System and method capable of automatically identifying and turning over tire

Abstract

The invention provides a system and a method capable of automatically identifying and overturning tires. The system comprises a control system, a conveying and positioning mechanism, an overturning executing mechanism and a sensor system, the control system comprises a PLC and an AI visual identification system, and the AI visual identification system is used for identifying tire types and sending identification results to the PLC; the conveying and positioning mechanism comprises a roller bed and a stopper, and the stopper is used for positioning a tire; the overturning executing mechanism comprises a supporting frame, an air cylinder assembly and an overturning motor and is used for controlling lifting, overturning and clamping or releasing of the embracing arms according to a PLC instruction. By integrating AI visual identification and sensor technologies, the system can automatically distinguish spare tire types (full-size / non-full-size) and intelligently decide whether to execute overturning operation or not, compatible processing of different types of spare tires is achieved, the limitation that an original system turns over once a tire is seen is overcome, the manual intervention requirement is remarkably reduced, and the working efficiency is improved. And the automation and intelligence level of the production line is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of intelligent manufacturing, and more specifically, to a system and method capable of automatically identifying and flipping tires. Background Technology

[0002] In the final assembly process of automobile manufacturing, the automated installation of spare tires is a crucial step on the production line. Traditional automatic tire flipping devices are typically designed for non-full-size spare tires. Their typical workflow involves the spare tire being transported to a designated flipping station via a roller bed. A signal is triggered by a positioning switch, and the PLC control system, upon receiving the signal, drives the actuator to complete a 180° flip. Finally, a robotic arm picks up and installs the tire. However, this traditional design has significant limitations: it cannot automatically distinguish between full-size and non-full-size spare tires. Since full-size spare tires can be installed directly without flipping, existing equipment lacks type recognition capabilities. This necessitates manual intervention for every full-size spare tire encountered, severely restricting overall production efficiency, increasing labor costs, and making it incompatible with highly automated vehicle assembly processes. Therefore, a new system is urgently needed that can automatically identify spare tire types and intelligently decide whether to perform a flipping operation based on the identification results, overcoming the shortcomings of existing technologies such as poor adaptability, reliance on manual labor, and low production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a system and method that can automatically identify and flip tires, regardless of the type of spare tire (full-size or non-full-size spare tire), and can select spare tires for flipping, greatly improving tire flipping efficiency and increasing the level of intelligence.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned technical effects, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a system capable of automatically identifying and flipping a tire is provided, comprising a control system, a conveying and positioning mechanism, a flipping actuator, and a sensor system;

[0006] The control system includes a programmable logic controller (PLC) and an AI vision recognition system. The AI ​​vision recognition system is located upstream of the tire conveyor line and is used to collect images of tires entering the preparatory station, identify the tire type, and send the recognition results to the PLC.

[0007] The conveying and positioning mechanism includes a roller bed and a stopper. The roller bed is used to convey tires, and the stopper is set at a preset station on the roller bed. It is used to position the tires at the flipping station under PLC control. When the stopper is raised, it blocks and positions the tires. When the stopper is lowered, the tires can continue to be conveyed forward.

[0008] The flipping actuator includes a support frame, a lifting cylinder, a clamping arm assembly, a clamping cylinder, and a flipping motor. The clamping arm assembly is used to clamp and fix the tire. The lifting cylinder is vertically mounted on the support frame and connected to the clamping arm assembly to drive it to lift and lower. The clamping cylinder is mounted on the clamping arm assembly to drive it to clamp or release the tire. The flipping motor is connected to the clamping arm assembly to drive the clamped tire to rotate.

[0009] The sensor system includes a detection switch, a limit switch, an up-to-position switch, a down-to-position switch, a release-to-position switch, a clamping-to-position switch, and a limit switch, used to detect the status of the tire and the arm assembly and transmit the detection signals to the PLC; wherein, the detection switch is used to detect whether the tire has entered the preparatory position; the up-to-position switch and the down-to-position switch are used to detect whether the arm assembly has risen and fallen to the preset position under the drive of the lifting cylinder; the release-to-position switch and the clamping-to-position switch are used to detect whether the arm assembly has clamped or released the tire under the drive of the clamping cylinder; the limit switch is used to detect whether the tire has rotated 180°.

[0010] Optionally, the flipping motor is a servo motor.

[0011] Optionally, the arm assembly includes a pair of openable clamping arms.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for automatically identifying and flipping a tire is provided, employing the above-described system, comprising the following steps:

[0013] Step 1: The tires enter the preparation station. The AI ​​vision recognition system collects images and identifies the type of the tires on the conveyor line and sends the recognition results to the PLC.

[0014] Step 2: The PLC determines whether the tire is full-size or non-full-size and issues a command to control the roller bed to rotate, transporting the tire forward. The tire is then transported to the flipping station.

[0015] Step 3: If the tire is not full-size, the PLC controls the stopper to rise, blocking and positioning the tire. Then, it controls the roller bed to stop rotating and controls the tilting actuator to perform the following tilting operations: The lifting cylinder is activated, lowering the clamping arm assembly to the clamping position; the clamping cylinder is activated, clamping the tire with the clamping arm assembly; the lifting cylinder is activated again, raising the clamping arm assembly and tire to the tilting height; the tilting motor is started, driving the clamping arm assembly and tire to rotate 180°; after rotation, the lifting cylinder is lowered, placing the tire back on the roller bed; the clamping cylinder is activated to release the clamping arm assembly, releasing the tire; the clamping arm assembly is activated to rise and return to its initial position.

[0016] If the tire is full size, the PLC controls the stopper to descend and the roller bed to rotate, allowing the tire to pass directly through the flipping station.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] The system and method provided by this invention integrate AI visual recognition and sensor technology. The system can automatically distinguish the type of spare tire (full-size / non-full-size) and intelligently decide whether to perform a flipping operation. It achieves compatible processing of different types of spare tires, overcomes the limitation of the original system of "flipping as soon as a tire is seen", significantly reduces the need for manual intervention, and improves the automation and intelligence level of the production line. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a system capable of automatically identifying and flipping tires, as described in the embodiment.

[0021] The diagram shows:

[0022] 1-Rolling Bed

[0023] 2-Blocker

[0024] 3-Supporting Frame

[0025] 4-Lifting Cylinder

[0026] 5-Arm Assembly

[0027] 6-Clamping Cylinder

[0028] 7-Flip motor Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0030] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures. Furthermore, all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, bottom, etc.) in this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationships and movements between components in a specific orientation (as shown in the figures). If the specific orientation changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly. Furthermore, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., in this application are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a system capable of automatically identifying and flipping tires, including a control system, a conveying and positioning mechanism, a flipping actuator, and a sensor system, wherein:

[0033] The control system includes a programmable logic controller (PLC) and an AI vision recognition system. The PLC, as the core control unit of the system, receives and processes all input signals and issues control commands to the lower actuators. The AI ​​vision recognition system is located upstream of the tire conveyor line to acquire tire images, identify and determine in real time whether the tire is "full-size" or "non-full-size," and send the recognition result signal to the PLC.

[0034] The conveying and positioning mechanism includes a roller bed 1 and a stopper 2, wherein the roller bed 1 is used to receive and convey tires. The stopper 2 is set at a specific station on the roller bed and is controlled by a PLC to accurately position the conveyed tires at the flipping station.

[0035] The tilting actuator includes a support frame 3, a lifting cylinder 4, a clamping arm assembly 5, a clamping cylinder 6, a tilting motor 7, and a limit switch. The support frame 3 is fixedly installed at the tilting station, serving as the foundation for the entire mechanism. The lifting cylinder 4 is vertically fixed to the support frame 3, and its piston rod is connected to the clamping arm assembly 5, enabling the assembly to move up and down. The clamping arm assembly 5 is located at the end of the piston rod of the lifting cylinder 4 and employs a pair of openable and closable clamping arms. The clamping cylinder 6 is mounted on the clamping arm assembly 5 and drives the clamping arms to perform the action of clamping or releasing the tire. The tilting motor 7 is connected to the clamping arm assembly 5 and is preferably a servo motor, enabling precise 180° rotation of the clamped tire, resulting in higher stability and reliability, and a faster cycle time. The limit switch detects whether the tire has rotated to the correct position (180°) and sends a corresponding signal to the control system.

[0036] The sensor system includes a detection switch, a limit switch, an up-to-position switch, a down-to-position switch, a release-to-position switch, a clamping-to-position switch, and a limit switch, used to detect the status of the tire and the arm assembly 5 and transmit the detection signals to the PLC. The detection switch detects whether the tire has entered or reached a designated pre-position, and its signal serves as one of the trigger conditions for PLC control. The up-to-position and down-to-position switches detect whether the arm assembly 5 has risen and fallen to a preset position under the drive of the lifting cylinder 4. The release-to-position and clamping-to-position switches detect whether the arm assembly clamps or releases the tire under the drive of the clamping cylinder 6. The limit switch detects whether the tire has rotated 180°.

[0037] The operating principle and process of the system provided in this embodiment are as follows:

[0038] (a) General alignment process (for all tires):

[0039] The tire enters the preparatory station. A detection switch detects the tire's arrival, and simultaneously, the AI ​​vision recognition system scans and identifies the tire, sending a type signal (full-size / non-full-size) to the PLC. The PLC integrates the two input signals and issues a command to control the roller bed 1 to rotate, transporting the tire forward. When the tire is transported to the flipping station, the PLC controls the stopper 2 to rise, blocking and positioning the tire, and then controls the roller bed 1 to stop rotating. At this time, the flipping actuator is in its initial state: the arm assembly 5 is in the released state, and the lifting cylinder 4 is in the raised position.

[0040] (II) Processing procedure for non-full-size tires:

[0041] When the PLC determines that the current tire is "non-full-size" based on the AI ​​visual signal, it initiates the flipping program. The lifting cylinder 4 actuates, driving the clamping arm assembly 5 to descend until its gripping arms completely cover both sides of the tire. Once the clamping arm assembly 5 has reached its lowered position, the clamping cylinder 6 actuates, driving the clamping arm assembly 5 to clamp the tire. After the clamping is confirmed, the lifting cylinder 4 actuates again, driving the clamped clamping arm assembly 5 to rise to a predetermined height. Once the rise is confirmed, the flipping motor 7 starts, driving the clamping arm assembly 5 and the clamped tire to rotate precisely 180 degrees. During rotation, when a limit switch is triggered (or the servo motor's encoder count reaches a set value), indicating that 180 degrees has been rotated, the flipping motor stops.

[0042] Subsequently, the lifting cylinder 4 drives the clamping arm assembly 5 to descend, smoothly placing the tire back onto the roller bed 1. After detecting that the descent is complete, the clamping cylinder 6 releases, and the clamping arm assembly 5 releases the tire. Driven by the lifting cylinder 4, the clamping arm assembly 5 rises and rotates back to its initial position (0-degree position) to await the next operation. The stopper 2 descends and opens, the roller bed 1 starts, and transports the rotated tire to the next station.

[0043] (III) Full-size tire processing procedure:

[0044] When the PLC determines that the current tire is "full size" based on the AI ​​vision signal, the flipping program is not started. The PLC directly issues a command to control the stopper 2 to descend and open, and the roller bed 1 starts immediately. The tire passes through this station directly to the next station without any flipping operation.

[0045] The specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. Based on the above description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic tire flipping system for tire recognition, characterized in that, This includes a control system, a conveying and positioning mechanism, a tilting actuator, and a sensor system; The control system includes a programmable logic controller (PLC) and an AI vision recognition system. The AI ​​vision recognition system is located upstream of the tire conveyor line and is used to collect images of tires entering the preparatory station, identify the tire type, and send the recognition results to the PLC. The conveying and positioning mechanism includes a roller bed and a stopper. The roller bed is used to convey tires, and the stopper is set at a preset station on the roller bed. It is used to position the tires at the flipping station under PLC control. When the stopper is raised, it blocks and positions the tires. When the stopper is lowered, the tires can continue to be conveyed forward. The flipping actuator includes a support frame, a lifting cylinder, a clamping arm assembly, a clamping cylinder, and a flipping motor. The clamping arm assembly is used to clamp and fix the tire. The lifting cylinder is vertically mounted on the support frame and connected to the clamping arm assembly to drive it to lift and lower. The clamping cylinder is mounted on the clamping arm assembly to drive it to clamp or release the tire. The flipping motor is connected to the clamping arm assembly to drive the clamped tire to rotate. The sensor system includes a detection switch, a limit switch, an up-to-position switch, a down-to-position switch, a release-to-position switch, a clamping-to-position switch, and a limit switch, used to detect the status of the tire and the arm assembly and transmit the detection signals to the PLC; wherein, the detection switch is used to detect whether the tire has entered the preparatory position; the up-to-position switch and the down-to-position switch are used to detect whether the arm assembly has risen and fallen to the preset position under the drive of the lifting cylinder; the release-to-position switch and the clamping-to-position switch are used to detect whether the arm assembly has clamped or released the tire under the drive of the clamping cylinder; the limit switch is used to detect whether the tire has rotated 180°.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flipping motor is a servo motor.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The arm assembly includes a pair of openable clamping arms.

4. A method for automatically identifying and flipping tires, characterized in that, The system described in any one of claims 1 to 3 comprises the following steps: Step 1: The tires enter the preparation station. The AI ​​vision recognition system collects images and identifies the type of the tires on the conveyor line and sends the recognition results to the PLC. Step 2: The PLC determines whether the tire is full-size or non-full-size and issues a command to control the roller bed to rotate, transporting the tire forward. The tire is then transported to the flipping station. Step 3: If the tire is not full-size, the PLC controls the stopper to rise, blocking and positioning the tire. Then, it controls the roller bed to stop rotating and controls the tilting actuator to perform the following tilting operations: The lifting cylinder is activated, lowering the clamping arm assembly to the clamping position; the clamping cylinder is activated, clamping the tire with the clamping arm assembly; the lifting cylinder is activated again, raising the clamping arm assembly and tire to the tilting height; the tilting motor is started, driving the clamping arm assembly and tire to rotate 180°; after rotation, the lifting cylinder is lowered, placing the tire back on the roller bed; the clamping cylinder is activated to release the clamping arm assembly, releasing the tire; the clamping arm assembly is activated to rise and return to its initial position. If the tire is full size, the PLC controls the stopper to descend and the roller bed to rotate, allowing the tire to pass directly through the flipping station.

Images