Aircraft tire pressure loop link

• US 8,305,237 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• 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:
  US13/289,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20120050071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/568.1, 340/444, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/442, 340/445, 340/447, 340/572.7, 340/572.1, 340/443
• 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, said first single metal loop including a magnetic flux collector insert member electrically connected and attached to said first single metal loop, said magnetic flux collector insert member being configured to collect an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle to induce an electrical current in said first single metal loop; and

a second single metal loop connected to said first single metal loop, said second single metal loop being configured to be mounted adjacent to the tire pressure sensor such that the electrical current induced in said first single metal loop travels to said second single metal loop, 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, further comprising a pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms electrically connected between said first single metal loop and said second single metal loop, 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.

7. A method of enabling communication between an airplane wheel hub and a tire pressure sensor located on a rim of an airplane wheel, and of powering the tire pressure sensor, the wheel having a wheel axle and an aircraft tire pressure loop link, the aircraft tire pressure loop link including a first single metal loop adjacent to the wheel axle and a second single metal loop adjacent to the tire pressure sensor, the first single metal loop including a magnetic flux collector insert member electrically connected and attached to the first single metal loop, the magnetic flux collector insert member being configured to collect an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle to induce an electrical current in the first single metal loop, the second single metal loop being electrically connected to the first single metal loop, such that the electrical current induced in the first single metal loop can travel to the second single metal loop to generate flux for powering the tire pressure sensor, the method comprising:

collecting an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle with the magnetic flux collector insert member of the aircraft tire pressure loop link;

inducing an electrical current in the first single metal loop;

conducting the electrical current to the second single metal loop; and

generating flux for powering the tire pressure sensor at the second single metal loop.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the electrical current has a frequency of operation of at least 135 KHz.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of conducting the electrical current comprises conducting the electrical current along a signal path connection between the wheel axle and the tire pressure sensor, the signal path connection having a low impedance, and the electrical current having a low voltage.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of returning the electrical current from the second single metal loop to the first single metal loop.

11. A method of enabling communication between an airplane wheel hub and a tire pressure sensor located on a rim of an airplane wheel, and of powering the tire pressure sensor, the wheel having a wheel axle and an aircraft tire pressure loop link, the aircraft tire pressure loop link including a first single metal loop adjacent to the wheel axle and a second single metal loop adjacent to the tire pressure sensor, the first single metal loop including a magnetic flux collector insert member electrically connected and attached to the first single metal loop, the magnetic flux collector insert member being configured to collect an impinging magnetic flux from the wheel axle to induce an electrical current in the first single metal loop, the first single metal loop and the second single metal loop being electrically connected through a pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms configured to carry an electrical current, the pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms having first and second parallel spaced apart metal shafts connected between the first single metal loop and the second single metal loop, the method comprising:

producing a first magnetic field at the wheel axle;

collecting magnetic flux from the first magnetic field with the magnetic flux collector insert member to induce an electrical current in the first single metal loop;

conducting the electrical current to the second single metal loop through the pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms;

returning the electrical current from the second single metal loop to the first single metal loop through the pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms; and

generating a second magnetic field for powering the tire pressure sensor at the second single metal loop.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electrical current is alternating current.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrical current alternates at a frequency of at least 135 KHz.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the pair of spaced apart electrically conductive connecting arms provide a signal path connection between the wheel axle and the tire pressure sensor, the signal path connection having a low impedance, and the electrical current having a low voltage.