Inspection method and inspection line for tires

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10121238-B2
Application number	US-201414915479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2014
Priority date	Sep 26, 2013
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

A tire inspection line includes first and second inspection posts and a transfer apparatus. The first post is for macroscopic inspection and includes a driver for rotating a tire, a macro-image acquisition device for acquiring a macroscopic image of the tire, and a first processor for analyzing the macroscopic image by digital image processing, comparing the macroscopic image with a reference image, and detecting deviations in shape. The second post is for microscopic inspection and includes a driver for rotating the tire, a micro-image acquisition device for acquiring a microscopic image of the tire, and a second processor for analyzing the microscopic image by digital image processing, comparing the microscopic image with a reference image representing a desired surface condition of the tire, and detecting local surface deviations. The transfer apparatus is for transferring the tire from the first post to a discharge point or to the second post.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An inspection method for a tire, the method comprising:
(A) in a first sequence:
(1) at a first inspection post of an inspection line for tires, simultaneously utilizing a first rotation driver to rotate the tire about an axis of the tire while utilizing a first image acquisition apparatus to carry out a first acquisition of at least one partial or whole macroscopic image of: an inner shape of the tire, or an outer shape of the tire, or both an inner shape and an outer shape of the tire,
(2) utilizing a first electronic processor to detect whether a deviation is present by: comparing the at least one macroscopic image with a stored representative reference image, wherein the comparing comprises comparing (i) relative spatial positions of spatially separated pixels of the at least one macroscopic image, the pixels being defined on spatially separated circumferential generatrices and/or spatially separated generatrices located in planes containing an axis of the tire, with (ii) relative spatial positions of spatially separated pixels of the stored representative reference image, and
(3) utilizing the first electronic processor to output a signal for the tire in accordance with the detection of whether a deviation is present, wherein the signal is a rejection signal, in accordance with a deviation having been detected, and wherein the signal is an acceptance signal, in accordance with a deviation having not been detected; and

(B) in a second sequence:
(1) in accordance with the rejection signal having been output in the first sequence: utilizing a transfer apparatus to transfer the tire from the first inspection post to a discharge point of the inspection line, and discharging the tire, and,
(2) in accordance with the acceptance signal having been output in the first sequence:
(a) utilizing the transfer apparatus to transfer the tire from the first inspection post to a second inspection post of the inspection line,
(b) at the second inspection post, simultaneously utilizing a second rotation driver to rotate the tire about the axis of the tire while utilizing a second image acquisition apparatus to carry out a second acquisition of at least one partial or whole microscopic image of: an inner surface of the tire, or an outer surface of the tire, or both an inner surface and an outer surface of the tire,
(c) utilizing a second electronic processor to detect whether a local deviation in a surface of the tire is present by: analyzing the at least one microscopic image using digital image processing algorithms, or comparing the at least one microscopic image with a stored reference image representing a desired surface condition of the tire, or both analyzing the at least one microscopic image using digital image processing algorithms and comparing the at least one microscopic image with the stored reference image representing the desired surface condition of the tire, and
(d) utilizing the second electronic processor to output a signal in accordance with the detection of whether a local deviation is present.

2. The method according to claim 1 , the method further comprising, between the first and second sequences, an intermediate sequence at an intermediate brushing post that includes simultaneously utilizing an intermediate rotation driver to rotate the tire about the axis of the tire while utilizing a brush device to carry out an operation of brushing at least part of an outer surface of the tire.

3. An inspection line for tires, comprising:
(A) a first inspection post arranged to perform macroscopic inspection, the first inspection post including:
(1) a first rotation driver arranged to rotate a tire about an axis of the tire, and
(2) a first image acquisition apparatus arranged to acquire at least one partial or whole macroscopic image of one or both of: an inner shape of the tire, and an outer shape of the tire;
(3) a first electronic processor programmed to (a) detect whether a deviation is present by comparing the at least one partial or whole macroscopic image acquired by the first image acquisition apparatus with at least one stored representative reference image, wherein the comparing comprises comparing (i) relative spatial positions of spatially separated pixels of the at least one macroscopic image, the pixels being defined on spatially separated circumferential generatrices and/or spatially separated generatrices located in planes containing an axis of the tire, with (ii) relative spatial positions of spatially separated pixels of the stored representative reference image, and (b) output a signal for the tire in accordance with the detection of whether a deviation is present, wherein the signal is a rejection signal, in accordance with a deviation having been detected, and wherein the signal is an acceptance signal, in accordance with a deviation having not been detected;

(B) a second inspection post arranged to perform microscopic inspection, the second inspection post including:
(1) a second rotation driver arranged to rotate the tire about the axis of the tire, and
(2) a second image acquisition apparatus arranged to acquire at least one partial or whole microscopic image of one or both of: an inner surface of the tire, and an outer surface of the tire;
(3) a second electronic processor programmed to (a) detect whether a local surface deviation of the tire is present by: analyzing the at least one partial or whole microscopic image using digital image-processing algorithms, or comparing the at least one partial or whole microscopic image with at least one stored reference image representing a desired surface condition of the tire, or both analyzing the at least one partial or whole microscopic image using digital image-processing algorithms and comparing the at least one partial or whole microscopic image with the at least one stored reference image representing a desired surface condition of the tire, and (b) output a detection signal corresponding to a detection result; and

(C) a transfer apparatus arranged to transfer the tire from the first inspection post to: (1) a discharge point, in accordance with output of the rejection signal by the first electronic processor, and (2) the second inspection post, in accordance with output of the acceptance signal by the first electronic processor.

4. The inspection line according to claim 3 , further comprising an intermediate brushing post that includes a brush device arranged to brush the outer surface of the tire.

5. The inspection line according to claim 4 , wherein the intermediate brushing post includes a separator arranged to axially separate beads of the tire.

6. The inspection line according to claim 4 , wherein the intermediate brushing post includes a rotation driver arranged to rotate the tire.

7. The inspection line according to claim 3 , wherein the first rotation driver includes a rotation shaft having a plurality of spokes that form a support plane on which the tire can be placed.

8. The inspection line according to claim 3 , wherein the second inspection post further includes: a first inspection station including:
a second third rotation driver arranged to rotate the tire about the axis of the tire;
a third image acquisition apparatus; and
a transfer device structured to transfer the tire from a first inspection station that includes the first rotation driver to a second inspection station that includes the second driver, the transfer device including a turnover device structured to turn the tire over.

9. The inspection line according to claim 8 , wherein the transfer device includes:
a first gripping robot configured to grasp a first bead of the tire; and
a second gripping robot configured to grasp a second bead of the

Assignees

• Michelin & Cie
• Michelin Rech Tech

Inventors

• Krolczyk Cédric
• Leobal Christian

Classifications

• G01N21/952 Primary

  Inspecting the exterior surface of cylindrical bodies or wires (G01N21/956 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06T7/001 Primary

  using an image reference approach · CPC title

• G01M17/021

  Tyre supporting devices, e.g. chucks (for balancing G01M1/04) · CPC title

• G01M17/027

  using light, e.g. infrared, ultraviolet or holographic techniques · CPC title

• G06T2207/10056

  Microscopic image · CPC title