System and method for generating electric power from a rotating tire's mechanical energy

• US 20050110277A1
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Adamson, John David, Sinnett, Jay C., O'Brien, George Phillips
• Granted Patent: US 7,429,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1.R
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0077 Directly attaching monitoring devices to tyres before or after vulcanization, e.g. microchips
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0094 Tyres been capable of generating, e.g. recovering, energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0411 Piezoelectric generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/08 from a ground wheel, e.g. engaging the wheel tread or rim
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/10 directly from oscillating movements due to vehicle running motion, e.g. suspension movement resilient suspensions having dampers accumulating utilisable energy, e.g. compressing air, B60G13/14
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/08 recovering energy derived from swinging, rolling, pitching or like movements, e.g. from the vibrations of a machine

Abstract

A tire assembly with integrated power generation features includes one or more piezoelectric devices configured to generate electric charge therein upon being subjected to mechanical strains associated with flexure of tire or wheel components. The piezoelectric device may be incorporated in a variety of tire structures and in many different locations. In pneumatic tire structures, the piezoelectric device and related electronics may be embedded in crown or sidewall locations among such selected components as the exterior tread portion, first and second steel belts of a belt package, carcass, cap ply portion, inner liner, zone base, etc. The piezoelectric device with optional rubber casing may also be attached to such locations as the inner liner and tire exterior. Piezoelectric devices may also be integrated with a tire and safety support combination that is configured to operate in an extended mobility mode when the tire structure loses air pressure. Piezoelectric devices may alternatively be integrated with a non-pneumatic structurally supported tire such as one including a reinforced annular band, a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and radially inward from the annular band, a mounting band at the inner end of the web spokes and a tread portion disposed on the annular band.

Claims

1. A tire assembly with integrated power generation features, said tire assembly comprising:

a pneumatic tire structure characterized by a crown having a tread portion for making contact with a ground surface, bead portions for seating said pneumatic tire structure to a wheel rim, and sidewall portions extending between each bead portion and the crown, wherein a carcass is provided within the pneumatic tire structure between said bead portions across said sidewall portions and said crown, wherein a belt package is provided within the crown of said pneumatic tire structure between said tread portion and said carcass, and wherein an inner liner forms an interior surface of said pneumatic tire structure;

a piezoelectric device integrated with said pneumatic tire structure and configured to generate electric charge therein upon said tire structure being subjected to mechanical strains; and

an electronics assembly coupled to said piezoelectric device such that selected electronic components of said electronics assembly are powered by electric charge generated by said piezoelectric device.

2. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric device is embedded in the crown of said pneumatic tire structure between said tread portion and said belt package.

3. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric device is embedded in the crown of said pneumatic tire structure between said belt package and said carcass.

4. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric device is embedded in the crown of said pneumatic tire structure between said carcass and said inner liner.

5. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said pneumatic tire structure further comprises a cap ply portion between said belt package and said tread portion, and wherein said piezoelectric device is embedded in the crown of said pneumatic tire structure between said tread portion and said cap ply portion.

6. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said pneumatic tire structure further comprises a cap ply portion between said belt package and said tread portion, and wherein said piezoelectric device is embedded in the crown of said pneumatic tire structure between said belt package and said cap ply portion.

7. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said belt package comprises first and second steel belts and wherein said piezoelectric device is embedded in the crown of said pneumatic tire structure between said first and second steel belts.

8. The tire assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rubber patch provided adjacent to and supporting at least one surface of said piezoelectric device.

9. The tire assembly of claim 8, wherein said rubber patch is mounted to the inner liner of said pneumatic tire structure.

10. The tire assembly of claim 8, wherein said rubber patch is mounted to the exterior tread portion of said pneumatic tire structure.

11. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric device is mounted in a sidewall of said pneumatic tire structure between said carcass and said inner liner.

12. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric device is mounted in a sidewall of said pneumatic tire structure between said carcass and the tire exterior.

13. The tire assembly of claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric device is mounted in the zone base near a selected of the bead portions of said pneumatic tire structure.

14. A tire assembly with integrated power generation features, comprising:

a pneumatic tire structure characterized by a crown having a tread portion for making contact with a ground surface;

a safety support configured for mounting on a wheel rim inside of said pneumatic tire structure in order to support the tread portion of said pneumatic tire structure in the event of the loss of inflation, said safety support comprising an annular body having an inner surface intended to fit around the wheel rim and an outer cap intended to be engaged by the tread portion in the event of a loss of pressure;

a piezoelectric device configured to generate electric charge therein upon said safety support being subjected to mechanical strains during loss of pressure to said pneumatic tire structure; and

an electronics assembly coupled to said piezoelectric device such that selected electronic components of said electronics assembly are powered by electric charge generated by said piezoelectric device.

15. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said piezoelectric device is attached to the outer cap of said safety support.

16. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said piezoelectric device is embedded within a portion of said safety support.

17. The tire assembly of claim 14, further comprising a rubber patch provided adjacent to and supporting at least one surface of said piezoelectric device.

18. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises a fiber composite structure with a plurality of piezoelectric fibers embedded in an epoxy matrix.

19. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises:

at least one piezoceramic wafer;

a protective casing substantially surrounding said at least one piezoceramic wafer; and

first and second electrical leads for connecting to said at least one piezoceramic wafer.

20. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises:

a layer of piezoceramic material characterized by first and second opposing sides; and

first and second conductive layers provided adjacent to respective said first and second opposing sides of said layer of piezoceramic material and secured thereto with respective adhesive layers.

21. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises multiple piezoceramic elements connected in either series or parallel.

22. The tire assembly of claim 21, wherein the polarization directions of said multiple piezoceramic elements are configured as one of in-phase and opposing.

23. The tire assembly of claim 21, wherein the displacement of said multiple piezoceramic elements are configured in one of d33 and d31 modes.

24. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises at least one piezoelectric element comprising a material selected from the group consisting of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), barium titanate, quartz, cadmium sulfide, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

25. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one electronic component within said electronics assembly is configured to count the number of revolutions said pneumatic tire structure has traveled during loss of air pressure.

26. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics assembly comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor one or more of tire pressure and tire temperature.

27. The tire assembly of claim 26, wherein said electronics assembly comprises a radio frequency (RF) device for relaying selected information monitored by said at least one sensor to a remote location.

28. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one electronic component within said electronics assembly is configured to measure the contact patch of the safety support during loss of pressure to provide an indication of how severely said pneumatic tire structure is under inflated.

29. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics assembly comprises a memory device configured to store therein information regarding the usage history of said safety support.

30. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein said electronics assembly comprises a triggering mechanism for signaling a loss of pressure to said pneumatic tire structure.

31. The tire assembly of claim 30, wherein said electronics assembly comprises a radio frequency (RF) device for relaying an indication of tire pressure loss as signaled by said triggering mechanism to a remote location.

32. The tire assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one electronic component within said electronics assembly is configured to provide a signal indication upon loss of pressure to said pneumatic tire structure.

33. A tire assembly with integrated power generation features, comprising:

a non-pneumatic structurally supported tire comprising a reinforced annular band, a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and radially inward from the reinforced annular band, and a mounting band at the radially inner end of the web spokes;

a piezoelectric device integrated with said non-pneumatic structurally supported tire and configured to generate electric charge therein upon said tire being subjected to mechanical strains; and

an electronics assembly coupled to said piezoelectric device such that selected electronic components of said electronics assembly are powered by electric charge generated by said piezoelectric device.

34. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said non-pneumatic structurally supported tire further comprises a tread portion disposed on a radially outer extent of the reinforced annular band.

35. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said piezoelectric device is mounted to the interior of the reinforced annular band of said non-pneumatic structurally supported tire.

36. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said piezoelectric device is mounted to one or more of the plurality of web spokes of said non-pneumatic structurally supported tire.

37. The tire assembly of claim 33, further comprising a rubber patch provided adjacent to and supporting at least one surface of said piezoelectric device.

38. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises a fiber composite structure with a plurality of piezoelectric fibers embedded in an epoxy matrix.

39. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises:

at least one piezoceramic wafer;

a protective casing substantially surrounding said at least one piezoceramic wafer; and

first and second electrical leads for connecting to said at least one piezoceramic wafer.

40. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises:

a layer of piezoceramic material characterized by first and second opposing sides; and

first and second conductive layers provided adjacent to respective said first and second opposing sides of said layer of piezoceramic material and secured thereto with respective adhesive layers.

41. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises multiple piezoceramic elements connected in either series or parallel.

42. The tire assembly of claim 41, wherein the polarization directions of said multiple piezoceramic elements are configured as one of in-phase and opposing.

43. The tire assembly of claim 41, wherein the displacement of said multiple piezoceramic elements are configured in one of d33 and d31 modes.

44. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said piezoelectric device comprises at least one piezoelectric element comprising a material selected from the group consisting of lead zirconate titanate (PZT), barium titanate, quartz, cadmium sulfide, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

45. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein at least one electronic component within said electronic assembly is configured to count the number of revolutions said non-pneumatic structurally supported tire has traveled.

46. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said electronics assembly comprises at least one sensor configured to monitor one or more of tire pressure and tire temperature.

47. The tire assembly of claim 46, wherein said electronics assembly comprises a radio frequency (RF) device for relaying selected information monitored by said at least one sensor to a remote location.

48. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein at least one electronic component within said electronics assembly is configured to measure the contact patch of the non-pneumatic structurally supported tire to provide an indication of tire load levels.

49. The tire assembly of claim 33, wherein said electronics assembly comprises a memory device configured to store information regarding the usage history of said non-pneumatic structurally supported tire.