System and Method For Wheel Assembly Acoustical Evaluation
First Claim
1. A vehicle wheel service system having a rotating spindle shaft for receiving a vehicle wheel assembly, a drive motor for rotationally driving the rotating spindle shaft under control of a processing system and a controlled load roller for applying a generally radial load to an outer circumferential surface of the vehicle wheel assembly during rotation, comprising:
- wherein the processing system is further configured with a set of software instructions to obtain a measure of acoustical energy generated by the wheel assembly during rotational movement while under an applied load from the controlled load roller; and
wherein the processing system is further configured with a set of software instructions to process said obtained measure of acoustical energy to identify one or more tire characteristics.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle service or inspection system including a load roller for applying a radial load to a vehicle wheel assembly consisting of a tire mounted to a rim, with at least one sensor for acquiring measurements of acoustical energy generated by the wheel assembly during loaded rotational movement. The vehicle service or inspection system is configured with a programmed processor to evaluate the acquired measurements to provide a measure of tire road noise, identification of tire defects, and/or identification of sources of noise, vibrations, or acoustical energy on the tire surface such as tire flat spots, cupping, bubbles, embedded foreign objects, or other defects. The processor is further configured with software instructions to utilize the acquired measurements to provide a consumer with a figure of merit associated with the acoustics of the tire undergoing testing
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vehicle wheel service system having a rotating spindle shaft for receiving a vehicle wheel assembly, a drive motor for rotationally driving the rotating spindle shaft under control of a processing system and a controlled load roller for applying a generally radial load to an outer circumferential surface of the vehicle wheel assembly during rotation, comprising:
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wherein the processing system is further configured with a set of software instructions to obtain a measure of acoustical energy generated by the wheel assembly during rotational movement while under an applied load from the controlled load roller; and wherein the processing system is further configured with a set of software instructions to process said obtained measure of acoustical energy to identify one or more tire characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for providing a representation of the acoustical energy generated by a vehicle wheel assembly consisting of a tire mounted to a wheel rim during loaded rotational movement, comprising:
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mounting the vehicle wheel assembly to a driven spindle shaft of a vehicle wheel service system; applying a generally radial load to an outer circumference of the vehicle wheel assembly during driven rotation of the spindle shaft and vehicle wheel assembly; acquiring data representative of acoustical energy generated during the driven rotation of the vehicle wheel assembly under the applied load; and processing said obtained data to produce a representation of the acoustical energy generated by the vehicle wheel assembly. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification