SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING THE CONDITION OF A TIRE

• US 20170038278A1
• Filed: 04/30/2015
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compagnie générale des établissements Michelin
• Original Assignee: Compagnie générale des établissements Michelin, Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: LEDOUX, THOMAS, PERNOT, ALEXANDRE, MARTIN, DENIS, PAGS, ALEXANDRE, FORISSIER, TIMOTHE, HEREDIA, GUILLAUME, CLAEYSSEN, FRANK
• Granted Patent: US 10,222,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/243 Tread wear sensors, e.g. electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/007 outside surface measuring profile depth G01B11/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 25/0551 mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/26 for measuring depth
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/02 Tyres

Abstract

A system, which is structured to evaluate a condition of a tire, includes a housing, a tire-wear detector, a tire-presence detector, and an electronic activator. The housing, when the system is deployed, is placed on a ground surface. The tire-presence detector detects a presence of a tire on the housing. The electronic activator activates the tire-wear detector when the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing. The tire-wear detector, when activated, detects a wear condition of the tire when the tire passes over the housing.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A system for evaluating a tire condition, the system comprising:

a housing;

a tire-wear detector, which detects a tire-wear condition;

a tire-presence detector, which detects a presence of a tire on the housing; and

an electronic activator, which activates the tire-wear detector when the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing,

wherein the tire-wear detector, upon activation, detects the tire-wear condition of the tire when the tire passes over the housing while the housing is placed on a ground surface.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein a distance, projected over a surface parallel to the ground surface, between the tire-presence detector or an access ramp and the tire-wear detector is greater than a distance travelled by a vehicle at a predetermined speed for a time duration corresponding to an amount of time necessary for activating the tire-wear detector.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the electronic activator is sensitive to at least one of:

a direct mechanical deformation of the housing and a shock wave that spreads in the housing.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein the tire-presence detector includes at least one of:

a ferroelectric sensor, an organic piezoelectric sensor, a piezoelectric cable, a piezoelectric fibre, a piezoelectric transducer, a piezoelectric bimetallic strip, and a sensor formed of an inorganic piezoelectric composite applied to a support.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the tire-presence detector is fixed directly on the housing.

18. The system according to claim 16,

wherein the tire-presence detector is fixed on a printed circuit or a plate having a stiffness that is less than a stiffness of a material forming the housing, and

wherein the printed circuit or the plate is rigidly connected to the housing.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein the tire-presence detector is embedded in a material forming the housing.

20. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a second tire-presence detector, which detects a presence of a tire on the housing.

21. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a threshold detector, which detects an output value of the tire-wear detector relative to a predetermined threshold value, and which issues a command to the tire-wear detector to switch off based on a detection result.

22. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a sensitivity adjustment circuit, which sets a sensitivity of the tire-presence detector.

23. The system according to claim 13, wherein the electronic activator includes circuitry for modifying an operating mode of a microcontroller of the tire-wear detector.

24. The system according to claim 13, wherein the electronic activator includes circuitry for affecting a power supply of the tire-wear detector.