A tread portion of a pneumatic tire includes a columnar wear measurement magnet that has magnetic flux density or magnetic field strength formed thereby decreased due to wear thereof along with wear of tread rubber of the tread portion and a columnar reference magnet provided at a position where the columnar reference magnet is not worn with the wear of the tread rubber. The wear measurement magnet and the reference magnet extend from a tread surface side toward a tire cavity region of the pneumatic tire, and an end of the reference magnet on the tread surface side is located farther from a tread surface where the tread portion contacts the ground than an end of the wear measurement magnet on the tread surface side.

This invention relates to tire tread wear monitoring. A sacrificial magnet portion is arranged in a tread of the tire so that it undergoes wear along with the tread and generates a useful magnetic field signal indicative of remaining tread thickness. With a magnetic field sensor arranged on or in the tire, an overall magnetic field signal is measured, which includes the useful magnetic field signal, and a superimposed interfering magnetic field signal generated by magnetizable material contained in the tire. A non-sacrificial magnet portion is used to saturate the magnetizable material at least locally so as to make the interfering magnetic field signal sensed by the magnetic field sensor substantially independent of the useful magnetic field signal sensed by the magnetic field sensor. Further aspects of the invention relate to tires, e.g., vehicle tires, featuring a tire tread wear monitoring system.

A tire-wheel assembly includes: a wheel having a rim portion at least part of which is formed of a non-magnetic material; and a tire mounted on the rim portion, in which a tread portion includes a belt formed of a non-magnetic material. The wheel includes, inside the rim portion in a tire radial direction, a container portion that contains a power receiving device that receives electric power supplied wirelessly from outside of the tire in the tire radial direction. The tire includes bead fillers. When BFH represents a radial height of the bead fillers and SH represents a tire cross-sectional heigh, 0.1≤BFH/SH≤0.5 holds true.

Tyre, in particular cycle tyre, with a device for generating rotation-dependent signals, a method for producing said tyre and a system for controlling a cycle drive with such a tyre. Tyre, in particular cycle tyre, with a device for generating rotation-dependent signals, in which the device is arranged in the tyre (1, 3) or is connected to the tyre and has a signal-generating element (6, 14), which is held in a retaining element connected positively or non-positively to the tyre body, wherein the receiving element is arranged substantially on the outside of strengthening elements or reinforcing elements of the tyre and the signal-generating element is held in the retaining element in such a way that the signal-generating element forms part of the outer surface of the tyre or protrudes beyond the outer surface of the tyre.

A method for estimating the load of a tire supporting a vehicle includes providing the tire, in which the tire includes a pair of sidewalls extending to a circumferential tread, and the tread includes a plurality of tread blocks. A length of the tire footprint is indicated with a first time interval, and a full rotation of the tire is indicated with a second time interval. The first time interval may be indicated by peaks of an amplitude of a tire-based magnetic sensor signal, and the second time interval may be indicated by peaks of the amplitude of the tire-based magnetic sensor signal or by a linear speed of the vehicle. The load on the tire is determined from a ratio of the first time interval to the second time interval at an inflation pressure of the tire. A tire load estimation system is also provided.

A method for estimating the load of a tire supporting a vehicle includes providing the tire, in which the tire includes a pair of sidewalls extending to a circumferential tread, and the tread includes a plurality of tread blocks. A length of the tire footprint is indicated with a first time interval, and a full rotation of the tire is indicated with a second time interval. The first time interval may be indicated by peaks of an amplitude of a tire-based magnetic sensor signal, and the second time interval may be indicated by peaks of the amplitude of the tire-based magnetic sensor signal or by a linear speed of the vehicle. The load on the tire is determined from a ratio of the first time interval to the second time interval at an inflation pressure of the tire. A tire load estimation system is also provided.

A wireless power reception system includes a power transmission device, a power reception device, a wheel with a rim, and a tire mounted on the rim. The tire includes a bead core and a bead filler, a tire width direction cross-sectional area S1 of the bead filler is one to eight times a tire width direction cross-sectional area S2 of the bead core, the power transmission device can transmit electric power with a frequency of 1000 kHz or less wirelessly, the power reception device is disposed farther inward in the tire radial direction than a tread portion of the tire, the power reception device receives the electric power wirelessly from the power transmission device in a state such that the power transmission device is located farther outward in the tire radial direction than the tire, and the tread portion of the tire is formed from a non-magnetic material.

Various embodiments are directed to a magnetic and osmotic inner tube for insertion in vehicle tires. The magnetic and osmotic inner tube may include a nonpermeable membrane ring coupled to a semipermeable membrane ring, an O-ring, and a group of polar magnets. The nonpermeable membrane ring may be coated with a sealant and store hypertonic fluid and plugging materials. The semipermeable membrane ring may store hypotonic fluid and plugging materials. When a vehicle tire is punctured by an object, the hypotonic fluid and the plugging materials are drawn by osmosis through the semipermeable membrane ring into the hypertonic fluid of the nonpermeable membrane ring to create an osmotic pressure on the nonpermeable membrane ring that causes the O-ring to seal the puncture. The polar magnets may be arranged, in parallel, to generate opposing magnetic forces that create a magnetic field that supports a vehicle weight.

A system and method for creating and collecting magnetic microplastics effectively combines magnetic material with plastics during their manufacture, thereby producing microplastics that can be easily collected via removal devices equipped with magnetic components. Magnetic particles are mixed with plastic/rubber resins during manufacturing of tires, roofing materials, and other plastic items. The magnetic particles can be made from natural or artificial magnets. After mixing, the partially-magnetic rubber/plastic result can be applied to areas of the manufactured plastic item that have the highest propensity to degrade into microplastic pollutants. For example, the thread of a tire, where friction with the road causes most of the wear, is an optimal location for integration of magnetic particles. When the plastics break down into microplastics, the microplastics can then be collected with magnets. The collected microplastics can then be removed from the magnetic collectors during routine maintenance and subsequently recycled safely.

A tread portion of a pneumatic tire includes a columnar wear measurement magnet that has magnetic flux density or magnetic field strength formed thereby decreased due to wear thereof along with wear of tread rubber of the tread portion and a columnar reference magnet provided at a position where the columnar reference magnet is not worn with the wear of the tread rubber. The wear measurement magnet and the reference magnet extend from a tread surface side toward a tire cavity region of the pneumatic tire, and an end of the reference magnet on the tread surface side is located farther from a tread surface where the tread portion contacts the ground than an end of the wear measurement magnet on the tread surface side.