# US 6,725,168 B2 · Vehicle/tire performance simulating method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,725,168 B2 - Document ID: US6725168B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/049,596 - Filed: 2002-04-02 - Published: 2002-09-26 - Granted: 2004-04-20 - Earliest claimed: 2000-06-14 - Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Masaki Shiraishi; Naoaki Iwasaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6725168B2 ## CPC - B60C 19/00: Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for - B60C 99/006: {Computer aided tyre design or simulation} - G01M 17/02: Tyres - G06F 30/15: Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design - G06F 30/23: using finite element methods [FEM] or finite difference methods [FDM] - B60G 2200/21: Trailing arms connected by a torsional beam, i.e. twist-beam axles - B60G 2206/20: Constructional features of semi-rigid axles, e.g. twist beam type axles - B60G 2206/99: Suspension element selection procedure depending on loading or performance requirements, e.g. selection of damper, spring or bush - 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 - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) ## Abstract A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances which includes: a tire model preparing step (s1) of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step (s2) of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step (s3) of preparing a vehicle model by attaching the tire model to a suspension model of the suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step (s4, s5) of virtually running the vehicle model by giving a boundary condition, and estimating vehicle's traveling properties and/or a tire property. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle, wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 1, wherein traveling properties of said vehicle include at least one of the degree of understeer/oversteer, a vehicle response speed to steering, and the degree of roll. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that wherein said suspension members include an arm, a spring, a shock absorber, a torsion beam, a stabilizer, a link rod and a rubber bushing, said arm and link rod are each modeled by a rigid beam element, said spring, shock absorber and rubber bushing are each modeled by a linear or non-linear spring element, and said torsion beam and stabilizer are each modeled by a torsional beam element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 1 or 2, one of a traveling property of said vehicle is a vehicle body vibrating property under 10 Hz, and the vehicle body model except said suspension model is a rigid model which does not deform. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 1 or 2, wherein traveling properties of said vehicle include a vehicle body vibrating property in a range of more than 10 Hz and not more than 100 Hz, and said vehicle body model is provided with a vibration mode substantially corresponding to a vibration mode of the vehicle body to be estimated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said traveling simulation is made by running said vehicle model on a road model of a road surface made out of elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 6, wherein said road model is made out of a rigid element and a water element for water provided thereon, and traveling properties of said vehicle include a wet traveling property. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said vehicle model preparing step implies a step of providing an internal pressure condition to the tire model under a gravitational condition of 0 G, and a step of applying the load of the vehicle body model to the tire model by setting the gravitational condition to 1 G after providing said internal pressure condition is provided. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the simulation step, the vehicle model has an initial speed which is not zero. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2) A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said traveling simulation includes a braking simulation in which a fixed braking force is applied to the tire model and change in the speed of the vehicle model, and wherein traveling properties of said vehicle include a braking force property. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1, 2) A simulation apparatus comprising a computer for executing the method as set forth in claim 1 or 2. ### Claim 12 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle, wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element; wherein said traveling simulation is made by running said vehicle model on a road model of a road surface made out of elements, wherein said road model is made out of a rigid element and a snow element for snow provided thereon, and wherein traveling properties of said vehicle include an on-the-snow traveling property. ### Claim 13 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances, which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle, wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element; wherein said traveling simulation is made by running said vehicle model on a road model of a road surface made out of elements, wherein said road model is made out of a rigid element and a mud element for mud provided thereon, and traveling properties of said vehicle include a muddy terrain traveling property. ### Claim 14 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performance which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle, wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element; wherein said traveling simulation is made by running said vehicle model on a road model of a road surface made out of elements, wherein said road model is made out of a rigid element and a sand element for sand provided thereon, and wherein traveling properties of said vehicle include a sandy terrain traveling property. ### Claim 15 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle, wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element; wherein said traveling simulation is made by running said vehicle model on a road model of a road surface made out of elements, wherein said road model comprises an uneven portion, and wherein traveling properties of said vehicle include a ride comfort property. ### Claim 16 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances, which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle, wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element, wherein in the simulation step, the vehicle model has an initial speed which is not zero, wherein said vehicle body model is provided with a speed corresponding to a translational component of the initial speed and wherein said tire model is provided with a speed corresponding to said translational component of the initial speed and a speed corresponding to a rotational component. ### Claim 17 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances, which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle, wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element wherein said traveling simulation includes a steady circling simulation in which steady circling is made with the tire model having a certain fixed steering angle, and traveling properties of said vehicle include a steering property estimated by a turning radius of the vehicle model and/or a roll angle of the vehicle model which are obtained from the steady circling simulation. ### Claim 18 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances, which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle, wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element; wherein said traveling simulation includes a lane change simulation in which a lane change state is simulated, and wherein traveling properties of said vehicle include a lane change property estimated by a behavior of the vehicle model and/or a convergence of the vehicle model when the steering angle is returned back which are obtained from the lane change simulation. ### Claim 19 A simulating method for vehicle/tire performances, which comprises: a tire model preparing step of preparing a tire model of a tire including a ply made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle body model preparing step of preparing a vehicle body model of a vehicle body including suspension members made out of a finite number of elements; a vehicle model preparing step of preparing a vehicle model by attaching said tire model to a suspension model of said suspension members in the vehicle body model; and a simulation step of executing a simulation of traveling of said vehicle model by setting a boundary condition so as to obtain traveling properties and/or a tire property of said vehicle; wherein said suspension members are modeled by at least one rigid beam element, at least one linear or non-linear spring element, and at least one torsional beam element; wherein said traveling simulation includes a driving simulation in which a fixed torque is applied to the tire model and a change in the speed of the vehicle model is observed, and wherein traveling properties of said vehicle include a driving force property.