PERFORMANCE ADAPTIVE TIRES UTILIZING ACTIVE MATERIAL ACTUATION

• US 20110024010A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Aase, Jan H., Browne, Alan L., Johnson, Nancy L.
• Application Number:
  US12/512,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20110024010A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/209.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/00 Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/00 Tyre sidewalls; Protecting, decorating, marking, or the like, thereof B60C17/08 takes precedence; tyre shoulders B60C11/01; removable tyre sidewall trim rings B60B7/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2019/005 Magnets integrated within the tyre structure

Abstract

An adaptive tire employable by a vehicle traveling upon a surface includes at least one active material element operable to selectively modify a structural component of the tire, and as a result a performance characteristic, such as the traction between the tire and surface, the ability for the tire to dampen standing waves, or the required mounting force, when activated.

Claims

1. A tire employable by a vehicle traveling upon a surface, and adapted to selectively enhance a performance characteristic, said tire comprising:

a first structural component configured to engage the surface along a face, wherein the component presents a first performance characteristic value; and

at least one active material element inter-engaged with, and operable to modify the component, so as to modify the performance characteristic to a second value when activated.

2. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element is formed of an active material selected from the group consisting essentially of shape memory alloys, electroactive polymers, piezoelectrics, and magnetostrictives.

3. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the active material element is formed of a shape memory alloy and presents a geometric shape selected from the group consisting essentially of wires, strips, sheets, meshes, weaves, braids, cables, hoops, and discrete segments thereof.

4. The tire as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a signal source operable to produce an activation signal sufficient to activate the element; and

an input device communicatively coupled to the source, and operable to receive an input and cause the element to be activated when the input is received.

5. The tire as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a controller communicatively coupled to the source, element, and device, and configured to cause the element to become activated when the input is received,

said device is a sensor, and the input is a detected condition.

6. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tire defines an interior periphery, the component is a bead defined along the periphery, and the bead includes the element, and presents a first radial stiffness when the element is activated and a second radial stiffness when the element is deactivated.

7. The tire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the element is formed of Austenitic shape memory alloy, and the first stiffness is less than the second.

8. The tire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the element is formed of Martensitic shape memory alloy, and the first stiffness is greater than the second.

9. The tire as claimed in claim 1, wherein the component includes first and second opposite sidewalls interconnected by a treadwall, the element is a shape memory material presenting a hoop segment extending within the sidewalls and treadwall, and configured to reduce standing waves in the component when activated.

10. The tire as claimed in claim 1, the element is made of shape memory material and presents a band operable to reduce standing waves in the component when activated.

11. The tire as claimed in claim 10, wherein the component is a sidewall presenting a first stiffness, and the element is operable to increase the stiffness when activated.

12. A method of passively reducing standing waves in a tire, said method comprising the steps of:

a. securing an active material element within at least a portion of the tire defining a first stiffness;

b. activating the element by exposure to a standing wave;

c. modifying said at least portion as a result of activating the element, so as to increase the stiffness;

d. reducing the wave as a result of increasing the stiffness; and

e. deactivating the element as a result of reducing the wave.

13. A tire employable by a vehicle traveling upon a surface, and adapted to selectively enhance traction, said tire comprising:

a first structural component configured to engage the surface along a face, so as to present a first traction value; and

at least one active material element inter-engaged with, and operable to modify the face, so as to modify the traction to a second value when activated.

14. The tire as claimed in claim 13, wherein the face presents a tread defining a pattern, tread stiffness, and depth, and the element is operable to modify the pattern, stiffness, and/or depth when activated.

15. The tire as claimed in claim 13, wherein the active material element presents a sub-surface layer underneath the face, and is operable to produce a texturing on the face and increase the traction when activated.

16. The tire as claimed in claim 13, wherein the face is defined by a plurality of tread elements presenting a first dimension, stiffness, and spacing, the active material element is operable to modify the dimension, stiffness, and/or spacing when activated.

17. The tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the dimension is depth, and the active material element is operable to reduce the depth and increase the stiffness, when activated.

18. The tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the dimension is width, and the active material element is operable to reduce the width, when activated.

19. The tire as claimed in claim 16, wherein the tread elements define sipes, grooves, and/or openings, and the active material element is operable to close the sipes, grooves, and/or openings when activated.