Wheel status monitoring system
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for monitoring wheel status on a vehicle comprising:
- temperature sensors mounted in thermal contact with axles in close proximity to wheels;
a signal processor to analyze signals from the temperature sensors representing temperatures of the wheel; and
a warning device coupled to the signal processor to alert a driver of the vehicle of a wheel malfunction.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a tire pressure monitoring system for a vehicle using temperature sensors mounted on axles in close proximity to each wheel to detect an increase in temperature generated by a compromised tire and conducted to the axle. The temperature information for each wheel is sent wired or wirelessly to a processor where the magnitude of the temperature is compared with the temperature of an uncompromised wheel. A significant increase in the temperature difference causes an alarm signal to be sent to a monitoring panel along with information that indicates to the driver which wheel is compromised.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring wheel status on a vehicle comprising:
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temperature sensors mounted in thermal contact with axles in close proximity to wheels; a signal processor to analyze signals from the temperature sensors representing temperatures of the wheel; and a warning device coupled to the signal processor to alert a driver of the vehicle of a wheel malfunction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for monitoring wheel condition on a vehicle comprising:
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paired thermocouples connected in series and mounted in thermal contact with an axle in dose proximity to right and left wheels; a signal processor coupled to the thermocouple pair to analyze an output voltage representing a difference in temperature of the right and left wheels; and a warning device coupled to the signal processor to alert a driver of the vehicle of a dysfunctional wheel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method to monitor the status of wheels on at least one axle on a vehicle comprising:
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sensing through thermal conduction temperatures of the wheels on the at least one axle of the vehicle; converting the temperatures of the wheels to signal voltages; processing the signal voltages to determine dysfunctional temperatures of each wheel; and displaying to a driver of the vehicle a magnitude and location of dysfunction of each wheel based on the processing. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification