Wheelright Limited

Paul Michael Taylor

William James Bradley

Alexander Paul Codd

Peter Norman Rose

Willem Paul Beeker

David Rathbone

A system for measuring the depth of tread of a tyre () on a wheel () of a vehicle () whilst the wheel is rotating and moving along the ground. A camera () captures images whilst the tyre rotates for at least the major part of its circumference. Light sources (Lto L) are spaced longitudinally and are directed at an acute angle to the path of the tyre, to illuminate the tyre whilst images are captured. The images are analysed by data processing apparatus () and the tread depth is determined from the length of shadows () in the gaps () between tread blocks (). The light sources are activated and de-activated sequentially in accordance with signals from longitudinally spaced sensors (Sto S) which detect the presence of the tyre, so that when an image is captured of a portion of the tyre tread, only one light source is activated to illuminate that portion of the tyre tread.

Method and device for tyre condition analysis

A sensor array () for checking the pressure of a vehicle tire while being moved over the array comprises two sets () and () of aligned, facing sensor members. The first set () of sensor members is formed by slits () cut into a plate of metal to form first fingers () connected in cantilevered fashion to a first base portion (), which extend in the direction of intended vehicle movement to free ends (). The second set () of sensor members is formed by slits () cut into a plate of metal to form second fingers () connected in cantilevered fashion to a second base portion (), which extend in the reverse of the direction of intended vehicle movement to free ends (). The fingers of the two sets are aligned and the free ends () and () are closely adjacent. Each finger is provided with a load sensing system () which provides an indication of the load on the finger as the tire moves over the finger. Loads are applied to different positions along the fingers as the tire moves over the array. The sensitivity of the array increases from a minimum for a load applied where the first fingers () are attached to the first base portion (), to a maximum adjacent the free ends () of the first and second fingers () and (), and then decreases to a minimum where the second fingers () are attached to the second base portion (). The fingers may be replaced by series of individual sensing elements () arranged in groups so as to constitute sensor members, whose outputs are weighted so that the sensitivity varies in a similar manner along a sensor member.

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Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

Paul Michael Taylor