An apparatus includes a rim, a tire, and an energy harvesting component. The rim is configured to rotate and move. The tire is coupled to the rim. The tire when inflated is configured to transfer force to the rim resulting from compressive force acting on a portion of the tire making contact with a road. The energy harvesting component is positioned on the rim and configured to capture a kinetic energy in response to the compressive force acting on the portion of the tire making contact with the road as the rim rotates.

A tire monitoring system including a monitoring module for mounting on a wheel. The monitoring module having a transmitter configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile device of a user, a pneumatic sensor receiver communicatively coupled with the transmitter, a temperature sensor communicatively coupled with the transmitter, and a vibration sensor communicatively coupled with the transmitter.

An outboard wheel half has an axis and includes an outboard wheel structure configured to receive at least a portion of a tire. The outboard wheel half also includes a structure defining an alignment hole usable to align a hubcap relative to the structure. The structure defines a pocket circumferentially aligned with the alignment hole to reduce an amount of stress at a location of the alignment hole.

A combination vehicle tire sensor assembly and in-tire wheel balancer is adapted for residing inside a pneumatic tire mounted on a wheel rim of a motor vehicle. The combination comprises a flexible mounting cable secured to the sensor assembly, and adapted for extending circumferentially within an annular space formed between the tire and wheel rim. A counterweight is secured to the mounting cable inside the pneumatic tire a spaced distance from the sensor assembly. A substantially hollow balancer belt resides inside the pneumatic tire adjacent the sensor assembly and counterweight, and defines a circumferentially-extending exterior groove designed for receiving and locating said mounting cable, and a circumferentially-extending interior cavity adapted for loosely containing a wheel-balancing medium.

An electronic unit for measuring operating parameters of a vehicle wheel, including an electronic casing; an inflation valve; and elements for attaching the electronic casing and the inflation valve. The elements for attaching the electronic casing and the inflation valve include an insert provided with an axial bore and mounted with the ability to pivot in the continuation of the body of the inflation valve; a sleeve secured to the electronic casing, designed to be mounted with the ability to slide around the insert, a way of assembling the sleeve of the electronic casing and the insert of the valve body; and a spring-effect elastic.

An electronic unit for measuring operating parameters of a vehicle wheel, including an electronic casing; an inflation valve; and elements for attaching the electronic casing and the inflation valve. The elements for attaching the electronic casing and the inflation valve include an insert provided with an axial bore and mounted with the ability to pivot in the continuation of the body of the inflation valve; a sleeve secured to the electronic casing, designed to be mounted with the ability to slide around the insert, a way of assembling the sleeve of the electronic casing and the insert of the valve body; and a spring-effect elastic.

In a vehicle wheel including a rim, a sub-air chamber member serving as a Helmholtz resonator, and a tire pressure sensor unit, the sub-air chamber member and the tire pressure sensor unit are integrated with each other to be mounted on the rim via an air valve. The tire pressure sensor unit is preferably integrated with the air valve. The vehicle wheel may be configured such that the sub-air chamber member is connected to the tire pressure sensor unit via a bracket, and the bracket is insert-molded in the sub-air chamber member. Moreover, an edge of the sub-air chamber member may be locked to a well part at an opposite side in a wheel width direction to the tire pressure sensor unit.

A method for evaluating the thermal stresses associated with the use of a tire mounted on a rim, the method comprising the steps during which a temperature of a gaseous fluid contained in an internal cavity of the tire, and a temperature of the rim, are measured at regular time intervals, and a temperature at at least one internal zone of the materials of which the tire is made is estimated using a pre-established law connecting this temperature to the temperature of the gaseous fluid contained in the internal cavity of the tire and to the temperature of the rim.

A tyre monitor is disclosed including a sensor device configured to operate within an enclosed space formed by the wheel and the tyre, and an energy harvester unit. The energy harvester is arranged to convert a first type of energy experienced by the harvester unit in use (e.g. mechanical energy, thermal energy) into electrical energy to energise the sensor device. The energy harvester may be, for example, a piezoelectric device or a thermoelectric generator. In use, mechanical stresses experienced by the tyre monitor are converted into electrical energy which can be used to energise the sensor as a supplement to energy from the battery within the tyre monitor, thus prolonging its service life.

A tire monitor 11 includes a sensor device 12 arranged to detect an operating parameter of a tire and a protective housing 14 for the device, the device being retained on a ring 15 having spaced end portions 16a, 16b, the ring being resiliently radially biased. The provision of a retaining ring facilitates installation of the tire monitor within a tire assembly, so that the sensor device can directly monitor the operating parameter of the tire. The protective housing protects the sensor device from impact, vibration and temperature extremes.