Patent ID: 7234730
Filing Date: 2007-06-26
Classification: B60C,B62D,B63B,B63H,B64C,F02B,F02M,F15D,Y02T,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A traction control system for heating a surface of a tire of a vehicle to increase a traction between the tire and a roadway surface, the system comprising: a heating device proximal to the tire and including an ultrasonic energy radiator, the heating device being selectively activatable to direct a thermal energy at the surface of the tire; and a control system including a signal generator, the signal generator providing an activation signal to selectively activate the heating device, wherein the ultrasonic energy radiator selectively directs an ultrasonic signal in the vicinity of the tire in response to the activation signal, and wherein the thermal energy from the activated heating device is sufficient to increase the temperature of the surface of the tire to increase the traction of the tire.