Method for ascertaining the pressure and the profile depth in a vehicle tire

• US 8,312,766 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: VENTECH GmbH (Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company)
• Inventors: Pingel, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US12/734,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20100292953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 73146-1468
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/22 for measuring depth
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/005 using a sensor contacting the exterior surface, e.g. for measuring deformation

Abstract

A method for ascertaining the pressure and the profile depth in a pneumatic vehicle tire which is fitted to a vehicle, wherein the pressure is detected with the aid of an arrangement comprising load sensors, which arrangement supplies force signals for a two-dimensional pattern of the force distribution which is exerted by the vehicle tire in contact with the sensors when the vehicle moves over the arrangement, wherein the tire pressure is determined from the force distribution independently of the method of manufacture or the model of the tire and of the vehicle, is characterized in that the profile depth of the tire is determined before, while or after the pressure is determined.

Claims

1. A method for the determination of the pressure and the profile depth of a pneumatic vehicle tire which is installed on a vehicle, whereby:

the pressure is determined by means of an array of load sensors which supply force signals for a two-dimensional pattern of the fore distribution which is exerted by the vehicle tires in contact with the sensors when the vehicle moves over the array, whereby the tire pressure is determined from the distribution of force independently of the type of manufacture or the model of the tire and of the vehicle, wherein before, during or after the determination of the pressure, the profile depth of the tire is determined by triangulation, whereby the triangulation is used on unloaded profile sections of the tire, and for this purpose the angle of incidence of a measurement beam striking the unloaded tire profile is an angle of less than 90°

with respect to a road surface.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the profile depth is determined by triangulation by means of a laser, a light-shadow transition or a standard light source.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein for the blocking of background light, the shutter speed of a camera and the activation time of a light source such as a laser, for example, are synchronized so that the camera measures essentially only the intensity of the light source.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the triangulation is performed at an angle of less than 90°

with respect to the tire surface.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multiple measurements of the same tire are used for a qualification of the entire circumference of the tire and/or for the elimination of the effects of wear marks.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the measurements are performed with at least two laser beams.

7. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein multiple measurements of the same tire are used for a qualification of the complete circumference of the tire and/or for the elimination of the effects of wear marks.

8. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the measurements are performed with at least two laser beams.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the array of load sensors comprises at least two rows of load sensors which are located one behind the other in the direction of travel, whereby at least one row of the load sensors is offset in relation to one or more rows of load sensors by a specified distance at a right angle to the direction of travel.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the specified distance is smaller than the dimension of a load sensor at a right angle to the direction of travel.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein in at least one of the rows of load sensors, the length of the load sensors is greater than in at least one other row of load sensors.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the load sensors are read simultaneously or quasi-simultaneously.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a computing unit is provided which converts the force signal generated by the load sensors into-units of length and calculates the exact length of contact of the tire on the surface of each of the load sensors from the length of the force signal minus the length of the corresponding load sensor.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a computing unit is provided which calculates, for signals from a first row of load sensors and for signals from a second row of load sensors, the respective center of gravity according to the following equation

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein if the contact length of the tire is less than the length of one or more of the load sensors, a compensation calculation is performed.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a computing unit performs a differential analysis of the rising flank of the force signals to detect and compensate for profile effects of the tire.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a computing unit determines the profile depth of the tire using the amplitude of the force signals in the direction of travel and/or at a right angle to the direction of travel.

18. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the method can be performed in combination with a brake test bench, whereby a direct qualification of the complete circumference of the tire with regard to profile depth and defects is possible.

19. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the method can be performed while the vehicle is traveling over an on and off ramp or an overpass ramp.