Electrical energy generation within a vehicle tire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9935563-B2
Application number	US-201514818449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2015
Priority date	Aug 5, 2015
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for installation within a tire for a vehicle includes a flexible arm and a power generating element coupled to the flexible arm for generating electrical energy. One end of the flexible arm is coupled to a rim of the tire. The opposing end of the flexible arm is configured to be in contact with the inside tread surface of the tire. The flexible arm is capable of deformation in response to a variability of distance between the rim and the inside tread surface during rolling movement of the tire, and the power generating element generates the electrical energy in response to deformation of the flexible arm. The apparatus may be combined with a tire pressure sensor module as a system so as to provide electrical energy for powering the tire pressure sensor module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for installation within a tire for a vehicle comprising:
a flexible arm having first and second ends, wherein said first end is configured to be coupled to one of a rim upon which said tire is mounted and an inside tread surface of said tire, and said second end is configured to be in contact with the other of said rim and said inside tread surface; and
a power generating element coupled to said flexible arm for generating electrical energy, wherein said flexible arm deforms in response to a variability of distance between said rim and said inside tread surface during rolling movement of said tire and said power generating element generates said electrical energy in response to deformation of said flexible arm.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible arm is mechanically uncoupled from said inside tread surface of said tire.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible arm comprises a material that is elastically deformable.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible arm exhibits a length that is at least equivalent to the greatest magnitude of said distance between said rim and said inside tread surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible arm includes a generally flat surface having a first dimension that is greater than a second dimension of said flexible arm, said power generating element is attached to said flat surface and said flexible arm deforms in a direction that is approximately transverse to said flat surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power generating element is coupled to said flexible arm at a location of a greatest degree of flexure relative to a remainder of said flexure in said flexible arm.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power generating element comprises a piezoelectric material capable of converting mechanical strain resulting from said deformation of said flexible arm to said electrical energy.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power generating element comprises:
a magnet coupled to said flexible arm; and
a coil element in fixed relationship to said one of said rim and said inside tread surface, said electric energy being generated in said coil element in response to said magnet moving relative to said coil element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power generating element is configured to be in electrical communication with a tire pressure sensor module located within said tire, said power generating element providing said electrical energy to said tire pressure sensor module.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tire pressure sensor module enters a park mode when said tire is stationary, and provision of said electrical energy from said power generating element to said tire pressure sensor module causes said tire pressure sensor module to enter a motion mode from said park mode.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power storage device in electrical communication with said power generating element, wherein said power generating element provides said electrical energy to said power storage device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said power storage device is configured to be in electrical communication with a tire pressure sensor module located within said tire, said power storage device providing said electrical energy to said tire pressure sensor module.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said power storage device comprises one of a rechargeable battery, a capacitor, and a supercapacitor.

14. A system for installation inside a tire of a vehicle comprising:
a tire pressure sensor module for monitoring an air pressure in said tire; and
a power generation apparatus comprising:
a flexible arm haying first and second ends, said first end being coupled to one of a rim upon which said tire is mounted and an inside tread surface of said tire, said second end being in contact with the other of said rim and said inside tread surface; and
a power generating element coupled to said flexible arm for generating electrical energy, said power generating element being in electrical communication with said tire pressure sensor module, wherein said flexible arm deforms in response to a variability of distance between said rim and said inside tread surface during rolling movement of said tire, said power generating element generates said electrical energy in response to deformation of said flexible arm, and said power generating element provides said electrical energy to said tire pressure sensor module.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said system is configured to be mounted on said rim, and said first end of said flexible arm is attached to a housing of said tire pressure sensor module, said first end of said flexible arm being coupled to said rim via its attachment to said housing.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said tire pressure sensor module enters a park mode when said tire is stationary, and provision of said electrical energy from said power generating element to said tire pressure sensor module causes said tire pressure sensor module to enter a motion mode from said park mode.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising a power storage device electrically interconnected between said power generating element and said tire pressure sensor module, wherein said power generating element provides at least a portion of said electrical energy to said power storage device.

18. A method for generating electrical energy within a tire of a vehicle comprising:
coupling an apparatus to a rim upon which said tire is mounted, said apparatus including a flexible arm and a power generating element coupled to said flexible arm, said flexible arm having first and second ends, wherein said coupling mechanically couples said first end of said flexible arm to said rim and said second end of said flexible arm is in contact with an inside tread surface of said tire; and
rotating said tire on a surface, wherein said flexible arm deforms in response to a variability of distance between said rim and said inside tread surface during rolling movement of said tire and said power generating element generates said electrical energy in response to deformation of said flexible arm.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising providing at least a portion of said electrical energy to a tire pressure sensor module in electrical communication with said power generating element.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising storing at least a portion of said electrical energy in a power storage device in electrical communication with said power generating element.

Assignees

• Freescale Semiconductor Inc
• Nxp Usa Inc

Inventors

• Tatarchuk John J
• Muddiman Matthew W

Classifications

• H02N2/18 Primary

  producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators (for measurement devices G01) · CPC title

• B60C23/0411 Primary

  Piezoelectric generators · CPC title

• H02K35/02

  with moving magnets and stationary coil systems · CPC title

• H02K11/0094

  Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices · CPC title

• H02K7/1853

  driven by intermittent forces · CPC title