# US 10,371,603 B2 · Device for measuring tire ground state > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,603 B2 - Document ID: US10371603B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/806,550 - Filed: 2017-11-08 - Published: 2018-06-14 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-13 - Assignees: Toyo Tire Corporation - Applicants: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Akihiro Koike - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371603B2 ## CPC - G01M 17/021: {Tyre supporting devices, e.g. chucks (for balancing G01M1/04)} - B60C 19/00: Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for - B60C 25/00: Apparatus or tools adapted for mounting, removing or inspecting tyres (testing of tyres G01M17/02) - G01L 5/00: Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes - G01M 17/02: Tyres - B60C 2019/004: {Tyre sensors other than for detecting tyre pressure} - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) ## Abstract A device for measuring a tire ground state includes a traveling surface, a tire drive unit grounding a tire on the traveling surface and rolls the tire, a measuring sheet mounted to a partial area of the traveling surface for measuring the tire ground state, a protection sheet covering the measuring sheet, and a backward and forward tensile force application mechanism applying a tensile force along a tire forward traveling direction to the protection sheet. A space conducting the protection sheet to a portion below the traveling surface is formed in at least one of a delay side and an advance side of the measuring sheet in the tire forward traveling direction on the traveling surface, and the backward and forward tensile force application mechanism is structured such as to pull at least one end of the protection sheet in the tire forward traveling direction from below the traveling surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for measuring a tire ground state comprising: a traveling surface; a tire drive unit which grounds a tire on the traveling surface and rolls the tire; a measuring sheet which is mounted to a partial area of the traveling surface and is provided for measuring the tire ground state; a protection sheet which covers the measuring sheet; and a backward and forward tensile force application mechanism which applies a tensile force along a tire forward traveling direction to the protection sheet, wherein a space conducting the protection sheet to a portion below the traveling surface is formed in at least one of a delay side and an advance side of the measuring sheet in the tire forward traveling direction on the traveling surface, and the backward and forward tensile force application mechanism is structured such as to pull at least one end of the protection sheet in the tire forward traveling direction from the below of the traveling surface, and wherein an upper opening of the space is partly closed by an upper lid which is arranged so as to be flush with the traveling surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 1, wherein an opening edge facing the measuring sheet in opening edges of the upper opening is rounded. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 1, wherein one end of an elastic sheet is connected to at least one end of the protection sheet in the tire forward traveling direction, and the backward and forward tensile force application mechanism applies the tensile force to the protection sheet by pulling the other end of the elastic sheet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 1, further comprising a width direction tensile force application mechanism which applies to the protection sheet tensile force along a width direction which is orthogonal to the tire forward traveling direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 4, wherein a space conducting the protection sheet to a portion below the traveling surface is formed in both sides of the measuring sheet in the width direction on the traveling surface, and the width direction tensile force application mechanism is structured such as to pull both ends of the protection sheet in the width direction from the below of the traveling surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 4, wherein the protection sheet is formed into a crisscross shape in a plan view. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 1, wherein the traveling surface has a measuring area and a traveling area, the measuring sheet is buried in the traveling surface in the measuring area, thereby making an upper surface of the measuring sheet approximately flush with the traveling surface in the traveling area. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 1, wherein the space is connected to the traveling surface in the measuring area to which the measuring sheet is mounted, by a smooth curved surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 1, wherein the space is formed as a groove which extends to be orthogonal to the tire forward traveling direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device for measuring the tire ground state according to claim 1, wherein the protection sheet is made of polycarbonate.