A method for testing the wear of tires running on a rolling road comprises the following steps: using the construction data of the vehicle and a dynamic equilibrium model, determining the relationship between the speed and the accelerations at the centre of gravity of the vehicle, and the angles and directional forces applied on a given axle; continuously recording the speed and the accelerations of a vehicle travelling on a predetermined route; and disposing the two tires belonging to a same axle on the rolling road and, depending on the recorded speed and acceleration values, the values of the angle of camber, load and longitudinal forces are applied, at all times, on each of the wheels of the axle. The values of the transverse forces undergone by each of the wheels are measured and the drift angle is varied so that the sum of the transverse forces resulting from the drifting of the tires is equal, at all times, to the transverse force applied to the centre of the axle and so that the difference in drift between the two wheels respects the variation in alignment imposed on the axle.

Systems and methods for improving tire uniformity using estimates of process harmonic magnitude(s) from static balance measurements for a set of tires are provided. In particular, a sequence of observed magnitudes of static balance can be obtained for a set of tires. The sequence of observed magnitudes can be analyzed in conjunction with a baseline magnitude pattern associated with the process harmonic to derive a magnitude of the process harmonic. The magnitude of the process harmonic can be used to improve the uniformity of tires.

Methods and systems for improving the uniformity of a tire are provided. More particularly, one or more parameters of a measurement process harmonic contributing to uniformity measurements performed for a tire can be identified. The measurement process harmonic can be a process harmonic effect associated with the acquisition of uniformity measurements of a tire, such as a process harmonic effect associated out-of-roundness of a road wheel used to load a tire during uniformity measurement in a uniformity measurement machine. The measurement process harmonic can result solely from the acquisition of uniformity measurements and may not contribute to actual tire non-uniformity. Once identified, the one or more parameters associated with the measurement process harmonic can be used to correct the uniformity measurements of the tire to account for the measurement process harmonic. Tire manufacture can then be modified to improve tire uniformity based on the corrected measurements.

A method of modeling a tire includes providing a tire having a first tire design, rotating the tire under a vertical load, and measuring a plurality of forces at a plurality of selected conditions. The method further includes using a computer to plot the plurality of forces against the plurality of conditions, using the computer to plot a plurality of moments against the plurality of conditions, and using the computer to fit a first force curve to the plurality of plotted forces at the plurality of conditions, such that the first force curve is asymmetric. The method also includes using the computer to fit a first moment curve to the plurality of plotted moments at the plurality of conditions, evaluating the first force curve and the first moment curve, and making a second tire design based on the evaluation of the first force curve and the first moment curve.

This tire marking apparatus is a tire marking apparatus for performing marking in a tire. The tire marking apparatus includes a disk part having a central axis that is adjusted substantially perpendicularly to a printing surface of the tire; a plurality of printing parts that are provided in the disk part so as to be capable of moving forward and backward with respect to the printing surface and are arranged around the central axis; and a printing driving unit that moves at least one printing part arranged at a printing position that faces the printing surface of the tire forward.

A tire testing machine is for testing a tire, comprising a free roller section configured to include a plurality of rollers having an endmost roller disposed downstream of a lubricator in a conveying direction and farthest from a predetermined reference position, the endmost roller being disposed such that a horizontal distance from the reference position is equal to or greater than a radius of a largest of a plurality of tires set in advance as objects of application of a lubricant.

A vehicle wheel buffing stand has a first side support frame and a second side support frame spaced from the first side support frame. A first roller extends between the first side support frame and the second side support frame and the first roller is operably connected to the first side support frame and the second side support frame. A second roller extends between the first side support frame and the second side support frame, and the second roller is operably connected to the first side support frame and the second side support frame. The second roller is spaced from the first roller. The stand is configured to receive a vehicle wheel wherein the first roller and the second roller are configured to engage the vehicle wheel and rotatably support the vehicle wheel wherein an operator can rotate the vehicle wheel via rotation of the first roller and the second roller and to prepare surfaces of the vehicle wheel in preparation for mounting a tire on the vehicle wheel.

A tire grinding machine includes a frame having a plurality of vertically extending posts. A chuck assembly is associated with the frame and adapted to receive and rotate a tire. A grinding assembly is associated with the frame and is movable with respect to the frame. The grinding assembly has at least one grinding element adapted to contact and remove material from the tire when rotated by the chuck assembly. A counterbalance assembly which has a cable with one end connected to a counterbalance weight and an opposite end connected to the grinding assembly is included. A block assembly may be coupled to the grinding assembly to allow pivotable movement thereof. A calibration adapter may be used to ensure proper positioning of the grinding elements, wherein a level adjuster may be used for this purpose.

A vehicle wheel buffing stand has a first side support frame and a second side support frame spaced from the first side support frame. A first roller extends between the first side support frame and the second side support frame and the first roller is operably connected to the first side support frame and the second side support frame. A second roller extends between the first side support frame and the second side support frame, and the second roller is operably connected to the first side support frame and the second side support frame. The second roller is spaced from the first roller. The stand is configured to receive a vehicle wheel wherein the first roller and the second roller are configured to engage the vehicle wheel and rotatably support the vehicle wheel wherein an operator can rotate the vehicle wheel via rotation of the first roller and the second roller and to prepare surfaces of the vehicle wheel in preparation for mounting a tire on the vehicle wheel.

A tire testing method includes: applying a lubrication solution to a bead part of a tire; detecting a phase of a reference point of the tire; detecting a phase of a rotation origin of a spindle at common coordinates shared with coordinates at which the phase of the reference point is indicated; detecting a singular point present on the tire by conducting a tire test while rotating the tire on the spindle, and detecting a phase from the rotation origin to the singular point; calculating a phase from the reference point to the singular point based on the phase of the reference point, the phase of the rotation origin, and the phase from the rotation origin to the singular point; storing information about the reference point and information about the rotation origin at the common coordinates; and marking the tire at a position where the singular point is present.