Tire distortion detecting method, distortion detector, sensor unit thereof, and tire having the same

• US 7,385,492 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Hattori, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/505,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20050146423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2240/04 Tire deformation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1725 Using tyre sensors, e.g. Sidewall Torsion sensors [SWT] for tyre pressure and temperature detection B60C23/00

Abstract

A tire distortion detecting method for detecting a detection of the tire during the running of a vehicle, a distortion detector, a sensor unit thereof, and a tire having the same whereby the occurrence of a deterioration can be reduced and applicability is widened to a control system such as a stability control system. Sensor units 100 are embedded at some intervals in the circumferential direction of the tire. In the sensor unit 100, a conductor pattern is changed in shape according to a distortion of a tire 300 so as to change the resonance frequency of a radiated electromagnetic wave. An electromagnetic wave is radiated from a monitoring device 200. An electromagnetic wave radiated from the sensor unit 100 is compared with a detection result stored when no distortion occurs on the tire 300, so that a distortion of the tire 300 is detected.

Claims

1. A tire distortion detecting method using a plurality of sensor units which are embedded in a tire at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the tire and each have a conductor pattern changed in shape according to a distortion of the tire, and a monitoring device having a radiation unit provided in a tire house of a vehicle,

characterized in that an electromagnetic wave of a first frequency is radiated from the radiation unit to the sensor unit,

the sensor unit having received the electromagnetic wave of the first frequency converts energy of the electromagnetic wave of the first frequency into electric energy and uses the electric energy to drive electromagnetic wave radiating means,

according to a distortion of the conductor pattern, the electromagnetic wave radiating means changes a resonance frequency in a frequency band having a predetermined width including a second frequency, which serves as a fundamental frequency, and the electromagnetic wave radiating means radiates the electromagnetic wave, and

the monitoring device receives the electromagnetic wave having been radiated from the electromagnetic wave radiating means of the sensor unit, detects at least one of an intensity, phase, and frequency of the received electromagnetic wave, and detects a distortion of the tire by comparing the detection result and a detection result stored when no distortion occurs on the tire.

2. The tire distortion detecting method according to claim 1, characterized in that the radiation unit radiates an electromagnetic wave to the one or more sensor units of the tire within a predetermined distance from a position where the radiation unit is attached.

3. The tire distortion detecting method according to claim 2, characterized in that an electromagnetic wave is radiated in a time sharing manner from the radiation units disposed on two or more different positions of the tire house.

4. The tire distortion detecting method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first frequency and the second frequency are set at a frequency of 1 GHz or higher.

5. The tire distortion detecting method according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor unit transmits identification information specific to the sensor unit by using the electromagnetic wave, and

the monitoring device identifies the sensor unit based on the identification information received from the sensor unit.

6. A tire distortion detector for detecting a distortion of a tire during running of a vehicle,

characterized in that the detector is constituted of a plurality of sensor units embedded in the tire at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the tire, and a monitoring device including a radiation unit provided in a tire house of the vehicle,

the sensor unit comprises:

a conductor pattern of a predetermined shape on a surface of a sheet which is flexible and electrically insulative with a predetermined area,

means for receiving an electromagnetic wave of a first frequency from the radiation unit and converting high frequency energy of the electromagnetic wave into electric energy, and

means which is operated by the electric energy, is connected to the conductor pattern, changes a resonance frequency, according to a distortion of the conductor pattern, in a frequency band having a predetermined width including a second frequency serving as a fundamental frequency, and radiates an electromagnetic wave, and

the monitoring device comprises;

means for radiating the electromagnetic wave of the first frequency from the radiation unit to the sensor unit,

means for receiving an electromagnetic wave radiated from the sensor unit,

means for detecting at least one of an intensity, phase, and frequency of the received electromagnetic wave,

means for storing a detection result obtained when no distortion occurs on the tire, and

means for detecting a distortion of the tire by comparing the detection result and the detection result obtained when no distortion occurs on the tire.

7. The tire distortion detector according to claim 6, characterized in that at least a part of the conductor pattern is shaped like a rectangular wave.

8. The tire distortion detector according to claim 6, characterized in that the first frequency and the second frequency are set at a frequency of 1 GHz or higher.

9. The tire distortion detector according to claim 6, characterized in that the first frequency and the second frequency are set at the same frequency, and

the monitoring device comprises means for alternately repeats radiation of an electromagnetic wave of the first frequency and reception of an electromagnetic wave radiated from the sensor unit.

10. The tire distortion detector according to claim 6, characterized in that the monitoring device comprises a plurality of radiation units provided on two or more different position of the tire house and means for radiating an electromagnetic wave in a time sharing manner from each of the radiation units, and

each of the radiation units radiates an electromagnetic wave to the one or more sensor units of the tire within a predetermined distance from a position where the radiation unit is attached.

11. The tire distortion detector according to claim 6, characterized in that the sensor unit has means for switching use of the conductor pattern serving as an antenna between reception of an electromagnetic wave of the first frequency and radiation of an electromagnetic wave of the second frequency.

12. The tire distortion detector according to claim 6, characterized in that the sensor unit comprises:

means for storing identification information specific to the sensor unit, and

means for transmitting the stored identification information by using an electromagnetic wave, and

the monitoring device comprises;

means for receiving the identification information transmitted from the sensor unit, and

means for identifying the sensor unit based on the received identification information.

13. A sensor unit for a tire distortion detector comprising a plurality of sensor units embedded in the tire at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of a tire and a monitoring device having a radiation unit provided in a tire house of a vehicle,

characterized in that the sensor unit comprises:

a conductor pattern of a predetermined shape on a surface of a sheet which is flexible, and electrically insulative with a predetermined area,

means for receiving an electromagnetic wave of a first frequency from the radiation unit and converting high frequency energy of the electromagnetic wave into electric energy, and

means which is operated by the electric energy, is connected to the conductor pattern, changes a resonance frequency, according to a distortion of the conductor pattern, in a frequency band having a predetermined width including a second frequency serving as a fundamental frequency, and radiates an electromagnetic wave.

14. The sensor unit according to claim 13, characterized in that at least a part of the conductor pattern is shaped like a rectangular wave.

15. The sensor unit according to claim 13, characterized in that the first frequency is set at a frequency of 1 GHz or higher.

16. The sensor unit according to claim 13, characterized by further comprising means for switching use of the conductor pattern serving as an antenna between reception of an electromagnetic wave of the first frequency and radiation of an electromagnetic wave of the second frequency.

17. The sensor unit according to claim 13, characterized by further comprising means for storing identification information specific to the sensor unit, and

means for transmitting the stored identification information by using the electromagnetic wave.

18. A tire, characterized by comprising a plurality of sensor units embedded in the tire at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction of the tire,

the sensor unit comprising:

a conductor pattern of a predetermined shape on a surface of a sheet which is flexible and electrically insulative with a predetermined area,

means for receiving an electromagnetic wave of a first frequency from the radiation unit and converting high frequency energy of the electromagnetic wave into electric energy, and

means which is operated by the electric energy, is connected to the conductor pattern, changes a resonance frequency, according to a distortion of the conductor pattern, in a frequency band having a predetermined width including a second frequency serving as a fundamental frequency, and radiates an electromagnetic wave.

19. The tire according to claim 18, characterized in that at least a part of the conductor pattern is shaped like a rectangular wave.

20. The tire according to claim 18, characterized in that the first frequency is set at a frequency of 1 GHz or higher.

21. The tire according to claim 18, characterized in that the plurality of sensor units are disposed in the same layer of the tire.

22. The tire according to claim 18, characterized in that at least the four or more sensor units are embedded at regular intervals.