Patents by Inventor Russell Shepherd

Russell Shepherd has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080105351
    Abstract: Extended-mobility tire includes at least one carcass-type reinforcement structure, with each of the tire's sidewalls being reinforced by a sidewall insert. Each bead of the tire includes an anchoring zone permitting the reinforcement structure to be held on a rim and including an anchoring rubber mix with a series of circumferential cord windings. Each bead further includes a bead seat zone formed of a rubber mix of modulus ME10 which is less than that of the mix of the anchoring zone and arranged radially internally of the anchoring zone. The bead seat zone physically separates the anchoring zone from the seat of the rim when the tire is mounted. The bead seat zone has a maximum thickness of 2.8 mm, and is preferably equal to or less than 2.2. mm. This arrangement makes it possible to increase the tire's lateral rigidity, without adversely affecting the intrinsic properties of the tire's rim zone and/or the sidewalls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: Russell Shepherd
  • Patent number: 7338201
    Abstract: A method of estimating the temperature of the air in the internal cavity of a tire in which: prior to normal operation, a series of running tests are carried out on the tire provided with a means of measuring the internal air temperature at given speeds V and external temperatures Tamb, the tire supporting a given load and the cavity being at a given internal relative pressure, and an adjustment is made to a function giving the temperature of the internal air Tai according to the parameters of speed and external temperature; and in normal operation, the tire equipping a vehicle under the above conditions of load and relative pressure, the internal air temperature is estimated according to the speed of the vehicle and the temperature external to the vehicle. The method ia applied to the detection of abnormal operating in particular of a running-flat system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Russell Shepherd, Richard Abinal, Eric Berger
  • Publication number: 20060193368
    Abstract: A method of estimating the temperature of the air in the internal cavity of a tire in which: prior to normal operation, a series of running tests are carried out on the tire provided with a means of measuring the internal air temperature at given speeds V and external temperatures Tamb, the tire supporting a given load and the cavity being at a given internal relative pressure, and an adjustment is made to a function giving the temperature of the internal air Tai according to the parameters of speed and external temperature; and in normal operation, the tire equipping a vehicle under the above conditions of load and relative pressure, the internal air temperature is estimated according to the speed of the vehicle and the temperature external to the vehicle. The method ia applied to the detection of abnormal operating in particular of a running-flat system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.
    Inventors: Russell Shepherd, Richard Abinal, Eric Berger
  • Patent number: 7043973
    Abstract: A method of estimating the temperature of the air in the internal cavity of a tire in which: prior to normal operation, a series of running tests are carried out on the tire provided with a means of measuring the internal air temperature at given speeds V and external temperatures Tamb, the tire supporting a given load and the cavity being at a given internal relative pressure, and an adjustment is made to a function giving the temperature of the internal air Tai according to the parameters of speed and external temperature; and in normal operation, the tire equipping a vehicle under the above conditions of load and relative pressure, the internal air temperature is estimated according to the speed of the vehicle and the temperature external to the vehicle. The method ia applied to the detection of abnormal operating in particular of a running-flat system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Russell Shepherd, Richard Abinal, Eric Berger
  • Publication number: 20050161495
    Abstract: A stackable display container is provided, having stacking supports for lending support and stability to containers as they are stacked one upon the other, with the stacking supports being thicker than the combined thicknesses of panels that comprise such supports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2004
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Inventor: Russell Shepherd
  • Publication number: 20040261511
    Abstract: A method of estimating the temperature of the air in the internal cavity of a tire in which:
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Russell Shepherd, Richard Abinal, Eric Berger
  • Patent number: 6672149
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for assessing the range of a motor vehicle run-flat system comprising at least for each wheel a tire casing, a deflation alarm and means supporting the running tread of the tire casing when the casing is deflated, which method, from the instant the deflation alarm has detected a predetermined deflating threshold, includes the steps of: periodically measuring the distance covered and a parameter C(t) characteristic of the running conditions; determining on the basis of C(t) and the measured distance over &Dgr;t a quantity characteristic of potential elementary damage of the system during the elapsed time &Dgr;t; calculating an estimate of the global damage by combining the calculated elementary damage levels since the start of flat running; and transmitting to the vehicle driver a quantity related to that estimate of the flat running system global damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Francois Hottebart, Russell Shepherd
  • Publication number: 20030140687
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for assessing the range of a motor vehicle run-flat system comprising at least for each wheel a tire casing, a deflation alarm and means supporting the running tread of the tire casing when the casing is deflated, which method, from the instant the deflation alarm has detected a predetermined deflating threshold, includes the steps of: periodically measuring the distance covered and a parameter C(t) characteristic of the running conditions; determining on the basis of C(t) and the measured distance over &Dgr;t a quantity characteristic of potential elementary damage of the system during the elapsed time &Dgr;t; calculating an estimate of the global damage by combining the calculated elementary damage levels since the start of flat running; and transmitting to the vehicle driver a quantity related to that estimate of the flat running system global damage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Francois Hottebart, Russell Shepherd