CIRCUMFERENTIAL ORIENTATION OF PIEZOELECTRIC DEVICE IN TIRE TO IMPROVE SIGNAL QUALITY

摘要

An apparatus and method for monitoring parameters of a tire using a piezoelectric device is provided. The piezoelectric device is mounted as part of a tire mountable apparatus with a circumferential orientation in a tire such that that the direction defined by length of the piezoelectric device is generally aligned with the direction of rotation of the tire. This can lead to increased coupling of the piezoelectric device to changing circumferential tire shape as the piezoelectric device enters and exits the contact patch of the tire while at the same time reducing the coupling of the piezoelectric device to changing lateral tire shape. Contact patch entry and exit times from piezoelectric signals generated by the piezoelectric device can be more readily identified, leading to increased accuracy of tire parameters determined from the contact patch entry and exit times, such as tire revolution count, tire speed, and contact patch angle.

主权项

1. A method for monitoring one or more parameters of a tire, comprising:
mounting a tire mountable apparatus to a tire, the tire mountable apparatus comprising a piezoelectric device having at least one piezoelectric component, the piezoelectric device having length L, the length L being the longest dimension of the piezoelectric device; the tire mountable apparatus comprising a plurality of conductive terminals arranged on the piezoelectric device in a generally linear relationship along a line that is within 20° to the direction defined by the length L of the piezoelectric device; rotating the tire for one or more revolutions; and obtaining a piezoelectric signal generated by the at least one piezoelectric component during rotation of the tire; wherein the tire mountable apparatus is mounted to the tire so that the direction of the length L of the piezoelectric device is aligned within 20° of the direction of rotation of the tire.