Method for determining the length of the footprint on the ground of a tire of a wheel of a vehicle

• US 7,942,047 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Boukraa, Riad, Vassilieff, Youri
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J
• Application Number:
  US12/370,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20090205414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/066 by monitoring wheel-centre to ground distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2240/04 Tire deformation
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B7/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/02 Tyres

Abstract

A method for determining, while a vehicle is traveling, the length of the footprint on the ground of a tire (7) including a metal belt, fitted to a rim (6) of a wheel of the vehicle. According to the invention, this method includes mounting a magnetic sensor (16) on the rim (6) and analyzing the signal representing the magnetic field measured by the magnetic sensor, so as to detect the variations of the magnetic field resulting from the deformations sustained by a circumferential zone of the tire (7) situated opposite the magnetic sensor (8) when, respectively, the circumferential zone enters into contact with the ground and leaves the ground.

Claims

1. A method for determining, while a vehicle (1) is traveling, the length of the footprint on the ground of a tire (7) comprising a metal belt, fitted to a rim (6) of a wheel (2-5) of said vehicle, a magnetic sensor (16) on the rim (6) and said method comprising of step of:

analyzing the signal representing the magnetic field measured by said magnetic sensor, so as to detect the variations of the magnetic field resulting from the deformations sustained by a circumferential zone of the tire (7) situated opposite the magnetic sensor (16);

analyzing the signal representative of the magnetic field measured by said magnetic sensor, when, respectively, said circumferential zone enters into contact with the ground and leaves the ground in order to determine the footprint on the ground of the tire, including i) making a determination of the lapse of time between the moment when the circumferential zone of the tire touches the ground and the moment when the tire leaves the ground, and ii) making a determination of footprint of the tire contact zone with the ground during this determined lapse of time, taking into account the known wheel speed rotation.

2. The determination method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic sensor (16) is positioned so that said magnetic sensor has an axis of maximum sensitivity extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheel (2-5).

3. The determination method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the metal belt of the tire (7) is first magnetized in at least the circumferential zone of said tire intended to be facing the magnetic sensor (16).

4. The determination method as claimed in claim 3 taken together, characterized in that the metal belt of the tire (7) is magnetized along an axis of magnetization parallel to the axis of maximum sensitivity of the magnetic sensor (16).

5. The determination method as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the metal belt of the tire (7) is first magnetized in the only circumferential zone of said tire placed facing the magnetic sensor (16), by means of an electromagnet, and after the tire (7) has been mounted on a rim (6) fitted with the magnetic sensor (16).

6. The determination method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic sensor (16) is incorporated into an electronic module (8-11) of a system for monitoring the operating parameters of a wheel (2-5) of the vehicle (1).

7. A method for determining, while a vehicle (1) is traveling, the length of the footprint on the ground of a tire (7) comprising a metal belt, fitted to a rim (6) of a wheel (2-5) of said vehicle, a magnetic sensor (16) on the rim (6) and said method comprising of step of:

analyzing a signal representing a magnetic field measured by said magnetic sensor, so as to detect the variations of the magnetic field resulting from deformations sustained by a circumferential zone of the tire (7) situated opposite the magnetic sensor (16);

monitoring a speed rotation of the wheel; and

by analyzing the signal representative of the magnetic field measured by said magnetic sensor, i) making a determination of the lapse of time between a moment when the circumferential zone of the tire touches the ground and another following moment when the tire leaves the ground, and ii) making a determination of a length of the footprint of a contact zone of the tire with the ground during this determined lapse of time, taking into account the monitored speed rotation of the wheel.

8. A method for determining, while a vehicle (1) is traveling, the length of the footprint on the ground of a tire (7) comprising a metal belt, fitted to a rim (6) of a wheel (2-5) of said vehicle, a magnetic sensor (16) on the rim (6) and said method comprising of step of:

a first step of measuring, with the magnetic sensor (16), as a circumferential zone of the tire (7) comes into contact with the ground, an increase in the magnetic field as a function of the reduction of distance;

a second step of measuring, with the magnetic sensor (16), as the circumferential zone of the tire (7) ends contact with the ground and leaves the ground, a reduction in the magnetic field as a function of the increase in the distance;

measuring a time separating i) said measurement of the increase in the magnetic field resulting from the tire coming into contact with the ground and ii) said measurement of the reduction in the magnetic field resulting from the tire ending contact with the ground and leaving the ground;

monitoring a speed rotation of the wheel; and

determining, a length of the footprint on the ground of a tire, based on i) the monitored speed rotation of the wheel and ii) the measured time separating the tire coming into contact with the ground and ending contact with the ground.