Patent ID: 8625105
Filing Date: 2014-01-07
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for measuring the tread of a tire on a vehicle comprising: a light-emitting arrangement arranged in use to generate an elongate pattern of light; a first reflecting arrangement arranged to reflect light from the light-emitting arrangement onto the rolling surface of the tire; an imaging arrangement arranged to image a region of the rolling surface of the tire; and a second reflecting arrangement arranged to reflect light from the rolling surface of the tire towards the imaging arrangement; wherein the apparatus comprises a processor which generates data corresponding to a tread pattern of the tire; and wherein at least one of the following arrangements are provided: said first reflecting arrangement comprises two or more mirrors arranged to cooperate to reflect light from the light-emitting arrangement onto the rolling surface of the tire; said second reflecting arrangement comprises two or more mirrors arranged to cooperate to reflect light from the rolling surface of the tire towards the imaging arrangement; and said first reflecting arrangement comprises two or more mirrors arranged to cooperate to reflect light from the light-emitting arrangement onto the rolling surface of the tire and said second reflecting arrangement comprises two or more mirrors arranged to cooperate to reflect light from the rolling surface of the tire towards the imaging arrangement.