US 4,359,896 AGranted

Dynamic tire testing apparatus

AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

InventorsJack E. Brown, Jr., Christopher E. Christie, Joseph M. Forney, Richard M. Underwood

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Abstract

Apparatus for obtaining tire dynamic characteristics in which a wheel and tire assembly is mounted on a shaft assembly of low mass. The tire tread is engageable with either a rotating or stationary supporting surface. Flexible connecting members having load-applying capabilities for urging the tire tread into loaded engagement with the tire supporting surface are located at each side of the tire and connected to the shaft assembly. The desired loading is measured by load cells on the connecting members. The tire may be vibrated at predetermined frequencies and amplitudes in predetermined directions by exciters and the resulting tire dynamic data selectively measured by one or more accelerometers.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A tire testing apparatus for loading and vibrating a tire to obtain data for determining the dynamic properties of said tire comprising:

(a) a stationary structure having a tire supporting surface against which a tread of said tire may be urged;
(b) a supporting fixture for rotatably supporting a wheel on which said tire is mounted for rotation about a tire and wheel axis;
(c) flexible connecting means between said supporting fixture and said stationary structure having a low spring rate in directions generally parallel with said supporting surface;
(d) loading means interposed between said connecting means and said stationary structure to urge said tire against said tire supporting surface;
(e) vibration including means connected to said fixture and said stationary structure for inducing vibration in said tire, said wheel and said fixture;
and
(f) a response measuring means mounted on said fixture providing said data for determining dynamic properties of said tire.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.