Bridgestone Bandag, LLC

A tire tread cutting apparatus includes a track having a first track end and a second track end downstream of the first track end, a tire hub downstream of the second track end and configured to receive a tire casing, and a tread dispenser upstream of the track and configured to dispense tire tread. The tread dispenser includes a drive roller configured to drive tire tread downstream toward the second track end. The tire tread has a first tread end. A cutting element is positioned downstream of the tread dispenser and upstream of the track and is configured for cutting the tire tread to define a second tread end. The second tread end is determined based on a measurement of the tire casing circumference, and at least the first tread end is adhered to the outer surface of the tire casing when the second tread end is cut.

A system for forming a tire tread includes a tire tread mold and a first sidewall height adjuster. The tire tread mold includes a base, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall. The first sidewall is contiguous with the base and includes a first sidewall joint structure. The second sidewall is contiguous with the base and positioned opposite of the first sidewall. The first sidewall height adjuster includes a first sidewall height adjuster joint structure. A portion of the first sidewall height adjuster joint structure is configured to receive a portion of the first sidewall joint structure such that the first sidewall and the first sidewall height adjuster is coupled or a portion of the first sidewall height adjuster joint structure is configured to be positioned within a portion of the first sidewall joint structure such that the first sidewall and the first sidewall height adjuster is coupled.

Disclosed herein, a pneumatic tire having a tread portion is described. The tread portion includes a generally circumferentially extending groove defined therein. The groove has a groove cross-section defined by a groove bottom, a first groove sidewall, hand a second groove sidewall. The second groove sidewall is opposite and substantially parallel to the first groove sidewall. The groove has a groove width defined between the first groove sidewall and the second groove sidewall. A plurality of stone rejectors extend between the first groove sidewall and the second groove sidewall. Each stone rejector in the plurality of stone rejectors is circumferentially spaced from an adjacent stone rejector. Each stone rejector includes a raised platform and a protrusion. The raised platform extends axially from the first groove sidewall to the second groove sidewall. The protrusion extends from a top surface of the raised platform.

A method of forming a tread element is provided. The method includes forming, by a printer element of an additive manufacture assembly, a first layer of at least one material on a substrate. The first layer forms a tread element back side configured to couple to a tire casing. The method includes sequentially forming, by the printer element, a plurality of layers of the at least one material on the first layer across at least a portion of the tread element corresponding to a tread pattern. The plurality of layers defines a thickness of the tread element, and an outermost layer of the plurality of layers forms a tread element front side.

A system for altering a tire carcass includes a scanner configured to scan a tire carcass, a skiving device configured to skive the tire carcass, a filling device configured to fill skived areas on the tire carcass, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive scanner data from the scanner, identify, based on the scanner data, a first anomaly and a second anomaly on the tire carcass, cause the skiving device to skive the first anomaly to create a first skived area, and cause the filling device to fill the first skived area and cause the skiving device to skive the second anomaly to create a second skived area, wherein the filling and the skiving occur simultaneously.

Disclosed herein, a tire tread cutting apparatus for cutting a length of a tire tread is described. The tire tread cutting apparatus includes a track having a first track end and a second track end downstream of the first track end. The track includes a plurality of rollers positioned between the first track end and the second track end. The plurality of rollers is configured to facilitate the tire tread along the track. A tire hub is positioned downstream of and adjacent to the second track end. The tire hub is configured to receive a tire casing. The tire casing defines a tire casing circumference along an outer surface of the tire casing. A tread dispenser is positioned upstream of the track and configured to dispense tire tread. The tread dispenser includes a drive roller configured to drive tire tread downstream toward the second track end.

A system for assembling a circumferential tread and a band for a non-pneumatic tire includes a curing wrap dimensioned to receive a band for a non-pneumatic tire and a circumferential tread. The curing wrap includes a valve. The system also includes a fastener configured to secure a first side of the curing wrap to the circumferential tread and to secure a second side of the curing wrap to the first side of the curing wrap.

A sipe forming system includes a cutting base, the cutting base including a blade and a mechanical power source configured to rotate the blade about a blade axis, and a positioning assembly configured to guide a tire tread through the sipe forming system from a feeding entrance to a feeding exit along a feeding direction, the positioning assembly pivotally coupled to the cutting base to allow adjustment of an angle of the feeding direction relative to the blade.