AIRCRAFT TIRE PRESSURE LOOP LINK

• US 20090237273A1
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eldec Aerospace Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Eldec Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Lamping, Jeff, Finefrock, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,059,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2200/02 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0413 Wireless charging of active radio frequency circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0427 Near field transmission with inductive or capacitive coupling means
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/043 using transformer type signal transducers, e.g. rotary transformers

Abstract

The aircraft tire pressure loop link is formed of first and second single metal loops connected by parallel spaced apart metal shafts, and provides for coupling a magnetic field between a wheel hub coil and a tire pressure sensor coil to provide electromagnetic communication between a control unit connect to the wheel hub coil and a tire pressure sensor connected to the tire pressure sensor coil. The current induced in the first single metal loop travels the distance from the edge of the wheel axle coil to the periphery of the of the wheel rim to the second single metal loop, which generates the flux in the tire pressure sensor receiver coil necessary to power the tire pressure sensor.

Claims

1. An aircraft tire pressure loop link for electromagnetically coupling a magnetic field between a wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil and a tire pressure sensor receiver coil spaced apart from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil for powering a tire pressure sensor, comprising:

a first single metal loop configured to be mounted adjacent to the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil, said first single metal loop including a magnetic flux collector insert member electrically connected and attached to said first single metal loop for collecting an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil;

a second single metal loop configured to be mounted adjacent to a tire pressure sensor transceiver coil; and

a pair of electrically conductive connecting arms electrically connected between said first single metal loop and said second single metal loop, said pair of electrically conductive connecting arms being configured to carry current generated in the first single metal loop from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil to the second single metal loop to the second single metal loop, said pair of electrically conductive connecting arms being closely spaced apart by a small gap to minimize a loop area of said pair of electrically conductive connecting arms, whereby current induced in the first single metal loop travels via the pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms a distance from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil to the second single metal loop, to generate flux in the tire pressure sensor receiver coil for powering the tire pressure sensor; and

wherein no wire connections are included in the aircraft tire pressure loop link to form an electrical circuit between the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil and the tire pressure sensor receiver coil, said aircraft tire pressure loop link is a rigid, self-supporting structural part, and the magnetic flux collector insert member collects an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil, and concentrates and directs the magnetic flux through an area of a central portion of a cross sectional area enclosed by said first single metal loop.

8. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 1, wherein said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms can be of any desirable length without loss of coupling enhancement.

9. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 1, wherein said aircraft tire pressure loop link provides a low impedance electromagnetic signal path connection between the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver drive coil and the tire pressure sensor transceiver coil, whereby no electrical insulation is required over said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms.

10. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 1, wherein said aircraft tire pressure loop link provides a low voltage electromagnetic signal path connection between the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver drive coil and the tire pressure sensor transceiver coil, whereby the aircraft tire pressure loop link is not a source of electric field radiation and is not sensitive to electric field interference.

11. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 1, wherein said aircraft tire pressure loop link comprises a rigid, self-supporting structural part.

2. An aircraft tire pressure loop link for electromagnetically coupling a magnetic field between a wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil and a tire pressure sensor receiver coil spaced apart from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil for powering a tire pressure sensor, comprising:

a first single metal loop configured to be mounted adjacent to the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil, said first single metal loop including a magnetic flux collector insert member electrically connected and attached to said first single metal loop for collecting an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil;

a second single metal loop configured to be mounted adjacent to a tire pressure sensor transceiver coil; and

a pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms electrically connected between said first single metal loop and said second single metal loop, said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms being configured to carry current generated in the first single metal loop from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil to the second single metal loop to the second single metal loop, whereby current induced in the first single metal loop travels via the pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms a distance from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil to the second single metal loop, to generate flux in the tire pressure sensor receiver coil for powering the tire pressure sensor.

3. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 2, wherein said first single metal loop is formed of a metal having low magnetic permeability.

4. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 2, wherein said magnetic flux collector insert member is formed from a metal having high magnetic permeability.

5. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 4, wherein said magnetic flux collector insert member is formed from a nickel-iron magnetic alloy.

6. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 2, wherein said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms comprises first and second parallel spaced apart metal shafts connected between said first single metal loop and said second single metal loop.

7. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 6, wherein said first and second parallel spaced apart metal shafts comprise aluminum.

12. An aircraft tire pressure loop link for electromagnetically coupling a magnetic field between a wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil and a tire pressure sensor receiver coil spaced apart from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil for powering a tire pressure sensor, comprising:

a wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil;

a primary single metal loop configured to be mounted adjacent to the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil, said first single metal loop including a magnetic flux collector insert member electrically connected and attached to said first single metal loop for collecting an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil;

a secondary single metal loop configured to be mounted adjacent to a tire pressure sensor transceiver coil; and

a pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms electrically connected between said primary single metal loop and said secondary single metal loop, said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms being configured to carry current generated in the primary single metal loop from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil to the secondary single metal loop to the secondary single metal loop, whereby current induced in the primary single metal loop travels via the pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms a distance from the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver coil to the second single metal loop, to generate flux in the tire pressure sensor receiver coil for powering the tire pressure sensor.

13. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 12, wherein said first single metal loop is formed of a metal having low magnetic permeability.

14. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 12, wherein said magnetic flux collector insert member is formed from a metal having high magnetic permeability.

15. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 14, wherein said magnetic flux collector insert member is formed from a nickel-iron magnetic alloy.

16. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 12, wherein said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms comprises first and second parallel spaced apart metal shafts connected between said primary single metal loop and said secondary single metal loop.

17. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 16, wherein said first and second parallel spaced apart metal shafts comprises aluminum.

18. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 12, wherein said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms can be of any desirable length without loss of coupling enhancement.

19. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 12, wherein said aircraft tire pressure loop link provides a low impedance electromagnetic signal path connection between the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver drive coil and the tire pressure sensor transceiver coil, whereby no electrical insulation is required over said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms.

20. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 12, wherein said aircraft tire pressure loop link provides a low voltage electromagnetic signal path connection between the wheel axle electromagnetic transceiver drive coil and the tire pressure sensor transceiver coil, whereby the aircraft tire pressure loop link is not a source of electric field radiation and is not sensitive to electric field interference.