ACTIVE AND ADAPTIVE TIRE SYSTEMS

• US 20090229358A1
• Filed: 03/17/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Inventors: THEUSS, Horst, JONGSMA, Jakob
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/00 Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/18 Structure or arrangement of belts or breakers, crown-reinforcing or cushioning layers
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/02 Tyres

Abstract

An active and adaptive tire system is disclosed. The active and adaptive tire system comprises a tire and an active material configured to alter at least one characteristic of the tire in response to at least one condition. Also disclosed are an intelligent tire system and a method of monitoring a condition.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. An intelligent tire system comprising:

at least one tire comprising a material having a response to a trigger;

a wheel module proximate the tire and comprising a sensor configured to sense a condition and circuitry configured to selectively trigger the material based on the condition; and

a control unit communicatively coupled to the wheel module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to control the selective trigger of the material by the circuitry.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the circuitry comprises at least one of a permanent magnet, a field generator, and a heat source.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of:

a piezoelectric material, a magnetostrictive material, a combination of a piezoelectric material and a magnetostrictive material, a permanent magnetic material, a foam, a microplasma, and a polymer.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the response comprises a change that alters a characteristic of the tire.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the characteristic of the tire is at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a dimension, a tread depth, a tread width, a footprint size, and a hardness.

17-20. -20. (canceled)