tire half is rotated together with the holding portion, and the boundary portion of the half skeleton member with the half tread rubber layer A fifth step of melting and cutting the first half portion with the first blade portion, and separating the half body skeleton member and the half body tread rubber layer;
A method for treating a tire comprising:

Images