Tire life management system and tire life management method

Abstract

This invention provides a tire life management system and a tire life management method capable of easily predicting the remaining lifespan of a tire. The tire life management system 100 includes: a temperature sensor 3b for measuring the temperature of a tire 2; a thermal process calculation unit 39 for calculating the amount of heat received by the tire 2 during the first cycle based on multiple temperature data of the tire 2 measured over a period of at least one day; a cumulative heat calculation unit 40 for estimating the cumulative heat that the tire 2 may receive during the second cycle, which is set to be one year, based on the amount of heat received during the first cycle; and a tire life prediction unit 41 for predicting the remaining lifespan of the tire based on the cumulative heat received during the second cycle and a predetermined threshold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a tire life management system and a tire life management method for managing the remaining life of the outer tire disposed on the radially inner side of the tire tread rubber. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the use of recycled tires in the truck and bus industries has increased due to the need to reduce tire costs as part of transportation expenses and from the perspective of 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Recycled tires refer to used tires (especially new tires that have reached the end of their first life) that have had their tread rubber re-bonded after wear has reduced the remaining grooves to a specified value. Therefore, while the tread rubber of recycled tires is new rubber, other components (especially the tire carcass or belt layers located radially inside the tread rubber) continue to be used for long distances and extended periods after experiencing both new tire driving and recycled tire driving. Therefore, managing the remaining life of the tire becomes crucial, leading to the development of techniques for predicting remaining life (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 5347054 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] Typically, tires age due to the heat (temperature) applied to them, causing their remaining lifespan to continuously change (shorten). Traditional designs suffer from structural complexity because they rely on calculated temperature histories of tire components, tire internal pressure information, and pre-tested data stored in a database of temperature histories of tire components and physical property information related to tire internal pressure and the physical property values ​​of at least one tire component to infer the current physical property values ​​of tire components that may age due to tire internal air temperature. Furthermore, the remaining lifespan of a tire is predicted based on mileage, making it difficult to accurately predict the remaining lifespan (residual lifespan), thus hindering the development of plans such as tire replacement or recycling.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a tire life management system and a tire life management method that can easily predict the remaining life of a tire.

[0009] Technical means to solve the problem

[0010] To solve the above problems and achieve the objective, the present invention is a tire life management system for managing the remaining life of the tire located radially inside the tread rubber. The system is characterized by comprising: a temperature measuring unit for measuring tire temperature; a heat process calculation unit for calculating the amount of heat the tire experiences during the first cycle based on multiple temperature data of the tire measured during the first cycle; a cumulative heat calculation unit for estimating the cumulative heat the tire may experience during a predetermined second cycle, which is longer than the first cycle, based on the heat process amount during the first cycle; and a tire life prediction unit for predicting the remaining life of the tire based on the cumulative heat during the second cycle and a predetermined threshold.

[0011] In the above-mentioned tire life management system, the thermal process quantity calculation unit preferably calculates the thermal process quantity by using the acceleration coefficient related to the state change of the tire component given in advance with temperature as a parameter, and the cumulative time when multiple temperature information measured in the first cycle are divided into a specified temperature range.

[0012] In the aforementioned tire life management system, the first cycle preferably includes the driving time of the vehicle with the tires installed and the non-driving time when it is parked.

[0013] The aforementioned tire life management system includes a driving status information acquisition unit that acquires driving status information of a vehicle with tires installed. Preferably, the thermal process quantity calculation unit divides the thermal process quantity in the first cycle into driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle is driving and non-driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle is stationary.

[0014] The aforementioned tire life management system sets the second cycle to more than one year and includes a meteorological information acquisition unit that acquires past temperature information within a cycle corresponding to the second cycle. The cumulative heat calculation unit preferably calculates the cumulative heat based on the temperature changes within that cycle.

[0015] The aforementioned tire life management system includes a location information acquisition unit, which acquires the location information of the tire or the vehicle on which the tire is installed when the temperature information is measured. Preferably, the temperature information acquisition unit acquires regional temperature information, including the location information.

[0016] The aforementioned tire life management system includes an operation information acquisition unit that acquires the operation information of the vehicle equipped with tires within a cycle corresponding to the second cycle. The cumulative heat calculation unit preferably calculates the cumulative heat based on the change in the operation rate within that cycle.

[0017] In the aforementioned tire life management system, the specified threshold is preferably set as a value representing the durability of the belt layer or carcass constituting the tire.

[0018] The aforementioned tire life management system preferably includes a usage recommendation unit that provides recommendations on tire usage based on the remaining lifespan.

[0019] The aforementioned tire life management system preferably includes a sending unit that sends the remaining lifespan along with tire identification information to a designated user, and a display unit that displays the sent information.

[0020] In the above-mentioned tire life management system, the cumulative heat calculation unit preferably includes a regeneration feasibility determination unit. This regeneration feasibility determination unit calculates the cumulative heat that the tire may receive in a predetermined third cycle, which is set as the service life of the tread rubber, based on the amount of heat process in the first cycle, and determines whether the tire can be regenerated based on the cumulative heat in the third cycle and a predetermined regeneration feasibility determination threshold.

[0021] The aforementioned tire life management system includes a tire pressure measurement unit for measuring tire pressure. The regeneration determination unit is preferably configured to determine whether tire regeneration is not possible if the temperature or pressure information measured before the end of the third cycle exceeds the specified range for more than a specified time.

[0022] Furthermore, the present invention is a tire life management method for managing the remaining life of a tire outer shell disposed on the radially inner side of the tire tread rubber, characterized by comprising: a step of measuring tire temperature; a step of calculating the amount of heat process the tire experiences during the first cycle based on multiple temperature data of the tire measured during the first cycle; a step of estimating the cumulative heat that the tire may experience during the second cycle, which is longer than the first cycle, based on the amount of heat process during the first cycle; and a step of predicting the remaining life of the tire based on the cumulative heat during the second cycle and a predetermined threshold.

[0023] Invention Effects

[0024] According to the present invention, since it includes a temperature measuring unit for measuring tire temperature; a heat process calculation unit for calculating the amount of heat process the tire receives during the first cycle based on multiple temperature data of the tire measured during the first cycle; a cumulative heat calculation unit for estimating the cumulative heat that the tire may receive during the second cycle, which is longer than the first cycle, based on the amount of heat process during the first cycle; and a tire life prediction unit for predicting the remaining tire life based on the cumulative heat during the second cycle and a predetermined threshold, it is possible to predict the remaining tire life using a simple structure.

[0025] Brief description of the attached diagram

[0026] Figure 1 This is a block diagram showing the overall structure of the tire life management system of this embodiment.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the working procedure of the tire life management system.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a graph showing the relationship between the temperature detected in the first cycle and the detection frequency.

[0029] Figure 4 It is a graph showing the relationship between the temperature acceleration coefficient and temperature.

[0030] Figure 5 It is a graph showing the annual average temperature variation in a designated area where vehicles travel.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a graph showing the relationship between tire thermal processes and predicted lifespan.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating the overall structure of the tire life management system in other embodiments.

[0033] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the working procedure of the tire life management system.

[0034] Figure 9 This is a graph showing the relationship between tire thermal processes and tire recyclability. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Hereinafter, embodiments of the tire life management system of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the constituent elements in the following embodiments include those that can be substituted and readily conceived by those skilled in the art, or substantially the same constituent elements.

[0036] The tire life management system of this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as the tire life management system) is a system for managing the remaining life of a tire (pneumatic tire) having a tread rubber and an outer tire disposed on the radially inner side of the tread rubber. The tires subject to management include not only new tires, but also, for example, retreaded tires (also called recycled tires) that are used after the tread rubber has been re-attached, where the remaining groove amount is below a predetermined value due to wear. In retreaded tires, the tread rubber is new rubber, and the outer tire continues to be driven for long distances and long periods after experiencing both new tire driving and retreaded driving. Therefore, managing the remaining life of the tire outer tire becomes important. The outer tire is a component disposed on the radially inner side of the tread rubber, including, for example, a carcass or belt layers.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the overall structure of the tire life management system in this embodiment. For example... Figure 1As shown, the tire life management system 100 includes: sensors 3 respectively installed on tires 2 of multiple vehicles 1, vehicle devices 10 respectively installed on multiple vehicles 1, terminal devices 20 and server (management devices) 30.

[0038] The vehicle device 10, terminal device 20, and server 30 can communicate with each other via a communication network 50 such as an Internet connection. In this embodiment, the vehicle 1 is a truck or bus that can be equipped with the aforementioned recycled tires as tires 2, but is not limited to this. It should be noted that in Figure 1 In the example, one vehicle 1 and one vehicle device 10 are shown, but in reality, multiple vehicles 1 and vehicle devices 10 are provided. In addition, the terminal device 20 can be configured to have at least one unit.

[0039] Sensor 3 is a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) sensor, comprising a pressure sensor (pressure measuring unit) 3a for measuring the air pressure of tire 2 and a temperature sensor (temperature measuring unit) 3b for measuring the air temperature inside tire 2. Furthermore, sensor 3 may be configured to include an acceleration sensor that measures the centrifugal acceleration acting on tire 2. Sensor 3 is mounted on, for example, the air valve of each tire 2 and configured to communicate with vehicle device 10. Each sensor 3 is equipped with a sensor ID (identification information), and the correspondence between the sensor ID of sensor 3, the tire ID (identification information) of the tire 2 equipped with the sensor 3, and the wheel position on which the tire 2 is mounted (e.g., in a truck or bus, left front wheel, right front wheel, left inner rear wheel, left outer rear wheel, right inner rear wheel, or right outer rear wheel, etc.) is registered in vehicle device 10. Measurement data from each sensor 3 can be transmitted to vehicle device 10 at predetermined times using short-range wireless communication such as RF (radio frequency) communication. In addition, in this embodiment, the air temperature inside the tire 2 measured by the temperature sensor 3b is considered to be approximately the same as the outer tire temperature, and the remaining lifespan of the outer tire is predicted based on the temperature information measured by the temperature sensor 3b.

[0040] Vehicle device 10 is mounted on the body of vehicle 1. For example... Figure 1As shown, the vehicle device 10 includes a sensor receiving unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, a display unit 14, a position information detection unit 15, a driving state detection unit 16, and a control unit 17. The sensor receiving unit 11 receives data transmitted from each of the sensors 3 of multiple (e.g., six) tires 2. The storage unit 12 includes storage means such as volatile or non-volatile memory or HDD. The storage unit 12 stores various programs or data executed by the control unit 17. In this embodiment, the storage unit 12 determines the corresponding tire ID and wheel position based on the sensor ID of the data received by the sensor receiving unit 11 at each predetermined time, and stores the air pressure and temperature information of each tire 2 contained in the received data as historical information of the tire air pressure and temperature at the corresponding wheel position. Furthermore, in the vehicle 1, when the tires 2 are rotated, the correspondence between the tire ID (sensor ID) and wheel position registered in the vehicle device 10 is corrected.

[0041] The communication unit 13 is configured to wirelessly communicate with the terminal device 20 or the server 30 via the communication network 50. At predetermined times, the communication unit 13 sends various information indicating the status of the vehicle 1, along with the vehicle ID of the vehicle 1, to the server 30. Specifically, the communication unit 13 establishes a correlation between the tire pressure and temperature information of each tire 2 at each wheel position corresponding to the tire ID (sensor ID) and the time information indicating the measurement time of each of these pressure and temperature information, and then sends this information to the server 30 or the terminal device 20. In this embodiment, the pressure information is sent together with the temperature information of each tire 2, but the structure can also be configured to send only the temperature information. Additionally, the communication unit 13 sends the vehicle 1's driving status information and location information to the server 30.

[0042] The display unit 14 is a display device disposed on the dashboard or the like of the vehicle 1, having a display screen that displays various information to the user (driver). In this embodiment, for example, it can display route guidance information including the current location information of the vehicle 1, or the current tire pressure information and temperature information of each tire 2. In addition, if the remaining lifespan of the outer tire of the tire 2 is predicted, information related to that remaining lifespan can also be displayed.

[0043] The location information detection unit 15 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, which detects location information, including the latitude and longitude of the current position of the vehicle 1 (tire 2), by receiving signals from multiple GPS satellites. The detected location information, along with time information, is stored in the storage unit 12 and periodically sent to the server 30.

[0044] The driving status detection unit 16 detects the driving status information of vehicle 1. This driving status information indicates whether vehicle 1 is in a driving state. For example, the driving status detection unit 16 can be a vehicle speed detection unit that detects the vehicle speed of 1, or a drive source speed detection unit that detects the rotational speed of a vehicle drive source such as an engine or electric motor. Specifically, it detects that when the vehicle speed is below a specified speed (e.g., 1 km / h), or when the engine speed is below a specified idle speed (e.g., 1000 rpm), the vehicle is in a non-driving state (stationary state); if these values ​​are greater, the vehicle is in a driving state. Furthermore, it can also detect, using the detection results of the position information detection unit 15, that if the position information of vehicle 1 has not changed within a specified time (e.g., 3 minutes), the vehicle is in a non-driving state (stationary state). Alternatively, the driving status detection unit 16 can be configured such that when the speed of the vehicle drive source, such as the engine or electric motor, is 0 (i.e., the vehicle drive source stops), it detects that the vehicle is in a non-driving state (stopped state) when the drive source is stopped, thus distinguishing it from temporary stops during driving (such as stopping due to a red light). The detected driving status information is stored in the storage unit 12 along with time information and is periodically sent to the server 30.

[0045] The control unit 17 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read-Only Memory), and RAM (Random-Access Memory), and controls the operation of the vehicle device 10 as a whole according to the program stored in the storage unit 12. Specifically, the control unit 17 performs the following processing: it periodically sends the air pressure and temperature information measured by the sensor 3, the current position information of the vehicle 1 detected by the position information detection unit 15, and the driving status information of the vehicle 1 detected by the driving status detection unit 16, along with time information, to the server 30 or the terminal device 20 via the communication unit 13. In addition, it performs prescribed processing based on information received from outside the vehicle device 10 or data stored in the storage unit 12.

[0046] Terminal device 20 is operated by a user (e.g., a trucking or bus transport company) who checks the remaining lifespan of the tires, and may be a personal computer or tablet terminal. Users operating terminal device 20 are not limited to the aforementioned transport companies; they can also be tire retreading companies or tire sales companies. Figure 1As shown, the terminal device 20 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, a display unit 23, an input unit 24, and a control unit 25. The communication unit 21 is configured to wirelessly communicate with the vehicle device 10 and the server 30 via the communication network 50. The communication unit 21 receives the tire ID of the tire 2 being managed, as well as the tire pressure and temperature information of the tire 2, from the vehicle device 10. In addition, the communication unit 21 receives information related to the remaining lifespan of the outer tire of the tire 2 being managed from the server 30. Furthermore, if the user updates the management information of the tire 2 (e.g., maintenance information such as rotation or retreading), the communication unit 21 sends the management information along with the tire ID of the tire 2 to the server 30.

[0047] The storage unit 22 includes storage means such as volatile or non-volatile memory or HDD. Various programs executed by the control unit 25 are stored in the storage unit 22. Additionally, tire pressure and temperature information, management information, and tire remaining life information are associated with the tire ID and stored in the storage unit 22.

[0048] Display unit 23 is a display screen that provides various information to the user. Display unit 23 displays information related to the remaining lifespan of the tire 2, which is the object of management, according to the user's operation, or displays suggestions related to the operation of the tire 2 (e.g., rotation or retreading) based on the remaining lifespan.

[0049] The input unit 24 is an information input means such as a keyboard or mouse, which implements various information inputs for the terminal device 20. Alternatively, the input unit 24 may be a touch panel superimposed on the display unit 23. The control unit 25 has a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and controls the operation of the terminal device 20 as a whole based on information received from the vehicle device 10 or the server 30 via the communication unit 21 or programs stored in the storage unit 22. The control unit 25 has the function of operating as an operation suggestion unit 26. This operation suggestion unit 26 formulates an operation plan for the tire 2 based on the remaining lifespan of the tire 2 received from the server 30. For example, if the remaining groove amount of the tread rubber and the remaining lifespan of the tire are both sufficient and the mileage of the tire 2 has reached a specified mileage, an operation plan for rotating the tire 2 is formulated and provided to the user. Furthermore, if the remaining lifespan of the tire is sufficient but the remaining groove amount of the tread rubber is below a specified value, an operation plan is formulated and provided to the user, which is used to implement retreading to renew the tread rubber and produce a recycled tire. It should be noted that the above operating plan is an example and is not limited to this. Furthermore, the operating plan can be formulated and proposed by the user based on the remaining lifespan of the tire, rather than being implemented by the operating advice department 26.

[0050] Server 30 collects and stores temperature information of the tires 2 sent from each vehicle device 10, and uses the collected temperature information to predict the remaining lifespan of the tire 2. Furthermore, server 30 sends information related to the predicted remaining lifespan to the vehicle device 10 or terminal device 20 of the vehicle 1 equipped with the target tire 2. Server 30 may include, for example, a computer located in the cloud. Figure 1 As shown, the server 30 includes a communication unit (transmission unit) 31, a temperature information acquisition unit 32, a driving status information acquisition unit 33, a weather information acquisition unit 34, a location information acquisition unit 35, an operation information acquisition unit 36, a storage unit 37, and a control unit 38. Furthermore, the control unit 38 functions as a thermal process quantity calculation unit 39, a cumulative heat estimation unit 40, and a tire life prediction unit 41.

[0051] The communication unit 31 is configured to wirelessly communicate with the vehicle device 10 and the terminal device 20 via the communication network 50. The communication unit 31 sends information related to the predicted remaining lifespan of the tire 2 to the vehicle device 10 and the terminal device 20 of the vehicle 1 on which the tire 2 is installed. Additionally, the communication unit 31 receives various information transmitted from the vehicle device 10 and the terminal device 20.

[0052] The temperature information acquisition unit 32 acquires temperature information of the tires 2 of each vehicle 1 received via the communication unit 31. This temperature information includes the vehicle ID of the vehicle 1, the tire ID (sensor ID) of each tire 2, the correspondence between the tire ID and the wheel position, and time information indicating the measurement time of the temperature information. Additionally, the temperature information acquisition unit 32 can acquire both the temperature information and the tire pressure information of each vehicle 1 received via the communication unit 31.

[0053] The driving status information acquisition unit 33 acquires the driving status information of each vehicle 1 received through the communication unit 31. This driving status information is related to whether the vehicle 1 is in a driving state or a parked state (non-driving state). Based on the time information when this information is detected, the driving time and non-driving time of the vehicle 1 can be obtained.

[0054] The meteorological information acquisition unit 34 accesses designated sites on the Internet via the communication network 50 to obtain the required meteorological information. Specifically, the meteorological information includes temperature information for a specific area (e.g., Kanagawa Prefecture) where the target vehicle 1 mainly travels within a specified period (e.g., one year). This temperature information can be the temperature information of the most recent year, preferably the annual average temperature information of the past (e.g., 30 years). In addition, the target area or period can be changed appropriately. The acquisition of this meteorological information can be performed by an operator, or the structure can be configured so that the control unit 38 performs the acquisition of the meteorological information according to a preset program.

[0055] The location information acquisition unit 35 acquires the location information of each vehicle 1 received through the communication unit 31. The acquired location information can be used when the area where the weather information acquisition unit 34 acquires weather information is set.

[0056] The operation information acquisition unit 36 ​​acquires the operation information of vehicle 1. This operation information can be obtained from, for example, other management servers via the communication network 50. The operation information shows the busy or idle periods of vehicle 1 and includes the operation rate information for each month of the year. The monthly operation rate information shows how many hours the vehicle was operated (running) within a month. For example, if vehicle 1 operates for 27 days out of 30 days (one month), running for 10 hours per day, then the operation rate of vehicle 1 is (27 × 10) / (30 × 24) × 100 = 37.5%. The operating time of vehicle 1 can be determined by measuring engine operating time. The operation rate can also be calculated using other methods, or it can be expressed as the number of days the vehicle was operated (running) within a month. In addition, for example, in vehicles such as trucks, the average operation information of multiple vehicles of the same type (size, etc.) traveling in the same area can also be acquired.

[0057] Storage unit 37 stores the various information acquired above. Specifically, a database storing various information is constructed for each vehicle 1, and air pressure and temperature information, driving status information, location information, and operation information corresponding to vehicle 1 are stored in time sequence. In addition, storage unit 37 stores meteorological information, which includes temperature information of a specific area within a specified period (e.g., one year) as needed. Furthermore, storage unit 37 stores information related to the cumulative heat process amount experienced by each tire 2 of vehicle 1. This cumulative heat process amount is calculated periodically or in real time based on the acquired temperature information of each tire 2 and is updated continuously.

[0058] The control unit 38 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and controls the overall operation of the server 30 based on information received from the vehicle device 10 or external devices, or programs stored in the storage unit 37. In this embodiment, after issuing a processing instruction to predict the remaining lifespan of the tire 2, the control unit 38 functions as the aforementioned thermal process quantity calculation unit 39, cumulative heat estimation unit 40, and tire life prediction unit 41.

[0059] The thermal process quantity calculation unit 39 calculates the aforementioned cumulative thermal process quantity periodically or in real time based on the acquired temperature information of each tire 2. Alternatively, the thermal process quantity calculation unit 39 reads multiple temperature data points of the tire 2 measured within a predetermined first cycle (e.g., one month) from the storage unit 37 and calculates the thermal process quantity experienced by the tire 2 during that first cycle based on these temperature data points. This first cycle can be set to at least one day, but to improve the accuracy of the remaining lifespan prediction, it is preferably set to approximately one month. After the terminal device 20 issues a processing instruction to predict the remaining lifespan of the tires 2 of the target vehicle 1, the thermal process quantity calculation unit 39 reads multiple temperature data points of the target tire 2 measured within the most recent month specified in the instruction from the storage unit 37 and calculates the thermal process quantity experienced by the tire 2 during that month based on these temperature data points.

[0060] Here, the remaining lifespan of tire 2 is greatly related to the heat received by tire 2; the more heat accumulated, the shorter the remaining lifespan. Tire 2 is heated not only by internal heat generated during vehicle 1's rolling deformation, but also by sunlight or ambient temperature when vehicle 1 is parked (not driving). Therefore, it is preferable to also consider the heat received by vehicle 1 when it is stationary.

[0061] In this embodiment, the first cycle includes the driving period when the vehicle 1 with tire 2 is mounted is in motion and the non-driving period when the vehicle 1 is parked. Therefore, the heat received by tire 2 during the non-driving period when the vehicle 1 is parked can be taken into account, thereby accurately calculating the remaining lifespan of the tire. Specifically, based on the detection results of the driving state detection unit 16, the thermal process quantity calculation unit 39 calculates the thermal process quantity in the first cycle by dividing it into the driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle 1 is in motion and the non-driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle 1 is parked. The non-driving thermal process quantity is, for example, the thermal process quantity received by tire 2 when the engine (drive source) of the vehicle 1 is stopped. Here, if the structure can store the temperature information of tire 2 when the engine is stopped in the storage unit 12, the stored temperature information can be used directly. Since the vehicle device 10 stops when the engine stops, it can be anticipated that the temperature information of tire 2 is not stored in the storage unit 12. In this case, for example, a preset value can be used as the temperature information when the vehicle is parked to calculate the thermal process quantity (non-driving thermal process quantity). In addition, the meteorological information acquisition unit 34 can acquire the ambient gas temperature in the parking area of ​​vehicle 1 corresponding to the date and time when the engine stops, and use the ambient gas temperature as the temperature information at the time of stopping to calculate the thermal process quantity (thermal process quantity when not in motion).

[0062] Based on these structures, by dividing the thermal process quantity within the first cycle into the thermal process quantity during vehicle 1's movement and the thermal process quantity during vehicle 1's rest, the thermal process quantity within the first cycle can be accurately calculated. Therefore, the remaining lifespan of the tire can be accurately estimated. Furthermore, since the thermal process quantity experienced by tire 2 on rest days when vehicle 1 is not in use can be determined, the remaining lifespan of the tire can be predicted even more accurately.

[0063] The cumulative heat calculation unit 40 calculates the cumulative heat that the tire 2 may receive in a predetermined second cycle based on the amount of heat generated in the first cycle. This second cycle is set to be longer than the first cycle, which is one year in this embodiment. Since the cumulative heat calculation unit 40 calculates the cumulative heat for one year based on the amount of heat generated in the first cycle, the cumulative heat can be easily calculated by multiplying the amount of heat generated in one day by 365 times or the amount of heat generated in one month by 12 times.

[0064] On the other hand, countries including Japan generally have multiple seasons, which change on an annual cycle. Therefore, when calculating the cumulative heat over a year, it is preferable to take into account seasonal temperature variations and changes in vehicle 1's operating rate. In this embodiment, the cumulative heat calculation unit 40 uses the thermal process amount of one month as a benchmark when calculating the cumulative heat over a year, and considers the temperature variations of each month throughout the year and changes in vehicle 1's operating rate based on this benchmark thermal process amount. As a result, the cumulative heat over a year can be accurately calculated, and thus, the remaining lifespan of the tire can be predicted more accurately.

[0065] The tire life prediction unit 41 predicts the remaining lifespan of the tire based on the calculated cumulative heat over one year and a predetermined threshold. At this time, the tire life prediction unit 41 predicts how much (in years) the cumulative heat generated when the tire lifespan prediction processing instruction is issued will exceed the predetermined threshold. This threshold is set as a value representing the durability of the belt layer or carcass constituting the tire. These durability properties are set as residual properties using belt layer peel force or belt layer rubber elongation at break, or carcass cord tensile force, carcass rubber, or elongation at break of adjacent components, etc. This prevents belt layer separation failures and carcass separation failures, which are common tire defects in the market. Of course, the threshold is preferably set to a smaller value among the values ​​representing the durability of the belt layer or carcass constituting the tire.

[0066] Next, we will explain how the tire life management system works. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the working procedure of the tire life management system. Figure 3 This is a graph showing the relationship between the temperature detected in the first cycle and the detection frequency. Figure 4It is a graph showing the relationship between the temperature acceleration coefficient and temperature. Figure 5 It is a graph showing the annual average temperature variation in a designated area where vehicles travel. Figure 6 This is a graph showing the relationship between tire thermal processes and predicted lifespan.

[0067] Sensors 3, installed on each tire 2 of multiple vehicles 1, measure the temperature inside the tire 2 at predetermined intervals (e.g., 10 minutes) (step ST1). The measured temperature information is sent to the vehicle device 10 of the vehicle 1 and stored in the storage unit 12 of the vehicle device 10. At this time, the vehicle device 10 receives temperature information sent from six sensors 3 respectively and stores it in the storage unit 12 as history information. This history information establishes a correlation between temperature information and time information for each tire 2 identified by sensor ID. In addition, the position information detection unit 15 and the driving status detection unit 16 of the vehicle device 10 detect the position information and driving status information of the vehicle 1 respectively. For each tire 2, the correlation between the detected position information and driving status information of the vehicle 1 and time information is established and stored in the storage unit 12. The temperature information, time information, position information, and driving status information of each tire 2 stored in the storage unit 12 are periodically (e.g., once a day) sent to the server 30 and stored in the storage unit 37 of the server 30 according to each tire 2 of each vehicle 1.

[0068] Next, the thermal process calculation unit 39 of the server 30 calculates the thermal process of tire 2 within a predetermined first cycle (step ST2). Specifically, after issuing a processing instruction to predict the remaining lifespan of tire 2, the thermal process calculation unit 39 calculates the thermal process of tire 2 within that month based on the temperature information of tire 2 for the most recent month corresponding to the first cycle from the storage unit 37. Here, the thermal process calculation unit 39 calculates the thermal process of all six tires 2 separately, but for ease of explanation, only one tire 2 will be described.

[0069] The thermal process quantity, also known as the Total Temperature Severity Number (TTSN), represents the total heat received by tire 2 throughout its entire service life, from its initial product date to the present. It exhibits the following trend: the greater the thermal process quantity, the more it promotes the oxidative aging of tire 2. This is because if the temperature of tire 2 increases, the permeability coefficient of the rubber components constituting tire 2 also increases. Furthermore, the temperature of tire 2 fluctuates significantly due to the heat generated by the tire itself during vehicle 1 operation and the ambient temperature during vehicle 1 operation.

[0070] First, such as Figure 3As shown, the temperature information of tire 2 obtained from storage unit 37 within the most recent month (first cycle) is categorized into temperature ranges between 0°C and 120°C, and the detection degree of the measured value within each temperature range is obtained. This detection degree indicates the cumulative time when the temperature information measured within the first cycle is divided into each temperature range. Generally, the temperature of tire 2 tends to be lower at the outer rear wheels of the vehicle and higher at the inner rear wheels. Therefore, it is preferable to obtain the detection degree (cumulative time) separately according to the wheel position on which tire 2 is mounted.

[0071] The thermal process quantity in the first cycle is calculated using the temperature acceleration coefficient (acceleration coefficient) related to the state change of the tire components, which is given in advance with temperature as a parameter, and the detection degree (cumulative time) when the multiple temperature information measured in the first cycle is divided into the specified temperature range. The calculation is obtained by the following formula (1).

[0072] Thermal process quantity in the first period = Σ(K(ti)×T(ti))…(1)

[0073] In this calculation formula (1), the amount of heat process in the first cycle is the sum of the heat in all the temperature intervals mentioned above. Furthermore, ti is the temperature, and K(ti) is the temperature acceleration coefficient at temperature ti. Additionally, T(ti) is the cumulative time at temperature ti. Here, the temperature acceleration coefficient K(ti) is a contribution coefficient related to the state change of the tire component with temperature ti as a parameter; for example, according to the well-known Arrhenius reaction rate equation, it can be considered to be proportional to exp(α·ti). Figure 4 In this model, based on the assumption that tires age twice as much when the temperature *ti* rises by 10°C, α is set to 0.069. Furthermore, *ti* is the highest temperature within each temperature range, but it is not limited to this; for example, it could also be the average temperature within each temperature range. Cumulative time refers to the cumulative time within the temperature range, including the specified temperature.

[0074] Next, the cumulative heat calculation unit 40 of the server 30 calculates the cumulative heat that the tire 2 may receive during the specified second cycle (step ST3). In this embodiment, the cumulative heat calculation unit 40 uses the heat process amount of the tire 2 in the above-mentioned month as a reference, and calculates the cumulative heat for one year by taking into account the temperature changes of each month in one year based on the reference heat process amount.

[0075] Specifically, if we define the amount of heat received by tire 2 in the first cycle (e.g., October) as A10 and the average air temperature in October as B10 (°C), we can use the average air temperature in November, B11 (°C), and easily calculate the cumulative heat A11 for November using formulas such as A11 = A10 × exp(α × (B11 - B10)). Then, we calculate the cumulative heat A12 to A10 for the following December to October of the following year, and add these values ​​together to calculate the cumulative heat that tire 2 may receive in the following year.

[0076] The average temperature information used for estimation is shown as follows: Figure 5 The information on the monthly average temperature change shown is acquired by the meteorological information acquisition unit 34. Preferably, the acquired temperature information includes meteorological information for the area where the vehicle 1 mainly travels during the first cycle, including the location information detected by the location information detection unit 15. Based on this structure, the seasonal temperature changes within the vehicle 1's main travel area can be taken into account, thereby accurately calculating the cumulative heat that the tire 2 may receive within one year.

[0077] Furthermore, when calculating the cumulative heat, it is preferable to take into account the seasonal variation in the operating rate of vehicle 1. Operating information, including the operating rate of vehicle 1, is acquired by the operating information acquisition unit 36. The operating rate can be calculated, for example, as the ratio of the time the engine of vehicle 1 operates within a specified period (one month). In this case, when the amount of heat process experienced by tire 2 in the first cycle (e.g., October) is set as A10, the average air temperature in October is set as B10 (°C), and the operating rate in October is set as C10 (%), the cumulative heat A11 for November can be easily calculated using the average air temperature B11 (°C) in November and the average operating rate C11 (%) of vehicle 1 over the past November using formulas such as A11 = A10 × exp(α × (B11 - B10)) × (C11 / C10). Then, the cumulative heat A12 to A10 for the period from December to October of the following year are calculated separately. These values ​​are then added together to calculate the cumulative heat that tire 2 may receive in the following year. Thus, the cumulative heat that tire 2 may receive in the following year, taking into account both busy and idle periods of vehicle 1, can be accurately calculated.

[0078] Alternatively, the thermal process volume within the first cycle can be calculated in advance, and this volume can be divided into the thermal process volume during vehicle 1's operation and the thermal process volume during vehicle 1's rest period. These thermal process volumes during operation and rest period are then combined with the monthly operating rate to calculate the cumulative heat for each month. If the operating rate is defined as the ratio of the engine operating time of vehicle 1 within a specified period (one month), then the engine operating time is the driving period, and the engine rest time is the non-driving period. Therefore, by accurately determining the thermal process volume (non-driving thermal process volume) experienced by tire 2 on rest days when vehicle 1 is not in use, the remaining lifespan of the tire can be predicted more precisely.

[0079] It should be noted that the method for calculating the cumulative heat that tire 2 may receive during the specified second cycle is not limited to this. For example, in areas where it is summer all year round and the temperature fluctuates little throughout the year, or where the annual operating rate of vehicle 1 varies little, the amount of heat generated in one month (second cycle) can be simply multiplied by 12 to calculate the cumulative heat generated in one year (second cycle).

[0080] Next, the tire life prediction unit of server 30 predicts the remaining lifespan of the tire based on the calculated cumulative heat during the second cycle and a specified threshold (step ST4). Specifically, as follows... Figure 6 As shown, by adding the current thermal process quantity (cumulative thermal process quantity) to the accumulated heat within one year (the second cycle) at the time when the processing instruction to predict the remaining lifespan of tire 2 is issued, it is possible to predict when the thermal process quantity will reach a threshold (critical heat). At this time, the rate of increase of the accumulated heat within one year (the second cycle) can also be calculated to predict the time required to reach the threshold. In this embodiment, it is preferable to add the cumulative heat of November and subsequent months sequentially to the current thermal process quantity (e.g., October) to predict the remaining lifespan. Figure 6 As shown, the accumulated heat during the second cycle does not increase at a constant slope, but rather exhibits the following trend: the slope decreases in winter and increases in summer depending on temperature changes. Therefore, by adding the accumulated heat to the current thermal process quantity (TTSN), for example by sequentially adding the accumulated heat in monthly intervals, the time required to reach a specified threshold can be predicted, thus accurately predicting the tire's remaining lifespan. It should be noted that the specified threshold can be appropriately set based on the relationship between the thermal process quantity (TTSN) and the residual physical properties of the components constituting the tire (e.g., belt layer durability, carcass durability, etc.). For example, belt layer durability (belt layer peel force) is measured in the form of peel force [N / inch], which is the force required to peel a pair of interlaced belt layers from an old tire. Then, based on the market performance of recycled tires, a peel force that ensures safety is set as the threshold.

[0081] If the remaining lifespan of the outer tire is predicted, server 30 sends the information related to the remaining lifespan, along with the tire ID of tire 2, to terminal device 20 or vehicle device 10. Terminal device 20 or vehicle device 10 then displays the received remaining lifespan information on displays 14 and 23 (step ST5). Figure 6 As shown, the display method on display units 14 and 23 is preferably to intuitively display the remaining lifespan from the current time to the predicted lifespan using charts or the like. At this time, it is preferable to also display a top view of vehicle 1, and the wheel positions are displayed according to the tire ID. With this structure, users (truck or bus transport companies, drivers, tire retreading companies, or tire sales companies) can know the remaining lifespan of the outer tire of tire 2 almost in real time, thus recognizing the approximate lifespan of tire 2.

[0082] Additionally, the operation suggestion unit 26 of the terminal device 20 formulates an operation plan for tire 2 based on the remaining lifespan of the outer tire received from the server 30 (step ST6). For example, if the remaining groove amount of the tread rubber and the remaining lifespan of the outer tire are both sufficient, and the mileage of tire 2 reaches the prescribed rotation mileage, an operation plan for performing the rotation of tire 2 is formulated and provided to the user. Furthermore, if the remaining lifespan of the outer tire is sufficient, but the remaining groove amount of the tread rubber is below a prescribed value, an operation plan is formulated and provided to the user. This operation plan is used to implement retreading to update the tread rubber and produce a recycled tire. In addition, the operation plan can be appropriately modified in addition to the above. The processing ends after the operation plan for tire 2 is formulated.

[0083] Next, the tire life management system 100A in another embodiment will be described. In another embodiment, the tire life management system 100A predicts the remaining life of the tire 2 and determines whether the tire 2 can be recycled (retreaded). Tire recycling refers to reusing a tire after the tread rubber has been reattached to a new tire that has reached the end of its life. Therefore, determining whether a tire can be recycled means determining whether the previously used tire can be reused when the tread rubber has reached its first life.

[0084] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating the overall structure of the tire life management system in other embodiments. Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the working procedure of the tire life management system. Figure 9 This is a graph showing the relationship between tire thermal process quantity and tire regeneration capability. In this other embodiment, the same symbols are used to denote structures identical to those in the tire life management system 100 described above, thus omitting the description.

[0085] like Figure 7As shown, the server 30A of the tire life management system 100A includes a control unit 38A, which functions as a thermal process quantity calculation unit 39, a cumulative heat calculation unit 40, a tire life prediction unit 41, and a regeneration feasibility determination unit 42. After issuing a processing instruction to predict the remaining tire life of tire 2, the control unit 38A functions as the aforementioned thermal process quantity calculation unit 39, cumulative heat calculation unit 40, and tire life prediction unit 41. After issuing a processing instruction to determine whether tire 2 can be regenerated, the control unit 38A functions as the aforementioned thermal process quantity calculation unit 39, cumulative heat calculation unit 40, and regeneration feasibility determination unit 42. Here, the function of issuing the processing instruction to determine whether tire 2 can be regenerated will be explained.

[0086] After the terminal device 20 issues a processing instruction to determine whether the tire 2 of the target vehicle 1 can be recycled, the thermal process quantity calculation unit 39 reads multiple temperature information of the tire 2 measured within a predetermined first cycle (e.g., one month) from the storage unit 37, and calculates the thermal process quantity experienced by the tire 2 within the first cycle based on this temperature information. This first cycle is preferably set to approximately one month. Furthermore, for example, if the vehicle has undergone tire rotation, the thermal process quantity experienced by the tire 2 within the first cycle (one month) is calculated based on the temperature information of the tire 2 measured from the time of rotation until the first cycle. Therefore, considering the temperature difference at the installation position of the tire 2 on the vehicle, the thermal process quantity can be accurately calculated, thereby improving the accuracy of determining whether recycling is possible. It should be noted that the calculation method for the thermal process quantity within the first cycle is the same as described above, and therefore, its explanation is omitted.

[0087] The cumulative heat calculation unit 40 calculates the cumulative heat that the tire 2 may receive in a predetermined third cycle based on the thermal process amount within the first cycle. This third cycle is set as the period representing the service life (one-time life) of the tire 2's tread rubber, generally assuming that the remaining groove amount decreases below a predetermined value due to wear. That is, the period during which new tires 2 are frequently recycled. In this embodiment, the third cycle is set to a longer period than the first and second cycles described above (e.g., 3 years). It should be noted that the method for calculating the cumulative heat in the third cycle is the same as described above, so its explanation is omitted. For example, the cumulative heat over 3 years can be easily calculated by multiplying the thermal process amount of one month by 36.

[0088] The recycling feasibility determination unit 42 determines whether tire 2 can be recycled after the third cycle (3 years) expires. In this structure, the recycling feasibility determination unit 42 determines whether tire 2 can be recycled in two parts. The first part determines whether recycling is possible based on the calculated cumulative heat after the 3-year expiration and a predetermined recycling feasibility determination threshold. For example, this determination can be performed after the first cycle expires. The second part determines whether the measured air temperature and air pressure information are within a predetermined range, and determines whether recycling is possible based on the duration of abnormal air temperature or abnormal air pressure exceeding the predetermined range and a predetermined threshold. This determination can be performed periodically before the third cycle expires, or frequently by monitoring the air temperature and air pressure information.

[0089] Next, the operation of the tire life management system will be explained. Here, the process for determining whether tire 2 can be recycled will be explained. This process of determining whether tire 2 can be recycled is performed separately from the process of calculating the tire life of tire 2 described above. For the parts of the process of determining whether tire 2 can be recycled that are the same as the process of calculating the tire life of tire 2 described above, detailed descriptions are omitted. Sensors 3 installed on each tire 2 of the plurality of vehicles 1 measure the temperature inside the tire 2 at each predetermined time (e.g., 10 minutes) (step ST11). Next, the thermal process calculation unit 39 calculates the thermal process of tire 2 in a predetermined first cycle (step ST12). Next, the cumulative heat calculation unit 40 calculates the cumulative heat that tire 2 may receive in the predetermined third cycle (3 years) described above (step ST13). In this embodiment, the cumulative heat calculation unit 40 uses the thermal process of tire 2 in 1 month as a reference and calculates the cumulative heat over 3 years based on the reference thermal process. At this time, as described above, it is preferable to use the thermal process of tire 2 in 1 month as a reference and calculate the cumulative heat over 3 years by taking into account the temperature changes of each month of the year based on the reference thermal process.

[0090] Next, the recycling feasibility determination unit 42 determines whether the calculated cumulative heat over 3 years is greater than the recycling feasibility determination threshold (step ST14). The recycling determination threshold is a threshold used to determine whether a tire that has been used for 3 years (1 lifespan) can be made into a recycled tire and used for another 3 years (2 lifespans). Therefore, the recycling determination threshold is preferably set to a value less than 1 / 2 of the threshold (critical threshold) used to predict the remaining lifespan of the tire.

[0091] In this determination, such as Figure 9 As shown, if the accumulated heat at the end of 3 years is greater than the threshold for determining whether to regenerate (step ST14: Yes), the tire will be severely aged (damaged) due to heat and cannot be used for another 3 years (2 lifespans), thus making a negative (NG) determination for tire 2 to be regenerated (step ST15).

[0092] On the other hand, if the accumulated heat at the end of the 3-year period does not exceed the threshold for determining whether tires can be regenerated (step ST14: No), the tire will not suffer such severe aging (damage) due to heat. Therefore, the next step is to determine whether the measured air temperature and air pressure information are within the specified range, thereby determining whether the duration of the abnormal air temperature or abnormal air pressure exceeding the specified range is above the specified threshold (step ST16). Normally, when tire 2 is used normally, the air temperature and air pressure of tire 2 are within the specified range. In this case, if the air temperature or air pressure exceeds the specified range due to certain external factors, it will cause the tire 2 to age. Therefore, the time exceeding the specified range is used as an indicator to determine whether tire 2 can be regenerated.

[0093] Specifically, if the measured air temperature is above 100°C, the recycling feasibility determination unit 42 will determine that the temperature condition exceeds the specified range. Similarly, if the measured air pressure is below 70% of the standard air pressure of tire 2, the recycling feasibility determination unit 42 will determine that the air pressure condition exceeds the specified range. The duration of these abnormal temperature or air pressure conditions can be calculated based on measurement time information correlated with the temperature or air pressure information. In this embodiment, if the abnormal air temperature condition lasts for more than 10 hours or the abnormal air pressure condition lasts for more than 10 hours before the end of the third cycle (3 years) (step ST16: Yes), it is estimated that the tire will age (become damaged), therefore, the processing of the recycling feasibility determination unit 42 is transferred to step ST15.

[0094] On the other hand, if the tire is in an abnormal air temperature state for less than 10 hours and an abnormal air pressure state for less than 10 hours before the end of the third cycle (3 years) (step ST16: No), the tire will not age (damage) so severely. Therefore, it can be reused for another 3 years, and the recycling determination unit 42 will make a determination that the tire 2 can be recycled (OK) (step ST17). In this structure, the recycling of the tire 2 is determined based on two stages: the accumulated heat at the end of the 3-year period and the actual measured air temperature and air pressure information of the tire 2. The tire can only be recycled if all the determination results are positive. Therefore, the recycling feasibility can be determined accurately.

[0095] Finally, the control unit 38A outputs the determination result to at least the terminal device 20 (step ST18). After determining whether the outer tire can be regenerated, the control unit 38A sends the determination result information along with the tire ID of tire 2 to the terminal device 20. The terminal device 20 displays the received determination result information on the display unit 23. At this time, it is preferable to display a top view of vehicle 1, etc., and display the wheel position according to the tire ID. According to this structure, users (truck or bus transportation companies, tire retreading companies, or tire sales companies) can correctly know whether the outer tire of tire 2 can be regenerated, and thus be able to recognize which position of tire 2 can be regenerated (retreaded). Of course, the determination result can also be output (sent) to the vehicle device 10. The control unit 38A completes the processing by outputting the determination result.

[0096] As described above, the tire life management system 100 of this embodiment is a system for managing the remaining life of a tire disposed on the radially inner side of the tire tread rubber. It includes: a temperature sensor 3b for measuring the temperature of the tire 2; a thermal process calculation unit 39 for calculating the amount of heat the tire 2 experiences during the first cycle based on multiple temperature data of the tire 2 measured over a first cycle of at least one day; a cumulative heat estimation unit 40 for estimating the cumulative heat the tire 2 may experience during a second cycle set to one year based on the thermal process amount during the first cycle; and a tire life prediction unit 41 for predicting the remaining lifespan of the tire based on the cumulative heat during the second cycle and a predetermined threshold. Thus, by using the actual amount of heat the tire 2 experiences during the first cycle as a reference, the system estimates the cumulative heat the tire 2 may experience during a second cycle set to one year, which is longer than the first cycle, and predicts the remaining lifespan of the tire based on the cumulative heat during the second cycle and a predetermined threshold. Therefore, the remaining lifespan of the tire can be predicted using a simple structure that measures the temperature of the tire 2 during the first cycle.

[0097] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the thermal process quantity calculation unit 39 uses a temperature acceleration coefficient K(ti) related to the state change of the tire component, which is given in advance as a parameter of temperature ti, and the cumulative time T(ti) when the multiple temperature information measured in the first cycle is divided into a specified temperature range to calculate the thermal process quantity in the first cycle. Therefore, the thermal process quantity in the first cycle can be calculated easily.

[0098] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the first cycle includes the driving period when the vehicle 1 with tire 2 is installed is in motion and the non-driving period when the vehicle 1 is parked. Therefore, the heat received by the tire 2 during the non-driving period when the vehicle 1 is parked can be taken into account to calculate the accumulated heat, thereby accurately calculating the remaining lifespan of the tire.

[0099] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since a driving state information acquisition unit 33 is provided to acquire driving state information of the vehicle 1 on which the tire 2 is installed, and a thermal process quantity calculation unit 39 calculates the thermal process quantity in the first cycle by dividing it into the driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle 1 is driving and the non-driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle 1 is stationary, the thermal process quantity in the first cycle can be calculated accurately, thereby enabling precise estimation of the remaining lifespan of the tire. Moreover, by calculating the non-driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle 1 is stationary, the thermal process quantity experienced by the tire 2 on rest days when the vehicle 1 is not driven can be determined, thus enabling more accurate prediction of the remaining lifespan of the tire.

[0100] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since a meteorological information acquisition unit 34 is provided to acquire past temperature information for one year corresponding to the second cycle, and a cumulative heat calculation unit 40 calculates the cumulative heat based on the annual temperature changes, it is possible to accurately calculate the cumulative heat of the tires 2 of a vehicle 1 traveling in a country or region like Japan where the temperature varies with the seasons. Therefore, the remaining lifespan of the tires can be predicted more accurately.

[0101] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the location information acquisition unit 35 acquires the location information of the tire 2 or the vehicle 1 on which the tire 2 is installed when the temperature information is measured, and the weather information acquisition unit 34 acquires the temperature information of the area including the location information, it is possible to take into account the seasonal temperature changes in the main driving area of ​​the vehicle 1. As a result, the cumulative heat of the tire 2 over one year can be accurately calculated, and the remaining lifespan of the tire can be predicted more accurately.

[0102] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the operation information acquisition unit 36 ​​is provided to acquire the operation information of the vehicle 1 equipped with tire 2 in a year equivalent to the second cycle, and the cumulative heat calculation unit 40 calculates the cumulative heat based on the annual operation rate change, it is possible to accurately calculate the cumulative heat of tire 2 in a year that takes into account the busy and idle periods of vehicle 1, and thus more accurately predict the remaining lifespan of the tire.

[0103] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the specified threshold is set as a value representing the durability of the belt layer or tire carcass constituting the outer tire, thus preventing belt layer separation failure or tire carcass separation failure, which are tire failures on the market.

[0104] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since it is equipped with an operation recommendation unit 26 that makes recommendations on tire operation based on the remaining lifespan, the user can refer to the recommendations to decide on the future operation of the tire.

[0105] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since a communication unit 31 is provided to send the remaining lifespan along with the tire ID of the tire 2 to a designated user, and a display unit 14, 23 is provided to display the sent information, the user can know the remaining lifespan of the outer tire of the tire 2 almost in real time, and thus be able to know the approximate lifespan of the tire 2.

[0106] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the cumulative heat calculation unit 40 includes a regeneration feasibility determination unit 42. This regeneration feasibility determination unit 42 calculates the cumulative heat that the tire 2 may receive in a predetermined third cycle, which is set as the service life of the tread rubber, based on the amount of heat process in the first cycle. It then determines whether the tire 2 can be regenerated based on the cumulative heat in the third cycle and a predetermined regeneration feasibility determination threshold. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the tire 2 can be regenerated using a simple structure that measures the temperature of the tire 2 in the first cycle.

[0107] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since a pressure sensor 3a is provided to measure the air pressure of the tire 2, and if the air temperature or air pressure information measured before the end of the third cycle exceeds the specified range for an abnormal temperature or abnormal air pressure state for more than a specified time, the tire regeneration determination unit 42 makes a determination to deny tire regeneration. Therefore, for example, by determining the cumulative heat in the estimated third cycle and the specified regeneration determination threshold, even if the tire 2 is confirmed to be regenerated, the above determination will be made again based on the actual measured air temperature or air pressure information, so it is possible to accurately determine whether the tire can be regenerated.

[0108] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, this embodiment illustrates a tire 2 installed in a vehicle 1, but it is not limited to this; for example, it could also be a tire stored in a warehouse. In this structure, the vehicle device 10 is installed in the warehouse, acquires the temperature information of the tire, and calculates all the thermal process amount in the first cycle as the non-driving thermal process amount. It should be noted that the warehouse temperature can also be measured at predetermined times, and the measured temperature can be used as the tire temperature.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the non-driving period is exemplified as the time when the driving source such as the engine is not working, but it is not limited to this. For example, the situation where the engine is working but the vehicle is temporarily stopped due to waiting for traffic lights or the like can also be classified as the non-driving period.

[0110] In addition, the above embodiments show an example of the working procedure of the tire life management system 100 as a tire life management method, and each procedure can also be managed by a person.

[0111] Symbol Explanation

[0112] 1 vehicle

[0113] 2 tires

[0114] 3 sensors

[0115] 3a barometric pressure sensor

[0116] 3b Temperature sensor (temperature measurement unit)

[0117] 10 vehicle equipment

[0118] 14 Display Section

[0119] 20 terminal devices

[0120] 23 Display Section

[0121] 26 Operations Recommendation Department

[0122] Servers 30 and 30A

[0123] 31. Communications Department (Sending Department)

[0124] 32 Temperature Information Acquisition Department

[0125] 33 Driving Status Information Acquisition Department

[0126] 34 Meteorological Information Acquisition Department

[0127] 35 Location Information Acquisition Department

[0128] 36 Operational Information Acquisition Department

[0129] 37 Storage Department

[0130] 38, 38A Control Section

[0131] 39. Thermal Process Calculation Department

[0132] 40 Cumulative Heat Estimation Department

[0133] 41. Tire Life Prediction Department

[0134] 42 Regeneration Feasibility Determination Department

[0135] 100, 100A Tire Life Management System

[0136] K(ti) temperature acceleration coefficient

[0137] ti temperature

[0138] T(ti) cumulative time

Claims

1. A tire life management system, wherein the tire life management system manages the remaining life of a tire disposed on the radially inner side of the tire tread rubber, comprising: a temperature measuring unit for measuring tire temperature; a heat process calculation unit for calculating the amount of heat process experienced by the tire during the first cycle based on multiple temperature data of the tire measured during the first cycle; a cumulative heat estimation unit for estimating the cumulative heat that the tire may experience during the second cycle, which is longer than the first cycle, based on the amount of heat process during the first cycle; and a tire life prediction unit for predicting the remaining life of the tire based on the cumulative heat during the second cycle and a predetermined threshold.

2. The tire life management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thermal process quantity calculation unit uses the acceleration coefficient related to the state change of the tire component, which is given in advance as a parameter of temperature, and the cumulative time when the multiple temperature information measured in the first cycle are divided into a specified temperature range to calculate the thermal process quantity.

3. The tire life management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first cycle includes the driving period when the vehicle equipped with the tires is in motion and the non-driving period when it is parked.

4. The tire life management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The vehicle is equipped with a driving status information acquisition unit that acquires driving status information of a vehicle with the tires installed. The thermal process quantity calculation unit calculates the thermal process quantity of the first cycle by dividing it into driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle is driving and non-driving thermal process quantity when the vehicle is stopped.

5. The tire life management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The second period is set to more than one year, and a meteorological information acquisition unit is equipped with a period of past temperature information equivalent to the second period. The cumulative heat calculation unit calculates the cumulative heat based on the temperature changes within the period.

6. The tire life management system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The meteorological information acquisition unit is equipped with a location information acquisition unit that acquires the location information of the tire or the vehicle on which the tire is installed when the temperature information is measured, and the meteorological information acquisition unit acquires the temperature information of the area including the location information.

7. The tire life management system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The system includes an operation information acquisition unit that acquires operation information of a vehicle equipped with the tires during a period corresponding to the second cycle, and an accumulated heat calculation unit that calculates the accumulated heat based on the change in the operation rate during the cycle.

8. The tire life management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The specified threshold is set as a value representing the durability of the belt layer or carcass that constitutes the outer tire.

9. The tire life management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, It has an operation recommendation unit that makes recommendations on the operation of the tire based on the remaining lifespan.

10. The tire life management system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, It has a sending unit that sends the remaining lifespan and the tire identification information to a designated user, and a display unit that displays the sent information.

11. The tire life management system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The cumulative heat calculation unit calculates the cumulative heat that the tire may receive in a predetermined third cycle, which is set as the service life of the tread rubber, based on the thermal process amount in the first cycle, and has a recycling determination unit that determines whether the tire can be recycled based on the cumulative heat in the third cycle and a predetermined recycling determination threshold.

12. The tire life management system according to claim 11, wherein, The tire pressure measuring unit is equipped with a tire pressure measuring unit. If the temperature or pressure information measured before the expiration of the third cycle exceeds the specified range and the abnormal temperature or abnormal pressure condition is present for more than a specified time, the tire regeneration determination unit will determine whether the tire can be regenerated.

13. A tire life management method, the tire life management method managing the remaining life of a tire disposed on the radially inner side of the tire tread rubber, comprising: a step of measuring tire temperature; a step of calculating the amount of thermal process the tire experiences during the first cycle based on multiple temperature data of the tire measured during the first cycle; a step of estimating the cumulative heat that the tire may experience during the first cycle in the second cycle, which is longer than the first cycle, based on the amount of thermal process in the first cycle; and a step of predicting the remaining life of the tire based on the cumulative heat in the second cycle and the predetermined threshold.

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