System and method for acquiring and determining axis of valve in tire vulcanization mold

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (100) implementing a method for identifying vent holes (150) in a tyre vulcanisation mould (10), said tyre vulcanisation mould (10) comprising one or more sections (12) and an inner surface, said vent holes being distributed on the inner surface such that corresponding valves (200) can be inserted therein. The invention also relates to a method implemented by the disclosed system (100).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for inserting a valve into a segment of a tire curing mold. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for identifying vent holes in a tire curing mold, the vent holes of which are distributed to allow corresponding valves to be inserted therein. Background Art

[0002] In the tire art, segmented curing molds are well known. Figure 1 This type of mold is represented by a mold 10, which mainly includes two shells (not shown), each shell molding one of the sidewalls of the tire P, and a plurality of segments 12, each of which molds the tread P of the tire P along the inner surface 12a of the segment. 10 The section 12 can be in the open position of the mold 10 (such as Figure 1 The mold of this type may further include at least one clamping ring (not shown) to allow radial movement of the segments. Applicant's patent US10239270 discloses an example of this type of mold.

[0003] Manufacturing a tire using this type of mold requires applying pressure to the green tire in order to press it against the inner surface of the mold while applying heat to the mold (e.g. by electrical induction and / or by magnetic induction, or by a heat transfer fluid such as pressurized steam). For this reason, this type of mold must be vented so that the green tire expands against the inner surface of the mold segments.

[0004] Therefore, it is also known that this type of mold includes a plurality of ventilation holes (or "vents") to enable such ventilation during the vulcanization cycle. For example, a typical segment mold may include 4,000 to 12,000 substantially cylindrical vents distributed along each segment of the mold. Each vent includes Figure 2 20 (see, for example, patent EP774333B1). The valve 20 comprises a movable insert 22 which rises and falls in a substantially cylindrical housing 24. The movable insert 22 comprises a valve stem 26 having a conical end facing an internal cavity 28 (see Figure 2 ) and a flat surface 26b facing the tire surface. The conical portion 26a cooperates with the seat surface 24a of the housing 24 so that during the vulcanization cycle, the valve is closed by the surface of the untreated tire approaching, and after vulcanization, when the tire is removed, the valve is reopened. A gasket (not shown) can be provided between the conical portion 26a and the seat surface 24a in a manner understood by those skilled in the art.

[0005] The valve is in the form of a small tubular and rigid mechanical component (e.g. approximately 2.5 mm in diameter and 5 to 12 mm in length). Furthermore, the installation of the valve in the mould involves forced fitting into a vent hole, the perforation diameter of which ensures a tight fit and proper retention of the valve throughout the life of the mould.

[0006] The installation requires:

[0007] - Locate the exhaust hole where the valve is to be inserted;

[0008] - Clamp the valve in the correct orientation;

[0009] - positioning the valve in the exhaust hole;

[0010] - generate the necessary force to bring it into a tight fit; and

[0011] - Apply pressure until the valve is flush.

[0012] The valves are placed individually (either by a human operator or by a mechanical operator such as a robot) in the sections of the mold. This operation is usually performed using a tweezers-type tool that grips the valve and inserts it accurately into the corresponding vent hole of the mold. The valve is then hammered into the vent hole by a hammer and a punch. This type of insertion requires a lot of effort and a lot of time. Each insertion represents several seconds of work, which leads to a repetitive, tedious task that is not very interesting for a human operator. This leads to fatigue and the risk of the valve being forgotten, thus compromising the correct operation of the mold.

[0013] In order to overcome this problem, there are devices for inserting valves into the mold in the prior art. For example, German publication DE102010060901 discloses a tool comprising a tubular guide system, in which a valve is arranged. The tubular system is placed in alignment with the exhaust port, where the piston pushes the valve by a force along the axis of the valve so as to press the valve in a guided and regulated manner. The piston is raised by a spring and the new valve is engaged in the tubular system. Therefore, the positioning of the exhaust port in alignment involves automation, but the valves must be positioned accurately in order to find their reference marks.

[0014] Korean patent KR100845093B discloses a system for assembling valves, which includes a machine for manufacturing valves, divided into two parts: a body with a spring mounted and the valve itself. The machine can be reoriented so as to act as a base for the system for mounting valves, so as to insert the valve into the exhaust hole. However, it lacks the ability to adapt to any mold shape, nor the ability to move to position the valve in the section.

[0015] In reality, the perforations that create the vent holes are not always created as shown in the drawings, and there are variations due to deviations in the manufacturing method (e.g., adding vent holes or manually modifying the mold). Since precise knowledge of the location of the vent holes and / or their axes cannot be absolutely guaranteed, it is desirable to develop a system that knows how to operate without this information, just like a human operator who detects and analyzes the situation himself.

[0016] Therefore, the disclosed invention uses the knowledge of the mold sections to insert the valve repeatedly. The force of inserting the valve can reach about 70 kg, which involves the correct management of the robot's trajectory to avoid damaging the mold. To this end, the disclosed invention uses the coordinates of the vent hole and the detection of its center and normal to provide the robot with the correct approach and push trajectory to facilitate the installation of the valve. Summary of the invention

[0017] The present invention relates to a system for implementing a method for identifying vent holes in a tire vulcanization mold, the tire vulcanization mold comprising one or more sections and an inner surface, the vent holes being distributed on the inner surface to allow corresponding valves to be inserted therein, characterized in that the system comprises:

[0018] - a robot comprising a detection system having one or more sensors that detect the presence of one or more vent holes distributed along the inner surface of a segment of the mold;

[0019] - a communications network that manages the input data into the system from the detection systems; and

[0020] - one or more communication servers, each communication server comprising one or more processors operably connected to a memory, the memory being configured to store an application for analyzing data representing an imaged mold, the one or more processors comprising a module for executing the analysis application for processing the image, the one or more processors being capable of executing programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform the following steps:

[0021] - detecting the presence of the arrangement of vent holes in the field of view of a detection system, the detection system triggering the step of capturing at least one image of the inner surface of a section of the mould; and

[0022] - A step of searching for the presence of detected vents in the images captured by the inspection system, such that if no vents are detected the inspection system continues to capture images until the mold search is complete.

[0023] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the system further comprises:

[0024] - distance measuring means for use in the working space of the mould in order to deduce therefrom the dimensions of the mould, said distance measuring means comprising a scanner for scanning the entire inner surface of the mould segment; and

[0025] -2D type industrial camera.

[0026] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the one or more processors are capable of executing programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform the following steps:

[0027] - a step of measuring the height of a point in the field of view of the robot's detection system, during which the distance measuring device obtains a series of digitizations in the length direction and in the transverse direction of the section of the mold, making it possible to reconstruct an image of the mold contour;

[0028] - a step of scanning by the robot's detection system so as to cover the entire inner surface of the mould and during which the 2D camera searches for a shape similar to a circle in order to obtain its approximate position; and

[0029] A step of refining the position of each vent in order to determine its coordinates, during which the offset between the theoretical center of the observed circle and the center of the camera is determined.

[0030] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the robot includes a peripheral gripping member supported by a pivotable elongated arm, the peripheral gripping member extending from the elongated arm to a free end at which a gripper is arranged along a common longitudinal axis.

[0031] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the clamp includes a pivotable clamp, the pivotable clamp including clamping fingers extending from a platform where the clamp is fixed to the free end of a peripheral clamping member, each finger including a member of a predetermined length extending between an actuating end where movement of the finger occurs and an opposite clamping end where the finger clamps the valve.

[0032] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the one or more processors are capable of executing programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform the steps of moving the robot so that it can position the valve so that the valve can be inserted into the vent hole identified in the section of the mold.

[0033] The present invention also relates to a method implemented by the disclosed system for identifying vent holes in a tire vulcanization mold, the tire vulcanization mold comprising one or more segments and an inner surface, the vent holes being distributed on the inner surface to allow the corresponding valve to be inserted therein, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

[0034] - a step of positioning the mould in the field of view of a detection system of the system so that the vents defined along the inner surface of at least one section are visible, during which step the detection system is passed over the mould;

[0035] - detecting the presence of the arrangement of vent holes in the field of view of a detection system, the detection system triggering the step of capturing at least one image of the inner surface of a section of the mould; and

[0036] - A step of searching for the presence of detected vents in the images captured by the inspection system, such that if no vents are detected the inspection system continues to capture images until the mold search is complete.

[0037] In some embodiments of the method of the present invention, the method further comprises an inspection step performed after the valve is inserted into the vent hole of the mold.

[0038] In some embodiments of the method of the present invention, the method further comprises a final step of positioning the robot aligned with the identified vent along its insertion axis, in which step the robot blows in the valve.

[0039] Other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The nature and various advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

[0041] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 A perspective view showing an embodiment of a segmented vulcanization mold;

[0042] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 Shows the insertion Figure 1 Embodiment of the valve in the exhaust hole of the mold;

[0043] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the system of the present invention is shown which allows the valve to be inserted into a tire curing mold;

[0044] [ Figure 4 ][ Figure 5 ] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The inner surface of a segment of a tire curing mold is shown by way of example, with vent holes that can be seen through Figure 3 system to identify.

[0045] [ Figure 6 ] Figure 6 Shows the Figure 4 Example of reconstruction of a mold contour for the mold type shown in .

[0046] [ Figure 7 ] Figure 7 An example of a response to a search for vent holes in a section of a curing mold is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements, Figure 3 A system 100 (or "system") of the present invention for inserting a valve is shown. The system 100 is implemented for inserting a valve (e.g., Figure 2 ) is inserted into a tire curing mold (e.g. Figure 1 The method of the invention is described in detail in the section of a mold 10 of the type shown in FIG. 1 and having a section 12. It must be understood that the system 100 can still be used depending on the geometry of the relevant mold (see, for example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 The mold shown in ) can be adjusted for a variety of uses.

[0048] The disclosed method includes a machine learning method that uses an algorithm to analyze the inner surface of the mold based on data corresponding to an image obtained from the mold to place and insert the valve into the identified vent hole.

[0049] refer to Figure 3 , the mold 10 is positioned on a table or equivalent support 50 so that it can be processed by the system 100. The support 50 can be configured to move in a rotational manner, in a reciprocating vertical manner, and / or in a reciprocating horizontal manner, thereby enabling processing of a variety of molds.

[0050] Further references Figure 3 In one embodiment of the system 100, the system includes a robot 102 having a peripheral clamping member 104 supported by a pivotable extension arm 106. The peripheral clamping member 104 extends from the extension arm 106 to a free end 104a, at which a clamp 108 is arranged along a common longitudinal axis. The clamp 108 can be fixed to the peripheral clamping member 104 by tightening an adapter to the free end 104a of the peripheral clamping member. It should be understood that fixing the clamp 108 to the peripheral clamping member 104 can be performed by one or more known fixing means (including but not limited to welding, bonding and equivalent means).

[0051] In one embodiment of the clamp 108, the clamp includes a pivotable clamp 108a including clamping fingers (or "fingers") 108b extending from a platform 108c (where an adapter secures the clamp 108a to the free end 104a of the peripheral clamping member 104). Each finger 108b includes a member having a predetermined length extending between an actuation end (where movement of the finger occurs) and an opposite clamping end (where the finger clamps a valve 200 held by the clamp in a method implemented by the system 100). Each finger 108b has an inner clamping surface and an opposite outer surface, wherein the inner clamping surface engages the valve 200 when the valve 200 is inserted into the identified vent hole. The fingers 108b are arranged to define a predetermined space between the clamping surfaces, thereby allowing the fingers to move along a common axis in a method implemented by the system 100. Thus, the robot 102 facilitates grasping of various valves without interrupting the linear motion of the fingers.

[0052] The reciprocating movement of the one or more fingers 108b can be achieved by one or more known actuators that are actuated by a pressurized fluid (e.g., compressed air) from a conduit (not shown). Thus, the movement of each finger 108b performs a movement of the finger between a waiting position (where the clamping surfaces remain substantially parallel with a space between them) (not shown) and a clamping position (where the clamping surfaces approach each other to engage the valve 200 and place it in an insertion position relative to the inner surface of the mold 10) (see Figure 3 ) corresponding linear motion between. The one or more actuators are selected from commercially available actuators.

[0053] In the method implemented by the system 100, the robot 102 can be moved so that the gripper 108 can grip the valve 200 (described below). By means of the finger 108b, when the gripper is in the gripping position (where the gripper 108 grips the valve selected for insertion into the corresponding identified exhaust hole) (see Figure 3 ) and an insertion position (where the gripper 108 positions the gripped valve so that it can be inserted into the identified vent hole) (not shown), the gripper 108 grips to hold the valve 200. In an embodiment of the gripper 108 that includes gripping fingers 108b, the gripping position of the gripper 108 means that the fingers are in a position for gripping a selected valve. In all embodiments of the robot 102, the robot can be configured to have six degrees of freedom, enabling it to move along six axes. In all embodiments, the robot 102 can be arranged on a support 55 that is configured to move in a rotational manner, in a reciprocating vertical manner, and / or in a reciprocating horizontal manner, thereby enabling processing of a variety of molds.

[0054] The robot 102 moves to position the valve 200 so that the valve 200 can be inserted into the vent hole identified in the section 12 of the mold 10. In one embodiment of the system 100, the robot 102 can form part of a roaming robot that can move by an integrated motion device (e.g., one or more integrated motors) or by a non-integrated motion device (e.g., one or more autonomous movable carts or other equivalent movable devices). In another embodiment of the system 100, the robot 102 can be attached to a ceiling, floor, wall, or any support capable of performing the method implemented by the system 100 (see, e.g., Figure 3 It should be understood that such a robot may be a conventional industrial robot or a collaborative robot, or even a delta robot or a cable robot.

[0055] The robot 102 includes a detection system that utilizes one or more sensors (not shown) to detect information about the physical environment surrounding the robot. In the following description, the terms "sensor," "photographic device," "camera," and "optical sensor" may be used interchangeably and may refer to one or more devices configured to detect two-dimensional (2D) and / or three-dimensional (3D) images to achieve 3D depth perception and / or other types of detection of the physical environment surrounding the robot 102. In an embodiment of the system 100, the sensors of the detection system incorporated into the robot 102 may be fixed to the robot's extension arm 106 (e.g., at the end 104a) and / or the gripper 108.

[0056] One or more sensors of the detection system of the robot 102 detect the presence of one or more vents of the mold. As an example, Figure 4 and Figure 5 The inner surfaces of the mold sections having different geometries are shown. In each mold, a plurality of vent holes 150 are distributed along the inner surface of the corresponding section, each vent hole accommodating a corresponding valve 200. It should be understood that each vent hole is substantially cylindrical and all vent holes 150 have substantially similar diameters.

[0057] In some embodiments of the robot 102, the sensor is triggered when a segment of the mold enters the field of view of the camera, regardless of the geometry of the mold involved. In the event that the mold part is not visible in an image acquired by an inspection system of the robot 102 (e.g., a camera of the inspection system), the attachment point can be placed at a known position relative to the sensor (e.g., at a known horizontal distance and a known vertical distance relative to the position of the sensor).

[0058] The detection system can determine information about the physical environment surrounding the mold 10, which can be used by the control system of the system 100 (the control system includes, for example, software for planning the movement of the robot 102). The control system can be located on the robot 102, or can communicate with the robot remotely. In some embodiments of the system 100, one or more 2D or 3D sensors (including but not limited to navigation sensors) mounted on the robot 102 can be integrated to form a digital model of the physical environment (including one or more sides, floors, and ceilings, where applicable). By using the acquired data, the control system can move the robot 102 to navigate between positions for clamping the valve when inserting the valve into the mold 10.

[0059] In one embodiment of the system 100, the detection system includes at least one camera (referred to as an "RGB-D type camera") that provides a 3D image represented as a set of 3D points having coordinates (X, Y, Z) and sometimes red, green, and blue values ​​("RGB" or "RGB-D" format). In this embodiment, the RGB-D type camera is fixed to the robot 102 (e.g., at the end 104a and / or on the gripper 108). Two or more RGB-D cameras can be oriented so that a predetermined overlap is obtained between the fields of view of the cameras. As used herein, the term "camera" includes one or more cameras.

[0060] RGB-D cameras typically provide depth information using a depth map, which is an image where each pixel contains the distance between the camera and the corresponding point in space. 3D point cloud data from RGB-D cameras has a higher measurement rate than traditional measurement methods (such as manual measurement and other electronic device-based measurements). Using a sparser structure, a point cloud can be constructed from the RGB-D image by calculating the real world (such as coordinates (X, Y, Z)) using the inherent data of the digital camera. Therefore, information about the physical environment surrounding the system 100 is obtained from the 3D point cloud data obtained by detection technology that can accurately and efficiently capture the 3D surface geometry of the mold. These detection technologies can be selected from commercially available equipment (for example, selected from Zivid AS under the brand name cameras sold by , artificial vision systems sold by Cognex Corp, and their equivalents).

[0061] The term "point cloud" (singular or plural) is used herein to refer to a collection of one or more data points in space. One or more cameras (or one or more equivalent devices) can collect three-dimensional (3D) data and detect the surface of an object (e.g., section 12 of mold 10) with the aid of a series of coordinates. Storing information in the form of a collection of spatial coordinates can save space because many objects do not occupy a large part of the environment. Even if the information is not visual, interpreting the data as a point cloud helps to understand the relationship between multiple variables through classification and segmentation.

[0062] It should be appreciated that one or more cameras may include one or more programming modes, including a learning mode, to provide, modify and train at least one neural network.

[0063] The inspection system of the robot 102 detects the presence of the arrangement of vent holes 150 in the field of view of the inspection system (e.g., the field of view of a camera of the system 100), which triggers the inspection system to capture an image of the interior surface of the section 12 of the mold 10. In all embodiments of the system 100, the system "searches" for the presence of vent holes "seen" by the robot 102 in the image acquired by the inspection system. If no vent holes are detected, the inspection system continues to acquire images until the mold 10 is searched. Points are extracted around the perimeter of each detected vent hole to determine its center in preparation for inserting the corresponding valve.

[0064] The detection system of system 100 may include a distance measuring device, which is used in the working space of the mold 10 to infer its size. In this embodiment, the distance measuring device includes a known scanner (not shown) for scanning the entire inner surface of the mold 10 in real time in the physical environment around the mold. Such a scanner can accurately generate the mold. The scanner can be provided with an observation system (not shown) configured to accurately locate the exhaust hole in the real-time scene based on the 3D contour generated by the scanner.

[0065] The observation system can receive the CAD file of the mold 10 to match the location of the vent from the CAD file with the vent identified in real time to accurately locate and determine its coordinates. The observation system can receive the CAD file using a data transmission method known to those skilled in the art. The observation system can further include at least one camera and at least one sensor (not shown) for determining the location (i.e., coordinates) of the vent based on the data collected in real time and / or based on the contour profile generated by the scanner.

[0066] To implement the method of the present invention by computer, the system 100 includes a communication network (or "network") that manages input data entering the system from various sources (e.g., from at least one robot 102 and associated detection systems). The communication network includes one or more communication servers (or "servers"), each of which includes one or more processors operably connected to a memory. The memory is configured to store an application for analyzing data representing imaged molds (and mold segments). The one or more processors include a module for executing an analysis application for processing images, wherein the one or more processors are capable of executing programming instructions stored in the memory to perform the steps of the method (described below).

[0067] The term "processor" (or alternatively, the term "programmable logic circuit") refers to one or more devices capable of processing and analyzing data and including one or more software packages for processing data (e.g., one or more integrated circuits included in a computer, one or more controllers, one or more microcontrollers, one or more microcomputers, one or more programmable logic controllers (or "PLCs"), one or more application specific integrated circuits, one or more neural networks, and / or one or more other known equivalent programmable circuits known to those skilled in the art). The processor includes one or more software packages for processing data captured by the detection system of system 100 (and corresponding acquisition data), and one or more software packages for identifying and locating discrepancies and identifying the source of the discrepancies to correct the discrepancies.

[0068] In system 100, memory may include both volatile and non-volatile memory devices. Non-volatile memory may include solid-state memory such as NAND flash memory, "keep alive" memory (or KAM) for saving various operating variables when the processor is turned off, magnetic and optical storage media, or any other suitable data storage device that retains data when system 100 is deactivated or loses its power supply. Volatile memory may include static and dynamic RAM that stores program instructions and data (including learning applications).

[0069] Further references Figures 1 to 5 as well as Figure 6 to Figure 7 , provides a detailed description of an embodiment of the method (or "method") of the present invention implemented by system 100 by way of example. It should be clearly understood that system 100 can implement the method of the present invention in any physical environment without prior knowledge of the configuration of the mold.

[0070] As used herein, the term "method" or "process" may include one or more steps performed by at least one computer system including one or more processors for executing instructions capable of performing the steps. Unless otherwise specified, any sequence of steps is provided by way of example and does not limit the described method to any particular sequence.

[0071] In the following description, embodiments of the method of the present invention are described, in which the accuracy of the information acquired by the detection system (eg a camera) varies.

[0072] At the beginning of an embodiment of the method of the present invention, the method includes the step of positioning the mold 10 in the field of view of the detection system of the robot 102 (e.g., positioning the mold on the support 50, such as Figure 3 The mold 10 is positioned so that the vent holes 150 defined along the inner surface of at least one mold section are visible in the detection field of the sensor (see, e.g. Figure 4 and Figure 5 In this step, the robot 102 (particularly the integrated detection system) passes over the mold 10.

[0073] In this embodiment, the method of the invention further comprises a step of measuring the height of a point in the field of view of the detection system of the robot 102. During this step, the distance measuring device of the detection system (for example the above-mentioned scanner) obtains a series of digitizations in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the section 12 of the mold 10, thereby being able to provide the mold profile displacement curvature (see Figure 6 , which shows that Figure 4 Examples of curvatures following different passes of a distance measuring device on a mould of the type shown). During this step, this "displacement curvature" is then processed to determine the curvature and hence the normal at each point on the mould surface by interpolation from the curvature.

[0074] Once these normals are known, this embodiment of the method further comprises a step in which the detection system of the robot 102 performs a sweep scan so as to cover the entire inner surface of the mold 10. During this step, an industrial camera of the 2D type searches for shapes similar to a circle (i.e., shapes representing the vent holes 150 in the mold 10), thereby manually creating examples of the vent holes being sought. These shapes are searched for using a fuzzy shape (or "blob") search function available in the camera setup software. Since the position of the camera has been calibrated relative to the robot 102, the approximate position of the vent holes 150 (relative to the robot 102) is saved by the processor (e.g., in a database of the system 100).

[0075] Once this approximate position is obtained, said embodiment of the method further comprises a step of refining, for each vent hole 150, its position by minimizing a criterion representing the interval between the theoretical center of the observed circle and the center of the camera. This step requires knowledge of the normal of the surface bearing the circle (which is the inner surface of the mold 10) in order to obtain the highest possible accuracy (see Figure 7 , which shows the Figure 4 ). These locations are updated (continuously or intermittently) in the database.

[0076] Once the precise coordinates are obtained, this embodiment of the method of the present invention includes a final step of measuring the diameter of the circle so that the robot 102 can select a valve with an appropriate diameter (e.g. Figure 2 102). In this step, the robot 102 can select the valve through a tool changer and a valve feed system (both known to those skilled in the art). In this step, the robot 102 can be aligned with the identified exhaust hole 150 (on its axis) and the valve can be blown into it. Once the valve has been pre-positioned by its shape (conical or stepped), the robot 102 can press the valve through the valve supply head or by pushing the valve using a dedicated area.

[0077] In all embodiments of the method of the present invention, the method may further include an optional inspection step after the valve 200 is inserted into the vent hole 150 of the mold 10. In this step, an operator may perform a separate manual inspection of all items presented by the robot 102. In this step, a fully automated inspection may be performed involving presence detection and / or probes to confirm the presence and correct operation of the valve.

[0078] By using the system 100 of the present invention to perform the disclosed method, any mold presented to the system 100 is analyzed in the same manner. Perfect positioning can be achieved without prior knowledge of the CAD file and without having to make arrangements in the mold. The system 100 itself is designed to adapt to changes, which provides the possibility of working with third-party molds and / or hand-finished molds, for example.

[0079] The system 100 of the present invention may include pre-programmed information related to anticipated events.For example, adjustments to the method of the present invention may be associated with parameters of a typical physical environment (eg, a tire production facility) in which the system 100 operates.

[0080] In some embodiments of the invention, system 100 (or another system including system 100) can receive audio commands (including voice commands) or other corresponding audio data (e.g., commands to start or stop one or more steps of the method of the invention). The request can include a request for the current state of the ongoing method (e.g., the number of valves inserted compared to the number of vents 150 in mold 10 that are configured to receive corresponding vents). The generated response can be represented auditorily, visually, tactilely (e.g., by using a tactile interface), and / or in a virtual and / or augmented manner. The response and corresponding data can be recorded in the neural network.

[0081] It should be understood that the system 100 may include multiple computing devices that perform various aspects of learning. In these embodiments, the processor may configure the system 100 based on one or more parameters of the exhaust vent and its known location. In these embodiments, it should be understood that one or more reinforcement learning devices may be used.

[0082] For all embodiments of system 100, a monitoring system may be implemented. At least a portion of the monitoring or "warning" system may be provided in a portable device, such as a mobile network device (such as a mobile phone, a laptop computer, one or more portable devices connected to a network (including "augmented reality" and / or "virtual reality" devices, wearable clothing connected to a network, and / or any combination thereof and / or any equivalent thereof)). It is contemplated that the detection and comparison steps can be performed iteratively.

[0083] The terms "at least one" and "one or more" can be used interchangeably. Ranges presented as "between a and b" include the values ​​"a" and "b."

[0084] Although specific embodiments of the disclosed device have been shown and described, it will be appreciated that various changes, additions and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, no limitations should be placed on the scope of the described invention, except as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A system (100) for implementing a method for identifying vent holes (150) in a tire vulcanization mold (10), the tire vulcanization mold (10) comprising one or more segments (12) and an inner surface, the vent holes (150) being distributed on the inner surface so that a corresponding valve (200) can insert Among them, it is characterized in that The system comprises: - a robot (102) comprising a detection system having one or more sensors that detect the presence of one or more vent holes (150) distributed along the inner surface of a section (12) of a mold (10); - a communication network that manages the input data from the detection systems into the system (100); and - one or more communication servers, each communication server comprising one or more processors operably connected to a memory, the memory configured to store an application for analyzing data representing an imaged mold, the one or more processors comprising a module for executing the analysis application for processing the image, the one or more processors being capable of executing programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform the following steps: - detecting the presence of the arrangement of vent holes (150) in the field of view of a detection system, which detection system triggers the step of capturing at least one image of the inner surface of the section (12) of the mould (10); and - A step of searching for the presence of the detected vent holes (150) in the images captured by the detection system, such that if no vent holes are detected the detection system continues to capture images until the mold (10) has been searched.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising: include: - a distance measuring device for use in the working space of the mould (10) in order to deduce the dimensions of the mould therefrom, said distance measuring device comprising a scanner for scanning the entire inner surface of the mould section (12); and -2D type industrial camera.

3. The system according to claim 2, in, The one or more processors are capable of executing programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform the following steps: - a step of measuring the height of a point in the field of view of the detection system of the robot (102), during which the distance measuring device obtains a series of digitizations in the length direction and transverse direction of the section (12) of the mold (10), making it possible to reconstruct an image of the mold contour; - a step of scanning by the detection system of the robot (102) so as to cover the entire inner surface of the mold (10), during which step the 2D camera searches for a shape similar to a circle in order to obtain its approximate position; as well as - a step of refining the position of each exhaust hole (150) in order to determine its coordinates, during which step the offset between the theoretical center of the observed circle and the center of the camera is determined.

4. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in, The robot (102) includes a peripheral gripping member (104) supported by a pivotable extension arm (106), the peripheral gripping member (104) extending from the extension arm (106) to a free end (104a) at which a gripper (108) is arranged along a common longitudinal axis.

5. The system (100) according to claim 4, in, The clamp (108) comprises a pivotable clamp (108a), the pivotable clamp (108a) comprising clamping fingers (108b) extending from a platform (108c) where the clamp is fixed to the free end (104a) of the peripheral clamping member (10), each finger (108b) comprising a member of a predetermined length extending between an actuating end (108b') where movement of the finger occurs and an opposite clamping end (108b") where the finger clamps the valve (200).

6. The system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in, The one or more processors are capable of executing programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform the steps of moving the robot (102) so that the robot (102) can place the valve (200) so that the valve (200) can be inserted into the vent hole identified in the section (12) of the mold (10).

7. A method for identifying vents (150) in a tire vulcanization mold (10) implemented by a system (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the tire vulcanization mold (10) comprises one or more segments (12) and an inner surface, wherein the vents are distributed on the inner surface so that the corresponding valves (200) can insert Among them, it is characterized in that The method comprises the following steps: - a step of positioning the mould (10) in the field of view of a detection system of the system (100) so that the vents (150) defined along the inner surface of at least one section are visible, during which step the detection system is passed over the mould (10); - detecting the presence of the arrangement of vent holes (150) in the field of view of a detection system, said detection system being triggered to capture at least one image of the inner surface of a section of the mould (10); as well as - A step of searching for the presence of detected vents (150) in the images captured by the detection system, such that if no vents are detected, the detection system continues to capture images until the mold (10) has been searched.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising an inspection step performed after the valve (200) is inserted into the exhaust hole (150) of the mold (10).

9. The method according to claim 7 or claim 8, further comprising positioning the robot (102) along the insertion axis (X 200 ) is aligned with the identified exhaust hole (150), in which the robot blows in the valve (200).

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