Method and apparatus for tire inspection
First Claim
1. An apparatus for inspecting both tread and sidewall areas of a tire for structural defects comprising:
- an upright housing;
means extending from said housing for supporting and rotating a tire at a constant rate during an inspection cycle;
a movable transmitter transducer means for directing a plurality of successive collimated bursts of ultrasonic energy against the surface and through the tire, said bursts passing through the tire and forming inspection areas having the same diameter and overlapping each other as the tire is rotated during an inspection cycle;
a receiver transducer means independently movable for receiving and collimated ultrasonic energy that passes through each inspection area;
coordination means for controlling the movements of said transmitter transducer means and said receiver transducer means from one sidewall of the tire to the other sidewall generally parallel to its axis of rotation so that successive bursts are directed through the tire as it rotates while maintaining substantially the same distance between said receiver transducer means and the tire surface;
electrical means for evaluating the strength of the energy received by said receiver transducer means for each burst; and
means responsive to the evaluation by said electrical means for providing a visual indication of a structural defect in the tire being inspected wherever a said burst of energy is directed at said defect.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for inspecting a tire for structural defects as the tire is rotated on a stand comprises a movable transducer transmitter for directing a plurality of successive collimated bursts of ultrasonic energy against the tire surface, said bursts passing through the tire and forming inspection areas having the same diameter and overlapping each other as the tire is rotated during an inspection cycle. A movable receiver transducer located on the other side of the tire from the transmitter is constantly positioned to receive the collimated ultrasonic energy that passes through each inspection area. Coordination control elements are provided for moving the transmitter transducer and the receiver transducer from one side of the tire to the other generally parallel to its axis of rotation while successive ultrasonic bursts are directed through the tire as it rotates during each inspection test and while maintaining substantially the same distance between the transducers for each burst. The strength of the energy received by the receiver transducer is evaluated for each burst when the evaluation indicates that a defect is present, a visual indicator is triggered to identify the location of the structural defect in the tire being inspected.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inspecting both tread and sidewall areas of a tire for structural defects comprising:
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an upright housing; means extending from said housing for supporting and rotating a tire at a constant rate during an inspection cycle; a movable transmitter transducer means for directing a plurality of successive collimated bursts of ultrasonic energy against the surface and through the tire, said bursts passing through the tire and forming inspection areas having the same diameter and overlapping each other as the tire is rotated during an inspection cycle; a receiver transducer means independently movable for receiving and collimated ultrasonic energy that passes through each inspection area; coordination means for controlling the movements of said transmitter transducer means and said receiver transducer means from one sidewall of the tire to the other sidewall generally parallel to its axis of rotation so that successive bursts are directed through the tire as it rotates while maintaining substantially the same distance between said receiver transducer means and the tire surface; electrical means for evaluating the strength of the energy received by said receiver transducer means for each burst; and means responsive to the evaluation by said electrical means for providing a visual indication of a structural defect in the tire being inspected wherever a said burst of energy is directed at said defect.
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2. An apparatus for inspecting both tread and sidewall areas of a tire for structural defects comprising:
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an upright housing means extending from said housing for supporting and rotating a tire about its axis at a constant rate during an inspection cycle; transmitter transducer means for directing a plurality of successive collimated bursts of ultrasonic energy against the inside surface of the tire, each said collimated burst passing through the tire in an inspection area of the same diameter; means for moving said transmitter transducer means within the tire generally parallel to the tire axis as the tire is rotated so that said inspection areas overlap and cover the total inspection area of the tire structure to be inspected; receiver transducer means for receiving the collimated ultrasonic energy that passes through the inspection area on the tire with each burst; coordination means for moving said receiver transducer means from one sidewall of the tire to the other sidewall so that it is always positioned outside the tire to receive the energy passing through the tire with each burst and including means for moving the receiver transducer means independently from said transmitter transducer means while maintaining it at substantially the same distance from the outside tire surface; electrical means for evaluating the energy received by said receiver means for each burst to determine if a defect is present in the inspection area for that particular burst. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for inspecting both tread and sidewall areas of a tire for structural defects comprising:
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transmitter transducer means including a movable 90°
deflector within the tire for producing collimated bursts of ultrasonic energy having limited cross sectional area;receiver transducer means outside the tire; means for moving said transmitter transducer means along a straight line extending between the tire sidewalls as it emits successive time spaced bursts of energy; means for rotating said transmitter transducer deflector through an angle as it is moved along said straight line so that ultrasonic energy of each burst impinges at a right angle against the inside tire surface; coordination mans for moving said receiver transducer means outside said tire from one sidewall across its tread area to the other sidewall while maintaining its alignment with said transmitter transducer means and a substantially constant distance from the outside tire surface; means for also rotating said receiver transducer means so as to maintain alignment with said transmitter deflector during each energy burst; means for measuring the ultrasonic energy passing through the tire and received by said receiver transducer means for each burst; and means for evaluating the energy measurement made by said receiver transducer during each burst to determine the presence of a defect in that particular burst. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for inspecting both tread and sidewall areas of a tire for latent structural defects comprising the steps of:
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rotating the tire about its axis at a constant rate; directing a plurality of individual time spaced bursts of collimated ultrasonic energy through the tire wall as it is rotating, each said burst covering a limited area of energy exposure on the tire, said areas overlapping but having spaced apart centers on the surface of the tire being inspected, said overlapping burst areas covering said tire surface from sidewall to sidewall; receiving for each separate burst the collimated ultrasonic energy which is transmitted through the tire; evaluating the received energy for each burst; and comparing the electrical equivalent of actual received energy with a derived average value thereof to provide an output signal when a tire defect is present within the limited area of each burst. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for inspecting both tread and sidewall areas of a tire for structural defects while it is supported for rotation, comprising:
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movable transmitter transducer means inside the tire; means for moving the transmitter transducer means so that direct successive overlapping bursts of collimated energy are passed through the tire from one sidewall of the tire to the other, each said burst being directed at substantially a right angle to the inside surface of the tire; a receiver transducer means which is independently movable with respect to said transmitter transducer means and located outside the tire; means for moving said receiver transducer means so that it is constantly positioned to receive the maximum level of each burst that is emitted from said transmitter transducer means which passes through and leaves the outer surface of the tire; means for evaluating the energy received for each burst by said receiver transducer means to determine whether a tire defect exists therein; and means responsive to said evaluation means for indicating a defect for a particular burst when such defect is present.
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34. In an apparatus for inspecting both tread and sidewall areas of a tire for structural defects while it is supported for rotation comprising a vertical support plate fixed to a housing:
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a movable ultrasonic transmitter transducer means adapted to be located inside the tire being inspected; an ultrasonic receiver transducer means which is movable independently from said transmitter transducer means located outside the tire; a means for supporting said transmitter and receiver means and for coordinating their movements relative to each other during a tire inspection cycle; spaced apart shafts extending horizontally from said support plate for supporting said coordinating means; a pair of spaced apart carriage means slidable on each said shaft; an interconnecting arm extending between said carriage means and parallel to said support plate; a first stepper motor and a connected gear reducer on each said carriage means, and shaft means extending from said gear reducers; a second stepper motor connected to said transmitter transducer means and electrically connected to said first stepper motors; yoke means between said supports having spaced apart parallel end portions and an interconnecting span member, each said end portion being connected to a said gear box shaft to thereby cause said yoke means to rotate; a pair of control rods, each rod pivotally connected at an inner end to said housing and at its outer end to a yoke end portion at a preselected distance from a said gear box shaft; said receiver transducer means being pivotally mounted on said interconnecting span member of said yoke means and having cam follower means attached thereto; a fixed cam plate located between and extending generally parallel to said supports, and thereby adapted to extend transverse to and around the tread area of a tire being inspected, said cam plate having cam track means to receive said follower means on said receiver transducer means; whereby rotation of said yoke means by said first stepper motors causes said control rods to move said carriers on said supports and also the attached frame means to move relative to said housing, said frame mans moving said transmitter transducer means horizontally and said yoke means moving said receiver in a generally arcuate path along said track means of said cam plate so as to be constantly positioned to receive collimated bursts of energy that pass through the tire from said transmitter transducer means.
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35. An apparatus for inspecting a tire for structural defects comprising:
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means for supporting and rotating a tire at a predetermined constant speed during an inspection cycle; a first movable transducer means for transmitting collimated bursts of ultrasonic energy from inside the tire through the tire and second transducer means which is independently movable from said first transducer means for receiving the residual energy of each burst on the other side of the tire, each said burst forming an inspection area of uniform size; means for moving both said transducer means in increments for successive bursts generally parallel to the tire axis of rotation s that said bursts form a spiral pattern of overlapping inspection areas on the tire surface; coordination means for controlling said transmitting and receiving transducer means to that they are substantially aligned during each collimated burst to receive the energy transmitted through the tire from one transducer to the other; means for electrically evaluating the energy received for each burst; and means responsive to said evaluation means for providing a visual indication of a tire defect for a particular burst when such a defect is present. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification