Method and device for adapting tires of a means of locomotion to given travel situations

• US 7,743,653 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2007
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daubner & Stommel Gbr Bau-Werk-Planung
• Original Assignee: Daubner & Stommel Gbr Bau-Werk-Planung
• Inventors: Stommel, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J
• Application Number:
  US11/904,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20080087361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/468, 152/415
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/00 Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0058 with different cap rubber layers in the axial direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/0083 characterised by the curvature of the tyre tread
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/002 by monitoring conditions other than tyre pressure or deformation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10279 Cushion

Abstract

A method for adapting tires (14) of an, in particular, motor-driven means of locomotion to given travel situations, in particular of a passenger car, of a truck or the like. The shape of at least one tire (14), preferably of a plurality of tires (14) or of all the tires (14), is changed selectively, and preferably automatically, during the journey as a function of the travel situation.

Claims

1. A method for adapting tires of a motor-driven means of locomotion to given travel situations, comprising the step of selectively changing the shape of at least one tire (14) during a journey as a function of the travel situation, wherein:

the shape of the at least one tire (14) is changed by performing open-loop and/or closed-loop control of shape-changing means (18) which are assigned to the at least one tire (14), and on which the open-loop and/or closed-loop control is performed electronically, and

the shape-changing means on which the open-loop and/or closed-loop control is performed have traction means (20) that act on the at least one tire (14) and with which traction forces, by means of which sidewalls (14a, 14b) of the at least one tire (14) are moved towards one another, are generated as a function of the travel situation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the at least one tire (14) is changed in such a way that the tire contact area which is effective during the journey is increased or decreased depending on the travel situation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the at least one tire (14) is changed by means of the shape-changing means on which the open-loop and/or closed-loop control is performed, said change being carried out by raising or lowering air pressure or gas pressure within the at least one tire (14) as a function of the travel situation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the at least one tire (14) is changed in such a way that the effective tire contact area of the at least one tire (14) is smaller when the means (18) of locomotion is travelling straight ahead without being braked or accelerated than when the means (18) of locomotion is travelling around bends and/or during braking or acceleration processes.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the at least one tire (14) is changed as a function of braking and/or acceleration processes and/or as a function of steering processes.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the actual travel situation is sensed by means of suitable sensors.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means of locomotion is selected from the group consisting passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, and aircraft.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shape of the at least one tire (14) is changed automatically.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shape-changing means (18) is located on the sidewalls of the tire (14a, 14b).

16. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the air pressure or gas pressure within the at least one tire (14) is within a tire hose chamber which is arranged in the at least one tire (14).

7. A means of locomotion having a tire (14) that can be deformed as a function of a travel situation in order to adapt tires of a motor-driven means of locomotion to given travel situations so as to selectively change the shape of the tire (14) during a journey as a function of the travel situation, wherein:

the means of locomotion comprises an open-loop and/or closed-loop control device by means of which the shape of the tire (14) is adapted to the travel situations;

the shape-changing means on which the open-loop and/or closed-loop control is performed have traction means (20) that act on the tire (14) and with which traction forces, by means of which sidewalls (14a, 14b) of the tire (14) are moved towards one another, are generated as a function of the travel situation; and

the traction means (20) are embodied in such a way that the traction forces by means of which the sidewalls (14a, 14b) of the tire (14) are moved towards one another are generated as a function of the travel situation.

8. The means of locomotion according to claim 7, wherein the traction means (20) act on the sidewalls (14a, 14b) of the tire (14).

9. The means of locomotion according to claim 7, wherein the shape-changing means (18) have polymer extrudates which are assigned to the tires and which are integrated into the sidewalls (14a, 14b) of the tire (14).

10. The means of locomotion according to claim 7, wherein energy-generating means which are based on an induction effect are arranged in the tire (14) in order to supply the shape-changing means (18) and/or the open-loop and/or closed-loop control device with electrical energy.

11. The means of locomotion according to claim 7, wherein tread (13) of the tire (14) has at least two different sections which are each formed from material with different coefficients of friction relative to an underlying surface and/or have different profiles.

12. The means of locomotion according to claim 11, wherein at least one section of the tread (13), which is on the outside in a cross-sectional view of the tread (13), is formed from a material with a coefficient of friction which is relatively high compared to the underlying surface (16), and at least one tread section, which is on the inside in a cross-sectional view of the tread (13), is formed from a material with a coefficient of friction which is relatively low compared to the underlying surface (16).