Assessment of tire condition based on a tire health parameter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016009290-A1
Application number	US-201414325885-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2014
Priority date	Jul 8, 2014
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and system monitor a plurality of operating parameters for a tire over time during usage of the tire as the tire is exposed to actual operating conditions. The system and method may also determine a tire health parameter for the tire that provides an indication of the condition of the tire based upon the data collected for the tire over time during usage of the tire. The plurality of operating parameters includes, in the least, a temperature associated with the tire during usage of the tire and a duration of usage of the tire.

First claim

1 - 12 . (canceled)

13 . A method of assessing a condition of a tire, the method comprising:
retrieving data associated with a plurality of operating parameters and collected for the tire over time during usage of the tire as the tire is exposed to actual operating conditions, wherein the plurality of operating parameters includes a temperature associated with the tire during usage of the tire as the tire is exposed to actual operating conditions and a duration of usage of the tire; and determining a tire health parameter for the tire that provides an indication of a condition for the tire based upon the data collected for the tire over time during usage of the tire as the tire is exposed to actual operating conditions.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the tire health parameter includes an equivalent mileage for the tire.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
monitoring the plurality of operating parameters over time during usage of the tire to collect the data associated with the plurality of operating parameters.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the monitoring comprises:
monitoring a plurality of temperatures collected from the tire during usage of the tire; and determining an actual mileage for the tire.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the monitoring of the plurality of temperatures comprises:
receiving a plurality of cavity air temperature values collected from the tire over time; and receiving a plurality of ambient temperature values collected over time.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining a belt edge temperature value using at least one received cavity air temperature value and at least one received ambient temperature value using the formula:
T be =a*T cav +b*T amb , where T be is the belt edge temperature value, T cav and T amb are cavity air and ambient temperature values, and a and b are model-specific cavity air and ambient coefficients determined during tire characterization of a tire model associated with the tire.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining a belt edge temperature value using at least one received cavity air temperature value and at least one received ambient temperature value using the formula:
T be ( TD )= a ( TD )* T cav +b ( TD )* T amb where TD is tread depth, T be (TD) is a belt edge temperature value as a function of tread depth, T cav and T amb are cavity air and ambient temperature values, and a(TD) and b(TD) are model-specific cavity air and ambient functions determined during tire characterization of a tire model associated with the tire.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determining the tire health parameter in part based on a nominal tire health parameter determined during tire characterization of a tire model associated with the tire.

21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the tire health parameter is determined in part based on a reference belt edge temperature constant determined during tire characterization of a tire model associated with the tire.

22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the tire health parameter is determined in part based on an activation energy constant determined during tire characterization of a tire model associated with the tire.

23 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
determining the tire health parameter using a tire health indicator function, wherein the tire health indicator function uses the formula:

D
=

∫


D


n



|
0





E
a



(

T
be

-

T
0

)

R
gc



(

T
be



T
0

)




n

,

where D is the tire health parameter, T be is a belt edge temperature value, T 0 is a reference temperature value, E a is an activation energy value, R gc is a gas constant, n is actual mileage, and dD/dn| 0 is a nominal tire health constant.

24 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the monitoring includes:
receiving a plurality of tire belt edge temperature values collected from the tire during usage of the tire.

25 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
generating an alert based upon a comparison of the tire health indicator with a threshold mileage for the tire.

26 - 30 . (canceled)

31 . A method of assessing a condition of a tire, the method comprising:
collecting a temperature of the tire during exposure of the tire to actual operating conditions; collecting a duration of exposure of the tire to actual operating conditions; determining a tire health parameter for the tire, wherein the tire health parameter is based at least in part on the temperature and the duration; comparing the tire health parameter to a threshold value; and generating an alert if the tire health parameter is beyond the threshold value.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the temperature is based at least in part on a belt edge temperature of the tire during actual operating conditions.

33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the temperature is based at least in part on a cavity temperature of the tire during actual operating conditions.

34 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the temperature is based at least in part on an ambient temperature during actual operating conditions.

35 . A method of assessing a condition of a tire, the method comprising:
providing a temperature sensor in the tire; periodically

Assignees

• Goodyear Tire & Rubber

Inventors

• Benedict Robert Leon
• Fleischman Thomas Sherwood
• Spaeth Susan Marie
• Xu Su

Classifications

• B60W40/12 Primary

  related to parameters of the vehicle itself {, e.g. tyre models} · CPC title

• B60W2050/146

  Display means · CPC title

• B60W2530/20

  Tyre data · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60C23/0479 Primary

  Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations · CPC title