System and method for stabilizing lateral wings of precured tread during cementing

1 . A method of preparing a precured tread, comprising:

providing an elongated strip of precured tread having a major portion including a tread surface and at least part of an underside surface opposite the tread surface, and having a lateral wing projecting from each lateral side of the major portion of the precured tread, each lateral wing being configured to form at least a portion of a shoulder of a tire and having a thickness that is less than a thickness of the major portion of the precured tread such that, when the tread surface is supported on and facing a support surface, at least a portion of each lateral wing is elevated with respect to the support surface, wherein the thickness of each lateral wing is from 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, as measured vertically at its projection from each lateral side of the major portion;

applying a polymer cement to the underside surface of the precured tread with an applicator;

wherein during the applying of the polymer cement, each lateral wing is stabilized with a respective stabilizer at least at the portion of the lateral wing that is elevated with respect to the support surface, wherein each stabilizer includes a bearing surface that engages against an interface surface of the lateral wing that faces toward the support surface and is elevated with respect to the support surface, such that the respective stabilizers stabilize each lateral wing by vertically supporting each lateral wing above the support surface;

wherein each stabilizer includes at least one adjuster configured to modulate the horizontal and/or vertical and/or angular positioning of the support based on a positioning of each lateral wing;

wherein the at least one adjuster includes: one or more manually-adjustable mechanical adjusters; and/or one or more electromechanical adjusters; and/or one or more hydraulic or pneumatic adjusters; and/or one or more elastic adjusters.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the precured tread is conveyed to the applicator with a conveyor, in which the tread surface is supported on and faces the conveyor so that at least the portion of each lateral wing is elevated with respect to the conveyor;

the applicator includes a roller; and

wherein each stabilizer is mounted fixedly relative to the conveyor at a location at least partially below the roller and provides at least one counterforce to at least one force imparted by the roller to the lateral wings, thereby maintaining position of the lateral wings.

3 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the bearing surface has a shape that is complimentary to a shape of the interface surface of the lateral wing.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein:

the interface surface of each lateral wing has a tapered surface, and the bearing surface of each support has a complimentary tapered surface.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one adjuster is selected from:

the one or more electromechanical adjusters; and/or

the one or more hydraulic or pneumatic adjusters.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein:

each stabilizer includes at least one force generator configured to provide one or more stabilization force(s) that counteract one or more force(s) from the applicator.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein:

the one or more force generator(s) generate a force in horizontal and/or vertical and/or angular directions.

8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the one or more force generator(s) include:

one or more biasers; and/or

one or more electromagnetic actuators; and/or

one or more hydraulic or pneumatic actuators; and/or

one or more piezoelectric actuators.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

buffing the underside surface of the precured tread prior to the applying the polymer cement;

wherein the applying the polymer cement includes contacting the polymer cement with the buffed underside surface of the precured tread.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each stabilizer does not engage the respective lateral wing on its underside surface that points away from the support surface so that the full underside of each lateral wing is cemented during the applying of the polymer cement.

11 . A method of preparing a precured tread, comprising:

providing an elongated strip of precured tread having a major portion including a tread surface and at least part of an underside surface opposite the tread surface, and having a lateral wing projecting from each lateral side of the major portion of the precured tread, each lateral wing being configured to form at least a portion of a shoulder of a tire and having a thickness that is less than a thickness of the major portion of the precured tread such that, when the tread surface is supported on and facing a support surface, at least a portion of each lateral wing is elevated with respect to the support surface, wherein the thickness of each lateral wing is from 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, as measured vertically at its projection from each lateral side of the major portion;

applying a polymer cement to the underside surface of the precured tread with an applicator;

wherein during the applying of the polymer cement, each lateral wing is stabilized with a respective stabilizer at least at the portion of the lateral wing that is elevated with respect to the support surface, wherein each stabilizer includes a bearing surface that engages against an interface surface of the lateral wing that faces toward the support surface and is elevated with respect to the support surface, such that the respective stabilizers stabilize each lateral wing by vertically supporting each lateral wing above the support surface;

wherein each stabilizer includes at least one force generator configured to provide one or more stabilization force(s) that counteract one or more force(s) from the applicator.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more force generator(s) include: one or more biasers; and/or one or more electromagnetic actuators; and/or one or more hydraulic or pneumatic actuators; and/or one or more piezoelectric actuators.