US 12,292,272 B2
System and method for conveying a tire component
Mattheus Jacobus Kaagman, Epe (NL); Quinten Matthijs Bergmans, Epe (NL); and Herman Sebastiaan Scherpenhuizen, Epe (NL)
Assigned to VMI HOLLAND B.V., Epe (NL)
Appl. No. 18/854,222
Filed by VMI Holland B.V., Epe (NL)
PCT Filed Mar. 3, 2023, PCT No. PCT/NL2023/050102
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 4, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/195845, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 12, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 2031484 (NL), filed on Apr. 4, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0109935 A1, Apr. 3, 2025
Int. Cl. G01B 11/06 (2006.01); B65G 15/30 (2006.01)
CPC G01B 11/0608 (2013.01) [B65G 15/30 (2013.01); B65G 2201/0273 (2013.01); B65G 2203/0208 (2013.01); B65G 2203/044 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising a conveyor for conveying a tire component and a measuring unit, wherein the conveyor comprises a conveyor belt, wherein the conveyor belt comprises a belt body extending in a longitudinal direction and having a load conveying side, wherein the belt body, at the load conveying side, defines a first support area and a second support area for together supporting the tire component in a plane of conveyance, wherein the conveyor belt comprises a measuring slot extending in the longitudinal direction in the belt body at the load conveying side, wherein the measuring slot is located between the first support area and the second support area in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the measuring slot is designed to be geometrically different from the belt body in the first support area and the second support area, wherein the conveyor belt is provided with a measuring surface recessed in the measuring slot from the plane of conveyance in a recess direction transverse to said plane of conveyance, wherein the measuring unit has a field of view, wherein the measuring unit is positioned relative to the conveyor such that the field of view overlaps with the measuring slot for measuring height values in said field of view, wherein the system further comprises a control unit that is configured for:
monitoring the height values measured by the measuring unit in the field of view; and
detecting a step in the height values at the measuring slot from a first height level below the plane of conveyance to a second height level above the plane of conveyance.