Repair Patch

Abstract

To provide a repair patch having an indicator function capable of determining a deterioration state of a tire with high accuracy.SOLUTION: A repair patch (70) is a repair patch attached to a tire, includes an indicator part (31a) for extracting a color component by a deterioration state determination device including a deterioration determination model and color change database so as to determine a deterioration state of the tire, and a reinforcement part (71) which is bonded to the tire and reinforces the tire, wherein the indicator part includes a medium layer printed with a color pattern coated to positions with different sensitivities to a deterioration factor and different colors and an indicator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a repair patch.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the development of the sharing economy in the transportation industry and the increasing use of retreaded tires, technologies for grasping the deterioration state of tires have attracted attention. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a tire in which when a display portion is exposed to light, the service limit is indicated by the difference in the degree of color change between the character portion and the background portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the technology of Patent Document 1 displays the expiration date of a tire printed in advance, and the accuracy is insufficient as an index for objectively indicating the deterioration state of the tire and the rubber members constituting the tire.

[0005] In view of such circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a repair patch having an indicator function that enables the deterioration state of a tire to be determined with high accuracy.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A repair patch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a repair patch attached to a tire, and includes an indicator portion from which color components are extracted by a deterioration state determination device including a deterioration determination model and a color change database for determining the deterioration state of the tire, and a reinforcement portion that is adhered to and reinforces the tire. The indicator portion includes a medium layer on which a color pattern and an identifier are printed, the plurality of colors having different sensitivities to deterioration factors being applied at different positions. With this configuration, it becomes possible to determine the deterioration state of a tire to which a repair patch is attached with high accuracy.

[0007] As an embodiment of the present disclosure, the indicator portion is provided on a side of the medium layer away from the tire, and includes a protective layer that suppresses at least transmission of ultraviolet rays. With this configuration, the amount of ultraviolet rays can be adjusted so that excessive fading does not occur due to ultraviolet rays.

[0008] As an embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcement portion is provided on a side of the medium layer close to the tire, and includes an adhesive layer that is adhered to the tire with an adhesive. With this configuration, the repair patch can be adhered to the tire without heat treatment, and the indicator portion is not thermally deteriorated during adhesion.

[0009] As an embodiment of the present disclosure, the indicator portion is provided between the medium layer and the reinforcement portion, and includes a penetration prevention layer that prevents penetration of ink. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the function of an anti-aging agent compounded in the tire rubber.

[0010] As an embodiment of the present disclosure, the color pattern is configured to include a plurality of color components that exhibit different changes with respect to one of the deterioration factors. With this configuration, the estimation accuracy of the amount of the deterioration factor is increased, and it becomes possible to determine the deterioration state of the tire with higher accuracy.

[0011] As one embodiment of the present disclosure, the deterioration factor includes at least one of heat, oxygen, water, ultraviolet rays, and ozone. With this configuration, it becomes possible to improve the accuracy of determining the deterioration state of a tire used outdoors.

[0012] As one embodiment of the present disclosure, the medium layer has a plurality of the color patterns printed thereon. With this configuration, even when a part becomes unidentifiable due to dirt or the like, the deterioration factor can be specified from the remaining colors.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a repair patch having an indicator function that enables the deterioration state of a tire to be determined with high accuracy.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 8

Figure 9

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Figure 11

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, the indicator will be described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of the present embodiment, the description of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. The indicator is used to determine the deterioration state of an object to which the indicator is attached by a deterioration state determination device. First, the deterioration state determination device will be described.

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a deterioration state determination device 10. FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of a deterioration state determination system 1 including the deterioration state determination device 10 of FIG. 1. The deterioration state determination device 10 is a device that determines the deterioration state of an object based on the color of an indicator 31 attached to the object that is the target of deterioration state determination. In the present embodiment, the object is described as being a tire 30, but it is not limited to the tire 30. The deterioration state of the tire 30 determined by the deterioration state determination device 10 may be used, for example, to present the predicted service life, suitable vulcanization method, etc. to the user when retreading the tire 30. The deterioration of the tire 30 includes things that are difficult to tell from the appearance (for example, hardening), etc., but can be determined with high accuracy by the deterioration state determination device 10. Here, retreading means shaving the tread rubber of the tire 30 and then attaching new rubber, vulcanizing, and reusing it. In some cases, a precure tread (PCT) may be used. Also, the user is a user of the tire management facility 61 that performs retreading or the like, and is particularly a driver or owner of the vehicle 20.

[0017] The deterioration state determination device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The control unit 13 includes a data acquisition unit 131, a color change database generation unit 132, a deterioration determination model generation unit 133, a color selection unit 134, an identifier extraction unit 135, a color component extraction unit 136, a deterioration determination unit 137, and a determination result output unit 138. The deterioration state determination device 10 may be a computer such as a server as a hardware configuration. Details of the components of the deterioration state determination device 10 will be described later.

[0018] The deterioration state determination device 10 may form a deterioration state determination system 1 together with at least one of a terminal device 50, a printing device 51, and a server 60 connected by a network 40. The network 40 may be, for example, the Internet, but may also be a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0019] The terminal device 50 is a general-purpose mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, for example, but is not limited to such a mobile terminal as long as it is a device having an imaging function and a display function. The terminal device 50 is used by an administrator or a user of the management facility 61 when the deterioration state of the tire 30 is to be determined, for example. The terminal device 50 may image the indicator 31 attached to the tire 30 by means of an imaging function and transmit the obtained image to the deterioration state determination device 10 via the network 40. The imaging function is realized, for example, by a camera provided in the terminal device 50. Further, the terminal device 50 may acquire the determination result of the deterioration state from the deterioration state determination device 10 via the network 40 and display it to the user by means of a display function. The display function is realized, for example, by a display such as an LCD provided in the terminal device 50. Here, the terminal device 50 may be provided with a touch panel display integrated with a touch sensor that detects contact by the user and specifies the contact position.

[0020] The printing device 51 is, for example, a color inkjet printer, but is not limited to a color inkjet printer as long as it is a device capable of printing a plurality of color components. When creating the indicator 31 attached to the tire 30, the printing device 51 is used to print an identifier 32 and a color pattern 33 (see FIG. 3) described later on a printing medium such as paper, film (film-like resin), or rubber. In the present embodiment, the printing device 51 acquires printing data from the deterioration state determination device 10 via the network 40 and the server 60, and executes printing for creating the indicator 31. Here, the printing data is indicator data including data of the identifier 32 and the color pattern 33.

[0021] The server 60 is, for example, a computer separate from the deterioration state determination device 10. The server 60 is installed, for example, in the management facility 61, and in addition to relaying the indicator data to the printing device 51, may manage data such as the retread and repair history of the tire 30.

[0022] The management facility 61 is a facility for managing the tires 30 attached to the vehicle 20. In the present embodiment, repairs, replacements, retreads, etc. of the tire 30 are performed in the management facility 61. Here, although the deterioration state determination system 1 is capable of executing the deterioration state determination process regardless of the position of the vehicle 20, in the present embodiment, the description will be made assuming that the deterioration state determination process is executed when the vehicle 20 visits the management facility 61. Also, the terminal device 50, the printing device 51, and the server 60 may be inside the management facility 61 or may be located at a place away from the management facility 61.

[0023] Here, an overview of the deterioration state determination method executed by the deterioration state determination device 10 will be described. Generally, it is known that printed matter printed by a color inkjet printer or the like fades due to the aging of the ink. Even in the same environment, the degree of fading varies depending on the color of the ink. Also, even for the same printed matter, the degree of fading varies depending on differences in deterioration factors (such as heat, ultraviolet rays, etc.) in the environment. In the present embodiment, for example, when the tire 30 is replaced, an indicator 31 is attached to the new tire 30 (see FIG. 2). Thereafter, the deterioration state determination device 10 acquires an image of the indicator 31 and calculates the amount of deterioration factors in the environment in which the tire 30 was used from the change in the color of the indicator 31. Then, the deterioration state determination device 10 determines the deterioration state of the tire 30 based on the calculated amount of deterioration factors.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the indicator 31 according to the present embodiment. The indicator 31 has an identifier 32 and a color pattern 33 printed on the print medium. The indicator 31 can be inexpensively created by printing with the printing device 51. In the present embodiment, the identifier 32 is a two-dimensional code, but it is not limited to a two-dimensional code as long as the indicator 31 (or the repair patch 70 described later) can be individually identified. Also, the color pattern 33 is a pattern formed by applying a plurality of different colors at different positions. In the present embodiment, the color pattern 33 is arranged in a checkered pattern, but it is not limited to such an arrangement. Based on the change in the color of the color pattern 33, the deterioration state determination device 10 determines the deterioration state of the tire 30. The selection of the colors used in the color pattern 33 and the like will be described later.

[0025] In the example of FIG. 2, although the indicator 31 is provided on the sidewall portion of the tire 30, the position where the indicator 31 is attached is not limited. As another example, the indicator 31 may be attached to the surface of the inner liner of the tire 30 to be retreaded. Also, as another example, the indicator 31 may be attached to the bottom of the groove in the tread portion. Also, there may be a plurality of indicators 31, and each of the plurality of indicators 31 may be attached to a different position of the tire 30. At this time, even if some of the indicators 31 are missing or soiled to the extent that they cannot be identified during the running of the vehicle 20, the change in the color of the color pattern 33 can be grasped by the remaining indicators 31. In addition, by providing a plurality of indicators 31, even if there is deterioration in which a third party intentionally heats some of the indicators 31, it is possible to prevent forgery of the indicator with the remaining indicators 31. Also, by providing a plurality of indicators 31, it becomes possible to independently estimate the degree of deterioration for each member of the tire 30. Therefore, the robustness of the deterioration state determination can be enhanced.

[0026] Here, the deterioration state determination system 1 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 2. In the present embodiment, the printing device 51 is connected to the network 40 via the server 60. However, for example, the printing device 51 may be directly connected to the network 40. In such a case, the deterioration state determination system 1 may be configured by the deterioration state determination device 10, the terminal device 50, and the printing device 51, omitting the server 60.

[0027] Hereinafter, the details of the components of the deterioration state determination device 10 will be described. The communication unit 11 includes one or more communication modules connected to the network 40. The communication unit 11 may include, for example, a communication module corresponding to a mobile communication standard such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation). The communication unit 11 may include, for example, a communication module corresponding to a wired LAN standard (as an example, 1000BASE-T). The communication unit 11 may include, for example, a communication module corresponding to a wireless LAN standard (as an example, IEEE802.11).

[0028] The storage unit 12 is one or more memories. The memory is, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or the like, but is not limited thereto and can be any memory. The storage unit 12 is, for example, built in the deterioration state determination device 10, but can also be configured to be externally accessed by the deterioration state determination device 10 via an arbitrary interface.

[0029] The storage unit 12 stores various data used in various calculations executed by the control unit 13. Further, the storage unit 12 may store the results and intermediate data of various calculations executed by the control unit 13.

[0030] In the present embodiment, the storage unit 12 includes a color change database 121, a deterioration determination model 122, and an indicator database 123. The color change database 121 is configured to include data indicating the relationship between the color change of the indicator 31 and the amount of the deterioration factor that deteriorates the tire 30. The deterioration determination model 122 is a model for determining the deterioration state of the tire 30 from the amount of the deterioration factor. The deterioration determination model 122 may be, for example, a mathematical model that inputs the amount of the deterioration factor and outputs the predicted service life, or may be generated by machine learning or the like. The indicator database 123 is configured to include data associating the identifier 32 of the indicator 31 with the information of the color pattern 33. The information of the color pattern 33 includes the colors used, the color components constituting each color, and the like. Further, the information of the color pattern 33 may include the positions of the respective colors, the types of the patterns of the color arrangements (checkerboard pattern as an example), and the like. Further, the information of the color pattern 33 may include the initial state of each color in gradation for each color component. Here, the initial state is the state at the time of creation of the indicator 31.

[0031] The control unit 13 is one or more processors. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process, but is not limited thereto and can be any processor. The control unit 13 controls the overall operation of the deterioration state determination device 10.

[0032] Here, the deterioration state determination device 10 may have the following software configuration. One or more programs used for controlling the operation of the deterioration state determination device 10 are stored in the storage unit 12. When the program stored in the storage unit 12 is read by the processor of the control unit 13, the control unit 13 is caused to function as a data acquisition unit 131, a color change database generation unit 132, a deterioration determination model generation unit 133, a color selection unit 134, an identifier extraction unit 135, a color component extraction unit 136, a deterioration determination unit 137, and a determination result output unit 138.

[0033] The data acquisition unit 131 acquires the experimental data and the image of the indicator 31, which will be described later, via the network 40 and the communication unit 11.

[0034] The color change database generation unit 132 generates a color change database 121 and stores the generated color change database 121 in the storage unit 12. The color change database generation unit 132 can generate the color change database 121 by extracting color information and deterioration factor information from the experimental data and generating data indicating the relationship between the color change and the amount of the deterioration factor.

[0035] The deterioration determination model generation unit 133 generates a deterioration determination model 122 and stores the generated deterioration determination model 122 in the storage unit 12. The deterioration determination model 122 is a model that takes the amount of deterioration factors as input and outputs an index of the deterioration state of the tire 30. The index of the deterioration state of the tire 30 is, for example, an index related to durability such as the service life, or an index related to running performance such as rolling resistance and wet grip, but is not limited thereto. The deterioration determination model generation unit 133 may acquire performance data indicating the actual deterioration state of the tire 30 that can be obtained via the network 40 and the communication unit 11, and generate the deterioration determination model 122 based on the performance data. The performance data may be, for example, data obtained from the actual running or experiment of the vehicle 20 indicating the deterioration state when a specific deterioration factor is given to the tire 30 in a specific amount. As a specific example, the performance data may indicate the actual service life of the tire 30 when a specific type of new tire 30 is left for 10 to 10,000 hours in an environment with a temperature of 20 to 80 °C and oxygen of 20 to 80%. The deterioration determination model generation unit 133 may generate the deterioration determination model 122 by machine learning using the performance data as learning data.

[0036] The color selection unit 134 selects the color used for the indicator 31 so that the amount of deterioration factors can be specified in the deterioration state determination executed by the deterioration determination unit 137. Then, the color selection unit 134 outputs indicator data (printing data) so that a color pattern 33 including the selected color is printed by the printing device 51.

[0037] The identifier extraction unit 135 extracts an identifier 32 from the image of the indicator 31 acquired by the data acquisition unit 131. The identifier 32 extracted by the identifier extraction unit 135 is used to identify the indicator 31 in the deterioration state determination executed by the deterioration determination unit 137.

[0038] The color component extraction unit 136 extracts the color components of the colors included in the color pattern 33 from the image of the indicator 31 acquired by the data acquisition unit 131. The color components extracted by the color component extraction unit 136 are used to identify the amount of deterioration factors in the deterioration state determination executed by the deterioration determination unit 137. The color component extraction unit 136 may execute a process of extracting the color component values in the RGB color space, the HSV color space, and the Lab color space at the positions of the respective inks specified in the image and calculating the average value among the color component values of the same color.

[0039] The deterioration determination unit 137 determines the deterioration state of the tire 30 based on the color component extracted from the image of the indicator 31 by the color change database 121 and the color component extraction unit 136 using the deterioration determination model 122. Specifically described, the deterioration determination unit 137 estimates (calculates) the amount of deterioration factors that the tire 30 has been affected by the usage environment by comparing the color components extracted from the image of the indicator 31 with the data in the color change database 121. Then, the deterioration determination unit 137 inputs the estimated amount of deterioration factors into the deterioration determination model 122, and determines the index of the deterioration state of the output tire 30 as the determination result.

[0040] In the present embodiment, the deterioration determination unit 137 calculates the color component change by comparing the color components extracted from the image of the indicator 31 with the initial state. The deterioration determination unit 137 can obtain the initial state of the color components of the indicator 31 from the indicator database 123. The deterioration determination unit 137 estimates the amount of deterioration factors by comparing the color component change with the data in the color change database 121. In the present embodiment, by obtaining the color component change by comparing with the initial state, even if there are individual differences (for example, printing variations) at the time of creating the indicator 31, the color change can be accurately obtained, so that the deterioration state of the object can be determined with higher accuracy.

[0041] The determination result output unit 138 outputs the determination result of the deterioration state determination executed by the deterioration determination unit 137. The determination result output by the determination result output unit 138 is displayed on a display or the like of the terminal device 50. For example, when the server 60 is configured to be connected to another display, the determination result may be displayed on the display connected to the server 60. For example, the administrator of the management facility 61 can present to the user the replacement, repair, retread of the tire 30, the predicted service life years, the suitable vulcanization method, etc. based on the determination result.

[0042] Hereinafter, the deterioration state determination method executed by the deterioration state determination device 10 will be described with reference to a flowchart or the like. The deterioration state determination method includes a first process, a second process, and a third process. The first process is a process for generating the color change database 121 and the deterioration determination model 122, and is executed before the second process and the third process. The second process is a process for causing the indicator 31 attached to the tire 30 to be created (printed by the printing device 51), and is executed before the third process. The third process is a process for acquiring an image of the indicator 31 attached to the tire 30 and determining the deterioration state of the tire 30.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the first process included in the deterioration state determination method.

[0044] The data acquisition unit 131 receives experimental data (step S1). The experimental data is data obtained by experimentally applying a deterioration factor to an experimental indicator created by the printing device 51 in the same manner as the indicator 31 to fade the color. Similar to the color pattern 33 of the indicator 31, the experimental indicator has a pattern in which a plurality of colors are arranged. The experimental data includes color information and deterioration factor information. The experimental data may include an image of the captured experimental indicator and information on the deterioration factor which is character information. The information on the deterioration factor indicates the amount of the experimentally applied deterioration factor, and may be information such as leaving it for 20 hours in an environment with a temperature of 20°C and an oxygen content of 20%.

[0045] The experimental data is transmitted to the deterioration state determination device 10 by, for example, the terminal device 50. The image of the experimental indicator and the information on the deterioration factor may be associated by an application installed in the terminal device 50 and transmitted to the deterioration state determination device 10 as experimental data. Here, the terminal device 50 may be located at a location different from the management facility 61 (for example, an experimental facility) and transmit the experimental data.

[0046] The color change database generation unit 132 extracts color information and deterioration factor information from the experimental data (step S2).

[0047] The color change database generation unit 132 generates data indicating the relationship between the color change and the amount of the deterioration factor, and associates them to generate the color change database 121 (step S3, color change database generation step).

[0048] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the color change database 121. In the example of FIG. 5, the color change database 121 is composed of a data group associating temperature, oxygen, the time left under the conditions, the ink of the color used, and the color components (R, G, B) of the color used. The ink is indicated by, for example, cyan, magenta, yellow, etc. Also, the color components are indicated in gradations of 0 to 255 for each of red (R), green (G), and blue (B).

[0049] In the example of FIG. 5, it can be seen that cyan with G = 255 and B = 255 as color components fades to G = 238 and B = 228 when left for 10 hours in an environment with a temperature of 80°C and oxygen of 20% from the first and second columns of the color change database 121. Thus, the color change database 121 shows the relationship between the color change and the amount of the deterioration factor. Using such a relationship, when there is a color change (fading) in the color pattern 33 of the indicator 31, it becomes possible to estimate the amount of the deterioration factor that caused the fading by searching for the data in the color change database 121 showing the same change in color components.

[0050] The deterioration determination model generation unit 133 generates a deterioration determination model 122 (step S4). As described above, the deterioration determination model 122 is a model that takes the amount of deterioration factors as input and outputs an index of the deterioration state of the tire 30. By generating the deterioration determination model 122 in addition to the color change database 121, it becomes possible to output an index of the deterioration state of the tire 30 from the fading of the color pattern 33 of the indicator 31, using the estimated amount of deterioration factors as an intermediate parameter.

[0051] Here, the items in the color change database 121 are not limited to the example in FIG. 5. For example, the deterioration factors may include at least one of heat, oxygen, water, ultraviolet rays, and ozone. By including these deterioration factors that can be assumed in an outdoor environment, it becomes possible to improve the accuracy of determining the deterioration state of an object used outdoors, including the tire 30.

[0052] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a second process included in the deterioration state determination method. The second process is executed after the first process. The second process is executed, for example, at the timing when the vehicle 20 replaces the tire 30 with a new one at the management facility 61.

[0053] The color selection unit 134 generates an identifier 32 printed on the indicator 31 (step S11). Also, the identifier 32 is used to associate the information of the indicator 31 and the color pattern 33 in the indicator database 123. By the identifier 32, each of the indicators 31 can be specified, enabling the grasp of the initial state and individual management. The color selection unit 134 may use, for example, a UUID (Universally Unique Identifier).

[0054] The color selection unit 134 selects a color to be used for the indicator 31 so as to be able to specify the amount of the deterioration factor (step S12, color selection step). As described above, the degree of fading varies depending on the deterioration factor in the environment and the color of the ink. The color selection unit 134 may first select a color (a color with high sensitivity) that varies greatly depending on the deterioration factor assumed in the usage environment of the tire 30. For example, when high temperature (a temperature of 80° C. as an example) is assumed as the deterioration factor, the color selection unit 134 may select a color (magenta as an example) that fades greatly due to high temperature. The color selection unit 134 may further select a color for comparison. For example, the color selection unit 134 may select a color (yellow as an example) that fades only due to high temperature in the presence of oxygen as the color for comparison. For example, in the deterioration state determination, when there is no fading in yellow and significant fading in magenta, it is possible to more accurately specify that the deterioration factor is high temperature rather than oxygen. Here, the color selection unit 134 refers to the color change database 121 in the selection of the color. The color selection unit 134 also specifies the color components of the selected color based on the data in the color change database 121 so as to be able to accurately specify the amount of the deterioration factor in the deterioration state determination. The color selection unit 134 specifies, for example, magenta with R being 255 and B being 255. Further, the color selection unit 134 also determines the arrangement of each color in the color pattern 33. The position where each color is arranged may be managed by coordinates.

[0055] Further, for control correction described later, the color selection unit 134 selects a color having a color component that is difficult to fade and includes it in the indicator data.

[0056] In this embodiment, the color selection unit 134 selects a plurality of colors that can identify the same deterioration factor, and generates indicator data so that each of the plurality of colors that can identify the same deterioration factor is applied to a different position on the indicator 31. By configuring the color pattern 33 in this way, even when a part of the indicator 31 becomes unidentifiable due to dirt or the like after the indicator 31 is attached to the tire 30, the deterioration factor can be identified from the remaining colors. As in the example of FIG. 3, the color selection unit 134 may generate indicator data so that the plurality of color patterns 33 are in different positions.

[0057] The color selection unit 134 outputs indicator data including the data of the identifier 32 and the color pattern 33 (step S13). The printing device 51 acquires the indicator data from the deterioration state determination device 10 as print data via the network 40 and the server 60, and creates the indicator 31 by printing. The created indicator 31 is attached to the tire 30. In this embodiment, the indicator 31 created by the terminal device 50 is imaged, and the image is transmitted to the deterioration state determination device 10 as indicating the initial state of the indicator 31.

[0058] The color selection unit 134 updates the indicator database 123 (step S14). That is, the information of the indicator data output by the color selection unit 134 is added to the indicator database 123. The information regarding the created indicator 31 is managed by the indicator database 123.

[0059] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the indicator database 123. In the example of FIG. 7, the indicator database 123 is composed of a group of data associating an identifier 32 (ID), a shooting date and time, an initial value flag, ink, color components (R, G, B), and the position of the color. For the newly created indicator 31, the identifier 32 and the information on the position of the color are extracted from the indicator data, the initial value flag is set to "1", and the data is added. As described above, the image of the indicator 31 created by the terminal device 50 is transmitted to the deterioration state determination device 10. The shooting date and time, ink, and color components of this image are extracted and added to the data of the newly created indicator 31. Here, the extraction of the ink and color components may be executed by the color component extraction unit 136, and the color selection unit 134 may acquire the execution result of the color component extraction unit 136. In the indicator database 123, the data with the initial value flag set to "1" includes the initial color state of the indicator 31 having the identifier 32. Here, the data with the initial value flag set to "0" includes the color state after the indicator 31 having the identifier 32 is attached to the tire 30, and is added to the indicator database 123 by the third process.

[0060] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the third process included in the deterioration state determination method. The third process is executed after the second process. The third process is executed, for example, at the timing when the maintenance of the tire 30 is performed in the management facility 61. Therefore, the third process may be executed multiple times.

[0061] The data acquisition unit 131 receives the image data of the indicator 31 (step S21).

[0062] The identifier extraction unit 135 extracts the identifier 32 from the image data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131 (step S22).

[0063] The deterioration determination unit 137 specifies the indicator 31 based on the identifier 32 extracted by the identifier extraction unit 135. The deterioration determination unit 137 reads the indicator database 123 (step S23) and acquires data such as the initial state data of the color of the specified indicator 31.

[0064] The color component extraction unit 136 performs shading correction on the image data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131 (step S24). The shading correction corrects the difference in light amount within the color pattern 33 caused by the shooting environment.

[0065] The color component extraction unit 136 performs control correction (step S25). The control correction is performed to accurately measure the change from the initial state of the color of the indicator 31. The color component extraction unit 136 extracts a color component (for example, the G component of cyan) that is less likely to fade and change within the color pattern 33, and adjusts its gradation to match the initial state. By this process, the light amount can be adjusted to match the image of the indicator 31 at the time of creation.

[0066] The color component extraction unit 136 specifies the application positions of all inks (colors) that the color pattern 33 has based on the data in the indicator database 123 (step S26). For example, the positions are specified for cyan, magenta, yellow, and mixed colors of at least some of these included in the color pattern 33.

[0067] The color component extraction unit 136 extracts the color component values of each ink whose position has been specified (step S27, color component extraction step). For example, as in the example of FIG. 3, when a plurality of color patterns 33 are included, an average value may be used as the color component value of each ink. Also, when there is some dirt adhering in part, the color component values of each ink may be extracted using only the color patterns 33 in the area where no dirt adheres. Although the deterioration determination may be performed using the extracted color component values of each ink themselves, in the present embodiment, the deterioration determination is performed using the difference from the initial state. Therefore, the color component extraction unit 136 calculates the change of the color component values of each ink from the initial state using the data in the indicator database 123.

[0068] Here, the color component extraction unit 136 updates the indicator database 123 in the same manner as in step S14 of the second process (step S28). The configuration of the data added to the indicator database 123 is the same as that in step S14 of the second process, except that the initial value flag is "0".

[0069] The deterioration determination unit 137 reads out the color change database 121. Also, the deterioration determination unit 137 reads out the deterioration determination model 122 (step S29).

[0070] The deterioration determination unit 137 performs a deterioration determination of the tire 30 based on the color change database 121 and the color components extracted from the image using the deterioration determination model 122 (step S30, deterioration determination step).

[0071] First, the deterioration determination unit 137 extracts data corresponding to the change from the initial state of the color component values from the color change database 121, and estimates the amount of deterioration factors that the tire 30 has received from the environment. For example, when cyan with an initial state of G = 253 and B = 253 has faded (changed) to G = 236 and B = 226, the deterioration determination unit 137 calculates the color component changes as G = 17 and B = 27. Based on the color change database 121, the deterioration determination unit 137 extracts data corresponding to such color component changes, and may estimate that the amount of the deterioration factor is "left in an environment of 80°C and 20% oxygen for 10 hours". The deterioration determination unit 137 may perform the estimation by a known method such as regression analysis using the data constituting the color change database 121.

[0072] Further, the deterioration determination unit 137 may calculate the color component changes for a plurality of color components showing different changes for one deterioration factor, and specify the amount of the deterioration factor from the plurality of color component changes. For example, assume that the color change database 121 includes data indicating that when left in an environment of "80°C and 20% oxygen for 10 hours", the R of magenta changes from 255 to 220. The deterioration determination unit 137 can improve the estimation accuracy of the amount of the deterioration factor, and as a result, determine the deterioration state of the tire 30 with higher accuracy by calculating and comparing the change in the R of magenta in addition to the cyan in the above example.

[0073] The deterioration determination unit 137 inputs the amount of the deterioration factor into the deterioration determination model 122, and calculates an index of the deterioration state of the tire 30. The deterioration determination unit 137 may calculate indices of the deterioration states of a plurality of tires 30 including the service life.

[0074] The determination result output unit 138 outputs the determination result by the deterioration determination unit 137 (step S31). The administrator of the management facility 61 may propose to the user methods such as replacement, repair, and retread of the tire 30 based on the index of the deterioration state of the tire 30 shown as the determination result.

[0075] As described above, the indicator 31 enables the deterioration state of the object to be determined with high accuracy by the above configuration.

[0076] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the indicator 31 is created when the tire 30 is replaced and is immediately attached to the new tire 30. However, the indicator 31 may be attached to the object after a certain period of time has elapsed since it was created. Also, the indicator 31 may be attached during the manufacturing process of the object. That is, the object to which the indicator 31 is attached may be manufactured. Even in such distribution of the object, it is possible to upload an image of the initial state of the indicator 31 and an image at the time of determining the deterioration state to the deterioration state determination device 10 using, for example, the terminal device 50. The terminal device 50 in this case may be a device owned by a user who wants to know the deterioration state, a seller or a manufacturer of the object. The determination result by the deterioration state determination device 10 may be displayed on the terminal device 50 via the network 40. From the upload of the image of the indicator 31 to the display of the determination result by the deterioration state determination device 10 may be executed by an application installed in the terminal device 50.

[0077] Here, when the tire 30 gets a puncture, a repair patch 70 (see FIG. 9) for plugging the hole may be used. FIG. 11 illustrates how the hole in the tire 30 is plugged by the repair patch 70. The repair patch 70 according to the present embodiment has the function of the indicator 31 and, similar to the first embodiment, enables the deterioration state of the tire 30 after attaching the repair patch 70 to be determined. To avoid redundant description, the configuration different from the first embodiment will be described below.

[0078] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the repair patch 70 according to the present embodiment. The repair patch 70 includes an indicator portion 31a and a reinforcing portion 71. The indicator portion 31a functions in the same manner as the indicator 31 in the first embodiment and has an identifier 32 and a color pattern 33. The reinforcing portion 71 is adhered to the tire 30 for reinforcement. The reinforcing portion 71 may have a known configuration.

[0079] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the repair patch 70 in FIG. 9, showing the layer structure of the cross-section of the repair patch 70 at A-A in FIG. 9. In the present embodiment, the indicator portion 31a of the repair patch 70 includes a penetration prevention layer 36, a medium layer 37, and a protective layer 38. Further, the reinforcing portion 71 of the repair patch 70 includes an adhesive layer 72, an air permeation prevention layer 73, and a reinforcing layer 74. The bottom surface of the adhesive layer 72 shown in FIG. 10 is an adhesive surface that is adhered to the tire 30. As shown in FIG. 10, when explaining the positional relationship of the layers in the stacking direction, the direction away from the object (tire 30) is referred to as "up", and the direction approaching the object is referred to as "down". FIG. 9 corresponds to a plan view of the repair patch 70 viewed from below.

[0080] In the medium layer 37, the color pattern 33 and the identifier 32, which are coated with a plurality of colors having different sensitivities to deterioration factors at different positions, are printed. The left diagram in FIG. 10 shows the case where the printing device 51 uses dye ink. The dye ink penetrates into and is fixed to the medium layer 37. On the other hand, the right diagram in FIG. 10 shows the case where the printing device 51 uses pigment ink. The pigment ink is fixed on the surface of the medium layer 37. The printing device 51 may use dye ink, pigment ink, or both. The medium layer 37 may be paper, film, rubber, or the like.

[0081] The protective layer 38 is provided on the side away from the tire 30 with respect to the medium layer 37, that is, on the medium layer 37, and suppresses at least the transmission of ultraviolet rays. The protective layer 38 has a function of adjusting the amount of ultraviolet rays so that excessive fading does not occur due to ultraviolet rays, which is one of the deterioration factors. Further, the protective layer 38 may have a function of surely separating a plurality of colors by filling the space between adjacent colors in the color pattern 33. The function of separating the colors of the protective layer 38 is particularly useful when pigment ink is used. The protective layer 38 may be a transparent acrylic resin or the like. Here, the repair patch 70 may be configured not to include the protective layer 38.

[0082] Here, the term "on" in the expression "on the medium layer 37" includes not only being directly above the medium layer 37 but also the case where another layer further exists between the medium layer 37 and the protective layer 38. For example, the protective layer 38 may exist directly above the medium layer 37, or there may be another layer directly above the medium layer 37 and the protective layer 38 may exist above that other layer. When expressing the relationship between other layers, the term "on" shall have the same meaning. Also, for the term "below", it shall be similarly construed to include the case where another layer further exists.

[0083] The penetration prevention layer 36 is provided between the medium layer 37 and the reinforcing portion 71 and prevents the penetration of ink. By the penetration prevention layer 36, it is possible to suppress the reduction in the function of the anti-aging agent compounded in the rubber for the tire 30. The penetration prevention layer 36 may be configured to include, for example, a urethane resin that absorbs ink. Here, the repair patch 70 may be configured not to include the penetration prevention layer 36.

[0084] The subsequent layer 72 is provided on the side closer to the tire 30 with respect to the medium layer 37, that is, below the medium layer 37, and has an adhesive surface that is adhered to the tire 30. An adhesive may be applied to the adhesive surface. The adhesive may be made of, for example, an epoxy resin, a silicone resin, a urethane resin, etc., but is not limited to those exemplified. Due to the presence of the adhesive layer 72 that can be adhered by the adhesive, the repair patch 70 can be adhered to the tire 30 without heat treatment, and the indicator portion 31a is not thermally deteriorated during adhesion. Here, the repair patch 70 may be configured not to include the adhesive layer 72.

[0085] The air permeation prevention layer 73 is provided between the medium layer 37 and the adhesive layer 72 to prevent air leakage from the tire 30. In the present embodiment, the air permeation prevention layer 73 is provided directly above the adhesive layer 72. The air permeation prevention layer 73 may be, for example, butyl rubber.

[0086] The reinforcing layer 74 is provided between the medium layer 37 and the adhesive layer 72 to reinforce the punctured portion of the tire 30. In the present embodiment, the air permeation prevention layer 73 is provided directly below the indicator portion 31a and has a configuration in which a textile member is covered with a rubber member. The textile member may be made of, for example, polyester, nylon, etc. Also, the rubber member may be, for example, butyl rubber. Here, the repair patch 70 may be configured to include only one of the air permeation prevention layer 73 and the reinforcing layer 74.

[0087] As described above, similar to the first embodiment, the repair patch 70 according to the present embodiment has an indicator function that enables the deterioration state of the tire to be determined with high accuracy.

[0088] Embodiments of the present disclosure have been described based on the drawings and examples. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can easily make various modifications or corrections based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications or corrections are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or each step can be rearranged so as not to be logically contradictory, and a plurality of components or steps can be combined into one or divided. Embodiments according to the present disclosure can also be realized as a program executed by a processor included in a device or a storage medium recording the program. It should be understood that these are also included in the scope of the present disclosure.

[0089] In the color component extraction step of the above embodiment, the image of the indicator 31 used for extracting the color component is not limited to the image captured by irradiating visible light. For example, the image data of the indicator 31 may be an image captured by irradiating non-visible light such as UV (ultraviolet) light. In the captured image irradiated with non-visible light, the change (sensitivity) of color with respect to a specific deterioration factor may be larger than when irradiating visible light. Therefore, when examining in detail the influence of a specific deterioration factor, the captured image irradiated with non-visible light may be used.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0090] 1 Deterioration state determination system 10 Deterioration state determination device 11 Communication unit 12 Storage unit 13 Control unit 20 Vehicle 30 Tire 31 Indicator 31a Indicator part 32 Identifier 33 Color pattern 35 Adhesive layer 36 Penetration prevention layer 37 Medium layer 38 Protection layer 40 Network 50 Terminal device 51 Printing device 60 Server 61 Management equipment 70 Repair patch 71 Reinforcement part 72 Adhesive layer 73 Air permeation prevention layer 74 Reinforcement layer 121 Color change database 122 Deterioration determination model 123 Indicator database 131 Data acquisition unit 132 Color change database generation unit 133 Deterioration determination model generation unit 134 Color selection unit 135 Identifier extraction unit 136 Color component extraction unit 137 Deterioration determination unit 138 Determination result output unit

Claims

1. A repair patch applied to a tire, comprising: an indicator portion from which color components are extracted by a deterioration state determination device including a deterioration determination model and a color change database for determining the deterioration state of the tire; a reinforcing portion adhered to and reinforcing the tire; The indicator portion includes a medium layer on which a color pattern and an identifier are printed, the color pattern being formed by applying a plurality of colors having different sensitivities to deterioration factors at different positions. A repair patch.

2. The repair patch according to claim 1, wherein the indicator portion is provided on a side of the medium layer away from the tire and includes a protective layer that suppresses at least transmission of ultraviolet rays.

3. The repair patch according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing portion is provided on a side of the medium layer close to the tire and includes an adhesive layer adhered to the tire with an adhesive.

4. The repair patch according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the indicator portion is provided between the medium layer and the reinforcing portion and includes a penetration prevention layer that prevents penetration of ink.

5. The repair patch according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the color pattern is configured to include a plurality of color components that exhibit different changes with respect to one of the deterioration factors.

6. The repair patch according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the deterioration factor includes at least one of heat, oxygen, water, ultraviolet rays, and ozone.

7. The repair patch according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a plurality of the color patterns are printed on the medium layer.

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