Method for characterizing noise level of rotating tire
AssigneeThe Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
InventorDavid Ray Hubbell, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for characterizing the level of noise generated by a tire having a specific footprint configuration through analyzing the shape of the tire's footprint and taking into account the tire's aspect ratio. The method includes: a) measuring the noise level if the solution to the calculation is inside of a predetermined range; or b) reconfiguring the footprint if the solution to the calculation is outside of a predetermined range. The advantage of this method is that a tire designer can design a tire, taking into account the noise level.
Claims6
A method for characterizing the potential noise level generated during the rotation of a tire from a tire tread contacting a road surface, comprising the steps of:
- a) determining the location of a leading edge of a footprint of said tire tread which first comes into contact with said road surface when said tire normally loaded and normally inflated rotates with respect to said location of a trailing edge which is the opposite edge of said footprint that last comes into contact with said road surface when said tire rotates;
- b) determining the length (L) of said footprint from said leading edge to said trailing edge extending along a centerline (CL) through said footprint, said centerline being disposed halfway between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of said footprint of said tire tread;
- c) determining the length (A1) of said footprint from said leading edge to said trailing edge in proximity to said first lateral edge of said footprint at a location corresponding to about 80% of the distance (W1), W1 being the lateral distance from said centerline CL to said first lateral edge;
- d) determining the length (A2) of said footprint from said leading edge to said trailing edge in proximity to said second lateral edge of said footprint at a location corresponding to about 80% of the distance (W2), W2 being said lateral distance from said centerline CL to said second lateral edge;
- e) calculating the footprint shape factor (FSF80%) of said tire with an equation FSF80 % = L ( A 1 + A 2 ) / 2
- when said aspect ratio of said tire is above about 60;
- and
- f) measuring said noise level of said tire when 0.9<FSF80%<1.6.
A method for estimating the potential noise level generated during the rotation of a tire from a tire tread contacting a road surface, comprising the steps of:
- a) determining the location of a leading edge of a footprint of said tire tread which first comes into contact with said road surface when said tire normally loaded and normally inflated rotates with respect to the location of a trailing edge which is the opposite edge of said footprint that last comes into contact with said road surface when said tire rotates;
- b) determining the length (L) of said footprint from said leading edge to said trailing edge extending along a centerline (CL) through said footprint, said centerline being disposed halfway between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of said footprint of said tire tread;
- c) determining the length (B1) of said footprint from said leading edge to said trailing edge in proximity to said first lateral edge of said footprint at a location corresponding to about 90% of the distance (W1), W1 being the lateral distance from said centerline CL to said first lateral edge;
- d) determining the length (B2) of said footprint from said leading edge to said trailing edge in proximity to said second lateral edge of said footprint at a location corresponding to about 90% of the distance (W2), W2 being the lateral distance from said centerline CL to said second lateral edge;
- e) calculating the footprint shape factor (FSF90%) of said tire with an equation FSF90 % = L ( B 1 + B 2 ) / 2
- when said aspect ratio of said tire is below about 60;
- and
- f) measuring said noise level of said tire when 0.9<FSF90%<2.0.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.