JP4150264B2 - Tire testing equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tire testing apparatus that observes and measures the outer shape of a tire, deformation of a ground contact portion, and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a test apparatus for automobile tires, a test apparatus as shown in Patent Document 1 is known. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the principle of the test apparatus shown in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the test apparatus includes a flat road surface 101 that rolls the test tire 100, a tire travel frame 102 that rotatably supports the test tire 100 and travels along the road surface 101, An observation / measurement unit 103 for observing / measuring the ground contact state of the tire from the road surface side is provided so that the force acting on the measurement point and the slip amount can be automatically measured with high accuracy.
[0003]
[Patent Literature]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-116119 (Summary, see FIGS. 1 to 4)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the tire testing apparatus as described above, the tire is deformed by the force / attitude angle applied to the tire, and the runway 104 of a certain distance is necessary until the deformation is stabilized. In FIG. 5, the runway is from the start position to the observation / measurement unit 103.
[0005]
However, the tire test apparatus shown in Patent Document 1 is a very large-scale apparatus because the flat runway 104 has a long distance on the road surface 101 on which the test tire rolls. In particular, when testing RV tires having a large outer diameter and tires for trucks and buses, the maximum length of the runway corresponding to the tire is required, and the length exceeds 10 m. Therefore, there has been a problem that the place and materials for installing the test apparatus become large.
[0006]
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact tire test apparatus in which a runway is substituted for a runway for stabilizing the shape and deformation of a tire when rolling the test tire.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a road surface on which a test tire rolls, a tire travel frame that rotatably supports the test tire and travels along the road surface, and observes the ground contact state of the tire from the road surface side. An observation / measurement unit for measuring, and the road surface is composed of a measurement path having the observation / measurement unit and a runway from a start position to the measurement path, and at least a part of the runway And a rotating road that is rotatable in the length direction of the road surface, and the measurement road is a flat road surface that is connected to the runway .
[0008]
According to the said structure, since at least one part of a runway is a rotary path which can rotate in the length direction of a road surface, it can form compactly compared with the flat plate-like runway like the past.
[0009]
The specific form of the rotating path may be a rotating drum whose peripheral surface is a part of the road surface, or a belt wound around a plurality of rollers, and a large number of track pieces are connected. The track may be an endless track wound around a plurality of rollers.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a simplified configuration diagram of a tire testing apparatus having a rotating drum type runway showing a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a tire test apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a road surface 3 that rolls the test tire 2, a tire travel frame 4 that rotatably supports the test tire 2 and travels along the road surface 3. And an observation / measurement unit 5 for observing and measuring the ground contact state of the tire from the road surface side.
[0012]
The road surface 3 includes a measurement path 6 having the observation / measurement unit, and a runway 8 from a start position to the measurement path 6, and the runway 8 can rotate in the length direction of the road surface. The rotary path 9 is a rotary drum whose peripheral surface is a part of the road surface. The rotary drum 9 has a rotation drive device (not shown) and a sufficient brake or motor control function that balances braking / driving torque applied to the tire.
[0013]
The measurement path 6 is a flat road surface provided continuously with the rotary drum 9. A concave portion 11 in which a translucent road surface plate, a pressure displacement sensor or the like is embedded is formed in an intermediate portion of the measurement path 6, and the upper surface thereof is set to be flush with other road surfaces.
[0014]
The tire traveling frame 4 travels on a traveling rail (not shown) formed along the side surface of the road surface 3, and has a U-shaped frame main body 12 that is open below and a suspension from the center or side of the top. A support rod 13 supported by the frame and a bearing body 14 that can be raised and lowered along the support rod 13 are provided, and the test tire 2 is rotatably supported on a rotating shaft 15 of the bearing body 14. The rotary shaft 15 can be moved back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the road surface 3 with respect to the bearing body 14, and can be tilted around an axis perpendicular to the length direction of the road surface 3, Similar tests can be performed. Further, although not shown, a rotation drive device for driving and controlling the rotation shaft 15 is also added. That is, the tire traveling frame 4 has a function capable of imparting a slip angle, a camber angle, a load, a braking force, a driving force, and the like to the test tire, similar to that shown in Patent Document 1.
[0015]
In the observation / measurement unit 5, a translucent light-transmitting road surface plate or a sensor box in which various sensors are embedded is installed flush with the road surface 3. In the case of a light-transmitting road surface plate, the characteristics of various optical rays can be measured in a non-contact manner, such as grounding of a rotating tire, observation of a non-grounding region, photographing with a camera, and the like. The sensor box generally includes a contact type sensor that measures the pressure and displacement of the tire ground contact portion.
[0016]
In the above configuration, the run-up path 8 replaces the portion of the travel distance necessary for stabilizing the deformation of the test tire with the rotating drum and travels on the rotating drum 9 until the deformation is sufficiently stabilized, and then is flat. By running the measurement path 5, the length of the test apparatus can be shortened, and the same situation can be created with a length that is half or less than that of the conventional test apparatus.
[0017]
<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 2 is a simplified configuration diagram of a tire testing apparatus including a belt-type runway showing the second embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, when the outer diameter of the rotating drum in the first embodiment is significantly different from the outer diameter of the test tire, a certain distance is required after moving to the flat plate. Therefore, a belt 9 as a rotating path such as steel is wound around a plurality of (three in the present embodiment) rollers 16, and the flat road surface 17 formed thereon is set to be larger than the ground contact area of the tire. It is a thing.
[0018]
Thereby, the conventional flat part (measurement path) which does not rotate can be created only with a part necessary for almost observation and measurement. Other configurations and operational effects are the same as those of the first embodiment. Moreover, although the belt illustrated the steel belt, it is not restricted to this, The belt by rubber | gum or another material may be sufficient.
[0019]
<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 3 is a simplified configuration diagram of a tire testing apparatus having an endless track type runway showing the third embodiment, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part thereof. As shown in the figure, in the present embodiment, the rotating path 9 is composed of an endless track formed by a plurality of track pieces 19 connected to each other and wound around a plurality of rollers 20. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.
[0020]
By setting the flat running road surface formed by this endless track method to a size larger than the contact area of the tire, the conventional flat part (measurement path) that does not rotate is only the part necessary for observation and measurement. Can be created.
[0021]
In particular, in the case of large tires such as tires for trucks and buses, the portion that used to be a flat plate needs a considerable length, but the endless track method generates a large force generated between the tire and the road surface. It can be supported by a structure that does not require cumbersome control, etc., and compact and low maintenance is possible.
[0022]
Further, in the case of the endless track system, it is not necessary to adjust the center of the roller part and adjust the tension of the steel belt, and the maintainability is improved as compared with the belt system.
[0023]
In addition, since the test tire has a high running speed of several km / h, it is not necessary to consider centrifugal force due to rotation even in the endless track system where the weight of the rotating part is large. Can do.
[0024]
Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the entire runway is a rotary path, but the start point of the runway may be formed in a flat plate shape, and the remaining part may be the rotary path.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a compact tire testing device can be provided by adding a rotation function to a traveling portion necessary for stabilizing the deformation of the tire.
[0026]
In addition, by adopting a belt method or an endless track method for the rotating part, the observation / measurement unit can be installed in the measurement path adjacent to the rotating part by flattening it, and it is set to the minimum necessary size. can do.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a simplified configuration diagram of a tire testing apparatus having a rotating drum type runway showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is provided with a belt type runway showing a second embodiment. Fig. 3 is a simplified configuration diagram of a tire testing apparatus equipped with an endless track type runway according to the third embodiment. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of the tire testing device. 5] Configuration diagram showing the principle of a conventional tire testing device [Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tire test apparatus 2 Test tire 3 Road surface 4 Traveling frame 5 Observation / measurement part 6 Measuring path 7 Start position 8 Runway 9 Rotating path 11 Recess 12 Frame main body 13 Support rod 14 Bearing body 15 Rotating shaft 19 Track piece 20 Roller

Claims (4)

A road surface on which the test tire rolls, a tire traveling frame that rotatably supports the test tire and travels along the road surface, and an observation / measurement unit that observes and measures the ground contact state of the tire from the road surface side,
The road surface is composed of a measurement path having the observation / measurement unit and a runway from a start position to the measurement path, and at least a part of the runway can rotate in the length direction of the road surface. A tire testing apparatus , wherein the measurement road is a flat road surface continuously provided on the runway . The tire testing device according to claim 1, wherein the rotating path is a rotating drum having a circumferential surface that is a part of the road surface. The tire testing device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation path is a belt wound around a plurality of rollers. The tire testing device according to claim 1, wherein the rotation path is an endless track formed by connecting a plurality of track pieces and wound around a plurality of rollers.

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