A sensor device is provided for use in tire inspection along a bead portion of the tire. The sensor device includes a magnet array configured to provide the desired fields of magnet flux for a sensor array, which is used to detect damage to reinforcements of a body ply of the tire near the bead portion. The fields of magnetic flux are sufficient to provide for damage detection in the bead portion without overly saturating the sensor array. The sensor device also allows for positioning the sensor array proximate to the inner surface of the tire for improved detection.

A sensor device for tire inspection is provided. The sensor device is configured for removable placement upon or near the surface of the tire. The sensor device includes one or more tire inspection sensors configured to inspect e.g., the condition of one or more components or portions of the tire. The sensor device also includes one or more proximity sensors configured to detect whether the sensor device is in proper proximity of the tire such that the one or more tire inspection sensors can operate correctly.

A device is provided for placing one or more sensors along the inside surface of a tire. The device can accommodate tires of different shapes and sizes as well as projecting features along the inside surface of the tire. In one embodiment, sensors can be inserted into the interior of the tire and simultaneously deployed along the inside surface of both sidewalls. This embodiment of the device allows for repeated insertion and withdrawal of the sensors over a range of tire sizes so as to automate steps in the inspection process.

A device for rotating a tire includes a fixed support, a driving belt, a plurality of first pulleys, and at least one second pulley. The driving belt has a contact face for contacting an annular part of the tire, and the driving belt enables rotation of the tire. The first pulleys are mounted on the support and are in abutment with the driving belt on a side opposite to the contact face in order to press the contact face radially against the annular part of the tire. The at least one second pulley is in abutment with the contact face of the driving belt and is mounted for translational movement on the support in order to locally space the contact face apart from the annular part of the tire.

A method for installing a monitoring device in a tire for vehicle wheels, includes: providing a monitoring device including: an electronic unit; a connecting member having an upper structure and a lower structure that, in cooperation, define a housing for the electronic unit, the lower structure including two base portions mutually separated by a separation region, each of the base portions having a respective base surface associable with an inner surface of a tire. The method further includes providing a positioning device including two separate active portions, each having a main surface in the shape of which matches that of a respective portion of an outer surface of the monitoring device, the separate active portions being adapted to cooperate with at least the base portions; associating the positioning device with the monitoring device to keep the monitoring device in an installation condition in which the base portions are maintained at a given mutual distance by the active portions; fastening the base portions to the inner surface of the tire; and removing the positioning device.

A tire sensing system of kinetic parameters is provided, including: at least one wave-emitting source configured to rotate with a tire, and emit at least one detection wave towards an internal surface of said tire; at least one wave sensor configured to rotate with said at least one wave-emitting source, and output a measurement signal according to a physical parameter of said at least one detection wave being reflected off said internal surface; and a processing unit configured to receive said measurement signal, record at least two instants in time during which said at least one detection wave sweeps across the footprint of said tire, and compute a kinetic parameter of said tire with said at least two instants.

A tire testing apparatus for testing a tire comprises a loading means for the tire (17), a measuring head (20, 22, 24) which is movable relative to the tire (17), and lower bearing elements (7) on which the tire (17) can be positioned in vertical position. To improve such tire testing apparatus, the tire testing apparatus comprises upper bearing elements (8) which are movable relative to the lower bearing elements (7) and which together with the lower bearing elements (7) form a holder for the tire (17). (FIG. 8c)

A tire sensor according to the present disclosure is a tire sensor configured to be mountable on a tire inner surface. The tire sensor includes a sensor body including electronic circuitry including a detector configured to be able to detect tire information, and a cover body configured to cover at least a part of a periphery of the sensor body. The cover body includes a mounting surface configured to be mountable on the tire inner surface, and a side surface configured to rise from an outer edge of the mounting surface. In the side surface of the cover body, a concave portion is formed between the mounting surface and a height position of of a maximum sensor height in a sensor height direction orthogonal to the mounting surface.

A tire sensing system of kinetic parameters is provided, including: at least one wave-emitting source configured to rotate with a tire, and emit at least one detection wave towards an internal surface of said tire; at least one wave sensor configured to rotate with said at least one wave-emitting source, and output a measurement signal according to a physical parameter of said at least one detection wave being reflected off said internal surface; and a processing unit configured to receive said measurement signal, record at least two instants in time during which said at least one detection wave sweeps across the footprint of said tire, and compute a kinetic parameter of said tire with said at least two instants.

The invention is directed to a valve stem system (1) for tubeless wheels. The valve stem system (1) includes a valve stem body (2) with a first end (3) and a second end (4), wherein the second end (4) is located in a tire/rim-volume when mounted at the wheel. A first valve element (5) is arranged at the second end (4) of the valve stem body (2). The first valve element (5) is a self-sealing one-way valve. The invention further concerns a probe (30) for a valve stem system, a method to test the amount of sealant in a wheel and a refilling assembly (80) for a wheel.