Holding device for visually inspecting a tire

A device for inspecting an internal surface of a tire located between a first and a second bead of the tire, comprising:

• an image acquisition means for acquiring an image of the internal surface of the tire, said image acquisition means comprising a lighting means and one or more cameras and being able to pass into a space inside the tire and to produce the image of an angular region of given angle of the internal surface of the tire;
• centering means able to lock the first bead around its entire circumference on a reference plate, and able to set the tire into relative rotation about its axis XX′ with respect to said image acquisition means;
• and
• means for opening and for holding the second bead comprising;
• two internal holding rollers which are disposed circumferentially on a lifting plate in a contiguous manner with respect to one another and which have a generally radial axis,
• at least one external holding roller which has a generally radial axis, which is disposed substantially in the middle of an angular sector formed by the two internal holding rollers, and which is able to come into abutment against an external part of said second bead, wherein the internal rollers and the at least one external holding roller are mounted so as to rotate as one about the axis XX′ of said image acquisition means,
• one or more lifting rollers which have a generally radial axis and move radially between a refracted position and an extended position in which said one or more lifting rollers are able to come into contact with the axially internal side of said second bead and to move in an axial direction so as to move said second bead away from an equator of the tire, said one or more lifting rollers being disposed circumferentially on a complementary part of the angular sector occupied by the internal holding rollers.