US3722270A — Non-destructive method of determining tire life

Claim 1

Independent Claim 143 words

A method of determination of wear susceptibility of a tire comprising the steps of: 1. measuring the non-uniformity of force variations present in a predetermined number of like tires representative of said tire under identical test conditions; 2. measuring the rates of wear of said predetermined number of tires under specific conditions to thereby ascertain the effect of said force variationS upon the wear properties of said predetermined number of tires; 3. storing the force variation and wear data obtained in steps (1) and (2) to provide a dictionary of the effect of said force variations upon the wear properties of said predetermined number of tires; 4. measuring the non-uniformity of force variations present in said tire under said test conditions; 5. comparing the force variations of said tire to said stored data to thereby non-destructively determine the wear susceptability of said tire.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 143 words

A method of determination of wear susceptibility of a tire comprising the steps of: 1. measuring the non-uniformity of force variations present in a predetermined number of like tires representative of said tire under identical test conditions; 2. measuring the rates of wear of said predetermined number of tires under specific conditions to thereby ascertain the effect of said force variationS upon the wear properties of said predetermined number of tires; 3. storing the force variation and wear data obtained in steps (1) and (2) to provide a dictionary of the effect of said force variations upon the wear properties of said predetermined number of tires; 4. measuring the non-uniformity of force variations present in said tire under said test conditions; 5. comparing the force variations of said tire to said stored data to thereby non-destructively determine the wear susceptability of said tire.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

measuring the rates of wear of said predetermined number of tires under specific conditions to thereby ascertain the effect of said force variationS upon the wear properties of said predetermined number of tires;

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

measuring the rates of wear of said predetermined number of tires under specific conditions to thereby ascertain the effect of said force variationS upon the wear properties of said predetermined number of tires;

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring the non-uniformity of force variations includes measuring the variation in tangential forces exerted by the footprints of said predetermined number of tires.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 53 words

wearing away at least part of the tread wearing surface of a portion of the tires of step (1) under specific conditions with the number of tires in said portion being of a sufficient sample size to enable the effect of the non-uniformity of force variations upon the wear property to be determined;

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 53 words

wearing away at least part of the tread wearing surface of a portion of the tires of step (1) under specific conditions with the number of tires in said portion being of a sufficient sample size to enable the effect of the non-uniformity of force variations upon the wear property to be determined;

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 40 words

storing the force variation and wear data of steps (1) and (2) to provide a dictionary of stored terms which relates the effect of the force variations upon the wear properties of said portion of the tires of step (1);

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

storing the force variation and wear data of steps (1) and (2) to provide a dictionary of stored terms which relates the effect of the force variations upon the wear properties of said portion of the tires of step (1);

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 1 and further including the step of:

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 34 words

storing the force variation and wear data obtained in steps (1) and (2) to provide a dictionary of the effect of said force variations upon the wear properties of said predetermined number of tires;

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

storing the force variation and wear data obtained in steps (1) and (2) to provide a dictionary of the effect of said force variations upon the wear properties of said predetermined number of tires;

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 14 words

measuring the non-uniformity of force variations present in said tire under said test conditions;

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 14 words

measuring the non-uniformity of force variations present in said tire under said test conditions;

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 1, and further including the steps of:

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

comparing the measured force variations of the unworn tires of step (1) to the stored data to thereby non-destructively determine the potential wear property of the unworn tires; and,

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

comparing the measured force variations of the unworn tires of step (1) to the stored data to thereby non-destructively determine the potential wear property of the unworn tires; and,

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 22 words

dividing the tires of step (4) into groups of tires wherein each tire of the same group has similar expected wear properties.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 22 words

dividing the tires of step (4) into groups of tires wherein each tire of the same group has similar expected wear properties.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 1, and further including the steps of:

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 21 words

comparing the force variations of said tire to said stored data to thereby non-destructively determine the wear susceptability of said tire.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

comparing the force variations of said tire to said stored data to thereby non-destructively determine the wear susceptability of said tire.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 26 words

selecting tires in accordance with the results of step (5) to thereby enable providing groups of tires wherein each said group exhibits similar degrees of imperfectness;

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 26 words

selecting tires in accordance with the results of step (5) to thereby enable providing groups of tires wherein each said group exhibits similar degrees of imperfectness;

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 47 words

selecting tires in accordance with the results of step (5) to enable providing groups of tires for test purposes wherein said tires of each group have comparable degrees of non-uniformity to thereby enable a true comparison to be established between the tires of the different test groups.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 47 words

selecting tires in accordance with the results of step (5) to enable providing groups of tires for test purposes wherein said tires of each group have comparable degrees of non-uniformity to thereby enable a true comparison to be established between the tires of the different test groups.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 13 words

subjecting the tread of said tire to a controlled tread rubber removing operation;

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 13 words

subjecting the tread of said tire to a controlled tread rubber removing operation;

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 10 words

subjecting the tread of said tire to a grinding operation;

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 10 words

subjecting the tread of said tire to a grinding operation;

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 9 words

carrying out step (5) for a plurality of tires;

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 9 words

carrying out step (5) for a plurality of tires;

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 1, and further including the steps of:

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 41 words

separating the tires of step (5) into a first and second group, wherein the first of said groups includes the tires exhibiting force variations which are of a smaller magnitude as compared to the remaining tires which form the second group;

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 41 words

separating the tires of step (5) into a first and second group, wherein the first of said groups includes the tires exhibiting force variations which are of a smaller magnitude as compared to the remaining tires which form the second group;

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 18 words

subjecting the tread of the tires of the second group to a controlled tread rubber removing operation, and

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 18 words

subjecting the tread of the tires of the second group to a controlled tread rubber removing operation, and

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the determination of true wear differences is utilized to prolong the life of the tire according to the following steps:

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 37 words

separating the tires of step (6) into a first and second group of tires, wherein the first group of tires each have force variations which are of a lower magnitude relative to the second group of tires;

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 37 words

separating the tires of step (6) into a first and second group of tires, wherein the first group of tires each have force variations which are of a lower magnitude relative to the second group of tires;

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 36 words

utilizing the stored data of step (4) to thereby determine the amount of rubber to remove from said tire in order to remove the apparent source of radial and lateral force variations determined in step (5).

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 36 words

utilizing the stored data of step (4) to thereby determine the amount of rubber to remove from said tire in order to remove the apparent source of radial and lateral force variations determined in step (5).

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 28 words

removing a predetermined amount of tread wearing compound from the tread wearing surface of the tire To thereby remove the apparent source of radial and lateral force variations.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 28 words

removing a predetermined amount of tread wearing compound from the tread wearing surface of the tire To thereby remove the apparent source of radial and lateral force variations.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 54 words

providing each tire with indicia identifying the tire with the group to which the tire belongs; whereby: a tire may be evaluated and identified to thereby enable it to be placed in service where the severity of usage to which the tire will be subjected does not exceed the durable capabilities of the tire.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 54 words

providing each tire with indicia identifying the tire with the group to which the tire belongs; whereby: a tire may be evaluated and identified to thereby enable it to be placed in service where the severity of usage to which the tire will be subjected does not exceed the durable capabilities of the tire.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the determination of true wear differences is utilized to prolong the life of the tire according to the following additional steps:

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 16 words

subjecting the tread of said second group of tires to a controlled tread rubber removing operation;

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 16 words

subjecting the tread of said second group of tires to a controlled tread rubber removing operation;

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 23 words

removing rubber from predetermined areas of the tread in accordance with step (7) so as to improve the force variation of step (4).

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 23 words

removing rubber from predetermined areas of the tread in accordance with step (7) so as to improve the force variation of step (4).

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 51 words

utilizing the stored data of step (4) to determine the amount and location of tread rubber to remove in step (8) in order to minimize the apparent source of force variations determined in step (4), to thereby improve the durability and resistance to abrasive wear of the second group of tires.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 51 words

utilizing the stored data of step (4) to determine the amount and location of tread rubber to remove in step (8) in order to minimize the apparent source of force variations determined in step (4), to thereby improve the durability and resistance to abrasive wear of the second group of tires.

Claim 54

Independent Claim 15 words

A method of classifying tires according to the wear property thereof comprising the steps of:

Claim 55

Independent Claim 15 words

A method of classifying tires according to the wear property thereof comprising the steps of:

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 9 wherein each tire of a group is provided with indicia which identifies the group in which the tire has been classified.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-03-26	1976-09-25	1977-03-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-03-26	1980-09-25	1981-03-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-03-26	1984-09-25	1985-03-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Non-destructive method of determining tire life

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