Mold cleaning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857747-B2
Application number	US-201515322059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

Provided is a mold cleaning system. When cleaning a mold, the mold cleaning system acquires three-dimensional image data of a molding surface of the mold by a camera and, on the basis of the acquired image data, the mold cleaning system controls the movement of arms using a control device, moves a laser head along the molding surface while irradiating with a laser beam supplied by a laser oscillator and, as a result, removes dirt adhered to the molding surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mold cleaning system comprising:
a laser oscillator;
a laser head configured to irradiate a molding surface of a mold with a laser beam supplied from the laser oscillator;
an arm configured to move the laser head freely in three dimensions;
a control device configured to control motion of the arm; and
a camera configured to acquire three-dimensional image data of a molding surface of a mold to be cleaned; wherein
by controlling the motion of the arm on a basis of the image data acquired by the camera when the mold is cleaned, the laser head is moved along the molding surface while irradiating with the laser beam to clean the molding surface.

2. The mold cleaning system according to claim 1 , wherein the mold cleaning system is configured to:
determine a cleaning state of the molding surface on a basis of three-dimensional image data of a cleaned molding surface of a mold acquired by the camera;
store the determined cleaning state and position information of the molding surface in the control device; and
for positions on the molding surface in which the determined cleaning state does not satisfy a preset standard, perform cleaning again by irradiating with the laser beam from the laser head.

3. The mold cleaning system according to claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of laser heads having different laser irradiation widths as the laser head, wherein the mold cleaning system is configured to perform cleaning for particular preset portions by using a laser head having a relatively small laser irradiation width or by using a laser head having a relatively large laser irradiation width with the laser head having a relatively small laser irradiation width.

4. The mold cleaning system according to claim 3 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to successively detect a temperature of the molding surface that is irradiated with the laser beam, wherein the mold cleaning system is configured to suspend an irradiation with the laser beam when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a preset acceptable temperature.

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

6. The mold cleaning system according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of laser heads having different laser irradiation widths as the laser head, wherein the mold cleaning system is configured to perform cleaning for particular preset portions by using a laser head having a relatively small laser irradiation width or by using a laser head having a relatively large laser irradiation width with the laser head having a relatively small laser irradiation width.

7. The mold cleaning system according to claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to successively detect a temperature of the molding surface that is irradiated with the laser beam, wherein the mold cleaning system is configured to suspend an irradiation with the laser beam when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a preset acceptable temperature.

8. 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.

Assignees

• Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd

Inventors

• Matsumura Kensuke
• Watanabe Masayuki
• Miyazaki Yusaku

Classifications

• B29C33/02

  with incorporated heating or cooling means · CPC title

• B23K26/08

  Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece · CPC title

• B29D2030/0663

  Mould maintenance, e.g. cleaning, washing, repairing · CPC title

• G05D3/12

  using feedback · CPC title

• B29C2033/705

  Mould inspection means, e.g. cameras · CPC title