US 12,138,966 B2
Magnetic drive over system (DOS) providing tire tread thickness/depth measurement
Daniel Stevenson, Chapel Hill, NC (US); Steven Noyce, Durham, NC (US); Maria Luisa Sartorelli, Chapel Hill, NC (US); Jesko Von Windheim, Durham, NC (US); Michael Stangler, Durham, NC (US); Glen Metheny, Raleigh, NC (US); Stephen W. Brooks, Raleigh, NC (US); David Alan Koester, Burlington, NC (US); and Aaron Daniel Franklin, Cary, NC (US)
Assigned to Bridgestone Americas, Inc., Nashville, TN (US)
Appl. No. 17/601,858
Filed by BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS, INC., Nashville, TN (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 7, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/054513
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 6, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/071899, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 15, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/912,299, filed on Oct. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0163316 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. B60C 11/24 (2006.01); G01B 7/06 (2006.01); G01B 7/26 (2006.01); G01M 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC B60C 11/246 (2013.01) [G01B 7/107 (2013.01); G01B 7/26 (2013.01); G01M 17/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for measuring a tread of a tire, the system comprising:
a nonmagnetic layer providing a drive over surface, wherein the drive over surface is adapted to receive the tire thereon including the tread to be measured;
a magnet having opposing first and second magnetic poles, wherein the nonmagnetic layer is between the drive over surface and the magnet, and wherein the magnet is arranged so that the first magnetic pole is between the second magnetic pole and the nonmagnetic layer; and
a magnetic sensor associated with the magnet, wherein the nonmagnetic layer is between the drive over surface and the magnetic sensor, and wherein the magnetic sensor is configured to detect a magnetic field resulting from the magnet and the tire on the drive over surface.