Abstract: Method and apparatus for conducting indoor hydroplaning tests on a tire. A tire is supported by a frame above a test surface and a load is applied to the tire tread against the test surface. A stream of high pressure fluid is discharged from a nozzle against an area of contact of the tire tread and the test surface. A device detects a change in the loaded contact of the tire as the pressure of the fluid stream increases which provides an indication that hydroplaning is beginning to occur in comparison with a previously tested tire under actual driving conditions.

Abstract: A system (10) for measuring the dynamic orientation of the plane of a wheel (12) on a vehicle (14). The system (10) includes a test surface (16) which rotates with the wheel (12) and a orientation-determining device (18) which is unattached to the vehicle (14). The test surface (16) is positioned in a plane corresponding to the plane of the wheel (12) and the orientation-determining device (18) determines the orientation of the plane of the test surface (12) at a specific point of time while the vehicle is being driven. A processor (20) receives output signals from the orientation-determining device (18) and converts the output signals into data corresponding to the orientation of the wheel plane for the specific instant in time.

Abstract: A monitoring assembly for a pneumatic tire includes an electronic monitoring device having at least one sensor disposed in a protective body. The monitoring assembly may be configured to float on a variety of liquids that are typically disposed within a tire. The body includes a device that predictably orients the monitoring assembly when the assembly is floating in the liquid. The monitoring assembly is simply placed in a tire before the tire is mounted on a vehicle rim and allowed to move about loosely in the tire chamber when the tire is in use.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A device for encapsulating a monitoring device for a pneumatic tire with an encapsulation material includes an encapsulation body having an encapsulation chamber. The monitoring device has at least a pressure sensor and an antenna. A damming element is carried by the encapsulation body in an adjustable manner such that the damming element prevents the pressure sensor from being clogged with the encapsulating material when the monitoring device is encapsulated.

Abstract: An air actuator adapted to be located between a pair of spaced members for moving said members with respect to each other includes a hollow body formed of an expandable non-reinforced polyurethane. The body has an ellipsoidal shape and terminates in a pair of curved closed ends and has an interior pressure cavity for receiving and discharging a pressurized fluid for expanding and contracting the body. The body is formed of at least two half members of the non-reinforced polyurethane by either a pair of longitudinal seams extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body or a single circumferential seam. An air tube connector is mounted in one of the closed ends of the body for connecting the interior cavity to a source of pressurized air.

Abstract: An integral one-piece end plate and bracket combination is formed of a high strength plastic and is mounted in an airtight sealing engagement with an open end of a flexible elastomeric sleeve which forms the fluid pressure chamber of an air spring. The end plate includes a semi-circular wall which extends perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the air spring and a semi-circular opening. The bracket includes an upstanding wall perpendicular to the semi-circular wall of the end plate and a half dome-shaped wall, which together with the upstanding wall, forms an auxiliary fluid chamber which is in fluid communication through the semi-circular opening with the main fluid chamber of the flexible sleeve. The upstanding wall includes attachments for securing the bracket and end plate to a support structure which aligns with a longitudinal axis of the air spring.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a body having a plurality of main body cords. The tire includes an upper section above the maximum section width and a lower section below the maximum section width. The modulus of the body cords is configured to be larger in the lower section than in the upper section. This modulus ratio decreases the rolling resistance of the tire. The increased modulus in the lower section is achieved by providing intermediate body cords disposed between the main body cords. In another embodiment, the increased modulus is achieved by changing the material and/or size of the cords in the lower section.

Abstract: A tire testing machine (10) comprising a movable simulated road surface (14), an axle (16) including a bearing surface (22) around which a tire/wheel assembly (T) can rotate; and a frame (18) which supports the axle (16) in a non-rotatable but vertically floatable manner relative to the simulated road surface (14) whereby the tire/wheel assembly (T) can be loaded in rolling engagement against the simulated road surface (14). The frame (18) comprises tie members (26) which extend from the axle (16) to a stationary support (28) in a geometrically sturdy (e.g., triangular) arrangement and non-damping piston members (30) which are interposed between the tie members (26) and the stationary support (28). The geometrically sturdy arrangement of the tie members (26) can be an isosceles triangular arrangement and the simulated road surface (14) can comprise the outer circumferential surface of a road wheel (20).

Abstract: A first stage tire building drum for building a run flat tire has a cylindrical central portion for receiving the strip components thereon for fabricating a first stage body ply carcass and has a pair of bead receiving areas adjacent the central portion for receiving bead rings thereon. The central portion and bead areas preferably are formed by a plurality of moveable arcuate segments. A spacer or sleeve is formed by a plurality of arcuate segments and is mounted on the center of the cylindrical drum portion and forms a pair of adjacent recesses. The spacer has a smooth outer cylindrical surface. The spacer has a height equal to the thickness of run flat tire sidewall inserts and a width equal to the distance between the inside edges of the opposed sidewall inserts.

Abstract: A method for preparing an innerliner of a pneumatic tire and adhering an electronic monitoring device to the innerliner includes the step of providing a patch having a cover and a layer of uncured rubber. The patch is placed at a selected area of the innerliner of a green tire before the green tire is cured. At least a portion of the patch is removed after the tire is cured to provide a prepared area at the selected area of the tire. The electronic monitoring device is then adhered to the prepared area.

Abstract: An air spring has a pair of axially spaced end members and an intervening elastomeric flexible sleeve extending therebetween which forms a fluid pressure chamber. A plurality of axially spaced ribs and intervening grooves are formed on an inner surface of a ring which align with corresponding ribs and grooves formed on an axial sealing surface of one of the end members to form a fluid tight seal with the elastomeric sleeve clamped therebetween. An annular radially extending projection is formed on each of the ring and end member which cooperatively mate with each other to provide a mechanical interlock therebetween which is free of intervening elastomeric material, to securely retain the ring in position with respect to the end member sealing surface.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire and monitoring device for monitoring an engineering condition of a pneumatic tire includes a pneumatic tire having a sidewall and a plurality of reinforcing cords carried in the sidewall. The monitoring device includes a sensing element that senses at least an engineering condition of a pneumatic tire and transmits the gathered data from the monitoring device to a data gathering device outside of the tire. The transmission occurs through a dipole antenna that is in communication with the sensing element. The dipole antenna is disposed substantially perpendicular to the reinforcing cords in order to maximize the probability of signal propagation through the tire sidewall.

Abstract: A pneumatic tire includes a body, a belt package, and a tread package. The tire includes a layer of rubber disposed between the body and the tread package. The layer of rubber creates a thickness of between about 0.5 millimeters and about 1.5 millimeters between the cords in the body and the cords in the belt package. The layer of rubber is fabricated from a rubber having a stiffness greater than the rubber in the body of the tire. This configuration provides a tire having improved cornering coefficient, reduced vibrational levels, and less coarse road noise with only a small increase in rolling loss.

Abstract: A run flat pneumatic tire has a thin annular band embedded in the crown portion of the tire. The band is formed of a composite material such as tows of fiberglass and/or graphite material impregnated with a resin. The resin coated tows are wound about a mandrel having at least one concave recess to provide the band with an anticlastic shape with an arcuate cross section and a concave surface facing radially outwardly.

Abstract: A vibration damping device is mounted between two spaced portions of a vehicle for absorbing road forces exerted on the vehicle. A cylindrical housing forms an internal piston chamber and is connected at one end to one portion of the vehicle, with an outer end of the rod of a piston which is slidably mounted within the piston chamber, being connected to another portion of the vehicle. A fluid transfer duct is formed between the housing and piston and provides communication between fluid subchambers formed on opposite sides of the piston within the piston chamber. An electrode is attached to either the housing or piston for applying a voltage across the duct to affect the rheological response of an electrorheological (ER) fluid flowing therethrough to provide a controllable mechanism to modify the damping force characteristics of the device. Each end of the piston rod is slidably supported by a slide bushing assembly which is mounted within an end of the housing.