Method and device for evaluating deformations and forces

• US 6,958,615 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Poulbot, Valéry, Fagot-Revurat, Lionel, Demaie, Heathcliff
• Primary Examiner(s): DEB, ANJAN K
• Application Number:
  US10/614,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 324/661, 324/662, 324/658, 324/671, 324/686, 324/690, 324/515, 324/517, 361/283.1, 177/210.C, 731/465
• US Class Current: 324/661
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/00 Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/00 Tyre sidewalls; Protecting, decorating, marking, or the like, thereof B60C17/08 takes precedence; tyre shoulders B60C11/01; removable tyre sidewall trim rings B60B7/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2240/04 Tire deformation
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/16 for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. by resistance strain gauge
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 19/069 Protection against electromagnetic or electrostatic interferences

Abstract

A method and a device for evaluating the deformations or forces to which a structure having an elastomeric body (2) is subjected. The device includes a dipole (6), the dielectric (3) of which is formed by the elastomeric body, and an electronic analyzing circuit sensitive to a variation of a capacitive characteristic of the dipole caused by the deformations of the elastomeric body. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a device for evaluating the forces to which a pneumatic tire is subjected when rolling, as it passes through the contact area. The invention applies similarly in other structures having an elastomeric body, such as, for example, the elastomeric joints intended for the chassis system of vehicles.

Claims

1. Device for evaluating deformations in a tire, said device comprising a dipole having filar electrodes, the dielectric of said dipole being formed by an elastomeric body being subject to the deformations of the tire, said device comprising an electronic analyzing circuit sensitive to a variation of a capacitive characteristic measured between said filar electrodes of the dipole, said variation being caused by said deformations of said tire wherein the resistivity of said elastomeric body being greater than 10¹³ Ω

.cm.

2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising means for evaluating forces to which said structure is subjected as a function of said deformations caused by said forces.

3. Device according to claim 1, said electrodes being substantially parallel.

4. A pneumatic tire in combination with a device for evaluating deformations in the tire, the device comprising a dipole having filar electrodes, the dielectric of the dipole being formed by an elastomeric body being deformable in response to tire deformations, the device comprising an electronic analyzing circuit sensitive to a variation of a capacitive characteristic measured between the filar electrodes of the dipole, the variation being caused by the tire deformations wherein the resistivity of said elastomeric body being greater than 10¹³ Ω

.cm.

5. The pneumatic tire according to claim 4 further comprising means for evaluating forces to which said structure is subjected as a function of said deformations caused by said forces.

6. The pneumatic tire according to claim 4, said electrodes being substantially parallel to one another.

7. The pneumatic tire according to claim 6 wherein the tire comprises a tread, the dipole embedded within the tread.

8. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7 wherein the dielectric comprises a portion of the tread.

9. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7, wherein said device comprising two filar electrodes arranged substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tread and substantially parallel to the transverse direction of the tread.

10. The pneumatic tire according to claim 9, wherein said filar electrodes are situated substantially in the same radial plane of the tread.

11. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7, wherein the filar electrodes comprise two filar electrodes arranged substantially perpendicular to a transverse direction of the tread and substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the tread.

12. The pneumatic tire according to claim 11, wherein the filar electrodes comprise at least three filar electrodes which constitute at least two dipoles.

13. The pneumatic tire according to claim 7, wherein said device comprises two filar electrodes situated in a zone of the tread arranged to be spaced from the ground when the pneumatic tire is rolling.

14. The pneumatic tire according to claim 4 wherein the tread includes tread blocks, the dipole being embedded in a tread block.

15. The pneumatic tire according to claim 6, wherein said device is situated in the tire sidewall.

16. The pneumatic tire according to claim 15 wherein said dielectric consists of the elastomeric material which constitutes said sidewall at least in the zone in which said dielectric is situated.

17. The pneumatic tire according to claim 15 wherein said dipole comprises electrodes which are substantially parallel to one another and oriented substantially radially.

18. The pneumatic tire according to claim 17 wherein said electrodes are substantially parallel to the sidewall and extend along a radius of the pneumatic tire, all of said electrodes being situated substantially at the same distance from the center plane of the pneumatic tire.

19. The pneumatic tire according to claim 17 wherein said electrodes are substantially parallel to one another and to the sidewall and extend along a radius of the pneumatic tire, each of said electrodes being spaced from one another in the direction of the thickness of the sidewall.

20. The pneumatic tire according to claim 17 wherein the electrodes consist of interdigitated combs.

21. The pneumatic tire according to claim 17, wherein a plurality of dipole elements are arranged along the circumference of the sidewall and are connected to one another in parallel to form the dipole.