TIRE HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20170010185A1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Shaffer, Kristopher Eric
• Application Number:
  US15/270,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20170010185A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/002 Inspecting tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/0554 optical, e.g. cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/242 the material being an optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/027 using light, e.g. infrared, ultraviolet or holographic techniques

Abstract

A health monitoring system for a tire is provided. The health monitoring system includes a fiber optic strain sensor array. The fiber optic strain sensor array is configured to generate data indicative of a strain in the tire. The fiber optic strain sensor array is arranged and aligned within a fibrous reinforcement array of the tire to generate data which can be directly correlated to an interaction of the tire and a work surface on which the tire operates. The health monitoring system also includes a control module. The control module is configured to receive the data associated with the strain and the interaction of the tire. The control module is also configured to generate visual representation of the tire based on the received data of the strain in the tire and the interaction of the tire for indicating an effect of operating the tire on the work surface.

Claims

1. A health monitoring system for a tire, the health monitoring system comprising:

a fiber optic strain sensor array associated with the tire, the fiber optic strain sensor array configured to generate data indicative of a strain in the tire, wherein the fiber optic strain sensor array is arranged and aligned within a fibrous reinforcement array of the tire in such a manner that the fiber optic strain sensor array is further configured to generate data which can be directly correlated to an interaction of the tire and a work surface on which the tire operates; and

a control module communicably coupled to the fiber optic strain sensor array, the control module configured to;

receive the data associated with the strain and the interaction of the tire from the fiber optic strain sensor array; and

generate a visual representation of the tire based on the received data of the strain in the tire and the interaction of the tire for indicating an effect of operating the tire on the work surface.

2. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the fiber optic strain sensor array is cast within a parent material of the tire during a fabrication process of the tire.