Aircraft tire pressure loop link

• US 8,736,466 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2012
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eldec Aerospace Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Eldec Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Lamping, Jeff, Finefrock, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/647,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20130069443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/438, 340/425.5, 340/447, 340/442, 340/445, 340/448, 340/444, 3405721-5729, 340/568.1
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2200/02 for aircrafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0413 Wireless charging of active radio frequency circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0427 Near field transmission with inductive or capacitive coupling means
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/043 using transformer type signal transducers, e.g. rotary transformers

Abstract

The aircraft tire pressure loop link is formed of first and second single metal loops connected by parallel spaced apart metal shafts, and provides for coupling a magnetic field between a wheel hub coil and a tire pressure sensor coil to provide electromagnetic communication between a control unit connect to the wheel hub coil and a tire pressure sensor connected to the tire pressure sensor coil. The current induced in the first single metal loop travels the distance from the edge of the wheel axle coil to the periphery of the of the wheel rim to the second single metal loop, which generates the flux in the tire pressure sensor receiver coil necessary to power the tire pressure sensor.

Claims

1. An aircraft tire pressure loop link for electromagnetically coupling a magnetic field between a wheel axle and a tire pressure sensor spaced apart from the wheel axle, the aircraft tire pressure loop link comprising:

a first single metal loop configured to be mounted adjacent to the wheel axle;

a magnetic flux collector insert member electrically connected to said first single metal loop, said magnetic flux collector insert member being configured to induce an electrical current in said first single metal loop in response to an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle; and

a second single metal loop electrically connected to said first single metal loop to receive electrical current induced in said first single metal loop and to generate flux for powering the tire pressure sensor.

2. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 1, wherein said first single metal loop is formed of a metal having low magnetic permeability.

3. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 1, wherein said magnetic flux collector insert member is formed from a metal having high magnetic permeability.

4. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 3, wherein said magnetic flux collector insert member is formed from a nickel-iron magnetic alloy.

5. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 1, wherein said first single metal loop and said second single metal loop are electrically connected by a pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms, said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms being configured to carry the electrical current generated in said first single metal loop from the wheel axle to said second single metal loop, said pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms having first and second parallel spaced apart metal shafts connected between said first single metal loop and said second single metal loop.

6. The aircraft tire pressure loop link of claim 1, wherein said second single metal loop is connected to said first single metal loop through at least one shaft comprising aluminum.