Abstract: A telemetry unit (100) is provided for mounting to the inside of a pneumatic tire, which includes sensors for measuring the pressure and temperature within the tire and an RF transmitter for transmitting measured data to an on-board display remote location. The unit (100) includes a piezoelectric element (114) supported in a housing (112) with an actuator (136) arranged for contact with the element (114), to deflect the element (114) in response to external forces acting on the actuator (136) during rotation of the tire. For every rotation of the tire, cyclic pulses of electrical charge are generated by the deflection of the element (114). The unit (100) includes control means which controls the consumption of stored charge when measuring and transmitting data and is arranged to vary the rate of transmission of data from the unit (100) in dependence on the rotary speed of the tire.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 1, 2003
Date of Patent:
June 8, 2010
Assignee:
Piezotag Limited
Inventors:
Geoffrey Haswell, Simon William Fawcett, Paul Reece Holdsworth, Stephen John Bowles, David Matthew Smart, Miguel Jesus Garcia-Hernandez, Juan Antonio Chavez-Dominguez, Antonio Turo-Peroy, Jordi Salazar-Soler
Abstract: A telemetry unit (100) is provided for mounting inside a pneumatic tyre. The unit (100) includes a piezoelectric power generator for supplying power to the unit (100). A piezoelectric element (114) is supported in a housing (112) with an actuator 136 arranged for contact with the element (114), to deflect the element (114) in response to external forces acting on the actuator (136) during rotation of the tire. For every rotation of the tire, cyclic pulses of electrical charge are generated by the deflection of the element (114). The charge is stored and utilized under a power consumption protocol to operate pressure and temperature sensors and to transmit data from the unit (100). The telemetry circuitry is mounted for movement with the actuator (136) and therefore contributes to the actuating mass acting on the element (114).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 1, 2003
Date of Patent:
March 17, 2009
Assignee:
Piezotag Limited
Inventors:
Geoffrey Haswell, Simon William Fawcett, Paul Reece Holdsworth, Stephen John Bowles, David Matthew Smart, Miguel Jesus Garcia-Hernandez, Juan Antonio Chavez-Dominguez, Antonio Turo-Peroy, Jordi Salazar-Soler