Tire appearance detection system and method and auxiliary support thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a tire appearance detection system, a tire appearance detection method and an auxiliary support thereof. Comprehensive detection can be realized without turning over a tire. The auxiliary support comprises a detection support, a plurality of supporting rollers, a rotating motor and a plurality of auxiliary conveying devices. The supporting rollers are arranged on the upper surface of the auxiliary bracket at equal angle intervals around the central axis of the detection bracket, are in running fit with the detection bracket and are used for supporting a tire to be detected; at least one supporting roller is provided with a rotating motor to realize active rotation; the auxiliary conveying device is arranged in an area between the adjacent supporting rollers and is pivoted and matched with the detection bracket to realize vertical swinging; the pivot angle of the auxiliary conveying device is set to be that the conveying plane of the auxiliary conveying device is not lower than the supporting plane of the supporting roller when the auxiliary conveying device swings upwards, and the tire to be detected falls on the supporting roller when the auxiliary conveying device swings downwards. The tire appearance detection system comprises an auxiliary bracket, and a plurality of detection devices and two groups of tire conveying devices which are arranged on the side edge of the auxiliary bracket.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of tire appearance inspection technology, and specifically refers to a tire appearance inspection system, method and auxiliary support. Background Technology

[0002] The tread pattern design on the tire surface is crucial to tire performance. It not only affects the tire's appearance but also significantly impacts its grip, water drainage capacity, noise level, wear resistance, and fuel efficiency.

[0003] To ensure the appearance quality of tires, a visual inspection must be performed before they leave the factory. However, current visual inspection benches have a simple structure and are inconvenient to adjust, making it difficult for inspectors to raise, lower, and rotate the tires. This not only prolongs the tire visual inspection time and affects the comprehensiveness of the inspection, but also increases the workload of inspectors, resulting in low practicality.

[0004] In existing technologies, a rotary table is typically used to support the tire to be inspected. Driven by a motor at the bottom of the rotary table, the tire can rotate 360 ​​degrees, allowing the inspection head to fully capture details of the tire's inner and outer sides. However, the presence of the rotary table obstructs the lower part of the tire, so the tire needs to be flipped over once to achieve a complete inspection. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a tire appearance inspection system, method, and auxiliary support, which solves the problems existing in the prior art and enables comprehensive inspection without flipping the tire.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, one solution of the present invention is: An auxiliary support includes a detection support, several support rollers, a rotary motor, and several auxiliary conveying devices. The support rollers are arranged at equal angular intervals around the central axis of the detection support on the upper surface of the auxiliary support and are rotatably engaged with the detection support to support a tire to be detected. At least one support roller is equipped with the rotary motor to achieve active rotation. The auxiliary conveying devices are arranged in the area between adjacent support rollers and are pivotally engaged with the detection support to achieve up-and-down swinging. The pivot angle of the auxiliary conveying devices is set such that when swinging upward, the conveying plane of the auxiliary conveying devices is not lower than the support plane of the support rollers, and when swinging downward, the tire to be detected falls onto the support rollers.

[0007] The auxiliary support also includes several swing arms, which are pivotally connected to the side of the detection support to achieve horizontal swinging, and the inner sidewall of the swing arms is provided with several pressure rollers whose axes are arranged vertically.

[0008] Preferably, two sets of swing arms are provided on both sides of the detection bracket, and the swing arms on the same side are arranged in a mirror symmetrical manner.

[0009] The testing bracket is equipped with four support rollers, and an auxiliary conveying device is provided between each adjacent support roller.

[0010] The auxiliary conveying device includes a swing bracket and several auxiliary conveying rollers; the swing bracket includes two L-shaped swing members arranged symmetrically on the left and right, each L-shaped swing member is composed of a long rod and a short rod connected vertically, the short rod is pivotally connected to the detection bracket, and the auxiliary conveying rollers are rotatably engaged between the long rods of the two L-shaped swing members.

[0011] The second solution of the present invention is: A tire appearance inspection system includes the aforementioned auxiliary support, as well as a plurality of inspection devices and two sets of tire conveying devices disposed on the side of the auxiliary support; the inspection devices are used to inspect the tire appearance; the two tire conveying devices are respectively disposed at the inlet and outlet ends of the auxiliary support; when the auxiliary conveying device is swung upwards, its conveying plane is flush with the conveying plane of the tire conveying device.

[0012] The detection device includes a robotic arm disposed on the side of the detection bracket and a detection head mounted on the robotic arm.

[0013] The tire conveying device includes a conveying support and a plurality of tire conveying rollers rotatably mounted on the conveying support.

[0014] Preferably, both sides of the auxiliary support are provided with a number of guide rollers whose axes are arranged vertically.

[0015] The tire appearance inspection system also includes a cover frame covering the auxiliary support, inspection device, and tire conveying device. The cover frame has an inlet and an outlet, and a tire conveying device is installed at each of the inlet and outlet.

[0016] The third solution of the present invention is: A tire appearance inspection method, using the aforementioned tire appearance inspection system, includes the following steps: Step 1. Before activating the tire conveying device, the auxiliary conveying device swings upward until it is level with the tire conveying device; Step 2. Place the tire to be tested onto the tire conveying device at the input end, and convey the tire to the top of the support roller through the tire conveying device; Step 3. The auxiliary conveying device swings downwards, causing the tire to fall onto each support roller, and the auxiliary conveying device detaches from the lower surface of the tire; Step 4. Start the rotary motor and detection device. The tire rotates horizontally on the auxiliary support, and the detection device performs an appearance inspection on the tire. Step 5. After the appearance inspection is completed, the auxiliary conveying device swings upward until it is level with the tire conveying device, lifts the tire and removes it from the support roller, and the tire conveying device at the output end conveys the tire to the next process.

[0017] After adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following technical effects: This invention optimizes the structure of the auxiliary support. During the tire loading / unloading phase, the auxiliary conveying device swings upward to align with the tire conveying device, ensuring smooth tire input / output. When inspecting the tire's appearance, the auxiliary conveying device swings downward to avoid obscuring the lower side of the tire, during which the tire is supported by support rollers. Since each support roller rotates in conjunction with the inspection support, and at least one support roller is driven by a rotary motor for active rotation while the others are driven passively, the tire can rotate horizontally on the auxiliary support, facilitating a more comprehensive appearance inspection in conjunction with the various inspection devices. Thanks to the large area between the support rollers and the downward swing of the auxiliary conveying device, a comprehensive appearance inspection of the lower side of the tire can be performed during its horizontal rotation without needing to flip the tire, thus improving the comprehensiveness and efficiency of the appearance inspection. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 The overall three-dimensional structure of a specific embodiment of the present invention Figure 1 .

[0019] Figure 2 The overall three-dimensional structure of a specific embodiment of the present invention Figure 2 .

[0020] Figure 3 This is a partial three-dimensional view of a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the initial state of the auxiliary support according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a perspective view of the auxiliary support detection status according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of the detection device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a perspective view of a conveying device according to a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Explanation of icon numbers: 1-Auxiliary support; 11-Detection support; 12-Support roller; 13-Rotating motor; 14-Auxiliary conveying device; 141-Swing support; 142-Auxiliary conveying roller; 15-Swing arm; 151-Pressure roller; 2-Detection device; 21-Robotic arm; 22-Detection head; 3, 3' - Tire conveying device; 31 - Conveying support; 32 - Tire conveying roller; 33 - Guide roller; 4-Covering frame; 41-Import; 42-Export; a-Tire. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To further explain the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be described in detail below through specific embodiments.

[0027] refer to Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the present invention discloses an auxiliary support 1, including a detection support 11, a plurality of support rollers 12, a rotary motor 13, and a plurality of auxiliary conveying devices 14; the support rollers 12 are arranged at equal angular intervals around the central axis L of the detection support 11 on the upper surface of the auxiliary support 1 and are rotatably engaged with the detection support 11 to support the tire a to be detected; at least one of the support rollers 12 is equipped with a rotary motor 13 to achieve active rotation; the auxiliary conveying devices 14 are arranged in the area between adjacent support rollers 12 and are pivotally engaged with the detection support 11 to achieve up-and-down swinging; the pivot angle of the auxiliary conveying devices 14 is set such that when swinging upward, the conveying plane of the auxiliary conveying devices 14 is not lower than the supporting plane of the support rollers 12, and when swinging downward, the tire a to be detected falls on the support rollers 12.

[0028] Based on the auxiliary support 1, the present invention also discloses a tire appearance inspection system, including the aforementioned auxiliary support 1, and several inspection devices 2 and two sets of tire conveying devices 3 and 3' disposed on the side of the auxiliary support 1; the inspection devices 2 are used to inspect the appearance of tire a; the two tire conveying devices 3 and 3' are respectively disposed at the inlet and outlet ends of the auxiliary support 1; when the auxiliary conveying device 14 is swung up, its conveying plane is flush with the conveying plane of the tire conveying device 3.

[0029] Through the above solution, the present invention optimizes the structure of the auxiliary support 1, referring to... Figures 4 to 5As shown, during the stage of tire a entering / exiting the auxiliary support 1, the auxiliary conveying device 14 swings upward to achieve alignment with the tire conveying device 3, enabling smooth input / output of tire a. When inspecting the tire's appearance, the auxiliary conveying device 14 swings downward to avoid obstructing the lower side of tire a as much as possible. At this time, tire a is supported by the support rollers 12. Since each support roller 12 rotates in conjunction with the inspection support 11, and at least one support roller 12 is driven by the rotary motor 13 to rotate actively, while the other support rollers 12 are driven passively, tire a can rotate horizontally on the auxiliary support 1, thereby cooperating with each inspection device 2 to perform a more comprehensive appearance inspection. Thanks to the large area between the support rollers 12 and the ability of the auxiliary conveying device 14 to swing downward to avoid obstruction, a comprehensive appearance inspection of the lower side of tire a can be performed while tire a is rotating horizontally, without the need to flip tire a, thereby improving the comprehensiveness and efficiency of the appearance inspection.

[0030] The following illustrates specific embodiments of the present invention.

[0031] It is understood that the auxiliary support 1 can also be used in conjunction with devices / mechanisms other than the detection device 2 and the tire conveying device 3 of the present invention for detecting workpieces similar to tires that require comprehensive inspection of their appearance.

[0032] To ensure that tire a does not experience horizontal displacement as much as possible when the support roller 12 driven by the motor moves the tire a, the auxiliary support 1 further includes several swing arms 15. The swing arms 15 are pivotally connected to the side of the detection support 11 to achieve horizontal swinging, and the inner sidewall of the swing arms 15 is provided with several pressure rollers 151 whose axes are arranged vertically. After the tire a is fitted onto the support roller 12, the swing arms 15 swing inward in the horizontal direction so that the pressure rollers 151 are in contact with the outer wall of the tire a, limiting the tire a in the horizontal direction and preventing horizontal displacement when it performs horizontal rotation.

[0033] Furthermore, two sets of swing arms 15 are provided on both sides of the aforementioned detection bracket 11. The swing arms 15 on the same side are arranged in a mirror-symmetrical manner to realize the opening action of the opposite swing and the closing action of the opposite swing. Thus, a total of four sets of swing arms 15 form an approximately rhomboid structure that limits the tire a when swinging inward (see...). Figure 5 (The ends of the swing arm 15 do not necessarily need to be closed).

[0034] The aforementioned testing bracket 11 is equipped with four support rollers 12, which form a cross-shaped structure. An auxiliary conveying device 14 is provided between each adjacent support roller 12.

[0035] The aforementioned auxiliary conveying device 14 includes a swing bracket 141 and several auxiliary conveying rollers 142; the swing bracket 141 includes two L-shaped swing members arranged symmetrically on the left and right, the L-shaped swing members are composed of a long rod and a short rod connected vertically, the short rod is pivotally connected to the detection bracket 11, and the auxiliary conveying rollers 142 are rotatably connected between the long rods of the two L-shaped swing members.

[0036] The aforementioned swing bracket 141 and swing arm 15 can both be driven by common driving devices such as cylinders and motors (not shown in the figure) to achieve pivotal engagement with the detection bracket 11, thereby changing their respective angles.

[0037] The aforementioned detection device 2 includes a robotic arm 21 disposed on the side of the detection bracket 11, and a detection head 22 mounted on the robotic arm 21.

[0038] The tire conveying device 3 described above includes a conveying support 31 and a plurality of tire conveying rollers 32 rotatably mounted on the conveying support 31.

[0039] Furthermore, several guide rollers 33 with their axes arranged vertically are provided on both sides of the aforementioned auxiliary support 31. The guide rollers 33 can limit the movement of the tires on both sides of the auxiliary support 31.

[0040] The present invention also includes a cover frame 4 covering the auxiliary support 1, the detection device 2, and the tire conveying device 3. The cover frame 4 is provided with an inlet 41 and an outlet 42, and a tire conveying device 3 is provided at each of the inlet 41 and the outlet 42.

[0041] Furthermore, utilizing the aforementioned tire appearance inspection system, this invention also discloses a tire appearance inspection method, comprising the following steps: Step 1. Before starting the tire conveying device 3, the auxiliary conveying device 14 swings upward until it is level with the tire conveying device 3; Step 2. Place the tire to be tested, a, onto the tire conveying device 3 at the input end, and convey the tire a to the top of the support roller 12 via the tire conveying device 3. Step 3. The auxiliary conveying device swings downward so that the tire a falls onto each support roller 12, and the auxiliary conveying device detaches from the lower surface of the tire; at this time, if the auxiliary support 1 is equipped with a swing arm 15, the swing arm 15 swings inward so that the pressure roller 151 adheres to the outer wall of the tire a, thereby limiting the tire a in the horizontal direction. Step 4. Start the rotary motor 13 and the detection device 2. Tire a rotates horizontally on the auxiliary support 1. The detection device 2 performs a comprehensive appearance inspection of tire a (upper and lower surfaces, inner and outer surfaces). Step 5. After the appearance inspection is completed, the auxiliary conveying device 14 swings upward until it is flush with the tire conveying device 3, lifts the tire a and removes it from the support roller 12, and the tire conveying device 3' at the output end conveys the tire a to the next process.

[0042] The above embodiments and figures are not intended to limit the product form and style of the present invention. Any appropriate changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art should be considered as not departing from the patent scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An auxiliary support, characterized in that: The device includes a detection bracket, several support rollers, a rotary motor, and several auxiliary conveying devices. The support rollers are arranged at equal angular intervals around the central axis of the detection bracket on the upper surface of the auxiliary bracket and are rotatably engaged with the detection bracket to support the tire to be tested. At least one support roller is equipped with the rotary motor to achieve active rotation. The auxiliary conveying devices are arranged in the area between adjacent support rollers and are pivotally engaged with the detection bracket to achieve up-and-down swinging. The pivot angle of the auxiliary conveying device is set such that when the device swings upward, the conveying plane of the auxiliary conveying device is not lower than the support plane of the support roller, and when the device swings downward, the tire to be tested falls on the support roller.

2. The auxiliary support as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The auxiliary support also includes several swing arms, which are pivotally connected to the side of the detection support to achieve horizontal swinging, and the inner sidewall of the swing arms is provided with several pressure rollers whose axes are arranged vertically.

3. The auxiliary support as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The detection bracket has two sets of swing arms on both sides, with the swing arms on the same side arranged in a mirror symmetrical manner.

4. The auxiliary support as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The testing bracket is equipped with four support rollers, and an auxiliary conveying device is provided between each adjacent support roller.

5. The auxiliary support as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The auxiliary conveying device includes a swing bracket and several auxiliary conveying rollers; the swing bracket includes two L-shaped swing members arranged symmetrically on the left and right, each L-shaped swing member is composed of a long rod and a short rod connected vertically, the short rod is pivotally connected to the detection bracket, and the auxiliary conveying rollers are rotatably engaged between the long rods of the two L-shaped swing members.

6. A tire appearance inspection system, comprising an auxiliary bracket as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: It also includes several detection devices and two sets of tire conveying devices disposed on the side of the auxiliary support; the detection devices are used to detect the appearance of the tires; the two tire conveying devices are respectively disposed at the inlet and outlet ends of the auxiliary support; when the auxiliary conveying device is swung up, its conveying plane is flush with the conveying plane of the tire conveying device.

7. The tire appearance inspection system as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The detection device includes a robotic arm disposed on the side of the detection bracket and a detection head mounted on the robotic arm.

8. The tire appearance inspection system as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The tire conveying device includes a conveying bracket and a plurality of tire conveying rollers rotatably fitted on the conveying bracket; both sides of the auxiliary bracket are provided with a plurality of guide rollers whose axes are arranged vertically.

9. The tire appearance inspection system as described in claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a cover frame covering the auxiliary support, detection device, and tire conveying device. The cover frame is provided with an inlet and an outlet, and a tire conveying device is provided at each of the inlet and outlet.

10. A tire appearance inspection method, using the tire appearance inspection system as described in claim 6, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: Step 1. Before activating the tire conveying device, the auxiliary conveying device swings upward until it is level with the tire conveying device; Step 2. Place the tire to be tested onto the tire conveying device at the input end, and convey the tire to the top of the support roller through the tire conveying device; Step 3. The auxiliary conveying device swings downwards, causing the tire to fall onto each support roller, and the auxiliary conveying device detaches from the lower surface of the tire; Step 4. Start the rotary motor and detection device. The tire rotates horizontally on the auxiliary support, and the detection device performs an appearance inspection on the tire. Step 5. After the appearance inspection is completed, the auxiliary conveying device swings upward until it is level with the tire conveying device, lifts the tire and removes it from the support roller, and the tire conveying device at the output end conveys the tire to the next process.

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