Measuring and testing – Tire – tread or roadway
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-17
2003-10-21
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2855)
Measuring and testing
Tire, tread or roadway
C152S154200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634222
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a uniform system for visually determining unsafe tire wear on vehicles and the removal of such vehicles from roadways.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A major concern for automobile safety is the condition of the tires that are mounted on a vehicle. A vehicle that is traveling at 60-80 miles per hour and having a tire failure can and often does produce devastating consequences.
It is, of course, to the benefit of every vehicle owner to insure that his vehicle's tires are in a safe condition and there are a number of proposals in the prior art to enable a vehicle owner to ascertain the safe condition of his vehicle's tires. Unfortunately, many vehicle owners are either unaware of their tire's condition or careless in their concern for unsafe tire conditions and it is the unaware or careless vehicle owner that creates a safety hazard for all drivers that share a common roadway.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method or system that enables a control body having regulatory control in a region of control (e.g., via state, national or international regulation) over the use of tires on vehicles that become worn to an unsafe or near unsafe condition.
The first step of a preferred method of the invention is the development of a tire manufacturing standard applicable to substantially all vehicle tires regardless of tire size and regardless of vehicle size and type. It is known that different categories of vehicles will be equipped with different categories of tires. Thus, the tire manufacturing standard of the preferred embodiment is to be characterized in a way that encompasses all tires produced by all tire manufacturers. An example of such a standard is one that defines “end of life” in a manner that can be converted to tread wear. Regardless of how much tread a tire has, how tough the tread material is or how much abuse the tire suffers, the tire will simply wear to a point of having minimal remaining tread beyond which the tire is deemed unsafe. That point of minimal remaining tread can be predictably established for each tire manufactured and for the purpose of explanation is here referred to as “end of life.”
The second step is the requirement that all tires are to be provided with a universal visual code (e.g., color code) indicative of “end of life” or near “end of life” condition. For example, it may be determined that a tread that is 95% used (leaving 5% unused) is no longer safe. Alternatively it may be determined that a tread that has a thickness no greater than 2/32 of an inch is no longer safe. Whatever the designation of unsafe condition, every tire will be required to expose a common visual indicator/coding at a tread depth that coincides with the determined unsafe tire wear condition.
The third step is a deterrent step whereby vehicles that have tires worn to the point of “end of life” condition are deterred from use on public roadways. This may require the passing of state and/or national or international regulations that prohibit vehicles on the road that visually demonstrate tire wear to be unsafe as determined by the adopted visual coding. Alternatively, the stigma generated by public concern may itself be an effective deterrent.
The fourth step is enforcement which can be readily achieved by visual inspection. An officer stopping a vehicle or viewing it at some distance can routinely and readily inspect the tires. Alternatively and/or additionally, such can take place at inspection sites, e.g., when renewing a license for the vehicle or when paying toll road charges, etc. Even other motorists who notice the “end of life” code on a vehicle's tires can report abuses and/or voice concern to vehicle drivers and will be encouraged to do so for the common safety of all users of public roadways.
Alternatively, it may be desired to have a color coding scheme that includes a second visual indication, e.g., to pre-warn drivers of an impending “end of life” condition. For example, a color red will denote that the tire has reached or exceeded “end of life,” and prior to end of life, the color yellow or orange can be used to warn drivers that “end of life” is approaching.
Additionally, uneven wearing tire tread is often caused when the wheels are out of alignment. This often unnoticed condition is a major cause of tire failure and vehicle accident. As an example, if one edge of a tire (often inside versus outside edges) is wearing much more than the rest of the tire and is easily hidden from view, it presents a significant danger. The appearance of a cautionary bright color (yellow/orange/amber) on that inside edge is a powerful tool for both the driver and public safety officials to head off tragedy. The appearance, even of a strand of “end of life” color code (red), would be immediate cause for replacement of the tire because of the close proximity of the end of life colored tread to the tire casing.
Whereas the use of color coding to designate a worn tire has been previously suggested, such applies to an individual vehicle owner and does not address the public safety issue. The present invention is directed to a system that enfranchises the entire driving populace/government to remove a source of public danger.
The invention will be more fully appreciated upon reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein.
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Fogarty Stacy Renee
O'Brien John Michael
O'Brien Patrick Michael
Ellington Alandra
Harrington Robert L.
Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt
Williams Hezron
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