Tire sidewall load estimation system and method
First Claim
1. A method of estimating a load on a vehicle tire, comprising:
- (A) attaching at least one deformation measuring sensor to at least one sidewall of the vehicle tire, the deformation measuring sensor generating a cyclical deformation signal having a signal power level indicative of a deformation of the one sidewall in the tire under a rolling condition;
(B) attaching a tire inflation pressure measuring sensor to the vehicle tire, the inflation pressure measuring sensor measuring tire inflation pressure within a tire cavity and generating detected inflation level data;
(C) electronically storing power-to-load maps adjusted for tire inflation pressure for the tire, the maps correlating a range of load levels to a range of signal power levels whereby operatively enabling a load level to be identified for each signal power level adjusted for tire inflation pressure;
(D) measuring a detected signal power level of a deformation signal from the deformation measuring sensor;
(E) measuring a detected inflation level from the tire cavity by means of the tire inflation pressure measuring sensor;
(F) extracting from the signal power-to-load maps a tire pressure level-adjusted estimated load level corresponding to a detected signal power level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of estimating a load bearing on a vehicle tire includes an inflation pressure measuring sensor attached to the tire for measuring a tire cavity inflation pressure level; and one or more piezofilm deformation measuring sensors mounted to one or both of the tire sidewalls. The deformation measuring sensor generates within the tire footprint a deformation signal having signal power level indicative of a level of sidewall deformation within the footprint contact patch. Power-to-load maps adjusted for tire inflation pressure are generated and stored for the tire, the maps correlating a range of load levels to a range of signal power levels whereby operatively enabling a load level to be identified for each signal power level on an inflation pressure adjusted basis.
27 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of estimating a load on a vehicle tire, comprising:
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(A) attaching at least one deformation measuring sensor to at least one sidewall of the vehicle tire, the deformation measuring sensor generating a cyclical deformation signal having a signal power level indicative of a deformation of the one sidewall in the tire under a rolling condition; (B) attaching a tire inflation pressure measuring sensor to the vehicle tire, the inflation pressure measuring sensor measuring tire inflation pressure within a tire cavity and generating detected inflation level data; (C) electronically storing power-to-load maps adjusted for tire inflation pressure for the tire, the maps correlating a range of load levels to a range of signal power levels whereby operatively enabling a load level to be identified for each signal power level adjusted for tire inflation pressure; (D) measuring a detected signal power level of a deformation signal from the deformation measuring sensor; (E) measuring a detected inflation level from the tire cavity by means of the tire inflation pressure measuring sensor; (F) extracting from the signal power-to-load maps a tire pressure level-adjusted estimated load level corresponding to a detected signal power level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system of estimating a load bearing on a vehicle tire, comprising:
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(A) a vehicle tire having a tire cavity and supporting a load; (B) an inflation pressure measuring sensor attached to the tire for measuring a tire cavity inflation pressure level; (C) at least one deformation measuring sensor mounted to at least one of the tire sidewalls, the deformation measuring sensor comprising a piezoelectric sensor rotating with the tire sidewall through a tire footprint, the deformation measuring sensor generating within the tire footprint a deformation signal having signal power level indicative of a level of sidewall deformation within the footprint contact patch; (D) electronically stored power-to-load maps adjusted for tire inflation pressure for the tire, the maps correlating a range of load levels to a range of signal power levels whereby operatively enabling a load level to be identified for each signal power level adjusted for tire inflation pressure; and (E) electronic means for extracting from the signal power-to-load maps a tire pressure level-adjusted estimated load level corresponding to a detected signal power level. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system of estimating a load bearing on a vehicle tire, comprising:
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(A) a vehicle tire having a tire cavity and supporting a load; (B) an inflation pressure measuring sensor attached to the tire for measuring a tire cavity inflation pressure level; (C) at least a first deformation measuring sensor mounted to a first tire sidewall and at least a second deformation measuring sensor mounted to an opposite second tire sidewall, the first and second deformation measuring sensors comprising a piezoelectric sensor rotating with the tire sidewall through a tire footprint, the first and the second deformation measuring sensors generating within the tire footprint respectively a first deformation signal having first signal power level and a second deformation signal having a second signal power level, the first the second signal power levels each indicative of a level of respective sidewall deformation within the footprint contact patch; (D) electronically stored tire inflation pressure-adjusted power-to-load maps for the tire, the maps correlating a range of load levels to a range of signal power levels whereby operatively enabling a load level to be identified for each signal power level; and (E) electronic means for extracting from the signal power-to-load maps an estimated load level corresponding to a detected signal power level based upon a combined average of the first and the second signal power levels. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification