JP5912992B2 - Tire inspection apparatus and tire inspection method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tire inspection apparatus and a tire inspection method that make it possible to acquire a structure inside a tire by electromagnetic waves such as X-rays and specify an acquired image and a position where the image is acquired in a tire.

  Conventionally, in order to inspect whether there is any abnormality in the internal structure of a tire manufactured as a product, an internal structural inspection using ultrasonic waves or X-rays has been performed. For example, in X-ray inspection, an X-ray light source that irradiates X-rays is disposed on the inner peripheral surface side of a tire that is rotatably held, and a line sensor that receives X-rays is disposed on the outer peripheral surface side. The line sensor is arranged so that the light receiving direction is directed to the pair of tire side surfaces and the tread surface on the outer peripheral surface side of the tire, and the light receiving elements are positioned on the same plane, and transmits X-rays transmitted in the thickness direction of the tire thickness. By receiving the light, the internal structure such as the arrangement and direction of the cords constituting the belt and the carcass inside the tire is acquired. Then, the tire is rotated in a state where X-rays are irradiated from the X-ray light source to the inner peripheral surface side of the tire thick portion, and the X-rays transmitted through the tire are received by the line sensor, so that the X-rays of the tire over one round are obtained. An image is acquired. The acquired X-ray image is used to detect the presence or absence of an abnormality in the internal structure of the tire thick portion by visual observation or image processing with an image processing apparatus.

JP 2007-85928 A

  However, the X-ray image of the tire acquired as described above is accurate, but in this inspection, only the internal structure of the tire thick part is acquired, so there is an abnormality in the actual tire. Could not identify the location of

  Therefore, in order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention can easily identify the actual tire position corresponding to an image inside the tire such as an X-ray image in which an abnormality is detected in the image obtained from the structure inside the tire. An object is to provide a tire inspection apparatus and a tire inspection method.

According to the present invention, the inspection means capable of inspecting the defect situation inside the tire by photographing and displaying the monitor at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction from the tire outer peripheral surface side facing the tire outer peripheral surface, and the inspection Appearance imaging means that captures the appearance of the tire and the inspection means to obtain a plurality of appearance images J1, J2, J3,... Control processing means for selecting and displaying any one of the above-described appearance images associated with the designated image when any of the partial images X1, X2, X3. Therefore, since the appearance of the tire and the inspection means can be displayed on the same monitor corresponding to the partial image of the designated inspection image, it is possible to easily identify the defect position on the outer periphery of the tire, and thus corresponds to the designated partial image. Type of defect of the tire equal to check both the ear defect position can determine status and the like.
The inspection means detects X-rays that pass through the tire toward the inner peripheral surface in the direction of the outer peripheral surface, or ultrasonic waves that are incident on the outer peripheral surface of the tire, reflected and emitted to the outer peripheral surface, and display them as an inspection image. Therefore, it is possible to accurately and easily detect defects inside the tire.
Further, since the tire can be rotated in the circumferential direction, the photographing position of the tire outer periphery by the inspection means can be easily set, and the structure becomes simple.
Further, since the control processing means links the images having the same tire position at the time of imaging between the plurality of partial images X1, X2, X3... And the plurality of appearance images J1, J2, J3. The appearance image corresponding to the designated portion can be quickly called on the monitor, and the processing speed can be increased.
In addition, since the inspection by the tire outer periphery inspection unit is performed after the tire has been rotated to a predetermined rotation angle, the tire outer periphery can be stably inspected and accurate data can be obtained.
Further, since the tire rotation angle is calculated based on the detected image, the angle can be detected as software, and this calculation is facilitated.
In addition, the present invention is capable of inspecting a defect condition inside the tire by an inspection unit by photographing and displaying the monitor at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction from the tire outer peripheral surface side facing the tire outer peripheral surface. Each time the outer peripheral surface of the tire is photographed, the appearance of the tire and the inspection means is photographed to obtain a plurality of appearance images J1, J2, J3... When any one of X2, X3... Is specified, a partial image of the specified inspection image is selected by selecting any one of the appearance images associated with the specified image and displaying it on the monitor. Since the appearance of the tire and the inspection means can be displayed on the same monitor corresponding to the tire, it is possible to easily identify the defect position on the outer periphery of the tire, and therefore inspect both the specified partial image and the corresponding tire defect position. Type of defect of the tire equally can determine status and the like.
The partial image is acquired as a partial image by detecting X-rays that pass through the tire toward the inner peripheral surface in the direction of the outer peripheral surface, or ultrasonic waves that are incident on the outer peripheral surface of the tire, reflected, and emitted to the outer peripheral surface. Therefore, the defect inside the tire can be detected accurately and easily.

It is a simplified lineblock diagram of a tire inspection device. The figure and table which show the state linked | related with the test | inspection image displayed on the monitor and the external appearance image are shown. It is a top view which shows the example of a monitor display. The flowchart of the process of the inspection controlled by a control processing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the embodiments are included in the invention. It is not necessarily essential to the solution, but includes a configuration that is selectively adopted.

FIG. 1 is a simplified configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a tire inspection apparatus according to the present invention. This embodiment demonstrates as what acquires the image of the structure inside a tire by X-ray | X_line. In addition, the tire to be examined may be either a tire manufactured as a product or a used tire for performing retreading. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a flat base body, and a tire rotating means 2 is erected on one end side of the flat base body. From the upper side of the tire rotating means 2, a roller is horizontally and parallel to the other end side direction of the base body 1. 3 and 3 protrude. The tire 4 is hung by inserting the hollow portion 4a side of the tire 4 into the rollers 3 and 3, and the tire 4 can be rotated at a predetermined rotational speed in the same direction as the rotation direction of the rollers 3 and 3. An X-ray irradiating means 5 is installed by a holding means (not shown) at a substantially central side of the hollow portion 4a of the tire 4, and an outer side of the tire 4 is opposed to one side of the tread side of the tire 4 as an inspection means. The X-ray light receiving means 6 is fixedly positioned by a holding means (not shown). The X-ray irradiation means 5 emits X-rays every time the rotation angle ω rotates by 1 degree.
The narrow X-ray light receiving surface 6a of the X-ray light receiving means 6 is disposed so as to extend in the width direction of the tire 4, and the X-rays radiated from the X-ray irradiation means 5 The light is received by the light receiving surface 6a of the X-ray light receiving means 6 through the part 7), and the fluoroscopy is executed.
In the tire rotating means 2, the power of the pulley 9 rotated by the motor 8 is transmitted to the pulleys 11 and 11 at the base of the rollers 3 and 3 via the belt 10, so that the rollers 3 and 3 are in the same direction. This rotation is transmitted to the tire 4 and rotated in the direction of arrow 12.
Reference numeral 13 denotes a rotation angle detection means for detecting the rotation angle ω of the tire 4, and paying attention to the fact that the total number of pixels of the X-ray image received by the X-ray light receiving means 6 changes according to the tire rotation angle. The rotation angle ω is obtained from the coordinates of the pixel by software. X-rays are emitted at every rotation angle and received by the X-ray light receiving means 6 and are composed of partial images as the rotation angle ω gradually increases. The entire width (full length) of the inspection image X gradually increases. Therefore, by detecting the full width (full length) of the inspection image X, the rotation angle ω can be detected by software. The rotation angle detection means 13 may be configured by a sensor that detects the rotation position of the tire 4 or the rotation speed of the rollers 3 and 3, the position of the belt 10, the motor rotation speed, or the like.
The X-ray light receiving means 6 is a partial image X1, based on X-rays transmitted through the tire thick portion 7, every time the rotation angle ω of the rotating tire 4 increases, for example, by 1 degree from the starting point described later. X2, X3... Are obtained. Therefore, the total number of captured images is 360 for one tire. These partial images X1, X2, X3,... Are displayed side by side on the monitor as inspection images X made up of X-ray images.
Reference numeral 14 denotes an appearance photographing means including a camera for photographing the entire side of the tire 4, the X-ray irradiation means 5 and the X-ray light receiving means 6.
The appearance photographing means 14 also photographs appearances of the side of the tire 4 and the appearance of the X-ray irradiating means 5 and the X-ray light receiving means 6 every time the rotation angle ω of the tire increases by 1 degree. J3... Are obtained (see FIG. 2B). The number of shots is also 360. Details will be described later.
A control processing unit 15 receives a signal corresponding to the rotation angle ω from the rotation angle detection unit 13, and based on this, the motor 8, the X-ray irradiation unit 5, the X-ray light reception unit 6, and the appearance photographing unit 14. The inspection image X by the X-ray light receiving means 6 and the appearance image J of the appearance photographing means 14 are sent out and displayed on the monitor 16 as will be described later.

  Here, the X-ray light receiving means 6 constitutes the inspection means of the present invention. The X-ray light receiving surface 6a faces the X-ray irradiating means 5, and the light receiving surface 6a is separated from the X-ray irradiating means 5 by a predetermined distance. It is supported and arranged at a position by support means (not shown). The X-ray light receiving means 6 is, for example, a line sensor in which the light receiving elements on the light receiving surface 6a are arranged in a line, and the arrangement direction of the light receiving elements is set along the tire width direction.

  The X-ray light receiving means 6 receives X-rays from the X-ray irradiation means 5 that operates every time the tire rotation angle ω reaches 1 degree and generates X-rays, and is not limited to a line sensor. An area sensor that can detect the strength of electromagnetic waves may be used. However, when the area sensor receives light, the received image is distorted at both ends in the circumferential direction, and so-called “blurring” occurs in the received image. Therefore, it is preferable to use an area sensor that matches the arrangement of the light receiving elements in the tire width direction with little change in curvature. Further, the X-ray light receiving means 6 may be provided on both sides of the tire so as to receive X-rays and enable monitor display.

  Therefore, the X-rays radiated from the X-ray irradiating means 5 pass through the thick part 7 as the elastic part of the tire 4, that is, the layered part, and are received by the X-ray light receiving means 6 as the inspection means. X-rays received by the X-ray light receiving means 6 are transmitted through the thick part 7 of the tire 4 so that the intensity of the X-rays is increased or decreased according to the structure of the thick part 7 and is one-dimensional depending on the arrangement of the light receiving elements. Will be acquired as the intensity distribution. Each time the tire 4 rotates and the corresponding position of the X-ray light receiving means 6 changes, a plurality of partial images X1, X2, X3... Received and acquired by the X-ray light receiving means 6 are sent to the control processor 15 as digital data. Is output. Thereby, the inspection image X composed of the partial images X1, X2, X3... Shown in FIG.

The acquisition of the internal structure of the tire 4 by the X-ray light receiving means 6 is taken every time the tire 4 rotates by a predetermined rotation angle by the height of the light receiving element. That is, the internal structure of the tire 4 is acquired as partial images X1, X2, X3... That do not overlap along the circumferential direction.
Further, as another form of the X-ray light receiving means 6, in order to specify the appearance of X-rays in the tire 4, a marking means for irradiating the tire surface with visible light such as a laser pointer may be provided.

In this embodiment, a plurality of appearance images J1, J2, J3... Are taken every time the tire 4 rotates once. The appearance photographing means 14 is connected to a control processing device 15 described later, and intermittently obtains appearance images J1, J2, J3... Based on a signal output from the control processing device 15. The appearance image is output to the control processing device 15 every time shooting is performed. That is, the overall appearance of the X-ray transmission position on the tire surface that changes with the rotation of the tire 4 is acquired in time series.
As a result, the X-ray light receiving means 6 takes an image by determining the appearance by using the unevenness previously provided for marking such as the tire type, tire diameter, tire width, etc., which is previously added to the tire side surface, etc. A specific position on the outer circumference of the tire can be easily found.

  Note that the number of pixels in the tire circumferential direction of the partial image acquired by X-rays differs depending on the size of the tire. For example, the number of pixels for photographing a rotation angle of 1 degree when the tire diameter is large increases. The number of pixels in the tire circumferential direction for photographing the rotation angle of 1 degree when the tire diameter is small is smaller than when the tire diameter is large.

  The control processing device 15 is a so-called computer, and controls the operation of the tire rotating means 2, controls the photographing operation by the X-ray light receiving means 6 and the appearance photographing means 14, and X-rays photographed by the X-ray light receiving means 6. .. Of the partial images X1, X2, X3... And the appearance images J1, J2, J3. Control processing means comprising an input / output interface as communication means. The storage means stores a control program for controlling operations related to acquisition of inspection images and processing of inspection images. In addition, the storage means outputs an inspection image X composed of partial images X1, X2, X3... Of the X-ray image output from the X-ray light receiving means 6 photographed with the same time series, and output from the appearance photographing means 14. The table shown in FIG. 2C is stored in a state where the appearance images J1, J2, J3.

  The control processing device 15 is connected to each means by wired or wireless via an input / output interface. The input means is, for example, a keyboard, a touch panel, and a mouse, and the tire size to be inspected is input. In addition, the monitor 16 displays an inspection image X and an appearance image J taken by executing the application software.

For example, images X and J as shown in FIG. 3 are displayed side by side on the monitor 16. The inspection image X is formed by arranging partial images X1, X2,... That are captured every rotation of the tire 4 one by one, and is configured to designate a portion that is considered to be a defective portion Z with a cursor K. On the monitor 16, an appearance image J3 (FIG. 2B) linked to, for example, the partial image X3 at the position of the cursor K is displayed.
The monitor 16 may be constituted by a touch panel in which an input unit and a monitor are integrated. A specific monitor display by the association will be described later.

  Hereinafter, the inspection operation of the tire 4 by the tire inspection apparatus will be described. In the present embodiment, when the rotational speed of the tire 4 becomes constant, the inspection operation by the X-ray light receiving means 6 and the appearance photographing means 14 is started. That is, in the case of shooting for one rotation of the tire, the shooting may be started simultaneously with the rotation of the motor 8 and the shooting may be ended simultaneously with the stop of the rotation of the motor 8, but the acceleration is generated in the rotating tire 4 Since there is a possibility that “blurring” may occur in the image photographed by the X-ray light receiving means 6, control is performed so that photographing is performed at a constant rotation speed of the tire 4. That is, in the present embodiment, during acceleration until the rotation of the tire 4 reaches a constant speed, for example, after the tire 4 starts rotating, until the tire 4 reaches a predetermined rotation angle ω, for example, 30 degrees, The X-ray irradiation means 5 and X-ray light receiving means 6 and the appearance imaging means 14 do not perform imaging, and the tire 4 is continuously rotated 360 degrees from the position where the tire 4 is rotated up to 30 degrees. A partial image X1, X2, X3... Consisting of an X-ray image over one round is obtained by photographing at every rotation angle.

Hereinafter, the inspection operation by the tire inspection apparatus will be described.
First, the operator puts the tire 4 on the rollers 3 and 3 so that the pair of rollers 3 and 3 penetrates the hollow portion 4a of the tire 4 as the subject.
Next, the operator inputs information such as the size of the tire 4 to be inspected from the input means of the control processing device 15 and operates the inspection start button, whereby the inspection of the tire 4 by the control processing device 15 is started. Is done.
The tire size and the like may be automatically detected from the result of imaging the appearance by the appearance photographing means 14 and input.

Hereinafter, the inspection process controlled by the control processing device 15 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
First, the control processing device 15 outputs a signal to the X-ray irradiation means 5 and the motor 8 to start the rotation of the tire 4 (step S1).
Next, the rotation angle ω output from the tire rotation angle detecting means 13 is calculated by the control processing device 15, and the control processing device 15 determines whether or not the tire reaches the aforementioned stable angle of 30 degrees. (Step S2).
Next, when it is detected that the rotation angle ω of the tire 4 has been rotated up to 30 degrees, the tire 4 is further rotated starting from this point, and every time the rotation angle ω is advanced by 1 degree from this start point, the X-ray irradiation means 5 and The X-ray light receiving means 6 is driven, and at this time, the appearance photographing means 14 is driven in step S5. Specifically, in step S3, the X-ray light receiving means 6 is driven to output a partial image X1 composed of the X-ray image picked up in step S4, and then in step S5, the appearance photographing means 14 is driven in synchronism with this. In step S6, the appearance image J1 is output. Each time the rotation angle ω advances by 1 degree, the rotation angle ω is detected in step S7, and partial images X2, X3... And appearance images J2, J3. When the rotation angle ω reaches 360 ° in step S8, imaging by the X-ray irradiation means 5 and the X-ray light receiving means 6 is stopped in step S9, rotation of the tire is stopped in step S10, and the flow is ended.

Next, a specific example of the association and the monitor display will be described with reference to FIG.
In the control processing device 15, as shown in the linking table in FIG. 2C, the linking between the inspection image X and the appearance image J is performed for each common rotation angle ω based on the above-described images X and J. This table is created by adding (chaining), that is, associating. As a result, the inspection image X is displayed on the monitor as shown in FIG. 3, and when the defective portion Z of the specific inspection image X is designated by the cursor K or the like by an external operation, the corresponding appearance image J is displayed by the table. Is taken out and displayed on the monitor image. For example, when the partial image X3 is selected and specified, the rotation angle ω at that time is 3 degrees, so that the appearance image J3 is displayed on the same monitor corresponding to the rotation angle ω3. The part that the inspection image X is designated by the cursor K is a position that seems to be a defective part, and the part designated by the cursor is identified by viewing the appearance image J3 on the monitor to indicate which part of the tire 4 this part represents. it can. Thereby, it is possible to detect in detail whether the defective portion Z is the outer surface or the inner side of the tire, whether the inner cord is broken, or the like. The selection position of the inspection image X can be specified by calculating the rotation angle ω from the coordinates of the clicked position in this image.

The X-ray partial images X1, X2, X3... Acquired as described above are displayed on the monitor 16 connected to the control processing device 15 as the inspection image X. For example, by selecting a specific partial image X3 on the monitor 16 with the cursor K by operating the input means, the tire appearance (side surface) when the selected partial image X3 is acquired, and the X-ray irradiation means 5 are selected. , An appearance image J3 showing the overall appearance of the X-ray light receiving means 6 is displayed on the monitor. As a result, inspection accuracy can be improved, operator misunderstandings and oversights can be reduced, and when a defective part Z of the tire is found in the partial image X3, the actual defective part of the tire is identified. This makes it easier, reduces the burden on the operator, and reduces the number of visual confirmation steps.
In addition, the inspection image X in FIG. 3 can be enlarged and displayed on the monitor by scrolling the partial images X1, X2, X3.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the monitor display when the cursor K is set on the partial image X3, and various display examples can be considered for the display of the inspection image X and appearance image J of the monitor. Further, although the inspection image X is displayed in the horizontal direction, it may be displayed on the monitor in the vertical direction corresponding to the vertical tire 4 in FIG.
Although this embodiment has been described as seeing through the tread side of the tire 4, both side surfaces may be seen through by changing the tire orientation.
Further, after the inspection, the tire 4 is taken out, and another tire 4 is fed into the new rollers 3 and 3 using a conveyor or the like, so that mass production of the tire inspection can be achieved. In this case, by sequentially taking the data of each photographed tire in the storage means, the data can be read and detected for each tire, and an effective inspection can be performed.
Further, since it is only necessary to find out from the appearance where the inspection location on the outer periphery of the tire is by the inspection means comprising the X-ray light receiving means 6, the X-ray irradiation means 5 is not necessarily hidden and displayed on the monitor inside the C-shaped tire. May be.
Further, the acquisition of the image inside the tire is not limited to X-rays as the transmitted light for fluoroscopy, and any radiation that can pass through the tire thick portion 7 may be used, and an ultrasonic wave or the like can also be used.
In addition, when using an ultrasonic wave, the reflected wave in the tire thick part 7 of the ultrasonic wave entered from the tire outer peripheral surface side is detected by the detecting means from the outer peripheral surface side.
The tire 4 may be fixed and the X-ray irradiation means 5 and the X-ray light receiving means 6 may be moved in the tire circumferential direction.

2 tire rotation means, 4 tires, 5 X-ray irradiation means, 6 X-ray light receiving means,
14 appearance photographing means, 15 control processing device, 16 monitor.

Claims (8)

An inspection means for inspecting a defect condition inside the tire by photographing from the tire outer peripheral surface side facing the tire outer peripheral surface, and the tire and the inspection means and the tire can be moved relatively along the tire circumferential direction. A tire inspection apparatus in which partial images obtained by photographing with inspection means at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction are arranged and displayed on a monitor,
Each time the inspection means shoots from the outer peripheral surface side of the tire, it is provided with appearance imaging means for photographing the appearance of the tire and the inspection means to obtain a plurality of appearance images, and pre-corresponding to the partial images. A tire inspection apparatus comprising control processing means for selecting and displaying the appearance image on a monitor.   The inspection means detects and inspects the X-ray transmitted through the tire from the inner peripheral surface side to the outer peripheral surface, or the ultrasonic wave reflected from the outer peripheral surface and incident from the outer peripheral surface after being incident on the thick part of the tire. The tire inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein   The tire can be rotated in the circumferential direction, the inspection means is installed at a predetermined position facing the outer peripheral surface of the tire, and the inspection means shoots the tire for each predetermined rotation angle of the tire rotating in the circumferential direction, and a plurality of partial images The tire inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the tire inspection device is configured to generate a tire.   4. The tire inspection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control processing means generates a linking table by associating images of the partial image and the appearance image having the same rotation angle at the time of photographing by linking.   5. The tire inspection according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the tire inspection is started by the inspection means after a lapse of the start point when the tire is rotated at a certain angle as a start point of the tire scanning. apparatus.   The rotation angle detection means for detecting the rotation angle detects the rotation angle based on an image obtained by photographing the outer peripheral surface of the tire by the inspection means. Tire inspection device. The inspection means for inspecting the defect condition inside the tire by moving from the tire outer peripheral side facing the tire outer peripheral surface can be moved along the tire peripheral direction relative to the tire so as to be predetermined in the tire peripheral direction. A tire inspection method in which partial images obtained by photographing with an inspection means at intervals are arranged and displayed on a monitor,
Each time the inspection means shoots from the tire outer peripheral side, the appearance of the tire and the inspection means is taken to obtain a plurality of appearance images, and the appearance image linked in advance corresponding to the partial image is selected. Tire inspection method that displays on the monitor. The partial image is acquired by detecting X-rays transmitted from the inner peripheral surface side of the tire toward the outer peripheral surface, or ultrasonic waves reflected from the outer peripheral surface and then emitted from the outer peripheral surface to the thick portion of the tire. The tire inspection method according to claim 7.

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