# US 11,110,755 B2 · Tread wear profile tool > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,110,755 B2 - Document ID: US11110755B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/774,726 - Filed: 2020-01-28 - Published: 2020-08-20 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-19 - Assignees: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC - Applicants: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC - Inventors: Samuel O. Givens - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11110755B2 ## CPC - B60C 11/24: Wear-indicating arrangements - B60C 11/00: Tyre tread bands; Tread patterns; Anti-skid inserts - B60C 11/01: Shape of the shoulders between tread and sidewall, e.g. rounded, stepped or cantilevered - B60C 11/03: Tread patterns - B60C 11/0309: {further characterised by the groove cross-section} - B60C 11/243: {Tread wear sensors, e.g. electronic sensors} - G01M 17/02: Tyres - B60C 2011/0358: {Lateral grooves, i.e. having an angle of 45 to 90 degees to the equatorial plane} - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A tread wear profile tool for determining wear of a tire is provided, the tool comprising: a body having: a substantially planar shape, at least one groove index member extending distally from the body, wherein the at least one groove index member includes at least one traction element wear gauge, at least one traction element measurement member oriented on a distal edge of the body, and a distal profile; a tire having: a tread having a radially outer profile, the tread having at least one groove, at least one traction element, and two shoulders; and wherein: the distal profile of the body is a negative of the radially outer profile of the tread. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tread wear profile tool for determining wear of a tire, comprising: a body having: a substantially planar shape, at least one groove index member extending distally from the body, wherein the at least one groove index member includes at least one traction element wear gauge, at least one traction element measurement member oriented on a distal edge of the body, and a distal profile; a tire having: a tread having a radially outer profile, the tread having at least one groove, at least one traction element, and two shoulders; and wherein: the distal profile of the body is a negative of the radially outer profile of the tread. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tread wear profile tool of claim 1, wherein the body includes one groove index member for each groove in the tread. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tread wear profile tool of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the at least one groove index member contacts a radially inner portion of the at least one groove. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tread wear profile tool of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises two shoulder index members extending distally from the body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tread wear profile tool of claim 4, wherein one of the two shoulder index members contacts one of the two shoulders, and wherein the other of the two shoulder index members contacts the other of the two shoulders. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tread wear profile tool of claim 1, wherein the body includes one traction element measure member for each traction element in the tread. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tread wear profile tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one traction element wear gauge includes a plurality of markers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tread wear profile tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one traction element wear gauge includes a series of linear elements spaced apart in a radial direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tread wear profile tool of claim 1, wherein the tread has a unique radially outer profile at a particular circumferential location of the tire, and wherein the distal profile of the body is the negative of the unique radially outer profile at the particular circumferential location of the tire. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tread wear profile tool of claim 1, wherein an entire distal edge of the tool is in contact with an entire radially outer profile of the tread when the tread is in an unworn state. ### Claim 11 A tread wear profile tool for determining wear of a tire, comprising: a body having: a substantially planar shape, at least one groove index member extending distally from the body, at least one wear gauge; at least one traction element wear finger having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the at least one traction element wear finger is an elongated element having a longitudinal length that extends parallel to the body, wherein the at least one traction element wear finger is contained within a retention member connected to the body, and wherein the at least one traction element wear finger slides longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the at least one traction element wear finger; and a tire having: a tread having a radially outer profile, the tread having at least one groove, at least one traction element, and two shoulders. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tread wear profile tool of claim 11, wherein the body includes one groove index member for each groove in the tread. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The tread wear profile tool of claim 11, wherein a distal end of the at least one groove index member contacts a radially inner portion of the at least one groove. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The tread wear profile tool of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises two shoulder index members extending distally from the body. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The tread wear profile tool of claim 14, wherein one of the two shoulder index members contacts one of the two shoulders, and wherein the other of the two shoulder index members contacts the other of the two shoulders. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The tread wear profile tool of claim 11, wherein the at least one wear gauge includes a plurality of markers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The tread wear profile tool of claim 11, wherein the at least one wear gauge includes a series of linear elements spaced apart in a radial direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The tread wear profile tool of claim 11, wherein the tread has a unique radially outer profile at a particular circumferential location of the tire, and wherein the at least one groove index member extends into the grooves at the particular circumferential location of the tire. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The tread wear profile tool of claim 11, wherein the proximal end of the at least one traction element wear finger aligns with the at least one wear gauge. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The tread wear profile tool of claim 11, wherein the distal end of the at least one traction element wear finger contacts the at least one traction element.