Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7168308?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-12-22 12:27:42
Document Index: 769449456

Matched Legal Cases: ['application No. 00830198', 'application No. 00830416', 'application No. 00202649', 'application No. 60', 'application No. 60', 'application No. 60']

Patent US7168308 - Methods for detecting, monitoring, and/or controlling behaviour of a tire in ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA system for determining interaction between a tire 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...http://www.google.com/patents/US7168308?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7168308 - Methods for detecting, monitoring, and/or controlling behaviour of a tire in motionAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7168308 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/175,272Publication dateJan 30, 2007Filing dateJul 7, 2005Priority dateMar 16, 2000Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE60106400D1, DE60106400T2, DE60136754D1, EP1263616A1, EP1263616B1, EP1498291A1, EP1498291B1, EP2039540A2, EP2039540A3, EP2039540B1, US6959593, US20040064219, US20050257609, WO2001068388A1Publication number11175272, 175272, US 7168308 B2, US 7168308B2, US-B2-7168308, US7168308 B2, US7168308B2InventorsFederico Mancosu, Giuseppe Matrascia, Carlo Monguzzi, Diego Ettore SpeziariOriginal AssigneePirelli Pneumatici S.P.A.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (17), Referenced by (12), Classifications (26), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethods for detecting, monitoring, and/or controlling behaviour of a tire in motionUS 7168308 B2Abstract A system for determining interaction between a tire 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 tire. The at least one first sensor supplies a first signal to the processing means. The first signal is generated by rotation of the tire and is generated cyclically with each revolution of the tire. The processing means detects variations in time intervals between distinctive elements of the first signal. A tire including the system, a kit for detecting behaviour of a tire moving with respect to a contact surface, a method for monitoring events correlated with interactions between tires of a moving vehicle and a contact surface, and related systems, tires, methods, and vehicles are also disclosed.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/221,664, filed May 1, 2003 now U.S. Pat No. 6,959,593, which is a national-stage entry under 35 U.S.C. � 371 from International Application No. PCT/EP01/02900, filed Mar. 14, 2001, in the European Patent Office, the contents of both which are relied upon and incorporated herein by reference; additionally, Applicants claim the right of priority under 35 U.S.C. � 119(a)�(d) based on patent application No. 00830198.8, filed Mar. 16, 2000, in the European Patent Office (�EPO�), patent application No. 00830416.4, filed Jun. 9, 2000, in the EPO, and patent application No. 00202649.0, filed Jul. 25, 2000, in the EPO; further, Applicants claim the benefit under 35 U.S.C. � 119(e) based on provisional application No. 60/212,635, filed Jun. 19, 2000, in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (�USPTO�), provisional application No. 60/2 19,696, filed Jul. 21, 2000, in the USPTO, and provisional application No. 60/222,921, filed Aug. 4, 2000, in the USPTO.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The Applicant has observed that the prior-art systems exhibit intrinsic limitations which do not allow the ideal monitoring of an event relating to a moving vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Characteristics and advantages of the invention will now be explained with reference to a number of embodiments shown as examples, without restrictive intent, in the attached figures, in which:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2 show a tyre 1 for a motor vehicle, comprising a casing 2, a tread 3, belt plies (belt package) 6, sidewalls 4 and beads 5. The tyre 1 is applied to a rim 15. The casing 2 has an inner surface 9 which may be covered by a coating layer (liner). The tyre is associated, according to the invention, with an elongate piezoelectric element 7 formed by a piezoelectric cable 10. The piezoelectric cable 10 is applied to the inner surface 9 of the casing 2 and extends longitudinally (in the direction X, orthogonal to the plane YZ), in the direction of advance of the motor vehicle, along the whole of the equatorial circumference of the inner surface of the casing. Results of the same type are obtained when the piezoelectric cable 10 extends only along a portion of the equatorial circumference (an arc of the circumference).
EXAMPLES First Part
Example 1 Index Representative of the Road Condition The description of this type of event involves continuous monitoring of the surface characteristics of the ground over which the vehicle is moving, by identifying the presence of macroscopic irregularities, such as potholes, undulations, breaks in the road surface, and so forth.
Example 2 Index Representing the Efficiency/Regulation of the Dampers of a Vehicle The signal sent by a sensor according to the present invention may contain anomalous frequencies identifiable as frequencies of resonance of the vehicle suspensions excited by a rough road surface.
Example 3 Index Representing the State of Instantaneous Stress of a Tyre As already indicated and explained above, the signal obtained from a sensor according to the invention can also be used to objectively analyse the interaction between the tyre and the contact surface and indicate the state of mechanical stress of the tyre (both instantaneous and progressive) as it moves over the said surface.
Example 4 Index Representing the Available Grip In accordance with the invention, the Applicant has largely solved the problem of how to determine in real time the efficiency of a braking action if such were applied to a tyre (i.e. the forcible reduction of its angular velocity).
Example 5 Index Representing Tyre Uniformity A wheel comprising a rim free of structural nonuniformities and a tyre fitted with a sensor according to the invention is rolled on a smooth surface under predetermined load conditions, at rated operating pressure and at constant speed. By this means the nonuniformities of the tyre itself, due e.g. to its manufacturing process, can thereby be assessed.
Example 6 Index Representing Tread Wear Having first selected a reference velocity and a reference journey, such as 40 km/h along a straight stretch of road at least 200 metres long with a generally smooth and even surface, at predetermined intervals, (e.g. once a month), a first embodiment of the invention is to perform a comparison (in terms of amplitude and area subtended) between the peaks of the distinctive elements of the signal produced by a sensor of the invention as the tyre moves along the said stretch of road at the abovementioned speed, and the corresponding peaks of the signal stored in memory during an earlier test carried out in the same way.
Example 7 Index Representing Comfort In accordance with the invention the characteristics of the signal coming from a sensor associated with a tyre can be used to objectively analyse the tyre/contact surface interaction and quantify the disturbance to this interaction for the benefit of the driver of the vehicle and any passengers. In other words one of the items of information contained in the signal is utilized to determine a comfort index representing the well-being of the occupants of the vehicle.
Example 8 Index Representing the Phenomenon of Aquaplaning In aquaplaning conditions, for a given speed of advance of the vehicle, the water that strikes the surface of the tyre reaches a hydraulic pressure equal to that which the tyre exchanges with the contact surface over which it is moving.
Example 9 Index Representing Tyre Deflation If a tyre is inflated at normal operating pressure and moving over the contact surface under predetermined standard conditions, the sensor of the invention will generate a periodic signal, with a periodicity equal to one revolution of the wheel which has a well-defined shape depending, in particular, on the characteristics of the tyre itself.
Example 10 Index Representing Roadholding in a Straight Line Roadholding in a straight line is expressed as the variation of the dynamic vertical load on a wheel of a given moving vehicle. The smaller this variation in vertical dynamic load when the operating conditions change, the greater the roadholding of the tyre fitted to the said wheel. In other words, the tyre that tends to lift the least as it moves over a contact surface is the one that has the best roadholding characteristics.
Example 11 Index Representing the Transfer of Vertical Load The information on the transfer of vertical load is obtainable by simultaneously analysing variations in the vertical force component (load) contained in signals coming from sensors of the invention associated with at least one pair of wheels of the said vehicle.
Example 12 Index Representing Stress from Torque A signal from a sensor of the invention generated as the torque applied to a moving wheel varies exhibits sudden variations, in time, in the distance between the various distinctive elements of the signal, owing to the changing speed of the wheel as it goes through a series of longitudinal accelerations and decelerations of the vehicle. These accelerations and decelerations are troublesome for the driver of the vehicle and for any passengers.
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