Patent US5274355A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5274355A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for monitoring pressure and temperature of pneumatic tires on a moving vehicle
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1992-02-05
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Granted: 1993-12-28
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Expires: 2012-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A tire pressure and temperature monitoring system for measuring tire inflation pressure and anomalous temperature of rotating tires in a moving vehicle by means of optoelectronic devices located in the stationary structure of the vehicle and an elastic diaphragm that rotates with the wheel and tire. The combined use of optoelectronic components and elastic diaphragms, provides a marked improvement in performance, reliability and cost over previously disclosed magnetic or radio frequency pressure measurement systems. The optoelectronic detector elements are also used to identify those tires whose side wall temperature is significantly higher than the side wall temperature of the other tires. In addition, the system can also be used as a measurement of individual wheel rotational speed and related wheel motion. Alternatively, fiber optic cables can be used to transmit light from a single light source to lenses mounted adjacent each tire and to transmit the reflected energy to remotely located optoelectronic devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Louis Galan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:43
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60C; B60C23/00; B60C23/02; B60C23/04; B60C23/0408; B60C23/0422; B60C23/0423; B60C23/06; B60C23/061
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A system for monitoring a rotating pneumatic tire of a vehicle comprising: first means defining a reference time interval which is related to circumferential speed of the tire and which is mounted to the vehicle for rotation with the tire; second means related to inflation of the tire defining an inflation measurement time interval which is related to circumferential speed of the tire and which is mounted to the vehicle for rotation with the tire; sensor means mounted to a non-rotating component of the vehicle including an optoelectronic sensor, including emitter means for emitting electromagnetic radiation which is positioned in sensing relationship to the first means and the second means so that radiation emitted from said emitter means is reflected by said first and second means and is detected by said detector means; and said sensor means further comprising means for measuring via said optoelectronic sensor said reference time interval, means for sensing via said optoelectronic sensor said inflation measurement time interval and means for correlating the sensed inflation measurement and the reference time intervals to provide inflation pressure information for the rotating pneumatic tire, said sensing means being mounted to the vehicle so that said first and second means pass said sensor means with each rotation of the tire.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
210 words
A system for monitoring a rotating pneumatic tire of a vehicle comprising: first means defining a reference time interval which is related to circumferential speed of the tire and which is mounted to the vehicle for rotation with the tire; second means related to inflation of the tire defining an inflation measurement time interval which is related to circumferential speed of the tire and which is mounted to the vehicle for rotation with the tire; sensor means mounted to a non-rotating component of the vehicle including an optoelectronic sensor, including emitter means for emitting electromagnetic radiation which is positioned in sensing relationship to the first means and the second means so that radiation emitted from said emitter means is reflected by said first and second means and is detected by said detector means; and said sensor means further comprising means for measuring via said optoelectronic sensor said reference time interval, means for sensing via said optoelectronic sensor said inflation measurement time interval and means for correlating the sensed inflation measurement and the reference time intervals to provide inflation pressure information for the rotating pneumatic tire, said sensing means being mounted to the vehicle so that said first and second means pass said sensor means with each rotation of the tire.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said detector means includes additional means for detecting background infrared radiation naturally emitted from the tire as a function of tire temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The monitoring system of claim 1 in which said means defining a reference time interval which rotates with the tire comprises a pair of radiation reflective stripes which are circumferentially spaced apart and positioned to receive radiation from said emitter means with each revolution of the tire and to reflect said radiation toward said detector means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
159 words
The monitoring system of claim 3 in which said means related to inflation of the tire defining an inflation measurement time interval which rotates with the tire comprises a pair of movable radiation reflective stripes which are circumferentially spaced apart and which are circumferentially movable relative to one another in accordance with tire inflation pressure and which are positioned to receive radiation from said emitter means with each revolution of the tire and to reflect said radiation toward said detector means; said pair of radiation reflective strips defining said reference time interval being spaced apart a relatively small angular extent of the circumference, said pair of movable radiation reflection stripes defining said inflation measurement time interval being spaced apart a relatively small angular extent of the circumference, and said movable radiation reflection stripes defining said inflation measurement time interval being spaced from said radiation reflective stripes defining said reference time interval a relatively small angular extent of the circumference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The monitoring system of claim 1 in which said means related to inflation of the tire defining an inflation measurement time interval which is related to circumferential speed and which rotates with the tire comprises a pair of movable radiation reflective stripes which are circumferentially spaced apart and which are circumferentially movable relative to one another in accordance with tire inflation pressure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
The monitoring system of claim 5 wherein said movable radiation reflective stripes are fixed to an elastic diaphragm defining a cavity; and further comprising means for providing fluid communication between said cavity and the interior of said tire whereby said diaphragm expands and contracts in relation to tire pressure moving said movable radiation reflective stripes defining said inflation measurement time interval relative to one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The monitoring system of claim 6 wherein said diaphragm has a center portion between said movable radiation reflective stripes defining said inflation measurement time interval which is of greater elasticity than the remainder of said elastic diaphragm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The monitoring system of claim 6 wherein said movable radiation reflective stripes defining said inflation measurement time interval are formed of two joined surfaces generally perpendicular to one another forming a corner between said two joined surfaces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The monitoring system of claim 6 wherein said diaphragm is mounted to a side wall of the tire with an aperture through the tire side wall to provide communication between the cavity defined by said elastic diaphragm and the interior of the tire.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The monitoring system of claim 6 wherein said diaphragm is mounted to a wheel rim carrying the tire with an aperture through the wheel rim to provide communication between the cavity defined by said elastic diaphragm and the interior of the tire.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said emitter means of said optoelectronic sensor includes a laser diode disposed to emit light radiation directed toward said first and second means defining said reference time interval and said inflation measurement time interval.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The monitoring system of claim 11 wherein the detector means of said optoelectronic sensor includes a photo diode disposed to receive radiation reflected from said first and second means defining said reference time interval and said inflation measurement time interval to measure said reference and inflation measurement time intervals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the detector means of said optoelectronic sensor includes a photo transistor disposed to receive radiation reflected from said first and second means defining said reference time interval and said inflation measurement time interval to measure said reference and inflation measurement time intervals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said optoelectronic sensor is contained within a housing having one surface with apertures thereto for emission and reception of electromagnetic radiation from said optoelectronic sensor, and further comprising means surrounding said housing forming an airflow past said surface containing apertures when said housing is mounted to a moving vehicle in a direction away from said surface containing apertures.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
69 words
The monitoring system of claim 1 wherein said optoelectronic sensor is located remotely of said rotating pneumatic tire and said sensor means includes a fiber optic cable means for transmitting radiation from said optoelectronic sensor to a lens disposed adjacent said pneumatic tire for directing the radiation toward said tire and for receiving the reflected radiation from said tire and transmitting said reflected radiation back to said optoelectronic sensor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
71 words
The monitoring system of claim 15 further comprising multiple optoelectronic sensors for monitoring multiple pneumatic tires, each of said tires including means defining a reference time interval and means defining an inflation measurement time interval, fiber optic cable means for transmitting radiation from said multiple optoelectronic sensors to said multiple tires and for receiving the reflected radiation from said tires and transmitting said reflected radiation back to said multiple optoelectronic sensors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The monitoring system of claim 16 wherein said transmitted radiation is provided from a single radiation source and is distributed via said fiber optic cable means to lenses disposed adjacent to each of said multiple pneumatic tires.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
210 words
A system for monitoring a rotating pneumatic tire comprising: a first pair of radiation reflective stripes which rotate with the tire and which are circumferentially spaced apart to define a reference dimension; a second pair of radiation reflective stripes which rotate with the tire and are circumferentially spaced apart and which are circumferentially movable relative to one another in accordance with tire inflation pressure; an optoelectronic sensor adjacent said tire which does not rotate with the tire, said optoelectronic sensor including emitter means for emitting electromagnetic radiation toward said radiation reflective stripes as said stripes pass said sensor and detector means for detecting said electromagnetic radiation reflected by said radiation reflective stripes as said stripes pass said sensor; and means for measuring a time interval between the passage of the first stripe of each of said pairs of radiation reflective stripes past said sensor and the passage of the second stripe of each of said pairs of radiation reflective stripes past said sensor and means for correlating the time interval between the two radiation reflective stripes of the first pair of radiation reflective stripes and the time interval between the two radiation reflective stripes of the second pair of radiation reflective stripes to provide inflation pressure information for the tire.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
210 words
A system for monitoring a rotating pneumatic tire comprising: a first pair of radiation reflective stripes which rotate with the tire and which are circumferentially spaced apart to define a reference dimension; a second pair of radiation reflective stripes which rotate with the tire and are circumferentially spaced apart and which are circumferentially movable relative to one another in accordance with tire inflation pressure; an optoelectronic sensor adjacent said tire which does not rotate with the tire, said optoelectronic sensor including emitter means for emitting electromagnetic radiation toward said radiation reflective stripes as said stripes pass said sensor and detector means for detecting said electromagnetic radiation reflected by said radiation reflective stripes as said stripes pass said sensor; and means for measuring a time interval between the passage of the first stripe of each of said pairs of radiation reflective stripes past said sensor and the passage of the second stripe of each of said pairs of radiation reflective stripes past said sensor and means for correlating the time interval between the two radiation reflective stripes of the first pair of radiation reflective stripes and the time interval between the two radiation reflective stripes of the second pair of radiation reflective stripes to provide inflation pressure information for the tire.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The measuring system of claim 18 wherein the radiation emitted from said sensor is pulsed at a constant frequency in the range between 50 kHz and 7 mHz whereby said detector means receives multiple reflected pulses of radiation from one of said radiation reflecting stripes passing said optoelectronic sensor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
The measuring system of claim 19 wherein said radiation reflective stripes have a circumferential width dimension which is correlated to the emitted constant pulse frequency so that at least ten pulses of the incident radiation are reflected into said detector means as one of said radiation reflective stripes passes said detector means when the tire is rotating at a speed within a predetermined range.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The measuring system of claim 18 wherein said means for detecting electromagnetic radiation includes means for detecting background thermal radiation from the tire.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
114 words
A system for monitoring the rotating tires of a vehicle having multiple pneumatic tires comprising: optoelectronic sensing means for each tire mounted to nonrotating structure of the vehicle in sensing relationship to said tires, said sensing means including means for measuring infrared emission from each tire; means for generating an average infrared emission value from the infrared emission values of each tire; and means for comparing the infrared emission values of each tire with said average value to determine the difference between each tire infrared emission value and said average value and noting an anomaly if the infrared emission value of any one tire exceeds said average value by more than a predetermined amount.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
114 words
A system for monitoring the rotating tires of a vehicle having multiple pneumatic tires comprising: optoelectronic sensing means for each tire mounted to nonrotating structure of the vehicle in sensing relationship to said tires, said sensing means including means for measuring infrared emission from each tire; means for generating an average infrared emission value from the infrared emission values of each tire; and means for comparing the infrared emission values of each tire with said average value to determine the difference between each tire infrared emission value and said average value and noting an anomaly if the infrared emission value of any one tire exceeds said average value by more than a predetermined amount.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
91 words
The system of claim 22 further comprising: means for generating a revised average infrared emission value, when an anomaly is noted, from the infrared emission values of the tires whose infrared emission values do not exceed said average value by more than said predetermined amount; and means for comparing the anomalous tire infrared emission value with said revised average value and means for providing a signal to a vehicle operator if the infrared emission value from the anomalous tire differs from said revised average value by more than a predetermined amount.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
106 words
The tire monitoring system of claim 22 further comprising: means defining a reference time interval of each tire which is related to circumferential speed and which rotates with each tire; means related to inflation of each tire defining an inflation measurement time interval of each tire which is related to circumferential speed and which rotates with each tire; and said sensing means further comprising means for sensing via said optoelectronic sensor said reference time interval, means for sensing via said optoelectronic sensor said inflation measurement time interval and means for correlating the inflation measurement and reference time intervals to provide inflation pressure information for each tire.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-12-27 | 1997-06-28 | 1997-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-12-27 | 2001-06-28 | 2001-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-12-27 | 2005-06-28 | 2005-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |