Apparatus and method for electronic tire testing

Abstract

A testing head for a high voltage non-destructive tire testing apparatus that is positionable inside the carcass of a tire to be tested without spreading the beads of the tire. The testing head includes a horseshoe shaped body portion with a pair of depending legs. An electrode is operably coupled at the end of each leg. One of the electrodes is attached to a high-voltage power source and the other electrode is attached to electrical ground. Each electrode may be attached off-center from the center of gravity of the electrode so that the electrode is positioned at an angle with the leg to which it is attached when the testing head is suspended by the body portion and the electrodes are not in contact with a tire or other surface. When the electrodes are brought into contact with the inner surface of the tire carcass, the electrodes rotate into a testing orientation wherein each electrode is substantially perpendicular with the leg to which it is attached. The tire carcass is rotated, so that a portion of the electrodes slide over the inner surface of the tire. The high voltage electrode inductively couples with steel belts in the tire carcass, thereby causing the steel belts to have an elevated electrical potential relative to ground potential. When either electrode passes over a flaw in the tire, an arc passes through the flaw between the steel belt and the electrode closest to the flaw.