Laser High-Speed Tire Cleaning Device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tire cleaning apparatus for cleaning the inner surface (118) of a tire (108) with laser radiation, the apparatus comprising: a positioning device (106, 128) configured to position a tire having an inner surface and defining a circumferential direction and a tire rotation axis (110); a cleaning head configured to position a radiation path (114) and emit a laser beam along the radiation path at the inner surface of the tire; and a control device (120) configured to move the radiation path (114) and the inner surface (118) relative to each other, wherein the relative movement of an intersection (132) of the radiation path and the inner surface defines a positioning path (144) on the inner surface of the tire (108) and a velocity along the positioning path, the average velocity of the intersection (132) in the circumferential direction along the positioning path being greater than 5 m / s. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for cleaning tires and tires thus cleaned.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject matter disclosed in this specification relates to the field of tire cleaning devices.

Background Art

[0002] European Patent No. 2674287 describes a method for applying a self-sealing puncture protection layer to the inner surface of a vehicle pneumatic tire, which includes the steps of: a) placing a vulcanized tire with lubricant residues adhering to the inner surface of the tire as a result of vulcanization into a cleaning device; b) arranging a laser optical system with a holding device in the cleaning device, the laser beam of which can be directed towards the inner surface of the tire; c) activating the laser beam such that the laser beam directed towards the inner surface of the tire penetrates at least partially through the lubricant residues, detaching the adhering lubricant residues from the inner surface of the tire through energy irradiation and thermal heating of the surface, and simultaneously transitioning the lubricant residues to a powdery state when detaching them from the inner surface of the tire, the laser beam having a linear projection directed towards the inner surface of the tire, and the linear laser beam essentially irradiating the inner surface of the tire between the tire shoulders; d) sucking the powdery lubricant residues with a suction device; and e) applying a self-sealing puncture protection layer to the inner surface of the tire that has been cleaned of lubricant residues of the vehicle pneumatic tire.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] From the perspective of the situation described above, there is a need for a technology that enables tire cleaning with improved features.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] This necessity is taken into account by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein, an apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of a tire by laser radiation, in particular a tire cleaning apparatus, is disclosed.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, a tire cleaning apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of a tire by laser radiation is disclosed, the tire cleaning apparatus comprising a positioning device configured to position a tire having an inner surface and defining a circumferential direction and a tire rotation axis, a cleaning head configured to position a radiation path and emit a laser beam along the radiation path onto the inner surface of the tire, and a control device configured such that the radiation path and the inner surface are in relative motion with respect to each other, the relative motion of the intersection of the radiation path and the inner surface defining a positioning path on the inner surface of the tire and a velocity along this positioning path, the average velocity of the intersection in the circumferential direction along the positioning path being greater than 5 m / s.

[0008] According to a second aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein, a tire cleaning system is disclosed.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the second aspect, a tire cleaning system is disclosed, the tire cleaning system comprising a tire cleaning apparatus according to the first aspect or an embodiment thereof and a laser source for generating a laser beam.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the third aspect, a tire is disclosed.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the third aspect, a tire having an inner surface is disclosed, the inner surface being cleaned by a tire cleaning apparatus according to the first aspect or an embodiment thereof.

[0012] According to a fourth aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein, a method for cleaning a tire is disclosed.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the fourth aspect, the method includes positioning a tire having an inner surface and defining a circumferential direction and a tire rotation axis, positioning a radiation path, and emitting a laser beam along the radiation path onto the inner surface of the tire, and moving the radiation path and the inner surface relative to each other, wherein the relative movement of the intersection of the radiation path and the inner surface defines a positioning path on the inner surface of the tire and a velocity along this positioning path, and the average velocity of the intersection in the circumferential direction along the positioning path is greater than 5 m / s.

[0014] According to a fifth aspect of the subject matter disclosed herein, a computer program product having program elements, particularly a non-transitory computer program, is disclosed.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the fifth aspect, a computer program product having program elements, particularly a non-transitory computer program product, is disclosed, and this computer program product is configured such that when the program elements are executed by a processor device, the method according to the fourth aspect or an embodiment thereof is executed.

[0016] Various aspects and embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein are based on the idea that the efficiency of the cleaning method can be improved by selecting a large average velocity of the relative movement between the radiation path and the inner surface in the circumferential direction of the tire. Further, embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein enable a high relative velocity between the radiation path and the inner surface. This high relative velocity also enables the use of a laser (also referred to herein as a laser source) having a high average output. Typically, the high average output is achieved by a high pulse frequency. This pulse energy (energy per laser pulse) cannot be arbitrarily increased because otherwise unwanted multi-photon absorption occurs in the beam path of the laser (particularly, for example, in an optical waveguide such as a glass fiber).

[0017] Lasers with relatively high output typically have a relatively good (relatively high) output / cost ratio. Thus, embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein enable relatively efficient cleaning of the inner surface of a tire.

[0018] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein, the number of reversal points (points at which the direction of relative movement between the radiation path and the inner surface changes) or stop points, or the size of stop intervals (intervals on the inner surface where laser radiation is not emitted), is reduced compared to conventional approaches.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the average speed of relative movement between the radiation path and the inner surface in the circumferential direction of the tire can be selected large, for example by reducing the number and / or the absolute value of direction changes of the positioning path. The direction changes provide a limitation on the speed during the direction change, because otherwise the acceleration and load of mechanical components would become too high.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the cleaning of the inner surface of the tire includes removal of a release agent from the inner surface. The release agent is typically necessary to prevent the tire from adhering to the tire bulk that presses the tire during vulcanization in the tire mold. Removal of the release agent is necessary to attach functional elements, such as materials and / or members (such as pressure sensors) that reduce noise and enhance the functionality of the tire, to the inner surface of the tire.

[0021] According to embodiments of the first aspect, the tire cleaning device is formed to provide one or several functionalities of the embodiments disclosed herein and / or to provide the functionality required for one or several of the embodiments disclosed herein, particularly for the embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, the fourth aspect and / or the fifth aspect.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the second aspect, the tire cleaning system is configured to provide one or some of the functionalities of the embodiments disclosed herein and / or to provide the functionalities necessary for one or some of the embodiments disclosed herein, particularly the embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, the fourth aspect, and / or the fifth aspect.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the third aspect, the tire is configured to provide one or some of the functionalities of the embodiments disclosed herein and / or to provide the functionalities necessary for one or some of the embodiments disclosed herein, particularly the embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, the fourth aspect, and / or the fifth aspect.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the fourth aspect, the method is configured to provide one or some of the functionalities of the embodiments disclosed herein and / or to provide the functionalities necessary for one or some of the embodiments disclosed herein, particularly the embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, the fourth aspect, and / or the fifth aspect.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the fifth aspect, the computer program product is configured to provide one or some of the functionalities of the embodiments disclosed herein and / or to provide the functionalities necessary for one or some of the embodiments disclosed herein, particularly the embodiments of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, the fourth aspect, and / or the fifth aspect.

[0026] Further advantages and features of the subject matter disclosed herein will become apparent from the following exemplary description of the presently advantageous embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited by this exemplary description. The individual figures of the drawings of this application are to be regarded as merely schematic and not necessarily to scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027]

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Exemplary embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein are described below, for example, with reference to a tire cleaning device, a tire cleaning system, a tire, a method, and a computer program product. Of course, it should be emphasized that each combination of features of the various aspects, embodiments, and examples is possible. In particular, some embodiments are described with respect to a method or a computer program product, and other embodiments are described with respect to a tire cleaning device, a tire cleaning system, or a tire. However, those skilled in the art will infer from the above and following descriptions, the claims, and the drawings that the features of the various aspects, embodiments, and examples can be combined, unless otherwise stated, and such combinations of features are considered to be disclosed by this application. For example, even features regarding a method or a computer program product can be combined with features regarding a tire cleaning device, a tire cleaning system, or a tire, and vice versa. Further, the features of embodiments regarding a tire cleaning device, a tire cleaning system, or a tire can be combined with corresponding features regarding a method or a computer program product. Further, the disclosure of a method, an embodiment of a method or a function can be considered to disclose one or several actuators, as well as the functionality of a control device formed for the implementation of the method or function that interacts with this actuator. Further, the disclosure of the functionality of a device can be considered to disclose a corresponding method that defines the function without the features of the device.

[0029] As used herein, a reference to a computer program product having program elements is equivalent to a reference to the program elements and / or a computer-readable medium containing the program elements, which are configured to control a processor device (e.g., a computer system) to implement and / or coordinate one or several executions of the methods described above.

[0030] The program element can be implemented as computer-readable instruction code by using some suitable programming language such as JAVA (registered trademark), C#, etc., and can be stored in a computer-readable medium (removable disk, volatile or non-volatile memory, embedded memory / processor, etc.). The instruction code is operable to execute the intended function for programming a computer or some other programmable processor device. This program element may be available from a network where it can be downloaded, such as the World Wide Web.

[0031] The subject matter disclosed herein can be implemented by a program element or software. However, the subject matter disclosed herein can also be implemented by one or several specific electronic circuits or hardware. Further, the subject matter disclosed herein can also be implemented in a hybrid form, that is, by combining software modules and hardware modules.

[0032] Unless otherwise stated, numerical values should be understood to include a window of ±5%, that is, for example, a description of a speed of 5 m / s includes, according to one embodiment, a speed within the interval of (5 ± 5%) m / s = [4.75 m / s, 5.25 m / s], and a description of a percentage of 50% includes, according to one embodiment, a percentage display within the interval of 50% ± 5% = [47.5%, 52.5%]. According to another embodiment, numerical values should be understood to include a window of ±10%.

[0033] According to one embodiment, a tire cleaning device for cleaning the inner surface of a tire by laser radiation is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning device comprises a positioning device configured to position the tire, the tire having an inner surface and defining a circumferential direction and a tire rotation axis. According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning device comprises a cleaning head configured to position a radiation path and emit a laser beam along the radiation path onto the inner surface of the tire. According to another embodiment, the tire cleaning device comprises a control device configured such that the radiation path and the inner surface move relative to each other. According to one embodiment, the relative movement of the intersection of the radiation path and the inner surface defines a positioning path on the inner surface of the tire and a speed along this positioning path. According to another embodiment, the average speed of the intersection in the circumferential direction along the positioning path is greater than 5 m / s. Thus, this speed value defines a lower limit speed for the average speed of the intersection in the circumferential direction according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, the average speed of the intersection in the circumferential direction is, for example, greater than 5 m / s, greater than 10 m / s, greater than 15 m / s, greater than 20 m / s, or according to yet another embodiment, greater than 25 m / s.

[0034] Correspondingly, according to one embodiment, the method has one or some of the following embodiments. According to one embodiment, the method includes the step of positioning a tire, the tire having an inner surface and defining a circumferential direction and a tire rotation axis. According to another embodiment, the method includes the step of positioning a radiation path and emitting a laser beam along the radiation path onto the inner surface of the tire. According to one embodiment, the method includes the step of moving the radiation path and the inner surface relative to each other. According to another embodiment, the relative movement of the intersection of the radiation path and the inner surface defines a positioning path on the inner surface of the tire and a speed along this positioning path. According to another embodiment, the average speed of the intersection along the positioning path in the circumferential direction exceeds the lower limit speed disclosed herein and is, for example, greater than 5 m / s.

[0035] The tire rotation axis is the axis around which the tire rotates during use. Therefore, the tire rotation axis can also be referred to as a functional axis. The rotation direction extends in a direction perpendicular to the tire rotation axis of the tire.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the cleaning is to remove mold release agent residues from the tire manufacturing process. According to another embodiment, during cleaning, a part of the rubber on the inner surface of the tire is removed and / or the surface is roughened or enlarged.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the inner surface is the inner surface disposed on the side opposite to the grooves or treads of the tire. According to another embodiment, the inner surface is the inner surface of the sidewall of the tire.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the average velocity of the intersection with respect to the inner surface in the circumferential direction is defined over a time interval (i.e., the velocity of the intersection with respect to the inner surface is averaged over a time interval). For example, according to one embodiment, the time interval is defined by the cleaning cycle time of the tire, i.e., the time from the start of the supply of one tire to the start of the supply of the next tire. According to another embodiment, the time interval is defined by the cleaning time of the inner surface from the first laser contact with this tire to the last laser contact. According to another embodiment, the time interval is defined by the cleaning time of an (arbitrary) partial surface of the inner surface, e.g., a partial surface of >10 cm 2 of the partial surface. According to another embodiment, the time interval is defined by a predetermined period, e.g., a period of 20 seconds (20 s). According to another embodiment, the predetermined period is 10 s (or 5 s, or 2 s), or according to yet another embodiment, 1 s. According to still another embodiment, the predetermined period is at least 0.1 s, 0.3 s, 0.5 s, or according to another embodiment, 0.9 s. According to still another embodiment, the time interval is defined by the relative rotation of 360 degrees between the radiation path and the inner surface.

[0039] According to one embodiment, at least 50% of the relative motion is generated by the rotation of at least one rotatable element. According to another embodiment, at least 70%, or in other embodiments at least 90%, of the relative motion is generated by the rotation of at least one rotatable element. According to another embodiment, at least one rotatable element includes at least one of the following elements, namely a tire, a radiation path, an optical element. For example, according to one embodiment, the relative motion can be at least partially generated by the rotation of the tire and / or the rotation of the radiation path. According to another embodiment, the relative motion is partially generated by the linear motion of at least one element. For example, the relative motion can be partially performed by the linear motion of the cleaning head and / or the tire. According to one embodiment, the linear motion is performed parallel to the tire rotation axis or at an inclination angle with respect to the tire rotation axis. According to one embodiment, the inclination angle is at most 45 degrees, for example at most 30 degrees, or at most 20 degrees. For example, according to one embodiment, the cleaning head may be configured to move linearly and the positioning device may be configured to rotate the tire about the tire rotation axis. Thus, a scanner for pivoting the radiation path within the scan area is not required. The omission of the scanner simplifies the structure of the tire cleaning device and at the same time, according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein, a high cleaning speed can be achieved. Therefore, according to one embodiment, the radiation path is non-pivoting. According to one embodiment, the mobility (to the extent it exists) of the radiation path only includes rotatability or linear mobility. The linear motion of the radiation path (e.g., by the linear motion of the cleaning head) can simplify the suction of contaminants adjacent to the radiation path (or the cleaning head) compared to embodiments where the cleaning head rotates.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the positioning path defines, at each point (of the positioning path), the path direction along the positioning path, and this path direction has a first direction component in the circumferential direction and a second direction component parallel to the tire rotation axis. In other words, the vector defining the path direction at a point on the positioning path can be divided into a first direction component in the circumferential direction and a second direction component parallel to the tire rotation axis. Generally, the vector that defines the path direction at a point on the positioning path in three dimensions is completely defined by a first direction component in the circumferential direction, a second direction component parallel to the tire axis, and a third direction component in the radial direction (perpendicular to the tire rotation axis and perpendicular to the circumferential direction). The second direction component can also be referred to as the axial direction component, and the third direction component can also be referred to as the radial direction component. According to one embodiment, since the inner surface arranged on the opposite side of the tread of the tire can be explained by a substantially cylindrical surface, in this case, the third direction component in the radial direction is zero or relatively small in any case. For the inner surface arranged in contact with the tire sidewall, the third direction component in the radial direction is at least different from zero for the section of the positioning path. However, in accordance with one embodiment, the first direction component and the second direction component are defined regardless of the absolute value of the third direction component in any case.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the path direction at a point on the positioning path is defined by the tangent to the positioning path at this point. According to one embodiment, in at least 50% of the positioning path, the first direction component is greater than the second direction component. For example, according to one embodiment, in at least 70% (or according to another embodiment, at least 80% or at least 90%) of the positioning path, the first direction component is greater than the second direction component.

[0042] According to one embodiment, at the described percentage (e.g., in at least 50% or at least 70% of the positioning path), the first direction component in the circumferential direction of the tire is at least twice as large (or, according to another embodiment, at least three times as large) as the second direction component parallel to the tire rotation axis.

[0043] According to one embodiment, the second direction component is zero for at least a part of the positioning path (i.e., this part of the positioning path extends in the circumferential direction).

[0044] According to one embodiment, the laser beam generates a plurality of laser spots on the positioning path. According to another embodiment, each laser spot of the plurality of laser spots on the inner surface generates one machining spot on the inner surface each time. For example, according to one embodiment, the inner surface is cleaned by the laser spots that generate the machining spots.

[0045] According to one embodiment, a plurality of consecutive machining spots (especially temporally consecutive machining spots) on the inner surface of the tire define a machining path along which the inner surface is cleaned. According to one embodiment, the machining path extends in parallel circular orbits at least one section at a time and / or the machining path extends helically at least one section at a time. For example, according to one embodiment, the machining path has a straight portion and a transverse portion that extends obliquely with respect to this straight portion. For example, the straight portion can be a (parallel) circular orbit. Generally, according to one embodiment, the machining path has two or more parallel portions. For example, according to one embodiment, the transverse portion bridges the travel difference between adjacent parallel circular orbits. According to one embodiment, the transverse portion can extend over an angular range of at least 10 degrees, for example at least 20 degrees, at least 30 degrees or at least 50 degrees with respect to the tire rotation axis (i.e., over an angular section). In this sense, a transverse portion extending over 360 degrees corresponds to a helical machining path. According to one embodiment, the angular region is at most 180 degrees, for example at most 120 degrees or at most 90 degrees. The larger the angular region, the smaller the inclination of the transverse portion and the lower the mechanical load on the part of the tire cleaning device when transitioning from the first parallel circular orbit to the adjacent second parallel circular orbit. According to one embodiment, the transverse portion may be scheduled to intersect (i.e., overlap) at least one parallel circular orbit.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the plurality of laser spots are the actual partial amounts of all the laser spots generated on the positioning path, that is, the plurality of laser spots do not include all the laser spots generated on the positioning path.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the laser beam generates a plurality of laser spots on the positioning path, and in this case, adjacent laser spots overlap each other. According to another embodiment, two adjacent laser spots (each) overlap along a first direction over a length of 0%, 50%, 67%, 75%, 80% or 90% of the spread of one of the laser spots in the first direction. For the described numerical values, uniform removal (uniform cleaning) is achieved. In other words, for the described numerical values, the inner surface is irradiated with a predetermined number of laser spots uniformly along the first direction. For example, with a 50% overlap (1 / 2 overlap), the inner surface (or each part of the inner surface) is irradiated twice with laser spots along the first direction, and with 67% (2 / 3 overlap) it is irradiated three times.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the laser spots adjacent in the first direction are temporally consecutive laser spots. According to another embodiment, the laser spots adjacent in the first direction are laser spots that overlap in a direction parallel to the tire rotation axis (i.e., the axial direction). According to one embodiment, the laser spots overlap along the positioning path, in a direction transverse to the positioning path (e.g., perpendicular direction), for example, in the circumferential direction or in the axial direction. For example, according to one embodiment, the overlap along the positioning path is 67%, and the overlap in the direction perpendicular to the positioning path is also 67%, so that the overlap region may be expected to be irradiated nine times with laser spots in total.

[0049] According to one embodiment, at least a part of the laser spots adjacent in the direction of the tire rotation axis are shifted from each other in the tire rotation direction by more than 10% of their spread in the rotation direction. According to another embodiment, the circumferential shift of the laser spots adjacent in the axial direction is at least 15% (or in yet another embodiment, at least 20%) of the spread of the machining spots in the circumferential direction.

[0050] The overlap is defined within the range of normal tolerances, for example, with an accuracy of ±5 percentage points. Thus, for example, an overlap of 50% includes an overlap within the range of 45% to 55% within the tolerance range. In another embodiment, the tolerance is ±10 percentage points, especially in the 0% overlap region (i.e., when the adjacent laser points (in the first direction) are directly adjacent to each other).

[0051] According to one embodiment, 50% of all laser points have an overlap corresponding to (at least) one adjacent laser spot.

[0052] According to one embodiment, the first direction extends along the positioning path. For example, according to one embodiment, two adjacent laser spots are laser spots that are directly consecutive in time, and the first direction corresponds to the direction of the distance vector between two laser spots that are directly consecutive in time. According to another embodiment, the first direction is defined by the direction of the distance vector between two adjacent laser spots that are not directly consecutive in time, for example, two laser spots adjacent in the direction of the tire rotation axis.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the laser beam generates a plurality of laser spots / machining spots one after another in time. According to one embodiment, the plurality of laser spots are generated by using a pulsed laser. In this case, the overlap of the pulses of two temporally consecutive laser spots is defined by the pulse frequency of the laser, the size of the laser spot, and the relative speed between the intersection point (the intersection of the radiation path and the inner surface of the tire) and the inner surface of the tire. According to another embodiment, the laser is at least temporarily switched off by a control device or blocked by a shutter, and the overlap is defined by the time when the laser is switched on / the shutter is opened.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the laser spot (i.e., the spot of the laser beam) defines a machining spot (i.e., a surface area) on the inner surface whose inner surface is being machined (cleaned). In this sense, the portion of the positioning path where the laser beam is radiated onto the inner surface defines the machining path, and along this machining path, the inner surface is machined. Therefore, the path direction of the machining path coincides with the corresponding path direction of the positioning path at least in a partial region (e.g., excluding the removal locations).

[0055] According to one embodiment, the laser beam is radiated onto the inner surface over 100% of the positioning path. According to another embodiment, the laser beam is radiated onto the inner surface over at least 95% (or at least 90%, or according to yet another embodiment, at least 80%) of the positioning path. Within the range of the positioning path where the laser beam is not radiated, the laser may be switched off, for example, or the laser beam may be blocked by a shutter. In other words, according to one embodiment, the positioning path and the machining path are 100% identical. According to a corresponding another embodiment, the positioning path and the machining path are at least 95%, at least 90% or at least 80% identical.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the positioning device is configured to rotate the tire, and the control device is configured such that the relative movement of the intersection point is caused at least partially by the rotation of the tire about the rotation axis.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the cleaning head is configured such that the radiation path rotates. For example, according to one embodiment, the cleaning head has at least one rotatable optical element. According to another embodiment, the cleaning head is rotatable, whereby the radiation path rotates. According to one embodiment, the control device is configured such that the relative movement of the intersection point is caused, at least in part, by the rotation of the radiation path, in particular by the rotation of the radiation path about the tire rotation axis.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the cleaning head has a beam emitting element (e.g., an optical element), and the radiation path extends linearly from the element to the inner surface.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the beam emitting element is rotatable. According to another embodiment, the beam emitting element is arranged non-rotatably with respect to the cleaning head and rotates together with the cleaning head. According to another embodiment, the beam emitting element is arranged rotatably with respect to the cleaning head.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning device has a compensating element that compensates for the rotation of the laser beam about the central axis of the laser beam generated by the rotation of the radiation path. In other words, the compensating element compensates for the rotation of the laser spot about the central axis of the laser beam (or about the central axis of the radiation path or about the center point of the laser spot).

[0061] According to another embodiment, the compensating element is arranged in the beam path of the laser beam (in particular, between the laser source and the beam emitting element). For example, the compensating element includes at least one (further) rotating optical element. According to one embodiment, the compensating element is a Dove prism, or according to another embodiment, for example, an arrangement of 2n + 1 series mirrors, where n is a natural number. When the beam emitting element is a rotating optical element, according to one embodiment, the compensating element rotates at half or twice the angular velocity of the rotating beam emitting element.

[0062] According to one embodiment, more than 90% of the relative movement of the intersection is performed by the rotation of the tire and / or by the rotation of a radial path (e.g., about an axis extending parallel to the tire rotation axis or an axis inclined less than 10 degrees with respect to the tire rotation axis). According to another embodiment, more than 80% (or, according to another embodiment, more than 95%) of the relative movement of the intersection is performed by the rotation of the tire and / or by the rotation of a radial path. According to one embodiment, the rotation of the tire and / or the rotation of a radial path is performed about the tire rotation axis.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the cleaning device comprises a suction device for sucking contaminants generated by the cleaning of the tire. According to another embodiment, the suction device has a suction opening for sucking contaminants. According to one embodiment, the suction opening is positioned adjacent to the intersection of the radial path and the inner surface. For example, according to one embodiment, the suction opening follows the intersection of the radial path and the inner surface. For example, the suction opening may be positioned adjacent to the cleaning head and may be movable together with the cleaning head. According to another embodiment, the suction device may be configured to suck the entire internal space of the tire (in particular, defined by the inner surface of the tire). According to one embodiment, the volumetric flow rate of the suction device is adapted to the position and / or size of the suction opening.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the laser beam is a pulsed laser beam. According to another embodiment, the laser beam has an average output of at least 500 watts (500 W). According to another embodiment, the laser beam has an average output of at least 1000 W. According to one embodiment, the laser beam is a pulsed laser beam with an average output of 1 kW to 10 kW and a pulse frequency of 1 kHz to 1000 kHz. For example, according to one embodiment, the pulse frequency is 10 kHz to 300 kHz with an average output of 1 kW to 3 kW, for example 2 kW. According to another embodiment, the pulse frequency is 30 kHz to 500 kHz with an average output of 3 kW to 5 kW, for example 4 kW. According to one embodiment, the fluence (per pulse) is 1 joule per square centimeter (J / cm 2 ) to 3 J / cm 2 , for example 1.5 J / cm 2 to 2.5 J / cm 2 . The speed of the intersection point depends on the laser parameters used (output, pulse overlap and fluence). For example, with an output of 2000 W, the speed of the intersection point is, according to one embodiment, in the range of 10 m / s to 25 m / s. At 1000 W, the speed of the intersection point is in the range of 5 m / s to 12.5 m / s.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the laser spot is a rectangular laser spot, particularly a rectangular laser spot having a long side and a short side, and the long side has a dimension (length) corresponding to at least 1.5 times the dimension (width) of the short side of the laser spot. The shape of the laser spot (or the cross-sectional shape of the laser beam) may be defined, for example, by a fiber having a corresponding fiber cross-section.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the laser spot is a rectangular laser spot, and in at least 70% of the positioning path, the path direction forms an angle of 80° to 100°, particularly 90°, with one side of the rectangular laser spot. In the case of an embodiment where the rectangular laser spot has a long side and a short side, according to another embodiment, the path direction forms an angle of 80° to 100°, particularly 90°, with the long side of the rectangular laser spot.

[0067] According to one embodiment, in at least 80% of the positioning paths, the path direction forms an angle of 80° to 100°, particularly 90°, with one side (e.g., the long side) of the rectangular laser spot.

[0068] A rectangular laser spot having a long side and a short side, where the long side forms an angle of 80° to 100° with the path direction, has the advantage that a predetermined overlap of the laser pulses adjacent in this path direction is possible even with a relatively low relative speed between the intersection point and the inner surface.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning device is a separate tire cleaning device that is driven without a laser source and can be coupled to an external laser source.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning system comprises one or several tire cleaning devices of the embodiments disclosed herein. According to another embodiment, the tire cleaning system comprises a laser source for generating a laser beam. According to one embodiment, the laser source is replaceably arranged within the tire cleaning system.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning system further comprises at least one other tire cleaning device according to one or several of the embodiments disclosed herein, and a switching device. According to one embodiment, the laser beam can be supplied by the switching device to either the tire cleaning device (e.g., the first tire cleaning device) or one of (at least one) other tire cleaning devices (e.g., the second tire cleaning device). The switching device can efficiently distribute the output of the laser source to the first cleaning device and the second cleaning device (and possibly other cleaning devices). For example, while the first cleaning device is cleaning the first tire, the second tire can be positioned within the second cleaning device, and after the cleaning of the first tire, the laser source can be scheduled to be switched to the second cleaning device (swing operation). This swing operation is more economical the shorter the cleaning time is compared to the positioning time. Thus, a switching device that shortens the cleaning time compared to conventional solutions and thereby makes appropriate the period required for the positioning of the tire within the cleaning device, particularly for the overall cleaning cycle including the positioning of the tire and the cleaning of the inner surface of the tire, is particularly useful in implementing the embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the cleaning device or the cleaning system has at least one actuator that, in response to a control signal from a control device, realizes the movement and / or positioning of an element according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the control device has a storage device for storing program elements according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein. Further, according to one embodiment, the control device has a processor device formed for the execution of the program elements (or for the execution of the instructions included within the program elements).

[0074] Aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein relate to a tire having an inner surface that is cleaned according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0075] According to one embodiment, a tire having an inner surface is provided, and this inner surface is generated using a cleaning device according to one or several embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the tire has a machining path, along which the inner surface is cleaned.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the machining path defines a path direction at each point (of the machining path), and the path direction has a first direction component in the circumferential direction and a second direction component parallel to the tire rotation axis. According to one embodiment, in at least 70% of the machining path, the first direction component is greater than the second direction component. According to one embodiment, in at least 70% of the machining path, the first direction component is at least twice as large as the second direction component. According to another embodiment, in at least 70% of the machining path, the first direction component is at least three times as large as the second direction component. According to another embodiment, the above description of the first direction component and the second direction component also applies to at least 80% of the machining path, or according to another embodiment, to 90% of the machining path.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the above detailed description is correspondingly applicable to the path direction of the positioning path.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the machining path has a plurality of machining spots, and adjacent machining spots overlap each other. According to another embodiment, each two adjacent machining spots overlap along the first direction over a length of 0%, 50%, 67%, 75%, 80% or 90% of the spread of one of the machining spots in the first direction.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the machining path extends in a circular orbit parallel in at least one section, and / or the machining path extends helically in at least one section.

[0081] According to one embodiment, the machining spot is a rectangular machining spot. According to another embodiment, in at least 90% of the machining paths, the path direction forms an angle of 80° to 100°, particularly 90°, with one side of the rectangular machining spot. According to another embodiment, the rectangular machining spot has a long side and a short side, and the path direction forms an angle of 80° to 100°, particularly 90°, with the long side of the rectangular machining spot.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the machining spots adjacent in the direction of the tire rotation axis are offset from each other in the circumferential direction of the tire by more than 10% of their spread. According to another embodiment, the offset in the circumferential direction is at least 15% (or in yet another embodiment, at least 20%) of the spread of the machining spots in the circumferential direction.

[0083] Detailed Description Exemplary embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that in the various drawings, similar or identical elements or components are provided with partially the same reference numerals or reference numerals that differ only in the first digit and / or the accompanying digits. Corresponding features or components that are the same or at least functionally the same as those in another drawing are described in detail only at their first occurrence, and this description is not repeated at subsequent occurrences of these features and components (or corresponding reference numerals). The above definitions apply, according to one embodiment, also to the following embodiments, and vice versa. Furthermore, the features and embodiments described above can be combined with the features and embodiments described below.

[0084] FIG. 1 schematically shows a tire cleaning system 100 according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning system 100 includes a tire cleaning device 102 and a laser source 104. The tire cleaning device 102 has a positioning device 106 configured to position the tire 108. The tire 108 defines a tire rotation axis 110. The tire cleaning device 102 further has a cleaning head 112 configured to position a radiation path 114 and emit a laser beam 116 along this radiation path 114 onto the inner surface 118 of the tire 108. For this purpose, the cleaning head 112 is optically coupled to the laser source 104 as shown at 119.

[0086] The tire cleaning device 102 further has a control device 120 configured such that the radiation path 114 and the inner surface 118 move relative to each other. For this purpose, according to one embodiment, the control device 120 may be connected to a first actuator 122 for control purposes. According to one embodiment, the first actuator 122 is set to move the cleaning head 112 in a linear motion 126 parallel to the tire rotation axis 110 in response to a control signal 124 of the control device 120. According to one embodiment, the control device 120 is connected to a second actuator 128 for control purposes. According to one embodiment, the second actuator 128 is set to rotate the positioning device 106 together with the tire 108 supported by the positioning device 106 (as shown at 130) in response to a control signal 124 of the control device 120. According to one embodiment, the cleaning head or a part thereof is set to control the functionality (such as a shutter, optical elements, etc.) of the cleaning head 112 in response to a control signal 124 of the control device 120. According to one embodiment, the laser source is connected to the control device 120 for control purposes for the control of the laser source 104 by the control device 120 (not shown in FIG. 1).

[0087] According to one embodiment, the control device 120 has a storage device 121 for storing program elements according to the embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein. Further, according to one embodiment, the control device 120 includes a processor device 123, which is configured to execute the program elements (or execute the instructions included within the program elements).

[0088] The radiation path 114 and the inner surface 118 define an intersection point 132 of the radiation path 114 with the inner surface 118.

[0089] According to one embodiment, the cleaning device 102 has a suction device 134 for sucking contaminants generated by applying the laser beam 116 to the inner surface 118 (i.e., for sucking contaminants generated by cleaning the inner surface 118). According to one embodiment, the suction device 134 is controlled by the control device 120 via a control signal 124. According to one embodiment, the suction device 134 may be mechanically connected (e.g., fixed to) the cleaning head 112, so that the suction device 134 moves with the cleaning head 112.

[0090] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning system 100 includes a transport device 136, such as a conveyor belt, for transporting the tire to the positioning device 106. According to one embodiment, the transport device 136 is controlled via the control signal 124 of the control device 120.

[0091] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a part of the tire cleaning system 100 from FIG. 1.

[0092] According to one embodiment, a centering device 138 may be provided for transporting (e.g., centering) the tire 108 on the transport device 136 to a defined position where the tire 108 can be received (e.g., gripped) by the positioning device 106 (not shown in FIG. 2).

[0093] According to one embodiment, the tire 108 may include a marker 140 that can be read by a control device (e.g., a suitable reading device). According to one embodiment, the control device is configured to issue a control signal (e.g., the control signal 124 described in connection with FIG. 1) depending on the marker 140 in order to control the components of the tire cleaning system 100. According to one embodiment, the marker 140 may be in digital form, for example, in the form of a matrix code such as a QR code (registered trademark) or a data matrix code.

[0094] The tire 108 defines a circumferential direction 142, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2. According to one embodiment, due to the rotation 130 of the tire 108 and / or the linear movement 126 of the machining head 112, the radiation path 114 and the inner surface 118 move relative to each other (see also FIG. 1). According to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein, the relative movement between the radiation path 114 and the inner surface 118 defines a positioning path (not shown in FIG. 2) on the inner surface 118 and the velocity of the intersection point 132 along the positioning path with respect to the inner surface 118.

[0095] According to one embodiment, along the positioning path (i.e., with respect to the inner surface 118), the average velocity of the intersection point in the circumferential direction 142 is greater than 5 m / s.

[0096] FIG. 3 shows the inner surface 118 of a tire according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0097] According to one embodiment, a laser beam 116 (not shown in FIG. 3) generates a number of laser spots on the positioning path 144, among which an exemplary first laser spot 146 and a second laser spot 148 are shown in FIG. 3. It is self-evident that the laser spots 146 and 148 are generated not simultaneously but in temporal succession, for example, by individual pulses of a pulsed laser, according to one embodiment. According to one embodiment, the positioning path 144 defines a path direction 145 along this positioning path at each point of this positioning path.

[0098] According to one embodiment, each laser spot on the inner surface 118 generates a processing spot 150, i.e., a region of the inner surface 118 where the inner surface 118 is cleaned. Thus, the laser spots, for example, laser spots 146 and 148, exist only for a predetermined period (e.g., the pulse time of the laser beam), and it is obvious that the processing spot (e.g., processing spot 150) is permanently generated on the inner surface 118. The processing spot (in which the processing spot 150 is shown in FIG. 3) defines a processing path 152 on the inner surface 118 of the tire, and along this processing path, the inner surface 118 is cleaned.

[0099] According to one embodiment, the laser beam generates a number of laser spots on the positioning path 144, in particular, for example, as shown illustratively in FIG. 3, laser spots 146 and 148. According to one embodiment, adjacent laser spots 146, 148 overlap each other, for example, as shown in FIG. 3. According to one embodiment, two adjacent laser spots 146, 148 overlap over a length 156 that is 50% of the spread 158 of one of the laser spots in a first direction 154, according to one embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, along a first direction 154. According to one embodiment, the first direction 155 is parallel to the path direction 145. According to one embodiment, the positioning path 144 or the processing path 152 extends at least in sections parallel to the circumferential direction 142, for example, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0100] According to one embodiment, the laser spots 146, 148 are, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, rectangular laser spots. Correspondingly, the processing spot 150 is also, according to one embodiment, a rectangular processing spot.

[0101] FIG. 4 shows another inner surface 118 of a tire according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0102] According to one embodiment, the machining path 152 extends helically by at least one section as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows three machining path portions 160, 162, and 164, and these machining path segments overlap in the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis (see 110, FIG. 1). In this case, the machining path portions 160, 164 are shown by solid lines, and the machining path portion 162 is shown by a dashed line for ease of distinction. According to one embodiment, the overlap in the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis is, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, 50% of the spread 168 of the machining path 152 in the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis. According to one embodiment, this overlap may be 67% or 75% (not shown in FIG. 4). Thus, in this embodiment, the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis is the first direction according to some embodiments.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the path direction 145 has, at each point of the positioning path or the machining path, a first direction component 170 in the circumferential direction 142 and a second direction component 172 parallel to the tire rotation axis 110 (i.e., the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis). According to one embodiment, in at least 70% of the positioning path, the first direction component 170 is larger than the second direction component 172, for example, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0104] FIG. 5 shows another inner surface 118 of a tire according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the inner surface 118 shows a first machining path portion 160 and a second machining path portion 162, and these machining path segments overlap in the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis as shown, for example, in FIG. 5. The machining path portions 160, 162 each have a number of machining spots, some of which are marked 150 in FIG. 5. The dashed lines in FIG. 5 suggest that the rows of machining spots continue in the path direction 145.

[0106] The machining spots have an extent shown at 158 in Figure 5 in the circumferential direction 142. According to one embodiment, adjacent machining spots 150 in the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis (i.e., the machining spot 150 of the first machining path portion 160 and the machining spot 150 of the second machining path portion 162) are offset from each other by a displacement path 174 in the circumferential direction 142, for example as shown in Figure 5. According to one embodiment, the displacement path 174 is more than 10% of the extent 158 of the circumferential machining spots, for example as shown in Figure 5. According to another embodiment, the displacement path 174 is more than 15% of the extent 158, and according to yet another embodiment, it is more than 20%.

[0107] According to one embodiment, the machining spots 150 do not overlap in the circumferential direction 142, for example as shown in Figure 5. For example, the machining spots 150 may be directly adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction 142 (the overlap is 0%). Cleaning without gaps is in this case ensured especially by the overlap of the machining spots in the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis. According to other embodiments (not shown in Figure 5), the machining spots 150 overlap both in the circumferential direction 142 and in the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis.

[0108] Figure 6 shows another inner surface 118 of a tire according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0109] According to one embodiment, a plurality of temporally consecutive machining spots (not shown in Figure 6) define a machining path on the inner surface 118, along which the inner surface 118 is cleaned. According to one embodiment, the machining path 152 extends in circular orbits parallel at least in sections, for example within angular regions (sections) 176 and 178 in Figure 6. In another embodiment, the machining path 152 extends helically at least in sections, for example within the angular region 180 in Figure 6.

[0110] According to one embodiment, the machining path 152 has various machining path portions 181, 182, 183, and these machining path portions extend in various planes in the direction 166 of the tire rotation axis. According to one embodiment, the transition between these planes (i.e., bridging the path difference) is performed within an angular region, which is also referred to herein as a cross-section, for example, within the angular region 180 in FIG. 6. The angular region 180 extends in the circumferential direction 142 and, according to one embodiment, extends over at least 10 degrees, for example, as shown in FIG. 6.

[0111] FIG. 7 shows a tire cleaning system 200 according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning system 200 includes one tire cleaning device 102 and at least one other tire cleaning device, for example, two other tire cleaning devices 202, 302 as shown in FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, a single laser source 104 is assigned to at least two of the tire cleaning devices 102, 202, 302 of the tire cleaning system 200 for generating a laser beam. For generating a laser beam along a radiation path (not shown in FIG. 7), the laser radiation 184 is supplied from the laser source 104 to a switching device 186, and this switching device selectively transfers the laser radiation 184 to one of the tire cleaning devices 102, 202, 302, for example, to the tire cleaning device 102 as shown in FIG. 7.

[0113] The selective transfer of the laser radiation 184 to the other tire cleaning devices 202, 302 is indicated by the dashed line 188 in FIG. 7. In one embodiment, the switching device 186 and / or the laser source 104 are controlled by a control signal of a control device (for example, the control device 120 as disclosed in connection with FIG. 1) according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0114] FIG. 8 shows another tire cleaning system 300 according to an embodiment of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0115] The tire cleaning system 300 is constructed in the same manner as the tire cleaning system 100 from FIG. 1, except for some modifications described below. The description of the corresponding features described with reference to FIG. 1 and shown in FIG. 8 will not be repeated with reference to FIG. 8.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning system 300 comprises a tire cleaning device 402 having a control device 120 configured such that the radiation path 114 and the inner surface 118 move relative to each other. For this purpose, according to one embodiment, the control device is connected to a first actuator 122 for control purposes. According to one embodiment, the first actuator 122 is set to move the transport device 136 in a linear motion 126 parallel to the tire rotation axis 110 in response to a control signal 124 of the control device 120. The transport device 136, according to one embodiment, forms at least a part of a positioning device according to embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the cleaning head 112 is configured to rotate the radiation path 114. For example, according to one embodiment, the cleaning head 112 itself may be rotatable by a second actuator 128 connected to the control device 120 for control purposes, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7. According to one embodiment, the second actuator 128 is set to rotate the cleaning head 112, in particular about the tire rotation axis 110, in response to a control signal 124 of the control device 120. According to one embodiment, the optical coupling 119 between the laser source 104 and the cleaning head 112 and the connection of the control device 120 to the cleaning head 112 for control purposes are made along a torque transmission part 190, for example a shaft, by means of which the cleaning head 112 is rotatably connected to the second actuator 128. According to one embodiment, the control device 120 is configured such that the relative movement of the intersection 132 is caused at least in part by the rotation of the radiation path 114, in particular about the tire rotation axis 110.

[0118] According to one embodiment, the tire cleaning device 402 has a compensating element 192, which is configured to compensate for the rotation of the laser beam 116 about the central axis 194 of the laser beam, which is generated by the rotation of the radiation path 114 about the tire rotation axis 110. For example, according to one embodiment, the laser beam 116 would rotate about the central axis 194 of the laser beam without the compensating element 192. Thereby, the laser spot would additionally rotate about the central axis 194 of the laser beam when the radiation path 114 rotates (and thus when the laser beam 116 rotates about the tire rotation axis 110).

[0119] According to one embodiment, the compensating element 192 is a Dove prism.

[0120] Note that the elements disclosed herein (e.g., control devices, positioning devices, transport devices, actuators, etc.) are not limited to determinate entities as described in some embodiments. Rather, the subject matter disclosed herein may be variously implemented while still providing the disclosed special functionality.

[0121] It is pointed out that each entity disclosed herein (e.g., device, element, feature, and method step) is not limited to a determinate entity as described in some embodiments. Rather, the subject matter described herein may be provided in various forms and various subdivisions at the device level, method level, or software level while still providing the above functionality. Further, note that according to an embodiment, individual entities may be provided for each of the functions disclosed herein. According to other embodiments, one entity may be configured to provide two or more functions as described herein. According to yet another embodiment, two or more entities may be configured to together provide one function as described herein.

[0122] It should be noted that the realizations in the drawings described herein merely show a limited selection of possible variations of the subject matter disclosed herein. Thus, the features of the individual embodiments can be appropriately combined with each other, and as a result, numerous different embodiments are considered to be disclosed to those skilled in the art by the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that concepts such as "ein (one)" or "eines (one)" do not exclude a plurality. Concepts such as "enthaltend (including)" or "aufweisend (having)" do not exclude another feature or method step. The concepts of "aufweisend (having)" or "enthaltend (including)" each encompass both the meanings of "unter anderem aufweisend (inter alia having)" and "bestehend aus (consisting of)".

[0123] Furthermore, it should be noted that the exemplary tire cleaning system, tire cleaning device, and tire in the drawings show a certain combination of some embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein, but other combinations of each of the embodiments are equally possible and can be considered to be disclosed herein.

[0124] The advantageous combinations of the embodiments of the subject matter disclosed herein can be summarized as follows. A tire cleaning device for cleaning the inner surface of a tire by laser radiation includes a positioning device configured to position a tire having an inner surface and defining a circumferential direction and a tire rotation axis, a cleaning head configured to position a radiation path and emit a laser beam along the radiation path onto the inner surface of the tire, and a control device configured such that the radiation path and the inner surface move relative to each other, wherein the relative movement of the intersection of the radiation path and the inner surface defines a positioning path on the inner surface of the tire and a speed along this positioning path, and the average speed of the intersection in the circumferential direction along the positioning path is greater than 5 m / s.

Claims

1. A tire cleaning device for cleaning the inner surface of a tire by laser irradiation, wherein the tire cleaning device comprises: A positioning device configured to position a tire having an inner surface and defining a circumferential direction and a tire rotation axis; A cleaning head configured to position a radiation path and emit a laser beam along the radiation path onto the inner surface of the tire; A control device configured such that the radiation path and the inner surface move relative to each other; and is provided with: The relative movement of the intersection of the radiation path and the inner surface defines a positioning path on the inner surface of the tire and a speed along the positioning path, The positioning path defines a path direction at each point, and the path direction has a first direction component in the circumferential direction and a second direction component parallel to the tire rotation axis, In at least 70% of the positioning path, the first direction component is greater than the second direction component, The average speed of the intersection in the circumferential direction along the positioning path is greater than 5 m / s. Tire cleaning device.

2. The tire cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein at least 50% of the relative movement is generated by the rotation of at least one rotatable element.

3. The at least one rotatable element includes at least one of the following elements, namely the tire, the radiation path, and an optical element. The tire cleaning device according to claim 2.

4. The laser beam generates a plurality of laser spots on the positioning path, Each of the plurality of laser spots generates one processing spot on the inner surface each time, Some consecutive processing spots on the inner surface of the tire define a processing path along which the inner surface is cleaned, and the processing path extends in at least one section along a parallel circular orbit. and / or The processing path extends helically in at least one section. The tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The laser beam generates a plurality of laser spots on the positioning path, and adjacent laser spots overlap each other. The tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Two adjacent laser spots overlap along a first direction over a length of 0%, 10%, 50%, 67%, 75%, 80% or 90% of the spread of one of the laser spots in the first direction. The tire cleaning device according to claim 5.

7. The positioning device is configured to rotate the tire, and the control device is configured such that the relative movement of the intersection point is at least partially caused by the rotation of the tire about the rotation axis of the tire. The tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The cleaning head is configured to rotate the radiation path. The control device is configured such that the relative movement of the intersection point is at least partially caused by the rotation of the radiation path. The tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Rotating the radiation path means rotating the radiation path about the tire rotation axis. The tire cleaning device according to claim 8.

10. The tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, wherein more than 90% of the relative movement of the intersection point is performed by rotation of the tire and / or rotation of the radiation path.

11. The tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, further comprising a compensating element that compensates for the rotation of the laser beam about the central axis of the laser beam generated by the rotation of the radiation path.

12. The laser spot is a rectangular laser spot, and in at least 70% of the positioning path, the path direction forms an angle of 80° to 100° with one side of the rectangular laser spot. The tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 4 to 11.

13. The angle between the path direction and the one side of the rectangular laser spot is an angle of 90°, The rectangular laser spot has a long side and a short side, and the one side of the rectangular laser spot is the long side of the rectangular laser spot. The tire cleaning device according to claim 12, further comprising one of the following features.

14. The tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and A laser source for generating the laser beam and A tire cleaning system comprising.

15. Another tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and A switching device capable of supplying the laser beam to either the tire cleaning device or the other tire cleaning device and The tire cleaning system according to claim 14, further comprising.

16. A tire having an inner surface, the inner surface being cleaned by the tire cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

17. Further comprising a machining path, along which the inner surface is cleaned, The tire according to claim 16.

18. The machining path defines a path direction along the machining path at each point, and the path direction has a first direction component in the circumferential direction and a second direction component parallel to the tire rotation axis, In at least 70% of the machining path, the first direction component is larger than the second direction component The tire according to claim 17.

19. The machining path has a plurality of machining spots, and adjacent machining spots overlap or are in contact with each other. The tire according to claim 17 or 18.

20. Any two adjacent machining spots overlap along the first direction over a length of 0%, 50%, 67%, 75%, 80% or 90% of the spread of one of the machining spots in the first direction. The tire according to claim 19.

21. The machining path extends in parallel circular orbits at least one section at a time And / or The machining path extends in a spiral shape at least one section at a time The tire according to any one of claims 17 to 20.

22. The machining spot is a rectangular machining spot, and in at least 90% of the machining path, the path direction forms an angle of 80° to 100° with one side of the rectangular machining spot. The tire according to any one of claims 19 to 21.

23. The rectangular machining spot has a long side and a short side, and the one side of the rectangular machining spot is the long side of the rectangular machining spot. The angle between the path direction and the one side of the rectangular machining spot is a 90° angle. The tire according to claim 22, further comprising one or more of the features.

24. The tire according to any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein the processing spots adjacent in the direction of the tire rotation axis are displaced from each other in the circumferential direction of the tire by more than 10% of the spread of the processing spots.

25. A method for cleaning a tire, the method comprising: positioning a tire having an inner surface and defining a circumferential direction and a tire rotation axis; positioning a radiation path and emitting a laser beam along the radiation path onto the inner surface of the tire; relatively moving the radiation path and the inner surface relative to each other; and the relative movement of the intersection of the radiation path and the inner surface defines a positioning path on the inner surface of the tire and a velocity along the positioning path, the positioning path defines a path direction at each point along the positioning path, the path direction having a first direction component in the circumferential direction and a second direction component parallel to the tire rotation axis, at at least 70% of the positioning path, the first direction component is greater than the second direction component, the average velocity of the intersection in the circumferential direction along the positioning path is greater than 5 m / s. A method for cleaning a tire.

26. A program for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 25.

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