Tire and detection-alarm mechanism thereof

• US 8,302,469 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Chen, Yun-Yen
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US13/078,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20110178676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 73146-1468
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 11/243 Tread wear sensors, e.g. electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 19/00 Tyre parts or constructions not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10009 Emergency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10027 with wear indicating feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube

Abstract

A detection-alarm mechanism is provided. The detection-alarm mechanism for a tire includes a sensor, an electronic processing unit, a post-processing unit and a display unit. The sensor includes a substrate disposed in the tire and at least one photoelectronic element fixed to the substrate. If the tire is cracked, light passes through the cracks and reaches the photoelectronic elements to generate signals. The electronic processing unit receives signals from the photoelectronic elements to generate wear information. The post-processing unit is disposed in a vehicle on which the tire is installed and receives wear information from the electronic processing unit. The display unit is disposed in the vehicle for presenting the wear information.

Claims

1. A detection-alarm mechanism for a tire comprising:

a sensor comprising a substrate disposed in the wheel and at least one photoelectronic element fixed to the substrate, wherein when the tire is cracked, light passes through the cracks and reaches the photoelectronic elements to generate signals;

an electronic processing unit receiving signals from the photoelectronic elements to generate wear information;

a post-processing unit disposed in a vehicle on which the tire is installed and receiving the wear information from the electronic processing unit; and

a display unit disposed in the vehicle presenting the wear information.

2. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic processing unit is disposed on a wheel of the tire.

3. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic processing unit is disposed on a tap of the tire.

4. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic processing unit comprises:

a power supply circuit providing power;

a signal conversion circuit converting signals from the photoelectronic element into control signals;

a wear estimation and calibration circuit comparing the control signals with a standard value to generate wear information;

a memory storing the wear information;

a wireless communication circuit transmitting the wear information or receiving other signals.

5. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the power supply is disposed in the vehicle and the power supply circuit is charged with electromagnetic energy.

6. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a detection circuit to which the photoelectronic element is connected.

7. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectronic elements parallel connected and serial connected to a passive element connected to a power supply.

8. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of photoelectronic elements, and each photoelectronic element is connected to a passive element connected to a power supply.

9. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 8, wherein the detection circuit further comprises a multiplexer connected to the electronic processing unit and receiving signals from the photoelectronic elements.

10. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the photoelectronic element is a photoresistor, a photoelectronic conductor, a photo diode, a phototransistor, a photocoupler, or a CMOS element.

11. The detection-alarm mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a CCD or CMOS pixel detection unit for detecting a thread pattern of the tire.