Indoor hydroplaning test apparatus and method
AssigneeBridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC
InventorMartin A. Yurjevich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for conducting indoor hydroplaning tests on a tire. A tire is supported by a frame above a test surface and a load is applied to the tire tread against the test surface. A stream of high pressure fluid is discharged from a nozzle against an area of contact of the tire tread and the test surface. A device detects a change in the loaded contact of the tire as the pressure of the fluid stream increases which provides an indication that hydroplaning is beginning to occur in comparison with a previously tested tire under actual driving conditions.
Claims19
Apparatus for conducting indoor hydroplaning tests on a tire tread comprising:
- a test surface;
- a support for mounting a tire for loaded contact between a tread of the tire and the test surface;
- a fluid nozzle for supplying a stream of high pressure fluid toward an area of contact between the tire tread and test surface, said fluid nozzle being formed with a discharge opening having a width greater than the axial width of the tire tread;
- a pressure control for measuredly increasing the pressure of the stream of high pressure fluid;
- and
- a load cell for detecting a change in the loaded contact between the tire and test surface to indicate the onset of hydroplaning.
A method for determining the susceptibility of a vehicle tire to hydroplaning comprising the steps of:
- providing a test surface;
- mounting a test tire adjacent to and in loaded contact with the test surface;
- directing a stream of high pressure fluid toward an area of contact between the tire and test surface;
- increasing the pressure of the fluid;
- and
- measuring a change in contact pressure between the tire and test surface in relationship to the pressure of the fluid to determine the hydroplaning effect of the fluid on the tire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.