Stud unit for a studded tyre, a studded tyre, a device for remotely adjusting a studded tyre, vehicle and operation of device

• US 10,377,185 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mikael Fernholm
• Original Assignee: Mikael Fernholm
• Inventors: Fernholm, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): Maki, Steven D
• Application Number:
  US14/898,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20160144669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/1606 retractable plug
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/1612 actuated by fluid, e.g. using fluid pressure difference
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/1618 actuated by temperature, e.g. by means of temperature sensitive elements

Abstract

A stud unit (3) and a device (1) for a studded tire. The stud unit comprises a housing (5) with a chamber (7) enclosing a medium, a stud (20) arranged at least partly inserted into the chamber so that it is affected by the medium. The stud is adapted to be moved depending on a change of the pressure of the medium in the chamber between a first position for a first pressure and a second position, where the second pressure is higher than the first pressure. In the second position a part of the stud protrudes further from the chamber than in the first position, The stud unit also contains a heating element (22) adapted to heat the medium so that the pressure in the chamber is adjusted between the first pressure and the second pressure.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a studded tire, wherein the device includes a stud unit comprising:

a housing with a chamber enclosing a medium,

a stud at least partly inserted into the chamber to be affected by the medium,

the stud positioned to be movable depending on a change in pressure of the medium in the chamber between a first position for a first pressure and a second position for a second pressure,

the second pressure being higher than the first pressure,

in the second position a part of the stud protruding further out from the chamber than in the first position,

a heating element arranged to heat the medium to adjust the pressure of the medium in the chamber between the first pressure and the second pressure,

a transducer coil arranged to receive an output current from a power source and generate a magnetic field,

a receiver coil positioned to be exposed to the magnetic field from the transducer coil and induce an input current,

a control unit arranged to adjust the output current from the power source to the transducer coil,

the heating element being arranged to receive said input current induced by the receiver coil and generate heat to heat the medium in the chamber to change the first pressure to the second pressure,

the transducer coil is arranged at a distance from the receiver coil which is arranged at the housing, and

the housing is cylindrical in shape, the heating element is arranged within the chamber to be in direct contact with the medium within the chamber, and the receiver coil is wrapped around an outer side of the housing opposite the chamber.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the stud comprises a solid cylinder attached to a plate arranged to be acted upon by the medium within the chamber.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the stud is arranged to be movable to an intermediate position between the first position and the second position by controlling the pressure of the medium in the chamber to a level in between the first pressure and the second pressure.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein in the first position the stud is within said chamber.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the heating element contains a resistance component arranged to receive the input current and produce the heat which heats up the medium in the chamber to change the pressure in the chamber from the first pressure to the second pressure.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the stud unit includes an elastic component arranged, in the second position, to act on the stud with a force directed towards the chamber.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the stud unit includes a capacitor, and

the receiver coil, the resistance component and the capacitor for the stud unit are connected to form a resonance circuit with a resonance frequency.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said medium in the chamber is either wax with a melting point within the interval 100-300°

C. or water.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first pressure is within the interval 50-110 Pa.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second pressure is within the interval 120 Pa-1 MPa.

11. A studded tyre having a device according to claim 1 for controlling the studded tyre.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transducer coil is arranged to receive the output current in the form of an alternating current and generate an alternating magnetic field which penetrates the receiver coil for the stud.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the stud unit is arranged into a contact surface on the studded tyre, and the transducer coil is oriented with only a part of said contact surface exposed to the magnetic field.

14. A vehicle containing a device according to claim 1.