Abstract
In a method for detecting the wear of wearing tires of a vehicle, wherein the tires consist of an elastic material, signals are emitted by signal generators introduced into the tires, wherein only signal generators located on the tire surface emit a signal. The emitted signal is received by a sensor arranged in the vehicle, and information processed from the received signal is made available to the driver of the vehicle. Enhanced, in particular automatic measurement of the tire tread is enabled by means of such a method.
Claims
1. A vehicle, comprising: wearing tires made of an elastic material; and a wear measuring unit for the tires, the wear measuring unit comprising: a plurality of signal generators are integrated in at least one joined signal element arranged in a tread of the tire, wherein the signal element generates a structure-borne sound signal when the tires are worn-off and when the signal element comes into contact with the street the signal element generates a structure-borne sound signal, wherein the signal element is smaller than the tread of the tire, so that the signal element is able to move within the tread of the tire at least as long as it is not in contact with the street and generates a structure-borne sound signal by its movement within the tread of the tire whereby in the vehicle a sensor for a structure-borne sound signal is provided for receiving the signal emitted by the signal generators; and a signal processing unit for processing the received signals into information useful for the driver.
2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the signal element, which is arranged in the tread of the tire, has a same cross section in a running direction of the tire.
3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the signal element, which is arranged in the tread of the tire, has a width in a cross section that is smaller than the width of the tire.
4. The vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the signal element has protrusions.
5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the tread of the tire is provided with recesses, which correspond to the protrusions of the signal element.
6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the recesses in the tread of the tire are larger than the corresponding protrusions of the signal element to allow movement of the signal element.
7. A signal element for use in a tread of vehicle according to claim 1.
8. A method for detecting the wear of wearing tires of a vehicle according to claim 1, the method comprising: emitting signals by the signal elements arranged in the tire treads; receiving the signals emitting from the signal elements arranged in the tire treads, based on the contact of the signal element with the drive lane; receiving the signals emitting from the signal elements based on movements of the signal elements within the tire treads; and processing the information from the two kinds of received signals and making the information available to the driver of the vehicle.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the signals based on the contact of the signal processor with the drive lane change discontinuously based on the arrangement of signal processors.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the signals based on the movement at the signal element on the tire tread change continuously based on the continuous wear-off of the signal element.
11. The method according to claim 8, wherein a first signal is used to evaluate the wear-off of the tire.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the first signal is the signal based on the contact of the signal processor with the drive lane.
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein a second signal based on the movements of the signal elements within the tire treads is used to verify an accuracy of the first signal.
14. The method according to claim 8, wherein a second signal based on the movements of the signal elements within the tire treads is used to verify that the signal elements are still in place within the tire tread.
15. The method according to claim 8, wherein the two kinds of received signals can be differentiated by their amplitude as the signals based on the contact of the signal element with the drive lane is larger than the amplitude of the signal emitting from the signal element based on their movements within the tired treads.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] In the following, the invention is further described with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings. The schematic illustrations show in:
[0038] FIG. 1: a schematic view of the vehicle according to the invention;
[0039] FIG. 2: a perspective view of a tire of the vehicle according to the invention;
[0040] FIG. 3: a cross-sectional view through a tread having signal generators illustrated in a stretched manner according to a first embodiment of the invention;
[0041] FIG. 4: a cross-sectional view through a tread having signal generators illustrated in a stretched manner according to a second embodiment not the invention;
[0042] FIG. 5: a cross-sectional view through a tread having signal generators according to a third embodiment of the invention;
[0043] FIG. 6: a cross-sectional view through a tread having signal generators illustrated in a stretched way according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;
[0044] FIG. 7: a part-sectional view through a tire with the signal element inserted; and
[0045] FIG. 8: a partial-sectional view through a tire with the signal element inverted in a second embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0046] A perspective view of the vehicle 1 according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. Vehicle 1 comprises four tires made of a rubber elastic material. The two tires shown here are indicated at 2. These tires 2 are subject to wear so that the tread of the tires becomes continuously smaller. In order to monitor this, signal generators 6, 7 and 8 are arranged in different depths of the tire, wherein the signal generators 6 are located on the surface of the tire. If the signal generators 6 located in the outer area hit the ground, they generate an acoustic signal. Said acoustic signal is detected by an acoustic sensor 4, which is preferably direction-sensitive, i.e. has a direction sensitivity 5 indicated by the asterisk and thus is able to assign the received sound to a certain tire 2. The received signal is evaluated in consideration of the speed of the vehicle and is made available to the driver. If signals are received by the signal generators 6, this is a sign for that there is a sufficient tread depth. A second group of signal generators is arranged slightly deeper in the tire tread so that if said signal generators 7 are exposed at the surface and generate an acoustic signal when touching the drive lane, said signal is received by the acoustic sensor 4 and finally an information is communicated to the driver, indicating that only a reduced tread depth is still available. In this area, the driver is preferably also provided with information about the kilometers that can be driven with a sufficient tread depth, so that the driver is able to schedule a replacement of the tires. Third signal generators 8 are arranged in the tread base, respectively in the case of an insufficient tread depth according to legal provisions. If the tread 9 is worn-off to such an extent that said signal generators 8 generate an acoustic signal when encountering the drive lane, the driver is finally provided with the information that a sufficient tread depth is longer available.
[0047] FIG. 2 illustrates a tire 2 having a tread 9 in a perspective view. In said tire signal generators 6, 7 and 8 are illustrated in different depths. In the embodiment shown, the signal generators are configured as small metal plates, which are pressed into the tire. The offset of signal generators can be discerned as well such that detection possibilities are provided at different locations of the running face. In a further development of the invention, the signal generator 8 would also be arranged also in a right region of the running face, such that it outputs a signal in any case as soon as either the right or the left side of the tread is worn-off accordingly.
[0048] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section according to the invention through a tire 2 in an exemplary manner. For simplification purposes, the tread is illustrated in a stretched rather than in a circular view. Tread 9 in the tire 2 can be discerned here. Furthermore, three groups of signal generators 6, 7 and 8 are illustrated. Here, the first group of signal generators 6 comprises two individual signal generators 11 and 12, extending from the surface of the tire to the tread base and thus always emit a kind of base signal, which is detected by the sensor. As long as the tread is hardly worn, the signal is only generated by said two signal generators 11 and 12 of the first group of signal generators 6. With the tread been worn down further, signal generator 13 of the second group 7 of signal generators reaches the surface so that a triple signal is produced then. This signal can then be evaluated such that the tread 9 is worn-off to a middle region and a tire has to be replaced soon. If the tread 9 is further worn down and a critical region is reached, the upper end of the signal generator 14 of the third group of signal generators 8 also reaches the surface, so that a quadruple signal is generated upon rotation of the tire. This is interpreted as a signal indicating that the tire is worn-off too far and has to be replaced now. Of course, multiple individual signal generators can be arranged in the groups of signal generators 7 and 8.
[0049] FIG. 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the tire according to the invention. Here, the first group of signal generators 6 comprises two individual signal generators 15 and 16 located on the surface. The depth of these signal generators is limited, and they only extend in an area of a non-critical tread depth. The second group of signal generators 7 consists of signal generators 17 and 18 located in a depth below the signal generators 15 and 16. Here, the distance between signal generators 17 and 18 is 1.5 times the distance between signal generators 15 and 16. The second group of signal generators 7 therefore also generates a double signal, though with a different time signature compared to the group of signal generators 6. Here, the third group of signal generators 8 comprises two single signal generators 19 and 20. Said generators are arranged below the signal generators 17 and 18 and extend down to the tread base 9. In the case that said signal generators of the third group 8 generate a signal, the tread 9 is almost worn-off and the driver is provided the information that a sufficient tread is longer available. The distance of signal generators 19 and 20 is different from the distance of signal generators 15 and 16 and the distance of signal generators 17 and 18. In this case, it is approximately 2.5 times the distance between signal generators 15 and 16. As a result, a unique signal pattern is generated by means of the signal generators of the third group 8. As an alternative, it is naturally possible to arrange a different number of individual signal generators in each individual group of signal generators 6, 7 and 8 in order to generate a different signature.
[0050] FIG. 5 illustrates a third variant, in which three groups of signal generators 6, 7 and 8 are illustrated. The first group 6 having the signal generators 21 and 22 is directly arranged below the surface of the tread 9. Below said first group, in the second group of signal generators 7 three signal generators 23, 24 and 25 are arranged, indicating here a reduced tread depth, typically between 2 mm and 1.6 mm and which is indicated to the driver preferably by a yellow indicator. In the third tread depth, which is indicated by the third group 8 of signal generators, four signal generators 26, 27, 28 and 29 are provided here. If the tread 9 is worn down so far that the first and second group of signal generators is no longer located on the surface and therefore no longer effective, the four signal generators 26, 27, 28 and 29 are most important, which are then generating a quadruple-group as a signal. In this embodiment, the sensor 5 may thus differentiate between signal groups having two, three and four signals.
[0051] In FIG. 6, in turn, illustrates a tire 2 having a straight course, for a better understanding, and a tread 9. The first group 6 of signal generators comprises three individual signal generators 31 and 32 in this case. Said generators extend over the entire tread depth. Upon a certain wear of the tire 2 and thus of the tread 9, the signal generators of the second group 7 of signal generators, namely signal generators 33 and 34, also reach the surface, so that a signal having a total of 5 signals is generated. In the present example, a total of four groups of signal generators is provided. In the present case, furthermore provided is another group 10 of signal generators having an intermediate height, in this case formed by signal generators 37 and 38. If the tread 9 is worn-off a bit deeper, signal generators of groups 6, 7 and 8 and 10 are located on the surface such that a signal of altogether 7 signals is produced then. If the tread 9 is worn-off all the way to the critical region, the signal generators 35 and 36 of the third or in this case fourth group 8 of signal generators are also located on the surface, such that a signal of altogether 9 signal generators is generated, which signal is then detected by the sensors.
[0052] FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view through a tire 2 having a tread 9. Here, a signal element 40 is placed on the tread base 46. Said element can be bonded or pressed-in. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, recesses 45 are provided in the region of the tread base 46 of the tire, into which protrusions 44 are pressed in the bottom region of signal element 40. The height of the signal element 40 is inferior to the height or depth of the tread 9 in the tire 2, so that the upper edge of the signal element 40 is located below the running face of the tire 2. If the tire 2 is worn-off so far that it is worn-off all the way to the upper edge 41 of the signal element, said upper edge 41 bears on the drive lane together with the signal generators 42 and generate a signal, in particular a structure-borne sound signal. The cross-sectional view illustrated here relates to a cross section in circumferential direction, so that the signal generators 42, which in this case are formed as recesses in the signal element 40, hit the drive lane one after the other, thus producing a signal of a certain frequency, wherein said frequency depends on the drive speed and insofar drive speed is to be considered during evaluation. The structure-borne sound signal is transmitted to the vehicle structure via the rim and the axis and detected and evaluated there by an associated sensor. If the signal generated by signal generators 42 is received, the driver is informed that tire 2 is worn-off to a first level and has to be replaced soon. If then tire 2 is worn-off to a second level, wherein the wear element is also worn-off that far, the signal generators 43 are exposed on the surface and generate a respective signal when touching the drive lane. The number of signal generators 43 has to be different from the number of signal generators 42, in particular the distances of the signal generators 42 to one another and the distance of the signal generators 43 to one another have to be different in order to that the signal element on the second level produces a different signal when compared to the first level. Said signal is transmitted by structure-borne sound and evaluated, and the driver receives the signal that the tire has to be replaced. The signal element(s) 40 is/are preferably arranged in an outer tire region, since wear is most likely to occur there.
[0053] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the invention similar to FIG. 7. However, it can be seen that the signal element 40 is slightly smaller than the tread 9 in the tire 2 which allows some movement vertical to the running direction as indicated with the arrow 49. Between the signal element 40 and the walls 50 of the tread 9 of the tire 2 there remains a gap 47 which allows such movements. By the collision of the signal element 40 with the surrounding tire 2, in particular the walls 50 of the tread 9 of the tire 2, the structure-borne signal is generated to further enhance the movement. According to arrow 49, the protrusions 44 are slightly smaller than the recesses 45. Within the recesses 45 remains a space 48 which allows further and better movement of the signal element 40.
[0054] All features indicated in the above description and in the claims can be combined with the features of the independent claim in any manner. Thus, the disclosure of the invention is not limited to the described or claimed feature combination, rather all reasonable feature combinations within the scope of invention should considered as being disclosed.
