Patents by Inventor Thomas Becherer

Thomas Becherer 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).

  • Patent number: 6161431
    Abstract: A vehicle tire has a plurality of first marks arranged in a circular pattern on a radially outer area of the vehicle tire. A plurality of second marks is arranged in a circular pattern on a radially inner area of the sidewall. Passing of the first and second marks is detectable by magnetic or inductive sensors. The derived signals are used to determine the longitudinal force acting on the tire or the tire spring travel or the footprint length or the load/pressure ratio during rotation of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Eberhard Drahne, Thomas Becherer
  • Patent number: 5964265
    Abstract: A vehicle tire for a motor vehicle has a carcass, a belt, and tire tread. A device for generating data for determining tire-road adhesion or friction between the footprint of the vehicle tire and the road surface is provided. The device includes at least one magnetic sensor connected to a evaluation device. The at least one magnetic sensor has individual magnetic sensor elements forming cooperating sensor element pairs. The device also includes a magnetic field arranged in the belt and generated during tire manufacture by partial magnetization of the belt. The at least one magnetic sensor is arranged in at least one lug of the tire tread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Becherer
  • Patent number: 5926017
    Abstract: A device for measuring a rotary frequency of a rotating vehicle tire includes a number of first poles uniformly arranged on a circle with a radius R1 on or within a vehicle tire. A first sensor, for sensing the first poles, is stationarily arranged at a distance R2 from a rotational axis of the vehicle wheel. The radii have the following relationship: 0.9 R1<R2<1.1 R1. A computing unit is connected to the first sensor. The first sensor sends first signals to the computing unit when the first poles pass the first sensor. The computing unit determines a first time period between passing of sequential ones of the first poles. The computing unit multiplies a reciprocal value of the first time period by a reciprocal value of the number of the first poles to a multiplication product and supplies the multiplication product as a measure of a first rotary frequency to a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hubertus Von Grunberg, Thomas Becherer, Heinrich Huinink, Klaus Kleinhoff
  • Patent number: 5913240
    Abstract: A method for determining a longitudinal force acting during tire rotation on a tire mounted on a wheel rim includes the step of determining the torsional deformation of the tire, which is a function of the location of measurement, between a radially inner area of the wheel or the hub and a radially outer area of the tire in at least one non-rotating position. At least two marks are positioned at the wheel on different radii relative to an axis of rotation of the wheel, wherein a radially outer mark is positioned on a radially outer area of the tire. At least two sensors are non-rotatingly arranged in the vicinity of the wheel so as to be positioned on the different radii, wherein a radially inwardly arranged sensor is connected to a steering knuckle and a radially outwardly arranged sensor is connected to a transverse suspension arm of the wheel suspension. For the rotating wheel at least one time period between passing of the at least two marks at the at least two sensors is recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Eberhard Drahne, Thomas Becherer
  • Patent number: 5895854
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel is provided with a pneumatic tire and has a way to provide information. The pneumatic tire has at least at one predetermined location a rubber mixture that is permeated with magnetizable particles. An annular band of this rubber mixture contains the magnetizable particles anisotropically aligned in a peripheral direction of the tire. The tire can be used in a slip regulation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Becherer, Martin Fehrle