Method for Inspecting Tires, Enabling the On-Site Detector of Defects, the State of Wear of the Rubber, or the internal Condition of the Tire

• US 20120131995A1
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universidad Catolica Del Norte
• Original Assignee: Universidad Catolica Del Norte
• Inventors: Olivares Godoy, Marcelo Alberto, Olivares Miranda, Enrique Arnoldo
• Granted Patent: US 8,752,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/025 using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/627 tyres
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/185 in tyres

Abstract

The invention relates to a technical inspection method which comprises the specific application of an ultrasound wave perfectly adapted for interacting with the rubber and for detecting: defects, tears, gaps, the state of wear of the rubber, and the breakage of steel wires or meshes in giant OTR (off-the-road) tires. Said inspection consists of injecting, into any sector of the tire and using an ultrasound defect detector device, ultrasound waves that generate echoes by bouncing off breaks or interfaces in the material, the assessment of which yields a diagnosis of the internal condition and operating state of the tire.

Claims

1. Method for inspecting tires, which allows the detection of in situ defects, rubber degradation states, or tire internal condition, wherein such method comprises the following stages:

a. Calibrate an ultrasonic equipment with specific parameters;

b. Determining the rubber remaining thickness of such tire and determining the wear condition thereof compared with the original thickness;

c. By means of such ultrasonic equipment, running an ultrasonic scan over such tire wherein such running consists of perfectly conditioned high-energy ultrasonic waves entering into such tire rubber remaining thickness.

d. Receiving response echoes from reflections produced by such tire internal defects or discontinuities and collect information about the internal condition through interpretation of such echoes.

2. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein such ultrasound waves are high energy square waves produced by alternating current.

3. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 2, wherein such square waves can be used with its positive, negative peak, or else radiofrequency non-rectified waves.

4. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein such ultrasound wave emission and echo reception are performed through the use of a single Transmitter/Receiver type transducer, which interacts through the only contact wall with such tire.

5. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein such ultrasound wave emission and reception of responding echoes is performed through the use of transducers which interact with two contact surfaces of such tire, respectively.

6. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein such ultrasound waves are square longitudinal-type waves transmitted in the form of packs or pulses at magnitude regular intervals and predetermined direction.

7. Method for inspection tires according to claim 1, wherein the frequency of such waves is between the range of 0.10 to 2.50 MHZ, and preferably between 0.5 and 1.8 Mhz.

8. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein the energy reserve gain of such ultrasound waves is within the range from 40 dB to 75 dB, a value of 60 dB is preferably used.

9. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein the propagation speed of such ultrasound waves is within the range of 1,200 to 2,500 m/s, preferably the range of 1,500 to 2,000 m/s is used.

10. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein the incident angle of such ultrasound waves is (0°

) zero degrees.

11. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein such ultrasound wave damping is within the range of 200-400 Ohm, preferably, a value of 300 Ohm is used.

12. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein such ultrasound wave filter is within the range of 0.1 to 1.5 MHZ and preferably, a value of 0.8 Mhz is used.

13. Method for inspecting tires according to claim 1, wherein the power of such ultrasound waves is within the range of 100 to 500 Volts, preferably a value of 400 Volts.