Detecting wheel rim cracks
AssigneePreventcore, Incorporated
InventorsStephen Firestone, Seth Schneider
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crack in a wheel rim is detected by placing a composition including a liquid carrier, such as water, and a fluorescent dye, into an interior space formed between a tire and a rim. After an interval, the exterior surface of the wheel rim is inspected using a UV light source, which causes visible light to be emitted from the fluorescent dye. The light emissions indicate the presence of dye which has seeped from the interior space, through a crack in the material of the rim, to an exterior of the rim. A conditioner or sealant can be combined with the fluorescent dye to provide other benefits.
Claims20
A method of detecting seepage from a wheel rim, comprising:
- placing a composition including propylene glycol and a fluorescent dye into an interior space formed between a tire and a rim;
- and
- waiting an interval, then inspecting an exterior surface of the wheel rim, using a light source which causes visible light to be emitted from the fluorescent dye, to detect the presence of dye which has seeped from the interior space through material of the rim to an exterior of the rim.
A method of detecting cracks in wheel rim, comprising:
- placing a composition including propylene glycol, triethanolamine, and a fluorescent dye into an interior space formed between a tire and a rim;
- and
- waiting an interval, then inspecting an exterior surface of the wheel rim, using a UV light source which causes visible light to be emitted from the fluorescent dye, to detect the presence of dye which has seeped from the space through a crack in the material of the rim, to an exterior of the rim.
A system for detecting cracks in wheel rims, comprising:
- a composition including propylene glycol and a fluorescent dye;
- and
- a pumping system configured for adding the composition into an interior space formed between a tire and a rim under pressure.
A method of detecting seepage from a wheel rim, comprising:
- placing a composition including a liquid carrier and a fluorescent dye into an interior space formed between a tire and a rim;
- and
- waiting an interval, then inspecting an exterior surface of the wheel rim, using a UV light source which causes visible light to be emitted from the fluorescent dye, to detect the presence of dye which has seeped from the interior space through material of the rim to an exterior of the rim.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.