Tire monitor

• US 7,284,417 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles W. Reynolds
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Reynolds
• Inventors: Reynolds, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Andre J
• Application Number:
  US11/190,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20070022805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/462, 731/463, 731/465, 731/468, 340/442
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/24 Wear-indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/246 Tread wear monitoring systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 13/00 Tyre sidewalls; Protecting, decorating, marking, or the like, thereof B60C17/08 takes precedence; tyre shoulders B60C11/01; removable tyre sidewall trim rings B60B7/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A tire monitor for a vehicle includes a sensor disposed in the tire, a power supply connecting a first and second ends of the sensor, the power supply applying a predetermined effort across the first and second ends and causing a flow through the sensor, a meter disposed operably to the sensor to measure the flow and output a value substantially proportional to the flow, and a transmitter disposed operably to the meter to transmit the value to a vehicle information system, wherein the flow is reduced by a damage to the tire.

Claims

1. A tire monitor for a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor disposed in said tire;

a power supply connecting a first and second ends of said sensor, said power supply applying a predetermined effort across said first and second ends and causing an electrical flow through said sensor;

a meter disposed operably to said sensor to measure said flow, which is caused by the power supply, and output a value substantially proportional to said flow; and

a transmitter disposed operably to said meter to transmit said value to a vehicle information system;

wherein said flow, which is caused by the power supply, is reduced by a damage to said tire.

2. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a thermocouple,

a conductor,

a resistor,

an inductor,

a thermometer,

an optical fiber, and

a waveguide.

3. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor is disposed circumferentially about an axis of rotation of said tire.

4. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor is disposed in a sidewall of said tire.

5. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said power supply is selected from the group consisting of:

a battery,

an inductive pick-up, and

a light source.

6. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said meter is selected from the group consisting of:

a galvinometer,

a voltmeter,

an ammeter,

a light emitting diode, and

a photon counter.

7. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said meter measures said flow at discrete time intervals.

8. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 7, wherein the time interval is proportional to a speed of the vehicle.

9. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is an RF transmitter.

10. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, comprising further a temperature sensor disposed operably to said sensor.

11. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said flow is proportional to a an area of a cross-section of said sensor;

and

wherein said area is inversely proportional to said damage.

12. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said effort is a voltage and said flow is a current.

13. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said flow is reduced when said sensor is pierced by an object.

14. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said damage is proportional to a tread wear.

15. A tire monitor for a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor disposed in said tire;

a power supply connecting a first and second ends of said sensor, said power supply applying a flow through said sensor and causing a variable effort across said first and second ends;

a meter disposed operably to said sensor to measure said variable effort and output a value substantially proportional to said variable effort; and

a transmitter disposed operably to said meter to transmit said value to a vehicle information system;

wherein said variable effort is increased by a damage to said tire.

16. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 15, wherein said sensor is disposed circumferentially about an axis of rotation of said tire.

17. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 15, wherein said sensor is disposed in a sidewall of said tire.

18. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 15, wherein said transmitter is an RF transmitter.

19. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 15, comprising further a temperature sensor disposed operably to said sensor.

20. The tire monitor for a vehicle of claim 15, wherein said variable effort is inversely proportional to an area of a cross-section of said sensor;

and

wherein said area is proportional to said damage.