Vehicle wheel vibration monitoring system

• US 6,266,586 B1
• Filed: 12/08/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allain Gagnon
• Original Assignee: Allain Gagnon
• Inventors: Gagnon, Allain
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/456,573
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/37, 731/181
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00

Abstract

A vibration monitor is mounted on axles of a truck for monitoring vibrations in the axles and wheels of the truck which may indicate some type of failure associated with the wheels. The monitor includes a pair of pneumatic sensors mounted on the axles which are connected to a control box for disabling the truck. The control box is arranged to vent the air brake circuit of the truck for applying the brakes of the truck if the control box receives a vibration signal from the sensors having a magnitude which exceeds an acceleration threshold and a duration which exceeds a time threshold.

Claims

1. A vibration monitor for use in monitoring vibrations on a wheel of a vehicle, the monitor comprising:

an acceleration sensor associated with the wheel and being arranged to produce a vibration signal in response to and representing repeated accelerations acting on the wheel over an elapsed period of time;

a controller arranged to receive the vibration signal from the acceleration sensor, the controller including a time threshold and an acceleration magnitude threshold which define a prescribed vibration condition, the controller being arranged to determine that the vibration signal exceeds the prescribed vibration condition when a magnitude of the vibration signal exceeds the acceleration magnitude threshold and a duration of the vibration signal exceeds the time threshold; and

a disabling mechanism arranged to disable the vehicle in response to determination by the controller that the vibration signal exceeds the prescribed vibration condition.

2. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein the acceleration magnitude threshold is adjustable over a range of magnitudes.

3. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein the time threshold is adjustable over a range of time limits.

4. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein the acceleration sensor comprises a pneumatic sensor such that the vibration signal comprises a variation in air pressure transmitted through a sensor line between the sensor and the controller.

5. The monitor according to claim 4 wherein the disabling mechanism comprises a control element coupled to air brakes of the vehicle such that air pressure of the brakes is vented for applying the brakes when the control element receives the vibration signal.

6. The monitor according to claim 4 wherein the disabling mechanism comprises a control element coupled to a throttle of the vehicle such that the vehicle is disabled when the control element receives the vibration signal.

7. The monitor according to claim 4 wherein there is provided an indicator coupled to the sensor line for indicating when the disabling mechanism has been activated.

8. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein there is provided a reset element coupled to the disabling mechanism such that when the vehicle is disabled, the vehicle remains disabled until the reset element is activated.

9. The monitor according to claim 8 wherein the reset element comprises a manual switch coupled to the disabling mechanism.

10. The monitor according to claim 8 wherein the reset element comprises a remote switch coupled to the disabling mechanism such that an operator of the vehicle can reset the disabling mechanism remotely.

11. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein there is provided an indicator coupled to the disabling mechanism for indicating to an operator of the vehicle that the disabling mechanism has been activated.

12. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein the acceleration sensor is mounted on respective axles of the vehicle for sensing vibrations in the wheels and the axles of the vehicle.

13. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein the acceleration sensor comprises an electrical sensor such that the vibration signal comprises an electrical signal which is representative of a vibration acting on the wheel.

14. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein the disabling mechanism comprises a control element coupled to brakes of the vehicle such that the brakes are applied when the control element receives the vibration signal.

15. The monitor according to claim 1 wherein the disabling mechanism comprises a control element coupled a throttle of the vehicle such that the vehicle is disabled when the control element receives the vibration signal.

16. A vibration monitor for use in monitoring vibrations on a wheel of a vehicle, the monitor comprising:

an electrical acceleration sensor associated with the wheel and being arranged to sense repeated accelerations acting on the wheel in at least two different directions and produce a vibration signal in response to the repeated accelerations acting on the wheel over an elapsed period of time, the vibration signal comprising an electrical signal representing the repeated accelerations acting on the wheel over the elapsed period of time;

a controller arranged to receive the vibration signal from the acceleration sensor, the controller including a time threshold and an acceleration magnitude threshold which define a prescribed vibration condition, the controller being arranged to determine that the vibration signal exceeds the prescribed vibration condition when a magnitude of the vibration signal exceeds the acceleration magnitude threshold and a duration of the vibration signal exceeds the time threshold; and

a disabling mechanism arranged to engage brakes of the vehicle in response to determination by the controller that the vibration signal exceeds the prescribed vibration condition so as to disable the vehicle.

17. A vibration monitor for use in monitoring vibrations on a wheel of a vehicle, the monitor comprising:

an electrical acceleration sensor associated with the wheel and being arranged to produce a vibration signal in response to repeated accelerations acting on the wheel over an elapsed period of time, the vibration signal comprising an electrical signal representing the repeated accelerations acting on the wheel over the elapsed period of time;

a controller arranged to receive the vibration signal from the acceleration sensor, the controller including a time threshold and an acceleration magnitude threshold which define a prescribed vibration condition, the controller being arranged to determine that the vibration signal exceeds the prescribed vibration condition when a magnitude of the vibration signal exceeds the acceleration magnitude threshold and a duration of the vibration signal exceeds the time threshold;

a disabling mechanism arranged to disable the vehicle in response to determination by the controller that the vibration signal exceeds the prescribed vibration condition;

an electrical power supply arranged to supply electrical power to the electrical acceleration sensor; and

a failsafe mechanism arranged to monitor power supplied to the electrical acceleration sensor from the electrical power supply and to disable the vehicle in response to a loss of electrical power supplied to the electrical acceleration sensor.