Abstract:
A method is provided for collecting measurement parameters related to imbalance forces of a tire/hub assembly of a vehicle during motion of the vehicle. An apparatus is removably attached to the tire/hub assembly of the vehicle via lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The apparatus includes a disk, a plurality of cup-shaped objects, and one or more inertial measurement units (IMU's) mounted to the disk. Each of the cup-shaped objects are rigidly fixed at one end to the disk and extend perpendicularly outward from the disk. The plurality of cup-shaped objects are arranged a fixed radial distance from a radial center of the disk in a pattern that matches the lug nuts of the tire/hub assembly. The one or more inertial measurement units (IMU's) are mounted to the disk and configured to measure parameters that are used for calculating the imbalance forces during motion of the vehicle.
Abstract:
System for determining tire wear for tires of a wheeled motor vehicle including a direct tire pressure determination unit being configured to measure at least the tire pressure of the tires; an indirect tire pressure determination unit being configured to determine for at least some of the tires a roll radius factor corresponding to or depending from the roll radius of the respective tire; a tire force determination unit being configured to determine a vertical force factor corresponding to or depending from a vertical force applied to the tires; and a processing unit for determining the tire wear for such tires of the motor vehicle for which the indirect tire pressure determination unit provides the respective roll radius factor, namely by compensating the roll radius factor of the tires provided by the indirect tire pressure determination unit.
Abstract:
The present invention comprises apparatus and methods for testing a tire on a wheel. Particular embodiments of such methods include providing a tire testing surface upon which the tire is to operate and a tire having a radially outer annular side including a road-engaging surface. The methods further include engaging forcefully a radially outer annular side of the tire with the tire testing surface to create a footprint constituting an area of contact between the tire and the tire testing surface, the footprint having a width extending in an axial direction of the tire. The tire is then rotated while engaged with the tire testing surface according to the prior step and a particulate is discharged from a particulate discharge outlet of a particular discharging device, the outlet having a length extending at least substantially across the width of the footprint.
Abstract:
A device for monitoring tires for vehicle wheels, includes: an electronic unit adapted to detect at least one characteristic quantity of a tire and to transmit at least one corresponding parameter representative of said detected quantity; a connection element to keep the electronic unit constrained to an internal surface of the tire, the connection element including a first portion having a base surface adapted to be secured to the inner surface of the tire, and a cavity for housing the electronic unit wherein the first portion has at least one slot interposed between the electronic unit and the projection thereof on the base surface, the slot having a distal profile relative to the electronic unit which is entirely contained in the base surface. A tire for vehicle wheels provided with the monitoring device and a method for installing the electronic unit in the tire.
Abstract:
A calibrating apparatus of a tire testing machine of the present invention calibrates force components along a lateral direction of a load cell on a tire testing machine provided with a rotary drum and the load cell mounted to a shaft portion of the rotary drum and capable of measuring force applied to the rotary drum, and has a hook member hooked on an outer peripheral edge of the rotary drum, a linear body, one end side of which is connected to the hook member, a load applying member connected to the other end side of the linear body and capable of generating a reference load toward a downward direction, and a pulley device around which the linear body is wound to convert the downward force by the load applying member into an upward force on one end side of the linear body.
Abstract:
A tire and a drum are relatively moved so that a pressing load is increased, and stopped when the pressing load becomes a predetermined value lower than a target value. A value of the pressing load and a relative distance between the tire and the drum are measured at timings when a circumferential position of the tire is the same. A dynamic longitudinal spring constant of the tire is calculated by using change amounts of the pressing load and the relative distance. An adjustment amount serving as a distance by which the tire and the drum are relatively moved so that a value of the pressing load when relative movement is stopped becomes the target value is calculated by using the dynamic longitudinal spring constant and a difference between the arrival value and the target value. The tire and the drum are relatively moved by the adjustment amount.
Abstract:
The device for rotating a tire comprises a fixed support, a driving belt 16 that is provided with a contact face for making contact with an annular part of the tire and is able to allow said tire to be rotated, a plurality of first pulleys 18 that are mounted on the support and are in abutment with the driving belt on the side opposite to from the contact face in order to press said contact face radially against the annular part of the tire, and at least one second pulley 20 that is in abutment with the contact face of the driving belt and is mounted so as to be able to move in translation on the support in order to locally space said contact face apart from the annular part of the tire.
Abstract:
An apparatus for testing a tire is disclosed. The apparatus includes an improved test probe. The apparatus comprising a support frame, first and second rollers connected to the support frame and arranged to support to support a crown portion of the tire, a probe having a support bracket for receiving a section of chains. The section of chains is comprised of a plurality of first chain members, wherein the first chain members extend in a first direction. Preferably, the first chain members are oriented in parallel relation with respect to each other. The first direction is preferably in the vertical direction. The section of chains further includes at least one cross chain member which contacts or interlinks or joins with each first chain member. The section of chains may also comprise chainmail. The section of chains or chainmail is positioned in the tire and is in electrical communication with a first electrode, wherein one of said rollers is a second electrode, and a power supply in electrical communication with the first and second electrode in order to created a electric potential between the first and second electrode.
Abstract:
In a tire uniformity measurement, accurate tire uniformity is obtained from a measurement waveform immediately after a rotation of a tire is switched from a normal rotation direction to a reverse rotation direction. A tire uniformity testing device of the present invention includes a measurement unit 108 that obtains a force variation from a uniformity waveform corrected by a correction unit 109 that corrects the uniformity waveform so as to eliminate a shift gradient α existing in the uniformity waveform measured after a rotation of a tire T1 is reversed, and further includes an air-outflow regulation member 220 that regulates an from flowing into a tire T2 when a drum 205 retreats or advances.
Abstract:
A tire (T) for measurement, having applied thereto a required camber angle (CA) and slip angle (SA), is contacted against a rotatably driven rotating drum (1) having embedded therein a three-component force sensor (measurement unit 3) capable of measuring ground contact pressure (P), width direction shear stress (τx), and circumferential shear stress (τy) (properties) of the tire (T). The rotating drum (1) and tire (T) are rotated and the tire (T) is passed over the three-component force sensor (3) multiple times. The tire (T) properties are measured multiple times, and the tire circumferential direction position of each measurement point is identified. A ground contact pressure distribution, width direction shear stress distribution, and circumferential shear stress distribution in a contact region of the tire (T) with the rotating drum (1) are obtained by repeating measurement and identification while displacing the tire (T) along the rotation axis of the rotating drum (1).