Wheel mounted power generator and wheel condition sensing apparatus

• US 6,742,386 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Larson, Gerald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALL, ERIC SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US09/702,151
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/462, 731/463, 731/464, 731/465, 731/181, 340/438, 340/442, 340/445, 340/447, 340/449
• US Class Current: 73/146.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/004 the control being done on the wheel, e.g. using a wheel-mounted reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/127 the pumps being mounted on the hubs

Abstract

An electromechanical apparatus suitable for mounting on a vehicle wheel power for generating telemetry relating to the wheel including tire temperature and pressure. The apparatus includes a pendulum mounted to rotate freely relative to the vehicle wheel which is positioned from the wheel hub. When the wheel is set to rotation, the pendulum freely hangs from the wheel hub under the influence of an off center counterweight having sufficient inertia to prevent rotation of the pendulum with the wheel. The pendulum is used to position one or more magnets to be used to excite field coils, which are mounted with respect to the wheel hub to rotate with the wheel. The magnets and rotating coils cooperate to energize a power utilization circuit also mounted with respect to the wheel hub to rotate therewith. The utilization circuit may include such sensors as desired, typically including though a tire pressure gauge and tire and wheel hub temperature gauges. The apparatus is readily extended to incorporate a fire pressurization pump, which may be a solenoid pump powered indirectly from the rotating coils, or by a magnetic button pump.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring physical variables of a tire and an axle, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a vehicle wheel having a hub mounted for rotation on the axle, the tire being mounted thereon;

(b) a tire pressure gauge mounted on the vehicle wheel in communication with the tire;

(c) a tire temperature gauge mounted on the vehicle wheel adjacent the tire;

(d) an axle temperature gauge mounted on the vehicle wheel adjacent the wheel hub;

(e) a signal processor and transmitter mounted on the vehicle wheel and connected to the tire pressure gauge, the tire temperature gauge and the axle temperature gauge for collecting data from the gauge and broadcasting a radio signal comprehending values representing the data; and

(f) an energization assembly including a magnetic element mounted adjacent the vehicle wheel presenting at least one magnetic pole parallel to the vehicle wheel'"'"'s axis of rotation, a field coil mounted on the vehicle wheel to pass the magnetic pole periodically to induce excitation therein, and electrical filtering and supply circuitry connected to the field coil and to the signal processor and transmitter.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic element further comprises a positioning segment depending from the wheel hub and a stabilizing element for resisting rotation of the positioning segment with the vehicle wheel.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the positioning segment includes a mounting plate centered on the axis of rotation of the vehicle wheel;

a low friction bearing centering the mounting plate on the hub.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stabilizing element includes an off center weight attached to the mounting plate providing inertial resistance to rotation of the mounting plate.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the magnetic element comprises:

(a) the mounting plate being a disk mounted to have major opposed surfaces perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the vehicle wheel; and

(b) a plurality of magnets shaped as wedges and arranged circumferentially around the outer edge of the major surface of the disk closer to the vehicle wheel with their poles oriented to alternate with adjacent magnets.