High voltage probe apparatus and method for tire inner surface anomaly detection

1. A tire inspection apparatus, comprising:

a high voltage probe operable to be positioned adjacent a surface of a tire; a reference electrode;

a tire rotation device operable to impart relative motion between the surface of the tire and the high voltage probe; and

a detection circuit operable to detect one or more electrical discharges between the high voltage probe and the reference electrode;

wherein the high voltage probe comprises a conductive spring electrode configured to be compressed against the surface of the tire during a tire inspection process, the conductive spring electrode having a width such that successive positioning of the high voltage probe is required during the tire inspection process to scan the surface of the tire.

2. The tire inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said conductive spring electrode has a length sufficient to maintain contact with a point on the surface of the tire during a charge cycle for the high voltage probe.

3. The tire inspection apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the length of said conductive spring electrode is about 50 mm.

4. The tire inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a high voltage probe positioning device operable to position said high voltage probe adjacent the tire surface such that said conductive spring electrode is compressed against the surface of the tire at a first radial position.

5. The tire inspection apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said high voltage probe positioning device is configured to adjust said high voltage probe from the first radial position on the surface of the tire to a second radial position on the surface of the tire.

6. The tire inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said high voltage probe comprises a plurality of adjacent conductive spring electrodes, each of said plurality of conductive spring electrodes configured to be compressed against a portion of the surface of the tire during a tire inspection process.

7. The tire inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference electrode comprises a conductive roller positioned adjacent a tread portion of the tire.

8. The tire inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference electrode is positioned adjacent a bead portion of the tire.

9. The tire inspection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a detection circuit operable to provide a signal representative of the azimuthal and radial position of the one or more electrical discharges on the surface of the tire.

10. A tire inspection method, comprising:

positioning a high voltage probe adjacent a surface of a tire, the high voltage probe comprising a conductive spring electrode configured to be compressed against the surface of the tire;

energizing the high voltage probe;

imparting relative motion between the high voltage probe and the surface of the tire; and

detecting one or more electrical discharges between the high voltage probe and a reference electrode to detect the presence of one or more anomalies on the surface of the tire;

wherein imparting relative motion between the high voltage probe and the surface of the tire comprises:

positioning the high voltage probe such that the conductive spring electrode is compressed against the surface of the tire at a first radial position:

rotating with a tire rotation device the surface of the tire about the surface of the high voltage probe for at least one revolution;

positioning the high voltage probe such that the conductive ring electrode is compressed against the surface of the tire at a second radial position, the second radial position being adjacent to the first radial position; and

rotating with the tire rotation device the surface of the tire about the surface of the high voltage probe for at least one revolution.

11. The tire inspection method of claim 10 , wherein imparting relative motion between the high voltage probe and the surface of the tire comprises rotating the surface of tire with a tire rotation device about the high voltage probe.

12. The tire inspection method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises adjusting the radial position of the high voltage probe.

13. The tire inspection method of claim 10 , wherein the conductive spring electrode has a length sufficient to maintain contact with a point on the surface of the tire during a charge cycle for the high voltage probe.

14. The tire inspection method of claim 10 , wherein the method comprises monitoring the location of the one or more electrical discharges.

15. The tire inspection method of claim 10 , wherein the method comprises positioning the reference electrode adjacent a tread portion of the tire.

16. The tire inspection method of claim 10 , wherein the method comprises positioning the reference electrode adjacent a head portion of the tire.

17. A high voltage probe for use in a tire inspection apparatus, comprising: an insulating casing;

a spacing roller;

a high voltage connection point; and

a conductive spring electrode, the conductive spring electrode adapted to be compressed against a portion of a tire surface when said spacing roller contacts the surface of a tire

wherein the conductive spring electrode has a width such that successive positioning of the high voltage probe is required during the tire inspection process to scan the surface of the tire.

18. The high voltage probe of claim 17 , wherein said conductive spring electrode has a length sufficient to maintain contact with a point on the surface of the tire during a charge cycle for the high voltage probe.

19. The high voltage probe of claim 17 , wherein said conductive spring electrode has a length of about 50 mm.