Scooter

Abstract

The utility model provides a scooter. The scooter comprises wheels, a gas tank and a pressure gauge. Wherein each of the wheels comprises a hub and a tire. And the gas tank is arranged on the hub. The pressure gauge comprises a pressure measuring assembly, a valve assembly and a pressure control assembly. The pressure measuring assembly is connected with an inner cavity of the tire to detect the target pressure of air in the inner cavity, the valve assembly is connected with the inner cavity and the air tank, and the valve assembly comprises a second air channel; the pressure control assembly is electrically connected with the pressure measuring assembly and the valve assembly and is in communication connection with a control unit of the scooter, and the pressure control assembly is configured to periodically transmit the target pressure to the control unit and control the valve assembly to open or close the second air channel based on a target instruction sent by the control unit. The control unit is arranged on the scooter, is in communication connection with the pressure control assembly, and is configured to receive the target pressure and send the target instruction to the valve assembly based on the target pressure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of transportation vehicles, and in particular to a scooter. Background Art

[0002] As the part of the scooter that contacts the ground, the wheels play a vital role in ensuring the safety of the scooter and improving the riding comfort. However, changes in wheel pressure can have a significant impact on the performance of the scooter. Improper wheel pressure will increase wheel wear, reduce vehicle handling performance, and in extreme cases may cause traffic accidents. The wheels will usually lose air after long-term use, resulting in insufficient wheel pressure.

[0003] The current wheel inflation solution on the market is mainly manual inflation. Manual inflation requires users to check the wheel pressure regularly and refill as needed, which is a burden for users. At the same time, users may forget to check the wheel pressure and refill because they are busy, which increases the risk of users using scooters. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present application provides a scooter, which automatically inflates wheels through a pressure gauge, so that the wheels are always kept in the best state without user intervention.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a scooter, comprising: a plurality of wheels, each wheel comprising a wheel hub and a tire; a body comprising a pedal, the body being rotatably connected to each of the wheels respectively; an air tank disposed on the wheel hub; and a pressure gauge disposed on the wheel hub and connected to the inner cavity of the air tank and the tire, the pressure gauge comprising: a pressure measuring assembly connected to the inner cavity to detect a target pressure of air in the inner cavity; a valve assembly connecting the inner cavity and the air tank, the valve assembly comprising a second air passage; a pressure control assembly electrically connected to the pressure measuring assembly and the valve assembly and communicatively connected to a control unit of the scooter, configured to periodically transmit the target pressure to the control unit and control the valve assembly to open or close the second air passage based on a target instruction sent by the control unit; a control unit disposed on the scooter and communicatively connected to the pressure control assembly, configured to receive the target pressure, and send the target instruction to the valve assembly based on the target pressure.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present application, the target pressure is lower than a threshold pressure, and the target instruction instructs the pressure control component to open the second air channel, thereby introducing the air in the gas tank into the inner cavity.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present application, the target pressure is higher than or equal to a threshold pressure, and the target instruction instructs the pressure control component to close the second air passage, thereby preventing the air in the air tank from being introduced into the inner cavity.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure and the rate of decrease of the target pressure is lower than a preset rate, the target instruction instructs the pressure control component to open the second air passage, thereby introducing the air in the air tank into the inner cavity.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the rate of decrease of the target pressure is higher than the preset rate, the control unit alarms to remind the rider that the tire is leaking air.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present application, when the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure, the pressure control component detects the target pressure at a first period; when the target pressure is higher than the threshold pressure, the pressure control component detects the target pressure at a second period, wherein the first period is shorter than the second period.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present application, the pressure control component is wirelessly connected to the control unit through a short-range data transmission technology.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present application, the valve assembly further includes: a first air passage including a first end and a second end, the first end communicating with the air tank; the second air passage forms a preset angle with the first air passage, the second air passage includes a third end and a fourth end, the second end and the third end are communicated, and the fourth end communicates with the inner cavity; and a piston, at least partially slidably disposed in the second air passage and movable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position, the piston is located in the second air passage, thereby separating the second air passage and the first air passage, and the second air passage is closed; in the first position, the piston leaves the second air passage, the second air passage and the first air passage are communicated, and the second air passage is opened.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present application, the valve assembly further includes an elastic member and an electromagnet, the elastic member provides an elastic force to push the piston to the second position, and the electromagnet provides an electromagnetic force to push the piston to the first position after being energized.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present application, the first end is detachably connected to the air tank, the second end and the third end are integrally provided, and the fourth end is detachably connected to the inner cavity.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present application, the preset angle is 90°.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present application, the valve assembly further includes: a limiting rod fixedly connected to the piston; a limiting groove adapted to the limiting rod, the limiting groove including a first limit and a second limit. When the piston moves to the first position, the limiting rod is located at the first limit, and when the piston moves to the second position, the limiting rod is located at the second limit.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present application, the pressure measuring assembly includes: a pressure measuring channel communicating with the inner cavity; and a pressure sensor disposed on one side of the pressure measuring channel facing the pressure gauge and configured to detect the air pressure in the pressure measuring channel.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present application, the hub includes a first mounting port communicating with the inner cavity; the pressure gauge further includes: a second mounting port connected to the first mounting port, and the second air passage and the pressure measuring channel are disposed in the second mounting port, wherein the second air passage and the pressure measuring channel are spaced apart.

[0020] In summary, the present specification provides a scooter. The target pressure detected by the pressure measuring assembly is transmitted to the control unit through the pressure control assembly. The control unit sends a target instruction to the pressure control assembly based on the target pressure. The pressure control assembly controls the valve assembly to open or close the second air passage based on the target instruction sent by the control unit, thereby achieving continuous monitoring of the target pressure and automatically taking air replenishment measures when it is found that the target pressure drops, without user intervention, ensuring that the wheels are always in the best state. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present specification, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present specification. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0022] Figure 1 Shows a schematic structural diagram of a scooter provided according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2A Shows a schematic structural diagram of a wheel assembly from a first perspective provided according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0024] Figure 2B Shows a schematic structural diagram of a wheel assembly from a second perspective provided according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2C Shows a schematic structural diagram of a wheel assembly from a third perspective provided according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0026] Figure 3A Shows a right view of the connection between a wheel and a pressure gauge provided according to some embodiments in the present application;

[0027] Figure 3B Shows provided according to some embodiments in the present application Figure 3A A cross-sectional view along plane A-A;

[0028] Figure 4A Shows a front view of the connection between a wheel and a pressure gauge provided according to some embodiments in the present application;

[0029] Figure 4B Shows provided according to some embodiments in the present application Figure 4A A cross-sectional view along plane B-B;

[0030] Figure 5A-5B Shows a schematic diagram of a piston driver driving a piston to move provided according to some embodiments in the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0031] The following description provides specific application scenarios and requirements of this specification, aiming to enable those skilled in the art to manufacture and use the content in this specification. For those skilled in the art, various local modifications to the disclosed embodiments are obvious, and without departing from the spirit and scope of this specification, the general principles defined here can be applied to other embodiments and applications. Therefore, this specification is not limited to the shown embodiments, but has the broadest scope consistent with the claims.

[0032] The terms used here are only for the purpose of describing specific example embodiments and are not restrictive. For example, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" used here may also include the plural forms. When used in this specification, the terms "include", "comprise" and / or "contain" mean that the associated integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components exist, but do not exclude the existence of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups, or the addition of other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups in the system / method.

[0033] In this application, "X includes at least one of A, B, or C" means that X includes at least A, or X includes at least B, or X includes at least C. That is to say, X can include only any combination of A, B, and C, or can include any combination of A, B, and C as well as other possible contents / elements at the same time. Any combination of A, B, and C can be A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, or ABC.

[0034] In this application, unless expressly stated, the associated relationships generated between structures can be direct or indirect. For example, when describing "A is connected to B", unless it is expressly stated that A is directly connected to B, it should be understood that A can be directly connected to B or can be indirectly connected to B; for another example, when describing "A is above B", unless it is expressly stated that A is directly above B (A and B are adjacent and A is above B), it should be understood that A can be directly above B or A can be indirectly above B (there are other elements between A and B and A is above B). And so on.

[0035] In view of the following description, these features of this specification and other features, as well as the operations and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination and manufacturing economy of the components can be significantly improved. The description also includes all the graphics and texts in all the reference drawings in this specification, and all of these form a part of this specification. However, it should be clearly understood that the drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and description and are not intended to limit the scope of this specification. It should also be understood that the drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0036] In this specification, a short-distance transportation vehicle refers to various devices and tools used to meet the transportation needs of an individual within a relatively short distance range. Such devices usually have portability, ease of operation, and environmental friendliness, are suitable for short-distance travel within a city or a specific area, can effectively replace or supplement traditional means of transportation, and reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Specific examples of personal transportation devices include scooters (manually powered scooters, electric scooters), bicycles (human-powered bicycles, electric bicycles), self-balanced vehicles, and other similar light means of transportation. This specification uses a scooter as an example to illustrate the above-mentioned short-distance transportation vehicle. However, those skilled in the art can understand that other types of short-distance transportation vehicles are also applicable to the invention in this specification without departing from its spirit.

[0037] As a short-distance commuting vehicle, the scooter is widely used in people's lives. The scooter of the present application can be applied to various scenarios, such as personal commuting, commuting to work or school, rapid movement on campus, scenic spot tours, logistics distribution, shared mobility services, recreational activities, handling of daily household chores, and many other scenarios. The use scenarios of the scooter are not limited in this specification.

[0038] Scooters can be divided into different types according to different use scenarios and the number of wheels. For example, a two-wheel scooter, with two wheels located at the front and the back respectively, can be used for children to pedal on the ground to move forward; for example, a three-wheel scooter, which adds one more wheel on the basis of a two-wheel scooter, can be divided into two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back, thus improving stability and can be used in scenarios such as recreational activities and mobility services. It can also be one wheel in the front and two wheels in the back, with more flexible turning and faster speed, and can be used for rapid movement on campus, commuting to work or school, personal commuting, etc. For the convenience of description, the following content takes a three-wheel scooter with two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back as an example for description.

[0039] Generally, when a user uses a scooter, they judge whether the wheel needs to be inflated by visually observing the appearance of the wheel or pressing the side of the wheel with their hand. When the appearance of the wheel is relatively flat or the wheel feels soft when pressed, the user judges that the wheel needs to be inflated. Subsequently, use a wrench or hand to unscrew the valve cap on the wheel valve, and then firmly connect the nozzle of the external air pump to the wheel valve to start manual inflation. When the user observes that the appearance of the wheel is relatively plump or the wheel feels hard when pressed, the user judges that the inflation needs to stop. On the one hand, this wheel inflation scheme requires the user to regularly check the wheel pressure and actively inflate, and it is very likely that the user forgets or ignores the regular inspection of the wheel pressure, resulting in the wheel being underinflated for a long time. On the other hand, when using the manual inflation scheme to inflate the wheel, it is difficult for the user to accurately control the inflation volume, resulting in overinflation or underinflation of the wheel.

[0040] In view of this, the present application provides a scooter that can periodically detect the target pressure in the inner cavity of the wheel and control the valve assembly to open or close the air passage to complete inflation based on the target pressure. Such a wheel inflation scheme can continuously monitor the target pressure and automatically take inflation measures when it is found that the target pressure drops, without user intervention, ensuring that the wheel is always in the best state.

[0041] Figure 1 The structural schematic diagram of a scooter 001 provided according to some embodiments in the present application is shown. The scooter 001 includes a vehicle body 100, a front wheel assembly 120, and a rear wheel assembly 130. In some embodiments, the scooter 001 may further include a battery assembly (not shown in the figure).

[0042] In different application scenarios, the vehicle body 100 can have a variety of different structures. For example, as Figure 1 shown, the vehicle body 100 can include a pedal 110 for carrying a user. Specifically, the pedal 110 can be used to carry the user's feet, and the user can stand on the pedal 110 to drive the scooter 001. In some embodiments, the vehicle body 100 can also include other components, which are not limited in this specification. The material of the vehicle body 100 can be a metal material, such as carbon steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, carbon fiber, etc. The material of the vehicle body 100 can also be a combination of various different materials, which is not limited in this specification.

[0043] The vehicle body 100 is divided into a front end and a rear end. The front wheel assembly 120 is pivotably connected to the front end of the vehicle body 100. The rear wheel assembly 130 is rotatably connected to the rear end of the vehicle body 100. The front wheel assembly 110 includes a handle bar, a steering tube, a fork, and at least one front wheel. The rear wheel assembly 120 includes at least one rear wheel, a fender, a brake, etc. The structures of the front wheel and the rear wheel can be the same, including a tire, a hub, central bearings, a pressure gauge, a gas tank, etc.

[0044] The wheel 200 can be rotatably connected to the fork or the rear end of the vehicle body 100, enabling the vehicle body 100 to move. Different types of scooters 001 can have different numbers of wheels. For example, a two-wheel scooter 001 can be equipped with two wheels; a three-wheel scooter 001 can be equipped with three wheels; a four-wheel scooter 001 can be equipped with four wheels, and so on. In this specification Figure 1 The three-wheel scooter 001 is taken as an example for description.

[0045] The wheels 200 of the three - wheel scooter 001 have three wheels, and the three wheels can be distributed in the longitudinal direction, namely two front wheels and one rear wheel. Among them, the longitudinal direction can be the traveling direction of the scooter 001. The two front wheels can be symmetrically distributed on both sides of the scooter 001 so that the scooter 001 can stand alone. The rear wheel can be located on the central axis of the longitudinal direction of the scooter 001. The body 100 can be rotatably connected to the front wheels and the rear wheel. In this application, each of the multiple wheels in the wheels 200 is an inflatable wheel. Among them, the air in the wheel is the target air, and correspondingly, the pressure of the target air can be the target pressure.

[0046] Figure 2A FIG. 4 shows a schematic structural view of a wheel assembly from a first perspective according to some embodiments of the present application. As Figure 2A shown, the assembly includes a wheel 200, a pressure gauge 300, an air tank 400, and a control unit (not shown in the figure).

[0047] The pressure gauge 300 can be arranged on the wheel 200 and connected to the above - mentioned wheel 200 to detect the target pressure of the wheel in the wheel 200. In the scooter 001, the number of the pressure gauges 300 can be one or more. In some embodiments, each wheel is equipped with a pressure gauge 300. For example, in the three - wheel scooter 001, each of the three wheels is equipped with a pressure gauge 300. The pressure gauge 300 can be communicatively connected to the control unit and send the detected target pressure to the control unit. When there are multiple pressure gauges 300 in the scooter 001, each pressure gauge 300 is respectively communicatively connected to the control unit to enable the control unit to control the multiple pressure gauges 300. The pressure gauge 300 can be a direct - type pressure gauge 300, that is, a pressure gauge 300 that directly measures the target pressure. The pressure gauge 300 can also be an indirect - type pressure gauge 300, that is, a pressure gauge 300 that estimates the target pressure through other parameters.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, the pressure gauge 300 is also connected to the air tank 400 to control whether the air in the air tank 400 enters the wheel. Among them, the air tank 400 can be arranged on the wheel 200 to inflate the wheel. The number of the air tanks 400 can be one or more. For example, multiple air tanks are arranged on the wheel hub to maintain the dynamic balance when the wheel rotates.

[0049] There can be multiple connection and combination methods between the pressure gauge 300 and the gas cylinder 400. In some embodiments, each pressure gauge 300 is equipped with a gas cylinder 400. For example, taking the three-wheeled scooter 001 as an example, three gas cylinders 400 can be provided on the scooter 001, and the three gas cylinders 400 can be respectively connected to the three pressure gauges 300 on two front wheels and one rear wheel. In some embodiments, multiple gas cylinders 400 can supply air to the same wheel through one pressure gauge 300.

[0050] It can be understood that the pressure of the air in the gas cylinder 400 needs to be greater than the target pressure in the tire to overcome the target pressure and inject the air in the gas cylinder 400 into the wheel. The capacity of the gas cylinder 400 can be determined according to the needs of the wheel. The material of the gas cylinder 400 can be a high-strength metal material, such as steel or aluminum alloy. This specification does not limit the capacity and material of the gas cylinder 400.

[0051] The control unit is arranged on the scooter 001. Specifically, the control unit can be arranged on the vehicle body 100, the wheel 200, the gas cylinder 400, and / or the pressure gauge 300, etc. This specification does not limit the installation position of the control unit. The control unit can be the central control system of the scooter 001 or a separate module independent of the central control.

[0052] The control unit can be communicatively connected to the pressure gauge 300, so as to receive the target pressure detected by the pressure gauge 300 and send a target instruction to the pressure gauge 300 based on the target pressure. This specification does not limit the type of the control unit. For example, the control unit can include: a microcontroller, a central processing unit (CPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microprocessor, an embedded system controller, a programmable logic controller (PLC), an intelligent controller, a remote control unit, and a multi-core processor, that is, the control unit is any circuit or processor capable of executing one or more functions, etc., or any combination thereof.

[0053] In some embodiments, the scooter 001 further includes a battery assembly. The battery assembly can provide power support for the above-mentioned components, such as the pressure gauge 300, the control unit, and so on. The battery assembly is independent and detachable so that the wheels 200 can be automatically inflated without stopping the scooter 001 during driving. The type of the battery assembly can be a disposable battery and a rechargeable battery. The output voltage of the battery assembly is compatible with the power-consuming parts of the scooter 001. The capacity of the battery assembly is set according to the actual situation. This specification does not limit the type, output voltage, and capacity of the battery assembly.

[0054] Figure 2B The structural schematic diagram of the wheel assembly from a second perspective provided according to some embodiments in the present application is shown; Figure 2C The structural schematic diagram of the wheel assembly from a third perspective provided according to some embodiments in the present application is shown. As Figure 2B and Figure 2C shown, each wheel 200 of the multiple wheels on the scooter 001 includes a hub 210 and a tire 230. For the wheel 200 equipped with an automatic inflation system, the hub 210 includes a first mounting port 214. The pressure gauge 300 includes a second mounting port 310. In some embodiments, the hub 210 may further include a groove 216 for mounting the air tank 400.

[0055] The hub 210 is the mounting base of the tire 230, and the tire 230 can be mounted on the hub 210. Specifically, the hub 210 can be annular, and the tire 230 can be sleeved outside the hub 210 and directly contact the ground. The material of the hub 210 can be a metal material, such as aluminum alloy, steel, titanium alloy, and so on. The material of the tire 230 can be a rubber material. This specification does not limit the materials of the hub 210 and the tire 230. The tire 230 and the hub 210 are sealed and mounted together. The tire has an inner cavity. The inner cavity can provide a place for storing the target air in the tire 230. The above-mentioned target air can refer to the air in the inner cavity, and correspondingly, the above-mentioned target pressure can refer to the pressure of the target air.

[0056] In some embodiments, the hub 210 may include a connecting portion 212. The hub 210 can be connected to the pressure gauge 300 through the connecting portion 212, so that the pressure gauge 300 is communicated with the inner cavity. Specifically, the connecting portion 212 is a hollow structure inside. When the hub 210 is connected to the pressure gauge 300, the connecting portion 212 is connected to the pressure gauge 300, so that the inner cavity and the pressure gauge 300 are communicated, and the air in the pressure gauge 300 and the target air in the inner cavity can flow. It can be understood that in some embodiments, the hub 210 may also be directly connected to the pressure gauge 300 without setting the connecting portion 212.

[0057] The hub 210 further includes a first mounting port 214. The first mounting port 214 can be provided on the connecting portion 212, and the hub 210 can be connected to the second mounting port 310 on the pressure gauge 300 through the first mounting port 214. It is understandable that when the hub 210 does not have the connecting portion 212, the first mounting port 214 can be directly provided on the hub 210.

[0058] In some embodiments, the hub 210 may further include a groove 216 for mounting the pressure gauge 300 and the gas cylinder 400. Specifically, the groove 216 is adapted to the pressure gauge 300 and the gas cylinder 400. The adaptation includes adaptation in shape and size. The pressure gauge 300 and the gas cylinder 400 can be mounted on the groove 216. It is understandable that various structures can be provided on the hub 210 to carry the pressure gauge 300 and the gas cylinder 400, and the above-mentioned groove 216 is only one of them. Those skilled in the art should understand that other pressure gauge 300 and gas cylinder 400 carrying structures are also within the protection scope of this specification.

[0059] As mentioned above, the pressure gauge 300 may include a second mounting port 310 (Figure 4). The second mounting port 310 is adapted to the first mounting port 214 of the above-mentioned connecting portion 212 to achieve detachable connection between the second mounting port 310 and the first mounting port 214. Among them, the adaptation may be in terms of size and shape. The detachable connection method can be at least one of threaded connection or snap connection. Through the connection between the second mounting port 310 and the first mounting port 214, the pressure gauge 300 is in communication with the inner cavity, so that the target pressure of the target air in the inner cavity can be detected.

[0060] Figure 3A The right view showing the connection between the wheel and the pressure gauge provided in some embodiments according to the present application; Figure 3B Shown are some embodiments according to the present application Figure 3A The cross-sectional view along the A-A plane; Figure 4A The front view showing the connection between the wheel and the pressure gauge provided in some embodiments according to the present application; Figure 4B Shown are some embodiments according to the present application Figure 4A The cross-sectional view along the B-B plane. As Figure 3A , Figure 3B , Figure 4A and Figure 4B shown, the pressure gauge 300 includes a housing 320, a circuit board 330, a pressure measuring component 340, a valve component 350, and a pressure control component 360.

[0061] The housing 320 can be the base of the pressure gauge 300. The housing 320 can be a hollow structure inside. Specifically, in some embodiments, the housing 320 can be an integrally formed hollow structure. In some embodiments, the housing 320 can include at least two covers, such as an upper cover and a lower cover. The upper cover and the lower cover are installed together to jointly form a hollow structure inside. Other components of the pressure gauge 300 can be installed with the housing 320 as the base. For example, the second mounting port 310 can be provided outside the housing 320 for connecting to the first mounting port 214 on the wheel hub 210; the circuit board 330, the pressure measuring component 340, the valve component 350, and the pressure control component 360 can be at least partially installed inside the housing 320, so as to realize the protective effect of the housing 320 on these components. The shape of the housing 320 can be any shape, and the material of the housing 320 can be any material. This specification does not limit the shape and material of the housing 320.

[0062] The circuit board 330 can be arranged inside the housing 320. The circuit board 330 is the installation site for the electronic components in the pressure gauge 300. Specifically, at least part of the pressure measuring component 340 and the pressure control component 360 can be installed on the circuit board 330. The circuit board 330 can be used for data transmission among the pressure control component 360, the pressure measuring component 340, and the valve component 350. This specification does not limit the type of the circuit board 330. Specifically, the circuit board 330 can include a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a rigid printed circuit board (PCB), and a rigid-flex printed circuit board (Rigid-Flex PCB).

[0063] The pressure measuring component 340 is the main component in the pressure gauge 300 for detecting the target pressure of the target air in the inner cavity. The pressure measuring component 340 can be at least partially arranged inside the housing 320 and communicate with the inner cavity, so as to contact the target pressure in the inner cavity, and then detect the target pressure of the target air. As described above, the pressure gauge 300 can be a direct pressure gauge, measuring the target pressure directly; or it can be an indirect pressure gauge, estimating the target pressure through other parameters. When the pressure gauge 300 is a direct pressure gauge 300, the pressure measuring component 340 can be a direct pressure measuring component 340, that is, the pressure measuring component 340 that directly measures the target pressure. When the pressure gauge 300 is an indirect pressure gauge 300, the pressure measuring component 340 can be an indirect pressure measuring component 340, that is, the pressure measuring component 340 that estimates the target pressure through other parameters. For the convenience of description, the following content takes the pressure gauge 300 as a direct pressure measuring component 340 as an example for illustration. In addition, the pressure measuring component 340 can also be electrically connected to the pressure control component 360 on the circuit board 330 to transmit the measured target pressure to the pressure control component 360.

[0064] As Figure 3BAs shown, the pressure measurement assembly 340 includes a pressure measurement channel 341 and a pressure sensor 343.

[0065] The pressure measurement channel 341 is at least partially disposed within the housing 320. Specifically, the pressure measurement channel 341 may be disposed within the second mounting opening 310 and extend through the entire second mounting opening 310 until it abuts against the circuit board 330 inside the housing 320. When the pressure gauge 300 is connected to the inner cavity of the tire 230 through the second mounting opening 310, the pressure measurement channel 341 is also connected to the inner cavity, so that the pressure measurement assembly 340 can directly contact the target air in the inner cavity through the pressure measurement channel 341.

[0066] The pressure sensor 343 is disposed at one end of the pressure measurement channel 341 to measure the air pressure within the pressure measurement channel 341. Specifically, the pressure sensor 343 may be disposed at a position on the side of the pressure measurement channel 341 away from the inner cavity, such as on the side wall of the pressure measurement channel 341 or at the end in the direction away from the inner cavity, etc. Since the pressure measurement channel 341 communicates with the inner cavity, the pressure sensor 343 can obtain the target pressure of the target air by detecting the air pressure within the pressure measurement channel 341. The pressure sensor 343 can be of any type, such as a strain gauge pressure sensor 343, a piezoresistive pressure sensor 343, a capacitive pressure sensor 343, a piezoelectric pressure sensor 343, a differential transformer pressure sensor 343, an optical pressure sensor 343, a thermocouple pressure sensor 343, etc., which are not limited herein.

[0067] The valve assembly 350 is a component in the pressure gauge 300 that physically controls whether the air in the air tank 400 is introduced into the inner cavity. The valve assembly 350 may be disposed inside the housing 320 and connect the inner cavity and the air tank 400. The pressure control assembly 360 is configured to control the opening and closing of the valve assembly 350; the control unit is then responsible for sending instructions to the pressure control assembly to instruct the pressure control assembly 360 to control the valve assembly 350. When the valve assembly 350 is open, the air in the air tank 400 is allowed to enter the inner cavity; when the invention assembly 350 is closed, the connection path between the air tank 400 and the inner cavity is blocked, and the air in the air tank 400 cannot enter the inner cavity.

[0068] The valve assembly 350 includes a first air passage 351, a second air passage 352, a piston 353, and a piston driver 357. The first air passage 351 includes a first end 351-1 and a second end 351-2; the second air passage 352 includes a third end 352-1 and a fourth end 352-2. Among them, the first end 351-1 communicates with the air tank 400; the second end 351-2 and the third end 352-1 communicate; the fourth end 352-2 communicates with the inner cavity. Therefore, the air in the air tank 400 can enter the inner cavity through the first air passage 351 and the second air passage 352.

[0069] In some embodiments, the second end 351-2 and the third end 352-1 can be integrally provided, that is, the second end 351-2 and the third end 352-1 can coincide. The first end 351-1 is detachably connected to the air tank 400. The detachable connection method can be a threaded connection, a snap connection or other connection methods, which are not limited herein. The fourth end 352-2 is detachably connected to the inner cavity. The detachable connection method can be a threaded connection, a snap connection or other connection methods, which are not limited herein. Thus, the air in the air tank 400 can sequentially enter the inner cavity through the first end 351-1, the second end 351-2, the third end 352-1, and the fourth end 352-2, so as to achieve inflation.

[0070] The second air passage 352 and the above-mentioned pressure measurement passage 341 can both be provided in the second mounting port 310, and the second air passage 352 and the pressure measurement passage 341 are arranged at intervals. Through this setting method, even if the air pressure in the second air passage 352 is relatively large during inflation, since the second air passage 352 and the pressure measurement passage 341 are arranged at intervals, the air pressure in the pressure measurement passage 341 will not be affected, making the detection result more accurate.

[0071] If the axial direction of the air tank 400 is parallel to the spoke direction of the wheel hub, that is, the axis of the air tank 400 is perpendicular to the tire 230, then the directions of the first air passage 351 and the second air passage 352 are parallel. Otherwise, as shown in FIG. 3, since the axis of the air tank 400 is not parallel to the spoke direction of the wheel hub (that is, the axis of the air tank 400 is not perpendicular to the tire 230), a preset angle other than 180° is required between the second air passage 352 and the first air passage 351. According to the axial direction of the air tank 400, the preset angle can be 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, etc.

[0072] In order to physically control whether the air in the air tank 400 is introduced into the inner cavity, the valve assembly 350 further includes a piston 353 and a piston driver 357. The piston 353 is at least partially slidably disposed in the second air passage 352 and can move between a first position and a second position. Specifically, the first air passage 351 and the second air passage 352 are communicated, and there is a region where the inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the piston 353 at the connection of the first air passage 351 and the second air passage 352. The position where the piston 353 is located in this region is called the first position. In addition, the piston 353 can slide in the second air passage 352 and is adapted to the inner diameter of the second air passage 352. The position where the piston 353 is located in the second air passage 352 is called the second position.

[0073] When the piston 353 is in the first position, the piston 353 is away from the second air passage 352 and is located in the area where the first air passage 351 and the second air passage 352 are connected. The first air passage 351 and the second air passage 352 are in communication, and the second air passage 352 is opened. The air in the air tank 400 can sequentially enter the inner cavity through the first air passage 351 and the second air passage 352. When the piston 353 is in the second position, the piston 353 is located in the second air passage 352. Although the air in the air tank 400 can enter the valve assembly 350 through the first end 351-1, since the piston 353 closes the second air passage 352, the second air passage 352 and the first air passage 351 are blocked, so the air cannot enter the inner cavity through the second air passage 352, thus ending the inflation.

[0074] In addition, the valve assembly 350 further includes a limiting rod 354 and a limiting groove 355. Among them, the limiting rod 354 is fixedly connected to the piston 353. The limiting groove 355 and the limiting rod 354 are adapted to each other. The said adaptation can be in terms of shape and size. Among them, the limiting groove 355 includes a first limit and a second limit. When the piston 353 moves to the first position, the limiting rod 354 is located at the first limit. When the piston 353 moves to the second position, the limiting rod 354 is located at the second limit.

[0075] Figure 5A-5B The schematic diagram of the piston being driven by the piston driver according to some embodiments in the present application is shown. As shown in FIG. 5, in order to enable the piston 353 to automatically open or close the second air passage 352, the piston driver 357 may include an elastic member 3572 and an electromagnet 3571, and is electrically connected to the voltage control assembly 360 and receives the control of the voltage control assembly 360. Among them, the electromagnet 3571 is electrically connected to the voltage control assembly 360, so that the electromagnet 3571 can be controlled by the voltage control assembly 360 to be automatically powered on or powered off. Among them, the elastic member 3572 provides an elastic force for the piston 353 and pushes the piston 353 towards the second position, that is, the position where the second air passage 352 is closed ( Figure 5B ). After the electromagnet 3571 is powered on, an electromagnetic force will be generated. The said electromagnetic force can overcome the elastic force of the elastic member 3572 and push the piston 353 towards the first position, that is, the position where the second air passage 352 is opened ( Figure 5A ). Specifically, when the voltage control assembly 360 controls the valve assembly 350 to open based on a target instruction, the voltage control assembly 360 controls the electromagnet 3571 to be powered on to generate an electromagnetic force. The electromagnetic force overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member 3572 and pushes the piston 353 towards the first position ( Figure 5A), the second air passage 352 is opened, and the air in the air tank 400 can enter the inner cavity through the valve assembly 350 to achieve automatic inflation. When the pressure control component 360 controls the valve assembly 350 to close based on the target instruction, the pressure control component 360 controls the electromagnet 3571 to cut off the power, and the electromagnetic force disappears. At this time, the elastic force of the elastic member 3572 comes into play again, pushing the piston 353 back to the second position ( Figure 5B ), the second air passage 352 is closed, and the inflation ends.

[0076] The pressure control component 360 can be arranged on the circuit board 330 and is electrically connected to the pressure measurement component 340. Specifically, the pressure control component 360 can be electrically connected to the pressure sensor 343 through a cable, so that the pressure control component 360 can receive the target pressure detected by the pressure sensor 343. The pressure control component 360 can also be electrically connected to the control unit, so as to transmit the target pressure to the control unit. When the control unit receives the target pressure, it will send a target instruction to the pressure control component 360 based on the target pressure. The pressure control component 360 controls the valve assembly 350 to open or close the second air passage 352 based on the target instruction sent by the control unit. The pressure control component 360 can be wirelessly connected to the control unit through a short-range data transmission technology. Specifically, the pressure control component 360 can be connected to the control unit through a meter-level wireless data transmission technology, and the meter-level wireless transmission technology refers to a wireless transmission technology with an effective wireless communication distance within a few millimeters to 10 meters, such as NFC (Near Field Communication), Bluetooth Low Energy (Ble), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Magnetic Induction Communication, and so on. When the scooter 001 includes multiple pressure gauges 300, the pressure control components 360 of each pressure gauge 300 can be respectively communicatively connected to the control unit to realize the control of the control unit over multiple pressure control components 360.

[0077] The following describes the automatic air replenishment process:

[0078] When the wheel 200, the pressure gauge 300, the air tank 400, and the control unit are connected, the pressure gauge 300 can periodically detect the target pressure of the target air in the wheel 200 and transmit the target pressure to the control unit. The control unit can receive the target pressure detected by the pressure gauge 300 and send a target instruction to the pressure gauge 300 based on the target pressure. The pressure gauge 300 controls whether the air in the air tank 400 is introduced into the tire based on the target instruction sent by the control unit.

[0079] Under normal circumstances, the air pressure in the tire gradually decreases over time. Therefore, a pressure threshold can be set to determine whether the rate of decrease in tire air pressure is normal. When the air pressure in the tire (i.e., the target pressure) is higher than the threshold pressure, it means the tire pressure is normal. Thus, the control unit only needs to periodically detect the target pressure and at the same time prohibits the air in the air tank 400 from being introduced into the tire. At this time, the pressure gauge 300 detects the target pressure at a second period.

[0080] When the target pressure is lower than the threshold, two situations may occur. One situation is that the air pressure in the tire decreases due to natural loss, causing the target air pressure to be lower than the threshold. In this case, the tire needs to be refilled with air. Another situation is that the tire has an abnormality, such as being punctured and leaking. At this time, the target air pressure rapidly drops below the threshold. What needs to be done in this case is not to refill the air but to remind the rider to repair the tire.

[0081] To determine whether the tire has abnormal air leakage, when the target air pressure is lower than the threshold, it is necessary to increase the detection frequency and detect the target pressure at a first period to calculate the rate of decrease in the target air pressure. Among them, the first period is shorter than the second period, that is, when the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure, the time interval detected by the pressure gauge 300 is shorter and the detection frequency is faster, so as to accurately judge the timing of stopping inflation. It can be understood that the threshold pressure and the preset speed can be set according to specific situations and are not limited here. When the control unit determines that the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure and the rate of decrease in the target pressure is lower than the preset speed, it sends a target instruction to instruct the pressure gauge 300 to allow the air in the air tank 400 to be introduced into the wheel to inflate the wheel. During inflation, the control unit still monitors the target pressure at the first period or detects the target pressure at a faster third period. When the control unit determines that the target pressure is higher than or equal to the threshold pressure again, it sends a target instruction to instruct the pressure gauge 300 to stop the air in the air tank 400 from being introduced into the wheel, and the inflation ends. At this time, the pressure gauge 300 resumes detecting the target pressure at the second period.

[0082] When the control unit determines that the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure and the rate of decrease is higher than the preset speed, the control unit alarms to remind the rider that the tire is leaking.

[0083] Specifically in implementation, when the control unit determines that the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure, it sends a target instruction to instruct the pressure control component 360 to open the second air passage 352, so that the air in the air tank 400 is introduced into the inner cavity to achieve automatic inflation of the wheel. In some embodiments, when the control unit determines that the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure and the rate of decrease in the target pressure is lower than the preset speed, it sends a target instruction to instruct the pressure control component 360 to open the second air passage 352, so that the air in the air tank 400 is introduced into the inner cavity to achieve automatic inflation of the wheel. When the control unit determines that the rate of decrease in the target pressure is higher than the preset speed, the control unit alarms to remind the rider that the tire is leaking.

[0084] When the control unit determines that the target pressure is higher than or equal to the threshold pressure, it sends a target instruction to instruct the pressure control component 360 to close the second air passage 352, thereby ending the inflation. Among them, the threshold pressure and the preset speed can be set according to specific situations and are not limited here. It can be understood that the frequency at which the pressure control component 360 sends the target pressure to the control unit is periodic, that is, the pressure control component 360 can send the target pressure to the control unit at a preset time interval. Specifically, when the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure, the pressure control component 360 detects the target pressure at a first period. When the target pressure is equal to or higher than the threshold pressure, the pressure control component 360 detects the target pressure at a second period. Among them, the first period is shorter than the second period, that is, when the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure, the time interval detected by the pressure gauge 300 is shorter and the detection frequency is faster.

[0085] In summary, this specification provides a scooter 001. The pressure control component 360 transmits the target pressure detected by the pressure measurement component 340 to the control unit. The control unit sends a target instruction to the pressure control component 360 based on the target pressure. The pressure control component 360 controls the valve component 350 to open or close the second air passage 352 based on the target instruction sent by the control unit, thereby realizing continuous monitoring of the target pressure and automatically taking air replenishment measures when it is found that the target pressure drops, without user intervention, ensuring that the wheels are always in the best state.

[0086] The above describes specific embodiments of this specification. Other embodiments are within the scope of the appended claims. In some cases, the actions or steps recited in the claims may be performed in a different order than in the embodiments and still achieve the desired result. Additionally, the processes depicted in the figures do not necessarily require a specific order or a continuous order to achieve the desired result. In certain embodiments, multitasking and parallel processing are also possible or may be advantageous.

[0087] In summary, after reading this detailed disclosure, those skilled in the art can understand that the foregoing detailed disclosure may be presented only by way of example and may not be restrictive. Although not explicitly stated here, those skilled in the art can understand that this specification is intended to encompass various reasonable changes, improvements, and modifications to the embodiments. These changes, improvements, and modifications are intended to be proposed by this specification and are within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this specification.

[0088] In addition, certain terms in this specification have been used to describe embodiments of this specification. For example, "one embodiment", "an embodiment" and / or "some embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this specification. Therefore, it can be emphasized and should be understood that two or more references to "an embodiment" or "one embodiment" or "an alternative embodiment" in various parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, specific features, structures or characteristics may be appropriately combined in one or more embodiments of this specification.

[0089] It should be understood that in the foregoing description of the embodiments of this specification, in order to help understand a feature and for the purpose of simplifying this specification, this specification combines various features in a single embodiment, drawing or its description. However, this does not mean that the combination of these features is necessary. When reading this specification, it is entirely possible for a person skilled in the art to extract some of the features and understand them as separate embodiments. In other words, the embodiments in this specification can also be understood as the integration of multiple secondary embodiments. This is also true when the content of each secondary embodiment is less than all the features of a single aforementioned disclosed embodiment.

[0090] Each patent, patent application, patent application publication, and other materials, such as articles, books, specifications, publications, documents, articles, etc., cited herein may be incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes, except for any prosecution document history related thereto, any equivalent that may be inconsistent or conflicting with this document, or any equivalent prosecution document history that may have a limiting effect on the broadest scope of the claims now or later associated with this document. For example, if there is any inconsistency or conflict between the description, definition, and / or use of a term associated with any of the incorporated materials and the term, description, definition, and / or use associated with this document, the term in this document shall control.

[0091] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments of the application disclosed herein are explanations of the principles of the embodiments of this specification. Other modified embodiments are also within the scope of this specification. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in this specification are only used as examples and not as limitations. Those skilled in the art can adopt alternative configurations according to the embodiments in this specification to implement the applications in this specification. Therefore, the embodiments of this specification are not limited to the embodiments accurately described in the application.

Claims

1. A scooter, characterized in that: include: A plurality of wheels, each wheel comprising a hub and a tire; A vehicle body, including pedals, wherein the vehicle body is rotatably connected to each of the wheels; A gas tank, arranged on the wheel hub; as well as A pressure gauge is provided on the wheel hub and connected to the air tank and the inner cavity of the tire, and the pressure gauge comprises: A pressure measuring assembly connected to the inner cavity to detect a target pressure of air in the inner cavity; a valve assembly connecting the inner cavity and the gas tank, wherein the valve assembly includes a second gas passage; a pressure control assembly, electrically connected to the pressure measuring assembly and the valve assembly and in communication with a control unit of the scooter, configured to periodically transmit the target pressure to the control unit and control the valve assembly to open or close the second airway based on a target instruction sent by the control unit; A control unit is disposed on the scooter and is in communication with the pressure control assembly, and is configured to receive the target pressure and send the target instruction to the valve assembly based on the target pressure.

2. The scooter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The target pressure is lower than a threshold pressure, and the target instruction instructs the pressure control component to open the second air passage, thereby introducing the air in the air tank into the inner cavity.

3. The scooter according to claim 2, characterized in that: The target pressure is higher than or equal to a threshold pressure, and the target instruction instructs the pressure control component to close the second air passage, thereby preventing the air in the gas tank from being introduced into the inner cavity.

4. The scooter according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the target pressure is lower than the threshold pressure and the falling speed of the target pressure is lower than the preset speed, the target instruction instructs the pressure control component to open the second air channel, so as to introduce the air in the gas tank into the inner cavity.

5. The scooter according to claim 4, characterized in that: When the decreasing speed of the target pressure is higher than the preset speed, the control unit alarms and reminds the rider of tire leakage.

6. The scooter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The target pressure is lower than a threshold pressure, and the pressure control component detects the target pressure in a first cycle; The target pressure is higher than the threshold pressure, and the pressure control component detects the target pressure in a second cycle. The first period is shorter than the second period.

7. The scooter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The voltage control component is wirelessly connected to the control unit via a short-range data transmission technology.

8. The scooter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve assembly also includes: A first air channel, comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is in communication with the air tank; The second air channel forms a preset angle with the first air channel, the second air channel comprises a third end and a fourth end, the second end is connected to the third end, and the fourth end is connected to the inner cavity; and A piston is at least partially slidably disposed within the second air passage and is movable between a first position and a second position, wherein In the second position, the piston is located in the second air channel, thereby isolating the second air channel from the first air channel, and the second air channel is closed. In the first position, the piston leaves the second air passage, the second air passage is communicated with the first air passage, and the second air passage is opened.

9. The scooter according to claim 8, characterized in that: The valve assembly also includes an elastic member and an electromagnet. The elastic member provides elastic force to push the piston to the second position, and The electromagnet provides electromagnetic force to push the piston to the first position after being energized.

10. The scooter according to claim 8, characterized in that: The first end is detachably connected to the gas tank, the second end and the third end are integrally arranged, and the fourth end is detachably connected to the inner cavity.

11. The scooter according to claim 8, characterized in that: The preset angle is 90°.

12. The scooter according to claim 8, characterized in that: The valve assembly also includes: A limiting rod, fixedly connected to the piston; The limiting groove is adapted to the limiting rod, and the limiting groove includes a first limiting groove and a second limiting groove. When the piston moves to the first position, the limit rod is located at the first limit position, and when the piston moves to the second position, the limit rod is located at the second limit position.

13. The scooter according to claim 8, characterized in that: The pressure measuring assembly comprises: a pressure measuring channel, communicating with the inner cavity; and The pressure sensor is arranged on the side of the pressure measuring channel facing the pressure gauge and is configured to detect the air pressure in the pressure measuring channel.

14. The scooter according to claim 13, characterized in that: The wheel hub comprises a first mounting opening, wherein the first mounting opening is in communication with the inner cavity; The pressure gauge also includes: A second mounting port is connected to the first mounting port, The second air channel and the pressure measuring channel are arranged in the second mounting port, wherein the second air channel and the pressure measuring channel are arranged at intervals.

Images