Tire uniformity through identification of process harmonics using re-indexed partial uniformity waveforms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9645052-B2
Application number	US-201114344945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2011
Priority date	Sep 16, 2011
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving tire uniformity include identifying at least one candidate process harmonic and corresponding period. A set of uniformity waveforms is then collected for each test tire in a set of one or more test tires. To provide better data for analysis, the collection of waveforms may include multiple waveforms including measurements obtained before and/or after cure, in clockwise and/or counterclockwise rotational directions, and while the tire is loaded and/or unloaded. The uniformity waveforms may be re-indexed to the physical order of the at least one candidate process harmonic, and selected data points within the waveforms may optionally be deleted around a joint effect or other non-sinusoidal effect. The re-indexed, optionally partial, waveforms may then be analyzed to determine magnitude and azimuth estimates for the candidate process harmonics. Aspects of tire manufacture may then be modified in a variety of different ways to account for the estimated process harmonics.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for improving the uniformity of tires in tire manufacture, comprising the steps of:
identifying a candidate process harmonic and corresponding period for a set of consecutively produced test tires which each have a circumference, wherein the corresponding period of the candidate process harmonic, defined relative to the dimensions of the test tires, is not an integer divisor of the circumference;
collecting a set of uniformity waveforms by measuring a uniformity waveform for each test tire, wherein each uniformity waveform contains one or more tire harmonics and the candidate process harmonic;
re-indexing the collected uniformity waveforms so that breaks between the waveforms for the consecutive tires matches the physical order of the candidate process harmonic and combining the re-indexed waveforms into a concatenated waveform with a period corresponding to the period of the candidate process harmonic;
analyzing the set of re-indexed uniformity waveforms to determine magnitude and azimuth estimates for the candidate process harmonic; and
modifying the tire manufacture based on the magnitude and azimuth estimates for the candidate process harmonic by slowing or accelerating a manufacturing process to reduce the combined average magnitude of the one or more tire harmonics and the candidate process harmonic for subsequent tires created by the tire manufacture.

2. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising deleting selected points from each waveform from the set of uniformity waveforms that represent joint effects or other non-sinusoidal process effects.

Assignees

• Mawby William David
• Jeter Jimmy
• Sauls Jonathan
• Traylor James Michael
• Michelin Rech Tech
• Michelin & Cie

Inventors

• Mawby William David
• Jeter Jimmy
• Sauls Jonathan
• Traylor James Michael

Classifications

• B29D30/0061

  Accessories, details or auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B29D2030/0066

  Tyre quality control during manufacturing · CPC title

• G01M17/02 Primary

  Tyres · CPC title

• G01N29/449

  Statistical methods not provided for in G01N29/4409, e.g. averaging, smoothing and interpolation · CPC title

• B29D30/0633

  After-treatment specially adapted for vulcanising tyres · CPC title