Mold cleaning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10471632-B2
Application number	US-201615773155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2016
Priority date	Nov 5, 2015
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

When cleaning a mold using a mold cleaning system, three-dimensional image data of a molding surface of the mold is acquired by a camera, movement of arms is controlled by a control device based on the acquired image data, and a laser head is moved along the molding surface while a laser beam provided from a laser oscillator is irradiated to remove contamination adhered to the molding surface. Cleaning is performed on a specific site, using a relatively small laser head, or also using a relatively large laser head, or cleaning is performed using a laser head having a variable laser irradiation width and setting an appropriate laser irradiation width for each site to be cleaned.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mold cleaning system, comprising:
a laser oscillator;
a laser head configured to irradiate a laser beam provided from the laser oscillator onto a molding surface of a mold;
an arm configured to freely move the laser head three-dimensionally; and
a control device configured to control movement of the arm; wherein
a camera configured to acquire three-dimensional image data of a molding surface of a mold to be cleaned is provided,
a plurality of laser heads with different head sizes are provided as the laser head, the laser heads being configured to irradiate laser beams and clean the molding surface while the laser heads are moved along the molding surface as controlled by the movement of the arm by the control device based on the image data acquired by the camera when cleaning the mold, and
the control device is configured to:
cause cleaning to be performed with regard to a specific preset site, using a relatively small laser head, or using a relatively small laser head in addition to a relatively large laser head,
determine a cleanliness state of the molding surface based on the three-dimensional image data of the molding surface of the mold after cleaning, acquired by the camera,
store the determined cleanliness state and position information of the molding surface, and
cause the laser beam to be again irradiated from the laser head and cause cleaning to be performed with regard to a position of the molding surface where the determined cleanliness state does not satisfy preset standards.

2. The mold cleaning system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor configured to successively detect a temperature of the molding surface where the laser beam is irradiated; wherein
in a case where a temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a preset permissible temperature, the control device is configured to interrupt irradiation of the laser beam.

3. The mold cleaning system according to claim 2 , wherein the mold is a studless-tire vulcanization mold or a cast splicing mold for pneumatic tire vulcanization.

4. The mold cleaning system according to claim 1 , wherein the mold is a studless-tire vulcanization mold or a cast splicing mold for pneumatic tire vulcanization.

5. The mold cleaning system according to claim 1 , wherein the mold is a studless-tire vulcanization mold or a cast splicing mold for pneumatic tire vulcanization.

6. A mold cleaning system, comprising:
a laser oscillator;
a laser head configured to irradiate a laser beam provided from the laser oscillator onto a molding surface of a mold;
an arm configured to freely move the laser head three-dimensionally; and
a control device configured to control movement of the arm; wherein
a camera configured to acquire three-dimensional image data of a molding surface of a mold to be cleaned is provided,
a laser head having a variable laser irradiation width is provided as the laser head, the laser head being configured to irradiate laser beams and clean the molding surface while the laser head is moved along the molding surface as controlled by the movement of the arm by the control device based on the image data acquired by the camera when cleaning the mold,
an appropriate laser irradiation width is preset for each site to be cleaned, and
the control device is configured to:
set the preset laser irradiation width for the sites to be cleaned and to cause the sites to be cleaned,
determine a cleanliness state of the molding surface based on the three-dimensional image data of the molding surface of the mold after cleaning, acquired by the camera,
store the determined cleanliness state and position information of the molding surface, and
cause the laser beam to be again irradiated from the laser head and cause cleaning to be performed with regard to a position of the molding surface where the determined cleanliness state does not satisfy preset standards.

7. The mold cleaning system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a temperature sensor configured to successively detect a temperature of the molding surface where the laser beam is irradiated; wherein
in a case where a temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a preset permissible temperature, the control device is configured to interrupt irradiation of the laser beam.

8. The mold cleaning system according to claim 7 , wherein the mold is a studless-tire vulcanization mold or a cast splicing mold for pneumatic tire vulcanization.

9. The mold cleaning system according to claim 6 , wherein the mold is a studless-tire vulcanization mold or a cast splicing mold for pneumatic tire vulcanization.

10. The mold cleaning system according to claim 6 , wherein the mold is a studless-tire vulcanization mold or a cast splicing mold for pneumatic tire vulcanization.

Assignees

• Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd

Inventors

• Matsumura Kensuke
• Watanabe Masayuki
• Miyazaki Yusaku

Classifications

• B29D2030/0083

  Attaching monitoring devices to tyres before or after vulcanization by inserting them inside tyre cavities · CPC title

• B29D30/0662 Primary

  Accessories, details or auxiliary operations · CPC title

• B29D30/0061

  Accessories, details or auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B29K2021/00

  Use of unspecified rubbers as moulding material · CPC title

• B23K26/352

  for surface treatment · CPC title