System for evaluating the condition of a tire
A system, which is structured to evaluate a condition of a tire, includes a housing, a tire-wear detector, a tire-presence detector, and an electronic activator. The housing, when the system is deployed, is placed on a ground surface. The tire-presence detector detects a presence of a tire on the housing. The electronic activator activates the tire-wear detector when the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing. The tire-wear detector, when activated, detects a wear condition of the tire when the tire passes over the housing.
1. A system for evaluating a tire condition, the system comprising:
a housing;
a tire-wear detector, which detects a tire-wear condition;
a tire-presence detector, which detects a presence of a tire on the housing; and
an electronic activator, which activates the tire-wear detector when the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing,
wherein the tire-wear detector, upon activation, detects the tire-wear condition of the tire when the tire passes over the housing while the housing is placed on a ground surface,
wherein the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing by detecting vibrations caused by contact of the tire on the housing, and
wherein the tire-wear detector is deactivated in accordance with a signal from the tire-wear detector.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a distance, projected over a surface parallel to the ground surface, between the tire-presence detector or an access ramp and the tire-wear detector is greater than a distance traveled by a vehicle at a predetermined speed for a time duration corresponding to an amount of time necessary for activating the tire-wear detector.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the tire-presence detector detects vibrations from a shock wave that spreads in the housing upon contact of the tire on the housing.
4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the tire-presence detector includes at least one of: a ferroelectric sensor, an organic piezoelectric sensor, a piezoelectric cable, a piezoelectric fibre, a piezoelectric transducer, a piezoelectric bimetallic strip, and a sensor formed of an inorganic piezoelectric composite applied to a support.
5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the tire-presence detector is fixed directly on the housing.
6. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the tire-presence detector is fixed on a printed circuit or a plate that is rigidly connected to the housing.
7. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the tire-presence detector is embedded in a material forming the housing.
8. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second tire-presence detector, which detects a presence of a tire on the housing.
9. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a threshold detector, which detects an output value of the tire-wear detector relative to a predetermined threshold value, and which issues a command to the tire-wear detector to switch off based on a detection result.
10. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensitivity adjustment circuit, which sets a sensitivity of the tire-presence detector.
11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic activator includes circuitry for modifying an operating mode of a microcontroller of the tire-wear detector.
12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic activator includes circuitry for affecting a power supply of the tire-wear detector.
13. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the tire-wear detector is deactivated in accordance with a signal from the second tire-presence detector.
14. A system for evaluating a tire condition, the system comprising:
a housing;
a tire-wear detector, which detects a tire-wear condition;
a tire-presence detector, which detects a presence of a tire on the housing; and
an electronic activator, which activates the tire-wear detector when the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing,
wherein the tire-wear detector, upon activation, detects the tire-wear condition of the tire when the tire passes over the housing while the housing is placed on a ground surface,
wherein the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing by detecting vibrations caused by contact of the tire on the housing, and
wherein the tire-wear detector is deactivated in accordance with a falling edge of a signal from the tire-wear detector.
15. A system for evaluating a tire condition, the system comprising:
a housing;
a tire-wear detector, which detects a tire-wear condition;
a tire-presence detector, which detects a presence of a tire on the housing; and
an electronic activator, which activates the tire-wear detector when the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing,
wherein the tire-wear detector, upon activation, detects the tire-wear condition of the tire when the tire passes over the housing while the housing is placed on a ground surface,
wherein the tire-presence detector detects the presence of the tire on the housing by detecting vibrations caused by contact of the tire on the housing, and
wherein the tire-wear detector is deactivated in accordance with a rising edge of a signal from the tire-wear detector.
16. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the sensitivity adjustment circuit sets a sensitivity of the tire-presence detector so that the tire-presence detector detects a heavier vehicle tire but not a lighter vehicle tire.
17. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a ramp.
18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the tire-presence detector is not located in the ramp.
19. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the tire-presence detector comprises a piezoelectric detector.