Description:
Reference #: 01383
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for Sensing in Tires for Rolling Resistance.
Background:
According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, an estimated 5% to 15% of passenger car fuel consumption is used to overcome rolling resistance.
Rolling resistance includes mechanical energy losses due to aerodynamic drag associated with rolling, friction between the tire and road and between the tire and rim, and energy losses taking place within the structure of the tire.
Due to the weight of a vehicle, the bottom part of a tire flattens and as it rolls, the part of the tire that flattens changes. This constant change leads to increased resistance.
Invention Description:
The invention is a mechanism/process for the determination of rolling resistance from a sensor or sensors in a tire or tires.
Potential Applications:
These sensors can be used to determine energy losses due to tire deformation. This information can be combined with force sensors in the suspension system in order to determine energy loss that contributes to rolling resistance.
Advantages and Benefits:
Decreasing rolling resistance improves:
● Overall vehicle efficiency
● Increased vehicle range
● Decrease in emissions