Tyre revolution counter

• US 20070095446A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Original Assignee: Pirelli Pneumatici S.P.A. (Pirelli & C SPA)
• Inventors: Mancosu, Federico, Festa, Franco
• Application Number:
  US10/536,403
• Publication Number:
  US 20070095446A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/152.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0459 self triggered by motion sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0488 Movement sensor, e.g. for sensing angular speed, acceleration or centripetal force
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/171 Detecting parameters used in the regulation; Measuring values used in the regulation

Abstract

A pneumatic tyre includes a sensor device for monitoring one or more dynamic parameters of the tyre and a detecting device. The sensor device is disposed in a crown portion of the tyre and includes an inertial switch. The inertial switch changes from a first state to a second state when the crown portion begins contacting a ground surface and changes from the second state to the first state when the crown portion loses contact with the ground surface. The detecting device is operatively connected to the inertial switch and determines the one or more dynamic parameters of the tyre from a signal obtained from the changes of the inertial switch. A method for monitoring the one or more dynamic parameters includes providing the tyre with the sensor device disposed in the crown portion, rotating the tyre on the ground surface, and determining the one or more dynamic parameters.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A method for monitoring one or more dynamic parameters of a pneumatic tyre, comprising:

providing the tyre with a sensor device disposed in a crown portion of the tyre;

rotating the tyre on a ground surface; and

determining the one or more dynamic parameters of the tyre;

wherein the sensor device comprises an inertial switch,

wherein the inertial switch changes from a first state to a second state when the crown portion begins contacting the ground surface,

wherein the inertial switch changes from the second state to the first state when the crown portion loses contact with the ground surface, and

wherein the one or more dynamic parameters of the tyre are determined from a signal obtained from the changes of the inertial switch.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more dynamic parameters comprises a number of revolutions of the tyre.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the number of revolutions of the tyre comprises:

storing the number of revolutions of the tyre.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein rotating the tyre on the ground surface comprises:

allowing a flow of electrical energy within the sensor device when the inertial switch is in the first state; and

interrupting the flow of electrical energy within the sensor device when the inertia switch is in the second state.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sensing an internal pressure of the tyre.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sensing an internal temperature of the tyre.

23. A pneumatic tyre, comprising:

a sensor device for monitoring one or more dynamic parameters of the tyre; and

a detecting device;

wherein the sensor device is disposed in a crown portion of the tyre,

wherein the sensor device comprises an inertial switch,

wherein the inertial switch changes from a first state to a second state when the crown portion begins contacting a ground surface,

wherein the inertial switch changes from the second state to the first state when the crown portion loses contact with the ground surface,

wherein the detecting device is operatively connected to the inertial switch, and

wherein the detecting device determines the one or more dynamic parameters of the tyre from a signal obtained from the changes of the inertial switch.

24. The tyre of claim 23, wherein the detecting device comprises:

a counter;

wherein the counter counts a number of tyre revolutions based on the changes of the inertial switch.

25. The tyre of claim 24, wherein the counter counts the number of tyre revolutions based on the changes of the inertial switch from the first state to the second state.

26. The tyre of claim 24, wherein the detecting device further comprises:

a memory;

wherein the memory is connected to the counter, and

wherein the memory stores the number of tyre revolutions.

27. The tyre of claim 23, wherein the sensor device is secured to an inner liner of the tyre.

28. The tyre of claim 27, wherein the detecting device comprises:

a counter;

wherein the counter counts a number of tyre revolutions based on the changes of the inertial switch.

29. The tyre of claim 28, wherein the counter counts a number of tyre revolutions based on the changes of the inertial switch from the first state to the second state.

30. The tyre of claim 28, wherein the detecting device further comprises:

a memory;

wherein the memory is connected to the counter, and

wherein the memory stores the number of tyre revolutions.

31. The tyre of claim 23, wherein the sensor device further comprises:

a battery.

32. The tyre of claim 31, wherein the battery is operatively connected to the inertial switch.

33. The tyre of claim 23, wherein the sensor device further comprises:

a pressure sensor.

34. The tyre of claim 23, wherein the sensor device further comprises:

a temperature sensor.

35. The tyre of claim 23, wherein the inertia switch has a threshold not higher than 40 times acceleration due to gravity.

36. The tyre of claim 23, wherein the inertial switch has a threshold not higher than 20 times acceleration due to gravity.