DETECTING, MONITORING, AND/OR CONTROLLING BEHAVIOUR OF A TYRE IN MOTION

• US 20050257609A1
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Original Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Inventors: Speziari, Diego Ettore, Mancosu, Federico, Matrascia, Giuseppe, Monguzzi, Carlo
• Granted Patent: US 7,168,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0411 Piezoelectric generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/06 Signalling devices actuated by deformation of the tyre , e.g. tyre mounted deformation sensors or indirect determination of tyre deformation based on wheel speed, wheel-centre to ground distance or inclination of wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/064 comprising tyre mounted deformation sensors, e.g. to determine road contact area
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/113 Tyre related sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0237 circuits concerning the atmospheric environment meteorology G01W
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2210/13 Aquaplaning, hydroplaning
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2240/04 Tire deformation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1725 Using tyre sensors, e.g. Sidewall Torsion sensors [SWT] for tyre pressure and temperature detection B60C23/00

Abstract

A system for determining interaction between a tyre and a contact surface during movement of a motor vehicle includes at least one first sensor and processing means. The at least one first sensor includes one or more first elongated piezoelectric elements which extend along at least a first portion of the tyre. The at least one first sensor supplies a first signal to the processing means. The first signal is generated by rotation of the tyre and is generated cyclically with each revolution of the tyre. The processing means detects variations in time intervals between distinctive elements of the first signal. A tyre including the system, a kit for detecting behaviour of a tyre moving with respect to a contact surface, a method for monitoring events correlated with interactions between tyres of a moving vehicle and a contact surface, and related systems, tyres, methods, and vehicles are also disclosed.

Claims

1-98. -98. (canceled)

99. A method for detecting interactions between at least one moving tyre and a contact surface, comprising:

generating a continuous and cyclical signal indicating a state of mechanical stress of the tyre or of variations of the state of mechanical stress with respect to a previous state of mechanical stress; and

processing the signal;

wherein the signal is generated by one or more elongated piezoelectric elements associated with the tyre.

100. (canceled)

101. A method for enabling a tyre to generate a signal indicating behaviour of the tyre when moving with respect to a contact surface, comprising:

fitting the tyre with at least one sensor; and

generating a continuous and cyclical signal indicating a state of mechanical stress of the tyre or of variations of the state of mechanical stress with respect to a previous state of mechanical stress;

wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more elongated piezoelectric elements.

102. A method for enabling a tyre to transmit a signal descriptive of behaviour of the tyre when moving with respect to a contact surface, comprising:

providing the tyre with at least one sensor for generating a continuous and cyclical signal indicating a state of mechanical stress of the tyre or of variations of the state of mechanical stress with respect to a previous state of mechanical stress; and

providing the at least one sensor with a transmitter capable of transmitting the signal.

103. A method for enabling a tyre mounted on a wheel rim to generate a signal descriptive of behaviour of the tyre when moving with respect to a contact surface, comprising:

providing the tyre with at least one sensor for generating a continuous and cyclical signal indicating a state of mechanical stress of the tyre or of variations of the state of mechanical stress with respect to a previous state of mechanical stress;

wherein the at least one sensor comprises one or more elongated piezoelectric elements.

104. (canceled)

105. A method for monitoring behaviour of a moving vehicle mounted on wheels, comprising the steps of:

detecting a signal; and

transmitting the signal to a processing unit of the vehicle;

wherein when at least one tyre of the wheels is moving with respect to a contact surface, the signal is generated continuously and cyclically by a sensor comprising one or more elongated piezoelectric elements associated with the at least one tyre, and

wherein the signal indicates a state of mechanical stress of the respective wheels or of variations of the state of mechanical stress with respect to a previous state of mechanical stress.

106. A method for controlling behaviour of a moving vehicle mounted on wheels and comprising at least one motion-control device, comprising:

detecting a signal;

transmitting the signal to a unit of the vehicle; and

activating the at least one motion-control device;

wherein when at least one tyre of the wheels is moving with respect to a contact surface, the signal is generated continuously and cyclically by a sensor comprising one or more elongated piezoelectric elements associated with the at least one tyre, and

wherein the signal indicates a state of mechanical stress of the respective wheels or of variations of the state of mechanical stress with respect to a previous state of mechanical stress.

107-115. -115. (canceled)

116. A method for monitoring at least one event correlated with an interaction between at least one tyre of a moving vehicle and a contact surface of the at least one tyre, comprising:

detecting at least one continuous and cyclical signal indicating a state of stress of the at least one tyre; and

processing the at least one signal to obtain at least one numerical value representative of a magnitude of the at least one event.

117. The method of claim 116, wherein during processing the at least one signal, at least one spectrum of frequencies significant for the at least one event is extracted from the at least one signal.

118. The method of claim 117, wherein the at least one spectrum of frequencies is extracted by a spectral frequency analysis of the at least one signal using a Fourier transform.

119. The method of claim 116, wherein processing the at least one signal comprises a root-mean-square (RMS) calculation.

120. The method of claim 119, wherein the RMS calculation is performed on a spectrum of frequencies over at least one range of significant frequencies.

121. The method of claim 119, wherein the RMS calculation is performed over a predetermined time interval of the at least one signal.

122. The method of claim 116, wherein processing the at least one signal comprises comparing a plurality of distinctive elements of at least part of one cycle of the at least one signal.

123. The method of claim 116, wherein processing the at least one signal comprises comparing a plurality of distinctive elements of at least part of one cycle of the at least one signal with a corresponding plurality of distinctive elements of a previous cycle.

124. The method of claim 123, wherein processing the at least one signal comprises comparing one or more signals from at least one pair of tyres.

125. The method of claim 116, wherein the at least one numerical value is an index.

126. The method of claim 125, further comprising:

comparing the index with a predetermined reference value.

127. The method of claim 126, wherein the predetermined reference value comprises one or more of:

amplitudes of distinctive elements of at least a portion of at least one cycle of the at least one signal;

frequencies of distinctive elements of at least a portion of the at least one cycle of the at least one signal;

time intervals between distinctive elements of at least a portion of the at least one cycle of the at least one signal; and

predetermined absolute values.

128. The method of claim 116, wherein the at least one signal comes from at least one sensor comprising one or more elongated piezoelectric elements.