EP0060469A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for non-destructive inspection of tyres
Assignee: Bandag Licensing Corp
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Filing: 1980-04-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-04-16
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for testing tires includes an ultrasonic transmitter (500, 502) and an ultrasonic receiver mounted on opposite sides of a tire wall (112). Electrical circuits (812, 814, 816) connected to the transmitter and receiver cause successive ultrasonic signals of different frequency to be transmitted through the tire wall at each successive testing site. The circuits also combine measurements of received ultrasonic signals made at each site.
Inventors
- 👤 Doyle Lawrence Dugger
- 👤 Morris Dean Ho
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 19:34
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/44; G01N29/449; G01M; G01M17/00; G01M17/007; G01M17/02; G01M17/025; G01N29/22; G01N29/26; G01N29/27; G01N29/34; G01N29/341; G01N29/343
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A non-destructive tire testing apparatus having an ultrasonic acoustic transmitter (500, 502) and an ultrasonic acoustic receiver (210) opposingly mounted on opposite sides of a relatively movable tire wall (112) so as to obtain and display (420) a measurement of the condition of the thus tested portion of the tire wall, said apparatus being characterized by: electrical circuits (812, 814, 816) connected to said transmitter and receiver for causing successive ultrasonic signals of different frequency to be transmitted through said tire wall at each of successive testing sites and for combining measurements of received ultrasonic signals made at each site.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A non-destructive tire testing apparatus having an ultrasonic acoustic transmitter (500, 502) and an ultrasonic acoustic receiver (210) opposingly mounted on opposite sides of a relatively movable tire wall (112) so as to obtain and display (420) a measurement of the condition of the thus tested portion of the tire wall, said apparatus being characterized by: electrical circuits (812, 814, 816) connected to said transmitter and receiver for causing successive ultrasonic signals of different frequency to be transmitted through said tire wall at each of successive testing sites and for combining measurements of received ultrasonic signals made at each site.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 1 further characterized by said electrical circuits including means (814, 816) for generating repetitive bursts or pulses of ultrasonic signals and means (424) for synchronizing the time at which said successive bursts are generated with corresponding successive increments of relative movement between said tire wall and the ultrasonic transmitter and receiver. .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 1 further characterized by said electrical circuits including gated receiver circuits (700, 704, 706, 718) for amplifying, rectifying and integrating the ultrasonic electrical signals produced by said receiver during each of said gated time intervals thereby providing a succession of said electrical measurement signals having respective magnitudes representative of the relative strengths of a succession of received ultrasonic acoustic signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 1 further characterized by said gated receiver circuits including an automatic gain controlled amplifier (700) connected to automatically control its gain in accordance with the magnitude of ultrasonic electrical signals received during an earlier scan of the same or other substantially similar portions of said tire wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 1 further characterized by said ultrasonic signals having a frequency higher than about 40 KHz.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 1 further characterized by said ultrasonic signals having a frequency approximately 75 KHz.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 2 further characterized by said electrical circuits including means (700) which utilize substantially only an initial or leading edge portion of each received burst when the envelope of said receiving ultrasonic signals in increasing in magnitude with respect to time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 1 further characterized by: tire mounting means for rotatably mounting said tire; at least one of said transmitter and receiving being adjustably mounted by means (212, 1504) for relative movement during tire mounting and de-mounting operations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 8 further characterized by: said electrical circuits including means for generating repetitive bursts or pulses of ultrasonic signals and means (424) for synchornizing the time at which said successive bursts are generated with corresponding successive increments of relative movement between said tire wall and the ultrasonic transmitter and receiver.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 8 further characterized by said electrical circuits including gated receiver circuits (700, 704, 706, 718) for amplifying, rectifying and integrating the ultrasonic electrical signals produced by said receiver during each of said gated time intervals thereby providing a succession of said electrical measurement signals having respective magnitudes representative of the relative strengths of a succession of received ultrasonic acoustic signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 8 further characterized by said gated receiver circuits including an automatic gain controlled amplifier (700) connected to automatically control its gain in accordance with the magnitude of ultrasonic electrical signals received during an earlier scan of the same or other substantially similar portions of said tire wall.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 8 further characterized by said ultrasonic signals having a frequency higher than about 40 KHz.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 8 further characterized by said ultrasonic signals having a frequency of approximately 75 KHz.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 9 further characterized by said electrical circuits utilize substantially only an initial or leading edge portion of each received burst when the envelope of said receiving ultrasonic signals in increasing in magnitude with respect to time.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
114 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in any of claims 8-14 wherein said tire mounting means is further characterized by: opposing circular rings or flanges (108, 110) adapted to sealingly engage the corresponding rims of said tire when placed therebetween, tire inflation means (102) for inflating said tire to at least 5 psi after engagement by said rings, and transmitter mounting means (1504) mechanically mounted between said rings for retracting said transmitter radially toward the center of the circular rings while mounting and de-mounting the tire from between said rings and for extending said transmitter radially away from the center of the circular rings and toward the tire tread wall during a measurement cycle.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 15 further characterized by said transmitter mounting means being, when in its radially retracted position, also moved axially with respect to at least one of said rings so as to facilitate the tire mounting operation without damage to said transmitter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 16 further characterized by receiver mounting means (212) disposed for retraction of said receiver radially away from said circular rings while mounting and de-mounting the tire from between the rings for extending said receiver radially toward said circular rings during a measurement cycle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 17 further characterized by during a measurement cycle said transmitter being disposed at approximately 2±1 inches from the inside tire wall surface and said receiver is disposed at approximately 4.5 to 8.5 inches from said transmitter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A nondestructive tire testing apparatus as in claim 8 further characterized by means (102) for inflating said tire to approximately 15-18 psi and means (1504) for operatively positioning said transmitter within said inflated tire.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
87 words
A non-destructive tire testing method utilizing an ultrasonic acoustic transmitter (500, 502) and an ultrasonic acoustic receiver (210) opposingly mounted on opposite sides of a relatively movable tire wall (112) so as to obtain and display (420) a measurement of the condition of the thus tested portion of the tire wall, said method being characterized by: causing successive ultrasonic signals of different frequency to be transmitted through said tire wall at each of successive testing sites and combining measurements of received ultrasonic signals made at each site.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
87 words
A non-destructive tire testing method utilizing an ultrasonic acoustic transmitter (500, 502) and an ultrasonic acoustic receiver (210) opposingly mounted on opposite sides of a relatively movable tire wall (112) so as to obtain and display (420) a measurement of the condition of the thus tested portion of the tire wall, said method being characterized by: causing successive ultrasonic signals of different frequency to be transmitted through said tire wall at each of successive testing sites and combining measurements of received ultrasonic signals made at each site.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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