Wheel assembly including relative movement sensor and related methods
AssigneeGacw Incorporated
InventorZoltan Kemeny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel assembly may include an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle, and an outer rim surrounding the inner rim. Gas springs may be operatively coupled between the inner rim and the outer rim and permitting relative movement therebetween. The wheel assembly may also include a sensor configured to sense the relative movement between the inner and outer rims.
Claims22
A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, the wheel assembly defining a non-pneumatic tire for the vehicle and comprising:
- an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle;
- an outer rim surrounding the hub;
- a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim and permitting relative movement therebetween;
- at least one sensor configured to sense the relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim;
- a humidity sensor carried by an inner surface of said outer rim;
- an inboard sidewall coupled between an inboard side of said inner rim and an inboard side of said outer rim;
- and
- an outboard sidewall coupled between an outboard side of said inner rim and an outboard side of said outer rim.
A wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle, the wheel assembly defining a non-pneumatic tire for the vehicle and comprising:
- an inner rim to be coupled to the hub of the vehicle;
- an outer rim surrounding the hub;
- a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between said inner rim and said outer rim and permitting relative movement therebetween;
- at least one sensor configured to sense the relative movement between said inner rim and said outer rim;
- a humidity sensor carried by an inner surface of said outer rim;
- a temperature sensor carried by the inner surface of the outer rim;
- an inboard sidewall coupled between an inboard side of said inner rim and an inboard side of said outer rim;
- and
- an outboard sidewall coupled between an outboard side of said inner rim and an outboard side of said outer rim.
A method of sensing relative movement between an inner rim of a wheel assembly to be coupled to a hub of a vehicle and an outer rim of the wheel assembly, the outer rim surrounding the inner rim, the wheel assembly defining a non-pneumatic tire and comprising a plurality of gas springs operatively coupled between the inner and outer rims and permitting relative movement therebetween, an inboard sidewall coupled between an inboard side of the inner rim and an inboard side of the outer rim, and an outboard sidewall coupled between an outboard side of the inner rim and an outboard side of the outer rim, the method comprising:
- using at least one sensor to sense the relative movement between the inner rim and the outer rim;
- and
- using a humidity sensor carried by an inner surface to sense a humidity within the wheel assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.