Tire sensor and method
First Claim
1. A plurality of sensor assemblies embedded in an elastomeric material, each said sensor assembly comprising:
- a pair of first strain sensors disposed on first opposed faces of a flexible pyramid-shaped body, said first strain sensors detecting a force in a first direction, wherein said first strain sensors generate corresponding output signals in response to the force in the first direction, and wherein the force in the first direction is generally equal to the difference between the output signals of said first strain sensors;
a pair of second strain sensors disposed on second opposed faces of said body, said second opposed faces adjacent to said first opposed faces, and said second strain sensors detecting a force in a second direction generally orthogonal to said first direction, wherein said second strain sensors generate corresponding output signals in response to the force in the second direction, and wherein the force in the second direction is generally equal to the difference between the output signals of said second strain sensors;
wherein a sum of the first output signals and the second output signals is indicative of a force in a third direction, and wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies are embedded in a tire in mutually spaced relationship.
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Abstract
A tire sensor assembly that is embedded in an elastomeric tire at a particular radial depth inwardly from a contact patch of the tire includes a flexible generally pyramid-shaped body and a pair of first strain sensors disposed on first opposed faces of the pyramid-shaped body, the first strain sensors detecting a force in a first direction. In addition, the assembly includes a pair of second strain sensors disposed on second opposed faces of the pyramid-shaped body, the second strain sensors detecting a force in a second direction. Moreover, each face of the first and second opposed faces is non-planar. Preferably, the first and second opposed faces of the pyramid-shaped body are curved and generally symmetrical about an axis extending longitudinally through the apex of the body so as to allow adjustment of the sensitivity of the sensor assembly generally independent of the radial depth. In one example, the first and second opposed faces are concave such that the sensor assembly is more sensitive to a tensile strain and less sensitive to a shear strain.
28 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A plurality of sensor assemblies embedded in an elastomeric material, each said sensor assembly comprising:
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a pair of first strain sensors disposed on first opposed faces of a flexible pyramid-shaped body, said first strain sensors detecting a force in a first direction, wherein said first strain sensors generate corresponding output signals in response to the force in the first direction, and wherein the force in the first direction is generally equal to the difference between the output signals of said first strain sensors;
a pair of second strain sensors disposed on second opposed faces of said body, said second opposed faces adjacent to said first opposed faces, and said second strain sensors detecting a force in a second direction generally orthogonal to said first direction, wherein said second strain sensors generate corresponding output signals in response to the force in the second direction, and wherein the force in the second direction is generally equal to the difference between the output signals of said second strain sensors;
wherein a sum of the first output signals and the second output signals is indicative of a force in a third direction, and wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies are embedded in a tire in mutually spaced relationship. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A process of producing a sensor embedded in an elastomeric material, the process comprising:
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providing a sensor assembly including a pyramid-shaped body and first and second pairs of strain sensors;
disposing the first pair on first opposed faces of the pyramid-shaped body; and
disposing the second pair on second opposed faces of the pyramid-shaped body. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46)
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18. A tire sensor assembly embedded in an elastomeric tire at a particular radial depth inward from a contact patch of the tire, said sensor assembly comprising:
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a flexible generally pyramid-shaped body;
a pair of first strain sensors disposed on first opposed faces of said pyramid-shaped body, said first strain sensors detecting a force in a first direction; and
wherein each face of said first opposed faces is non-planar.
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38. A method of embedding a sensor in a tire, the method comprising:
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providing a sensor assembly including a first pair of strain sensors disposed on first opposed faces of a generally pyramid-shaped body; and
shaping the first opposed faces of the pyramid-shaped body so that each face of the first opposed faces is non-planar.
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45. A sensor assembly embedded in an elastomeric material of a vehicle tire at a depth radially inward from a contact patch of the tire, the sensor assembly comprising:
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a flexible body;
a strain sensing element disposed on said flexible body; and
wherein said body includes curved faces that are shaped so as to allow adjustment of the sensitivity of the sensor assembly generally independent of the radial depth.
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47. A sensor assembly comprising:
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a first pair of strain sensors, each strain sensor detecting an associated first force, wherein the vector difference of the associated first forces is shear strain in a first direction;
a second pair of strain sensors each strain sensor detecting an associated second force, wherein the vector difference of the associated second forces is shear strain in a second direction; and
wherein the vector sum of the associated first and second forces is tensile strain in a third direction.
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48. A tire sensor comprising:
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a plurality of sensor assemblies, each sensor assembly adapted to measure forces along multiple axes that correspond among the sensor assemblies, wherein each sensor assembly includes at least one strain sensor that measures a force along one of the corresponding axes; and
a summing circuit that sums the measured forces along the one of the corresponding axes.
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Specification