Wireless drain plug

Abstract

A drain plug for a vehicle component includes a plug body having a handle configured to block a corresponding aperture in the vehicle component and a sensor module. The sensor module includes sensors and a wireless transmitter configured to transmit data regarding readings from at least one sensor. The sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and an accelerometer. The present invention provides a system for wirelessly monitoring a vehicle component, comprising: a plug body having a handle configured to be inserted into a corresponding aperture in a vehicle component; and a sensor module having at least one sensor and a wireless transmitter arranged to transmit data regarding readings from the at least one sensor. The system also includes a receiver located on the vehicle configured to receive data from the wireless transmitter.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This U.S. utility patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 299,911, filed on January 14, 2022, and priority to U.S. Application No. 18 / 097,065, filed on January 13, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to sensing one or more physical characteristics in a motor vehicle. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to devices and systems that increase sensing capabilities and wireless communication of data regarding the sensed characteristics. Background Art

[0003] Many different vehicles have hubcaps, transmissions, and differentials that contain oil or other lubricants. Monitoring the temperature of the lubricants within these devices can allow notification when the temperature rises, which can prevent failures, vehicle downtime, and expensive roadside repairs. These devices also often include bearings, where monitoring acceleration can detect bearing wear or failure before catastrophic failure, which allows the vehicle operator to repair the failed bearing before the bearing wear or failure becomes a major roadside failure. Transmissions and differentials often include housings made of cast aluminum or steel that are not easily modified to add sensors. There are often drain plugs in these devices to drain lubricants from them. Wiring harnesses are also difficult to route and secure to wheel ends and axles that are bumped on the road and may be exposed to the accumulation of debris such as mud, snow, ice, etc. Adding wired sensors to these devices is not easy.

[0004] Commercial fleets in particular have an incentive to monitor vehicle systems so that preventive maintenance can identify problems before they become roadside failures, which can cost much more than a planned service. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a drain plug for a vehicle component. The drain plug includes: a plug body having a handle configured to plug a corresponding hole in the vehicle component; a sensor module including at least one sensor and a wireless transmitter configured to transmit data about a reading from the at least one sensor; a tubular sleeve disposed in the plug body and defining an external thread on an outer surface thereof; and a sensor cover assembly configured to be screwed onto the external thread of the tubular sleeve and to secure the sensor module thereto. The at least one sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and / or an accelerometer.

[0006] The present disclosure also provides a drain plug for a vehicle component. The drain plug includes: a sensor module, which includes at least one sensor and a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit data about the readings from the at least one sensor. The drain plug also includes a plug body, the plug body having a handle, the handle is configured to plug a corresponding hole in the vehicle component. The handle defines a blind hole that is fluidly connected to the sensor module, and the handle is sealed to fluidically isolate the sensor module from the interior space of the vehicle component. The drain plug also includes a tubular sleeve, which is disposed in the blind hole, extends outwardly therefrom, and defines an external thread on the outer surface outside the blind hole. The drain plug also includes a sensor cover assembly, which is configured to be screwed onto the external thread of the tubular sleeve and fix the sensor module thereon.

[0007] The present disclosure also provides a system for wirelessly monitoring a vehicle component. The system includes a drain plug, the drain plug including: a plug body having a handle, the handle being configured to plug a corresponding hole in the vehicle component; and a sensor module having at least one sensor and a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter being configured to transmit data about a reading from the at least one sensor. The system also includes a receiver located on the vehicle, which is configured to receive data from the wireless transmitter. The at least one sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and an acceleration sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The following description of embodiments leads to further details, features and advantages of the inventive design with reference to the relevant drawings.

[0009] Figure 1 showing a cross-sectional perspective exploded view of a first sensor plug of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 2 showing a cross-sectional perspective view of a second sensor plug of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 3A Shows Figure 2 a perspective view of the body of the sensor drain plug shown;

[0012] Figure 3B Shows Figure 2 a cross-sectional perspective view of the body of the second sensor plug shown;

[0013] Figure 4 showing a cross-sectional view of a hub of a truck tire including a sensor plug of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 5 A block diagram of a system for remotely monitoring a signal from a sensor plug according to one aspect of the present disclosure is shown;

[0015] Figure 6 A diagram of a system for remotely monitoring signals from sensor plugs mounted on each of a tire hub and a differential of a semi-trailer vehicle is shown in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention will be described in detail according to the following embodiments.

[0017] The present disclosure provides a drain plug with a sensor, microchip and wireless communication that allows a simple drain plug to be replaced with an intelligent sensor module that can monitor temperature, pressure and acceleration through on-board microprocessing to identify faults and alert operators and fleets before major failures occur. The sensor module is battery powered and easy to retrofit to a vehicle. The module can communicate with a mobile device or a separate control unit.

[0018] The present disclosure provides a drain plug with a sensor, a microchip, and wireless communication that allows a simple drain plug to be replaced with a smart sensor module that can monitor temperature, pressure, and acceleration through onboard microprocessing to identify faults and alert the operator / fleet before a major failure occurs. The drain plug of the present disclosure includes a battery-powered sensor module with wireless communication capabilities - no need to run a wiring harness and easy to retrofit to a vehicle. The drain plug of the present disclosure can communicate with a mobile device or a separate control unit. A commercial vehicle system is also provided, which includes a drain plug with sensors in the hub cap and differential, and communicates with a pneumatic control module. If a failure is about to occur, the pneumatic control module can light up its diagnostic LED to alert the driver and send data to the fleet command center via telemetry to alert them of the problem.

[0019] The drain plug of the present disclosure may detect one or more of temperature, pressure, and acceleration. The drain plug of the present disclosure may be used with a system that generates an alarm based on a temperature exceeding a threshold value within a predetermined time period, which may indicate an overheating condition. Additionally or alternatively, the drain plug of the present disclosure may be used with a system that generates an alarm based on a pressure higher than a predetermined high pressure threshold indicating a high pressure condition or lower than a predetermined low pressure threshold indicating a low pressure condition. Additionally or alternatively, the drain plug of the present disclosure may be used with a system that generates an alarm based on acceleration indicating a fault or warning condition. Such acceleration-based conditions may include, for example, acceleration patterns indicating bearing faults, high pulse acceleration indicating collisions (such as shoulder collisions). Acceleration-based conditions may include other acceleration-based patterns that may indicate imbalances, such as flat spots on tires or tires that are out of balance. In any case, fleet managers and operators can use the collected data if the fault results in downtime and expensive roadside repairs.

[0020] like Figure 1 As shown, the first sensor plug 20 includes a first plug body 22, a first sensor module 24, and a first plug cover 26. The first sensor plug 20 is configured to be screwed into a hole, such as a drain hole, to replace a standard drain plug in a vehicle component, such as a transmission, differential, or wheel hub.

[0021] The first plug body 22 includes a first handle 30 having a rod shape extending between a first distal end 32 and a first proximal end 34. The first handle 30 is configured to plug a corresponding hole in a vehicle component, such as a fluid discharge hole. The first handle 30 defines a first external thread 36 for plugging the first plug body 22 between a first distal end 32 and a first proximal end 34. Figure 1 The first handle 30 further defines a bore 38 that extends coaxially from the first distal end 32 through the first handle 30 to the first proximal end 34. The first handle 30 further defines a first recess 40 that intersects the bore 38, has a diameter greater than the diameter of the bore 38, and extends a short distance from the first proximal end 34 into the first handle 30. For example, the first recess 40 may have a depth of 5 mm to 10 mm. A first tubular seal 28, which may be made of rubber or another elastomeric material, is disposed in the first recess 40 and forms a seal with the lower surface of the first sensor module 24 while enabling fluid communication between a small area on the lower surface of the first sensor module 24 and the interior space of the vehicle component via the bore 38. Such fluid communication may enable the first sensor module 24 to measure the temperature and / or pressure within the interior space of the vehicle component while also preventing fluid from escaping from the interior space of the vehicle component.

[0022] The first plug body 22 also includes a first peripheral tube 42 that extends annularly around the first handle 30 near the first proximal end 34. The first peripheral tube 42 defines a plurality of first flat surfaces 43 at regular intervals on its periphery for engaging a tool such as a socket wrench for installing or removing the first plug body 22 from a vehicle component. A first flange portion 44 extends annularly around the first handle 30 between the first external thread 36 and the first proximal end 34. The first flange portion 44 connects the first peripheral tube 42 to the first handle 30. The first handle 30 of the first plug body 22 also defines a first annular groove 46 between the first flange portion 44 and the first proximal end 34 on its outer surface. A first O-ring 48 is disposed in the first annular groove 46 for providing a water seal for the first plug cap 26.

[0023] The first sensor module 24 is disposed near the first proximal end 34 of the first plug body 22 and is configured to measure one or more physical properties of the vehicle component, such as temperature, pressure and / or acceleration. The first sensor module 24 includes a first printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 60 having a substrate such as a printed circuit board, a first processor 62, a first wireless communication interface 64, and one or more sensors 66, 68, 69. The sensors 66, 68, 69 may include an accelerometer 66, a temperature sensor 68, and / or a pressure sensor 69. However, the first sensor module 24 may include different combinations of sensors and / or one or more other types of sensors. One or more sensors 66, 68, 69 may be directly exposed to the interior space of the vehicle component via the borehole 38. The first processor 62 may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller and / or other processing circuits. The first processor 62 may perform some processing signals from one or more sensors 66, 68, 69. For example, the first processor 62 may compare one or more acceleration signals from the accelerometer 66 to determine whether the one or more acceleration signals indicate bearing wear or an unbalanced state in a rotating component within the vehicle component.

[0024] The first sensor module 24 also includes a battery 70, such as a button cell type battery. One or more legs 72 are attached to the bottom surface of the first PCBA 60 and are configured to engage the first proximal end 34 of the first plug body 22. The legs 72 can be made of a spiral coil of wire. The legs 72 can provide some vibration isolation between them. Alternatively or additionally, the legs 72 can be configured to allow vibration and / or heat transfer between them. A metal housing 74, such as stainless steel, secures the battery 70 to the first PCBA 60. A retaining ring 76 extends annularly around the housing 74 and the first PCBA 60 for securing the housing 74 to the first PCBA 60. A hold-down clip 78 can be made of a piece of bent metal to hold the first sensor module 24 in place on the first proximal end 34 of the first plug body 22.

[0025] The first plug cover 26 is disposed above an end of the first plug body 22 opposite to the first handle 30 and encloses the first sensor module 24 to protect the first sensor module 24 from moisture, dust or other contaminants. The first plug cover 26 can be made of a material that is transparent to radio waves, such as plastic. The first plug cover 26 is cup-shaped and includes a first tubular wall 80 that defines a first internal thread 82 for fixing to the first handle 30 of the first plug body 22. The first plug cover 26 also includes a closed top 84 that closes the cup shape for accommodating the first sensor module 24 therein.

[0026] Figure 2 and Figure 3A-3B A second sensor plug 120 of the present disclosure is shown. The second sensor plug 120 can be similar or identical to the first sensor plug 20, except for some differences described herein.

[0027] like Figure 2 As shown, the second sensor plug 120 includes a second plug body 122, a second sensor module 124, and a second plug cover 126. The second sensor plug 120 is configured to be screwed into a hole, such as a drain hole, to replace a standard drain plug in a vehicle component, such as a transmission, a differential, or a wheel hub. The second plug cover 126 can be similar or identical to the first plug cover 26 of the first sensor plug 20.

[0028] The second plug body 122 includes a second handle 130 having a rod shape extending between a second distal end 132 and a second proximal end 134. The second handle 130 defines a second external thread 136 for engaging a vehicle component ( Figure 2 The second handle 130 also defines a recess 138 in the second distal end 132 that receives and retains a magnet 139 therein. The magnet 139 can function to retain metal parts, such as shavings shed during operation of the vehicle component. The second handle 130 also defines a blind hole 140 that extends from the second proximal end 134 and partially passes through the second handle 130 and is coaxial therewith. The blind hole 140 can provide thermal communication between the second sensor module 124 or a temperature sensor attached thereto and a fluid within the interior space of the vehicle component while preventing fluid communication therebetween. Therefore, the blind hole 140 can provide improved sensing accuracy of the fluid within the interior space of the vehicle component while also preventing the second sensor module 124 from directly contacting the fluid within the interior space of the vehicle component.

[0029] The second plug body 122 further includes a second peripheral tube 142 that extends annularly around the second handle 130 near the second proximal end 134. The second peripheral tube 142 defines a plurality of second flat surfaces 143 at regular intervals on its periphery for engaging a tool such as a socket wrench for installing or removing the second plug body 122 from a vehicle component. A second flange portion 144 extends annularly around the second handle 130 between the second external thread 136 and the second proximal end 134. The second flange portion 144 connects the second peripheral tube 142 to the second handle 130.

[0030] The tubular sleeve 146 is disposed in the blind hole 140 and extends outwardly from the blind hole 140 beyond the second proximal end 134. The tubular sleeve 146 can be press-fitted in the blind hole. Alternatively or additionally, the tubular sleeve 146 can be attached to the second handle 130 by one or more other means, such as threaded connection, welding and / or adhesive. The tubular sleeve 146 defines a third external thread 148 on its outer surface outside the blind hole 140. The tubular sleeve 146 having the third external thread 148 can mate with the external thread of a Schrader valve.

[0031] The sensor cap assembly 170 is configured to be screwed onto the third external thread 148 of the tubular sleeve 146 and retain the second sensor module 124 thereon. If the third external nut 148 has a Schrader-type thread that matches the thread of a standard Schrader valve, standard parts can be used for both the sensor cap assembly 170 and the tire pressure monitoring device configured to be screwed onto the Schrader valve of the tire valve stem. This can provide economies of scale, allowing the sensor cap assembly 170 to be easily purchased and inexpensive. In addition or alternatively, the tubular sleeve 145 can be used with the first sensor plug 20. For example, the tubular sleeve 145 can be partially disposed within the bore 38 and protrude therefrom to attach the sensor cap assembly 170.

[0032] The sensor cover assembly 170 includes a second tubular portion 172 that surrounds and screws onto the third external thread 148 of the tubular sleeve 146. A semi-enclosed top 174 covers the end of the second tubular portion 172. The sensor cover assembly 170 also includes a third tubular portion 176 that defines a through hole 177 that provides fluid communication through the tubular sleeve 146 into the blind hole 140. A first annular seal 179 extends between the lower surface of the semi-enclosed top 174 and the upper edge of the tubular sleeve 146 to provide a liquid seal therebetween. The sensor cover assembly 170 also includes a radial protrusion 178 that extends radially outward from the second tubular portion 172. A sensor cover 190 is disposed around the sensor cover assembly 170 and molded around the radial protrusion 178. A second ring seal 182 is disposed between the sensor cover 190 and the second proximal end 134 of the second handle 130 to provide a liquid seal therebetween. The first annular seal 179 and / or the second annular seal 182 may be made of rubber or other elastic materials. The sensor cover 190 defines a fourth external thread 192 and a second annular groove 194 in its outer surface, and holds a second O-ring 195 for providing a water seal to the second plug cover 126. The sensor cover 190 also defines a second recess 196 in its upper surface for accommodating the second sensor module 124.

[0033] A second tubular seal 180, which may be made of rubber or another elastomeric material, is disposed in the second recess 196 and provides a seal between the lower surface of the second sensor module 124 and the upper surface of the semi-enclosed top 174 of the sensor cover assembly 170, while enabling fluid communication between a small area on the lower surface of the second sensor module 124 and the interior space of the blind hole 140. This fluid communication may enable the second sensor module 124 to more accurately measure the temperature within the interior space of the vehicle component while also preventing fluid from escaping from the interior space of the vehicle component.

[0034] The second sensor module 124 may be similar or identical to the first sensor module 24. The second sensor module 124 includes a second PCBA 160. Because the second sensor plug 120 does not include a fluid connection to a vehicle component, the second sensor plug 120 may not include a pressure sensor.

[0035] Figure 4 The component 12 of the vehicle 10 is shown with the sensor plug 20, 120 of the present disclosure. More specifically, Figure 4 The component 12 shown is the hub of a truck tire.

[0036] Figure 5A block diagram of a system 200 for remotely monitoring signals from a sensor plug 20, 120 is shown. The system includes one or more sensor plugs 20, 120, which may include one or more first sensor plugs 20 and / or one or more second sensor plugs 120. As shown, the sensor plug 20, 120 includes a first processor 62 operatively connected to a temperature sensor 68, a pressure sensor 69, and an accelerometer 66 for receiving signals therefrom regarding respective sensed parameters. The sensor plug 20, 120 includes a first wireless communication interface 64, which may include a radio operatively connected to the processor for transmitting data regarding sensed values ​​from one or more of the sensors 66, 68, 69. The first wireless communication interface 64 may include a digital communication interface, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, or other short-range or medium-range communication interface.

[0037] The sensor plug 20, 120 includes a first processor 62 mounted to a first memory memory 210. The first memory memory 210 stores instructions, such as program code, in a first instruction memory 212 for execution by the first processor 62. The first memory memory 210 also includes a first data memory 214 for holding data to be used by the first processor 62. The first data memory 214 may record, for example, parameter values ​​measured by one or more of the sensors 66, 68, 69, stored diagnostic fault codes (DTCs), and / or results of one or more functions calculated by the first processor 62.

[0038] The system 200 also includes a receiver located on the vehicle that is configured to receive data from the first wireless communication interface 64 of one or more sensor plugs 20, 120. For example, Figure 6 As shown. The system 200 includes a communication module 220, which is configured to receive data from the sensor plugs 20, 120. The communication module 220 can be integrated into a pneumatic controller, which can be located on or near the axle of the vehicle 10. The communication module includes a second wireless communication interface 222, which is configured to communicate with one or more of the sensor plugs 20, 120, and a third wireless communication interface 226, which is configured to communicate with one or more other devices in the vehicle 10. Either or both of the second wireless communication interface 222 and / or the third wireless communication interface 226 may include a digital communication interface, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, or other short-range or medium-range communication interfaces. The communication module 220 also includes a first controller 224, which may include a microprocessor or microcontroller and is programmed to control data storage and transmission between the second wireless communication interface 222 and the third wireless communication interface 226.

[0039] The system 200 also includes a bridge 230 located on the vehicle, which is configured to collect information from one or more sensor plugs 20, 120 located at various locations on the vehicle 10 and issue warning or fault messages based on the data sensed by the sensor plugs 20, 120. Figure 5 As shown, the bridge 230 is operatively connected to a user interface 238 , such as a warning light or a warning message on a display screen, to notify the operation of the vehicle 10 regarding an error condition sensed by one or more of the sensor plugs 20 , 120 .

[0040] The bridge 230 includes a fourth wireless communication interface 232, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee or other short-range or medium-range communication interface, for receiving information from one or more communication modules 220. Alternatively or additionally, the fourth wireless communication interface 232 can receive data directly from one or more sensor plugs 20, 120 without the need for an intermediate communication module 220.

[0041] The bridge 230 also includes a telemetry interface 236, such as a long term evolution (LTE) cellular data modem, for communicating information about the vehicle 10 to a remote receiver. The telemetry interface 236 may use other types of communications, such as other cellular data standards, vehicle-to-everything (V2X), peer-to-peer, satellite-based communications, etc. The bridge 230 also includes a second controller 234, which may include a microprocessor or microcontroller and is programmed to control data storage and transmission between the fourth wireless communication interface 232 and the telemetry interface 236, and / or message publishing implemented by the user interface 238 based on data from the sensor plugs 20, 120.

[0042] The system 200 also includes a server 250 that can store and / or process data from the fleet by using telemetry data from the bridge 230 in the vehicle 10, and it communicates via one or more networks 240. The one or more networks 240 can include, for example, a cellular data network, the Internet, and one or more wide area networks and / or local area networks. The server 250 includes a second processor 260 mounted on a second memory memory 262. The second memory memory 262 includes a second instruction memory 264 that stores instructions such as program code executed by the second processor 260. The second memory memory 262 also includes a second data memory 266 for holding data for use by the second processor 260. The second data memory 266 may include a database that is configured to, for example, record parameter values ​​measured by one or more sensors 66, 68, 69, and / or the results of functions calculated by the first processor 62 in the sensor plug 20, 120. Additionally or alternatively, the second data store 266 of the server 250 may store message data, such as a record of warning or fault messages associated with the components 12 of the vehicle 10 monitored by the sensor plugs 20, 120. For example, the second data store 266 may store a list of error messages that may identify a specific date, time, component 12, sensed value, etc.

[0043] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a system for remotely monitoring signals from sensor plugs 20 , 120 mounted on each of the wheel hub and differential of the vehicle 10 is shown. Figure 6 The vehicle 10 is shown as a semi-truck / trailer including sensor plugs 20 , 120 in communication with a bridge 230 via a communication module 220 . Figure 6 Also shown is the vehicle 10 , which includes an in-cab user interface 238 for announcing the fault status to an operator of the vehicle 10 .

[0044] The above-described systems, methods and / or processes and steps thereof may be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination of hardware and software suitable for a particular application. Hardware may include a general-purpose computer and / or a special-purpose computing device or a specific computing device, or specific aspects or components of a specific computing device. These processes may be implemented in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors, or other programmable devices and internal and / or external memory. These processes may also or alternatively be embodied in an application-specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, programmable array logic, or any other device or combination of devices that may be configured to process electronic signals. It should be understood that one or more processes may be implemented as a computer executable code that can be executed on a machine-readable medium.

[0045] Computer executable code can be created using a structured programming language (such as C), an object-oriented programming language (such as C++), or any other high-level or low-level programming language (including assembly language, hardware description language, and database programming language and technology), which can be stored, compiled, or interpreted to run on one of the above-mentioned devices, on a heterogeneous combination of processor-processor architectures, on a combination of different hardware and software, or on any other machine capable of executing program instructions. Therefore, on the one hand, each of the above-mentioned methods and combinations thereof can be embodied in computer executable code, which can perform its steps when executed on one or more computing devices. On the other hand, these methods can be embodied in a system that performs its steps and can be distributed on the device in a variety of ways, or all functions can be integrated into a dedicated independent device or other hardware. On the other hand, the means for performing the steps related to the above-mentioned process may include any of the above-mentioned hardware and / or software. All of these permutations and combinations are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] The above description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure. The individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, and where applicable, they are interchangeable and can be used in selected embodiments, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also differ in many ways. These variations should not be considered as departing from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A drain plug for a vehicle component, comprising: A plug body having a shank configured to plug a corresponding hole in a vehicle component: a sensor module comprising at least one sensor and a wireless transmitter configured to transmit data regarding readings from the at least one sensor; a tubular sleeve disposed in the plug body and defining external threads on an outer surface thereof; and a sensor cover assembly configured to be screwed onto the external threads of the tubular sleeve and retain the sensor module thereon, Wherein, the at least one sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor or an accelerometer.

2. The drain plug according to claim 1, characterized in that The external threads of the tubular sleeve match the external threads of a Schrader valve.

3. The drain plug according to claim 1, characterized in that The handle defines a bore therethrough to provide fluid communication between the sensor module and an interior space of the vehicle component.

4. The drain plug according to claim 1, characterized in that The handle defines a blind hole in fluid communication with the sensor module, and the handle is sealed to fluidly isolate the sensor module from an interior space of the vehicle component.

5. The drain plug according to claim 1, characterized in that The at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

6. The drain plug according to claim 1, characterized in that The at least one sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

7. The drain plug according to claim 1, characterized in that The sensor module further comprises a processor configured to process signals from the at least one sensor.

8. The drain plug according to claim 7, characterized in that The at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer, wherein the processor is configured to process an acceleration signal from the accelerometer to determine at least one of: a condition indicative of bearing wear, or a condition indicative of an imbalance of a vehicle component.

9. The drain plug according to claim 1, characterized in that Also included is a cover configured to cover an end of the plug body opposite to the handle and to close the sensor module, wherein the cover is made of a material that transmits radio waves.

10. A drain plug for a vehicle component, characterized in that include: a sensor module comprising at least one sensor and a wireless transmitter configured to transmit data regarding readings from the at least one sensor; a plug body having a shank configured to plug a corresponding hole in a vehicle component, wherein the shank defines a blind hole in fluid communication with the sensor module, and the shank is sealed to fluidly isolate the sensor module from an interior space of the vehicle component; a tubular sleeve disposed in the blind hole, extending outwardly from the blind hole, and defining external threads on an outer surface outside the blind hole; and A sensor cover assembly is configured to be screwed onto the external threads of the tubular sleeve and retain the sensor module thereon.

11. The drain plug according to claim 10, characterized in that The external thread of the tubular sleeve matches the external thread of the Schrader valve.

12. The drain plug according to claim 10, characterized in that The at least one sensor includes an accelerometer and a processor configured to receive an acceleration signal from the accelerometer to determine at least one of: a condition indicative of bearing wear and a condition indicative of an imbalance of a vehicle component.

13. The drain plug according to claim 10, characterized in that The at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor.

14. A system for wirelessly monitoring vehicle components, comprising: A drain plug comprising: a plug body having a handle, the handle being configured to plug a corresponding hole in a vehicle component, and a sensor module having at least one sensor and a wireless transmitter, the wireless transmitter being configured to transmit data regarding readings from the at least one sensor; and a receiver located on the vehicle and configured to receive the data from the wireless transmitter; Wherein, the at least one sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor and an accelerometer.

15. The system according to claim 14, characterized in that The receiver is integrated into a pneumatic controller located on or near an axle of the vehicle.

16. The system according to claim 14, characterized in that Also included is a bridge located on the vehicle and configured to collect information from the drain plug and issue a warning or fault message based on data regarding readings from the at least one sensor.

17. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that Also included is a user interface located on the vehicle and in functional communication with the bridge, the user interface being configured to display a warning or message based on data regarding readings from the at least one sensor.

18. The system according to claim 16, characterized in that Also included is a server located remotely from the vehicle and in functional communication with the bridge, the server being configured to receive and store data regarding readings from the at least one sensor.

19. The system according to claim 14, characterized in that The handle fluidly isolates the sensor module from an interior space of the vehicle component.

20. The system according to claim 14, characterized in that The handle defines a blind bore in fluid communication with the sensor module.

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