U.S. patent application number 15/210736 was filed with the patent office on 2017-01-19 for system and method for modified tire rims for use with gravity-driven automatic tire pumps and generators.
The applicant listed for this patent is INTELLIAIRE, LLC. Invention is credited to Scott McClellan.
Application Number | 20170015158 15/210736 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57774738 |
Filed Date | 2017-01-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170015158 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McClellan; Scott |
January 19, 2017 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MODIFIED TIRE RIMS FOR USE WITH
GRAVITY-DRIVEN AUTOMATIC TIRE PUMPS AND GENERATORS
Abstract
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable
storage media for gravity-driven pumps and generators, as well as
various supporting concepts, mechanisms, and approaches. As a tire
rotates around an axle, the pull of gravity varies for a given
point on the tire. While gravity is always pulling `down`, the
force relative to a fixed point on the tire changes. Gravity-driven
generators exploit these changes in gravitational force to do work.
A gravity-driven generator is different from an automatic pump that
operates using centrifugal force due to rotation of a tire.
Automatic, gravity-driven generators can be used to generate and
store energy to perform such tasks as inflating tires to offset the
natural gas leakage of modern tires, and can maintain tire pressure
and inflation within a desired or optimal range. Tire rims can be
modified to accommodate these pumps.
Inventors: |
McClellan; Scott; (Park
City, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
INTELLIAIRE, LLC |
Park City |
UT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57774738 |
Appl. No.: |
15/210736 |
Filed: |
July 14, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62192337 |
Jul 14, 2015 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60B 21/12 20130101;
B60C 23/06 20130101; B60C 23/003 20130101; H02K 7/1846 20130101;
H02K 15/14 20130101; B60C 23/12 20130101; B60C 23/0408 20130101;
B60C 29/02 20130101; H02K 7/1876 20130101; H02K 7/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60C 23/12 20060101
B60C023/12; H02K 7/06 20060101 H02K007/06; H02K 7/18 20060101
H02K007/18; B60B 21/12 20060101 B60B021/12 |
Claims
1. A system comprising: a tire rim with an outer surface onto which
an inflatable tire can be mounted; a first hole configured within
the tire rim for an inflation stem; and at least one second hole
configured within the tire rim for a fixedly attached electricity
generator configured to generate electricity via rotational motion
of the tire rim about an axis that causes gravity to move a
generation element of the fixedly attached electricity generator in
a first direction at a first rotational position to yield a first
generator stroke, and with rotation of the tire rim, causes gravity
to move the generation element in a second direction at a second
rotational position to yield a second generator stroke, wherein the
first generator stroke and the second generator stroke cause
electricity to be generated.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a mounting area in
the tire rim into which the fixedly attached electricity generator
can be inserted so the fixedly attached electricity generator is
flush with an outer surface of the tire rim.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the fixedly attached electricity
generator further comprises a tube containing a semi-viscous fluid
with magnetic/ferrite particles distributed within the semi-viscous
fluid.
4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery that stores
generated electricity.
5. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more items
which can be powered by the fixedly attached electricity generator,
wherein the one or more items comprise: an electrical pneumatic
pump, an electronic component for a sensor, a wireless transceiver,
and a pump control mechanisms.
6. A method of generating electricity, the method comprising: as a
tire rim with an outer surface onto which an inflatable tire can be
mounted rotates around an axis, causing an element to move due to a
change in angular acceleration to yield a movement of the element;
generating electricity via the movement of the element; and
communicating the electricity to one of a sensor, an air pump, and
a wireless communication device.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the element comprises a
semi-viscous fluid.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the electricity is
achieved through movement of the semi-viscous fluid in a tube
surrounded by a wire mesh sleeve.
9. The method of claim 9, wherein the semi-viscous fluid contains
magnetic/ferrite particles.
10. The method of claim 6, further comprising: storing the
electricity in a battery.
11. The method of claim 11, further comprising powering one of the
sensor, the air pump, and the wireless communication device using
the electricity stored in the battery.
Description
PRIORITY INFORMATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. provisional
patent application 62/192,337, filed Jul. 14, 2015, the content of
which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present disclosure relates to specific changes or
modifications in current tire rim designs to better accommodate
and/or facilitate the use of automatic pumps and/or generators for
tires and more specifically to pumps and/or generators that use
changes in orientation due to tire rotation and gravitational force
to drive pumps and/or generators to automatically inflate tires or
perform other operations.
[0004] 2. Introduction
[0005] Tires are a critical part of modern transportation. However,
proper tire inflation is an important factor in the safety,
efficiency and cost of using tires. Underinflation or overinflation
are not optimal conditions for tire longevity or safety.
Overinflation can lead to unsafe wear patterns, lower traction and
increased potential for a catastrophic failure or blowout of the
tire during otherwise, normal operation. Underinflation lowers the
fuel efficiency of tires, increases wear, lowers the tire sidewall
(lateral) stiffness making the tire less safe and increases the
potential for catastrophic failure or blowout of the tire during
otherwise, normal operation. All rubber-based, modern tires lose
some amount of gas due to the natural porosity of rubber. These
porosity losses can be minimized by using larger air molecules
(Nitrogen) than air. However, the porosity losses are only reduced,
not eliminated. Temperature can also affect tire inflation. One
solution is for users to manually check tire inflation
periodically, but this is a difficult task, requires training and
significant user time. Further, some portion of the user population
will never check their tire inflation due to inconvenience,
regardless of the benefits that proper inflation provide. Tire
inflation is a problem that many drivers do not care enough about
to invest the time to check or correct until the problem is so bad
that the tire, and consequently the vehicle, become undrivable, or
unsafe. An automatic approach to tire inflation that does not
require end-users, i.e. the drivers of these vehicles, to spend
time and effort would be significantly preferable.
SUMMARY
[0006] Additional features and advantages of the disclosure will be
set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be
obvious from the description, or can be learned by practice of the
herein disclosed principles. The features and advantages of the
disclosure can be realized and obtained by means of the instruments
and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
These and other features of the disclosure will become more fully
apparent from the following description and appended claims, or can
be learned by the practice of the principles set forth herein.
[0007] The approaches set forth herein use gravity-driven pumps
and/or gravity-driven generators to automatically inflate tires in
a way that offsets the loss of gas from inside the tire. The
gravity-driven pumps and/or generators are mounted to the tire rim,
and are activated to pump air by exploiting gravity at various
orientations as the tire rotates. Different types of pumps are
described herein. Further, the differences in tire orientation can
be used to generate electricity using similar principles. This
electricity can be used to power various sensors, a processor,
wired or wireless communications interfaces, electronic storage, or
even an electric pump instead of a gravity-driven pump. Traditional
tire rims can be modified to accommodate these pumps and the
various associated modules and supporting elements.
[0008] In one aspect, a device used in connection with a rotating
tire can generate electricity via a tube that holds a semi-viscous
fluid (SVF) with magnetic/ferrite particles distributed within the
fluid. An electrical wire mesh sleeve can be positioned around the
tube. As the wheel turns, the SVF within the tube rotates slower
than the wheel speed, and the ferrite particles passing through the
wire mesh around the tube produce a charge that can be harnessed.
The power can be stored in a battery or capacitor and can be used
to power an electrical pneumatic pump, electronic components for
sensors, wireless transceivers, pump control mechanisms, and so
forth. The electricity can also be directly provided to one or more
components without being stored in a battery.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates an example tire with gravity-driven
pumps;
[0010] FIG. 2A illustrates the example tire with gravity-driven
pumps at time T.sub.0;
[0011] FIG. 2B illustrates the example tire with gravity-driven
pumps at time T.sub.1;
[0012] FIG. 2C illustrates the example tire with gravity-driven
pumps at time T.sub.2;
[0013] FIG. 2D illustrates the example tire with gravity-driven
pumps at time T.sub.3;
[0014] FIG. 2E illustrates the example tire with gravity-driven
pumps at time T.sub.4;
[0015] FIG. 2F illustrates the example tire with gravity-driven
pumps at time T.sub.5;
[0016] FIG. 3A illustrates an example one-way gravity-driven
pump;
[0017] FIG. 3B illustrates an example two-way gravity-driven
pump;
[0018] FIG. 3C illustrates an example membrane and fluid based
gravity-driven pump;
[0019] FIG. 3D illustrates an example ferritic fluid gravity-driven
electricity generator;
[0020] FIG. 3E illustrates a combined gravity-driven pump including
internal ferritic fluid;
[0021] FIG. 3F illustrates an example gravity-driven pump with a
curved pump path;
[0022] FIG. 3G illustrates an example gravity-driven pump;
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates an example gravity-driven pump with
adjustable parameters and sensors;
[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates example control unit communications with
a gravity-driven pump;
[0025] FIG. 6 illustrates an example modified tire rim for
receiving gravity-driven pumps;
[0026] FIG. 7 illustrates an embedded gravity-driven pump in a
modified tire rim;
[0027] FIG. 8 illustrates an example placement of a heterogeneous
gravity-driven pumps on a tire;
[0028] FIG. 9 illustrates an example communication network for
gravity-driven pumps with other devices;
[0029] FIG. 10 illustrates example control unit communications with
external devices;
[0030] FIG. 11 illustrates an application programming interface
(API) for accessing the control unit;
[0031] FIG. 12 illustrates an example computing device for
controlling and monitoring a gravity-driven pump;
[0032] FIG. 13 illustrates an example system embodiment; and
[0033] FIG. 14 illustrates a method embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] A system, method and computer-readable media are disclosed
for gravity-driven pumps and/or generators, as well as various
supporting concepts, mechanisms, and approaches. The present
disclosure will reference bother a gravity-driven pump as well as
corresponding gravity-driven electricity generators. Principles
disclosed relative to the functioning of the pump can also apply
equally to the function and structure of a generator. Gravity is an
ever-present acceleration and related to the size and density of a
planet or large body generating the gravity. On earth, the
gravitational acceleration is about 9.8 m/s.sup.2 or 32.2
ft/s.sup.2. The gravitational potential energy (U) is related to
the product of the mass, gravitational acceleration and height
above the surface that the mass is raised.
[0035] U=mgh
[0036] where U is gravitational potential energy, m is mass, g is
the surface value of gravity, and h is the height above the surface
(for surface calculations and small distances above the surface of
the gravity generating body).
[0037] The more general, integral form of gravitational energy is
as follows:
U ( r ) = .intg. .infin. r - GMm r '2 r ' = - GMm r
##EQU00001##
where U(r) is the gravitational potential energy as a function of
the distance between the bodies, G is the gravitational constant, M
is the Mass of the attracting body, m is the mass of the body
gravity is acting upon, and r is the distance between their
centers.
[0038] This application describes how to use gravity to move a mass
within a chamber, which moves air from one chamber to another (in
this case, moving air into a tire.). By changing the orientation of
the chamber, gravity creates the pump stroke and intake stroke. Or
in the case of a gravity-based generator, by changing the
orientation of the generator, the device creates electricity which
can be harnessed to power an electric pump, a sensor, a wireless
transceiver, or any other component. The electricity can be stored
in a battery or capacitor or used directly to power another device
or component.
[0039] As the tire rotates around an axle, the magnitude of the
gravitational vector component varies for a given tangent on the
circumference of the tire. While gravity is always pulling `down`,
the force relative to a fixed tangent on the tire changes. The
tangents on a circle, at 12:00 and 6:00 are parallel to each other
and are horizontal in a normal, earth reference frame. The
gravitational vector component is perpendicular to the tangents at
12:00 and 6:00 or pointing vertically down. In this application, at
12:00 and 6:00, gravity cannot do any constructive work because the
gravitational vector is perpendicular to the orientation of the
pumping mechanism. However, the tangents on a circle at 3:00 and
9:00 are parallel with each other and are parallel with the
gravitational vector. At the 3:00 and 9:00 orientations, in this
application, one can utilize the full effect of gravity (the
gravitational potential energy) to do constructive work.
Gravity-driven pumps exploit changes in their orientation to
utilize the gravitational force vector's vertical component to do
work. The work can be driving a pump, or generating electrical
power to drive a traditional electric pump or other electrical
components. A gravity-driven pump is different from an automatic
pump that operates using centrifugal force due to rotation of a
tire. Centrifugal force applies to virtually any rotating mass,
whereas a gravity-driven pump would work when the rotational
direction would cause some change in orientation of the pumping
device, utilizing gravitational force to pull a pumping element in
opposite directions at different rotational positions. Automatic,
gravity-driven pumps can be used to inflate tires to offset the
natural gas leakage of modern tires, and can maintain tire pressure
and inflation within a designed and desired range.
[0040] FIG. 1 illustrates an example tire 100 with gravity-driven
pumps 102, 104. FIG. 1 illustrates the up direction which is the
opposite of the pull of gravity. These example gravity-driven pumps
are illustrated as large pumps for ease of demonstration, and are
not necessarily to scale. The pumps 102, 104 can be much smaller,
and can be embedded on or in the rim. The pumps 102, 104 can be
aligned substantially parallel to the rim of the tire 100, or
perpendicular to a radial line from the center of the rim to the
location of the pump. These pumps have external moving parts, also
for ease of demonstration, but gravity-driven pumps can include a
housing within which all the moving parts are housed. In this way,
the gravity-driven pump can be a modular unit. The series of FIGS.
2A-2F show the example tire 100 at different times T.sub.0-T.sub.5
to illustrate how gravitational changes due to rotation cause the
pumps 102, 104 to operate.
[0041] FIG. 2A illustrates the example tire 100 with gravity-driven
pumps 102, 104 at time T.sub.0. At this time, both pumps 102, 104
are parallel to the surface of the Earth, and perpendicular to the
pull of gravity, so neither pump is affected. The tire rotates from
time T.sub.0 to time T.sub.1, as shown in FIG. 2B. FIG. 2B
illustrates the example tire 100 with gravity-driven pumps 102, 104
at time T.sub.1. The gravity-driven pumps 102, 104 are now slightly
off from parallel to the surface of the Earth, so gravity is
starting to affect them. The head of pump 102 is being pulled down,
out of the pump shaft, and the head of pump 104 is being pulled
down, into the pump shaft. So pump 102 is starting to extract air
from the atmosphere into the pump shaft, while pump 104 is starting
to compress and inject air from the pump shaft into the tire 100.
The tire rotates from time T.sub.1 to time T.sub.2, as shown in
FIG. 2C. FIG. 2C illustrates the example tire 100 with
gravity-driven pumps 102, 104 at time T.sub.2. The rotation has
caused gravity to continue to pull on the pumps at different
angles, so the pump stroke in on pump 104 and the pump stroke out
on pump 102 continue and may even accelerate. The tire rotates from
time T.sub.2 to time T.sub.3, as shown in FIG. 2D. FIG. 2D
illustrates the example tire 100 with gravity-driven pumps 102, 104
at time T.sub.3. The pump strokes continue. The tire rotates from
time T.sub.3 to time T.sub.4, as shown in FIG. 2E. FIG. 2E
illustrates the example tire 100 with gravity-driven pumps 102, 104
at time T.sub.4. The pump strokes are almost complete, as shown by
the pump head of pump 104 being almost completely inserted within
the pump shaft, while the pump head of pump 102 is almost
completely extended from the pump shaft. The tire rotates from time
T.sub.4 to time T.sub.5, as shown in FIG. 2F. FIG. 2F illustrates
the example tire 100 with gravity-driven pumps 102, 104 at time
T.sub.5. At this point, the pump head of pump 102 is completely
extended, and the pump head of pump 104 is completely inserted. As
the tire continues to rotate in this direction, the roles of the
pumps will reverse, so that gravity will cause pump 102 to be
inserted, and cause pump 104 to be extended. For each complete
rotation of the tire at appropriate speeds, based on the tire and
pump characteristics, each pump undergoes an insert stroke and an
extend stroke.
[0042] The example of FIGS. 2A-2F illustrates an example of a tire
at a relatively slow speed. Depending on the pump characteristics,
a certain speed threshold exists, above which the tire will rotate
too quickly to allow the pumps to operate. For example, the changes
in orientation due to the rotation of the tire may be too fast to
allow the pumps to move. If the pumps are positioned across from
each other, the movement of the pumps will cancel each other out so
the tire remains harmonically balanced.
[0043] FIG. 3A illustrates an example one-way gravity-driven pump
300. The pump 300 includes a mass 302 that moves back and forth
partially or entirely within a cylinder 304, to create an interior
cavity 310. The interior cavity 310 connects with an intake valve
306 that allows gas into the interior cavity 310 as the mass 302
creates a vacuum by moving away from the interior cavity 310. The
interior cavity 310 connects with an outlet valve 308 that allows
air to move out of the interior cavity 310 as the mass 302 moves
toward the interior cavity 310 and compresses the air therein. The
air moving out of the cavity can be pumped into a tire, for
example.
[0044] FIG. 3B illustrates an example two-way gravity-driven pump
320. This can allow both strokes of the pump 320 to do work. The
pump 320 includes a mass 322 that moves back and forth within a
cylinder 324, to create two interior cavities 330. Each interior
cavity 330 connects with an intake valve 326 that allows gas into a
respective interior cavity 330 as the mass 322 creates a vacuum by
moving away from one interior cavity to the other. Each interior
cavity 330 connects with an outlet valve 328 that allows air to
move out of the interior cavity 330 as the mass 322 moves toward
that interior cavity 330 and compresses the air therein. The air
moving out of the cavity can be pumped into a tire, for
example.
[0045] FIG. 3C illustrates an example membrane and fluid based
gravity-driven pump 340. In this example, the mass 342 is a liquid.
As gravity acts on the liquid mass 342 in a chamber 344, the mass
can press against a membrane 350. The membrane 350 can depress or
deform due to the weight of the liquid mass 342, causing air in a
cavity behind the membrane 350 to compress and leave through the
outlet valve 348. Then, as the liquid mass 342 moves away from the
membrane 350, the membrane 350 can return to its original shape,
causing a vacuum in the cavity, so air enters via the intake valve
346. The cycles of gravitational pull during rotation of a tire can
cause the fluctuations and movement of the liquid mass 342.
[0046] FIG. 3D illustrates an example 360 of a ferritic,
ferrofluid, gravity-driven electricity generator. A tube 360 can
contain a semi-viscous fluid (SVF) 362 with magnetic or ferrite
particles distributed within the fluid. An electrical wire mesh
sleeve 364 can surround all or part of the tube. The tube is
mounted to part of a wheel, such as a rim. As the wheel turns, the
SVF 362 within the tube rotates slower than the wheel speed, and
the ferrite particles passing through the wire mesh 364 around the
tube produce a charge that can be harnessed to do work, such as
driving an electrical pneumatic pump. In this example, a cylinder
360 (or other shaped container) contains the ferritic fluid 362
with magnetic particles. A mesh of wires 364 or a coil of wire can
surround all or part of the cylinder 360. This generator can be
affixed to a tire, and as the tire rotates, the ferritic fluid 362
moves or sloshes around inside the cylinder 360. This flow of the
ferritic fluid 362 through the mesh 364 causes variations in the
magnetic flux that are harnessed to generate electricity in the
mesh 364. The electricity can then be directed to a battery,
capacitor, or other energy storage device 366, or can power
electrical components directly 374. Such components, for example,
can include sensors 368, an electric pump 370, wireless
communications interfaces 372, and so forth. Any component can be
powered in this way. The ferritic fluid 362 and mesh 364 can be a
curved cylinder that runs along part of a tire rim, or around an
entire tire rim.
[0047] It is noted that in any place in this disclosure where a
pump is discussed, that the pump can also be considered a generator
of electricity and can function to generate electricity as the
wheel rotates around its axis.
[0048] FIG. 3E illustrates a combined gravity-driven pump including
internal ferritic fluid. In this example, as in FIG. 3A, the pump
380 includes a mass 382 that moves back and forth partially or
entirely within a cylinder 384, to create an interior cavity 390.
The interior cavity 390 connects with an intake valve 386 that
allows gas into the interior cavity 390 as the mass 382 creates a
vacuum by moving away from the interior cavity 390. The interior
cavity 390 connects with an outlet valve 388 that allows air to
move out of the interior cavity 390 as the mass 382 moves toward
the interior cavity 390 and compresses the air therein. The air
moving out of the cavity 390 can be pumped into a tire, for
example. However, in FIG. 3E, the mass 382 is hollow and contains a
ferritic fluid. As the mass 382 moves and as the tire rotates, the
ferritic fluid sloshes around and causes a magnetic flux, which can
be harnessed by a mesh of wires (not shown) embedded in the mass
382, in the wall of the cylinder 384, or outside the cylinder 384.
Thus, this pump 380 can not only pump air into a tire, but can also
simultaneously generate electricity while the tire is moving.
[0049] FIG. 3F illustrates an example gravity-driven pump 394 with
a curved pump path. In this example, the mass 396 is curved to fit
a curved cylinder path 398. The curvature of the pump path can
match the rim of a tire, or can have some other curvature. The drop
path of the cylinder can be an arc, linear, inverse arc, or can be
an arc greater than or less than the arc defined by the radius of
the rim. The various examples of pump variations in FIGS. 3A-3F can
be combined in various ways not explicitly shown herein. For
example, the hollow mass and internal ferritic fluid of FIG. 3E can
be combined with the curved pump path of FIG. 3F and the dual
cavities of FIG. 3B. As another example, the diaphragm of FIG. 3C
can be combined with the ferritic fluid and mesh of FIG. 3D. In
each case, the pump operates based on changes in gravity as the
pump rotates about an axis, such as a pump affixed to a tire rim
that rotates about the tire axle. Changes in gravity cause the mass
or the liquid to move back and forth.
[0050] The placement and counteracting motions of pumps can provide
automatically harmonically balanced tires, even at low, medium, or
high speeds. At low speeds the mass may move to do work to pump
air, but at greater speeds the mass may move or may not have a
chance to move, so the additional masses from the pumps do not
cause an imbalance in the tire.
[0051] In each of these examples, the pumps can pump gas, such as
air, directly into a tire, or can pump gas into a reservoir or
container of compressed air (not shown). For example, if the tire
is already inflated to its proper pressure, the pump can fill the
reservoir or container to store air under pressure for inflating
the tire at a later time, or for some other purpose.
[0052] FIG. 4 illustrates an example gravity-driven pump 400 with
adjustable parameters and sensors. The pump 400 includes a mass 402
that moves back and forth partially or entirely within a cylinder,
to create an interior cavity 410. The interior cavity 410 connects
with an intake valve 406 that allows gas into the interior cavity
410 as the mass 402 creates a vacuum by moving away from the
interior cavity 410. The interior cavity 410 connects with an
outlet valve 408 that allows air to move out of the interior cavity
410 as the mass 402 moves toward the interior cavity 410 and
compresses the air therein. The air moving out of the cavity can be
pumped into a tire, for example, as in FIG. 3A. The mass 402 can
typically move freely for the entire length of the cylinder, to
create a long stroke. However, under certain tire rotation,
driving, or road conditions, a stroke of a different length may be
optimal. This example pump 400 includes latches 412 which can be
operated via a control unit 418 to engage or disengage to modify
the stroke length of the mass 402. For example, when latches 412
are engaged, the stroke length is shorter, and when latches 412 are
disengaged, the stroke length is longer. A series of latches or a
dynamically adjustable latching mechanism can provide finer control
over a precise stroke length. The control unit 418 can communicate
with other sensors, computing devices, databases, or other
components to determine a desired stroke length for the driving
conditions and for an associated tire, in order to adjust these
pump parameters.
[0053] The control unit 418 can adjust other pump parameters as
well. For example, the control unit 418 can operate a release
mechanism 416 that can release an additional mass 414. The
additional mass 414 can attach to mass 402 for a combined larger
mass and different pump characteristics. The larger combined mass
of the mass 402 and the additional mass 414 may provide more
optimal pumping at higher speeds, for example. The release
mechanism can recapture and hold in place the additional mass 414
when the control unit 418 determines that the additional mass 414
is not needed. In another variation, the release mechanism 416 can
interface directly with the mass 402 and can hold the mass 402 in
place when pumping is not necessary, and can release the mass 402
to do pumping work when pumping is desired. In this way, the
release mechanism can fix the mass in place if no more pumping is
needed to reduce wear.
[0054] The system can dynamically adjust the pump, valving, or
pressure elements based on various factors. In one scenario, the
optimum pressure for a given tire and load are established as X.
However, if the load changes (increases), the necessary and optimum
tire pressure would also need to change (in this case, increase) to
address the added load. Normally, when the tire pressure is
insufficient for a given load, the side walls bulge and the tire
footprint increases to carry the load. This may include more of the
tread, the sidewalls, etc. to satisfy the pressure requirement
(force/area). The tires can include piezoelectric strain sensors in
the side walls to both generate electricity and/or provide sensor
data related to the distortion of the side wall. This data provides
an indirect measure of the tire pressure related to the load. If
the side walls bulge for a given load, the tire pressure is likely
insufficient for that load and hence, the system can increase the
tire pressure to a safe level, such as according to the maximum
tire pressure for any given tire. The tires can generate or track
operating information from the sidewall, strain gauge deformation,
temperature, humidity, pH (acidity/alkalinity) (related to
oxidation--rust), air composition, etc. The system can capture or
use this tire sensor information to change the tire pressure
accordingly. The system can also use Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS) data for an independent pressure reading and tire
location for more precise control and inflation, such as where
steering tires should be at a different (higher) pressure than
rear, or drive, tires.
[0055] The pump 400 can include various sensors, such as an
internal sensor 420 and an external sensor 422. The control unit
418 can interface with each of these sensors 420, 422. The internal
sensor 420 can detect attributes of the gas in the internal cavity
410. For example, the internal sensor 420 can detect pressure,
speed of the air moving in or out of the internal cavity, air
temperature, air composition, humidity, pH levels, salinity, air
quality, air cleanliness, and so forth. The external sensor 422 can
detect similar attributes for external conditions. The internal
sensor 420 and/or the external sensor 422 can relay those readings
to the control unit 418, which can then base decisions and execute
actions based on those readings. For example, if the internal
sensor 420 reports air cleanliness that the control unit 418
determines is too low, the control unit 418 can control the outlet
valve 408 to shunt the pumped air out back into the atmosphere
instead of into the tire or into an air reservoir or tank.
Similarly, if the external sensor 420 reports air salinity that the
control unit 418 determines is too high and may lead to corrosion
damage to the pump or to the tire, the control unit 418 can control
the intake valve 406 to prevent air from entering the internal
cavity 410. The control unit 418 can further interface with sensors
in the tire to determine a type of gas in the tire. For example,
the tire may be inflated with normal air, nitrogen, a different
gas, or a mixture thereof. The control unit 418 can decide, based
on how urgently the tire needs to be inflated and based on the type
of gas in the tire already, whether to activate the pump to pump
additional air into the tire. In one variation, the control unit
418 can even control the intake valve and outlet valve 408 to
reverse their directions so that the pump can actively extract
excess pressure from the tire in over-inflation conditions. For
example, if the tire is inflated to a desired pressure range at a
cold temperature, as the tire moves and heats up, the pressure
increases. If the pressure increase, due to temperature or other
causes, exceeds a desired range or threshold, the control unit 418
can actively pump air out of the tire until the pressure reaches
the desired range or threshold.
[0056] The system can divert excess pressure away from the tire
when the tire is at an acceptable pressure, or can continue pumping
regardless of pressure and use a pressure relief valve to keep the
intravolumetric pressure at a prescribed target pressure, in a
similar manner to a voltage divider or a water heater pressure
relief valve.
[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates example communications of the control
unit 506 with gravity-driven pumps 504 as well as other components.
The control unit 506 can communicate with multiple different
components via wired or wireless communications, or the control
unit 506 can integrate all or part of these components in to
itself. As discussed above, the control unit 506 can communicate
with pumps 504 to control various pump characteristics, as well as
to gather analytics data about how the pump is performing,
including number of pump strokes, how often and when the pump
strokes occur, how much air is pumped total, and so forth. The
control unit 506 can receive real-time data 514 from sensors that
monitor the pump, the tire, or other data sources related to the
tire or the pump performance. One example of a source of real-time
data is a sidewall deformation sensor that provides data from which
a load on the tire can be extrapolated or calculated. The control
unit 506 can also examine driver and route characteristics 512 to
determine how to control the pump, or to report how patterns of
driving or which routes influence pump performance. For example, if
the control unit 506 is associated with a truck for a bottled water
distributor, the characteristics of the route are very different at
the beginning of the day when the truck is under full load, as
opposed to the drive back to the warehouse when the truck is empty
or mostly empty. The control unit 506 can modify the pumps'
behavior accordingly so the tires 502 remain inflated within the
desired range.
[0058] The control unit 506 can identify, from a tire profile
database 508, a tire type for the tire 502. The tire type can
indicate how fast gas leaks from the tire due to natural porosity
of the tire, a range of optimal inflation for that tire type, how
temperature affects the tire, how different loads affect the tire,
and so forth. The tire profile database 508 can also store data
indicating how various tire attributes change over time as the tire
ages and/or wears. The control unit 506 can monitor and build up a
driver profile 510 or simply use an existing driver profile 510.
The driver profile 510 can track driving patterns of an individual
user or group of users. The driver profile 510 can include
information such as how quickly the driver tends to accelerate from
a stopped position, braking times, turn sharpness, and so forth.
Each driver drives slightly differently, and the control unit 506
can use that data to determine how or whether to modify pump
attributes 504 based on the tire profile data 508 to ensure that
the tire 502 remains inflated within the appropriate pressure
range.
[0059] The control unit 506 can communicate with a pressure release
valve for the tire which can either relieve pressure from within
the tire 502 or can prevent unneeded pump strokes from pumping air
into the tire 502, such as by pumping air back into the atmosphere,
a separate air container, or elsewhere. The control unit 506 can
examine real-time data 514 such as tire pressure and activate all
pumps 504 for the tire 502 if a sudden pressure drop is detected,
for example. If the pumps 504 have been pumping air into a
reservoir, the control unit 506 can cause that air to be released
into the tire 502 as well.
[0060] FIG. 6 illustrates an example modified tire rim 600 for
receiving gravity-driven pumps. Rim designs can be modified from
the standard approach by including more than one hole for air
access. Further, rims can be modified to include a mounting channel
to minimize damage to the pumping mechanism when mounting or
repairing a tire. In this example, the tire rim 600 is a bicycle
rim, but the same principles apply to virtually any inflatable
tire, such as tires for consumer cars, busses, heavy construction
or mining equipment, motorcycles, scooters, golf carts, and other
electric, human-powered, or gas-powered vehicles. These principles
can be applied to any rotational motion to which a pump can be
affixed to pump air and/or to generate electricity. The tire rim
600 can be modified with multiple stems 602, 606 and corresponding
holes 604, 608 in the rim to accommodate pumps. Gravity-driven
pumps can be mounted on the interior surface of the rim 600 and can
be incorporated into or with stems 602, 606 so that a user can
inflate the tire in the normal way. In another embodiment, the rim
600 has a channel 610 into which pumps can be inserted. The channel
610 must have holes for the pump to pump in external air, or some
other alternate air input. Additional holes or access portals can
be included in the rim for a gravity driven generator as well. To
accommodate the additional components, the standard hole size and
number of holes in a rim can be changed, as well as the position of
the holes. The rim can be marked to identify the gravity-based
device and that it is present on the rim. The markings can show
where the gravity-based device is actually mounted. The markings
can be any type of marking. Further, a standardized fixture, or a
fixing device, can be built into the rim to receive or attach the
gravity-based device.
[0061] Thus, an example tire rim has an outer surface onto which an
inflatable tire can be installed or mounted, a first hole for an
inflation stem, and a second hole for a fixedly attached pump
configured to pump air into the tire via rotational motion of the
tire rim about an axis that causes gravity to move a pump element
of the fixedly attached pump in a first direction at a first
rotational position to yield a first pump stroke, and causes
gravity to move the pump element in a second direction at a second
rotational position to yield a second pump stroke, wherein the
first pump stroke and the second pump stroke pump a gas into the
inflatable tire through the second hole. The strokes can also be
used to generate electricity in a gravity-based electricity
generator.
[0062] For example, a system for generating electricity can include
a tire rim with an outer surface onto which an inflatable tire can
be mounted, a first hole for an inflation stem and at least one
second hole for a fixedly attached electricity generator configured
to generate electricity via rotational motion of the tire rim about
an axis that causes gravity to move a generation element of the
fixedly attached electricity generator in a first direction at a
first rotational position to yield a first electricity generator
stroke. With rotation of the rim, the rotation causes gravity to
move the generation element in a second direction at a second
rotational position to yield a second generator stroke. The first
generator stroke and the second generator stroke cause electricity
to be generated. The system also can include a mounting area in the
tire rim into which the fixedly attached electricity generator can
be inserted so the fixedly attached electricity generator is flush
with an outer surface of the tire rim.
[0063] The electricity generator further can include a tube
containing a semi-viscous fluid with magnetic/ferrite particles
distributed within the semi-viscous fluid. The electricity
generator further can include an electrical wire mesh sleeve around
the tube. As the tire rim turns, the semi-viscous fluid within the
tube rotates slower than a wheel speed, and the magnetic/ferrite
particles passing through the wire mesh around the tube produce a
charge.
[0064] The example tire rim can include a mounting channel into
which the fixedly attached pump can be inserted so the fixedly
attached pump is flush with the outer surface of the tire rim. FIG.
7 illustrates an embedded gravity-driven pump 702 in a modified
tire rim 700 with a channel 610. In this example, the pump 702
occupies an entire portion of the rim 700, essentially becoming
part of the exterior and interior surface of the rim 700 but the
pump 702 can alternatively snap into a receiving receptacle that
forms all or part of the interior and/or external surface of the
rim 700. The air intake valve 704 pulls air in from the atmosphere
and the pump pumps air into the tire through the outlet valve 706.
In one embodiment, the channel 610 incorporates separate holes for
each pump, but in another embodiment, the channel 610 includes a
pneumatic system so that multiple pumps work together and feed in
to a combined location for pumping air into the tire.
[0065] The tire rim 600 can be modified to include a series of pits
or holes into which pumps can be inserted, instead of a channel 610
which circumscribes the entire rim. The tire rim 600 can further be
modified to include or incorporate various automatic safety
mechanisms to ensure that air does not escape the tire if the pumps
break or are damaged, mounting clamps or brackets for receiving and
holding pumps in place, and so forth. Pumps 702 and stems 606 can
be incorporated at a same position on the tire, the pump 702 on the
tire facing side and the stems 606 exposed on the center facing
side. The pumps can be modular, so that pumps can be inserted into
and removed from the modified rim at will, either while the tire is
removed from the rim in one embodiment, or while the tire is still
mounted on the rim. Valves incorporated into the modified rim can
engage when a pump is removed to prevent air leakage while a pump
is removed or replaced. In one embodiment, portions of the pumps or
the modified rims are transparent so a mechanic can make a visual
inspection to ensure that the pump is functioning properly and the
mass is moving within the pump.
[0066] The tire rim 600 can be modified with an alarm or
notification system. The alarm or notification system can activate
when a pump is removed, or when a pump is added. The notification
can be an audible, visual, electronic, or other notification. The
alarm or notification system can also encourage proper placement of
the pumps in the modified tire rim 600, by providing indications
that the tire is properly installed, properly engaged, functional,
correctly positioned, that associated pumps are also properly
positioned, and so forth. For example, if a user installs a single
pump, the alarm or notification system can illuminate an LED
indicating (or at) a corresponding position on the tire rim so the
user knows where to install a second pump to balance the tire. The
tire rim 600 can be modified to include wireless communication to
output to a sensor, receiver, remote display, an on-board computer,
etc.
[0067] The pumping mechanism can include some kind of visual
indication, such as a sticker (such as a state inspection sticker),
different color or color pattern, notches, a light, etc., to
indicate readily and easily that automatic gravity-driven pumps are
included on this rim, or that the rim is capable of receiving and
operating with such pumps. The indications can be more detailed
visual markings as well, such as text, symbols, or other markings
on the tire. The indications can include non-visual components,
such as a different texture or material, a vibration generating
motor, an audible alert, NFC or RFID tags that electronically and
wirelessly confirm the presence of gravity-driven pumps, or that
confirm that the tire is capable of receiving and operating with
such pumps. These notifications can, where capable, further provide
an indication that the pump is functional, such as illuminating a
green LED to indicate proper operation, and illuminating a red LED
to indicate a failure of some kind. Different blinking patterns can
communicate different states of functionality or detected problems.
An NFC or RFID tag can communicate additional status or diagnostic
information for a pump which can be displayed on a mobile device,
such as a tablet or smartphone. Further, the rim and/or the pump
mechanism can include markings, notches, bumps, etc. that confirm
or guide proper pump mechanism placement, alignment, and/or
orientation. Such guides can help reduce the potential to damage
the pump or the rim during mounting or repairing procedures.
[0068] The rim 600 can be modified to receive a "replacement"
pumping mechanism, such as if one pump is damaged or not
functioning properly. The pumping mechanism can be popped out,
either manually or with a general-purpose tool or a specific tool
for removing pumps. Then a user can replace the removed pump with a
new pump. The pumping mechanism can be internally mounted, or on
the outside of the rim facing into the interior of a tire. The
pumping mechanism can be externally mounted, or on the inside of
the rim facing toward a center of the rim. The pumping mechanisms
can be mounted onto the rim at multiple locations which may be
different from the locations of any stems for manual inflation. The
stem and/or pumping mechanism can exhaust pumped air according to a
variable target pressure based on load, as indicated by data from a
tire sidewall deformation sensor. A stem and/or valve, such as
Schrader valve, and can draw air in and exhaust air out above a
target pressure.
[0069] FIG. 8 illustrates an example placement of a heterogeneous
gravity-driven pumps 802, 804 on a tire 800. Different pumps can
have different pumping attributes with "sweet spots" tuned to
exploit changes in gravity better at different speeds, or under
different operating conditions. These different pumps can be placed
in such a way that the tire remains harmonically balanced. In this
example, pumps of a same type 802, 804 are placed directly opposite
each other, because pumps of different types may have different
weights or the masses may move in different patterns. However, as
long as pumps of the same type are evenly distributed or spaced
around the tire, the harmonic balance should be maintained. In
other words, the pumps should have an equal angular distance
between them. For example, three pumps of a same type can be
distributed 120 degrees apart from one another. The control unit
can communicate with the different types of pumps, and can activate
all pumps collectively, or can activate all pumps of a same type.
Other modules can introduce weight at different locations on the
tire, which can be offset by placing the pumps in different
locations. For example, the pumps can be placed at uneven angular
distances from each other to accommodate additional weight from
sensors, electronics, tire stems, etc.
[0070] In one variation, the control unit can determine that only a
small amount of pumping is needed, such as the amount provided by a
single pump. But in order to maintain the harmonic balancing due to
the moving masses in the pumps, the control unit can activate the
set of pumps of the same type, while enabling one pump to pump air
into the tire while the remaining pumps simply pump air back into
the atmosphere. In this way, the movement of the masses in the
pumps offset each other for harmonic balancing, but only one pump
is `working`. In case of pump removal, a specially shaped plug can
be inserted into the hole from which the pump was removed to cover
the holes and protect the tire, rim, and the hole.
[0071] FIG. 9 illustrates an example communication network for
gravity-driven pumps 902 with other devices. The communication
network can be wired, wireless, or a combination thereof. Some
parts of the communication network may be active at different
times. The pumps 902 can communicate with an on-board computer 904
for a vehicle. The on-board computer 904 can serve as a control
unit, or can interface with individual control units for each pump
902. The pumps 902 and/or the on-board computer 904 can communicate
with a server 906 to report analytics or performance data for the
pumps, the tires, for fuel efficiency, and so forth. The server 906
can then provide a web or other interface for users to view the
reported data, and/or manage pumps in the vehicle. Similarly, the
pumps 902 and/or the on-board computer 904 can communicate with a
mobile device 908 such as a tablet, smartphone, or diagnostic tool.
The mobile device 908 can communicate with the pumps 902 and/or the
on-board computer 904 via a wired or wireless connection. One
example of a wired connection is an OBD-II wired connection. Some
examples of wireless connections can include Bluetooth.TM.,
Zigbee.TM., Wi-Fi.TM., WIMAX.TM., or RFID. Any of these connections
can be bi-directional or uni-directional.
[0072] The pump mechanisms can incorporate electronic components to
read and transmit wirelessly various data including tire pressure,
tire temperature, internal and external air temperature, humidity,
side wall deformation, estimated load as a function of pressure and
side wall deformation, pH reading as indicator of oxidation
(rusting) inside the tire, air quality sensors, barometric
pressure, an amount of electricity generated, an amount of air
pumped into the tire, and so forth.
[0073] In one embodiment for a semi truck, as the semi-truck pulls
in to a weigh station, devices or sensors embedded or placed in
positions throughout a parking zone can communicate with the
individual pumps in the tires and provide a report to an inspector.
The report can show, for example, green check marks for tires and
pumps functioning properly, and red X's or yellow exclamation marks
for tires or pumps that need inspection. The report can provide
access for a user to drill down to more detailed information. For
example, a user can examine the report to view a history of pump
operation, and a chart showing the tire pressure over time to
verify that the pump is maintaining the tire pressure within a
desired range. This can save significant time and cost at
inspections. Such sensors can be placed in other locations as well,
or the on-board computer 904 can generate such reports and transmit
them to the server 906.
[0074] The pumps 902 and on-board computer 904 can be integrated
with or communicate via the CAN bus or CAN protocol. For example,
the pumps 902 and on-board computer 904 can communicate with
"wireless inspection stations" for vehicle inspections, such as
semi trucks at weigh stations, at vehicle service centers, or at
government agencies such as the division of motor vehicles for
inspections.
[0075] FIG. 10 illustrates example control unit 1000 communications
with external devices, in a more detailed view of FIG. 9. The
control unit 1000 communicates with the pumps 1002, a web server
1004, a mobile device 1006, via a near-field communications (NFC)
interface, or with an on-board computer 1010. The control unit 1000
can also communicate with an analytics processor 1008 for
determining the appropriate inflation ranges for tires.
[0076] FIG. 11 illustrates an application programming interface
(API) 1104 for accessing the control unit 1102. A computing device
1110 accesses the control unit 1102 via an API 1104. The API 1104
can also expose functionality from a sensor 1106 and a pump 1108.
The API 1104 can provide a standardized, abstracted way for a
computing device to obtain data from or send instructions to any of
the underlying components without knowledge or details of how those
underlying components operate. For example, the API can define how
the computing device 1110 requests a current state of the pump
1108. When the computing device 1110 requests that current state
via the API 1104, from the computing device's perspective, inputs
are provided, and a corresponding output is returned. The API can
be standard regardless of the underlying types of control units
1108, sensors 1106, or pumps 1108. In this way, virtually any
computing device 1110 of any type can communicate with and control
these components via the API 1104.
[0077] FIG. 12 illustrates an example computing device 1200 for
controlling and monitoring a gravity-driven pump 1202. In this
example, the pump 1202 can provide power to recharge a power source
1204 such as a capacitor or battery. Alternatively, the power
source can be a type of battery or other energy storage device that
does not need power from the pump 1202. The power source 1204 can
power a sensor 1206, a processor 1208, and a memory 1210. The pump
1202 and the processor 1208 can communicate via a communication
interface 1212, and the processor can also communicate with
external devices 1214 via the communication interface 1212.
[0078] While specific implementations are described herein, it
should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes
only. Other components and configurations may be used without
parting from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
[0079] A brief description of a basic general purpose system or
computing device in FIG. 13 which can be employed to practice the
concepts is disclosed herein. With reference to FIG. 13, an
exemplary system 1300 includes a general-purpose computing device
1300, including a processing unit (CPU or processor) 1320 and a
system bus 1310 that couples various system components including
the system memory 1330 such as read only memory (ROM) 1340 and
random access memory (RAM) 1350 to the processor 1320. The system
1300 can include a cache 1322 of high speed memory connected
directly with, in close proximity to, or integrated as part of the
processor 1320. The system 1300 copies data from the memory 1330
and/or the storage device 1360 to the cache 1322 for quick access
by the processor 1320. In this way, the cache provides a
performance boost that avoids processor 1320 delays while waiting
for data. These and other modules can control or be configured to
control the processor 1320 to perform various actions. Other system
memory 1330 may be available for use as well. The memory 1330 can
include multiple different types of memory with different
performance characteristics. It can be appreciated that the
disclosure may operate on a computing device 1300 with more than
one processor 1320 or on a group or cluster of computing devices
networked together to provide greater processing capability. The
processor 1320 can include any general purpose processor and a
hardware module or software module, such as module 13 1362, module
2 1364, and module 3 1366 stored in storage device 1360, configured
to control the processor 1320 as well as a special-purpose
processor where software instructions are incorporated into the
actual processor design. The processor 1320 may essentially be a
completely self-contained computing system, containing multiple
cores or processors, a bus, memory controller, cache, etc. A
multi-core processor may be symmetric or asymmetric.
[0080] The system bus 1310 may be any of several types of bus
structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a
peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus
architectures. A basic input/output (BIOS) stored in ROM 1340 or
the like, may provide the basic routine that helps to transfer
information between elements within the computing device 1300, such
as during start-up. The computing device 1300 further includes
storage devices 1360 such as a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk
drive, an optical disk drive, tape drive or the like. The storage
device 1360 can include software modules 1362, 1364, 1366 for
controlling the processor 1320. Other hardware or software modules
are contemplated. The storage device 1360 is connected to the
system bus 1310 by a drive interface. The drives and the associated
computer-readable storage media provide nonvolatile storage of
computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules
and other data for the computing device 1300. In one aspect, a
hardware module that performs a particular function includes the
software component stored in a tangible computer-readable storage
medium in connection with the necessary hardware components, such
as the processor 1320, bus 1310, display 1370, and so forth, to
carry out the function. In another aspect, the system can use a
processor and computer-readable storage medium to store
instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the
processor to perform a method or other specific actions. The basic
components and appropriate variations are contemplated depending on
the type of device, such as whether the device 1300 is a small,
handheld computing device, a desktop computer, or a computer
server.
[0081] Although the exemplary embodiment described herein employs
the hard disk 1360, other types of computer-readable media which
can store data that are accessible by a computer, such as magnetic
cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, cartridges,
random access memories (RAMs) 1350, read only memory (ROM) 1340, a
cable or wireless signal containing a bit stream and the like, may
also be used in the exemplary operating environment. Tangible
computer-readable storage media, computer-readable storage devices,
or computer-readable memory devices, expressly exclude media such
as transitory waves, energy, carrier signals, electromagnetic
waves, and signals per se.
[0082] To enable user interaction with the computing device 1300,
an input device 1390 represents any number of input mechanisms,
such as a microphone for speech, a touch-sensitive screen for
gesture or graphical input, keyboard, mouse, motion input, speech
and so forth. An output device 1370 can also be one or more of a
number of output mechanisms known to those of skill in the art. In
some instances, multimodal systems enable a user to provide
multiple types of input to communicate with the computing device
1300. The communications interface 1380 generally governs and
manages the user input and system output. There is no restriction
on operating on any particular hardware arrangement and therefore
the basic features here may easily be substituted for improved
hardware or firmware arrangements as they are developed.
[0083] For clarity of explanation, the illustrative system
embodiment is presented as including individual functional blocks
including functional blocks labeled as a "processor" or processor
1320. The functions these blocks represent may be provided through
the use of either shared or dedicated hardware, including, but not
limited to, hardware capable of executing software and hardware,
such as a processor 1320, that is purpose-built to operate as an
equivalent to software executing on a general purpose processor.
For example the functions of one or more processors presented in
FIG. 13 may be provided by a single shared processor or multiple
processors. (Use of the term "processor" should not be construed to
refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software.)
Illustrative embodiments may include microprocessor and/or digital
signal processor (DSP) hardware, read-only memory (ROM) 1340 for
storing software performing the operations described below, and
random access memory (RAM) 1350 for storing results. Very large
scale integration (VLSI) hardware embodiments, as well as custom
VLSI circuitry in combination with a general purpose DSP circuit,
may also be provided.
[0084] The logical operations of the various embodiments are
implemented as: (1) a sequence of computer implemented steps,
operations, or procedures running on a programmable circuit within
a general use computer, (2) a sequence of computer implemented
steps, operations, or procedures running on a specific-use
programmable circuit; and/or (3) interconnected machine modules or
program engines within the programmable circuits. The system 1300
shown in FIG. 13 can practice all or part of the recited methods,
can be a part of the recited systems, and/or can operate according
to instructions in the recited tangible computer-readable storage
media. Such logical operations can be implemented as modules
configured to control the processor 1320 to perform particular
functions according to the programming of the module. For example,
FIG. 13 illustrates three modules Mod1 1362, Mod2 1364 and Mod3
1366 which are modules configured to control the processor 1320.
These modules may be stored on the storage device 1360 and loaded
into RAM 1350 or memory 1330 at runtime or may be stored in other
computer-readable memory locations.
[0085] We now turn to details on gravity-based generation of
electricity introduced in FIG. 3D. In one example, the system can
include a tube 360 that holds a semi-viscous fluid (SVF) 362 with
magnetic/ferrite particles distributed within the fluid. An
electrical wire mesh sleeve 364 or coil can be positioned around
the tube 36. As the wheel turns, the SVF 362 within the tube 360
rotates slower than the wheel speed, and the ferrite particles
passing through the wire mesh 364 around the tube produce a charge
that can be harnessed. The SVF 362 may also simply move due to the
force of gravity as the wheel rotates. The present disclosure can
power (via a battery or directly 374 via the wire 364) an
electrical pneumatic pump 368, electronic components for sensors
370, wireless transceivers 372, pump control mechanisms (not
shown), and so forth. It is noted that any other structure is
contemplated as well which will cause an element to move based on
tire rotation and thus changes in gravitation forces. There are a
number of different configurations that could be applied to
generate electricity and any component disclosed herein can be
repurposed for electricity generation.
[0086] In order to more specifically address electricity
generation, other changes to the structures disclosed herein may be
necessary. For example, additional holes or access portals may be
needed in the rim in that current holes may be needed for air
access and additional holes may be needed for a generator. The
sizes of holes may need to change as well as the position of such
holes to make room for generators and/or pumps. A marking may be
placed on the rim to indicate the existence of a gravity based
device (generator and/or pump). The markings can show where the
device is mounted on the rim as well. The rim structure may be
modified in order to affix a gravity based device in a similar way
as current valve stem holes are standardized. In this new case, a
standardized structure can be created within the rim to accommodate
gravity based pumps or generators.
[0087] FIG. 14 illustrates a method aspect of this disclosure. A
method of generating electricity includes, as a tire rim with an
outer surface onto which an inflatable tire can be mounted rotates
around an axis, causing an element to move due to a change in
gravity (1402). The element, as referenced above, can be a
semi-viscous fluid with magnetic or ferrite particles or may be
some other element or magnet that moves. The method includes
generating electricity via the movement of the element (1404). In
one aspect, the method includes storing the electricity in a
battery (1406) and communicating the electricity from the battery
to one of a sensor, an air pump, and a wireless communication
device (1408). In another aspect, no battery is needed and the
electricity is directly communicated to a desired component.
Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may also
include tangible and/or non-transitory computer-readable storage
media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or
data structures stored thereon. Such tangible computer-readable
storage media can be any available media that can be accessed by a
general purpose or special purpose computer, including the
functional design of any special purpose processor as described
above. By way of example, and not limitation, such tangible
computer-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or
other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic
storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or
store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable
instructions, data structures, or processor chip design. When
information is transferred or provided over a network or another
communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or
combination thereof) to a computer, the computer properly views the
connection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection
is properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the
above should also be included within the scope of the
computer-readable media.
[0088] Computer-executable instructions include, for example,
instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer,
special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to
perform a certain function or group of functions.
Computer-executable instructions also include program modules that
are executed by computers in stand-alone or network environments.
Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components,
data structures, objects, and the functions inherent in the design
of special-purpose processors, etc. that perform particular tasks
or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable
instructions, associated data structures, and program modules
represent examples of the program code means for executing steps of
the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such
executable instructions or associated data structures represents
examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions
described in such steps.
[0089] Other embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in
network computing environments with many types of computer system
configurations, including personal computers, hand-held devices,
multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable
consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe
computers, and the like. Embodiments may also be practiced in
distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by
local and remote processing devices that are linked (either by
hardwired links, wireless links, or by a combination thereof)
through a communications network. In a distributed computing
environment, program modules may be located in both local and
remote memory storage devices.
[0090] The various embodiments described above are provided by way
of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the scope
of the disclosure. Various modifications and changes may be made to
the principles described herein without following the example
embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and
without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
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