Wheel Sensor Integration via Internal Air Passageways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tire pressure monitoring systems face issues such as sensors being exposed to harsh environments, difficulty in assembly and access, potential for wheel imbalance, signal interference, high visibility, susceptibility to theft, and increased costs due to bulky designs and complex hardware.
Innovation Solution
Integrating sensors into the wheel rim or disk, using internal air passageways to communicate tire pressure, and securing the sensor closer to the wheel hub to reduce exposure and improve accessibility, balance, and reduce hardware requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are placed inside the tire cavity, then tire pressure can be monitored, but the sensor is exposed to harsh environments including elevated temperatures and impact damage
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is extracted from the harsh tire cavity environment and relocated to the wheel rim or disk structure. The patent describes mounting the sensor on the wheel rim flange or within the wheel disk, away from direct exposure to tire heat and impact forces, while maintaining access to pressure measurements through air passageways or direct mounting on the wheel structure.
2Ease of manufacture
If sensors are embedded in the tire, then they are invisible to inspection, but they are generally inaccessible and difficult to assemble
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is extracted from the embedded position within the tire and relocated to the wheel rim or disk where it remains relatively concealed but is accessible for assembly and maintenance. The patent describes mounting locations on the wheel rim flange or within the wheel disk structure that allow technicians to access the sensor without removing the tire.
3Measurement precision
If sensors are placed in the tire cavity, then they can detect pressure, but they may cause wheel imbalance and signal interference
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is extracted from the tire cavity position and relocated to the wheel rim or disk structure. This relocation eliminates the sensor's contribution to wheel imbalance during rotation while maintaining pressure detection capability through alternative mounting positions and air passageway designs described in the patent.
4Reliability
If sensors attach to inflation valves, then they can measure pressure, but they are susceptible to damage from curbs, rocks or other obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is extracted from the vulnerable inflation valve location and relocated to the wheel rim flange or wheel disk structure. This relocation positions the sensor away from road-level obstructions such as curbs and rocks, protecting it from impact damage while maintaining pressure measurement functionality through the wheel's structural connection to the tire cavity.
5Ease of operation
If sensors are mounted externally, then they are easy to access, but they are highly visible and more susceptible to theft
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is positioned in a location that balances accessibility with concealment. The patent describes mounting the sensor on the wheel rim flange or within the wheel disk structure, where it remains accessible to technicians for maintenance but is less visible and more protected from potential theft compared to external mounting positions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced protection from environmental factors, easier assembly and maintenance, reduced weight, minimized signal interference, and lower costs by eliminating bulky housings and unnecessary hardware, while ensuring the sensor is less prone to damage and theft.
Implementation Method 1
an air passageway between the tire cavity and the sensor may or may not be employed
Data Source
AI summary
This apparatus and system for integration of a sensor into a wheel includes sensors for monitoring temperature, pressure or other variables inside of an inflated tire that are mounted directly to or inside of a wheel for the tire, that are in communication with conditions in the tire's interior via ducts or channels in the wheel, and/or that are held in place by and between rim portions of a two piece wheel.