US3810159A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method to effect ir reading of a relief pattern
Assignee: Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co
•
Filing: 1972-04-03
•
Granted: 1974-05-07
•
Expires: 1992-04-03
Abstract
Abstract Reading of an identification pattern in relief to the surface area of a material is accomplished by creating a temperature difference between raised and recessed portions of the pattern. Either heating or cooling the inclosed area of the pattern by conduction provides emitted infrared radiation having energy levels indicative of the temperature of the raised and recessed areas. The radiation energy is detected by IR sensors that convert the radiation to electrical signals indicative of the relief pattern in the material. Output apparatus converts the sensor signals to an equivalent readout or display of the pattern.
Inventors
- 👤 W Hinks
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:59
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/34; B07C5/3412; G; G06; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/10; G06V10/12; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T152/00; Y10T152/10; Y10T152/10495
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
Apparatus to effect reading of an identification relief pattern having raised and recessed portions and disposed in the elastomer of a vehicle tire surface comprising: a. means contacting the raised portions of the relief pattern on the tire surface to effect by conduction, a temperature change in the raised portions of the inclosed pattern area sufficient to produce infrared radiation of a first energy level from the raised portions that is differentiated from a second energy level of infrared radiation from the recessed portions of the relief pattern; b. sensor means in relative position to the tire surface inclosing the relief pattern and responsive to one of the two levels of the emitted radiation to provide an electrical output indicative of the relief pattern as exhibited in the two energy levels of the infrared radiation; c. means to effect relative motion between the tire surface inclosing the relief pattern and the sensor means to provide scanning of the pattern; and d. means accepting the sensor means output to convert said output to an equivalent readout or display of the identification relief pattern.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
Apparatus to effect reading of an identification relief pattern having raised and recessed portions and disposed in the elastomer of a vehicle tire surface comprising: a. means contacting the raised portions of the relief pattern on the tire surface to effect by conduction, a temperature change in the raised portions of the inclosed pattern area sufficient to produce infrared radiation of a first energy level from the raised portions that is differentiated from a second energy level of infrared radiation from the recessed portions of the relief pattern; b. sensor means in relative position to the tire surface inclosing the relief pattern and responsive to one of the two levels of the emitted radiation to provide an electrical output indicative of the relief pattern as exhibited in the two energy levels of the infrared radiation; c. means to effect relative motion between the tire surface inclosing the relief pattern and the sensor means to provide scanning of the pattern; and d. means accepting the sensor means output to convert said output to an equivalent readout or display of the identification relief pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means contacting the raised portions of the relief pattern is a heating means that raises the temperature of the surface occupied by the raised portions of the pattern.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
scanning the inclosed pattern area with a radiation sensor responsive to the energy level of the raised portions of the pattern to provide a radiation image representative of the temperature difference between the pattern in raised relief and the inclosed surface area;
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
scanning the inclosed pattern area with a radiation sensor responsive to the energy level of the raised portions of the pattern to provide a radiation image representative of the temperature difference between the pattern in raised relief and the inclosed surface area;
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sensor means comprises: a. a linear cell array of material responsive to infrared radiation and disposed transverse to the direction of relative motion between the inclosed pattern on the tire and the sensor; and b. means to focus the radiation upon the linear cell array.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
converting the radiation image to an electrical equivalent indicative of the identification pattern; and
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
converting the radiation image to an electrical equivalent indicative of the identification pattern; and
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a roller adapted to receive a coolant is mounted in a downstream position relative to the heating means and the sensor means to provide conduction cooling of the raised portions of the pattern surface for plural reading of the pattern.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
comparing the electrical equivalent of the identification relief pattern to the computer store of patterns to provide an exact readout or display of the pattern as read from the tire when a match is found.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
comparing the electrical equivalent of the identification relief pattern to the computer store of patterns to provide an exact readout or display of the pattern as read from the tire when a match is found.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means accepting the sensor means output is a threshold detector circuit to convert the signals indicative of the temperature of the raised portions of the pattern as reflected in the infrared energy emitted from the raised portions to a binary equivalent electrical signal indicative of the temperature above or below a threshold value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a computer having a store of all tire identification patterns, which computer accepts the binary signals from the threshold detector circuit and compares said signals to its store of patterns to provide an output equivalent of the tire identification pattern.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
27 words
A method of reading an identification relief pattern having raised and recessed portions and disposed in the elastomer of a vehicle tire surface comprising the Steps of:
Claim 15
Independent Claim
27 words
A method of reading an identification relief pattern having raised and recessed portions and disposed in the elastomer of a vehicle tire surface comprising the Steps of:
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the relief pattern is in the elastomer of a hot molded vehicle tire and the raised portions of the pattern are cooled by conduction, and scanning the inclosed pattern area with a radiation sensor provides a radiation image representative of the temperature difference between the cooled portions of the pattern in raised relief and the inclosed pattern area.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3517166A
Cited
US3573472A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-06 | 1977-11-05 | 1978-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-06 | 1981-11-05 | 1982-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-06 | 1985-11-05 | 1986-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |