JP5714310B2 - Lighting device and tire inspection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a lighting device that illuminates an inner peripheral surface of a tire, and a tire inspection device that uses the lighting device.

  In the manufactured tire, linear unevenness extending in the tire width direction may occur on the inner peripheral surface of the tire due to variations in members being manufactured.

  This linear unevenness becomes a linear recess when both ends of the carcass ply in which steel cords or high-strength organic fiber cords are arranged in the tire width direction do not overlap and are spaced apart, and the joints of the carcass ply If the overlap is larger than a predetermined amount, a linear protrusion is formed. Further, a linear protrusion is also generated when the steel cord of the carcass ply penetrates the inner liner and protrudes toward the inner surface side of the tire.

  Since tires having linear irregularities on such an inner peripheral surface are likely to have poor tire stability, it is necessary to inspect for irregularities exceeding a predetermined reference value before shipping the tires. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1 below).

  In Patent Document 1, as an illumination device used when inspecting the inner peripheral surface of a tire, an inspection area of the inner peripheral surface of a tire illuminated by lighting of a light emitting unit provided in a light source unit is imaged by a CCD. Creates a light density distribution in the inspection area based on the imaged result, calculates the difference from the target light quantity for each angle of view of each light source unit in this density distribution, and controls the light emission amount of the light emitting unit Is disclosed.

  However, in the illumination device as in Patent Document 1, since the amount of light reflected from the inspection area on the inner peripheral surface of the tire is constant, a shadow can be formed even if the inner peripheral surface of the tire has linear irregularities. Therefore, there is a problem that it is extremely difficult to detect the presence or absence of unevenness.

JP 2002-286645 A

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an illumination device and a tire inspection device that can easily detect linear irregularities generated on the inner peripheral surface of a tire. .

An illuminating device according to the present invention is an illuminating device that illuminates an inner peripheral surface of a tire with light emitted from a light source unit, and is arranged from the light source unit arranged close to the inner peripheral surface of the tire. The tire and the light source unit are relatively rotated around the axis of the tire in a state where light is irradiated in the circumferential direction.

  In the lighting device of the present invention, light is emitted from the light source unit arranged along the inner peripheral surface of the tire toward the circumferential direction of the tire. On the other hand, light is irradiated from the lateral direction, and a linear shadow corresponding to the undulation amount of the unevenness is generated ahead of the unevenness in the light traveling direction. Therefore, it is possible to easily detect the presence or absence of unevenness exceeding a predetermined reference value.

Further, a tire inspection apparatus according to the present invention is an inspection apparatus using the above-described illumination device for an illumination unit, and an illumination unit that illuminates an inner circumferential surface of a tire with light emitted from a light source unit and an inner circumference of the tire An inspection unit having an imaging unit for imaging a surface, and a drive unit that relatively rotates the tire and the inspection unit around the axis of the tire, and is arranged close to the inner peripheral surface of the tire While the light is emitted from the light source unit toward the tire in the circumferential direction, the driving unit rotates the tire and the inspection unit relative to each other around the tire axis, and the photographing unit is the inner circumferential surface of the tire. It is characterized by photographing.

  In the present invention, linear irregularities generated on the inner peripheral surface of the tire can be easily detected.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a tire to be inspected by a tire inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a tire inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view of a tire inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. It is a top view of the inspection apparatus of the tire which shows the state which moved the test | inspection part to the retracted position. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of the tire inspection apparatus which concerns on the example of a change of this invention.

  A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  The tire T to be inspected in the present embodiment includes a tread portion 1, a pair of left and right bead portions 2, a pair of left and right shoulder portions 3 and sidewall portions 4 interposed between the tread portion 1 and the bead portion 2. It becomes more. On the inner side in the radial direction of the tread portion 1, a carcass ply 5 composed of one or a plurality of layers in which steel cords and high-strength organic fiber cords are arranged in the tire radial direction is disposed. The carcass ply 5 is locked by being rolled up from the inside to the outside of the bead core 6 by the bead portion 2 through the sidewall portions 4 on both sides from the tread portion 1. Further, a plurality of belts 7 made of steel cords are disposed on the outer side in the radial direction of the carcass ply 5 in the tread portion 1.

  The tire T having the above-described configuration has a linear shape that exceeds a predetermined reference value on the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T by a tire inspection device (hereinafter referred to as an inspection device) 10 as shown in FIG. 2 in the final stage of the manufacturing process. Inspect for irregularities in the surface.

  The inspection apparatus 10 includes a rotary table 12 on which a tire T is placed with one sidewall portion 4 facing down, a table driving unit 14 that rotates the rotary table 12, an illumination device 16, and photographing units 18 and 19. A test drive unit 22 that moves the test unit 20 in the horizontal direction, and a control unit 24 that drives and controls the table drive unit 14, the illumination device 16, the imaging units 18 and 19, and the test drive unit 22. Prepare.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the rotary table 12 has a cavity 26, and the inspection unit 20 and the inspection drive unit 22 are disposed in the cavity 26.

  On the turntable 12, the tire T is mounted so that the rotation axis L1 of the turntable 12 and the rotation axis L2 of the tire T coincide. With the tire T placed on the turntable 12 in this way, the hollow portion 9 formed inside the bead portion 2 of the tire T and the hollow portion 26 of the turntable 12 are connected vertically.

  The rotary table 12 rotates the tire T mounted on the rotary table 12 around the rotation axis L2 by transmitting the power from the table driving unit 14.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the inspection unit 20 includes a lighting device 16, a first imaging unit 18, and a second imaging unit 19 that are attached to a support column 28 on a support column 27 that protrudes upward from a cavity 26 of the turntable 12. Installed and configured. The inspection unit 20 is inserted from below into the hollow portion 9 of the tire T placed on the turntable 12, so that the illumination device 16, the first photographing unit 18, and the second photographing unit 19 are hollow portions of the tire T. 9 is arranged.

  The inspection unit 20 receives the power from the inspection drive unit 22, and the lower end portion of the support column 27 is connected to a slider 32 that is movable on the rail 30 in the horizontal direction (left and right direction in FIGS. 2 to 4). Yes. A support frame 28 is connected to the upper portion of the support 27 via a pivot shaft 29.

  The illuminating device 16 includes a support shaft 34 extending in the horizontal direction from the support frame 28 and a light source unit 36 attached to the tip of the support shaft 34, and is disposed along the inner surface near the lower end portion of the tread portion 1. The light source unit 36 emits light to illuminate the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T placed on the turntable 12.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the light source unit 36 includes a base portion 38 that is provided in a flat plate shape and a ring shape, and a light emitting portion 40 that emits light for illuminating the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T. .

  The base portion 38 has a flat surface substantially perpendicular to the circumferential direction C of the tire T such that one of the plate surfaces 39 is along the radial direction R of the tire T and the width direction W of the tire T. As shown in FIG. The light emitting unit 40 includes a plurality of blue LEDs 41 having an emission wavelength of 400 to 500 nm, and the plurality of LEDs 41 are arranged in a semicircular arc shape that swells toward the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T in accordance with the ring shape of the base portion 38. It is provided on the plate surface 39 of the base 38.

  The light source unit 36 having the above configuration irradiates light from the light emitting unit 40 disposed in the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T in the circumferential direction C of the tire T.

  The 1st imaging | photography part 18 and the 2nd imaging | photography part 19 consist of CCD cameras, for example, and image | photograph the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T mounted in the rotary table 12. FIG.

  Specifically, the first photographing unit 18 and the second photographing unit 19 are substantially perpendicular to the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T located in front of the traveling direction of the light emitted from the light emitting unit 40 of the light source unit 36 in plan view. An image is taken from a certain direction, that is, from the inside in the radial direction R of the tire T to the outside.

  And the 1st imaging | photography part 18 image | photographs the inner surface of the shoulder part 3, the side wall part 4, and the bead part 2 located below, and the 2nd imaging | photography part 19 is the tread part 1 from the shoulder part 3 located below. The inner surface up to the center in the tire width direction W is photographed. That is, in the present embodiment, the first photographing unit 18 and the second photographing unit 19 can photograph the inner surface from the shoulder portion 3 positioned below to the center portion of the tread portion 1 in the tire width direction W.

  The inspection drive unit 22 slides the slider 30 to which the lower end of the support column 27 is coupled along the rail 30 in the horizontal direction. Thereby, the inspection drive unit 22 moves the inspection unit 20 connected to the support column 27 via the support frame 28 in the horizontal direction. Specifically, the light source unit 36 provided in the illumination device 16 is moved to the turntable 12. A retracted position (see FIG. 5) positioned radially inward of the hollow portion 9 of the tire T placed on the tire T, and an inspection position (see FIG. 3) where the light source unit 36 is close to the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T. The inspection unit 20 is moved between.

  The control unit 24 controls the table driving unit 14, the illumination device 16, the photographing units 18 and 19, and the inspection driving unit 22 based on a program stored in the memory, and inspects the tire T placed on the rotary table 12. I do.

  Specifically, first, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the tire T is placed on the turntable 12 in a state where the inspection unit 20 is disposed at the retracted position so that the light source unit 36 does not interfere with the tire T. The position of the tire T placed on the turntable 12 is adjusted by a position adjustment mechanism (not shown) so that the rotation axis L1 of the turntable 12 and the rotation axis L2 of the tire T coincide.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the inspection drive unit 22 moves the inspection unit 20 from the retracted position to the inspection position to bring the light source unit 36 of the illumination device 16 close to the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T. The first photographing unit 18 and the second photographing unit 19 are brought close to the tire T.

  After moving the inspection unit 20 to the inspection position, the control unit 24 emits the LED 41 of the light emitting unit 40 to emit light from the light source unit 36 arranged along the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T in the circumferential direction C of the tire T. The inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T is photographed by the first photographing unit 18 and the second photographing unit 19 in a state where the light is directed toward the first photographing unit 18 and the second photographing unit 19.

  The table driving is performed while maintaining the state where the illumination device 16 performs illumination of the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T and imaging of the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T by the first imaging unit 18 and the second imaging unit 19. The unit 14 rotates the turntable 12 and relatively rotates the tire T and the inspection unit 20 placed thereon around the rotation axis L2 of the tire T.

  Accordingly, the first photographing unit 18 and the second photographing unit 19 are connected to the tire T in a state in which light is emitted from the light source unit 36 disposed along the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T toward the circumferential direction C of the tire T. The entire inner peripheral surface 8 can be photographed continuously.

  Data obtained by photographing from the first photographing unit 18 and the second photographing unit 19 is input to the control unit 24, and the control unit 24 compares the predetermined data stored in the memory in advance with a predetermined reference value. It is judged whether or not there is a linear unevenness that exceeds.

  When photographing is completed over the entire circumference of the circumferential direction C of the tire T, the lower half of the tire T in the width direction W (that is, from the bead portion 2 positioned below to the center portion of the tread portion 1 in the tire width direction W) is inspected. The inspection driving unit 22 moves the inspection unit 20 from the inspection position to the retracted position.

  And the upper half of the width direction W of the tire T which has not been inspected earlier is placed on the turntable 12 by turning the tire T upside down, and the position of the tire T is adjusted again and inspected. The first photographing unit 18 and the second photographing unit 19 rotate the tire T relatively around the rotation axis L2 while moving the unit 20 from the retracted position to the inspection position and irradiating light from the light source unit 36. The inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T is photographed.

  As described above, in the inspection apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the illumination device 16 irradiates light in the circumferential direction C of the tire T from the light source unit 36 disposed along the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T. Light can be irradiated from the lateral direction to the linear irregularities present on the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T, and a linear shadow corresponding to the undulation amount of the irregularities can be generated. For this reason, even if the tire T identification seal, which is called a molded stamp, or dirt due to a mold release agent or oil attached during the manufacture of the tire is on the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T, it easily exceeds a predetermined reference value. Presence or absence of unevenness can be detected.

  In particular, by making the light emitted from the light emitting unit 40 of the lighting device 16 blue, it is possible to increase the contrast without causing halation even on the inner peripheral surface 8 of the black tire T. It becomes easy to detect the linear shadow caused by the linear unevenness, and the inspection accuracy can be improved.

  Further, in the inspection apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the light source unit 36 is provided in a semicircular arc shape in which the light emitting portion 40 swells toward the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T in accordance with the ring shape of the base portion 38. Therefore, by arranging the light source unit 36 along the inner surface near the boundary between the tread portion 1 and the shoulder portion 3, the light emitting portion 40 is brought close to the sidewall portion 4 as well as the tread portion 1 and the shoulder portion 3. Light can be irradiated along the circumferential direction C of the tire T from this position, and it becomes easy to detect a linear shadow caused by linear irregularities over a wide range of the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T.

  In the above-described embodiment, the tire T and the inspection unit 20 are relatively rotated by rotating the tire T with respect to the inspection unit 20, but the inspection unit 20 is configured to rotate. Also good.

  Further, in the present embodiment described above, after inspecting half of the width direction W of the tire T, the upper and lower sides of the tire T are inverted and the remaining half is inspected. Later, without moving the inspection unit 20 from the inspection position to the retracted position, as shown in FIG. 6, after moving the inspection unit 20 from the lower inspection position to the upper inspection position, the tire T is moved again to the rotation axis L2. You may image | photograph the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T with the 1st imaging | photography part 18 and the 2nd imaging | photography part 19, rotating relatively around.

  That is, after inspecting half of the width direction W of the tire T, the inspection drive unit 22 moves the illumination device 16 upward from the lower inspection position as indicated by a broken line in FIG. While moving to the vicinity, the support frame 28 is rotated by a predetermined angle around the pivot shaft 29, and the second photographing unit 19 photographs the inner surfaces of the shoulder unit 3, the sidewall unit 4, and the bead unit 2 positioned above. Then, the inspection unit 20 is moved to the upper inspection position for imaging the inner surface from the shoulder portion 3 positioned on the upper side to the center portion in the tire width direction W of the tread portion 1 by the first imaging unit 18.

  In such a case, the lower side and the upper side of the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T can be inspected without inverting the top and bottom, and the inspection time can be shortened.

  In the above-described embodiment, the two imaging units 18 and 19 are provided in the inspection unit 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and one or a plurality of imaging units may be provided. In particular, by providing a large number (for example, four) of the imaging units in the inspection unit 20, the entire area of the inner peripheral surface 8 of the tire T can be accurately imaged by a single rotation operation of the tire T, greatly increasing the inspection time. Can be shortened.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Tread part 2 ... Bead part 3 ... Shoulder part 4 ... Side wall part 5 ... Carcass ply 6 ... Bead core 7 ... Belt 8 ... Inner peripheral surface 9 ... Hollow part 10 ... Inspection apparatus 12 ... Rotary table 14 ... Table drive part 16 ... Illumination device 18 ... imaging part 18 ... first imaging part 19 ... second imaging part 20 ... inspection part 22 ... inspection drive part 24 ... control part 26 ... cavity part 27 ... support 28 ... support frame 29 ... support shaft 30 ... Rail 32 ... Slider 34 ... Support shaft 36 ... Light source unit 38 ... Base 39 ... Plate surface 40 ... Light emitting part 41 ... LED
C ... circumferential direction L1 ... rotation axis L2 ... rotation axis T ... tire

Claims (5)

An illumination device that illuminates the inner peripheral surface of a tire with light emitted from a light source unit,
The tire and the light source unit rotate relative to each other around the tire axis in a state where light is emitted from the light source unit arranged close to the inner peripheral surface of the tire toward the circumferential direction of the tire. A lighting device characterized by the above.   The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting unit includes a base portion having a plane perpendicular to a tire circumferential direction, and a light source provided on the plane of the base portion.   The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light source unit emits blue light. The light source unit includes a light emitting unit that emits light for illuminating an inner peripheral surface of a tire, and a ring-shaped base provided with the light emitting unit,
The said light emission part is provided in the plane perpendicular | vertical to the rotation direction of the said light source unit in the said base, and has comprised the circular arc shape which swells toward the internal peripheral surface of a tire. The lighting device according to item 1. An inspection unit having an illumination unit that illuminates the inner peripheral surface of the tire with light emitted from the light source unit, an imaging unit that captures an image of the inner peripheral surface of the tire, and the tire and the inspection unit relative to each other around the tire axis. A drive unit that rotates automatically,
In a state in which light is emitted toward the circumferential direction of the tire from the light source unit arranged close to the inner circumferential surface of the tire, the drive unit relatively moves the tire and the inspection unit around the tire axis. A tire inspection apparatus, wherein the photographing unit photographs an inner peripheral surface of the tire while rotating the lens.

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