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US 6,438,193 B1Granted
Self-powered tire revolution counter
OwnerWen H. Ko, Huijun Xieinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The rotation of a pneumatic tire is monitored by a self powered tire revolution counter. A piezoelectric (“piezol”) element is mounted in the tire in a manner so as to be subjected to periodic mechanical stresses as the tire rotates and to provide periodic pulses in response thereto. The output of the piezo element is utilized by revolution counting circuitry to count rotations of the tire, as well as by power circuitry to power the revolution counting circuitry.
Claims6
Piezoelectric-powered tire revolution counter, comprising:
- a piezoelectric element attached to or embedded within a wall of a pneumatic tire in a manner to be subjected to periodic mechanical stresses as the tire rotates, thereby generating energy pulses;
- power circuitry connected to the piezoelectric element for receiving the energy pulses, having an output for supplying a DC voltage (Vdd) to power circuitry of the revolution counter;
- and
- a revolution counting circuit connected to the piezoelectric element for receiving the energy pulses;
- wherein:
- the piezoelectric element is in the form of a circular unimorph.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.