Abstract:
A flow indication system for a central tire inflation system is provided. The flow indication system provides a venturi in fluid communication with the conduit providing air to a tire. A pressure reading is taken at the inlet and throat of the venturi and the air flowing through the venturi is calculated based on the pressure differential. According to some embodiments, the pressure readings are provided to a microcontroller that uses a table and interpolation algorithms to calculate the flow of the air flowing through the venturi, such as the mass of air in a given unit of time (grams/second for example). In one embodiment, two separate pressure sensors are coupled to different ends of a narrowed orifice that causes a pressure change in the flow as flow rate increases in the throat of the sensor. This pressure change is then used to calculate a proportional flow that can then be broadcast to various parties instead of an on/off reading

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The technology of the present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/595,918, filed Feb. 7, 2012, titled Wireless Proportional Flow for a Tire Inflation System, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference as if set out in full. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The technology of the present application relates to central tire inflation systems used to maintain tire pressure of a vehicle in operation. More specifically, the technology of the present application provides a wireless proportional flow indication for a central tire inflation system so an operator obtains actual flow information. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Vehicle safety and efficiency are concerns for any vehicle operator. Safety is important for the operator of a vehicle, for the passengers in the vehicle, and for others that share the road with the vehicle. Safe vehicle operation also may reduce vehicle repair costs and downtime. Efficiency also is important for the vehicle operator and the vehicle owner. Efficient vehicle operation may reduce operating and maintenance costs associated with a vehicle, thereby improving profit margins for a business that operates vehicles or possibly saving on maintenance, fuel, and administrative costs. Components that contribute to both vehicle safety and efficiency include axle components and drive train components. Axle components include wheels, wheel hubs, pneumatic tires, suspension components, braking components, and the like. Drive train components include a vehicle engine and components that transfer power from the engine to the drive wheels of the vehicle. 
         [0004]    Proper maintenance of the vehicle is important to safe and efficient operation of the vehicle. Proper maintenance includes proper lubricant fluid levels, proper replacement of fluids, proper tire pressures, and the like. In the case of a pneumatic tire, for example, improper air pressure in the tire can lead to an increased likelihood of a failure of the tire due to increased heating and/or increased or uneven tread wear. Improper air pressure also can increase costs associated with operating the vehicle due to reduced life of the tire, thereby increasing replacement costs, and also increased rolling friction, thereby reducing fuel economy. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, one important aspect of operating any vehicle is the proper maintenance of the vehicle. Proper maintenance facilitates optimal vehicle performance. In the case of an entity that operates a number of different vehicles, such as a trucking company, a rental car company, a delivery company, maintenance of fleet vehicles is particularly important. Proper maintenance helps ensure that costs associated with vehicle operation are not unnecessarily increased. However, maintenance has its own associated cost. The costs of proper maintenance include vehicle “downtime.” However, operating schedules of the entity may inhibit properly maintaining the vehicles. In other words, the volume of maintenance checks and the time required to perform such checks may result in vehicle maintenance being performed less often than is ideal as the vehicle is committed to jobs and tasks. Moreover, too much maintenance is an unwarranted expense. 
         [0006]    The value of maintenance checks to confirm proper vehicle conditions offset some of the benefits of properly maintaining vehicles due to the costs associated with performing such checks as well as the vehicle downtime. Furthermore, when a vehicle is on the road, access to a suitable maintenance facility may be limited. 
         [0007]    Various systems have been designed and are the subject of numerous patents that accomplish the objective of maintaining tire pressure within an acceptable range. These systems are typically called central tire inflation systems (CTIS). The most common systems in the heavy truck industry are designed for trailers. Trailer axles are typically hollow with axle ends that commonly have a through bore. The hollow axle provides a conduit to supply air pressure to the wheel end. The wheel end assembly includes a lubrication area between the axle and the wheel further defined by plugging the through bore in the axle end and covering the end of the axle with a hub cap attached to the wheel. The wheel is supported on the axle end by wheel bearings. The bearings require lubrication and the integrity of the lubrication area is essential in maintaining the operability and life of the wheel end assembly. In order to provide pressurized air to the rotating tires, the CTIS typically includes a rotary union assembly in the same general location as the bearings. The rotary union assembly is in or adjacent to the lubrication area between the stationary axle and the wheel. 
         [0008]    Many tire inflation systems also provide an indication that air is flowing to one or more tires. Conventionally, CTIS provide a “go/no-go” or “flow/no-flow” indication that air is flowing through the system. These systems generally include a rubber diaphragm contained within the air flow conduit or hose. The diaphragm is provided with a bore to allow air to pass across the diaphragm to pressurize the system. As air travels in the system, the diaphragm moves in response to the air flow. The movement of the diaphragm in response to air flow closes an electrical circuit. The closed electrical circuit provides power to an indicator, such as a light, that indicates air is flowing through the system somewhere. Such a conventional system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,575, issued Jun. 19, 2012, titled Air Pressure Regulator with Flow Sensor, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein as if set out in full. 
         [0009]    The indication may alert an operator or driver that there is a leak in one or more tires, or perhaps a leak in the tire inflation system. In any event, the presence of such a leak is an indication that the vehicle should be serviced to correct the problem. Traditional systems commonly rely on very simplistic flow switches, as described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 8,201,575, that use a differential pressure to close a mechanical switch. Traditionally, these systems require a wiring harness from the sensor to the indicator light, which adds to the installation costs. Conventionally, the only information provided is whether air is flowing. That air is flowing is typically provided by a light being illuminated in the nose of the trailer that a driver must identify via the rearview mirror. A driver must notice the illumination of a light behind the tractor cab on the nose of the trailer to even be alerted that a problem exists in the system. Also, the system only warns when flow exists, but it does not provide an indication of which wheel, which is problematic on larger vehicles, nor does it provide information regarding whether the flow relates to regular variations in tire pressure or is indicative of a problem or failure. 
         [0010]    Another type of flow sensor for a CTIS is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,201,066, issued Apr. 10, 2007, titled System for Automatic Tire Inflation, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein as if set out in full. The &#39;066 patent provides another mechanical sensor for gas flow to inflate the downstream tires. The &#39;066 patent measures a pressure drop across a porous media element where there is a linear relationship between the pressure drop across the media and the flow rate of the gas through the meter. 
         [0011]    As can be appreciated, conventional systems employ mechanical systems to measure pressure and/or differential pressure to determine whether flow exists in a system. These systems provide crude accuracy at best. Because of the crude measuring, most conventional CTIS provide an indication of flow only when air flow in the CTIS exceeds about 1.2 cubic feet per minute, which is essentially indicative of a tire blowout or a tube breakage. 
         [0012]    The above and other mechanical system to indicate flow of air in the CTIS leave much to be desired. Thus, against this background it would be desirous to provide an indication to the vehicle operator of the actual flow rate of air through the system. Moreover, it would be desirous to provide information relating to which of the plurality of tire the air is flowing. Additionally, it would be desirous to provide a system that also provides a warning as well as an alarm to a vehicle operator based on various parameters associated with the CTIS. Finally, it would be desirous to provide a system that provides an indication of flow prior to a catastrophic failure, such as a blowout. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0013]    Methods, systems, and devices are described for an integrated monitoring system and pressure maintenance system. Air flow in such a system is determined through the creation of a venturi with an inlet port and an exit port and a pressure sensor at the inlet and throat. A pressure reading is taken on the inlet and outlet ports and flow of the air flowing through the venturi is calculated based on the pressure differential. According to some embodiments, inlet and exit pressure readings are provided to a microcontroller that uses a table and interpolation algorithms to calculate the flow of the air flowing through the venturi, such as the mass of air in a given unit of time (grams/second for example). In one embodiment, two separate pressure sensors are coupled to different ends of a narrowed orifice that causes a pressure change in the flow as flow rate increases in the throat of the sensor. This pressure change is then used to calculate a proportional flow that can then be broadcast to various parties instead of an on/off reading. In some embodiments, the microcontroller then broadcasts this flow value to a remote indicator, display, or system. The microcontroller may broadcast over a wireless link. The wireless link may be a direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) wireless link to, for example, a light on the nose of the trailer or into a cab of the vehicle. Such information may provide an operator with information that air flow is present in the system. In the event that air flow is continually present, or present more often than usual, the operator may determine that a problem exists with respect to one or more tires and take appropriate corrective action. According to various aspects, the present disclosure provides a flow indication system that is: 
         [0014]    1. battery operated so that a wiring harness does not have to be run back from the light on the nose of the trailer; 
         [0015]    2. configured to provide proportional flow measurement rather than just an on/off indication of flow; 
         [0016]    3. wirelessly capable of sending flow indication to other readers including ones in a vehicle cab or to an indicator light on the trailer; 
         [0017]    4. capable to provide information related to individual wheel end indication; 
         [0018]    5. configured to provide a proportional indication display rather than just an on/off light on the trailer, enabling an operator to determine the magnitude of a leak; 
         [0019]    6. capable of being programmed with one or more warning thresholds; 
         [0020]    7. configured to provide enhanced flow sensitivity; 
         [0021]    8. capable to bring the information to the driver in the cab where an audible or visual warning can be given in front of the driver if needed. 
         [0022]    Of course, various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, aspects and elements described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. It should also be appreciated that the described systems, methods, and devices may individually or collectively be components of a larger system, wherein other procedures may take precedence over or otherwise modify their application. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    The technology of the present application will be further explained with reference to the drawing figures referenced below, wherein like structures may be referred to by like numerals throughout the several views thereof. 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle using the technology of the present application; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a flow sensor unit and flow sensor consistent associated with the vehicle of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is schematic of a manifold consistent with the technology of the present application. 
       
    
    
       [0027]    While the above-identified drawing figures set forth one exemplary embodiment, other embodiments of the present invention are also contemplated, as noted throughout. The technology of the present application is described by way of representative examples and should not be construed as limiting. Numerous other modifications and embodiments within the spirit and scope of the technology of the present application are incorporated herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    This description provides examples, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention. Rather, the ensuing description will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing embodiments of the invention. Various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements. 
         [0029]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , an application of an exemplary embodiment is described with respect to a truck  20  having a tractor  24  and trailer  28 . The trailer  28  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  includes two axles  32 , each of which having dual wheels  36  on each side, which is typically in larger, heavy duty trailers. Each set of dual wheels  36  may also be referred to as a wheel end. As will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, trailer  28  could be a single axle trailer, and axles may have single versus dual wheels. Moreover, the technology described herein couple be applied on other vehicles including, for example, conventional two axle vehicles. The trailer  28  includes a pressure system, not shown but generally known in the art, that operates to maintain tires  44  at each wheel end within a preset pressure range. Each set of dual wheels  36 , in this embodiment, includes a connection to a flow sensor unit  40  that is interconnected with each tire  44  on each set of dual wheels  36 . In other words, each tire  44  may have a sensor  50  connected to a common flow sensor unit  40  or each tire may have a sensor  50  connected to a dedicated flow sensor unit  40 . The tire  44  may be referred to as a pneumatic tire as the tires  44  are filled with a fluid (gas) and not a solid rubber tire. An exemplary sensor  50  and flow sensor unit  40  will be described in further detail for an exemplary embodiment with respect to  FIG. 2 . The flow sensor unit  40 , in some embodiments, detects the tire pressure for each of the tires  44 . The flow sensor unit  40  also may detect both the fact of air flow to a specific tire as well as the pressure differentials such that the mass flow rate of the air to the specific tire may be calculated and displayed and/or used to provide indication, warnings, or alarms to the vehicle operator. 
         [0030]    The flow sensor unit  40  also may include a radio frequency transceiver that receives and transmits radio frequency signals that include information including the sensed flow of air for each of the tires  44  and/or wheel ends  36  to which the flow sensor unit  40  is connected. The trailer  28  may include additional flow sensor units  40 , or other sensors. Examples of other sensors include sensors that monitor tire pressure, monitor the lubricant within wheel hubs, hobodometers that monitor the distance the vehicle has traveled, weight sensors, asset or vehicle identification sensors, and brake fluid sensors, to name a few. Furthermore, it will be understood that the devices, systems, and methods described herein are applicable to vehicles other than heavy trucks, such as passenger vehicles, rail vehicles, marine vessels, aircraft, and any other device where air or fluid flow in a part of the vehicle is desired to be monitored. 
         [0031]    Within the tractor  24 , in this embodiment, is a monitor  25 , which may include a display  205 . The monitor  25  may receive information from flow sensor unit  40 . The monitor  25  detects and is operably connected to the flow sensor unit(s)  40  that are associated with the trailer  28 . Operably connected means the monitor is connected to flow sensor unit  40  through a wireless or wired connection. The monitor  25  receives information from flow sensor unit(s)  40  through the connection. The monitor  25  may generate an alarm if any of the flow sensor unit(s)  40  transmit an RF signal that includes information indicative of a sensed flow parameter that is out-of-limit, which may be called a warning signal or an alarm signal. Notice that the trailer  28  may have a flow sensor unit  40  that receives multiple inputs for tires through multiple sensors  50 , which include a manifold as exampled further below. Alternatively, the system may have multiple flow sensor units  40  that receive input from one sensor  50  in fluid communication with one tire, or a combination thereof. In many instances, the tractor  24  may be attached to one of a number of different trailers  28 . Such a situation is common in fleet operations where a plurality of trailers  28  may be connected to a plurality of tractors  24 . Thus, wireless transmission of information from sensors  40  provides enhanced efficiency by allowing communication of information without the requirement of additional wiring connections between a tractor  24  and trailer  28 . 
         [0032]    A block diagram illustration of a flow sensor unit  40 , for an exemplary embodiment, is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, a flow sensor  50  is connected through an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter  54  to a processor  58 . Processor and microcontroller are used generally interchangeably herein. The processor  58  may contain a calculator  58   a  or a comparator  58   b  as explained further below. The flow sensor  50  may be coupled to a CTIS that provides compressed air to each wheel end. The flow sensor unit  40 , in the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , includes a flow sensor  50  for each wheel end, which is calibrated to provide an output that corresponds to the rate air is flowing to the wheel end and not simply that air is flowing. The flow sensor  50  will be described in further detail below, with respect to  FIG. 3 . The output from the flow sensor  50  is provided to the A/D converter  54 , where the output is converted to a digital signal that is provided to the processor  58 . The flow sensor  50 , in some embodiments, may pre-process the flow information to a digital signal such that A/D converter  54  is not necessary or is contained in the flow sensor  50 . The processor  58  is interconnected with a memory  62 , which may include operating instructions for the processor  58 , and information related to the flow sensor  50 , such as high/low sensor output limits, alarm thresholds, warning thresholds, duration of flow thresholds, information related to sensor calibration, and a unique identification  66  for the flow sensor unit  40 . The processor  58  is interconnected also with an RF circuit  70 , which transmits and receives RF signals through antenna  74 . A power supply  78  provides power to each of the components of the flow sensor unit  40 , and in one embodiment, is a battery that is included within a housing of the flow sensor unit  40 . The power supply  78  also may include a replaceable power source, and/or rechargeable power source. The power supply  78 , in certain embodiments, may be operably connected to the electrical system of the tractor  24 . The RF circuit  70  of the flow sensor unit  40 , in an embodiment, is an active transponder that receives an interrogation signal, and in response thereto, transmits a response signal that includes the flow sensor unit  40 &#39;s unique identification  66 , and information related to the current output of the flow sensor  50 . The RF circuit  70 , in some embodiments, may include a passive transponder that uses inductive coupling between an interrogator and the RF circuit to power the flow sensor unit  40  and transmit the information to the interrogator. In some passive transponder embodiments, a power supply  78  may be eliminated. RF circuit  70  may be a single transceiver circuit, or the RF circuit  70  may comprise separate transmit and receive circuits. 
         [0033]    With reference now to  FIG. 3 , a manifold  80  for a flow sensor  50 , according to an embodiment, is illustrated. Such a manifold may be used to create one or a plurality of venturis  82  with, according to one embodiment, a throat  88  having a throat size, such as 0.055 inches in one exemplary embodiment, with an entry and exit port  84 ,  86  with a size of 0.170 inches. As is generally know, a venturi throat  88  has a reduced diameter as compared to the entry port, etc. At least two pressure sensors  90 , such as, for example, two strain gauge absolute pressure sensors, are coupled to the venturi  82 , with one at the entry port  86  and one at the throat  88 ; the outputs of which are provided to differential amplifiers to extract pressure information. The resulting outputs are provided to another set of differential pressure amplifiers. The output of the second set of amplifiers is connected to the A/D port  54  on the flow sensor unit  40  along with the actual pressure outputs of the first amplifier stage. The microcontroller of the flow sensor digitizes the pressures and the amplified differential pressures. The microcontroller, which may include the calculator  58   a , uses the information and, based on the pressure readings, a compensation table is loaded to correct for pressure and temperature nonlinearities. This table is then used to calculate the flow rate of the system based on the differential pressure using the Venturi Effect in combination with Bernoulli&#39;s equations as is generally know. 
         [0034]    The processor  58 , which may be a microcontroller, chip set or the like, according to an embodiment, then broadcasts this flow value over a wireless direct sequence spread spectrum 2.4 GHz wireless link to a receiver operatively coupled to the monitor  25 . Such a receiver may include, for example, a light on the nose of the trailer or a receiver system in a cab of the vehicle. At the same time, a solid state relay contact is closed when the flow rate gets to a programmable threshold level, which may cause an alarm at the monitor  25 , which alarm may be audio, visual or a combination thereof. The manifold  80  may be expanded by adding additional venturis and sensors on the outputs to a series of ports on the flow sensing manifold to allow for flow measurement on any wheel end or individual tire in the inflation system. The minimum number of sensors required is based on the number of output ports plus the inlet port. So on a four wheel end system, four output pressure sensors and one inlet pressure sensor would be used in one exemplary embodiment. 
         [0035]    One particular exemplary embodiment for the processor is a MSP430 series processor to allow for low power consumption and a battery operated environment. The battery life may be designed to be longer than the life of the trailer or at least 7-8 years. 
         [0036]    According to various embodiments, the processor  58 , the receiver, or the monitor, may be programmed with flow thresholds and generate warnings in the event one or more thresholds are exceeded. For example, the amount of flow calculated by the calculator  58   a  of processor  58  may be significant enough and/or last for a long enough period to indicate a problem requiring immediate attention. In certain embodiments, for example, a mass flow rate of approximately 0.9 cubic feet per minute (CFM) may be determined to be a high flow rate such that an alarm is sounded where the operator/driver may hear or see the alarm, such as a red warning light. A high alarm may be indicative of a puncture or the like, which may indicate a tire needing replacement as soon as possible or a puncture in the tubing for the inflation system. In certain embodiments, for example, a mass flow rate of approximately 0.5 CFM may be indicative of a slow leak. A slow leak may not require immediate replacement of a tire, but a replacement or repair at the next scheduled stop where a tire can be changed. In some cases, the length of the flow may be indicative of a problem, such as a slow leak or the like. Thus, the microcontroller may monitor a time associated with a flow through the flow sensor. In certain embodiments, flow existing for over approximately 10 seconds may be considered non transitory and indicative of a problem, such as a leak. The calculator  58   a  may use a clock circuit or the like to determine the time or duration of flow. As can be appreciated, the above measurements relate to calculating mass flow rate. Other flow rates are within the spirit and scope of the present application. In particular, the flow sensor may include a pressure sensor to provide pressure. When combined with a temperature, from a temperature sensor, for example, the actual density of the air may be calculated such that a true flow rate can be determined. Using the flow rate, thresholds may be set for a total volume of air flowing into a particular tire may be indicative of, for example, an intermittent slow leak. Approximately, in the context above, generally means within a tolerance such as ±10%. 
         [0037]    A comparator  58   b  may compare the flow, total flow, time of flow, or flow rate information calculated by calculator  58   a  and compares it to a threshold value, which may be stored in memory associated with the processor. For example, if a tire has been penetrated by a road hazard, the tire may have a leak that requires constant, or near constant, air flow through the inflation system. This constant air flow may exceed a threshold and a warning may be provided to the vehicle operator, who may take appropriate action. In other examples, an air line or other component of the inflation system may be damaged, resulting in uncontrolled release of pressurized air. A flow threshold may be programmed to provide a vehicle operator with an alarm in such an event. 
         [0038]    It should be noted that the methods, systems and devices discussed above are intended merely to be examples. It must be stressed that various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, it should be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the methods may be performed in an order different from that described, and that various steps may be added, omitted or combined. Also, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Also, it should be emphasized that technology evolves and, thus, many of the elements are exemplary in nature and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the invention. 
         [0039]    Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments. 
         [0040]    Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flow diagram or block diagram. Although each may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be rearranged. A process may have additional steps not included in the figure. 
         [0041]    Having described several embodiments, it will be recognized by those of skill in the art that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the above elements may merely be a component of a larger system, wherein other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention. Also, a number of steps may be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are considered. Accordingly, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention.