Tire monitoring apparatus, system and method of using the same

• US 9,016,117 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Asi Ben-Shach, David Gil, Yuval Solomon, Zvi Borowitsh
• Original Assignee: Asi Ben-Shach, David Gil, Yuval Solomon, Zvi Borowitsh
• Inventors: Solomon, Yuval, Borowitsh, Zvi, Ben-Shach, Asi, Gil, David
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US13/830,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20130312509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 73/146.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/04 mounted on the wheel or tyre
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0486 comprising additional sensors in the wheel or tyre mounted monitoring device, e.g. movement sensors, microphones or earth magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0491 Constructional details of means for attaching the control device
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/20 Devices for measuring or signalling tyre temperature only
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring tyre pressure or the pressure in other inflated bodies

Abstract

A system and method for measuring, recording and reporting vehicle tire temperatures and/or pressures. In one aspect, a sensing device including a convex protective vessel, with pressure and/or temperature sensors enclosed therein. The sensing device is dropped freely within the interior of a tire prior to rim mounting. A movement sensor can also be included in the sensing device. The protective vessel, including all sensors, is not attached or connected in any way to the vehicle tire, rim, or valve stem such that the sensing device is independent of the vehicle tire, rim, and valve stem, and moves freely within the interior of the tire. A balancing set including a dummy device, substantially equal in weight to a sensing device, and means for connecting the dummy device to the sensing device at 180 degrees separation around the tire may also be employed.

Claims

1. A sensing apparatus for measuring a pressure and/or a temperature of gases in an interior of a tire, comprising:

a protective vessel configured to move freely within the interior of the tire;

pressure and/or temperature sensors enclosed within the protective vessel and configured to sense a current pressure and/or a current temperature of the gases in the interior of the tire;

a transmitter configured to wirelessly convey to outside the tire data indicative of the current pressure and/or current temperature of gases in the interior of the tire; and

wherein the protective vessel is configured with a porosity and elasticity allowing the pressure and/or the temperature conditions in the interior of the tire to freely penetrate the protective vessel and communicate directly with the pressure and/or the temperature sensors.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a receiver that receives the wirelessly conveyed data indicative of the current pressure and/or the current temperature of gases in the interior of the tire.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a processor and display for processing the wirelessly conveyed data and displaying the current pressure and/or the current temperature of the gases in the tire.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the display is located in a vehicle employing the tire.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a movement sensor enclosed within the protective vessel and sensing movement of the tire.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protective vessel comprises a porous mesh structured material to allow cushioning and force and/or acceleration dumping to the sensors enclosed within the protective vessel while protecting the inner surface of the tire from mechanical harm.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure and temperature sensors are Wi-Fi tags with internal transmitters.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protective vessel comprises an outer layer and an inner compound.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outer layer has a hardness of not more than twice that of the inner layer of the tire to prevent mechanical harm to the inner surfaces of the tire.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protective vessel is shaped as a convex polytope, a convex polyhedron or a spheroid.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensing apparatus is configured to be dropped freely within an interior of the tire prior to rim mounting, and the sensing apparatus is configured to not attach to the tire, a rim of the tire, a valve stem of the tire or any part of a wheel assembly.

12. A method for measuring a pressure and/or a temperature of gases in an interior of a tire, comprising the steps of:

enclosing pressure and/or temperature sensors within a protective vessel of a sensing device;

inserting a sensing device within an interior of the tire, wherein the sensing device is free to move within the interior of the tire, without attachment to the tire, to a rim of the tire, or to a valve stem of the tire;

sensing a pressure and/or a temperature of gas in the interior of the tire, wherein the protective vessel is configured with a porosity and elasticity allowing the pressure and/or the temperature conditions in the interior of the tire to freely penetrate the protective vessel and communicate directly with the pressure and/or the temperature sensors; and

transmitting wirelessly data indicative of the pressure and/or the temperature of gases in the interior of the tire.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving the data indicative of the pressure and/or the temperature of gases in the tire.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving data indicative of any movement of the tire.

15. A sensing apparatus for measuring a pressure and/or a temperature of gases in an interior of a tire, comprising:

an elastic, non-rigid protective vessel configured to be freely enclosed within the interior of the tire, and free from attachment to the tire, to a rim of the tire, or to a valve stem of the tire or any other internal part of a wheel assembly;

pressure and/or temperature sensors enclosed within the protective vessel and configured to sense a pressure and/or a temperature of the gases in the interior of the tire; and

a transmitter configured to wirelessly convey to outside the tire data indicative of the current pressure and/or the current temperature of gases in the interior of the tire.

16. The sensing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a movement sensor enclosed within the protective vessel and sensing movement of the tire.

17. The sensing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a porous mesh structured material to allow cushioning and force and/or acceleration dumping to the sensors enclosed within the protective vessel while protecting the inner surface of the tire from mechanical harm.

18. The sensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the pressure and temperature sensors are Wi-Fi tags with internal transmitters.

19. The sensing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an outer layer and an inner compound to prevent mechanical harm to the inner surfaces of the tire.

20. The sensing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the outer layer has a hardness of not more than twice that of the inner layer of the tire to prevent mechanical harm to the inner surfaces of the tire.

21. The sensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the protective vessel is shaped as a convex polytope, a convex polyhedron or a spheroid.