Optics: measuring and testing – Inspection of flaws or impurities
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-21
2002-07-09
Pham, Hoa Q. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
Inspection of flaws or impurities
C073S146000, C073S462000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06417918
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting an angle between a direction connecting a center of a tire and a specific point of the tire such as a balance light-point, and a direction connecting the center of the tire and a reference point of the tire.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tire has a specific point such as a balance light-point (a lightest point of the tire) for manufacturing reasons. For example, the balance light-point results from a joint of a carcass, a belt or the like. When the tire is mounted onto a wheel, the balance light-point is aligned to a heaviest portion of the wheel.
A conventional balance inspecting apparatus for detecting a balance light-point detects a balance light-point of a tire in accordance with a reference of the apparatus itself, and puts a mark or the like at the balance light-point.
The tire is provided with a reference point thereof such as a bar code. If the number of degrees of the angle which is most frequently formed in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting a center of the tire and the balance light-point or the like, and a direction connecting the center of the tire and the reference point of the tire, can be determined, this information can be immediately used to improve the tire.
However, conventionally, the angle has been measured by human labor, and thus, much time and labor has been required to measure the angle even for one tire. Therefore, it has been substantially impossible to check the angles for all of the tires, so it has been necessary to carry out sampling inspection.
Accordingly, much time has been required to collect the amount of information required to improve the tires and to analyze the collected information, and thus, it has not been possible to use the information immediately to improve the tires.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of above point, an object of the present invention is to provide: a method for measuring an angle in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting a center of a tire and a specific point of the tire, and a direction connecting the center of the tire and a reference point of the tire (hereinafter, the angle will be suitably referred to as a rotation direction angle); and an apparatus which can carry out this method without requiring much time and labor.
In order to attain the above object, the present invention provides a tire inspecting method comprising steps of: detecting a mark indicating a reference point of a tire; and detecting automatically a position of a specific point of the tire which forms a rotation direction angle with respect to the reference point detected in the mark detecting step.
A mark indicating a reference point of a tire is detected in the mark detecting step, and on the basis of the detected information, a position of a specific point is detected as a rotation direction angle with respect to the reference point in the specific point position detecting step. In other words, an angle in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting the specific point and a center of the tire, and a direction connecting the mark and the center of the tire, is automatically detected. Accordingly, the angles for all of the tires can be inspected without requiring much time and labor, and the obtained angles can be immediately used to improve the tires.
Further, the present invention provides a tire inspecting apparatus comprising: a rotating means, which rotates a tire having a specific point and a mark indicating a reference point; a sensor, which detects that the mark has been positioned in a predetermined direction with respect to a center of the tire; a detecting means, which detects a position of the specific point; and a controller, which drives the rotating means; stops the rotation of the tire when the mark has been positioned in the predetermined direction with respect to the center of the tire; causes the detecting means to detect the position of the specific point; and detects an angle in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting the detected position of the specific point and the center of the tire, and the predetermined direction.
In the tire inspecting apparatus, due to control by the controller, the rotating means rotates a tire, and when the sensor has detected that a mark had been positioned in a predetermined direction with respect to a center of the tire, the driving of the rotating means is stopped such that the rotation of the tire is stopped. Then, the detecting means detects a position of a specific point; and the controller detects an angle in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting the detected position of the specific point and the center of the tire, and the predetermined direction.
In this way, an angle in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting the position of the specific point and the center of the tire, and a direction connecting the mark and the center of the tire, can be automatically detected. Accordingly, time and labor required for a measurement is reduced, and the obtained angles can be immediately used to improve the tires.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a tire inspecting apparatus, which detects an angle in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting a center of the tire, which has a specific point and a mark indicating a reference point, and the specific point, and a direction connecting the center of the tire and the mark, the apparatus comprising: an image taking means, which takes an image of a surface of the tire at which the mark is provided; a detecting means, which detects a position of the specific point; and a controller, which detects a position of the mark by analyzing image information from the image taking means; calculates a first angle in the clockwise direction, between the direction connecting the mark and the center of the tire, and a predetermined direction; causes the detecting means to detect the position of the specific point; calculates a second angle in the clockwise direction, between the direction connecting the detected position of the specific point and the center of the tire, and the predetermined direction; and calculates an angle in the clockwise direction, between the direction connecting the mark and the center of the tire, and the direction connecting the specific point and the center of the tire, by subtracting the first angle from the second angle.
In the tire inspecting apparatus, due to control by the controller, the image taking means takes an image of a surface of a tire at which a mark is provided, and the detecting means detects a position of a specific point. The controller detects a position of the mark based on the information; calculates a first angle in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting the mark and the center of the tire, and a predetermined direction; calculates a second angle in the clockwise direction, between a direction connecting the detected position of the specific point and the center of the tire, and the predetermined direction; and calculates an angle in the clockwise direction, between the direction connecting the mark and the center of the tire, and the direction connecting the specific point and the center of the tire, by subtracting the first angle from the second angle.
In this way, an angle in a clockwise direction, between a direction connecting the position of the specific point and the center of the tire, and a direction connecting the mark and the center of the tire, can be automatically detected. Accordingly, time and labor required for a measurement is reduced, and the obtained angles can be immediately used to improve the tires.
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patent
Anno Tsuyoshi
Gotou Takahiro
Kihara Masamichi
Kunitake Hiroki
Bridgestone Corporation
Pham Hoa Q.
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