Tire force detection apparatus

摘要

A tire force detection apparatus estimates the force exerted on a tire at the contact point of the tire in a vehicle that includes: a tire/wheel assembly having a wheel and a tire held on an outer circumferential portion of the wheel; and a wheel support member that rotatably supports the wheel via a wheel support portion. The tire force detection apparatus includes: an elastic body disposed between the wheel and the wheel support portion, the elastic body having column portions that each abut, at opposite ends thereof, the wheel and the wheel support portion and a plate-shaped portion that is integrated with the column portions and extends around the column portions; stress detectors that detect stress applied to the elastic body by detecting a strain of the plate-shaped portion; and an electronic circuit device that calculates the force exerted on the tire, based on the stress detected.