Patent ID: 6741957
Filing Date: 2004-05-25
Classification: B60C,G01M,G06F

Abstract:
A method of modeling a tire exerting a resultant force on a spindle coupled to a center of the tire for use in simulating vehicle response to a simulated ground profile, the resultant force having a magnitude and a direction, the tire having an undeformed envelope describing an outer circumference of the tire, the method comprising:orienting the simulated ground profile and the undeformed envelope within a coordinate system having a horizontal direction and a vertical direction; mathematically characterizing the tire undeformed envelope; mathematically characterizing the simulated ground profile; integrating the characterized simulated ground profile and the characterized tire undeformed envelope with respect to the horizontal direction such that a tire deformed area is determined; calculating the magnitude of the resultant force vector from the deformed area; determining the direction of the resultant force vector; and determining a spindle horizontal force and vertical force from the resultant force vector.