IP Library Granted Patent US 12680915
Granted Patent B2
US 12680915 · App. 18/182,433 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Tire testing device

Inventors: Sigeru Matsumoto (Tokyo, JP); Hiroshi Miyashita (Tokyo, JP); Kazuhiro Murauchi (Tokyo, JP); Shuichi Tokita (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: KOKUSAI KEISOKUKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G01M17/02B60C25/002
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12680915
App. No.
18/182,433
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tire testing device includes a road surface, and a carriage configured to rotatably hold a test wheel and traveling along the road surface. The carriage includes an alignment part configured to adjust wheel alignment of the test wheel. The alignment part includes a load adjusting part configured to adjust load acting on the test wheel. The load adjusting part includes a first movable frame movable up and down, a linear guide that guides the movement of the first movable frame, and a first driver that drives the first movable frame up and down. One of a rail and a traveling part of the linear guide is fixed to the first movable frame. The carriage includes a main frame having an alignment mechanism support part that accommodates the alignment part. The other of the rail and the traveling part is fixed to the alignment mechanism support part.

Claims (101)

1 . A tire testing device comprising:

a road surface; and

a carriage configured to rotatably hold a test wheel on which a test tire is mounted and traveling along the road surface in a state where the test tire is made to contact the road surface, wherein

the carriage includes:

an axle part that rotatably supports the test wheel, and

an alignment part configured to adjust wheel alignment of the test wheel by changing orientation of the axle part;

the alignment part includes a load adjusting part configured to adjust load acting on the test wheel by changing a height of the axle part;

the load adjusting part includes:

a first movable frame supported to be movable up and down,

linear guides that guide up-and-down movement of the first movable frame, and

a first driver that drives the first movable frame up and down;

the linear guides include:

a rail, and

a traveling part configured to travel on the rail;

one of the rail and the traveling part is fixed to the first movable frame;

the carriage includes a main frame having an alignment mechanism support part that accommodates the alignment part;

the other of the rail and the traveling part is fixed to the alignment mechanism support part;

the alignment part includes a camber adjusting part configured to adjust a camber angle of the test wheel;

the camber adjusting part includes:

a second movable frame supported so as to be rotatable about an E φ axis parallel to a traveling direction of the carriage, and

a φ driver that rotationally drives the second movable frame about the E φ axis;

the camber adjusting part includes curved guides that guide rotation of the second movable frame;

the curved guide includes:

an arc-shaped curved rail disposed concentrically with the E φ axis, and

a second traveling part configured to travel on the curved rail;

one of the curved rail and the second traveling part is fixed to the second movable frame;

the alignment mechanism support part, the first movable frame, and the second movable frame each have a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section when cut along a plane orthogonal to a rotation axis of the test wheel;

the linear guides are between inner sides of the substantially inverted U-shape of the alignment mechanism support part and outer sides of the substantially inverted U-shape of the first movable frame so that the first movable frame is sandwiched by the linear guides; and

the curved guides are between the inner sides of the substantially inverted U-shape of the first movable frame and the outer sides of the substantially inverted U-shape of the second movable frame so that the second movable frame is sandwiched by the curved guides.

2 . The tire testing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the camber adjusting part includes:

a cylindrical first pivot disposed coaxially with the E φ axis, and

a first bearing that rotatably supports the first pivot; and

one of the first pivot and the first bearing is fixed to the second movable frame.

3 . The tire testing device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the other of the first pivot and the first bearing is fixed to the first movable frame.

4 . The tire testing device according to claim 1 , wherein

the alignment part includes a slip angle adjusting part configured to adjust a slip angle of the test wheel; and

the slip angle adjusting part includes:

a third movable frame supported to be rotatable about an E θ axis orthogonal to each of an E λ axis being a rotation axis of the test wheel and the E φ axis, and

a θ driver that rotationally drives the third movable frame about the E θ axis.

5 . The tire testing device according to claim 4 , wherein

the slip angle adjusting part includes:

a cylindrical second pivot disposed coaxially with the E θ axis, and

a second bearing that rotatably supports the second pivot; and

one of the second pivot and the second bearing is fixed to the third movable frame.

6 . The tire testing device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the axle part includes:

a spindle;

a third bearing that rotatably supports the spindle; and

a wheel hub coaxially attached to a distal end portion of the spindle and to which the test wheel is to be attached.

7 . A tire testing device comprising:

a road surface; and

a carriage configured to rotatably hold a test wheel on which a test tire is mounted and traveling along the road surface in a state where the test tire is made to contact the road surface, wherein

the carriage includes:

an axle part that rotatably supports the test wheel,

an alignment part configured to adjust wheel alignment of the test wheel by changing orientation of the axle part, and

a main frame having an alignment mechanism support part that accommodates the alignment part;

the alignment part includes a load adjusting part configured to adjust load acting on the test wheel by changing a height of the axle part;

the load adjusting part includes:

a first movable frame supported to be movable up and down,

a linear guide that guides up-and-down movement of the first movable frame, and

a first driver that drives the first movable frame up and down;

the alignment part includes a camber adjusting part configured to adjust a camber angle of the test wheel;

the camber adjusting part includes:

a second movable frame supported so as to be rotatable about an E φ axis parallel to a traveling direction of the carriage,

a φ driver that rotationally drives the second movable frame about the E φ axis,

a cylindrical first pivot disposed coaxially with the E φ axis, and

a first bearing that rotatably supports the first pivot;

one of the first pivot and the first bearing is fixed to the second movable frame;

the other of the first pivot and the first bearing is fixed to the first frame;

the camber adjusting part includes a curved guide that guides rotation of the second movable frame;

the curved guide includes:

an arc-shaped curved rail disposed concentrically with the E φ axis, and

a second traveling part configured to travel on the curved rail;

one of the curved rail and the second traveling part is fixed to the second movable frame;

the alignment mechanism support part, the first movable frame, and the second movable frame each have a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section when cut along a plane orthogonal to a rotation axis of the test wheel;

the linear guides are between inner sides of the substantially inverted U-shape of the alignment mechanism support part and outer sides of the substantially inverted U-shape of the first movable frame so that the first movable frame is sandwiched by the linear guides; and

the curved guides are between the inner sides of the substantially inverted U-shape of the first movable frame and the outer sides of the substantially inverted U-shape of the second movable frame so that the second movable frame is sandwiched by the curved guides.

8 . The tire testing device according to claim 7 , wherein

the linear guide includes:

a rail, and

a traveling part configured to travel on the, rail; and

one of the rail and the traveling part is fixed to the first movable frame.

9 . The tire testing device according to claim 8 , wherein

the other of the rail and the traveling part is fixed to the alignment mechanism support part.

10 . The tire testing device according to claim 7 , wherein

the alignment part includes a slip angle adjusting part configured to adjust a slip angle of the test, wheel; and

the slip angle adjusting part includes:

a third movable frame supported to be rotatable about an E θ axis orthogonal to each of an E λ axis being a rotation axis of the test wheel and the E φ axis, and

a θ driver that rotationally drives the third movable frame about the E θ axis.

11 . The tire testing device according to claim 10 , wherein

the slip angle adjusting part includes:

a cylindrical second pivot disposed coaxially with the E θ axis, and

a second bearing that rotatably supports the second pivot; and

one of the second pivot and the second bearing is fixed to the third movable frame.

12 . The tire testing device according to claim 7 ,

wherein the axle part includes:

a spindle;

a third bearing that rotatably supports the spindle; and

a wheel hub coaxially attached to a distal end portion of the spindle and to which the test wheel is to be attached.