Method for measuring at least one characteristic property of a pneumatic tire for a vehicle wheel

• US 7,222,522 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Original Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Inventors: Matrascia, Giuseppe, Monguzzi, Carlo, Rossi, Franco, Brivio, Paolo
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US10/535,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/465, 340/445
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/00 Devices for measuring, signalling, controlling, or distributing tyre pressure or temperature, specially adapted for mounting on vehicles; Arrangement of tyre inflating devices on vehicles, e.g. of pumps or of tanks; Tyre cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/005 using a sensor contacting the exterior surface, e.g. for measuring deformation
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/021 Tyre supporting devices, e.g. chucks for balancing G01M1/04

Abstract

A method for measuring at least one characteristic property of a pneumatic tire for a vehicle wheel includes arranging at least one array of deformable sensors along a first direction; making the tire pass at speed over the sensors along a second direction; generating an electrical signal proportional to a speed of deformation of each sensor when the tyre contacts the sensor; detecting the electrical signal generated by each sensor; and determining, starting with the detected signals, the at least one characteristic property. The second direction is a motion direction of the tire. The first direction is transverse to the second. The at least one array of sensors extends in the first direction for a distance greater than or equal to a dimension of the tire in the first direction. When the at least one array includes a plurality of arrays, the arrays may be arranged substantially in parallel.

Claims

1. A method for measuring at least one characteristic property of a pneumatic tyre for a vehicle wheel, comprising:

arranging at least one array of deformable sensors along a first direction;

making the tyre pass at speed over the at least one array of sensors along a second direction;

generating, for each sensor, an electrical signal proportional to a speed of deformation of the sensor when the tyre contacts the sensor;

detecting the electrical signal generated by each sensor; and

determining, starting with the detected electrical signals, the at least one characteristic property of the tyre;

wherein the second direction is a motion direction of the tyre,

wherein the first direction is transverse to the second direction, and

wherein the at least one array of sensors extends in the first direction for a distance greater than or equal to a dimension of the tyre in the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic property of the tyre is a size of a footprint area of the tyre along the second direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic property of the tyre is a shape of a footprint area of the tyre.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic property of the tyre is a distribution of pressure acting on a footprint area of the tyre.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the speed of the tyre is greater than or equal to 30 kilometers per hour.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one array of sensors is housed in a seat formed on a drum of a wheel simulating a road surface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one array of sensors is housed in a seat formed on a road surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one array of sensors is associated with a support plate.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one characteristic property of the tyre is a size of a footprint area of the tyre along the second direction.

9. A method for measuring at least one characteristic property of a pneumatic tyre for a vehicle wheel, comprising:

arranging a plurality of arrays of deformable sensors along a first direction;

making the tyre pass at speed over the plurality of arrays of sensors along a second direction;

generating, for each sensor, an electrical signal proportional to a speed of deformation of the sensor when the tyre contacts the sensor;

detecting the electrical signal generated by each sensor; and

determining, starting with the detected electrical signals, the at least one characteristic property of the tyre;

wherein the second direction is a motion direction of the tyre,

wherein the first direction is transverse to the second direction,

wherein the plurality of arrays of sensors extends in the first direction for a distance greater than or equal to a dimension of the tyre in the first direction, and

wherein the arrays of sensors are arranged substantially in parallel.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one characteristic property of the tyre is a shape of a footprint area of the tyre.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one characteristic property of the tyre is a distribution of pressure acting on a footprint area of the tyre.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the speed of the tyre is greater than or equal to 30 kilometers per hour.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of arrays of sensors is housed in a seat formed on a drum of a wheel simulating a road surface.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of arrays of sensors is housed in a seat formed on a road surface.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of arrays of sensors is associated with a support plate.