DE102022118383A1 - Arrangement for determining a tire condition - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for determining a tire condition, comprising a measuring station (10), each having two rollers (7) with a gap (8) between the rollers (7) for testing at least one tire (5) of a vehicle, with one or both rollers (7) can be driven by a motor (11), with a sensor system (9) being positioned below the gap (8), the arrangement being designed as a hub (1) for autonomous commercial vehicle combinations (2) and further comprises a central data processing unit (12), wherein the sensors (9) are configured to measure a penetration depth (s) of the tire (5) into the gap (8) and a temperature of the tire (5), further comprising a weighing device for determining a wheel load of the tire (5) and means for determining a nominal diameter and a nominal width of the tire (5) are provided, wherein the measuring station (10) is configured to transmit all measured data to the central data processing unit (12), which is configured to, on the basis of the measured data, the wheel load, the diameter and the width of the tire (5) using value tables and depending on a gap width of the gap (8), the condition of the tire (5) with regard to the tire pressure and the condition of the tires and to prohibit the start of the journey if the condition is insufficient.

Description

The invention relates to an arrangement for determining a tire condition according to the preamble of claim 1.

Autonomous commercial vehicles (HGVs), also known as self-driving trucks (SDT), are currently being developed. In one version, these will be autonomous tractors that can be coupled to any semi-trailer or trailer in order to form so-called trailers. Typically, the coupling will take place at motorway hubs or in depots. In the following, the term hub is used for both cases. Such a hub is a private, secure depot with exclusive access for autonomous commercial vehicles and their customers.

Autonomous journeys (in particular Level 4) are operationally managed from such a hub. Every autonomous commercial vehicle drives with different, previously unknown semi-trailers or trailers, so that the roadworthiness must be ensured before and after each trip. This also includes the condition of the tires on the tractor unit and the semi-trailer or trailer.

In the case of a conventional commercial vehicle, the driver is obliged to carry out a visual inspection of the combination before starting the journey. This also includes the optical detection of tire conditions. The tire is a wearing part, which is very error-prone, but at the same time is essential for driving safety.

With an autonomous commercial vehicle, a stationary system or human assistance is required for this task due to the lack of a driver and the frequently changing semi-trailers or trailers.

Stationary tire measuring devices for measuring various tire properties are known in the prior art. These are mostly tire properties such as stiffness, running behavior or vibration measurements and not safety-related wear tests. The test is not carried out in the assembled state.

DE 10 2017 208 810 A1 describes a device for measuring the profile of the tread of a tire with a measuring module which has at least one light source which is designed and arranged in such a way that during operation it projects light beams onto the profile to be measured, and at least one image recording device which is used to record at least one image at least one area of the profile to be measured is formed. A means for changing the optical path of sight rays is arranged between the image recording device and the profile of the tire.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a novel arrangement for determining the condition of a tire.

The object is achieved according to the invention by an arrangement for determining a tire condition according to claim 1.

Advantageous configurations of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

An arrangement according to the invention for determining a tire condition comprises a measuring station which is arranged in a subsurface and has two rollers each with a gap between the rollers for testing at least one tire of a vehicle, one or both rollers being drivable by a motor, with below of the gap a sensor is positioned. According to the invention, the arrangement is designed as a hub for autonomous commercial vehicle combinations, each comprising a tractor unit and at least one semitrailer or trailer, and also comprises a central data processing unit, the sensor system being configured to measure a penetration depth of the tire into the gap and a temperature of the tire is, wherein furthermore a weighing device for determining a wheel load of the tire and means for determining a nominal diameter and a nominal width of the tire are provided, wherein the measuring station is configured to send all measured data to the central data processing unit, which is configured to on the basis of the measured data, the wheel load, the diameter and the width of the tire using value tables and depending on a gap width of the gap to estimate the condition of the tire with regard to the tire pressure and the tire condition, the central data processing unit to do this is configured to determine the condition of the tires of at least the semi-trailer or trailer for each commercial vehicle combination before starting a journey and to prohibit the start of the journey if the condition is insufficient.

The present invention proposes a stationary system that can quickly and efficiently detect the tire condition of the tractor and the semi-trailer or trailer when mounted.

A stationary system has many advantages, such as better detection of errors. The solution according to the invention allows detailed information to be collected from each tire and automatically stored centrally will. This not only increases driving safety, but can also give the forwarding company legal protection, for example in the event of accidents with suspected negligence in the final inspection.

The system described here is based on a coupled combination of tractor and semi-trailer or trailer. The system should primarily check the tires of the semi-trailer or trailer, since the corresponding dynamic systems for the tractor already exist. Nevertheless, the tires of the tractor could of course also be checked in this way.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.

• 1 eine schematische Ansicht eines Hubs mit einem Nutzfahrzeug-Gespann und einer Messstation.

It shows:

• 1 a schematic view of a hub with a commercial vehicle combination and a measuring station.

Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference symbols in all figures.

1 is a schematic view of a hub 1, for example a motorway hub or a depot, and an autonomous commercial vehicle combination 2, comprising a tractor 3 and a trailer 4. In other exemplary embodiments, instead of the trailer 4, at least one trailer can be provided. Hub 1, for example, is a secure depot with exclusive access for autonomous commercial vehicles and their customers.

It is provided that in hub 1 each commercial vehicle combination 2 undergoes one or more checks before starting a journey in order to ensure that the tractor 3 and the entire commercial vehicle combination 2 are roadworthy. These controls can be carried out in one or more zones. According to the invention, individual wheel loads of the tractor 3 and the semi-trailer 4 or trailer are to be determined and their tires 5 are to be analyzed. The sequence of wheel load measurement and tire analysis is irrelevant.

Furthermore, it is determined which type of tire 5 is used on the towing vehicle 3 and on the semi-trailer 4 or trailer. This information can be obtained from a database, but also by camera-based methods. A nominal diameter and a nominal width of the tire 5 are known from the determined tire type.

For the analysis of the tires 5, it is provided that a measuring station 10 is arranged at a specific location in the hub 1 in the subsurface 6, for example in a roadway, which has two rollers 7 with a small gap 8 with a gap width s_b of, for example, 10 cm has the rollers 7, wherein one or both rollers 7 can be driven by a motor 11. The axes of rotation of the rollers 7 are aligned horizontally. A sensor system 9 comprising a plurality of sensors is positioned below the gap 8 and can measure a penetration depth s of the tire 5 into the gap 8 on the one hand and a tread depth of the tire 5 on the other. In addition, the temperature of the tires 5 is determined.

For the tire analysis, it is provided that the commercial vehicle combination 2 stops briefly with each axle over the gap 8 so that each tire 5 can be measured. The commercial vehicle combination 2 keeps its position through the gap 8 between the rollers 7 even without an active parking brake, so that the tires 5 can be rotated with the aid of the at least one driven roller 7 . This allows the entire tire 5 to be analyzed in detail.

• - eine Radlast m_Rad,
• - eine Eindringtiefe s des Reifens 5 in den Spalt 8,
• - die Temperatur T des Reifens 5,
• - der nominelle Durchmesser d des Reifens 5, und
• - die nominelle Breite b des Reifens 5.

After the tire analysis, the following information is available for each tire 5:

• - a wheel load m _wheel ,
• - a penetration depth s of the tire 5 in the gap 8,
• - the temperature T of the tire 5,
• - the nominal diameter d of the tire 5, and
• - the nominal width b of the tire 5.

Based on this information, an estimate can be made of a condition F of the tire 5 with regard to the tire pressure and the condition of the tire, for example damage to the surface structure and/or elasticity, using value tables and depending on the gap width s_b. $$\text{f}\left({\text{m}}_{\text{wheel}\text{,}}\text{s}\text{, T}\text{, i.e}\text{, b}\text{, s\_b}\right)$$

In one embodiment, in addition to checking the tire pressure, the tire profile can optionally be checked in parallel. For this purpose, for example, the tread depth can be determined with the aid of a radar sensor, so that only commercial vehicle combinations 2 with sufficient tire profile start a journey.

The measurement station 10 may be configured to measure a tire 5 or dual tire on one side of an axle, or to measure tires 5 or dual tires on both sides of the axle.

In order to increase efficiency, several such measuring stations 10 can be arranged one behind the other in the underground 6, so that several axles of the commercial vehicle combination 2 can be measured and analyzed at the same time. Furthermore, a weighing device can also be integrated into the measuring station 10 .

The sensor system 9 can include a laser distance sensor, for example, which is configured to measure the penetration depth s of the tire 5 into the gap 8 .

Furthermore, the sensor system 9 can have a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature T of the tire 5 .

Optionally, the sensor system 9 can have a sensor, for example a radar sensor, for measuring the tread depth of the tire 5 in order to possibly detect a tire 5 that is too worn.

The measuring station 10 is configured to send all measured data to a central data processing unit 12 in the hub 1 . There, all measurement data are supplemented with the stored tire information of the commercial vehicle combination 2 and evaluated centrally. In the event of abnormalities, the central data processing unit 12 prohibits the start of the journey.

By systematically assessing the condition of tires, human error in detecting possible underlying problems is avoided. Compared to an inspection by personnel, there is also a cost saving.

With the solution according to the invention, preventive maintenance is possible, resulting in cost savings due to fewer unplanned downtimes. In addition, driving safety is increased by the solution according to the invention, so that fewer accidents occur due to tire failure and/or insufficient tire pressure. Furthermore, the solution according to the invention enables legal protection, since the analysis of the tire condition verifies the roadworthiness of the commercial vehicle combination 2 with regard to the tires 5 . Thus, the allegation of negligence can be refuted.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102017208810 A1 [0007]

Claims (6)

Arrangement for determining a tire condition, comprising a measuring station (10) which is arranged in a substrate (6) and two rollers (7) each with a gap (8) between the rollers (7) for testing at least one tire (5) of a vehicle, wherein one or both rollers (7) can be driven by a motor (11), a sensor system (9) being positioned below the gap (8), characterized in that the arrangement is used as a hub (1) for autonomous commercial vehicles - Combinations (2), each comprising a tractor (3) and at least one semi-trailer (4) or trailer, and further comprises a central data processing unit (12), the sensor system (9) for measuring a penetration depth (s) of the tire (5) in the gap (8) and a temperature of the tire (5), further comprising a weighing device for determining a wheel load of the tire (5) and means for determining a nominal diameter and a nominal width of the tire (5). hen, the measuring station (10) being configured to send all measured data to the central data processing unit (12), which is configured to, on the basis of the measured data, the wheel load, the diameter and the width of the tire (5) using value tables and depending on a gap width of the gap (8) to estimate the condition of the tire (5) with regard to the tire pressure and the tire condition, the central data processing unit (12) being configured for each commercial vehicle combination (2) before the start of a journey to determine the condition of the tires (5) at least of the semi-trailer (4) or trailer and to prohibit the start of the journey if the condition is insufficient. arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that the means for determining the nominal diameter and the nominal width of the tire (5) have a database and/or a camera arranged in or at the measuring station (10) for determining the tire type. arrangement according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the measuring station (10) also has means for determining a tire profile, in particular a radar sensor. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the simultaneous measurement of the tires (5) of several axles, several measuring stations (10) are arranged one behind the other in the subsoil (6). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weighing device is integrated into the measuring station (10). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor system (9) for measuring the penetration depth (s) of the tire (5) into the gap (8) comprises a laser distance sensor.

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