JP7377532B2 - Tire deterioration status measuring device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention provides a tire deterioration status measuring device and a jig for holding the same, which are capable of measuring the amount remaining in the tire groove and capturing images to analyze the distribution of cracks in the tire groove and on the side surfaces of the tire. and a tire deterioration status measuring device comprising the same.

Generally, in order to ensure the safety of equipment with wheels, such as automobiles, during running, it is necessary to periodically check the deterioration status of tires.
In view of these circumstances, there are several known installed type and handy type groove remaining amount measuring instruments that can accurately measure the remaining amount (depth) of the groove formed in the tread of a tire in a short time. There is.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention under the name "Tire Groove Detection Device" that relates to a tire groove detection device that measures and detects the groove depth (degree of wear) of tires of automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, etc. There is.
The tire groove detection device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a tire groove detection device that includes a sensor unit that detects the tire groove depth and an output unit that outputs the tire groove depth detected by the sensor unit. The present invention is characterized in that at least the sensor section is disposed on a movable truck.
According to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 having the above configuration, the above-mentioned sensor section detects the groove depth of the tire, and the above-mentioned output section outputs the tire groove depth detected by the above-mentioned sensor section. Since at least the above-mentioned sensor section is disposed on the movable truck, it is possible to accurately detect non-deformed portions of the tire other than the ground contact section using this sensor section. Moreover, according to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, even if a vehicle having a tire to be detected is stopped at an arbitrary location, the tire position and the sensor position can be determined by moving a movable trolley equipped with a sensor section. Easy positioning operation. As a result, according to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to significantly improve the operability of the tire groove detection device.

Patent Document 2 discloses an invention related to a tire tread remaining amount measuring device and a tire tread remaining amount measuring system that measure the remaining amount of tire tread, under the name "Tire tread remaining amount measuring device and tire tread remaining amount measuring system." ing.
The tire tread remaining amount measuring device disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a laser displacement sensor that measures the depth of the groove formed in the tread of a tire without contacting the tread, and a device that slides this laser displacement sensor in the width direction of the tire. The device is equipped with an electric slider for moving the groove, an output section for outputting measurement data indicating the depth of the groove measured by the laser displacement sensor, and a housing section for accommodating the laser displacement sensor and the electric slider.
According to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2 having the above configuration, the remaining groove amount of a tire can be easily and accurately periodically measured.

Patent Document 3 discloses an invention related to a device for measuring tire tread wear under the name "Hand-held probe for measuring tire tread wear."
The handheld probe disclosed in Patent Document 3 includes a housing having a slit formed parallel to its main axis, and a length of a tube of the housing while directing light from a laser to the tire surface through a window. a rangefinder mounted within the housing so that it can traverse most of the area, a bracket supported by the proximal end of the tube so that the user can hold the probe in place against the tire, and a connection to the computer. and a handle that houses a battery for operation and an IR or RF transmitter.
According to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 3 having the above configuration, it is possible to provide a device that is easy to operate during use. More specifically, according to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 3, the bracket and the arcuate housing allow the device to be easily and stably positioned relative to the tire. Furthermore, the invention disclosed in Patent Document 3 also has the advantage that measurement results can be quickly made available to the user through any computer by means of a computer port that supports data transmission to a computer. .

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-49719 JP 2019-86293 Publication Special Publication No. 2002-535613

Generally, when a tire is stored or left unused for a long period of time without being used, the rubber may deteriorate excessively even if the remaining amount (depth) of the tire groove is sufficient. In such a case, the tire is also not suitable for driving.
Furthermore, the state of deterioration of the rubber of such a tire can be easily determined by checking the presence or absence of cracks in the grooves or on the side surfaces of the tire.
On the other hand, in the case of the inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, although the remaining amount (depth) of the tire groove can be measured, the deterioration state of the tire rubber cannot be inspected. I couldn't do it.

Further, the situations in which the state of tire deterioration is to be checked are assumed to be when the tires are attached to the wheels of equipment or equipment, and when the tires are removed from the wheels.
On the other hand, the inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3 are particularly suitable for inspecting the deterioration state of a tire with the tire mounted on a wheel.
For this reason, in the case of the inventions disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, it is difficult to use the inventions in factories, etc. as equipment for fully automatic measurement of the deterioration state of tires that have been removed from wheels without manual intervention. Met.

The present invention has been made in response to such conventional circumstances, and its purpose is to have a simple structure, and also to measure the remaining amount (depth) of the groove formed in the tire tread. An object of the present invention is to provide a tire deterioration status measuring device that can take images to analyze the distribution of crack occurrence within the groove and on the side surface of the tire.
Furthermore, in addition to the above objects, the present invention provides a tire deterioration condition measuring device, a holding jig for the same, and a tire deterioration condition measuring device that can be used as a handy type or as part of permanently installed equipment. It is about providing.

A tire deterioration condition measuring device, which is a first invention for solving the above problems, is an instrument for measuring the deterioration condition of a tire. A casing provided on the measurement surface, a distance measuring sensor provided within the casing at a position facing the window and sliding in a direction across the tire groove, and a distance measuring sensor provided within the casing at a position facing the window. an illumination light source that slides in a direction across the tire groove, an imaging device that is provided in a position facing the window in the housing and slides in a direction that crosses the tire groove, a ranging sensor, and a light source. and a slide mechanism for sliding the imaging device, and the imaging device and the light source are characterized in that the imaging device and the light source slide to a position away from the tire beyond the edge of the ground contact surface of the tire.
In the first aspect of the invention having the above configuration, the casing has the function of accommodating the distance measuring sensor, the light source, the imaging device, and the sliding mechanism therein. Further, the distance measuring sensor has the function of continuously measuring the distance to the ground contact surface of the tire including the groove when sliding in a direction across the groove of the tire. In this case, a measured value of the depth of the tire groove (so-called remaining groove depth) can be obtained from the difference between the distance to the bottom of the tire groove and the distance to the tire contact surface. Further, the light source has the function of brightly illuminating the object to be imaged by the imaging device. Furthermore, the imaging device has the function of capturing an image of the inside of the tire groove and the side surface of the tire irradiated with light from the light source. In addition, the slide mechanism has the function of sliding the range sensor, the light source, and the imaging device in a direction across the tire groove.
Therefore, according to the first invention, when measuring the depth of the tire groove, an image can be captured to analyze the distribution of crack occurrence within the tire groove and on the side surface of the tire.
In addition, in the first invention, there is provided a specific method for analyzing the occurrence distribution of cracks in the tire groove and on the side surface of the tire based on an image captured by an imaging device, and a method for analyzing the crack occurrence distribution in the tire groove and on the side surface of the tire based on an image captured by an imaging device, and a method for analyzing the crack occurrence distribution in the tire groove and on the side surface of the tire. As for the method of evaluating tire deterioration using depth, for example, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6283534 or Japanese Patent No. 6381094 by the applicant of the present application can be used.

The tire deterioration condition measuring instrument which is the second invention is the above-mentioned first invention, and includes a table on which the distance measuring sensor, the light source, and the imaging device are placed, and which slides in the direction across the groove of the tire. The mechanism is characterized by sliding the table.
The second invention with the above configuration has the same effect as the first invention, and in addition, the table has the effect of placing the distance measurement sensor, the light source, and the imaging device all together. Furthermore, by sliding the table using the slide mechanism, the structure of the slide mechanism of the range sensor, the light source, and the imaging device can be simplified.

A tire deterioration status measuring device which is a third invention is the above-mentioned first or second invention, wherein the housing has a back surface parallel to the measurement surface and an angle θ with respect to the measurement surface within a range of 35° to 57°. , and the distance from the measurement surface to the back surface is 0 when the length of the measurement surface in the vertical cross section with respect to the sliding direction of the ranging sensor, light source, or imaging device of the housing is 1. .6 or less.
In addition to the same effect as the above-mentioned first or second invention, the third invention with the above configuration also provides a distance measuring sensor, a light source, or an imaging device of the casing to measure the distance from the measurement surface to the back surface of the casing. If the length of the measurement surface in a cross section perpendicular to the sliding direction is set to 0.6 or less, it has the effect of flattening the outer shape of the casing. As a result, when using the tire deterioration condition measuring device of the third invention as a handy type measuring device, the tire deterioration condition measuring device of the third invention can be detected in the gap between the tire and its cover or the gap between the tire and its drive mechanism. It has the effect of making it easier to insert and remove the situation measuring device.
In addition, by setting the angle θ of the installation surface to the measurement surface within the range of 35° to 57°, and using this installation surface in contact with the mounting surface (for example, the ground surface), it is possible to It has the effect of reducing the measurement error when measuring the depth of the groove on the tire contact surface within the range.
More specifically, when the tire deterioration status measuring device according to the third invention is installed between the tire contact surface and the ground surface and viewed from the direction of the rotational axis of the tire, the distance measurement sensor detects the When the path of the emitted laser passes through the center of the tire, the error in measuring the depth of the groove on the tire's contact surface by the distance measurement sensor is theoretically almost eliminated.
Therefore, when the diameter of the tire is relatively large, for example 1000 mm, as the angle θ of the installation surface to the measurement surface approaches 35°, the distance from the path of the laser emitted from the distance sensor to the center of the tire increases. As a result, the measurement error of the tire groove depth by the distance measuring sensor approaches zero.
In addition, when the tire diameter size is relatively small, for example 400 mm, as the angle of the installation surface to the measurement surface approaches 57 degrees, the measurement error of the tire groove depth by the distance sensor due to the same reason as above will occur. approaches zero.
Therefore, according to the third invention, the closer the angle θ of the installation surface to the measurement surface is to 35°, the more suitable it is for measuring the depth of the groove of a tire with a large diameter (tire with a diameter size close to 1000 mm). It becomes a tire deterioration status measuring device. Further, according to the third invention, the closer the angle θ of the installation surface to the measurement surface is to 57°, the more suitable it is for measuring the depth of the groove of a tire with a small diameter (tire with a diameter close to 400 mm). It becomes a tire deterioration status measuring device.

A fourth invention is a tire deterioration status measuring device according to the third invention, wherein the two installation surfaces are a first installation surface whose angle θ is θ ₁ and a second installation surface whose angle θ is θ ₂ . The angle θ ₁ and the angle θ ₂ are characterized in that 35°≦θ ₁ <θ ₂ ≦57°.
The fourth invention with the above configuration has the same effect as the third invention. Further, when the first installation surface is used by contacting the installation surface (for example, the ground surface), the first installation surface is configured to have a desired tire size (with a tire diameter within the range of 400 to 1000 mm). Hereinafter, this tire size will be referred to as the "first tire size.") It has the effect of minimizing the measurement error by the distance measuring sensor. Further, when the second installation surface is used in contact with a mounting surface (for example, the ground surface), the diameter of the tire is within the range of 400 to 1000 mm, and the This has the effect of minimizing the measurement error by the distance measuring sensor when the "second tire size" is different from the "first tire size".
Therefore, according to the fourth invention, there is provided a tire deterioration status measuring device particularly suitable for measuring the depth of the groove in the contact surface of tires of two different diameter sizes (first tire size and second tire size). It has the function of providing.

A tire deterioration status measuring device according to a fifth invention is provided in each of the first to third inventions described above, wherein the housing has a cross section perpendicular to the sliding direction of the ranging sensor, the imaging device, or the light source.

Outside 1

形状（上記図形と略同様の形状、すなわち長方形における一の長辺側の２つの角部を切除してなる六角形状）をなしており、この垂直断面において、計測面が最も長い辺であることを特徴とするものである。
上記構成の第５の発明は、上述の第１乃至第４のそれぞれの発明による作用と同じ作用を有する。また、第５の発明において筐体の垂直断面形状が上述のように特定されていることで、この第５の発明をハンディータイプの計測器として用いる際に、計測面以外の面を使用者の手のひらにフィットさせるという作用を有する。これにより、第５の発明を手で把持して使用する際の操作性を向上させるという作用を有する。

Shape (approximately the same shape as the above figure, i.e., a hexagonal shape formed by cutting off two corners on one long side of a rectangle), and the measurement surface is the longest side in this vertical cross section. It is characterized by:
The fifth invention with the above configuration has the same effect as each of the first to fourth inventions described above. Furthermore, since the vertical cross-sectional shape of the casing in the fifth invention is specified as described above, when the fifth invention is used as a hand-held measuring instrument, the surface other than the measurement surface can be It has the effect of making it fit in the palm of your hand. This has the effect of improving the operability when the fifth invention is held and used by hand.

A tire deterioration status measuring device which is a sixth invention is each of the first to fifth inventions described above, and in the housing, at least one of the end faces in the sliding direction of the distance measuring sensor, the light source, or the imaging device is connected. The connecting portion is characterized in that the connecting portion is connected to a holding jig for holding the tire deterioration condition measuring instrument in a desired position.
The sixth invention with the above configuration has the same effect as each of the first to fifth inventions described above. Furthermore, in the sixth invention, the connecting portion has the function of connecting the tire deterioration condition measuring device and the holding jig. Further, in the sixth invention, the connecting portion is provided in the housing on at least one of the end faces of the distance measuring sensor, the light source, or the imaging device in the sliding direction, thereby connecting the tire deterioration status measuring device to the holding jig. Even in this case, it has the effect of maintaining the outer shape of the tire deterioration condition measuring device in a flat shape.
In this case, when inserting the tire deterioration condition measuring device into the gap between the tire and its cover or the gap between the tire and its drive mechanism, the tire deterioration condition measuring device connected to the holding jig must be inserted and removed. It has the effect of facilitating.

A holding jig according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is a holding jig for holding each of the first to sixth tire deterioration condition measuring instruments as desired, and is erected on a mounting surface. and a support arm that is pivotally installed on the support and can change the angle of the support with respect to the axial direction as desired. Or, it is characterized by having a fixture that can be held in close proximity.
In the seventh aspect of the invention having the above configuration, the support arm has the function of holding the tire deterioration state measuring device in a state where the window portion of the tire deterioration state measuring device is in contact with or close to the ground contact surface of the tire. Further, the support column is erected on the mounting surface and has the function of supporting the support arm while allowing the angle with respect to the axial direction to be changed as desired. Further, the fixing device has the function of fixing the tire deterioration status measuring device to the support arm with the window portion thereof in contact with or close to the ground contact surface of the tire.

The holding jig which is an eighth invention is the above-mentioned seventh invention, and includes a pivot that fixes the support arm to the support pillar so that the angle formed by the support arm can be changed, and the support arm is configured to allow the pivot to pass through the support jig. The device is characterized in that it has a long hole and that the support arm can be slid in the longitudinal direction of the long hole.
The eighth invention with the above configuration has the same effect as the seventh invention. Further, in the eighth invention, the support arm is provided with a long hole, and the support arm is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the long hole by inserting a pivot through the long hole and pivoting the support arm to the column. It has an effect.
In this case, even if the diameters of the tires to be measured are different, the depth of the groove on the tire contact surface can be measured using one eighth holding jig to evaluate the deterioration status of tires with various diameter sizes. This makes it possible to measure the inside of the tire and take images of the inside of the tire groove and the side surface of the tire.

A tire deterioration state measuring device that is a ninth invention includes a tire deterioration state measuring device that is each of the first to sixth inventions, and a holding jig that is a seventh or eighth invention. It is characterized by this.
In the ninth aspect of the invention having the above configuration, the tire deterioration condition measuring device has the same effect as the effect according to each of the first to sixth inventions. Further, the holding jig has the same effect as that according to the seventh or eighth invention.
Therefore, according to the ninth invention, by integrating the tire deterioration status measuring device of each of the first to sixth inventions with the holding jig (seventh or eighth invention), it is possible to manually This invention has the effect of allowing the operable type tire deterioration state measuring device (each of the first to sixth inventions) to be used as a tire deterioration state measuring device which is a permanently installed facility.
In this case, it has the effect of improving the versatility of each of the first to sixth inventions.

According to the first invention as described above, when measuring the depth of the groove formed on the ground contact surface of the tire, the depth of the groove formed on the ground contact surface of the tire is also measured. Images can be taken to analyze the distribution of crack occurrence on the surface of the surface.
Further, in the first invention, since the light source also slides together with the imaging device, it is possible to substantially uniformize the brightness when imaging the inside of the tire groove and the side surface of the tire. As a result, according to the first invention, images of the interior of the tire groove and the side surfaces of the tire are captured, and the captured images are processed using, for example, the method disclosed in the above-mentioned patent publication by the applicant. By analyzing this, it is possible to understand the distribution of crack occurrence within the tire groove and on the side surfaces of the tire. Thereby, it is possible to comprehensively evaluate the deterioration status of the tire.
As a result, when the first invention is used to evaluate the deterioration status of tires and those with a light degree of deterioration are recycled, it is possible to ensure the quality and safety of the recycled tires.

The second invention has the same effects as the first invention described above. In addition, in the second invention, the structure of the sliding mechanism can be simplified compared to the case where the distance measuring sensor, the light source, and the imaging device are individually slid.
Therefore, according to the second invention, it is possible to provide a high-performance tire deterioration status measuring device that has a simple structure.

In addition to the same effect as the above-described first or second invention, the third invention can make the outer shape of the casing elongated and flat. In this case, when the third invention is used by being inserted into a gap between a tire and its cover, or a gap between a tire and its drive mechanism, the third invention should be easily inserted into and removed from these gaps. I can do it.
Further, the third invention specifies the angle of the installation surface with respect to the measurement surface within the range of 35° to 57°, so that when the diameter of the tire to be measured is within the range of 400 mm to 1000 mm, It is possible to reduce the measurement error of the depth of the groove on the ground plane.
More specifically, as the angle θ of the installation surface with respect to the measurement surface in the third invention approaches 35 degrees, the measurement when measuring the depth of the groove of a tire with a large diameter size (tire with a diameter close to 1000 mm) The error can be reduced. On the other hand, the closer the angle θ of the installation surface to the measurement surface in the third invention is to 57°, the smaller the measurement error when measuring the depth of the groove of a tire with a small diameter (tire with a diameter close to 400 mm). be able to. Note that the third invention assumes a case where the angle θ of the installation surface with respect to the measurement surface is substantially the same for the two installation surfaces.
Furthermore, according to the third invention, since the casing has two installation surfaces with the back side in between, it is possible to measure the deterioration status of the tire on either the traveling side or the backward side of the tire. .
Therefore, according to the third invention, a high-performance tire deterioration device that has good operability and is less prone to measurement errors when measuring the groove depth of a tire having a desired diameter size within the range of 400 mm to 1000 mm. A situational instrument can be provided.

The fourth invention has the same effects as those achieved by each of the first to third inventions described above. Furthermore, in the fourth invention, the depth of the groove of any two types of tires (a tire having a first tire size and a tire having a second tire size) whose tire diameter size is within the range of 400 mm to 1000 mm. It is possible to provide a tire deterioration status measuring device that can minimize measurement errors when measuring tire tire deterioration.
In this case, by using an appropriate installation surface (first or second installation surface) according to the diameter size of the tire in contact with the mounting surface (for example, the ground surface, etc.), two desired diameter sizes can be achieved. The depth of the tire groove can be measured with high precision.
Therefore, according to the fourth invention, it is possible to provide a tire deterioration condition measuring instrument suitable for measuring the depth of grooves of tires of two desired diameter sizes.

The fifth invention has the same effects as those achieved by each of the first to fourth inventions described above. Furthermore, according to the fifth aspect of the invention, the outer shape of the tire deterioration condition measuring device can be made to fit comfortably in the palm of the hand. In this case, the physical burden on the worker can be reduced when the worker holds and operates the tire deterioration status measuring instrument. Furthermore, the risk of the worker dropping the tire deterioration status measuring instrument during work can be reduced.

The sixth invention has the same effects as the effects of each of the first to fifth inventions described above. Furthermore, according to the sixth invention, the connection part with the holding jig is provided on the end face of the ranging sensor, the light source, or the imaging device in the sliding direction in the housing, so that the holding jig has a connecting part with the holding jig. Even when the invention of No. 6 is connected, the outer shape of the casing can be kept elongated and flat.
Therefore, according to the sixth invention, the tire deterioration status measuring device connected to the holding jig can be easily inserted and removed into the gap between the tire and its cover or the gap between the tire and its drive mechanism. .
Therefore, according to the sixth invention, it is possible to improve the operability of the tire deterioration condition measuring instrument when connected to the holding jig.

According to the seventh invention, in order to evaluate the deterioration state of the tire, the work of measuring the depth of the groove of the tire and the work of taking images of the inside of the groove and the side surfaces of the tire are performed without relying on human hands. I can do it.
Further, according to the seventh aspect of the invention, the positional relationship between the tire deterioration state measuring device and the contact surface of the tire can be made substantially constant. Therefore, according to the seventh invention, when the tire deterioration condition measuring device is used while being held by hand, or by being placed on a mounting surface (for example, the ground surface, etc.). It is possible to reduce measurement errors when measuring the depth of the tire groove and variations in image quality when capturing images of the interior of the tire groove and the side surfaces of the tire. As a result, the state of tire deterioration can be quantified based on measurement values with small errors and images with small variations in image quality obtained by using the seventh invention. Therefore, by using the seventh invention, it becomes possible to appropriately judge the deterioration state of the tire.
Furthermore, according to the seventh invention, the holding jig according to the seventh invention is incorporated into a mechanism that automatically supplies the tire removed from the wheel or the like to the measurement position and automatically discharges the measured tire. This makes it possible to completely automate the process of obtaining desired measured values and images to evaluate the state of tire deterioration.
In this case, the task of evaluating tire deterioration status can be carried out quickly and efficiently.

According to the eighth invention, the same effects as those of the seventh invention described above are obtained. Furthermore, in the eighth invention, the fact that the support arm can be slid in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole formed in the support arm means that the length of the support arm from the pivot position can be changed as desired.
Therefore, according to the eighth invention, by changing the length of the support arm from the pivot position as desired, the window of the tire deterioration status measuring device can be placed on the ground contact surface of each tire even when the diameters of the tires are different. Can be held in contact or in close proximity.
As a result, according to the eighth invention, it is possible to provide a holding jig that is highly versatile for tire diameters.

According to the ninth invention, it is possible to achieve a combination of the effects of each of the first to sixth inventions described above and the effects of the seventh or eighth invention described above.
That is, according to the ninth invention, the tire deterioration condition measuring device can not only be used as an installed type tire deterioration condition measuring device, but also can be used as a handy type tire deterioration condition measuring device by removing the tire deterioration condition measuring device from the holding jig. It can also be used as
Therefore, according to the ninth invention, the versatility of the tire deterioration state measuring device which is each of the first to sixth inventions can be improved.

1 is a perspective view of the tire deterioration condition measuring instrument according to Example 1 of the present invention, seen from the measurement surface side. 1 is a sectional view of a housing of a tire deterioration condition measuring instrument according to Example 1 of the present invention. (a) It is a perspective view of the tire deterioration condition measuring device according to Example 1 of the present invention, viewed from the measurement surface side, and (b) is a perspective view of the same tire deterioration condition measuring device, viewed from the back side. FIG. 2 is a side view showing one usage state of the tire deterioration condition measuring device according to Example 1 of the present invention. (a) It is a front view of a tire deterioration condition measuring device formed by installing the tire deterioration condition measuring device according to Example 1 of the present invention on a holding jig according to Example 2 of the present invention, and (b) the same device. FIG. (a) It is a front view of a tire deterioration state measuring device formed by installing a tire deterioration state measuring device according to Example 1 of the present invention on a holding jig according to a modification of Example 2 of the present invention, and (b ) is a side view of the same device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A tire deterioration state measuring instrument, a jig for holding the same, and a tire deterioration state measuring device comprising these according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Examples 1 and 2.

First, the internal structure and external shape of a tire deterioration status measuring instrument according to Example 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view (partial view of main parts) of a tire deterioration state measuring instrument according to Example 1 of the present invention, as seen from the measurement surface side. Moreover, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the housing of the tire deterioration condition measuring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The tire deterioration condition measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment is an instrument for measuring the deterioration condition of a tire. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 has a window 3 (see FIGS. (see) on the measurement surface 4; a distance measuring sensor 9 that is provided in the housing 2 at a position facing the window 3 and slides in a direction across the groove 18 of the tire 16; Similarly, a light source 10 for illumination and an imaging device 11 are provided in the housing 2 at a position facing the window 3 and slide in a direction across the groove 18 of the tire 16, and the distance measuring sensor 9, the light source 10, and the imaging device 11 are provided. It is provided with a slide mechanism (slider 13) for sliding the device 11.
Furthermore, in the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment described above, the imaging device 11 and the light source 10 are separated from the tire 16 beyond the edge 16a of the ground contact surface 17 of the tire 16, as shown in FIG. configured to slide into position.

In the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment, the motors and the like that drive the slide mechanism (slider 13) that slides the distance measurement sensor 9, light source 10, and imaging device 11 are as shown in FIG. It is stored in the housing 2. Alternatively, in the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, the motor etc. that drive the slide mechanism (slider 13) are arranged outside the housing 2, and the motor etc. are stored in a case (not shown). This case can also be used as the connection part 7, which will be explained in detail later.
Further, the slide mechanism in the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment may be configured such that the slider 13 moves back and forth on the guide rail 14, as shown in FIG. 1, for example.

The tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment as described above includes a light source 10 and an imaging device 11 in addition to the distance measuring sensor 9, and as shown in FIG. Since the distance measuring sensor 9 is configured to slide beyond the edge 16a of the ground contact surface 17 of the tire 16 to a position away from the tire 16, the depth of the groove 18 formed in the ground contact surface 17 of the tire 16 can be measured by the distance measuring sensor 9. When measuring, the imaging device 11 can also image the interior of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the side surface 16b of the tire 16 (the surface when the tire 16 is viewed from the direction of its rotational axis).
In addition, in the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment, when the imaging device 11 images the side surface 16b of the tire 16, the light emitted from the light source 10 is used to capture the inside of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the side surface 16b of the tire 16. can illuminate. In this case, compared to the case where the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment does not include the light source 10, the brightness when imaging the inside of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the side surface 16b of the tire 16 is uneven. can be prevented from becoming In other words, since the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment includes the light source 10, it is possible to prevent large variations in the image quality of images captured by the imaging device 11.
In this case, the image captured by the imaging device 11 of the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment is analyzed using, for example, the method disclosed in the patent publication by the applicant mentioned above. , it is possible to improve the accuracy of analysis when determining the distribution of crack occurrence within the groove portion 18 of the tire 16 and on the side surface 16b of the tire 16.

Generally, as the rubber forming the tire 16 progresses to deteriorate, cracks occur on the side surface 16b of the tire 16. The greater the length and depth of this crack, the more the tire 16 has deteriorated.
Therefore, when measuring the deterioration status of the tire 16, it is not only necessary to check whether there are cracks on the side surface 16b of the tire 16, but also to understand in detail the extent of the crack (length and depth). There is a need to.
Therefore, according to the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, the wear state of the contact surface 17 of the tire 16 can be grasped by measuring the depth of the groove portion 18 of the tire 16. In addition, according to the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, after the image capturing device 11 captures images of the inside of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the side surface 16b of the tire 16 while irradiating light using the light source 10. By analyzing this image using, for example, the method disclosed in the aforementioned patent publication by the applicant, it is possible to grasp the distribution of crack occurrence within the groove 18 of the tire 16 and on the side surface 16b of the tire 16. can do. As a result, it becomes possible to accurately evaluate the deterioration status of the rubber of the tire 16.
Therefore, according to the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment, from the remaining amount of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the occurrence of cracks in the groove 18 of the tire 16 and on the side surface 16b of the tire 16, It becomes possible to evaluate whether the tire 16 has recyclable quality.
In this case, since tires 16 whose deterioration has not progressed can be extracted, recycling thereof can be promoted. Thereby, the total amount of tires 16 to be discarded can be reduced. As a result, the environmental burden associated with the disposal of the tires 16 can be reduced.
Therefore, according to the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide a tire deterioration state measuring device that has a simple structure but has excellent performance.

Furthermore, in the tire deterioration condition measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a table 12 formed by bending a flat plate, for example, is attached to a slider 13 (slide mechanism) that slides within the housing 2. The distance measuring sensor 9, the light source 10, and the imaging device 11 may be installed on the surface of the table 12 facing the window 3 (optional components).
In this case, the mechanisms for sliding the ranging sensor 9, the light source 10, and the imaging device 11 in the direction across the groove 18 of the tire 16 within the housing 2 can be consolidated and simplified. Note that the table 12 does not need to be a bent plate, and may be a simple flat plate.
Further, in the tire deterioration state measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment, a sensor may be used to reliably stop the slider 13 to which the table 12 is attached at the end of the guide rail 14.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, the table 12 is provided with an origin sensor 15a that moves together with the imaging device 11, etc., and furthermore, a forward limit sensor 15b is provided on one end side of the guide rail 14; A rearward limit sensor 15c may be provided at each end of the rail 14 (optional component).
In this case, the current position of the table 12 on the guide rail 14 can be determined, for example, based on the detection values of the sensors (origin sensor 15a, forward limit sensor 15b, and backward limit sensor 15c). This makes it possible to control the position of the table 12 on the guide rail 14 as desired.

Alternatively, instead of using the origin sensor 15a, forward limit sensor 15b, and backward limit sensor 15c as described above as the position control mechanism for the table 12, for example, a proximity sensor (not shown) may be provided (optional). Component). In this case, since the operation of the slider 13 can be controlled based on the signal from the proximity sensor, the sliding mechanism of the table 12 can be simplified. Note that the object to be detected by the proximity sensor may be the inner surface of the housing 2. Alternatively, if the inner surface of the casing 2 is not located at a suitable position for detection by the proximity sensor, a partition wall may be provided inside the casing 2 so that the slider 13 approaches the end of the guide rail 14. What is necessary is just to configure it so that it can be detected by a proximity sensor.
Therefore, when the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment includes the table 12, the control mechanism and internal structure of the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 can be further simplified. Since the structure of the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment is simple, not only can the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 be made lighter in weight, but also it can be made less likely to cause problems during its use. In addition, even if a problem should occur during use of the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment, maintenance thereof is easy.

Next, the detailed structure of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 in addition to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 3(a) is a perspective view of the tire deterioration condition measuring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the measurement surface side, and FIG. 3(b) is a perspective view of the same tire deterioration condition measuring device viewed from the back side. be. Note that the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description of the structure thereof will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 2 of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment has a back surface 6 arranged parallel to the measurement surface 4, and an angle θ with respect to the measurement surface 4 of 35° to 57°. It has two installation surfaces 5a and 5b within the range of .
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, in the case 2 of the tire deterioration state measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment, the distance H from the measurement surface 4 to the back surface 6 is the distance sensor 9 of the case 2, the light source 10, or When the length L of the measurement surface 4 in a vertical cross section with respect to the sliding direction of the imaging device 11 (direction from the front side to the back side of the paper in FIG. 2) is 1, it may be configured to be 0.6 or less (optional). selection component).
In this case, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outer shape of the housing 2 can be made flat. As described above, since the housing 2 of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment is flat, there is a gap between the tire 16 and its cover (not shown) or a gap between the tire 16 and its drive mechanism (not shown). It becomes easy to insert and remove the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 into the gap in the above.
Furthermore, since the housing 2 of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the embodiment includes the installation surfaces 5a and 5b, the installation surface 5a or the installation surface 5b can be used as a mounting surface (for example, as shown in FIG. The depth of the groove 18 of the tire 16 can be measured by the tire deterioration condition measuring instrument 1 without manual intervention by placing the tire 16 in contact with the ground surface 20 etc. shown in FIG. The imaging device 11 can image the inner and side surfaces 16b.

A method of measuring the depth of the groove portion 18 of the tire 16 using the installation surfaces 5a and 5b of the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing one usage state of the tire deterioration condition measuring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description of the structure thereof will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 4, the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment is used by being placed with the installation surface 5a (or installation surface 5b) of the housing 2 in contact with the ground surface 20. I can do it.
In this case, by setting the angle θ of the installation surface 5a (or installation surface 5b) with respect to the measurement surface 4 within the range of 35° to 57°, the diameter size of the tire 16 is particularly 400 mm (θ=57°). -1000 mm (θ=35°), it is possible to reduce the measurement error that occurs when measuring the depth of the groove portion 18 of the tire 16 using the distance measuring sensor 9.
Note that when using the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment with the installation surface 5a (or installation surface 5b) in contact with the ground surface 20, the contact surface 17 of the tire 16 and the window portion 3 of the housing 2 are Other parts of the housing 2 need to be sized so that they touch or are as close as possible.

To explain this point in more detail, as shown in FIG. If the center 19 of the tire 16 is on the path of the laser emitted from the distance sensor 9 when the tire 16 contacts or approaches the ground contact surface 17, no measurement error will occur when measuring the depth of the groove 18. .
On the other hand, in the state shown in FIG. The measurement error when measuring depth increases.
For example, when the diameter of the tire 16 is 600 mm, if the angle θ of the installation surface 5a (or installation surface 5b) with respect to the measurement surface 4 is 43 degrees, there will be a measurement error when measuring the depth of the groove 18 of the tire 16. theoretically almost never occurs.
On the other hand, using the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 in which the angle θ of the installation surface 5a (or installation surface 5b) with respect to the measurement surface 4 is set to 43 degrees, the depth of the groove portion 18 of the tire 16 with a diameter larger or smaller than 600 mm is measured. When measuring the tire diameter, a slight measurement error occurs depending on the diameter size of the tire 16, so it is desirable to correct the measured value depending on the required accuracy.
Therefore, in the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment, by setting the angle θ of the installation surface 5a (or installation surface 5b) to the measurement surface 4 within the range of 35° to 57°, the diameter can be adjusted. It is possible to provide a tire deterioration status measuring instrument suitable for measuring the depth of the groove portion 18 of the tire 16 within the range of 400 to 1000 mm.

Furthermore, the housing 2 of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment has two installation surfaces (installation surfaces 5a and 5b). However, in the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, the angle θ of the installation surface (installation surfaces 5a, 5b) with respect to the measurement surface 4 does not need to be specified to one type, and may be two different types.
That is, the housing 2 of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment has an installation surface 5a (see the previous figure) whose angle θ with respect to the measurement surface 4 is θ ₁ ° (35°≦θ ₁ ≦57°). 2) and an installation surface 5b (see Fig. 2 above) whose angle θ with respect to the measurement surface 4 is θ ₂ ° (however, 35°≦θ ₁ <θ ₂ ≦57°). (optional component).
In this _case , when measurement is performed using the installation surface 5a, the distance (minimum The tire 16 has a diameter size such that the distance (distance) is approximately zero, that is, the tire 16 has a diameter size such that the center 19 of the tire 16 is on the path of the laser emitted from the distance measurement sensor 9 (the first tire size ) can minimize measurement errors when measuring the depth of the groove portion 18.
Furthermore, when measurement is performed using the installation surface 5b, when the angle θ with respect to the measurement surface 4 is θ ₂ degrees, the distance (shortest distance ) is approximately zero when measuring the depth of the groove 18 of the tire 16 (second tire size).
In other words, if the housing 2 of the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment is provided with two types of installation surfaces 5a and 5b having different angles θ with respect to the measurement surface 4, two specific tire sizes It is possible to minimize measurement errors when measuring the depths of the groove portions 18 of (the first tire size and the second tire size).

Further, in the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, the cross section of the housing 2 (the vertical cross section with respect to the sliding direction of the distance measuring sensor 9, the light source 10, or the imaging device 11) is approximately

outside 2

形状（上記図形と略同様の形状）をなすよう構成してもよい（任意選択構成要素）。ただし、上記断面において最も長い辺が計測面４である。
なお、ここで筐体２の断面形状を「略」としているのは、上述の通り、計測面４に対する設置面（設置面５ａ，５ｂ）の角度θが２種類存在する場合があり、この場合、筐体２の断面形状が厳密な線対称をなさない場合があるためである。
そして、実施例１に係るタイヤ劣化状況計測器１の筐体２が上記断面形状を有する場合は、作業者がタイヤ劣化状況計測器１における計測面４以外の面を手のひらに把持した状態で使用する際に、筐体２の外形を作業者の手の平にフィットさせることができる。
この場合、実施例１に係るタイヤ劣化状況計測器１を用いてタイヤ１６の溝部１８の深さを計測する際に、作業者の手の疲労を軽減できることで作業者の身体的な負担を軽減することができる。さらに、作業者がタイヤ１６の溝部１８の深さの計測作業中に、誤ってタイヤ劣化状況計測器１を落下させてしまうリスクを低減することもできる。
したがって、実施例１に係るタイヤ劣化状況計測器１の断面形状を上述のように特定することで、その操作性を向上させることができる。

It may be configured to have a shape (substantially the same shape as the above figure) (optional component). However, the longest side in the cross section is the measurement surface 4.
Note that the cross-sectional shape of the housing 2 is referred to as "approximately" here because, as mentioned above, there may be two types of angles θ of the installation surface (installation surfaces 5a, 5b) with respect to the measurement surface 4. This is because the cross-sectional shape of the housing 2 may not have strict line symmetry.
When the housing 2 of the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment has the above-mentioned cross-sectional shape, the operator should use the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 while holding the surface other than the measurement surface 4 in the palm of the hand. When doing so, the outer shape of the casing 2 can be made to fit the palm of the worker's hand.
In this case, when measuring the depth of the groove 18 of the tire 16 using the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, the fatigue of the worker's hands can be reduced, thereby reducing the physical burden on the worker. can do. Furthermore, it is also possible to reduce the risk that the operator accidentally drops the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 while measuring the depth of the groove portion 18 of the tire 16.
Therefore, by specifying the cross-sectional shape of the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment as described above, the operability thereof can be improved.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment may be provided with a handle 8 at the end of the housing 2 as necessary (optional). selection component).
In this case, the operability and portability of the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 can be improved compared to the case where the housing 2 of the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 does not include the handle 8.
Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment is equipped with a For example, a rod-shaped connection 7 (optional component) may be provided at the end (the end without the handle 8).
In this case, it becomes possible to use the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment using a holding jig shown in a later stage (see the holding jig 26A in FIG. 5 in a later stage).
In this embodiment, the case where the case 2 of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 is provided with both the handle 8 and the connection part 7 is described as an example; 7 may be provided.

Next, a holding jig according to a second embodiment for holding the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5(a) is a front view of a tire deterioration condition measuring device in which the tire deterioration condition measuring device according to Example 1 of the present invention is installed on a holding jig according to Example 2 of the present invention, and (b) ) is a side view of the device. Note that the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description of the structure thereof will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 5, for example, the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment includes a support 22 erected on the mounting surface 21, and is pivoted on the support 22, and is provided with a support in the axial direction of the support 22. It may also be constituted by a support arm 23 whose angle can be changed as desired.
Furthermore, in the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment as shown in FIG. It is used by being attached so as to be in contact with or close to the ground contact surface 17 of the tire 16.

In addition, as a method of attaching the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment to the support arm 23 of the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment, for example, distance measurement is performed in the case 2 of the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1. A rod-shaped connecting portion 7 may be provided on at least one of the end faces of the sensor 9, the light source 10, or the imaging device 11 in the sliding direction, and this connecting portion 7 may be attached directly or indirectly to the support arm 23.
More specifically, when the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment is directly attached to the support arm 23, the support arm 23 may be fixed using a fixture (not shown) such as a bolt. Alternatively, when the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment is indirectly installed on the support arm 23, for example, as shown in FIG. A telescoping mechanism 25 extending and contracting in parallel to the sliding direction (see) may be provided as a fixture on the support arm 23, and the connecting portion 7 of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 may be connected to this telescoping mechanism 25.
Further, even if the connecting portion 7 and the expansion/contraction mechanism 25 are not provided, the housing 2 of the tire deterioration condition measuring instrument 1 may be fixed to the support arm 23 using a fixing device (not shown) such as a bolt. .
Note that the method of installing the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment on the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment does not need to be specified as described above, and for example, the method of installing the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment on the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned method. A clamping tool (not shown) for clamping the pair of vertically formed side surfaces 31, 31 may be provided on the support arm 23 as a fixture.
Further, a two-tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment is obtained by integrally attaching the tire deterioration state measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment to the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment.

According to the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment as described above, the tire deterioration according to the first embodiment can be maintained in the most suitable state for measuring the depth of the groove 18 formed in the contact surface 17 of the tire 16. A situation measuring instrument 1 can be held.
In this case, the positional relationship between the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment and the tire 16 that is the measurement target thereof can be maintained in an appropriate state. In this case, it is possible to prevent a measurement error from occurring when measuring the depth of the groove portion 18 of the tire 16 due to an inappropriate positional relationship between the tire 16 and the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment. be able to.
Therefore, according to the device in which the tire deterioration state measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment is installed on the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment, that is, the tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment, the first embodiment The measurement accuracy of the depth of the groove portion 18 of the tire 16 by the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 can be improved.
In addition, when the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment is appropriately held by the holding jig 26A, the imaging device 11 images the condition of the inside of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the side surface 16b of the tire 16. In this case, the positional relationship between the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 and the tire 16 can be made substantially constant. In this case, variations in quality of images captured by the imaging device 11 can be reduced. As a result, the image captured by the imaging device 11 is analyzed by, for example, the method disclosed in the above-mentioned patent publication by the applicant of the present invention. It is possible to improve the accuracy when quantifying and understanding the distribution of crack occurrence.

Further, in the tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment, a support arm 23 is pivotally mounted on the support column 22, as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the angle of the support arm 23 with respect to the axial direction of the support column 22 can be changed as desired.
This means that by using the tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment, the depth of the groove 18 at a desired position on the contact surface 17 of the tire 16 can be adjusted under substantially the same conditions without rotating the tire 16. This means that in addition to this operation, the state of the inside of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the side surface 16b of the tire 16 can also be imaged by the imaging device 11.
Therefore, according to the tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment, the depth of the groove portion 18 can be measured with high accuracy at a desired position on the ground contact surface 17 of the tire 16, and furthermore, at that time, the imaging device By analyzing the image taken by the tire 11, the deterioration state of the rubber of the tire 16 can be quantified and accurately evaluated.
As a result, according to the holding jig 26A (tire deterioration state measuring device 27A) according to the second embodiment, the deterioration state of the tire 16 as a whole can be more accurately grasped, thereby making it possible to recycle the tire 16. It becomes possible to appropriately evaluate whether or not there is a problem, or whether or not it is possible to drive safely.

Further, in the holding jig 26A (tire deterioration state measuring device 27A) according to the second embodiment, the support arm 23 may be provided with a long hole 23a, as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). optional component). In this case, the support arm 23 is pivotally mounted on the support column 22 by a pivot 24a (shaft of the bolt 24) inserted into a long hole 23a formed in the support arm 23.
When the support arm 23 is provided with the elongated hole 23a, the support arm 23 can be slid in the longitudinal direction of the elongated hole 23a.
In this case, in the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment (tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment), the distance from the installation position of the bolt 24 to the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment is measured. It can be changed steplessly.
As a result, the deterioration status of tires 16 of various diameter sizes can be measured using one holding jig 26A.
Therefore, according to the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment (the tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment), the versatility of the holding jig 26A with respect to the diameter of the tire 16 can be increased.

In addition, when the diameter of the tire 16 to be measured in the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment (the tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment) changes, the mounting position of the pivot 24a on the support column 22 is changed to the tire 16. It is necessary to change the position of the bearing 32 of the pivot 24a on the support column 22 in order to match the center of rotation of the pivot 24a. Therefore, the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment includes a sliding structure of a bearing 32 on the support column 22.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, a scale 33 may be provided along the long side of the support column 22, and a scale 34 may also be provided in the elongated hole 23a of the support arm 23 (optional component). .
In this case, the scale 33 provided on the support column 22 is set such that, for example, the position of the mounting surface 21 is zero and the numerical value of the scale 33 increases as it goes vertically upward. Further, the scale 34 provided on the support arm 23 is set such that, for example, the position of the measurement surface 4 on the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 is set to zero, and the value on the scale 33 increases as the distance from the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 increases. There is.
In this way, when the strut 22 and the support arm 23 are provided with the scale 33 and the scale 34, when the diameter of the tire 16 to be measured changes, it is necessary to change the position of the bearing 32 on the strut 22, and to prevent tire deterioration. The work of changing the distance from the measurement surface 4 of the situation measuring device 1 to the ball axis 24a can be easily and accurately performed.
Furthermore, when the diameter size of the tire 16 to be set on the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment is determined in advance, the reference line indicating the installation position of the pivot shaft 24a according to the size of each tire 16 is set on the scale 33 or Instead of the scale 34, it may be provided on the support column 22 or the support arm 23 (optional component; not shown).

Alternatively, instead of making the position of the bearing 32 on the support column 22 changeable, the center of the tire 16 (center 19; see FIG. 4) and the center of the pivot shaft 24a may be aligned and fixed in advance while the tire 16 is being fixed. A plurality of tire holding structures (not shown) for holding the tire may be provided depending on the tire diameter (optional component).

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment (the tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment) includes the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, A telescoping mechanism 25 may be provided between the support arms 23 of the holding jig 26A (optional component).
In this case, even when two tires 16 are installed in parallel, the expansion and contraction mechanism 25 is used to bring the tire 16 located away from the support arm 23 into contact with or close to the ground contact surface 17 of the tire 16 according to the first embodiment. A tire deterioration status measuring device 1 can be provided.
In other words, the length of the measurement surface 4 of the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1 according to the first embodiment (the length in the central axis direction of the guide rail 14 (see FIG. 1)) is the same as that of the groove 18 in the width of a single tire 16. Even if the setting is suitable for depth measurement, the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 can be used to measure two tires installed side by side, such as those used on the rear wheels of trucks, as shown in Fig. 5(b). The depth of each of the 16 grooves 18 can be measured.
Therefore, when the holding jig 26A according to the second embodiment (the tire deterioration state measuring device 27A according to the second embodiment) includes the expansion and contraction mechanism 25, the convenience of the holding jig 26A can be further improved.

Finally, a modification of the holding jig according to a modification of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6.
FIG. 6(a) is a front view of a tire deterioration measuring device in which the tire deterioration measuring device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is installed on a holding jig according to a modification of the second embodiment of the present invention. , (b) are side views of the same device. Note that the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description of the structure thereof will be omitted.
The holding jig 26B (tire deterioration state measuring device 27B) according to the modification of the second embodiment may include a rotation mechanism for rotating the tire 16 to be measured in its circumferential direction (optional configuration). element).
As shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), this rotation mechanism includes, for example, a pedestal 28 that holds the support column 22 in an upright state, and a roller 29 that is provided on the pedestal 28 and rotates the tire 16 in its circumferential direction. It may also be provided with the following. Although not particularly shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the above-described rotation mechanism further includes a drive mechanism that rotates the roller 29 at a desired speed.

In the holding jig 26B (tire deterioration state measuring device 27B) according to the modification of the second embodiment as described above, the measured values necessary for evaluating the deterioration state of the tire 16 by the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 are used. By sequentially repeating the operation of obtaining an image and the operation of rotating the tire 16 in the circumferential direction by a desired amount after this operation, the depth of the groove 18 in the entire circumferential direction of the tire 16 can be measured without manual intervention. Additionally, images of the inside of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the side surface 16b of the tire 16 can be captured.
Therefore, according to the holding jig 26B (tire deterioration state measuring device 27B) according to the modified example of the second embodiment, desired measured values and images are acquired in order to evaluate the deterioration state of the tire 16 removed from the wheel. Work can be fully automated.
In addition, in the holding jig 26B (tire deterioration state measuring device 27B) according to the modification of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6, in order to rotate the tire 16, the angle of the support arm 23 with respect to the central axis of the support column 22 is changed. There's no need. Therefore, in the holding jig 26B (tire deterioration state measuring device 27B) according to the modification of the second embodiment, the center axis of the pivot 24a (bolt 24) and the rotation center of the tire 16 do not necessarily have to coincide. .

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the holding jig 26B (tire deterioration measuring device 27B) according to the modification of the second embodiment adjusts the measurement conditions etc. by the tire deterioration measuring device 1 as necessary. An input section that can input input, an output section that can output the measurement results by the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 as necessary, and a measurement error correction etc. for the measurement results by the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 as necessary. A control box 30 is provided integrally with the pedestal 28 or separately, which stores an arithmetic processing unit that can perform the operation, a control unit that controls the rotation and stop of the roller 29, etc. alone or in combination as necessary. (optional component). Although not particularly shown, the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment uses the measurement value measured by the distance measuring sensor 9 and the image data captured by the imaging device 11. A transmitting means (a connector connection section, wireless communication equipment, etc.) is provided to enable transmission to the outside (for example, the control box 30, etc.) by wire or wirelessly.
According to the holding jig 26B (tire deterioration state measuring device 27B) according to the modification of the second embodiment, it is possible to automate the work of acquiring measurement values and images necessary for evaluating the deterioration state of the tire 16. and can change the settings of the measurement conditions and imaging conditions, or can output analysis results based on the measurement values and images obtained by the tire deterioration status measuring instrument 1, or can output the measurement results and analysis results as necessary. It is possible to provide a high-performance installation type tire deterioration state measuring device that can make corrections accordingly or can control the operation of each part of the holding jig 26B as desired.

In addition, in FIG. 6(b), the holding jig 26B according to the modified example of the second embodiment is installed with the side surface of the tire deterioration condition measuring instrument 1 having the handle 8 disposed on the support column 22 side. has been done. This is because the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the present embodiment does not have the window portion 3 on the side of the measurement surface 4 where the connection portion 7 is arranged, as shown in FIG. 3(a). It is.
Further, as shown in FIG. 6(b), a conventionally known fixing device (not shown) such as a bolt can be used to directly attach the tire to the support arm 23 of the holding jig 26B according to the modification of the second embodiment. A situation measuring instrument 1 may be installed (optional component). In this way, in order to install the tire deterioration condition measuring instrument 1 on the holding jig 26B without using the connecting part 7, for example, attach the shaft of the bolt to the desired position of the casing 2 of the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1. It is sufficient to provide a hole for receiving it.
Therefore, when configuring the holding jig 26B according to the modification of the second embodiment so that the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 can be installed without using the connection part 7, the case 2 of the casing 2 without the connection part 7 is configured. Since the holding jig 26B can be connected to the outer surface, the convenience of the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 can be further improved.
Although not particularly shown, in the case where the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment has the window portion 3 over almost the entire length of the measuring surface 4, the holding jig shown in FIG. 6(b) is used. The connecting portion 7 of the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 can be connected to the support arm 23 of the tool 26B.

As described above, according to the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, in addition to measuring the depth of the groove 18 formed on the contact surface 17 of the tire 16, the inside of the groove 18 of the tire 16 and the inside of the tire 16 can be measured. It is possible to provide a tire deterioration status measuring device that can also acquire images used to analyze the distribution of crack occurrence on the side surface 16b.
Furthermore, according to the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment, the tire deterioration status measuring device 1 is a highly versatile tire that can be used as a handy type measuring device or as an installation type measuring device that is placed on the ground surface 20 or the like. A deterioration status measuring device can be provided.
In addition, in this embodiment, the case where the connection part 7 and the handle 8 of the tire deterioration condition measuring device 1 according to Example 1 are respectively provided on the longitudinal end surface of the housing 2 is described as an example, but the connection The installation positions of the portion 7 and the handle 8 do not need to be specified to the positions shown in the drawings of the present application, and may be provided at desired positions of the housing 2 as necessary.
In addition, the tire deterioration state measuring device 1 according to the first embodiment as described above can be attached to the holding jigs 26A, 26B according to the second embodiment and used as the tire deterioration state measuring devices 27A, 27B. It can also be used as a stationary type of equipment that can measure the deterioration status of the tires 16 fully automatically without requiring manual intervention.

As explained above, the present invention can measure the depth of the groove formed on the contact surface of a tire, and also obtain images used for analyzing the distribution of crack occurrence within the tire groove and on the side surfaces of the tire. The present invention provides a tire deterioration state measuring instrument that can be used, a holding jig for holding the same, and a tire deterioration state measuring device comprising these devices, and can be used in technical fields related to transportation or its maintenance.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Tire deterioration condition measuring instrument 2... Housing 3... Window part 4... Measurement surface 5a, 5b... Installation surface 6... Back side 7... Connection part 8... Handle 9... Distance sensor 10... Light source 11... Imaging device 12... Table 13...Slider 14...Guide rail 15a...Origin sensor 15a 15b...Advance limit sensor 15c...Reverse limit sensor 16...Tire 16a...Edge 16b...Side surface 17...Touching surface 18...Groove 19...Center 20...Ground surface 21...Placement Surface 22... Support arm 23... Long hole 24... Bolt 24a... Pivot 25... Expanding mechanism 26A, 26B... Holding jig 27A, 27B... Tire deterioration status measuring device 28... Pedestal 29... Roller 30... Control box 31 ...Side surface 32...Bearing 33, 34...Scale

Claims (3)

An instrument for measuring the deterioration status of tires,
a casing whose measurement surface includes a window portion disposed in contact with or close to the ground contact surface of the tire;
a light source for illumination provided in the housing at a position facing the window and sliding in a direction across the groove of the tire;
an imaging device that is provided within the housing at a position facing the window and that slides in a direction across the groove of the tire;
a table on which the light source and the imaging device are placed, and which slides in a direction across the groove of the tire;
A slide mechanism that slides the table,
The casing is
A cross section perpendicular to the sliding direction of the imaging device or the light source has a hexagonal shape obtained by cutting out two corners on one long side of a rectangle,
In the vertical cross section, the measurement surface is the longest side,
The distance from the measurement surface to the back surface arranged opposite to this measurement surface is 0.6 or less when the length of the measurement surface in the vertical cross section is 1,
The imaging device and the light source are
placed adjacent to each other,
A tire deterioration status measuring instrument, characterized in that it slides together with the table to a position away from the tire beyond the edge of the ground contact surface of the tire while maintaining these positional relationships . 2. The housing has a back surface parallel to the measurement surface, and two installation surfaces having an angle θ in a range of 35° to 57° with respect to the measurement surface. tire deterioration status measuring device. The two installation surfaces are
a first installation surface where the angle θ is θ ₁ ;
a second installation surface where the angle θ is θ ₂ ;
The tire deterioration status measuring instrument according to claim 2, wherein the angle θ ₁ and the angle θ ₂ satisfy 35°≦θ ₁ <θ ₂ ≦57°.

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