Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC

Bridgestone/firestone, Inc.

Bridgestone Corporation

John L Turner

David O Stalnaker

Russell W Koch

Neel K Mani

Stanley J Olesky

Stephen M Vossberg

Guy J Walenga

Vladimir Roth

Keizo Okamoto

Hiroyoshi Takigawa

Jacob R Kidney

Erik F Knuth

Paul M Neugebauer

John D Rensel

Georg G A Böhm

Robert J Trew

Hidetoshi Yokota

Thomas R Branca

Ke Jun Xie

Brian E Moore

James D Ulmer

Richard J Macioce, Jr

Paul Zakelj

James F Siegfried

Andrew Karl Reinhardt

Arthur J Dory

Ke-Jun Xie

Larry E Fritschel

H James Sube

Fu-Min Chen

Wayne A Indorf

James A Popio

James Ulmer

Steven Vossberg

A method includes obtaining simulated tire data for a simulated tire, simulated vehicle data for a simulated vehicle, and simulated test course data. The simulated tire data includes data to build a basic tire model. The simulated vehicle data includes data to build a basic vehicle model. The simulated test course data includes position-based course data in a horizontal plane and position-based course data in a vertical direction. The method further includes generating a tire load history from the basic tire model, the basic vehicle model, and the simulated test course data.

Method of generating tire load histories and testing tires

A tire includes a tread having a first plurality of tread blocks on a first side of an equatorial plane and a second plurality of tread blocks on the second side. Each of the first plurality of tread blocks has a first leading lug wall, a first trailing lug wall, a first leading sipe proximate to the first leading lug wall, and a first trailing sipe proximate to the first trailing lug wall. Each of the second plurality of tread blocks has a second leading lug wall, a second trailing lug wall, a second leading sipe proximate to the second leading lug wall, and a second trailing sipe proximate to the second trailing lug wall. The first leading sipes have a depth greater that of the first trailing sipes. The second leading sipes have a depth less than that of the second trailing sipes.

Tire having circumferentially biased sipe depths

A method of preparing a tire for mounting includes providing a tire having a central axis and at least two bead portions, including a first bead portion and a second bead portion. The method also includes providing a plurality of members and moving the plurality of members outward until each of the plurality of members engages the first bead portion of the tire and causes the first bead portion to deflect outwards at a plurality of locations. The method further includes rotating at least one of the tire and the plurality of members about the central axis of the tire while the plurality of members engages the first bead portion of the tire.

Method of preparing a tire for mounting

An apparatus is mounted to a vehicle for obtaining a camber angle measurement. The apparatus includes a lower elongated member, a vertical elongated member, and an upper elongated member. The apparatus further includes a lower coupling that connects the lower elongated member to the vertical elongated member. The lower coupling allows the vertical elongated member to rotate about an axis, and prevents the lower elongated member from rotating about its longitudinal axis. The apparatus also includes an upper coupling that connects the vertical elongated member to the upper elongated member. A lower connector is connected to the lower elongated member, and is configured to be connected to a wheel of a vehicle. An upper connector is connected to the upper elongated member, and is configured to be connected to the vehicle.

Wheel measurement apparatus

A method for reducing vehicle bias when testing a tire for use with a market segment of vehicles by creating a vehicle model that is scalable by vehicle weight. A market segment of vehicles is defined, at least one of a vehicle model parameter is defined, data is collected for the at least one vehicle model parameter from at least one vehicle in the market segment, the at least one vehicle model parameter is characterized through regression analysis as a function of total weight of a scalable vehicle model, the scalable vehicle model parameter is applied to a multibody vehicle dynamics simulation, at least one maneuver is applied to the scalable vehicle model, and the tire load histories generated by the multibody vehicle dynamics simulation are provided to a tire test machine to obtain tire wear data representative of the vehicles in the market segment.

Scalable vehicle models for indoor tire testing

Provided is a method for determining the efficiency of an ABS controller. The method may comprise performing a first test on a first tire using a first ABS controller at a first inflation pressure, gathering a first data set, using a digital computer to generate a first function from the first data set, and using a digital computer to calculate a first efficiency based on the first function. The first data set may comprise data about the first test. The first function may describe normalized mu versus time for a first time period.

Method of analyzing stopping distance performance efficiency

Provided is a method for testing a tire. The method may comprise performing a first stopping distance test on a tire of a first specification at a first inflation pressure and gathering data about the first stopping distance test. The method may further comprise performing a second stopping distance test on a tire of the first specification at a second inflation pressure and gathering data about the second stopping distance test. The method may further comprise performing a first traction test on a tire of the first specification at either the first inflation pressure or the second inflation pressure and gathering data about the first traction test.

Diagnostic tire test method

An apparatus is configured to receive a tire having at least two bead portions, including a first bead portion and a second bead portion. The apparatus includes a plurality of members configured to engage the first bead portion of the tire, at least one expander configured to move the plurality of members outward, and a rotating device configured to rotate the plurality of members about an axis of the tire.

Apparatus and method for preparing a tire for mounting

A tire comprising a circumferential tread, a circumferential tread, at least one circumferential belt, at least one carcass ply, a pair of sidewalls, and a pair of bead portions. Each of the bead portions comprising a bead core, a bead filler, a toe region, a heel region, a ledge region, and a flange region. The ledge region is provided between the toe region and the heel region, wherein the ledge region comprises at least one circumferentially continuous groove. The flange region each extending circumferentially about the tire, the flange region provided radially above the ledge region, wherein the flange region comprises at least one circumferentially continuous groove.

Tire with circumferential grooves in the bead region

A method of developing a set of input forces used to analyze tire wear includes the steps of characterizing a wear course by driving a vehicle over the wear course and measuring data related to a plurality of forces experienced by the vehicle. A vehicle characterization model for a target vehicle having at least one tire is developed. The vehicle characterization model is used to calculate force data that represents the forces that would be experienced by at least one tire of the characterized vehicle if the characterized vehicle were driven over the characterized wear test course in the first vehicle configuration. The force data is then used to analyze tire wear using a computer prediction technique or by running an indoor wear test on the tire.

Tire wear analysis method

A method for changing the residual aligning torque (RAT) of a pneumatic tire by forming angled sipes in certain of the tread blocks in at least a pair of circumferentially extending ribs, each rib being located on an opposite side of the mid-circumferential plane of the tire. The sipes in the tread blocks in one of the ribs are formed at an inclined angle opposite to the inclined angle of the sipes in the tread blocks in the opposite rib. The RAT can also be changed by varying the depth and width of the opposed angled sipes.

Method of compensating for residual aligning torque (RAT)

A method for indoor wear testing tires includes the steps of characterizing a vehicle and a wear test course and combining the characterized data to create input data for an indoor wear test machine. The input data allows the indoor wear test machine to accurately simulate an outdoor wear test course for the characterized vehicle. The method allows multiple wear test courses to be used with a single characterized vehicle and allows a single wear test course to be used with multiple characterized vehicles. The method allows tires to be wear tested in relatively short time periods in the controlled environment of the indoor laboratory. In addition, the method is relatively easy to set up and perform.

Method of wear testing a tire

The invention improves tire flat spotting by providing a bead assembly that has bead filler elements disposed outside the body cords so that the turn up portion of the ply of body cords is disposed immediately back against the main portion of the ply of body cords above the bead core. This carcass structure increases the stiffness of the lower sidewall and decreases the flat spotting experience by the tire. In one embodiment of the invention, a reinforcing ply is wrapped around the bead filler elements to further increases the stiffness of the lower sidewall. In another embodiment, a bead filler element is disposed inside the body cords so that an air pocket is not formed in the carcass during the manufacturing process.

Pneumatic tire having multiple element bead assembly

A pneumatic tire includes a tread pattern having circumferential and lateral grooves forming a plurality of circumferentially extending ribs, each rib having a plurality of tread blocks. A plurality of tie bars extend circumferentially across certain of the lateral grooves between adjacent tread blocks in at least two of the ribs which are located equally opposite of a mid-circumferential plane of the tire. The tie bars have a pair of sidewalls and a sloped top surface with the slope of the top surface in one of the ribs being opposite to the slope of the tie bars in the other rib to generate a residual aligning torque (RAT) on the tire.

Pneumatic tire having tapered tie bars

A monitoring device and patch combination used to monitor the conditions of a pneumatic tire having an innerliner includes a monitoring device and patch. The monitoring device includes a first connection element that is connected to the monitoring device. The patch includes an antenna that is connected to a second connection element. In one embodiment of the invention, the first connection element is in the form of a socket while the second connection element is in the form of a plug. The connection elements allow the monitoring device and patch to be separately fabricated and the direct physical connection between the antenna and the monitoring device to be formed when the combination is connected to the innerliner of the tire. In another embodiment, a plug extends from the bottom of an encapsulated monitoring device and is aligned with a socket on the patch. The connection between the plug and the socket occurs automatically when the encapsulated monitoring device is aligned with and connected to the patch.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

John L Turner