Apparatus and method for inspecting inflation of and supported weight on vehicle tires
First Claim
1. Apparatus for inspecting inflation condition of and supported weight on an inflated vehicle tire, comprising:
- (a) a plate having opposite top and bottom sides and made of a substantially transparent yieldable resilient bendable material capable of transmitting a footprint of an inflated vehicle tire and undergoing a deflection in response to the supported weight on the inflated vehicle tire applied thereon;
(b) a flexible bladder supported on said top side of said plate and having opposite upper and lower portions and an enclosed interior cavity, said upper portion of said bladder comprised of a substantially opaque material of a first color, said lower portion of said bladder comprised of a substantially transparent material;
(c) a quantity of fluid contained within said cavity of said bladder of a second color different from said first color of said upper portion of said bladder, said fluid being displaceable within said bladder as said upper portion of said bladder is forced toward said lower portion thereof when the inflated vehicle tire is applied upon said upper portion of said bladder so as to create an image of the footprint of the inflated vehicle tire viewable on said bottom side of said plate by contrast between said second color of said fluid viewable where a tread of the inflated vehicle tire does not press said upper portion of said bladder against said lower portion thereof on said top side of said plate and said first color of said opaque material of said upper portion of said bladder viewable where the tread of the inflated vehicle tire does press said upper portion of said bladder against said lower portion thereof on said top side of said plate; and
(d) first means for receiving and converting said image of the footprint of the inflated vehicle tire to a first measured quantity correlated to the inflation condition of the inflated vehicle tire;
(e) transducer means attached to said bottom side of said plate for undergoing a deformation proportional to said deflection of said plate and for producing an electrical signal proportional to said deformation; and
(f) second means for receiving and converting said electrical signal to a second measured quantity proportional to the supported weight applied by the inflated vehicle tire to said plate.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle tire inspection apparatus includes a flat plate, a flexible bladder containing a quantity of fluid, and transducers on the plate. The plate is made of a transparent yieldable resilient bendable material capable of transmitting an inflated vehicle tire footprint and of undergoing a deflection in response to the supported weight on the tire applied thereon. The bladder is supported on the top side of the plate and has an upper opaque portion of a first color, a lower transparent portion and an enclosed interior cavity. The fluid contained within the cavity is of a second color different from the first color of the upper bladder portion. The fluid is displaceable within the bladder as the upper bladder portion is forced toward the lower bladder portion when the tire is applied upon the upper bladder portion so as to create an image of the footprint of the tire viewable on the bottom side of the plate by contrast between the second color of the fluid viewable where a tread of the tire does not press the upper bladder portion against the lower bladder portion on the top side of the plate and the first color of the opaque material of the upper bladder portion viewable where the tread of the tire presses the upper bladder portion against the lower bladder portion on the top side of the plate. The transducers are attached to the bottom side of the plate and undergo deformations proportional to the deflection of the plate and produce electrical signals proportional to the deformations.
21 Citations
15 Claims
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1. Apparatus for inspecting inflation condition of and supported weight on an inflated vehicle tire, comprising:
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(a) a plate having opposite top and bottom sides and made of a substantially transparent yieldable resilient bendable material capable of transmitting a footprint of an inflated vehicle tire and undergoing a deflection in response to the supported weight on the inflated vehicle tire applied thereon; (b) a flexible bladder supported on said top side of said plate and having opposite upper and lower portions and an enclosed interior cavity, said upper portion of said bladder comprised of a substantially opaque material of a first color, said lower portion of said bladder comprised of a substantially transparent material; (c) a quantity of fluid contained within said cavity of said bladder of a second color different from said first color of said upper portion of said bladder, said fluid being displaceable within said bladder as said upper portion of said bladder is forced toward said lower portion thereof when the inflated vehicle tire is applied upon said upper portion of said bladder so as to create an image of the footprint of the inflated vehicle tire viewable on said bottom side of said plate by contrast between said second color of said fluid viewable where a tread of the inflated vehicle tire does not press said upper portion of said bladder against said lower portion thereof on said top side of said plate and said first color of said opaque material of said upper portion of said bladder viewable where the tread of the inflated vehicle tire does press said upper portion of said bladder against said lower portion thereof on said top side of said plate; and (d) first means for receiving and converting said image of the footprint of the inflated vehicle tire to a first measured quantity correlated to the inflation condition of the inflated vehicle tire; (e) transducer means attached to said bottom side of said plate for undergoing a deformation proportional to said deflection of said plate and for producing an electrical signal proportional to said deformation; and (f) second means for receiving and converting said electrical signal to a second measured quantity proportional to the supported weight applied by the inflated vehicle tire to said plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification