Vehicle tire heater and cleaner system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11999322-B2
Application number	US-202117176625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2021
Priority date	Feb 18, 2020
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A front tire heating and cleaning system for a vehicle includes a brake system configured to selectively apply hydraulic braking pressure against front wheels and rear wheels of the vehicle, and a controller in signal communication with the brake system. The controller is configured to, upon receipt of a request, initiate a controlled front tire heating mode where the brake system is controlled to selectively apply hydraulic braking pressure against the rear wheels and not the front wheels, and rotate the front wheels to increase tire temperature for improved front wheel traction during off-road maneuvers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A front tire heating and cleaning system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a brake system configured to selectively apply hydraulic braking pressure against front wheels and rear wheels of the vehicle;
a controller in signal communication with the brake system, the controller configured to:
upon receipt of a request, initiate a controlled front tire heating mode where the brake system is controlled to selectively apply hydraulic braking pressure against the rear wheels and not the front wheels, and rotate the front wheels to perform a burnout to increase tire temperature for improved front wheel traction during off-road maneuvers, and
upon receipt of a second request, the controller is configured to initiate a front tire cleaning mode where the brake system is controlled to selectively apply hydraulic braking pressure against the rear wheels and not the front wheels such that the front wheels are free to rotate to eject debris therefrom,
wherein the controller rotates the front wheels in a first direction to perform the front tire heating mode, and in an opposite second direction to perform the front tire cleaning mode; and

a user interface in signal communication with the controller, the controller configured to receive the request from the user interface indicating the driver has selected the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode,
wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a vehicle precondition is satisfied before enabling the vehicle to enter the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode, the vehicle precondition including:
(i) a transfer case being engaged to transfer rotational power to the front wheels;
(ii) a front differential being locked; and
(iii) the vehicle being in a four-wheel-drive LO gear condition.

2. The front tire heating and cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to temporarily disable propulsive torque to the rear wheels when operating in the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode.

3. The front tire heating and cleaning system of claim 1 , further comprising an activation switch disposed within the vehicle, wherein the activation switch is selected to enable the performance of the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode.

4. The front tire heating and cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein during the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode, the user interface is configured to display a message indicating the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode is active.

5. A method of performing a controlled front tire heating and cleaning mode of operation on a vehicle having front wheels and rear wheels, the method comprising:
receiving, at a controller, a request for a front tire heating mode;
based on the received request, initiating the front tire heating mode with the controller by applying hydraulic braking pressure against the rear wheels and not the front wheels of the vehicle, and rotating the front wheels to increase tire temperature for improved front wheel traction during off-road maneuvers;
receiving, at the controller, a second request for the front tire cleaning mode; and
based on the received second request, initiating the front tire cleaning mode where the brake system is controlled to selectively apply hydraulic braking pressure against the rear wheels and not the front wheels such that the front wheels are free to rotate to eject debris therefrom;
wherein the controller rotates the front wheels in a first direction to perform the front tire heating mode, and in an opposite second direction to perform the front tire cleaning mode; and
determining whether a vehicle precondition is satisfied before enabling the vehicle to enter the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode, the vehicle precondition including:
(i) a transfer case being engaged to transfer rotational power to the front wheels;
(ii) a front differential being locked; and
(iii) the vehicle being in a four-wheel-drive LO gear condition.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising temporarily disabling propulsive torque to the rear wheels when operating in the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising preventing initiation of the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode until an activation switch disposed within the vehicle is selected.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the request and/or second request is received from a user interface indicating the driver has selected the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising displaying, on a user interface of the vehicle, a message indicating when the front tire heating and/or cleaning mode is active.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first direction is a forward direction, and the second direction is a reverse direction.

11. The front tire heating and cleaning system of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a forward direction, and the second direction is a reverse direction.

Assignees

• Thompson Eric R
• Cole Colin M
• Tonkovich Aleksander
• Fca Us Llc

Inventors

• Thompson Eric R
• Cole Colin M
• Tonkovich Aleksander

Classifications

• B60S1/68 Primary

  for freeing wheels or tyres from foreign matter, e.g. wheel scrapers · CPC title

• B60T7/02

  for personal initiation · CPC title

• B60T8/26

  characterised by producing differential braking between front and rear wheels {(using electrical circuitry or regulation means B60T8/17)} · CPC title

• G07C5/0808

  Diagnosing performance data (testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005) · CPC title

• B60T8/56 Primary

  having means for changing the coefficient of friction · CPC title