Patent Description:
Typically a vehicle tyre has a substantially toroidal structure around an axis of rotation of the tyre during operation, and it has an equatorial plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, said equatorial plane being typically a plane of (substantial) geometric symmetry (e.g. disregarding any minor asymmetries, such as the tread pattern and/or sidewalls lettering and/or structure or profile asymmetries).

The terms "radial" and "axial" are used with reference respectively to a direction substantially perpendicular to and to a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the tyre.

The term "tangential" is used with reference to a direction substantially perpendicular to both the radial direction and the axial direction (e.g. generally oriented according to the rolling direction of the tyre).

In the context of the industrial production of the tyres, it is known subjecting the tyres in the prototypal phase or in production to tests or checks for verifying that they meet certain requirements (e.g. quality, reliability, safety, performance, durability, etc.). Some of these tests are aimed to measure the time duration of the tyre in its state of integrity during the rolling under certain conditions, typically more severe than those expected under normal use conditions. The duration of the tyre in its state of integrity, i.e. without any defect arising, is representative of the performance achieved, both in absolute terms and relatively to a predefined threshold (for example of few hundreds of hours).

Such rolling tests, typically destructive or in any case not repeatable, can be performed on a sample tyre representative of a specific class of tyres (for example characterized by a specific model and/or size and/or production process and/or receipt of the compounds used), for example for the purposes of the homologation before the marketing of the relative class of tyres and/or during the production of the class of tyres for verifying the maintenance of the requirements, for example for making sure that the process does not undergo an unacceptable drift in terms of finished tyre.

For conducting a rolling test, the tyre is initially mounted on a rim and inflated. The rim is then fixed to a rotating (typically idle) hub and the tyre is rotated on a rolling surface, for example made by a motorized rolling wheel. The tyre is subjected to a load, i.e. a thrust force against the rolling surface.

An example of a rolling test is the Endurance FMVSS <NUM>/<NUM> test, which provides maintaining the rotation of the tyre at a constant angular speed for a given time period (e.g. tens of hours) under constant conditions of internal pressure and load applied to the tyre (typically the load is averagely greater than the load that the tyre will have to withstand under normal use conditions). Rotation speed, load and pressure of the tyre are determined according to the characteristics of the tyre, for example the size, the load index or speed index, etc..

At regular time intervals, for example every twelve hours, the tyre is stopped to allow the visual inspection. If the tyre shows a visible defect (symptom of a damaged tyre), the rolling test is stopped and the tyre is thoroughly examined to classify the failure, otherwise the test is resumed. The test is considered passed, in absence of defects, upon reaching a predetermined time duration threshold (e.g. <NUM> hours).

Typically, a monitoring system monitors in real time one or more of the following parameters: the load, the pressure, the temperature, the rotation speed and the rolling radius (obtainable for example from the ratio between the rotation speeds of the tyre and of the rolling wheel). In this way, it is possible to detect any rapid and/or relevant variations of the monitored parameters, which indicate conditions of imminent or occurred breakage of the tyre, with consequent interruption of the test. <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a respective method of testing a tyre.

In the context of the rolling tests performed on the tyres, the Applicant has found that the visual inspection, for example performed on the tyre at predetermined time intervals, and/or the aforesaid continuous monitoring of some parameters (pressure, temperature, rolling radius, etc.), may in certain conditions not prove to be a reliable methodology for detecting the exact moment of the onset of a damage to the tyre and/or for recognizing the exact type of damage initially arisen.

The real-time monitoring in fact only detects breakages (e.g. bursts or lacerations) or structural failures of the tyre, while it is totally inadequate to detect damage (e.g. formation of cracks or internal cracks) which do not affect, for example, the air tightness and/or the structural tightness of the tyre.

In this sense, the visual inspection is typically more sensitive than the aforesaid continuous monitoring.

However, first of all, the visual inspection detects a visible damage only at the time of the scheduled inspection, and therefore with a potential delay with respect to the time of the onset of the damage, a delay that can go up to a maximum equal to the time interval between two inspections.

In addition, it can happen that a damage of the tyre begins to arise inside the tyre itself without manifesting any visible defect and, therefore, without being able to be identified by the visual inspection.

In this case, the Applicant has observed that two different situations may occur.

In a first situation, the damage, which arise inside the tyre and therefore not readily detectable, as the rolling test proceeds, develops up to generate a consequent externally visible, and therefore detectable, defect. In this situation, the rolling test, as normally conducted (i.e. with scheduled visual inspections at predetermined time intervals), could lead to an overestimation of the duration of the tyre corresponding to the time required for the internal damage to generate a corresponding externally visible defect (possibly added to the time elapsed before the latter is detected in the scheduled visual inspection).

In addition, in this situation, the damage visible during the inspection may not correspond in one way to the damage initially generated inside the tyre, with consequent inaccuracies in the classification of the damage that first was generated during the test.

In a second situation, the damage, which arise inside the tyre, may not generate any externally visible defects up to the maximum time of the test, and therefore not being detected in any visual inspection. In this situation the tyre, although in presence of an internal damage, can however be considered as not damaged and therefore pass the test ('false negative').

In addition, the visual inspection according to the Applicant is onerous in terms of manpower employed, lengthening of the test times (for the machine downtime), etc., with consequent impact on the costs of the test.

The Applicant has faced the problem, in the contest of the rolling test of a tyre, of determining the onset instant of a possible damage.

The Applicant has faced the problem, in the aforesaid contest, of identifying the presence of hidden defects for limiting the cases of false negative tyres.

The Applicant has faced the problem, in the aforesaid contest, of accurately recognizing the type of damage that first arises during the test.

According to the Applicant, one or more of the aforesaid problems are solved by the analysis of a frequency spectrum of a signal representative of a linear acceleration undergone by the tyre.

According to an aspect the invention relates to a method of testing a tyre according to claim <NUM>.

According to another aspect the invention relates to an apparatus of testing a tyre according to claim <NUM>.

The Applicant has discovered that the spectrum of the signal of the linear acceleration undergone by the rolling tyre depends on the physical state of the tyre. For example, in the event of onset of one or more defects, the accelerometric stresses undergone by the tyre vary, and this variation is particularly evident and/or significant in the frequency domain, rather than in the time domain. According to the Applicant, this is due to the cyclic nature of the rolling.

The Applicant has therefore found that the time trend of at least one index calculated on the basis of at least one frequency spectrum of an accelerometric signal allows, for example, determining, at the end of the test or in real time, the onset instant of a damage (both visible and not visible). In fact, the Applicant has verified that, at least for some types of damage and/or under some test conditions and/or for some types of tyres, the time trend of the index shows a characteristic behaviour at the onset instant of the damage, due to an underlying variation of the frequency spectrum of the accelerometric signal. In this way, the moment when the damage arise is identified with greater accuracy and consequently a more accurate information is provided on the actual duration of the tyre.

The Applicant has found that the time trend of at least one index calculated as a function of at least one frequency spectrum allows, for example, identifying, at the end of the test or in real time, the onset of damages not visible during a visual inspection of the tyre, for example internal damage that has not spread to the outer surface of the tyre. In fact, it is possible, from the time trend of the index, to evaluate whether there have been significant changes in the spectrum of the accelerometric signal, symptom of the onset of a defect. In this way, the method is made more reliable, for example by limiting the cases of internally damaged tyres that pass the test since they do not have visible defects.

Furthermore, the Applicant has found that the evaluation of the state of damage of the tyre on the basis of the time trend of at least one index calculated as a function of at least one frequency spectrum makes it possible, in some cases, to classify the type of damage arisen in the tyre through the time trend itself. In fact, the frequency spectrum on which the index is calculated may depend, for example, on the structural element of the tyre subject to the damage and therefore a class of damage may correspond to a characteristic time trend of the index.

The present invention in one or more of the aforesaid aspects can have one or more of the following preferred features.

Preferably said processing unit is programmed and configured for performing one or more of the following operations provided in the method of the present invention. Preferably said accelerometric signal comprises one or more of, more preferably all, the following distinct accelerometric sub-signals: a first accelerometric sub-signal representative of a radial component of said linear acceleration, a second accelerometric sub-signal representative of an axial component of said linear acceleration and a third accelerometric sub-signal representative of a tangential component of said linear acceleration.

Preferably said acceleration sensor is configured for separately detecting one or more of, more preferably all, an axial component, a radial component and a tangential component of said linear acceleration.

Preferably calculating said at least one frequency spectrum of said accelerometric signal comprises separately calculating a respective frequency spectrum for each of said accelerometric sub-signals.

Preferably calculating said at least one index as a function of said at least one frequency spectrum comprises separately calculating a respective index as a function of each respective frequency spectrum.

In this way, information on the stresses undergone by the tyre along at least one of, more preferably all, the three space directions chosen rationally with respect to the rotation are acquired and elaborated.

In the following, any reference to the accelerometric signal, to the frequency spectrum and to the index is intended to refer to both a generic accelerometric signal, and to the corresponding frequency spectrum and index, and to one or more of the accelerometric sub-signal, and the corresponding respective frequency spectra and respective indexes.

Preferably evaluating the possible presence of damages of said tyre on the basis of said time trend of said at least one index comprises evaluating the possible presence of damages of said tyre on the basis of a time trend of one or more of said respective indexes, for example separately or in combination to each other. In this way, it is possible to evaluate the possible presence of damages of the tyre as a function of the time trend of the respective index for each of the space directions, obtaining characteristic information about the possible presence of damages of the tyre. Preferably it is provided establishing that said tyre is damaged provided that said time trend of the at least one index (preferably of one or more of said respective indexes) verifies a (preferably respective) damage condition.

Preferably said (preferably respective) damage condition is verified when a value of said at least one index (preferably of one respective index) becomes greater than or equal to a (preferably respective) threshold value for said (preferably respective) index, more preferably uninterruptedly for a fixed time interval (e.g. greater than or equal to thirty minutes, or greater than or equal to sixty minutes).

The Applicant has in fact verified that the value of the index tends to increase in time at the generation and the development of a damage.

Preferably said evaluating said possible presence of damages of said tyre on the basis of the time trend of the at least one index (preferably of one or more of said respective indexes) is performed in real time (i.e. during the rotation of the tyre).

In this way it is possible to monitor in real time the possible presence of damages of the tyre without necessarily have to stop the test. For example, it is possible to detect the presence of a possible damage in the same moment of (or near to) the onset of the damage itself, with the possibility of intervening in the test.

Preferably it is provided interrupting said rotation of the tyre when said time trend of the at least one index (preferably of one or more of said respective indexes) verifies a (preferably respective) damage condition. In this way it is possible to stop the test in real time (regardless of any scheduled visual inspections) and possibly undergo the tyre to a visual inspection for a thoroughly evaluation. The test could be stopped (with consequent time savings with respect to the scheduled inspections) or resumed.

In one embodiment, it is provided interrupting the rotation at regular intervals (preferably at intervals greater than or equal to fifteen or twenty hours) and performing a scheduled visual inspection of the tyre for evaluating the possible presence of damages of the tyre. In this way, the scheduled visual inspections (regardless of said index/es) sum up and integrate the real-time monitoring of the possible presence of damages through the time trend of said index/es, offering a double check. For example, it is possible to detect specific damages (for example superficial aesthetic damages) that may in some situations not be detectable by the checking on the time trend of the index (or of the respective indexes). The continuous monitoring based on the index according to the present invention can also allow lengthening the intervals between two consecutive scheduled inspections with respect to the time intervals typically used (e.g. twelve hours).

In one embodiment there are no interruptions of the rotation of the tyre for scheduled visual inspections at regular intervals (with exception of a possible visual inspection at the end of the test), and it is provided interrupting said rotation of the tyre only when said time trend of the at least one index (preferably of one or more of said respective indexes) verifies a (preferably respective) damage condition. In this way, the downtime required to perform the scheduled visual inspections is saved and/or the costs of the manpower used to perform the test are significantly reduced since it is possible to perform only one visual inspection at the end of the rolling test for confirming whether the damages detected (or not detected) by the monitoring of the time trend of the index (and/or of the time trend of one or more respective indexes) are actually present (or respectively absent) onto the tyre.

Preferably it is provided generating an alarm signal as a result of said establishing that said tyre is damaged. In this way it is possible to report, e.g. during the real-time monitoring, a possible damage upon occurrence of which it is necessary to intervene with a visual inspection by the operator for evaluating the condition of the tyre and/or concluding the test.

Typically said rotation is characterized by a rotation speed (i.e., number of turns per time unit) which defines a fundamental frequency.

Typically said rotation is characterized by a rotation period (i.e. the time required by the tyre to perform a turn).

Preferably said at least one frequency spectrum, more preferably each of said respective frequency spectra comprises a fundamental harmonic having frequency equal to said fundamental frequency.

Preferably it is provided acquiring a speed signal representative of said rotation speed of said tyre.

Preferably the apparatus comprises a speed sensor configured for detecting a rotation speed of said tyre and generating a speed signal representative of said rotation speed. Preferably said speed sensor is applied in part on said stator and in part on said rotor. Preferably said processing unit is in communication with said speed sensor for acquiring said speed signal.

In this way it is possible to carry out the spectral analysis taking into account the acquired fundamental frequency and/or to perform a synchronous sampling with the rotation as explained below.

Preferably said rotation speed is constant (substantially, for example with a maximum variation of <NUM> ÷ <NUM>/h). In this way, the fundamental harmonic and its superior harmonics do not move in frequency during the performing of the test, and the calculation of the index can be done as a function of a reference spectrum acquired on whole tyre.

Preferably said speed signal and/or said accelerometric signal (preferably each of said accelerometric sub-signals) is/are acquired on a time series of acquisition intervals, wherein preferably each of said acquisition intervals has a duration, preferably continuous, greater than or equal to <NUM> minute and/or less than or equal to <NUM> minutes. Preferably said acquisition intervals have a same duration. Typically, each acquisition interval comprises a plurality (e.g. hundreds) of rotation periods. Preferably a time interval between a respective initial instant of two subsequent acquisition intervals is constant, more preferably it is greater than or equal to <NUM> minutes and/or less than or equal to <NUM> minutes.

Preferably it is provided determining said time trend of the at least one index (preferably of each respective index) performing said calculating at least one frequency spectrum (preferably calculating each respective frequency spectrum), and/or said calculating at least one index (preferably each respective index), (preferably separately) for each of said acquisition intervals. In this way it is possible to efficiently obtain the time trend of the index.

Preferably said speed signal and/or said accelerometric signal (preferably each of said accelerometric sub-signals) is/are acquired with an acquisition frequency greater than or equal to <NUM> and/or less than or equal to <NUM> (for acquiring signals with sufficient quality).

Preferably calculating said at least one frequency spectrum (preferably each respective frequency spectrum) comprises (preliminarily) calculating a variance (RMS) of said accelerometric signal (preferably each of said accelerometric sub-signals) and accepting said accelerometric signal (preferably each of said accelerometric sub-signals) as a function of said variance. In this way, it is possible to evaluate whether the values of the acquired accelerometric signal (and/or of the accelerometric sub-signals) are acceptable and not influenced by factors extrinsic to the damage phenomenon and/or to evaluate the reliability and/or the consistency of the acquired accelerometric signal (and/or of the accelerometric sub-signals). Preferably calculating said at least one frequency spectrum (preferably each respective frequency spectrum) comprises filtering (preferably after said calculating the variance) said accelerometric signal (preferably each of said accelerometric sub-signals) with a low-pass filter, more preferably a fourth order Butterworth filter. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the aliasing phenomenon, i.e. an under sampling of the considered accelerometric signal.

Preferably calculating said at least one frequency spectrum (preferably each respective frequency spectrum) comprises (preferably after said filtering), for each acquisition interval, interpolating said accelerometric signal (preferably each of said accelerometric sub-signals), more preferably with a spline, and, for each period of said rotation, sampling said interpolated accelerometric signal (preferably each of said accelerometric sub-signals) in a given number of points (preferably greater than or equal to one-hundred, and/or less than or equal to five-hundred). According to the invention said sampling is performed in synchronous way with said rotation (i.e. for each rotation period the sampling points fall at the same respective angular position of the tyre).

In this way, it is possible to enable that a first and a last point of said given number of points always fall exactly at a starting instant and an ending instant of the rotation period (obtained for example from the speed signal), respectively.

Preferably said calculating said at least one frequency spectrum (preferably each respective frequency spectrum) comprises, more preferably subsequently to said sampling, calculating a Fourier transform, more preferably a Fast Fourier transform (FFT), on said accelerometric signal (preferably on each of said accelerometric sub-signals). In this way it is possible to rapidly and efficiently obtain the frequency spectrum of the accelerometric signal.

Preferably said Fourier transform is calculated on a plurality (e.g. tens, preferably in predetermined number) of portions of said accelerometric signal (preferably of each of said accelerometric sub-signals), each portion corresponding to an integer (preferably greater than or equal to twenty and/or less than or equal to hundred) of consecutive rotation periods.

Preferably said calculating said at least one frequency spectrum (preferably each respective frequency spectrum) comprises averaging in terms of complex numbers said Fourier transforms calculated on said plurality of portions of accelerometric signal (preferably of each of said accelerometric sub-signals).

In this way it is possible to eliminate the noise from the accelerometric signal (and/or from the sub-signal of the accelerometric signal) acquired in synchronous way. Moreover, the average in terms of complex numbers allows limiting the weight of the harmonic phase difference (associated to the imaginary part of the complex numbers), which provides indications about the position of a defect, and keeping in consideration, for the calculation of the index, only the harmonic amplitude (associated to the real part of the complex numbers) which provides indications about the presence (and/or the weight) of a new defect.

Preferably calculating said at least one frequency spectrum (more preferably each respective frequency spectrum) comprises determining a set of M harmonics, said M harmonics being integer multiples of a fundamental harmonic, more preferably consecutive starting from, and including, said fundamental harmonic. Preferably M is a (integer) number greater than or equal to twenty and/or less than or equal to fifty. In this way only the harmonics directly bound to the global dynamic of the tyre are considered, eliminating the harmonics bound to phenomena extrinsic to the damage phenomenon.

Preferably it is provided determining M amplitudes of said M harmonics, more preferably in an averaged frequency spectrum obtained through said averaging in terms of complex numbers said Fourier transforms calculated on said plurality of portions of accelerometric signal. Exemplarily said M amplitudes are determined by integrating amplitudes of harmonics which fall into a neighbourhood of a respective nominal frequency of the respective harmonic integer multiple of the fundamental harmonic.

Preferably calculating said at least one index (preferably calculating each respective index) comprises calculating a reference spectrum (preferably a respective reference spectrum) of the accelerometric signal (preferably of each of said accelerometric sub-signals) at a reference condition. Preferably said reference condition corresponds to a state of integrity of said tyre. Preferably said reference condition is temporally predetermined. Preferably said reference condition corresponds to a reference interval which preferably falls after a fifth hour and/or before a fifteenth hour from the beginning of the rotation of said tyre in thrust on said rolling surface.

In this way it is obtained the spectrum of the signal (and/or of each sub-signal) relative to the condition of not damaged tyre. In particular in the period between the fifth and the fifteenth hour from the beginning of the test it is considered that the tyre has reached a stability condition while maintaining the initial integrity, or more in general the initial state.

Preferably calculating said (preferably respective) reference spectrum comprises averaging a series of said (preferably respective) frequency spectra separately calculated for each acquisition interval of a series (preferably in number greater than or equal to two, and/or less than or equal to ten) of consecutive acquisition intervals in said reference condition (e.g. in said reference interval). In this way it is possible to obtain a (respective) reference spectrum for the accelerometric (sub-)signal which is not influenced by noise or another extrinsic factor and which is stable.

Preferably said calculating said at least one index (preferably calculating each respective index) comprises comparing, more preferably for each of said acquisition intervals, said at least one frequency spectrum (preferably each respective frequency spectrum) and said reference spectrum (preferably said respective reference spectrum).

Preferably said comparing comprises, more preferably for each acquisition interval:.

In this way only the first P harmonics having greater amplitude between the first M harmonics integer multiple of the fundamental harmonic are considered which are the most significant for the calculation of the index according to the Applicant.

Preferably said comparing comprises, for each acquisition interval:.

Preferably said comparing is performed applying, more preferably for each acquisition interval, the formula: <MAT>.

In this way, it is possible to compare the amplitude of the i-th harmonic of the spectrum of the accelerometric signal with the corresponding amplitude of the i-th harmonic of the reference spectrum for each of said accelerometric sub-signal. It is thus possible to evaluate how much the spectrum of the accelerometric signal has varied with respect to the reference spectrum of the accelerometric signal representative of the not damaged condition of the tyre in each of the space directions wherein the accelerometric signal is acquired.

Preferably it is provided obtaining said time trend of said at least one index (preferably said time trend of each respective index) by:.

In this way the noise on the value of the index is reduced.

wherein said accelerometric signal is acquired on said stator.

Preferably said acceleration sensor is mounted on said stator, more preferably at an end of the stator proximal to said attachment portion of the rotor.

In this way the detection of the acceleration and/or the frequency elaboration of the accelerometric signal is simple and/or reliable.

Preferably it is provided supplying a rolling wheel having a respective axis of rotation parallel to said axis of rotation, wherein said rolling surface belongs to said rolling wheel.

Typically said axis of rotation is static (as typically also said respective axis of rotation of the rolling wheel).

Preferably said apparatus comprises a thrust device for imparting on said rotor a thrust force directed towards said rolling wheel.

Preferably said force is constant. Preferably said force is chosen as a function of a load index of said tyre, for example said force is greater than or equal to <NUM>.

Optionally said apparatus comprises a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of said tyre and generating a pressure signal representative of said pressure. Preferably said pressure sensor is mounted onto said rim. Preferably said processing unit in communication with said pressure sensor for acquiring said pressure signal.

Preferably said pressure can be kept constant by an adjustment system.

The features and advantages of the present invention will be further clarified by the following detailed description of some embodiments, presented by way of nonlimiting example of the present invention, with reference to the attached figures. <FIG> shows an example of an apparatus <NUM> of testing a tyre <NUM> according to the invention. <FIG> can exemplarily show a top view.

The tyre <NUM> is mounted on a rim (not shown) and inflated to a, typically predetermined, pressure to obtain a vehicle wheel.

In <FIG> some parts seen in transparency through the wheel are shown in dashed line.

The apparatus <NUM> comprises a rotor <NUM> rotatably fixed to a stator <NUM> for being able to rotate around an axis of rotation <NUM>. The rotor <NUM> comprises an attachment portion <NUM> configured for mounting the rim.

The apparatus <NUM> comprises a rolling wheel <NUM> having a respective axis of rotation <NUM> parallel to the axis of rotation <NUM> of the rotor <NUM>. Typically, the axes of rotation <NUM> and <NUM> are static.

The apparatus <NUM> comprises an acceleration sensor <NUM>. Exemplarily the acceleration sensor <NUM> is triaxial and it is configured for separately detecting a tangential component, an axial component and a radial component of the linear acceleration, in <FIG> respectively directed along the X, Y and Z axes.

Exemplarily the acceleration sensor <NUM> is mounted on the stator <NUM> (for example onto the outer surface of the stator <NUM>), for example at an end of the stator <NUM> proximal to the attachment portion <NUM> of the rotor <NUM>.

In alternative, not shown, embodiments the acceleration sensor can be mounted directly onto the rotor <NUM>, or onto the rim, or again directly onto the tyre <NUM>.

The apparatus <NUM> comprises a processing unit <NUM> in communication with the acceleration sensor <NUM>, for example by the communication line A (wireless or not), for receiving the accelerometric signal generated by the accelerometric sensor <NUM>. Exemplarily the processing unit <NUM> is programmed and configured for performing the operations described below.

Exemplarily the apparatus <NUM> comprises a thrust device <NUM> for imparting to the rotor <NUM> a thrust force F directed towards the rolling wheel <NUM>. The thrust device can for example comprise one or more cylinders which, in use, act on the stator <NUM> which in turn transfers the thrust force to the rotor <NUM> and from this to the tyre <NUM>, which is therefore kept in thrust against the rolling wheel <NUM>.

Exemplarily the apparatus <NUM> comprises a pressure sensor <NUM> configured for detecting a pressure of the tyre <NUM> and generating a pressure signal representative of the pressure. Exemplarily the pressure sensor <NUM> is in communication with the processing unit <NUM>, for example by the communication line P (wireless or not), and it is applied on the filling valve of the tyre <NUM>, the valve being mounted on the rim. Exemplarily the apparatus <NUM> comprises a speed sensor <NUM> configured for detecting a rotation speed of the tyre <NUM> and generating a speed signal representative of the rotation speed. Exemplarily the speed sensor is applied in part onto the rotor <NUM> and in part onto the stator <NUM>. Exemplarily the speed sensor <NUM> is in communication with the processing unit, for example by the communication line V (wireless or not).

<FIG> shows a flow diagram of the operations of an example of a method <NUM> of testing a tyre <NUM> according to the present invention, which can be implemented with the apparatus <NUM> described above.

Preferably the method <NUM> comprises mounting <NUM> the tyre <NUM> onto a rim and inflating <NUM> the tyre <NUM> to a pressure. Exemplarily the pressure of the tyre <NUM> is equal to the operating pressure of the specific tyre, for example about <NUM> kPa, and it is kept constant during the test.

Preferably the method <NUM> comprises rotating the tyre <NUM> around an axis of rotation <NUM>, with the tyre <NUM> in thrust with a force F on the rolling surface <NUM> of the rolling wheel <NUM>. Exemplarily the force F exerted on the tyre is kept constant, for example equal to about <NUM>.

Exemplarily the rotation is characterized by a rotation speed of <NUM> round/s which defines a fundamental frequency equal to <NUM>. Exemplarily the rotation speed is kept constant, for example with a maximum variation of <NUM> - <NUM>/h.

In one possible embodiment, the rotation speed varies during the test, for example starting from <NUM> round/s up to <NUM> round/s, with increments (for example of <NUM> round/s) at regular intervals (for example every <NUM> minutes). In this embodiment at each interval corresponds a different rotation speed which is kept constant during the interval and to which corresponds a different fundamental frequency (e.g. which varies from <NUM> to <NUM>). In this case the method described below can be exemplarily implemented separately for each interval (e.g. a respective reference spectrum for each interval).

Exemplarily the rotation is characterized by a rotation period of about <NUM> seconds. Preferably the method <NUM> comprises acquiring an accelerometric signal <NUM> representative of a linear acceleration undergone by the tyre <NUM> during rotation. Exemplarily the accelerometric signal comprises all the following distinct accelerometric sub-signals: a first accelerometric sub-signal representative of a radial component of the linear acceleration, a second accelerometric sub-signal representative of an axial component of the linear acceleration and a third sub-accelerometric signal representative of a tangential component of the linear acceleration.

In alternative embodiments, only one and/or two components of the linear acceleration undergone by the tyre <NUM> can be detected, for example in case you want to analyse a specific damage of the tyre <NUM> which is more detectable on a component of the acceleration.

Exemplarily it is provided performing the following operations separately on each acquired sub-signal. Therefore, in the following, each reference to the index (IDP) refers to each respective index (IDPX, IDPY, IDPZ) and each reference to a spectrum (e.g. frequency spectrum or reference spectrum) refers to the respective spectrum.

Exemplarily the method <NUM> comprises acquiring a speed signal <NUM> representative of the rotation speed of the tyre <NUM> (for example a signal of one pulse per turn).

Exemplarily the speed signal and each of the accelerometric sub-signals are acquired on a time series of acquisition intervals wherein, exemplarily, each of the acquisition intervals has the same continuous duration of three minutes. Exemplarily each acquisition interval comprises about <NUM> rotation periods. Exemplarily a time interval between the initial instants of two subsequent acquisition intervals is constant and equal to ten minutes.

In other words, exemplarily every ten minutes a data record lasting three minutes each is acquired for the speed signal and each of the accelerometric sub-signals. In the present description and claims, an operation (e.g. calculating the spectrum or calculating the index) performed for an acquisition interval is intended to be performed on the respective data record acquired in that acquisition interval.

Exemplarily the speed signal and each of the accelerometric sub-signals are acquired with an acquisition frequency of about <NUM>.

Exemplarily it is provided performing the following operations on the signal acquired along each acquisition interval (in other words separately on each record of each sub-signal acquired over three minutes). In other words, as schematically indicated in <FIG> by the arrow that goes from the output of operation <NUM> to the input of operation <NUM>, once the calculation of the frequency spectrum and of the relative index for the current acquisition interval is terminated, in addition to updating the time trend of the index (for the operation <NUM>), the same operations are performed on the signal record of the subsequent acquisition interval.

Preferably the method <NUM> comprises, separately for each of the accelerometric sub-signals, calculating a frequency spectrum <NUM>. Exemplarily each of the frequency spectra comprises a fundamental harmonic having frequency equal to the fundamental frequency (preferably obtained from the speed signal).

Exemplarily the method <NUM> first comprises calculating a variance <NUM> of each of the accelerometric sub-signals and accepting each of the accelerometric sub-signals if the variance is less than a given percentage value.

Exemplarily the method <NUM> subsequently comprises filtering <NUM> each of the accelerometric sub-signals with a fourth-order Butterworth filter.

Exemplarily it is provided interpolating <NUM> each of the accelerometric sub-signals with a spline and, exemplarily, sampling <NUM> in synchronous way with the rotation each of the interpolated accelerometric sub-signals. Exemplarily, the sampling <NUM> in synchronous way is performed, for example, with three-hundred points for each rotation period, so that the first and last of the sampled points always fall at the starting instant and the ending instant of the rotation period (obtained for example from the speed signal).

Exemplarily calculating each frequency spectrum <NUM> comprises, subsequently to the sampling <NUM> in synchronous way, calculating a fast Fourier transform (FFT) <NUM>, on each of the records of re-sampled accelerometric sub-signal. Exemplarily each of the records of accelerometric sub-signal is partitioned into a predetermined number of (e.g. thirty) portions and the fast Fourier transform <NUM> is calculated on each portion. Exemplarily, each portion corresponds to fifty consecutive rotation periods.

Exemplarily calculating each frequency spectrum <NUM> comprises, separately for each sub-signal (and for each acquisition interval), averaging in terms of complex numbers <NUM> the fast Fourier transforms calculated on the predetermined number of portions of each accelerometric sub-signal. The result of this averaging in terms of complex numbers is an averaged frequency spectrum, characterized by amplitude values distributed in frequency.

Exemplarily in each of the averaged frequency spectra <NUM> a set of M amplitudes associated with M multiple integer harmonics of the consecutive fundamental harmonic starting from, and including, the fundamental harmonic is determined (and typically stored in the processing unit). In other words, exemplarily only the amplitudes of the first M multiple integer harmonics of the fundamental harmonic are determined and used for the calculation of the index. For example, M is equal to thirty. Exemplarily each amplitude is calculated integrating the amplitudes of the harmonics which fall into a neighbourhood around <NUM>% of the value of the fundamental frequency and centred in the value of the respective nominal frequency of the respective integer multiple harmonic of the fundamental harmonic.

In other words, for each acquisition interval and for each sub-signal, the result of the calculation of the frequency spectrum can exemplarily consist of an M-tuple of real values which represent the amplitude of the first M (e.g. thirty) integer multiple harmonics of the fundamental harmonic.

Exemplarily the method <NUM> comprises calculating a reference spectrum <NUM> of each accelerometric sub-signal at a reference condition. For example, this reference condition provides the achievement of a structural and/or dimensional stability of the tyre during the test, while still remaining in a state of integrity. For example, this reference condition can be temporally predetermined, for example it can correspond to the reference time interval that goes from the beginning to the end of the tenth hour starting from the beginning of the rotation of the tyre <NUM>.

Exemplarily the reference spectrum is obtained by averaging the frequency spectra (for example by averaging the M-tuples of amplitudes of the respective first M harmonics) calculated along six consecutive acquisition intervals, for example the acquisition intervals comprised between the ninth and tenth hour from the beginning of the rotation.

In other words, the reference spectrum can exemplarily consist of an M-tuple of real values that represent the average value of the amplitudes of the first M harmonics of the frequency spectrum calculated for each acquisition interval exemplarily contained from the beginning to the end of the tenth hour from the start of the rolling test.

Preferably method <NUM> comprises, for each acquisition interval, separately calculating an index <NUM> as a function of the frequency spectrum, comparing <NUM> the frequency spectrum with the reference spectrum.

Exemplarily said comparing <NUM> comprises, for each acquisition interval:.

In other words, for the acquisition interval immediately subsequent to the calculation of the reference spectrum, only the P harmonics with greater amplitude are used. For each subsequent acquisition interval, in addition to the aforesaid P harmonics with greatest amplitude in the frequency spectrum of the current acquisition interval, also the P' possible further harmonics that were present between the P harmonics with greater amplitude in the acquisition intervals prior to the current acquisition interval and which are not present between the P harmonics in the current acquisition interval are used.

Exemplarily for each acquisition interval, the index (IDP) is calculated by the formula <MAT> wherein N is equal to the sum of the number P of the harmonics, for the current frequency spectrum, belonging to the sub-set and of the number P' of possible further harmonics (therefore N is greater than or equal to P and less than or equal to M);.

Preferably the time trend of the index is obtained calculating the index separately for each acquisition interval.

Exemplarily the time trend of the index is obtained grouping <NUM> the acquisition intervals in a time series of groups of acquisition intervals consecutive to each other, exemplarily in number equal to six, and, for each group, performing <NUM> an average of the respective indexes calculated for each acquisition interval of the group.

In other words, for each current acquisition interval, it is performed from time to time the average of the current index with the indexes calculated for exemplarily the five previous acquisition intervals (i.e. an average of the indexes is performed on a mobile window of, e.g., an hour).

Exemplarily the method <NUM> comprises evaluating <NUM> in real time a possible presence of damages of the tyre <NUM> on the basis of the time trend of one or more of the three respective indexes (IDPX, IDPY, IDPZ).

In one embodiment, evaluating <NUM> the possible presence of damages of the tyre <NUM> is performed offline, based on a report generated as a function of the time trend of each index automatically by the processing unit at the end of the rolling test of the tyre.

Exemplarily it is provided evaluating <NUM> the possible presence of damages of the tyre <NUM> considering separately the time trend of each respective index.

In one embodiment, the possible presence of damages of the tyre is evaluated on the basis of a time trend of a combination of the respective indexes, for example of a linear sum of the three respective indexes.

Exemplarily it is provided establishing that the tyre <NUM> is damaged when the time trend of one or more of the three respective indexes verifies a respective damage condition which for example verifies when a value of the respective index is greater than or equal to a respective threshold value, wherein each respective threshold value can be, for example, different from the others.

In one further embodiment, the damage condition is verified when the value of one or more indexes changes rapidly over time, regardless of the achievement of the respective threshold value.

<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> show in graphic form the results of three exemplary rolling tests conducted by the Applicant according to the method described above.

In particular, the figures show examples of the time trend of the three indexes (IDPX, IDPY, IDPZ), calculated starting from the accelerometric sub-signals acquired for the three components of the linear acceleration, respectively at three different damages generated in one tyre. In particular, the continuous line <NUM> shows the time trend of the IDPX index associated with the tangential component of the linear acceleration, the dot line <NUM> shows the time trend of the IDPY index associated with the axial component of the linear acceleration and the dashed line <NUM> shows the time trend of the IDPz index associated with the radial component of the linear acceleration.

Each datum that composes the lines <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> corresponds to the value of the respective index in a respective acquisition interval of three minutes as explained above.

In the graphs shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the values on the horizontal axis represent the temporal instant (expressed in hours) starting from the instant subsequent to the reference condition (e.g. instant subsequent to the tenth hour) until the end of the test (i.e. achievement of the respective threshold value by one of the three indexes).

The values on the vertical axis represent the values of the indexes expressed in arbitrary units, wherein the unit value represents the threshold value of the index which has reached its respective threshold value in the test. The indexes are averaged on a one-hour mobile window as described above.

<FIG> shows the time trend of the three indexes in the event of a damage to the tyre belt. As visible in the graph, the time trend of the index <NUM>, associated to the tangential component of the acceleration, has reached the threshold value, thus verifying the damage condition, at approximately hour fifty-seven from the beginning of the rotation.

<FIG> shows the time trend of the three indexes in the event of a damage to the sidewall of the tyre. As visible in the graph, the time trend of the index <NUM>, associated to the axial component of the acceleration, has reached the threshold value, thus verifying the damage condition, at approximately hour forty-eight from the beginning of the rotation.

<FIG> shows the time trend of the three indexes in the event of a fracture to the tyre belt. As visible in the graph, the time trend of the index <NUM>, associated to the radial component of the acceleration, has reached the threshold value, thus verifying the damage condition, at approximately hour one-hundred-twenty-nine from the beginning of the rotation.

Claim 1:
Method (<NUM>) of testing a tyre (<NUM>), the method (<NUM>) comprising:
- mounting (<NUM>) said tyre (<NUM>) on a rim and inflating (<NUM>) the tyre (<NUM>) to a pressure;
- putting in rotation (<NUM>) the tyre (<NUM>) around an axis of rotation (<NUM>), with said tyre (<NUM>) in thrust with a force on a rolling surface (<NUM>);
- acquiring (<NUM>) an accelerometric signal representative of a linear acceleration undergone by said tyre (<NUM>) during said rotation;
- calculating at least one frequency spectrum (<NUM>) of said accelerometric signal;
- calculating at least one index (<NUM>) as a function of said at least one frequency spectrum;
- evaluating (<NUM>) a state of integrity of said tyre (<NUM>) on the basis of a time trend of said at least one index,
characterized in that calculating said at least one frequency spectrum (<NUM>) comprises interpolating (<NUM>) said accelerometric signal and, for each period of said rotation, sampling (<NUM>) said interpolated accelerometric signal in a given number of points, wherein said sampling is performed in synchronous way with said rotation.