# US 11,041,783 B2 · Control device for civil-engineering vehicle tire and corresponding control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,041,783 B2 - Document ID: US11041783B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/349,790 - Filed: 2017-11-13 - Published: 2019-11-28 - Granted: 2021-06-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-14 - Assignees: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissments Michelin - Applicants: Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin - Inventors: François Mourougaya; Julien Charlat - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11041783B2 ## CPC - G01M 17/025: {using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic vibrations} - G01N 29/225: {Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation} - G01N 29/265: by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material - G01N 2291/044: Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects - G01N 2291/2692: Tyres - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A device for inspecting tires of large dimensions, in particular for civil engineering vehicles, comprises: a rotationally driven tire support (10) designed to support a tire (20) to be inspected in position so that its axis of rotation is substantially horizontal, said support comprising means for rotating the supported tire; an ultrasound inspection device (1) provided with an inspection head (5) that is freely mounted radially and axially, a module (8) for retrieving and processing echo data retrieved during inspection phases, and a system for controlling the movement of the inspection head (5) inside the tire to be inspected, in particular along the inner wall of the crown area of said tire to be inspected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tire inspection device for inspecting tires of large dimensions comprising: a rotationally driven tire support configured to support a tire to be inspected in position so that the axis of rotation of the tire to be inspected is substantially horizontal, the rotationally driven tire support comprising means for rotating the tire to be inspected; and an ultrasound inspection module provided with: an inspection head that is freely mounted radially and axially, a module for retrieving and processing echo data retrieved during inspection phases, and a module for controlling movement of the inspection head inside the tire to be inspected, wherein the tire inspection device further comprises a pump for ensuring the filling and the draining of an ultrasound fluid in a lower area of a tire cavity such that the inspection head is immersed in the ultrasound fluid during the inspection phases with a sufficient amount of ultrasound fluid to allow the inspection head to move in the ultrasound fluid and with a filling limit to avoid overflowing of the ultrasound fluid from the lower area of the tire cavity. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tire inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the tires of large dimensions are civil engineering vehicle tires. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tire inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the inspection head inside the tire is movement along an inner wall of a crown area of the tire to be inspected. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tire inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the module for retrieving and processing echo data comprises a signal processing sub-module allowing real-time display of the retrieved echo signals. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tire inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the module for retrieving and processing echo data comprises a signal processing sub-module for recording the echo data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tire inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the rotationally driven tire support comprises a transverse arm supporting two roller bearings, on which the sidewalls of a tire to be inspected are placed during an inspection. ### Claim 7 A method for inspecting tires of large dimensions comprising the following steps: placing a tire to be inspected on a rotationally driven tire support designed to support the tire to be inspected in position so that the axis of rotation of the tire to be inspected is substantially horizontal; filling a lower area of a tire cavity using an ultrasound fluid in order to complete inspection phases with a movable inspection head immersed in the ultrasound fluid with a sufficient amount of fluid to allow the movable inspection head to move in the ultrasound fluid and with a filling limit to avoid any overflowing of ultrasound fluid from the lower area of the tire cavity; positioning the movable inspection head inside the tire cavity, in the immersed area, in the immediate vicinity of the surface to be inspected; rotating the tire at a speed that is adapted to the applied waves using the rotationally driven tire support; and applying ultrasound waves and retrieving the generated echo signals using the movable inspection head. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the tires of large dimensions are civil engineering vehicle tires. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein, following passage of the movable inspection head on a first circumferential sector of the tire, the movable inspection head successively performs a plurality of axial movements to allow the movable inspection head to pass over a plurality of sectors to be inspected. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of displaying echo data. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of processing echo data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of recording echo data.