EP4688339A1 - A joining system for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product - Google Patents

A joining system for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product

Info

Publication number
EP4688339A1
EP4688339A1 EP24709402.2A EP24709402A EP4688339A1 EP 4688339 A1 EP4688339 A1 EP 4688339A1 EP 24709402 A EP24709402 A EP 24709402A EP 4688339 A1 EP4688339 A1 EP 4688339A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
terminal ends
top end
edge portion
sheet product
tread
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24709402.2A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Jean-Marie Dettorre
Nicolas BARD
Nicolas ROCA-FILELLA
Youcef MEZOUAR
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA
Original Assignee
Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA filed Critical Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA
Publication of EP4688339A1 publication Critical patent/EP4688339A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
    • B29D30/00—Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof
    • B29D30/06—Pneumatic tyres or parts thereof (e.g. produced by casting, moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding, centrifugal casting)
    • B29D30/52—Unvulcanised treads, e.g. on used tyres; Retreading
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
    • B25J9/00—Program-controlled manipulators
    • B25J9/16—Program controls
    • B25J9/1679—Program controls characterised by the tasks executed
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
    • B25J9/00—Program-controlled manipulators
    • B25J9/16—Program controls
    • B25J9/1694—Program controls characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
    • B25J9/1697—Vision controlled systems
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C65/00—Joining or sealing of preformed parts, e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor
    • B29C65/78—Means for handling the parts to be joined, e.g. for making containers or hollow articles, e.g. means for handling sheets, plates, web-like materials, tubular articles, hollow articles or elements to be joined therewith; Means for discharging the joined articles from the joining apparatus
    • B29C65/7802—Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/11—Joint cross-sections comprising a single joint-segment, i.e. one of the parts to be joined comprising a single joint-segment in the joint cross-section
    • B29C66/114—Single butt joints
    • B29C66/1142—Single butt to butt joints
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/01—General aspects dealing with the joint area or with the area to be joined
    • B29C66/05—Particular design of joint configurations
    • B29C66/10—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections
    • B29C66/14—Particular design of joint configurations particular design of the joint cross-sections the joint having the same thickness as the thickness of the parts to be joined
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
    • B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
    • B29C66/43—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles
    • B29C66/432—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms
    • B29C66/4324—Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles for making tubular articles or closed loops, e.g. by joining several sheets ; for making hollow articles or hollow preforms for making closed loops, e.g. belts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/70—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material
    • B29C66/73—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/739—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset
    • B29C66/7394—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset
    • B29C66/73941—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts characterised by the composition, physical properties or the structure of the material of the parts to be joined; Joining with non-plastics material characterised by the intensive physical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, by the extensive physical properties of the parts to be joined, by the state of the material of the parts to be joined or by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of the parts to be joined being a thermoplastic or a thermoset characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset characterised by the materials of both parts being thermosets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29D—PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE
    • B29D30/00—Producing pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof
    • B29D30/06—Pneumatic tyres or parts thereof (e.g. produced by casting, moulding, compression moulding, injection moulding, centrifugal casting)
    • B29D30/52—Unvulcanised treads, e.g. on used tyres; Retreading
    • B29D2030/523—Ring-shaped treads
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
    • B29L2030/00—Pneumatic or solid tyres or parts thereof
    • B29L2030/002—Treads

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a joining system for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product, and in particular instances, joining tire tread portions to form joined tire treads during tire manufacturing operations.
  • EP2516142B1 United States Publication No. US20160266569A1 and United States Patent No. US10377101B2.
  • Other prior art solutions disclose methods and devices for manufacturing layered articles such as tread bands of multiple layers (see, for example, Korean Patent Application No. KR20070073739A). Such solutions, however, are silent with respect to the use of robotic units to handle products of large thickness and ways of joining together such products.
  • Certain solutions disclose a method and apparatus for joining a first tread portion and a second tread portion for forming a joined tread, each tread portion including a section of tire tread extending lengthwise from a terminal end (see Applicant’s United States Patent No. US9573330B2). Such solutions are particularly useful for retread applications, which includes directing the terminal ends of the tires towards each other and into forceful engagement with an elastomeric joining material arranged between the terminal ends by dies using hydraulic or pneumatic pressure.
  • the presently disclosed invention provides a joining system having a robotic unit with grippers adapted to a product to be handled, and a visual perception system that locates the products, characterizes their deformations, and controls the movements of the robotic unit throughout the joining operation.
  • the joining system is employed as an ergonomic assistant to a tread joining platform on large machines and can be applied to various profiles of products of different thicknesses and considering rigidity by adapting its algorithms with characterization of deformations based on variation of material properties.
  • the invention is directed to a joining system for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product having a profile defined by parameters of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness, wherein the terminal ends include a top end, a bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions and central portions defining end surfaces of the terminal ends, the joining system including:
  • At least one detection unit configured to capture one or more images to identify the profile parameters of the sheet product
  • At least one processing unit including one or more softwares or algorithms is configured to processes the images of the sheet product by imposing a geometric mesh on surfaces of the sheet product to represent nodes identifying terminal ends including the top end, bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions and central portions;
  • a robotic unit including at least two gripping devices, pivotable elongated arms and grippers is configured to receive instructions from the processing unit to systematically grip, deform and translate movement of at least one of the top end or the bottom end to align and join nodes representing the central portion, first edge portion, and second edge portion of the top end to the central portion, first edge portion, second edge portion of the bottom end of the terminal ends.
  • the processing unit includes an image processing module deploying one or more deformation models based on visual or shape servoing.
  • the grippers of the robotic unit include one or more touch sensors configured to detect force required to deform the sheet product with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of a geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials used in the sheet product.
  • the image processing module is configured to feed information to the deformation model including rigidity or force required to deform sheet product, meshing data defining nodes of terminal ends including the top end, bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions and central portions.
  • the deformation model is configured to allow image processing module to instruct the robotic unit to systematically deform and translate movement of the first edge portion, second edge portion and central portion of the top end to align and join nodes of the top end to the central portion, first edge portion, second edge portion of the bottom end.
  • the image processing module is configured to provide weightage to nodes representing central portions to be joined in priority followed by weightage to nodes representing first edge portions and second edge portions of the terminal ends.
  • the detection unit includes one or more sensors to detect two-dimensional (2-D) and/or three-dimensional (3-D) images, to achieve 3-D depth perception and/or other types of detection.
  • the sheet product may be a tread of a tire, rubber tracks or products of similar nature.
  • the grippers include a movable jaw having at least two holding fingers of defined length can reciprocate in orthogonal direction to the longitudinal axis 1-1 of the grippers with respect to a fixed jaw to facilitate firm engagement of at least one of the top end or the bottom end of the sheet product placed in between.
  • the invention is also directed to a joining method for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product having a profile defined by parameters of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness, the terminal ends including a top end, a bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions, and central portions thereby defining end surfaces of terminal ends, the method including:
  • - a step of processing the images of the sheet product by imposing a geometric mesh on surfaces of the sheet product to represent nodes identifying terminal ends including top end, bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions, and central portions by at least one processing unit including one or more softwares or algorithms;
  • a step of detecting force required to deform the sheet product with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of a geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials by deploying one or more touch sensors in the grippers of the robotic unit.
  • a step of feeding information to a deformation model by image processing module including rigidity or force required to deform sheet product, meshing data defining nodes of terminal ends including the top end, bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions and central portions.
  • a step of providing weightage to nodes representing central portions to be joined in priority followed by weightage to nodes representing first edge portions and second edge portions of the terminal ends.
  • Figure 1 represents a schematic view of an embodiment of joining system of the present invention.
  • Figure 2 represents a perspective view of an embodiment of tread of the joining system of the present invention.
  • FIG 3 represents a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a robotic system of Figure 1 incorporating gripping devices including pivotable elongate arms and grippers, according to the present invention.
  • FIG 4 represents a side view of an embodiment of gripping of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
  • FIG 5 represents a top view of another embodiment of gripping of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
  • Figure 6 represents a perspective view of deforming of terminal ends of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
  • Figure 7 represents a perspective view of translation of terminal ends of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
  • FIG 8 represents a perspective view of joining of central portions of terminal ends of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
  • Figure 9 represents a perspective view of joining of terminal ends of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
  • Figure 10 represents a flowchart disclosing a method of joining of terminal ends of tread according to the present invention.
  • the present invention includes a joining system and method for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product for gripping and attaching terminal ends of the sheet product of high rigidity.
  • the sheet product is defined as a product of predetermined profile, length, width and thickness having high rigidity that may render handling tasks which are arduous, involving moderate to heavy handling with ergonomically difficult movements.
  • the sheet product may be tire treads or rubber tracks or sheet products of similar nature.
  • the sheet product can be referred as tread for explanation of the invention, however the invention does not intend to limit to treads of a tire.
  • a firm attachment of terminal ends of a tread is obtained in an efficient manner for products of high rigidity and thickness compared to existing technologies.
  • the tread portions are lengthwise portions of a tread for application to a tire carcass, the tread portion having a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness.
  • the tread portion may include a tread having a tread pattern on a ground-engaging side of the tread.
  • the tread pattern may include any known tread features, including lugs and/or ribs separated by grooves and/or sipes, for example.
  • the first and second tread portions may be associated with the same tread (i.e., different portions or segments the tread) or with separate and distinct treads. For example, the terminal ends of a single tread may be joined to form a continuous tread ring.
  • treads i.e., tread segments, sections, or lengths
  • tread segments may be joined to form a single unitary tread
  • the tread portion provided may be at least partially or fully cured, although a green or uncured tread portion may be employed.
  • the terminal ends of the tread portion form the end of the tread and includes an end surface.
  • the terminal end surface includes a cross-sectional surface of the tread extending laterally across the tread width and having a height extending through the thickness of the tread.
  • the terminal end surface may extend across the width of the tread in a direction normal to the lengthwise direction of the tread or at any other angle biased to the lengthwise direction. Further, the terminal end surface may extend laterally in a linear or non-linear path.
  • the height of the terminal end surface may extend through the tread thickness in any direction, including a direction normal to the lengthwise direction of the tread, for example, and in any linear or non-linear path. Because the tread may include a tread pattern extending into the thickness of the tread, the tread end surface may include voids arranged within the tread thickness and arranged inwardly from an outer cross-sectional profile.
  • each tread portion The lengthwise location at which the terminal end is formed along each tread portion is selected to provide a terminal end having a profile that generally matches the profile of the other terminal end to which it will be joined.
  • terminal ends may be selected and formed or otherwise provided that generally match (i.e., their cross-sections, profiles and/or perimeters generally match).
  • This provides a tread joint that is consistent with adjacent portions or features of the joined tread and the overall tread pattern of the joined tread.
  • the joined or assembled tread may include a tread pattern that is not substantially disrupted at the joint where the tread features of opposing terminal ends are generally aligned relative to a height (i.e., thickness) and width of the tread.
  • the arrangement of the terminal ends provides a joined or assembled tread wherein the joined tread portions extend generally in the same lengthwise direction, which may extend linearly as a tread strip or annularly in the form of a tread ring.
  • determining the location along any tread length at which to form the terminal end may be selected not only to generally match a terminal end of the tread portion to be joined, but also to select a location allowing the tread to properly join.
  • the joining system 100 is defined for attaching terminal ends 102 of a tread 104 of rigid materials.
  • the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 include a top end 106 and a bottom end 108 of predetermined profile parameters including but not limited to length, width, and thickness.
  • each of the top end 106 and the bottom end 108 of the tread 104 includes end surfaces defining first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) as shown in Figure 2.
  • the joining system 100 is adapted to systematically grip, translate movement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 to align and join the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the terminal ends 102.
  • the joining system 100 may not depend on the predetermined profile parameters of the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 as it is independent of those parameters.
  • the joining system 100 is configured to join without limitation on the predetermined profile parameters of the terminal ends 102.
  • the joining system 100 includes an itinerant robotic unit (or “robot”) 122 having at least two gripping devices (124, 126) supported by pivotable elongated arms (128, 130), respectively.
  • the gripping devices (124, 126) extends from the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) to a free end 132 wherein grippers (134, 136) are arranged along a longitudinal axis l-l (see Figure 3).
  • the robotic unit 122 is set in motion such that the grippers (134, 136) can grip terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 targeted by the joining system 100 during the attachment process.
  • the robotic unit 122 can be set in motion either by integrated movement means (for example, one or more integrated motors) or by non-integrated movement means (for example, one or more autonomous mobile carriages or other equivalent mobility means). It is understood that the robotic unit 122 may be attached to a ceiling, to a wall or to any support that allows the joining system 100 to perform the attachment process of the invention. It is understood that the robotic unit 122 may be a conventional industrial robot or a collaborative robot or even a Delta robot or wired robot having at least 6 DOF or Degrees of Freedom. The robotic unit 122 can be interchangeable used with two gripping devices (124, 126), pivotable elongated arms (128, 130), and grippers (134, 136) as they are part of robotic unit 122.
  • integrated movement means for example, one or more integrated motors
  • non-integrated movement means for example, one or more autonomous mobile carriages or other equivalent mobility means.
  • the robotic unit 122 may be attached to a ceiling, to a wall or to any support that allows the joining system 100 to perform the
  • the gripping devices 124, 126 are supported by pivotable elongated arms 128, 130, respectively includes a platform with a predetermined length between an attachment end and an opposite free end.
  • the attachment end may include an adapter that allows for removable attachment of the platform to the robotic unit 122. Attachment of the platform to the robotic unit 122 may be accomplished by screwing the adapter to the free end of the gripping device (124, 126). It is understood that the attachment of the platform to the robotic unit 122 may be affected by any known attachment means (including, without limitation, welding, bonding, and equivalent means).
  • the grippers (134, 136) include a movable jaw 138 and a fixed jaw 140.
  • the movable jaw 138 may include at least two holding fingers 142 of defined length can reciprocate in orthogonal direction to the longitudinal axis l-l of the grippers (134, 136) with respect to fixed jaw 140 to facilitate firm engagement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 of the tread 104 placed in between.
  • the reciprocating movement of the movable jaw 138 is performed by an actuator Vns that is actuated by pressurized fluid (for example, compressed air) from a conduit (not depicted).
  • the actuators Vi46 may be actuated by electrical energy or alternate energy sources.
  • the grippers (134, 136) are also configured to rotate along the longitudinal axis /-/by actuators V139 actuated by similar mechanism as of V138.
  • the actuators Vns, Vi39 are selected from commercially available actuators.
  • the grippers (134, 136) effects a grip that holds at least one of the top end 106 and the bottom end 108 of the tread 104 as the grippers (134, 136) moves between an engagement position in which at least one of the movable jaw 146 and the fixed jaw 140 is in its engagement position, and in which the grippers (134, 136) is positioned to grip at least one of the top end 106 and / or bottom end 108 of the tread 104 and a joining position in which the grippers (134, 136) translate movement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 in order to place it in a target joining area to attach top end 106 to the bottom end 108 of the tread 104.
  • the robotic unit 122 includes a detection system that employs one or more sensors (not depicted) that capture information regarding the physical environment around the robotic unit 122.
  • sensors may be used interchangeably and may refer to one or more items of equipment configured to detect two-dimensional (2-D) and/or three-dimensional (3-D) images, to achieve 3-D depth perception and/or other types of detection of the physical environment.
  • the sensors of the detection unit can be any commercially available RGB-D camera with frame resolution of 1920 x 1080 attaining a frame rate of 30 fps or frames per second.
  • the one or more sensors can be a laser profilometer.
  • the sensors of the detection system incorporated with the robotic unit 122 may be fixed to at least one of the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and / or the grippers (134, 136) of the gripping devices (124, 126). Alternatively, the sensors of the detection system may be incorporated remotely from the robotic unit 122 covering field of view of the joining system 100.
  • the sensor or sensors of the detection system of the joining system 100 detect the presence of an arrangement of tread 104 in the field of view of the camera, and this triggers the camera to capture the image of the tread 104.
  • the sensor triggers when the tread 104 enters the field of view of the camera against the background of the captured image.
  • the detection system may determine the information pertaining to the physical environment that may be used by a control system (which includes, for example, software for directing the movements of the robotic unit 122).
  • the control system may reside on the robotic unit 122 or it may be in remote communication with the robotic unit 122.
  • one or more 2-D or 3-D sensors mounted on the robotic unit 122 may be integrated to form a digital model of the physical environment (including, where applicable, the side(s), the floor and the ceiling).
  • the control system can provoke movement of the robot unit 122 in order to navigate between the positions for gripping at least one of the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104.
  • the sensors of the detection system send captured profile parameters of the tread 104 shown in Figure 2 and physical environment around the robotic unit 122 of joining system 100 to at least one processing unit or processor.
  • the term “processor” refers to one or more devices capable of processing and analysing data and having one or more software packages for their processing (for example, one or more integrated circuits known by those skilled in the art as being included in a computer, one or more controllers, one or more microcontrollers, one or more microcomputers, one or more programmable logic controllers (or PLCs), one or more application-specific integrated circuits, one or more neural networks and/or one or more other known equivalent programmable circuits).
  • the processing unit includes software for processing the data captured by the subsystems associated with the joining system 100 (and the corresponding data obtained) as well as software for identifying and locating variances and identifying their sources for correction.
  • the grippers (134, 136) may grip the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 in several combinations not limited to arrangement shown in Figure 4, wherein the gripper 134 is adapted to grip first edge portion 110 of the top end 106 and the gripper 136 is adapted to grip second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 located opposite to the first edge portion 110.
  • the grippers (134, 136) may grip first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) or central portions (114, 120) of the top end 106 and the bottom end 108 together on the same side for joining of terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 as shown in Figure 5.
  • the grippers (134, 136) are equipped with touch sensors 152 to determine a contact force required to deform based on rigidity of the tread 104.
  • the rigidity of the tread 104 may be exhibited as a function of its geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials used.
  • the touch sensors 144 are adapted to detect the forces inside the tread 104 as each material has its rigidity properties and provides resistance against forces to regain its initial shape under deformation because of elasticity. Higher the modulus of materials of tread 104, greater the contact force required by the grippers (134, 136) for deformation.
  • the image processing module processes the images of the tread 104 to impose a geometric mesh 137 on surfaces of the tread 104 to represent nodes identifying terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120), as shown in Figures 4 and 5.
  • the meshing 137 and identification of nodes allows the robotic unit 122 to be systematically manipulated to control motion of the gripping devices (124, 126), pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and grippers (134, 136) accordingly to deform, translate or move and join the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104.
  • the image processing module of the processing unit may include deformation models based on visual servoing or shape servoing mechanisms.
  • the rigidity of the tread 104 at the terminal ends 102 sensed by the touch sensors 152 (See Figure 4, 5) is transferred to the image processing module of processing unit.
  • the image processing module feeds information with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of a geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials used in the tread 104, and meshing data defining nodes identifying terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120), to the deformation model.
  • the robotic unit 122 is configured to receive instructions from the processing unit to systematically grip, translate movement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 to align and join nodes representing the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the terminal ends 102.
  • the grippers (134, 136) are configured to sequentially join central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the tread 104.
  • the grippers (134, 136) are rotated by a closed control mechanism based on rigidity of the tread 104 received by touch sensors 152, the image processing module sends instruction to the actuator Vi46 the amount of force needs to deform first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 so that nodes representing central portions 114 and 120 are given weightage by the image processing module to be joined in priority.
  • the gripping devices (124, 126) and the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) are further manipulated to translate movement from an initial position (see fig. 6) wherein the top end 106 is far from joining position to the bottom end 108 to a desired position (see figure 7) in which top end 106 is moved close enough to the bottom end 108 of the tread 104, as instructed as image processing module of the processing unit so that central portions (114, 120) are joined in priority as shown in Figure 8.
  • the grippers (134, 136) are further rotated by actuators by a control feedback mechanism to undeform the first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to return to initial shape of the tread 104 so that nodes representing first edge portion 110, second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 are joined to nodes representing first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 as shown in Figure 9.
  • the image processing module instructs the robotic unit 122 to be systematically grip, deform, translate movement at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 to align and join nodes representing the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 in any order, not limiting to a particular sequence.
  • the image processing module may deploy one or one or more machine learning models using the captured parameters of the tread 104 from the sensors to identify terminal ends 102 of the tread 104. While embodiments are described herein with respect to the use of neural networks (and specifically convolutional neural networks (CNNs)) as a machine learning model, other types of machine learning models may be used.
  • CNNs convolutional neural networks
  • models employing linear regression, logistic regression, decision trees, support vector machines, naive Bayes, K-nearest neighbour (kNN), with K signifying a grouping, Random Forest, dimensionality reduction algorithms, gradient algorithms, neural networks (for example, autoencoders, CNNs, RNNs, perceptrons, logarithmic short-term memory (LSTM), Hopfield, Boltzmann, deep belief networks, deconvolution, generative adversarial networks (GANs), etc.) and their complements and equivalents.
  • neural networks for example, autoencoders, CNNs, RNNs, perceptrons, logarithmic short-term memory (LSTM), Hopfield, Boltzmann, deep belief networks, deconvolution, generative adversarial networks (GANs), etc.
  • the one or more CNNs may be trained using ground truth data that are generated using sensor data representative of the movement of the gripping devices (124, 126) of the robot unit 122, including the positioning of the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and grippers (134, 136).
  • the processing unit may configure the joining system 100 (and notably the robotic unit 122) on one or more parameters of the terminal ends 102 of tread 104 that are calculated by the image processing module.
  • the processing unit may also refer to a reference (for example, a size table for various treads) in order to make a final determination of the one or more target tread parameters.
  • the reference may include known tread parameters corresponding to a plurality of known commercially available treads. For example, after the image processing module calculates one or more tread parameters, the processing unit may compare the calculated tread parameters against the known tread parameters recorded in the reference. The processing unit may retrieve those known tread parameters corresponding to the commercially available treads that most closely correspond to the calculated tread parameters in order to configure the grippers (134, 136).
  • Identifying the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 is relevant for the representation and can be found by post-processing a previously generated segmentation of the tread 104. For example, a method may be used to determine whether a pixel is a candidate for the areas of the terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120). For example, active contour models can be applied along with path planning and distance transformations in order to extract the portions of the tread 104. A morphology -based level set model can be used to perform extraction of areas of the tread 104 by learning the structural patterns of an object resembling a target tread 104 and by estimating the object’s terminal ends 102 as the path.
  • the invention therefore takes advantage of artificial intelligence (or “Al”) based methods and tools to supplement partial information provided by perception.
  • the initial positioning of the robotic unit 122 and the initial orientation of the grippers (134, 136) are determined from the data obtained via the image acquisition of the joining system 100 and the physical environment in which the joining system 100 is operating.
  • An automatic and adaptive repositioning algorithm is used to find an ideal starting position for the robotic unit 122 for gripping target terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 in front of a platform of a joining system 100.
  • the identification of the target terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 incorporates the identification of a position wherein the at least one of the top end 106 or bottom end 108 is located that is accessible for gripping without human intervention.
  • the system allows continuous improvement across all tire gripping operations, ensuring that the robotic unit 122 improves from the experience it acquires, particularly with respect to the selection of terminal ends 102 of tread 104 tires for joining.
  • an embodiment of a method 1000 of joining terminal ends (or “method”) of the invention is defined therein.
  • the method of the invention includes a step of capturing one or more images of the tread 104 having a profile defined by parameters of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness. This step is performed by sensors of the detection unit to identify terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120).
  • the method of the invention also includes a step 1100 of processing the images of the tread 104 by imposing geometric mesh 137 on surfaces of the tread 104 to represent nodes identifying terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) by at least one processing unit including one or more softwares or algorithm; and rigidity sensed by touch sensors 152 of grippers (134, 136) of robotic unit 122 (see Figure 4) to deformation model.
  • the method of the invention further includes a step 1200 of instructing the robotic unit 122 by the image processing module based on calculations from deformation model by shape servoing or visual servoing to systematically grip, deform and translate movement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 to align and join nodes representing the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the terminal ends 102.
  • the method includes a step of detecting force required to deform the tread 104 with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials by deploying one or more touch sensors 152 in the grippers (134, 136) of the robotic unit 122.
  • the method of the invention includes a step of feeding information to a deformation model by image processing module including rigidity or force required to deform tread 104, meshing data defining nodes of terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120). Further, the step includes instructing the robotic unit 122 by using deformation model to systematically deform and translate movement of the first edge portion 110, second edge portion 112 and central portion 114 of the top end 106 to align and join nodes of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108.
  • the grippers are instructed by the image processing module to sequentially join the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the tread 104, according to step 1300.
  • the grippers are instructed by the image processing module to join central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the tread 104 in any order, not limiting to a particular sequence.
  • the gripping devices (124, 126) and the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) are further instructed to translate from an initial position to a desired position (see figure 7) to move the top end 106 close enough to the bottom end 108 of the tread 104, so that central portions (114, 120) are joined in priority as shown in Figure 8.
  • the grippers (134, 136) are further instructed to be rotated by actuators by a control feedback mechanism to undeform the first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to return to initial shape of the tread 104 so that nodes representing first edge portion 110, second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 are joined to nodes representing first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 as shown in Figure 9.

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Abstract

The invention is directed to a joining system (100) for attaching terminal ends (102) of a sheet product (104) wherein the joining system includes a detection unit that captures images of the sheet product and a processor that processes the images by imposing a geometric mesh (137) on surfaces of the sheet product to represent nodes identifying a top end 106, a bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) of the terminal ends. The joining system includes a robotic unit with gripping devices (124, 126), pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and grippers (134, 136) to receive instructions from the processor to systematically grip, deform and translate at least one of the top end and the bottom end to align and join nodes representing central portions, first edge portions, and second edge portions.

Description

A JOINING SYSTEM FOR ATTACHING TERMINAL ENDS OF A SHEET PRODUCT
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a joining system for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product, and in particular instances, joining tire tread portions to form joined tire treads during tire manufacturing operations.
BACKGROUND
There are several joining systems known in the art for attaching components of small-sized products such as passenger car tires, two and three-wheel (for example, motorcycles and motorized transports), and similar applications for which there are known automation solutions including robotic units to apply products of low rigidity which does not require handling like heavy products of large dimensions. For example, European Patent No. EP1656250B1 introduces a "systematic" way of identifying length, width and position of tread segments in order to attain a stable joining result. In industry, however, variation of material rigidity of tread segments may affect the stability of grippers of robotic units and can induce variations in the joining result. While prior art solutions disclose robotic units to handle sheet products of less thickness, such solutions do not disclose joining of terminal ends (see, for example, European Patent No. EP2516142B1, United States Publication No. US20160266569A1 and United States Patent No. US10377101B2). Other prior art solutions disclose methods and devices for manufacturing layered articles such as tread bands of multiple layers (see, for example, Korean Patent Application No. KR20070073739A). Such solutions, however, are silent with respect to the use of robotic units to handle products of large thickness and ways of joining together such products.
On the contrary, the manufacturing of large-size tires (including, but not limited to, those used in truck and bus transport, agricultural applications, mining applications and the like) requires handling of heavy products of high rigidity, large dimensions and involving, commonly, many manual operations, thus presenting technical and economic challenges for handling of such heavy products by automatic machines. The tasks involved in such handling operations are arduous, involving moderate to heavy loads and ergonomically difficult movements that may require robotic operations including one or more software or algorithms assisted models (see, for example, Mohammadreza Shetab-Bushehri et al., “As-Rigid-as-Possible Shape Servoing”, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (Volume 7, Issue 2, April 2022) (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9691867).
Certain solutions disclose a method and apparatus for joining a first tread portion and a second tread portion for forming a joined tread, each tread portion including a section of tire tread extending lengthwise from a terminal end (see Applicant’s United States Patent No. US9573330B2). Such solutions are particularly useful for retread applications, which includes directing the terminal ends of the tires towards each other and into forceful engagement with an elastomeric joining material arranged between the terminal ends by dies using hydraulic or pneumatic pressure.
Therefore, the presently disclosed invention provides a joining system having a robotic unit with grippers adapted to a product to be handled, and a visual perception system that locates the products, characterizes their deformations, and controls the movements of the robotic unit throughout the joining operation. The joining system is employed as an ergonomic assistant to a tread joining platform on large machines and can be applied to various profiles of products of different thicknesses and considering rigidity by adapting its algorithms with characterization of deformations based on variation of material properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a joining system for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product having a profile defined by parameters of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness, wherein the terminal ends include a top end, a bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions and central portions defining end surfaces of the terminal ends, the joining system including:
- at least one detection unit configured to capture one or more images to identify the profile parameters of the sheet product;
- at least one processing unit including one or more softwares or algorithms is configured to processes the images of the sheet product by imposing a geometric mesh on surfaces of the sheet product to represent nodes identifying terminal ends including the top end, bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions and central portions; and
- a robotic unit including at least two gripping devices, pivotable elongated arms and grippers is configured to receive instructions from the processing unit to systematically grip, deform and translate movement of at least one of the top end or the bottom end to align and join nodes representing the central portion, first edge portion, and second edge portion of the top end to the central portion, first edge portion, second edge portion of the bottom end of the terminal ends.
In certain embodiments of the joining system, the processing unit includes an image processing module deploying one or more deformation models based on visual or shape servoing.
In certain embodiments of the joining system, the grippers of the robotic unit include one or more touch sensors configured to detect force required to deform the sheet product with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of a geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials used in the sheet product.
In certain embodiments of the joining system, the image processing module is configured to feed information to the deformation model including rigidity or force required to deform sheet product, meshing data defining nodes of terminal ends including the top end, bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions and central portions.
In certain embodiments of the joining system, the deformation model is configured to allow image processing module to instruct the robotic unit to systematically deform and translate movement of the first edge portion, second edge portion and central portion of the top end to align and join nodes of the top end to the central portion, first edge portion, second edge portion of the bottom end.
In certain embodiments of the joining system, the image processing module is configured to provide weightage to nodes representing central portions to be joined in priority followed by weightage to nodes representing first edge portions and second edge portions of the terminal ends.
In certain embodiments of the joining system, the detection unit includes one or more sensors to detect two-dimensional (2-D) and/or three-dimensional (3-D) images, to achieve 3-D depth perception and/or other types of detection.
In certain embodiments of the joining system, the sheet product may be a tread of a tire, rubber tracks or products of similar nature.
In certain embodiments of the joining system, the grippers include a movable jaw having at least two holding fingers of defined length can reciprocate in orthogonal direction to the longitudinal axis 1-1 of the grippers with respect to a fixed jaw to facilitate firm engagement of at least one of the top end or the bottom end of the sheet product placed in between. The invention is also directed to a joining method for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product having a profile defined by parameters of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness, the terminal ends including a top end, a bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions, and central portions thereby defining end surfaces of terminal ends, the method including:
- a step of capturing one or more images to identify the profile parameters of the sheet product;
- a step of processing the images of the sheet product by imposing a geometric mesh on surfaces of the sheet product to represent nodes identifying terminal ends including top end, bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions, and central portions by at least one processing unit including one or more softwares or algorithms; and
- a step of instructing a robotic unit having at least two gripping devices, pivotable elongated arms and grippers to systematically grip, deform and translate movement of at least one of the top end or the bottom end to align and join nodes representing the central portion, first edge portion, and second edge portion of the top end to the central portion, first edge portion, second edge portion of the bottom end of the terminal ends.
In certain embodiments of the joining method, a step of detecting force required to deform the sheet product with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of a geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials by deploying one or more touch sensors in the grippers of the robotic unit.
In certain embodiments of the joining method, a step of feeding information to a deformation model by image processing module including rigidity or force required to deform sheet product, meshing data defining nodes of terminal ends including the top end, bottom end, first edge portions, second edge portions and central portions.
In certain embodiments of the joining method, the step of instructing the robotic unit by using deformation model to systematically deform and translate movement of the first edge portion, second edge portion and central portion of the top end to align and join nodes of the top end to the central portion, first edge portion, second edge portion of the bottom end.
In certain embodiments of the joining method, a step of providing weightage to nodes representing central portions to be joined in priority followed by weightage to nodes representing first edge portions and second edge portions of the terminal ends.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The nature and various advantages of the invention will become more apparent from reading the following detailed description, in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote identical parts throughout, and in which:
[Fig 1] Figure 1 represents a schematic view of an embodiment of joining system of the present invention.
[Fig 2] Figure 2 represents a perspective view of an embodiment of tread of the joining system of the present invention.
[Fig 3] Figure 3 represents a partial perspective view of an embodiment of a robotic system of Figure 1 incorporating gripping devices including pivotable elongate arms and grippers, according to the present invention.
[Fig 4] Figure 4 represents a side view of an embodiment of gripping of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
[Fig 5] Figure 5 represents a top view of another embodiment of gripping of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
[Fig 6] Figure 6 represents a perspective view of deforming of terminal ends of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
[Fig 7] Figure 7 represents a perspective view of translation of terminal ends of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
[Fig 8] Figure 8 represents a perspective view of joining of central portions of terminal ends of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
[Fig 9] Figure 9 represents a perspective view of joining of terminal ends of tread by the grippers of Figure 3, according to the present invention.
[Fig 20] Figure 10 represents a flowchart disclosing a method of joining of terminal ends of tread according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention includes a joining system and method for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product for gripping and attaching terminal ends of the sheet product of high rigidity. The sheet product is defined as a product of predetermined profile, length, width and thickness having high rigidity that may render handling tasks which are arduous, involving moderate to heavy handling with ergonomically difficult movements. In several examples, the sheet product may be tire treads or rubber tracks or sheet products of similar nature. For purposes of the present invention, the sheet product can be referred as tread for explanation of the invention, however the invention does not intend to limit to treads of a tire. As a result of employing the methods and devices of the invention, a firm attachment of terminal ends of a tread is obtained in an efficient manner for products of high rigidity and thickness compared to existing technologies.
The methods and devices disclosed herein are used to join two opposing ends of tread portions to form a joined tread. Generally, the tread portions are lengthwise portions of a tread for application to a tire carcass, the tread portion having a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness. The tread portion may include a tread having a tread pattern on a ground-engaging side of the tread. The tread pattern may include any known tread features, including lugs and/or ribs separated by grooves and/or sipes, for example. The first and second tread portions may be associated with the same tread (i.e., different portions or segments the tread) or with separate and distinct treads. For example, the terminal ends of a single tread may be joined to form a continuous tread ring. By further example, separate treads (i.e., tread segments, sections, or lengths) may be joined to form a single unitary tread include multiple joined tread segments. The tread portion provided may be at least partially or fully cured, although a green or uncured tread portion may be employed.
The terminal ends of the tread portion form the end of the tread and includes an end surface. The terminal end surface includes a cross-sectional surface of the tread extending laterally across the tread width and having a height extending through the thickness of the tread. The terminal end surface may extend across the width of the tread in a direction normal to the lengthwise direction of the tread or at any other angle biased to the lengthwise direction. Further, the terminal end surface may extend laterally in a linear or non-linear path. Likewise, the height of the terminal end surface may extend through the tread thickness in any direction, including a direction normal to the lengthwise direction of the tread, for example, and in any linear or non-linear path. Because the tread may include a tread pattern extending into the thickness of the tread, the tread end surface may include voids arranged within the tread thickness and arranged inwardly from an outer cross-sectional profile.
The lengthwise location at which the terminal end is formed along each tread portion is selected to provide a terminal end having a profile that generally matches the profile of the other terminal end to which it will be joined. For example, terminal ends may be selected and formed or otherwise provided that generally match (i.e., their cross-sections, profiles and/or perimeters generally match). This provides a tread joint that is consistent with adjacent portions or features of the joined tread and the overall tread pattern of the joined tread. In other words, by forming the terminal ends to generally match, the joined or assembled tread may include a tread pattern that is not substantially disrupted at the joint where the tread features of opposing terminal ends are generally aligned relative to a height (i.e., thickness) and width of the tread.
The arrangement of the terminal ends provides a joined or assembled tread wherein the joined tread portions extend generally in the same lengthwise direction, which may extend linearly as a tread strip or annularly in the form of a tread ring. Alternatively, determining the location along any tread length at which to form the terminal end may be selected not only to generally match a terminal end of the tread portion to be joined, but also to select a location allowing the tread to properly join.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a joining system 100 is shown according to the present invention. The joining system 100 is defined for attaching terminal ends 102 of a tread 104 of rigid materials. The terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 include a top end 106 and a bottom end 108 of predetermined profile parameters including but not limited to length, width, and thickness. Further, each of the top end 106 and the bottom end 108 of the tread 104 includes end surfaces defining first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) as shown in Figure 2.
According to present invention, the joining system 100 is adapted to systematically grip, translate movement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 to align and join the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the terminal ends 102. In one embodiment, the joining system 100 may not depend on the predetermined profile parameters of the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 as it is independent of those parameters. The joining system 100 is configured to join without limitation on the predetermined profile parameters of the terminal ends 102.
With reference to Figures 1 and 3, the joining system 100 includes an itinerant robotic unit (or “robot”) 122 having at least two gripping devices (124, 126) supported by pivotable elongated arms (128, 130), respectively. The gripping devices (124, 126) extends from the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) to a free end 132 wherein grippers (134, 136) are arranged along a longitudinal axis l-l (see Figure 3). The robotic unit 122 is set in motion such that the grippers (134, 136) can grip terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 targeted by the joining system 100 during the attachment process. By “itinerant”, it is understood that the robotic unit 122 can be set in motion either by integrated movement means (for example, one or more integrated motors) or by non-integrated movement means (for example, one or more autonomous mobile carriages or other equivalent mobility means). It is understood that the robotic unit 122 may be attached to a ceiling, to a wall or to any support that allows the joining system 100 to perform the attachment process of the invention. It is understood that the robotic unit 122 may be a conventional industrial robot or a collaborative robot or even a Delta robot or wired robot having at least 6 DOF or Degrees of Freedom. The robotic unit 122 can be interchangeable used with two gripping devices (124, 126), pivotable elongated arms (128, 130), and grippers (134, 136) as they are part of robotic unit 122.
With reference to Figure 3, the gripping devices 124, 126 are supported by pivotable elongated arms 128, 130, respectively includes a platform with a predetermined length between an attachment end and an opposite free end. The attachment end may include an adapter that allows for removable attachment of the platform to the robotic unit 122. Attachment of the platform to the robotic unit 122 may be accomplished by screwing the adapter to the free end of the gripping device (124, 126). It is understood that the attachment of the platform to the robotic unit 122 may be affected by any known attachment means (including, without limitation, welding, bonding, and equivalent means).
The grippers (134, 136) include a movable jaw 138 and a fixed jaw 140. The movable jaw 138 may include at least two holding fingers 142 of defined length can reciprocate in orthogonal direction to the longitudinal axis l-l of the grippers (134, 136) with respect to fixed jaw 140 to facilitate firm engagement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 of the tread 104 placed in between. The reciprocating movement of the movable jaw 138 is performed by an actuator Vns that is actuated by pressurized fluid (for example, compressed air) from a conduit (not depicted). In another example, the actuators Vi46 may be actuated by electrical energy or alternate energy sources. Further, the grippers (134, 136) are also configured to rotate along the longitudinal axis /-/by actuators V139 actuated by similar mechanism as of V138. The actuators Vns, Vi39 are selected from commercially available actuators. By virtue of the movable jaw 138 and the fixed jaw 140, the grippers (134, 136) effects a grip that holds at least one of the top end 106 and the bottom end 108 of the tread 104 as the grippers (134, 136) moves between an engagement position in which at least one of the movable jaw 146 and the fixed jaw 140 is in its engagement position, and in which the grippers (134, 136) is positioned to grip at least one of the top end 106 and / or bottom end 108 of the tread 104 and a joining position in which the grippers (134, 136) translate movement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 in order to place it in a target joining area to attach top end 106 to the bottom end 108 of the tread 104.
The robotic unit 122 includes a detection system that employs one or more sensors (not depicted) that capture information regarding the physical environment around the robotic unit 122. In the following description, the terms “sensor”, “photographic equipment”, “camera” and “optical sensor” may be used interchangeably and may refer to one or more items of equipment configured to detect two-dimensional (2-D) and/or three-dimensional (3-D) images, to achieve 3-D depth perception and/or other types of detection of the physical environment. In a example, the sensors of the detection unit can be any commercially available RGB-D camera with frame resolution of 1920 x 1080 attaining a frame rate of 30 fps or frames per second. In another example, the one or more sensors can be a laser profilometer. The sensors of the detection system incorporated with the robotic unit 122 may be fixed to at least one of the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and / or the grippers (134, 136) of the gripping devices (124, 126). Alternatively, the sensors of the detection system may be incorporated remotely from the robotic unit 122 covering field of view of the joining system 100.
The sensor or sensors of the detection system of the joining system 100 detect the presence of an arrangement of tread 104 in the field of view of the camera, and this triggers the camera to capture the image of the tread 104. In certain embodiments of the joining system 100, the sensor triggers when the tread 104 enters the field of view of the camera against the background of the captured image.
The detection system may determine the information pertaining to the physical environment that may be used by a control system (which includes, for example, software for directing the movements of the robotic unit 122). The control system may reside on the robotic unit 122 or it may be in remote communication with the robotic unit 122. In some embodiments of the joining system 100, one or more 2-D or 3-D sensors mounted on the robotic unit 122 (including, without limitation, navigation sensors) may be integrated to form a digital model of the physical environment (including, where applicable, the side(s), the floor and the ceiling). Using the resulting data, the control system can provoke movement of the robot unit 122 in order to navigate between the positions for gripping at least one of the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104.
The sensors of the detection system send captured profile parameters of the tread 104 shown in Figure 2 and physical environment around the robotic unit 122 of joining system 100 to at least one processing unit or processor. The term “processor” (or, alternatively, the term “programmable logic circuit”) refers to one or more devices capable of processing and analysing data and having one or more software packages for their processing (for example, one or more integrated circuits known by those skilled in the art as being included in a computer, one or more controllers, one or more microcontrollers, one or more microcomputers, one or more programmable logic controllers (or PLCs), one or more application-specific integrated circuits, one or more neural networks and/or one or more other known equivalent programmable circuits). The processing unit includes software for processing the data captured by the subsystems associated with the joining system 100 (and the corresponding data obtained) as well as software for identifying and locating variances and identifying their sources for correction.
A person skilled in the art will recognize that many image processing techniques can be used to select and to determine the parameters of the target treads. Several commercially available image processing systems can be used.
The sensors of the detection unit capture one or more images of the tread 104. The one or more captured images are transferred and stored as captured images in the memory of the processing unit. The processing unit, which executes the instructions of an image processing module of the processing unit, analyzes the image in order to determine one or more parameters of the imaged tread 104. The parameters of the tread 104 are length, width, thickness and information related to terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) defining end surface of the terminal ends 102.
With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the grippers (134, 136) may grip the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 in several combinations not limited to arrangement shown in Figure 4, wherein the gripper 134 is adapted to grip first edge portion 110 of the top end 106 and the gripper 136 is adapted to grip second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 located opposite to the first edge portion 110. In another example, the grippers (134, 136) may grip first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) or central portions (114, 120) of the top end 106 and the bottom end 108 together on the same side for joining of terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 as shown in Figure 5. Further, the grippers (134, 136) are equipped with touch sensors 152 to determine a contact force required to deform based on rigidity of the tread 104. The rigidity of the tread 104 may be exhibited as a function of its geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials used. The touch sensors 144 are adapted to detect the forces inside the tread 104 as each material has its rigidity properties and provides resistance against forces to regain its initial shape under deformation because of elasticity. Higher the modulus of materials of tread 104, greater the contact force required by the grippers (134, 136) for deformation.
The image processing module processes the images of the tread 104 to impose a geometric mesh 137 on surfaces of the tread 104 to represent nodes identifying terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120), as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The meshing 137 and identification of nodes allows the robotic unit 122 to be systematically manipulated to control motion of the gripping devices (124, 126), pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and grippers (134, 136) accordingly to deform, translate or move and join the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104.
With reference to Figures 6 to 9, the image processing module of the processing unit may include deformation models based on visual servoing or shape servoing mechanisms. The rigidity of the tread 104 at the terminal ends 102 sensed by the touch sensors 152 (See Figure 4, 5) is transferred to the image processing module of processing unit. The image processing module feeds information with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of a geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials used in the tread 104, and meshing data defining nodes identifying terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120), to the deformation model. The robotic unit 122 is configured to receive instructions from the processing unit to systematically grip, translate movement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 to align and join nodes representing the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the terminal ends 102.
In one example of the present invention, the grippers (134, 136) are configured to sequentially join central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the tread 104. In this configuration as shown in Figure 6, the grippers (134, 136) are rotated by a closed control mechanism based on rigidity of the tread 104 received by touch sensors 152, the image processing module sends instruction to the actuator Vi46 the amount of force needs to deform first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 so that nodes representing central portions 114 and 120 are given weightage by the image processing module to be joined in priority.
Further, as shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the gripping devices (124, 126) and the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) are further manipulated to translate movement from an initial position (see fig. 6) wherein the top end 106 is far from joining position to the bottom end 108 to a desired position (see figure 7) in which top end 106 is moved close enough to the bottom end 108 of the tread 104, as instructed as image processing module of the processing unit so that central portions (114, 120) are joined in priority as shown in Figure 8. The grippers (134, 136) are further rotated by actuators by a control feedback mechanism to undeform the first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to return to initial shape of the tread 104 so that nodes representing first edge portion 110, second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 are joined to nodes representing first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 as shown in Figure 9.
In other embodiments, the image processing module instructs the robotic unit 122 to be systematically grip, deform, translate movement at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 to align and join nodes representing the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 in any order, not limiting to a particular sequence.
The image processing module may deploy one or one or more machine learning models using the captured parameters of the tread 104 from the sensors to identify terminal ends 102 of the tread 104. While embodiments are described herein with respect to the use of neural networks (and specifically convolutional neural networks (CNNs)) as a machine learning model, other types of machine learning models may be used. These include, without limitation, models employing linear regression, logistic regression, decision trees, support vector machines, naive Bayes, K-nearest neighbour (kNN), with K signifying a grouping, Random Forest, dimensionality reduction algorithms, gradient algorithms, neural networks (for example, autoencoders, CNNs, RNNs, perceptrons, logarithmic short-term memory (LSTM), Hopfield, Boltzmann, deep belief networks, deconvolution, generative adversarial networks (GANs), etc.) and their complements and equivalents. The one or more CNNs may be trained using ground truth data that are generated using sensor data representative of the movement of the gripping devices (124, 126) of the robot unit 122, including the positioning of the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and grippers (134, 136).
The processing unit may configure the joining system 100 (and notably the robotic unit 122) on one or more parameters of the terminal ends 102 of tread 104 that are calculated by the image processing module. The processing unit may also refer to a reference (for example, a size table for various treads) in order to make a final determination of the one or more target tread parameters. The reference may include known tread parameters corresponding to a plurality of known commercially available treads. For example, after the image processing module calculates one or more tread parameters, the processing unit may compare the calculated tread parameters against the known tread parameters recorded in the reference. The processing unit may retrieve those known tread parameters corresponding to the commercially available treads that most closely correspond to the calculated tread parameters in order to configure the grippers (134, 136).
Identifying the terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 is relevant for the representation and can be found by post-processing a previously generated segmentation of the tread 104. For example, a method may be used to determine whether a pixel is a candidate for the areas of the terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120). For example, active contour models can be applied along with path planning and distance transformations in order to extract the portions of the tread 104. A morphology -based level set model can be used to perform extraction of areas of the tread 104 by learning the structural patterns of an object resembling a target tread 104 and by estimating the object’s terminal ends 102 as the path.
The invention therefore takes advantage of artificial intelligence (or “Al”) based methods and tools to supplement partial information provided by perception. The initial positioning of the robotic unit 122 and the initial orientation of the grippers (134, 136) are determined from the data obtained via the image acquisition of the joining system 100 and the physical environment in which the joining system 100 is operating. An automatic and adaptive repositioning algorithm is used to find an ideal starting position for the robotic unit 122 for gripping target terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 in front of a platform of a joining system 100. The identification of the target terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 incorporates the identification of a position wherein the at least one of the top end 106 or bottom end 108 is located that is accessible for gripping without human intervention. The system allows continuous improvement across all tire gripping operations, ensuring that the robotic unit 122 improves from the experience it acquires, particularly with respect to the selection of terminal ends 102 of tread 104 tires for joining.
With reference to Figure 10, an embodiment of a method 1000 of joining terminal ends (or “method”) of the invention is defined therein. Upon launching a joining process of the invention, the method of the invention includes a step of capturing one or more images of the tread 104 having a profile defined by parameters of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness. This step is performed by sensors of the detection unit to identify terminal ends 102 of the tread 104 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120). The method of the invention also includes a step 1100 of processing the images of the tread 104 by imposing geometric mesh 137 on surfaces of the tread 104 to represent nodes identifying terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) by at least one processing unit including one or more softwares or algorithm; and rigidity sensed by touch sensors 152 of grippers (134, 136) of robotic unit 122 (see Figure 4) to deformation model. The method of the invention further includes a step 1200 of instructing the robotic unit 122 by the image processing module based on calculations from deformation model by shape servoing or visual servoing to systematically grip, deform and translate movement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 to align and join nodes representing the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the terminal ends 102. Further the method includes a step of detecting force required to deform the tread 104 with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials by deploying one or more touch sensors 152 in the grippers (134, 136) of the robotic unit 122.
The method of the invention includes a step of feeding information to a deformation model by image processing module including rigidity or force required to deform tread 104, meshing data defining nodes of terminal ends 102 including the top end 106, bottom end 108, first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120). Further, the step includes instructing the robotic unit 122 by using deformation model to systematically deform and translate movement of the first edge portion 110, second edge portion 112 and central portion 114 of the top end 106 to align and join nodes of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108.
In an embodiment, the grippers (134, 136) are instructed by the image processing module to sequentially join the central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the tread 104, according to step 1300.
In another embodiment, the grippers (134, 136) are instructed by the image processing module to join central portion 114, first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to the central portion 120, first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 of the tread 104 in any order, not limiting to a particular sequence.
Further, the gripping devices (124, 126) and the pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) are further instructed to translate from an initial position to a desired position (see figure 7) to move the top end 106 close enough to the bottom end 108 of the tread 104, so that central portions (114, 120) are joined in priority as shown in Figure 8. The grippers (134, 136) are further instructed to be rotated by actuators by a control feedback mechanism to undeform the first edge portion 110, and second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 to return to initial shape of the tread 104 so that nodes representing first edge portion 110, second edge portion 112 of the top end 106 are joined to nodes representing first edge portion 116, second edge portion 118 of the bottom end 108 as shown in Figure 9.
Although embodiments of the disclosed apparatus have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various changes, additions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present description. Therefore, no limitation should be imposed on the scope of the invention described, apart from those set out in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A joining system (100) for attaching terminal ends (102) of a sheet product (104) having a profile defined by parameters of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness, wherein the terminal ends (102) include a top end (106), a bottom end (108), first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) defining end surfaces of the terminal ends (102), the joining system (100) comprising:
- at least one detection unit is configured to capture one or more images to identify the profile parameters of the sheet product (104);
- at least one processing unit including one or more softwares or algorithm is configured to processes the images of the sheet product (104) by imposing a geometric mesh (137) on surfaces of the sheet product (104) to represent nodes identifying terminal ends (102) including top end (106), bottom end (108), first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120); and
- a robotic unit (122) comprising at least two gripping devices (124, 126), pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and grippers (134, 136) is configured to receive instructions from the processing unit to systematically grip, deform and translate movement of at least one of the top end (106) or the bottom end (108) to align and join nodes representing the central portion (114), first edge portion (110), and second edge portion (112) of the top end (106) to the central portion (120), first edge portion (116), second edge portion (118) of the bottom end (108) of the terminal ends (102).
2. The joining system (100) of claim 1, wherein the processing unit includes an image processing module deploying one or more deformation models based on visual or shape servoing.
3. The joining system (100) of claims 1 or claim 2, wherein the grippers (134, 136) of the robotic unit (122) include one or more touch sensors configured to detect force required to deform the sheet product (104) with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of a geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials used in the sheet product (104).
4. The joining system (100) of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the image processing module is configured to feed information to the deformation model including rigidity or force required to deform sheet product (104), meshing data defining nodes of terminal ends (102) including top end (106), bottom end (108), first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120).
5. The joining system (100) of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the deformation model is configured to allow image processing module to instruct the robotic unit (122) to systematically deform and translate movement of the first edge portion (110), second edge portion (112) and central portion (114) of the top end (106) to align and join nodes of the top end (106) to the central portion (120), first edge portion (116), second edge portion (118) of the bottom end (108).
6. The joining system (100) of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the image processing module is configured to provide weightage to nodes representing central portions (114, 120) to be joined in priority followed by weightage to nodes representing first edge portions (110, 116) and second edge portions (112, 118) of the terminal ends (102).
7. The joining system (100) of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the detection unit includes one or more sensors to detect two-dimensional (2-D) and/or three-dimensional (3-D) images, to achieve 3-D depth perception and/or other types of detection.
8. The joining system (100) of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the sheet product (104) may be a tread of a tire, rubber tracks or products of similar nature.
9. The joining system (100) of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the grippers (134, 136) include a movable jaw (146) having at least two holding fingers 150 of defined length can reciprocate in orthogonal direction to the longitudinal axis l-l of the grippers (134, 136) with respect to a fixed jaw 148 to facilitate firm engagement of at least one of the top end 106 or the bottom end 108 of the sheet product (104) placed in between.
10. A method for attaching terminal ends (102) of a sheet product (104) having a profile defined by parameters of a predetermined length, a predetermined width, and a predetermined thickness, wherein the terminal ends (102) including a top end (106), a bottom end (108), first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) thereby defining end surfaces of terminal ends (102), the method comprising:
- a step of capturing one or more images to identify the profile parameters of the sheet product (104);
- a step of processing the images of the sheet product (104) by imposing a geometric mesh (137) on surfaces of the sheet product (104) to represent nodes identifying terminal ends (102) including top end (106), bottom end (108), first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120) by at least one processing unit including one or more softwares or algorithm; and
- a step of instructing a robotic unit (122) comprising at least two gripping devices (124, 126), pivotable elongated arms (128, 130) and grippers (134, 136) to systematically grip, deform and translate movement of at least one of the top end (106) or the bottom end (108) to align and join nodes representing the central portion (114), first edge portion (110), and second edge portion (112) of the top end (106) to the central portion (120), first edge portion (116), second edge portion (118) of the bottom end (108) of the terminal ends (102).
11. The method of claim 10, wherein a step of detecting force required to deform the sheet product (104) with respect to rigidity exhibited as a function of a geometric rigidity and modulus of one or more materials by deploying one or more touch sensors (152) in the grippers (134, 136) of the robotic unit (122).
12. The method of claim 10 or claim 11, wherein a step of feeding information to a deformation model by image processing module including rigidity or force required to deform sheet product (104), meshing data defining nodes of terminal ends (102) including top end (106), bottom end (108), first edge portions (110, 116), second edge portions (112, 118) and central portions (114, 120).
13. The method of any of claims 10 to 12, wherein the step of instructing the robotic unit (122) by using deformation model to systematically deform and translate movement of the first edge portion (110), second edge portion (112) and central portion (114) of the top end (106) to align and join nodes of the top end (106) to the central portion (120), first edge portion (116), second edge portion (118) of the bottom end (108).
14. The method of any of claims 10 to 13, wherein a step of providing weightage to nodes representing central portions (114, 120) to be joined in priority followed by weightage to nodes representing first edge portions (110, 116) and second edge portions (112, 118) of the terminal ends (102).
EP24709402.2A 2023-03-31 2024-03-07 A joining system for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product Pending EP4688339A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR2303150A FR3147136A1 (en) 2023-03-31 2023-03-31 JUNCTION SYSTEM FOR FIXING TERMINAL ENDS OF A WEB PRODUCT
PCT/EP2024/056089 WO2024199943A1 (en) 2023-03-31 2024-03-07 A joining system for attaching terminal ends of a sheet product

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EP4688339A1 true EP4688339A1 (en) 2026-02-11

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CN (1) CN120957841A (en)
FR (1) FR3147136A1 (en)
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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5935377A (en) * 1994-08-30 1999-08-10 Continental Ag Device for joining ends of material strips
DE69919233T3 (en) 1999-11-19 2010-12-30 Pirelli Tyre S.P.A. METHOD FOR PRODUCING TIRE COMPONENTS FROM ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL
NL1024009C2 (en) 2003-07-28 2005-02-07 Vmi Epe Holland Tread application device.
WO2006046162A1 (en) 2004-10-27 2006-05-04 Pirelli Tyre S.P.A. Method and apparatus for manufacturing layered articles made of elastomeric material
US8986480B2 (en) 2008-04-18 2015-03-24 Pirelli Tyre S.P.A. Process and apparatus for assembling tyres
EP2516142B1 (en) 2009-12-22 2015-04-08 Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. Method and plant for building different types of green tyres for vehicle wheels
WO2012150948A1 (en) 2011-04-30 2012-11-08 Michelin Recherche Et Technique S.A. Methods and apparatus for joining treads
RU2679355C2 (en) * 2014-05-12 2019-02-07 Тетра Лаваль Холдингз Энд Файнэнс С.А. Device and method for splicing
NL2017821B1 (en) * 2016-11-18 2018-05-25 Vmi Holland Bv Joining device and method for joining strips to form a tire component

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