Method for constructing the tread of a tire, device configured for performing the method and uncured rubber strip

1 . A method for constructing a tread of a tyre, comprising:

a) arranging a plurality of layers of uncured rubber with a layer thickness per layer of between 30 and 500 μm on a base;

b) removing material from each layer for a purpose of arranging a predetermined pattern using laser ablation and before arranging a subsequent layer over each layer; and

c) separately curing each layer by converting at most 70% of the uncured rubber over the entirety of a surface of each layer.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein step a) comprises wrapping the base multiple times with one strip for the purpose of forming the plurality of layers.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the strip comprises a start and end zone, of which at least one zone has a layer thickness decreasing relative to the respective layer thickness.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises step c) takes place after step b).

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in step a) a rubber strip is arranged from a carrier.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the method comprises a step d) of arranging a surface structure in at least a part of the layers and/or the base.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the method comprises a step selected from the group consisting of: at least one of the steps b) and d) takes place with an infrared laser or a laser with a wavelength of about 400 nm, a step i) of determining a force distribution profile of forces exerted during use on the tyre to be constructed, and combinations thereof, and optionally at least one of the steps b) and d) takes place on the basis of the force distribution profile determined in step i).

8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein a side of the carrier directed toward the respective layer defines a negative of the surface structure.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , the method comprises a step selected from the group consisting of:

the layers and/or the base are heated during step a), the layers are pressed against the base during step a), the layers are pressed against the base during step a) with a pressure of between 5 kg/cm 3 and 40 kg/cm 3 , the layers are pressed against the base during step a) with a pressure between 10 kg/cm 3 and 30 kg/cm3, the layers are pressed against the base during step a) with a pressure between 18 kg/cm 3 and 20 kg/cm 3 , the layers are pressed against the base during step a) with a roller, and the layers are pressed against the base during step a) with a roller with a diameter smaller than a diameter of the base.

10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the base is a used tyre.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein a tyre profile present on the used tyre is measured in step e).

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises prior to step a) a step e) of measuring a geometry of the base and storing the measured geometry.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the method comprises a step f) of comparing the measured and stored geometry to a desired geometry, and a step selected from the group consisting of: a step of determining a number of layers to be arranged in step a) based on the comparison, a step of performing step b) on the basis of the comparison, and combinations thereof.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the tyre is a used tyre and the method comprises a step selected from the group consisting of:

prior to step a) a step g) of cleaning the used tyre, prior to step a) the step g) of cleaning the used tyre by laser ablation, a step h) of uncuring the tread of the used tyre prior to step a), the step h) of uncuring the tread of the used tyre prior to step a) and the uncuring takes place using microwave radiation, and combinations thereof.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step selected from the group consisting of:

a step j) of arranging at least one additive, optionally selected from an aluminium oxide, silicon, a polyurethane, and/or a combination thereof,

a step k) of arranging a wear-resistant top layer, a step l) of wholly curing the plurality of layers, and combinations thereof.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein said thickness per layer is between 30 and 120 μm.