Tire module and tires equipped therewith

• US 8,578,767 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huf Baolong Electronics Bretten GmbH (Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Borgwarner BERU Systems GmbH (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kessler, Ralf, Dussinger, Axel, Mueller, Benjamin, Seifert, Andre, Wolf, Ingemar
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US13/269,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20120085160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 73146-1468
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0411 Piezoelectric generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/064 comprising tyre mounted deformation sensors, e.g. to determine road contact area

Abstract

A tire module, for installation on an inner side of a pneumatic tire for vehicles, including a device for measuring and/or monitoring of the air pressure in the tire, a transmitter for transmitting radio signals, which contain information about the air pressure in the tire, a mechanical-electrical converter having a bendable piezoelectric element, which converts into electric energy alternating deformations of the piezoelectric element caused by the rolling tire, and a storage device for the electric energy, which is connected to the converter. The converter includes a circular, disc-shaped, piezoelectric element (piezo disc) on which an electrical voltage generated by the piezo effect is tapped at contact points, which are situated on opposite sides of the piezo disc.

Claims

1. A tire module for installation on an inner side of a pneumatic tire for vehicles, comprising:

a device for measuring and/or monitoring of the air pressure in the tire;

a transmitter for transmitting radio signals containing information about the air pressure in the tire;

a mechanical-electrical converter having a bendable piezoelectric element, for converting, into electrical energy, alternating deformations of the piezoelectric element caused by the rolling tire; and

a storage device for the electric energy, said storage device being connected to the converter, the converter comprising a circular, disc-shaped, piezoelectric element (piezo disc) and an electrical voltage generated by the piezo effect is tapped at contact points, situated on opposite sides of the piezo disc, wherein the piezo disc is arranged between a metal disc on the first side and a flexible conductor path foil on the second side of the piezo disc and wherein the conductor path foil, covering the first side of the piezo disc, forms a circular area connected to a circuit carrier by a strip, said strip comprising the conductor path foil and beginning from a rim of the circular area.

2. A tire module according to claim 1, wherein a contact point is formed by the circular metal disc, which fully covers a first side of the piezo disc.

3. A tire module according to claim 2, wherein the metal disc has a larger diameter than the piezo disc.

4. A tire module according to claim 1, wherein a second side of the piezo disc is only provided partially with several contact points, connected to each other in an electrically conductive manner.

5. A tire module according to claim 4, wherein the several contact points are arranged centrally on the second side of the piezo disc.

6. A tire module according to claim 4, wherein the several contact points on the second side of the piezo disc cover at most between 10% and 20%, of the surface of the second side of the piezo disc.

7. A tire module according to claim 1, wherein the metal disc sticks to the piezo disc.

8. A tire module according to claim 1, wherein the circuit carrier also consists of the conductor path foil.

9. A tire module according to claim 8, wherein the circuit carrier also forms a circular area and that both circular areas are connected to each other integrally by the strip.

10. A-tire module according to claim 9, wherein both circular areas match in diameter.

11. A tire module according to claim 9, wherein both circular areas are coaxially arranged on top of one another with a circular distance washer disposed there-between.

12. A tire module according to claim 11, wherein the distance washer is curved convexly on a side pointing to the piezo disc.

13. A tire module according to claim 11, wherein a seal ring is provided between the distance washer and the circular area formed by the conductor path foil, faces the piezo disc.

14. A tire module according to claim 12, wherein the components of the tire module, with the exception of a free space between the convex side of the distance washer and the circular area pointing to the convex side of the distance washer, as well as with the exception of the side of the metal disc facing away from the piezo disc, are embedded in an electrically insulating casting compound.

15. A tire module according to claim 14, wherein the solidified casting compound has a substantially cylindrical circumferential surface.

16. A tire module according to claim 15, further comprising a cap for receiving the cast tire module, said cap having a flange connecting said cap to an inner side of the tire.

17. A tire module according to claim 16, wherein a circumferential surface of the solidified casting compound has oversize with respect to the clear width of the empty cap.

18. A tire module according to claim 16, wherein the cap and the solidified casting compound provide an access to a pressure sensor provided in the tire module.

19. A tire module according to claim 1, further comprising a receiving antenna for the reception of transport information signals and electrical energy for charging the storage device.

20. A tire having an inner side fastened to a tire module according to claim 1.

21. A tire module for installation on an inner side of a pneumatic tire for vehicles, comprising:

a device configured for measuring and/or monitoring the air pressure in the pneumatic tire;

a transmitter configured to transmit radio signals containing information about the air pressure in the tire;

a mechanical-electrical converter, having a circular and bendable piezoelectric element, configured to convert into electrical energy alternating deformations of the piezoelectric element caused by the rolling tire, wherein the electrical energy generated by the piezo effect is tapped at contact points situated on opposite sides of the piezoelectric element; and

a capacitor or an accumulator connected to the mechanical-electrical converter and configured to store the electrical energy generated by the mechanical-electrical converter, wherein the capacitor or accumulator is configured to provide the electrical energy to and for the operation of the device and the transmitter once it has been charged to a threshold power level.

22. A tire module for installation on an inner side of a pneumatic tire for vehicles, comprising:

a device configured for measuring and/or monitoring the air pressure in the pneumatic tire;

a transmitter configured to transmit radio signals containing information about the air pressure in the tire;

a mechanical-electrical converter, having a bendable piezoelectric element, configured to convert into electrical energy alternating deformations of the piezoelectric element caused by the rolling tire, wherein the bendable piezoelectric element is configured to be adjacent to the inner side of the pneumatic tire;

a capacitor or an accumulator connected to the mechanical-electrical converter and configured to store the electrical energy generated by the mechanical-electrical converter, wherein the capacitor or accumulator is configured to provide the electrical energy to and for the operation of the device and the transmitter once it has been charged to a threshold power level; and

a free space adjacent to the piezoelectric element disposed inside the tire module.