Abstract:
A method of mounting a tire on a vehicle includes providing a tire having a first side, a second side, and a circumferential tread disposed about the tire. The first side defines a first forward rotation direction and the second side defines a second forward rotation direction. The circumferential tread includes a plurality of tread elements, and at least one of the plurality of tread elements includes a sipe arrangement including a plurality of sipes that are angled in a depth direction of the tire. The plurality of sipes are disposed on a first half of the tread element and no sipes are disposed on a second half of the tread element. The sipe arrangement causes the tire to exhibit a first tire performance when the tire is mounted on the vehicle in the first orientation and rotated in the first forward rotation direction, and further causes the tire to exhibit a second tire performance when the tire is mounted on the vehicle in the second orientation and rotated in the second forward rotation direction. The method includes mounting the tire on the vehicle in the first orientation for driving the vehicle in a first set of conditions, and mounting the tire on the vehicle in the second orientation for driving the vehicle in a second set of conditions.
Abstract:
A tire electronics assembly includes a base and a plurality of modules. The base is mechanically attached to the tire and includes an electronic device. A plurality of mechanical attachment elements are arranged on the base in a circular array. Each module includes an electronic device and a mechanical attachment element. Each mechanical attachment element on a module is configured to releasably mechanically attach to any one of the mechanical attachment elements on the base. In this configuration, the modules are interchangeably mechanically attachable to the base in the circular array. The base further includes a plurality of electrical terminals arranged in a circular array. Each module has an electrical terminal that is configured to releasably electrically connect with any one of the electrical terminals on the base, whereby the modules are interchangeably electrically connectable with the base in the circular array.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for estimating tread depth remaining on a tire mounted on a vehicle. One or more sensors are provided for detecting operational data associated with the vehicle and tire measurements corresponding to ambient temperature and contained air temperature, which may be directly measured or derived from measured tire pressure. A thermal mass of the tire is estimated based on at least the detected operational data and tire conditions, and a current tread depth of the tire is estimated based at least in part on the respective estimated thermal mass. In certain embodiments, the thermal mass estimation may be performed using heat transfer models limited to measurements captured during a cooling down phase of the tire while the vehicle is not moving, thereby simplifying calculation of a corresponding time constant.
Abstract:
A tire includes a circumferential tread having a tread element disposed thereon, wherein the tread element includes a top surface that defines a first plane. The tire further includes at least one substantially helicoid-shaped sipe disposed in the tread element. The substantially helicoid-shaped sipe is defined by an opening in the top surface extending in a first direction in the first plane when the tire is new, and is further defined by a base extending in a second direction in a second plane parallel to the first plane. The second direction is disposed at an angle between 45° and 135° with respect to the first direction.
Abstract:
A tire mold has a cavity with a flexible bladder disposed in a central portion of the cavity. The tire mold further includes a first ring connected to a first end of the flexible bladder, and a second ring connected to a second end of the flexible bladder. At least one of the first and second rings is configured to move between a first position and a second position. The flexible bladder is stretched to a maximum axial length when the first and second rings are in a first position. When the first and second rings are in the first position the sum of the first axial length and second axial length is greater than a space between the first ring and the second ring.
Abstract:
A pneumatic tire construction is provided using one or more folded body ply sheets constructed such that upon formation of the tire, the turn-ups in the sidewalls are looped turn-ups such that there are no free turn-up ends in the sidewalls.
Abstract:
A pneumatic tire construction is provided using one or more folded body ply sheets constructed such that upon formation of the tire, the turn-ups in the sidewalls are looped turn-ups such that there are no free turn-up ends in the sidewalls.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for estimating tread depth remaining on a tire mounted on a vehicle. One or more sensors are provided for detecting operational data associated with the vehicle and tire measurements corresponding to ambient temperature and contained air temperature, which may be directly measured or derived from measured tire pressure. A thermal mass of the tire is estimated based on at least the detected operational data and tire conditions, and a current tread depth of the tire is estimated based at least in part on the respective estimated thermal mass. In certain embodiments, the thermal mass estimation may be performed using heat transfer models limited to measurements captured during a cooling down phase of the tire while the vehicle is not moving, thereby simplifying calculation of a corresponding time constant.
Abstract:
A system and method are provided for Bayesian updating of distributions of factors that affect tire wear. Information is accumulated in data storage regarding probability distributions corresponding to each of a respective plurality of tire wear factors. Vehicle data comprising movement data and location data collected in association with a vehicle is transmitted from the vehicle to a centralized (e.g., cloud) computing device or network. At least one observation corresponding to one or more of the plurality of factors is generated based on the transmitted vehicle data. A Bayesian estimation is then generated of a tire wear status at a given time for at least one tire associated with the vehicle, based at least on the at least one generated observation and the stored information regarding probability distributions. The predictions accordingly carry a measure of uncertainty, and Bayesian inference can be used to update distributions based on the observations.