Apparatus for the analysis of the behavior of a pneumatic tire at the interface with the ground

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11506573-B2
Application number	US-201916978166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2019
Priority date	Mar 5, 2018
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

The present application refers to an apparatus for the analysis of real data relating to the interface region between a pneumatic tire and the road surface under wet conditions. In particular, such an apparatus makes it possible to detect the ground contact region and the water expulsion profile of a pneumatic tire, particularly on wet surfaces, under differing dynamic driving conditions (rolling, braking, and steering of the pneumatic tire).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the analysis of dynamic behavior of a pneumatic tire within an interface region with the ground, the apparatus including:
a support frame;
a multilayer detection plate carried by said support frame, the multilayer detection plate comprising:
an interface layer which, in use, comes into contact with the pneumatic tire in motion, the interface layer being at least partially transparent and having a roughness (Ra) of greater than or equal to 16 micrometers at least at the interface region, the interface layer having greater transparency under wet conditions than under dry conditions; and
a base layer coupled to said interface layer such that the interface layer is positioned between the base layer and the pneumatic tire as the pneumatic tire contacts the interface region, the base layer being at least partially transparent; and
an image detection device arranged in such a manner as to be able to frame and directly or indirectly capture the base layer of the multilayer detection plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roughness (Ra) of said interface layer is between 16 micrometers and 160 micrometers, inclusive.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roughness (Ra) of said interface layer is between 32 micrometers and 140 micrometers, inclusive.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the roughness (Ra) of said interface layer is equal to about 125 micrometers.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said interface layer has a rough surface finish comprising a plurality of micro-geometric irregularities.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image detection device is a high-speed camera.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a lighting element suitable for directly illuminating the base layer of the multilayer detection plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a layer of water upon the multilayer detection plate in contact with the interface layer.

Assignees

• Bridgestone Europe Nv Sa

Inventors

• Mauri Stefano
• Alleva Lorenzo

Classifications

• G01M17/027 Primary

  using light, e.g. infrared, ultraviolet or holographic techniques · CPC title