BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.

Sealing liquid is used for sealing holes created in closed flexible and inflated structures such as tubeless tires for vehicles. The sealing liquid is inserted inside the tire and seals holes or gaps that are created during the operation of the tire. In addition, the water content of the liquid may evaporate over time. Since the tire is sealed it is impossible to know the liquid level and its properties which makes it hard to control the quality of this solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This patent application is related to sealing liquid measuring device that is based on measuring the liquid electric properties such as resistance or capacitance. The device uses electrodes inserted inside the tire and measures the level of the liquid either in real time or at rest and at specific position of the tire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a general embodiment of this invention.

FIGS 2a and 2b depict schematically one embodiment of measuring conductive liquid height level.

FIG. 3 is a graphic description of calculated sensor sensitivity function.

FIG. 4 is a graphic description of measurement of voltage drop on R2 in the circuit described in Figures 2a and 2b for different level of liquid heights.

FIGS 5a and 5b are a graphic description Voltage on R2 as a function of the liquid height.

FIG. 6 depicts a general embodiment dielectric liquid capacitance using resonator. FIG. 7 depicts one embodiment of dielectric liquid capacitance using resonator.

FIG. 8 depicts another embodiment of dielectric liquid capacitance using resonator. FIG. 9 depicts yet another embodiment of dielectric liquid capacitance using resonator. FIG. 10 depicts an embodiment of liquid height level measuring device in a tire.

FIG. 11 depicts another embodiment of liquid heigh level measuring device in a tire.

FIGS 12a, 12b and 12c depict an embodiment of a plug in device for measuring liquid level in a tire.

FIG. 13 is a schematic description of components of the plug-in device described in Figures 12a- 12c.

FIG. 14 depicts an embodiment of a device for measuring liquid level in a tire, fixed to the tire rim.

FIG. 15 is a schematic description of components of the plug-in device described in Figure 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This patent application is of a device for measuring the level or volume of sealing liquid inside a closed volumes such as inside an inflation tire mounted on a rim. In this patent application the invention will be described on a bicycle tire, but it is clear that this patent application may be applied to any device that uses inflation tire. A general embodiment is described in Figure 1. The device comprises two electrodes immersed inside the liquid for measuring an electric property of the said liquid, and an electric circuit with output signal such that said electric property depends on the liquid height level and such that the said electric property affects the intensity of said output signal and such that said output signal is a measure to the liquid height level. The electrodes may be made of conductive flexible material such as conductive polymer or polymer with imbedded thin metal sheet.

Most sealing liquid are electrically conductive. Resistance measurement of a conductive material with input port and output port is done by applying DC voltage between the two ports and measuring the current flowing through the conductive material. Dividing the voltage drop by the current is the resistance of the conductive material. Measuring the resistance of a conductive liquid by measuring the resistance between two electrodes immersed inside the liquid may lead to breakdown of the liquid and sedimentation of the backdown materials on the electrodes and is therefore not applicable. In order to avoid such problems this patent application teaches measuring the resistivity by applying a short voltage pulse such that the pulse comprises similar positive and negative parts. Such a pulse may create a short back and forth drift and will not affect the liquid properties.

Figure 2a describes two electrodes (10) immersed in liquid (11) with given volume resistance. In this specific design the electrodes are 4mm wide and 2mm apart. The resistance between two electrodes is denoted by Rl. As water in the liquid evaporates, the level of liquid drops and Rl changes and therefore its value may be used as a measure to the liquid height.

Where p is the liquid resistivity that depends on the volume concentration of ions and free electrons. As water evaporates the concentration of ion and free electrons increase and therefor the liquid resistivity decreases. L is the distance between the two electrodes, w is liquid height level (length of liquid in contact with the electrodes) and f(h) is a value that is function of the height above the plan of the electrodes.

Since L is constant and it is possible to assume that f(K) is fixed as well, we find that Rl depends and since both p and w decrease as water evaporate, we find that p have opposite effect on Rl. Yet, the change in p is weaker since it affects the volume of the liquid while the of first degree. We therefore find that Rl increases as the liquid level drops.

Figure 2b describes one example of a circuit (100) for measuring Rl. In this example the two electrodes (10) are connected in series to a load resistor R2. A voltage pulse is applied by a voltage source (12) and the voltage drop on R2 is measured by a voltage meter (13).

The current flowing in the circuit is /= - Ri +R ₂ and therefore the voltage drop on R2 is

VR

V R, ₂ 2- Since V, and R2 are known, by measuring V _R2 it is possible to find the value of R2. One question is the sensitivity of V _R2 to changes in R1 due to liquid height level.

The derivative of V _R2 relative to R1 is ^{dVR2 VR2} By comparing this derivative to zero we find that the maximum sensitivity is when R2=R1.

Since R1 is the resistivity between the two electrodes and its value changes as the level of the liquid changes, the optimal value of R2 is not constant.

For the two electrodes described in Figure 2a and for liquid ECO SEALANT manufactured by company called JOE’S. The liquid mostly contains water the liquid resistance R1 was measured to be 0.71KW at liquid height of 21mm and after water evaporation and height drop to 17mm the liquid resistance R1 was measured to be 1.26KW. Figure 3 shows the sensitivity as a function of R2 for R1=1.5KXL As shown in Figure 3 the peak of the sensitivity function relatively wide around R2=1.5B^. In addition, the slope of the sensitivity function for R2>01.5KX is much smaller than that for R2<1.5B^ and therefore R2 that are a bit higher than 1.51<W will also generate high sensitivity to changes in Rl.

Figure 4 described the voltage (13) measured on R2 in the circuit described in Figure lb, for different ECO SEALANT liquid height. The change in height in this experiment is due to change in water content of the liquid and therefore represent evaporation of the water during normal use of the liquid. The voltage source (12) is a 5 V pulse at 2ms width and rate of 10Hz. Figure 5a described the peak of the voltages shown in Figure 4 as a function the liquid height and Figure 5b describes the resistance of ECO SEALANT liquid as function of the liquid height.

For dielectric non resistive liquids the liquid height level may be measured through the change in the capacitance between two electrodes immersed inside the liquid. This can be done for example by using the circuit shown in Figure 6 that describes a general embodiment for measuring capacitance. This embodiment describes a device (200) for measuring height of dielectric liquid using an oscillator (20) connected two electrodes (1003) immersed inside liquid (1001). The capacitance between the two electrodes depends on the height of the liquid and the frequency of the oscillator (20) depends on the capacitance between the two electrodes. Therefore, changes in the frequency of the oscillator are a measure to the changes in the liquid height. Another embodiment of this invention is shown in Figure 7. Here a device for measuring dielectric liquid height (2001) comprising a capacitor C (31) that is the capacitance between two electrodes immersed inside the dielectric liquid, and inductor L (32) with known value, both forming an LC resonator. The resonance

1 frequency of the resonator is f _r = ~^=- A power source (30) is connected in series to the inductor and to the capacitor. An oscillating voltage source (30). By Sweeping the oscillating frequency of the voltage source a peak in the voltage drop is found for example by measuring the voltage drop on the inductor or as shown in Figure 7 by measuring the voltage drop on the capacitor using a meter (33). Since L is known and f _r is found from sweeping the frequency spectrum, C can be determined, as well as changes in C that reflects changes in the liquid height.

In another embodiment of the embodiment descried in Figure 8, a dielectric liquid height measuring device (2002) comprises a DC power source (40). The capacitor (43) is the capacitor formed between two electrodes immersed inside a dielectric liquid. Inductor (42) is an inductor with known value. By flipping switch (41) to state 1, the power source is connected to the inductor and to the capacitor circuit and the capacitor is charged to voltage V of the DC voltage source. Flipping switch (41) to state 2 disconnect the power source and connect the capacitor to the inductor that excites a resonant oscillation of current flow between the inductor and the capacitor. Typically, these oscillation dies out as a results of internal resistance R of the inductor, the capacitor, and the wires. The frequency of the oscillating current is a function of the inductance L, the capacitance C and to small extent on the resistance R. Since the value of the inductor L is fixed and R is either fixed or negligible, it is possible to determine the capacitance between the two electrodes. Therefore, changes in the capacitance due to liquid height is reflected by changes in the current oscillating frequency. In another embodiment the inductor L, the capacitor C and the power source are connected to each other in parallel.

Figure 9 describes another embodiment of a device for measuring dielectric liquid heigh (2003) comprising a 555 timer chip (50) designed as an oscillator with oscillating frequency that depends on capacitance C, between two electrodes immersed inside the dielectric liquid. The time interval T (51) at the output (52) from the 555 timer chip is T=ti+t ₂ =0.693R _A C+0.693R _B C, and the frequency of the oscillator is f=l/[0.693C(R _A +R _B )]· Since R _A and R _B are known, the liquid height may be determined through changes in the oscillating frequency of the oscillator due to change in the capacitance C.

The sensitivity of the oscillator to changes in the capacitance C and therefore in the liquid height is df=-dc/[0.693C (R _A +R _B )]· It is therefore preferred to use low values for resistors R _A +R _B ·

One embodiment of a sensor for measuring the height of sealant (400) of a conductive liquid sealant or dielectric sealant (1001) is described in Figure 10. The two electrodes (1003) are shown fixed to one side of the tire (1002) and are connected to valve electrodes (63) through the tire valve (64) that is fixed to the tire rim (65). The valve electrodes (63) allow measurement of electric properties such as resistance or capacitance electric circuit (1004) shown schematically in Figure 1 and in details in Figure 2 through 9. The measurement may be done when the valve is facing the ground and the liquid accumulate around the electrodes or it can be done during wheel rotation where the analysis for converting the electric property of the liquid to liquid level is different.

Fixing the electrodes to the side of the tire is preferable in order to prevent interference of liquid flow. Yet, electrodes (1003) may also have different geometry such as shown in Figure 11 with vertical electrodes (10031).

Another embodiment of a sensor for measuring the height of sealant (1001) through its electric properties is described in Figure 12, showing an external plugin module (500) with electric pads (67) that are designed to be connected to the valve electrodes (63) for measuring the liquid level height through its electrical properties.

A schematic of a possible module (400) is described in Figure 13. The module may include a processor (4001) for managing the liquid height measurement, a liquid height measuring circuit (4002), a display (4003) for displaying the liquid height and a power source (4004) that may be a rechargeable battery. The module may also include a pressure gauge (4004) for measuring the tire pressure a transmitter (4006) for transmitting measured data from the module to an external receiver such as mobile phone, and a vibration energy harvester (4007) for recharging the battery and for powering the different devices in module (400). Another embodiment of a sensor for measuring the height of sealant (4002) through its electric properties is described in Figure 14, showing a module (600) that is designed to be fixed to the rim (64) and includes the tire valve (63). A schematic of a possible module (600) is described in Figure 15. The module may include a processor (5001) for managing the liquid height measurement, a liquid height measuring circuit (5002), a transmitter (5003) for transmitting measured data from the module to an external receiver such as mobile phone and a power source (5004) that may be a rechargeable battery. The module may also include a pressure gauge (5005) for measuring the tire pressure, and a vibration energy harvester (5006) for recharging the battery and for powering the different devices in module (500).

In summary, the present invention refers to the A device (100) for measuring a liquid level (1001) inside a tire (1002) that comprises two electrodes (1003) that are designed to be positioned inside the tire in such a way that said two electrodes can be immersed inside the liquid that the tire may contain, and an electric circuit (1004) that is electrically connected to the two electrodes. The device is designed to measure an electric property of the liquid between the two electrodes, wherein an intensity of said electric property depends on the liquid level inside the tire. The electric circuit (1004) is designed to output an electric value for the measured electric property as an output signal (1005). The output signal can be used to calculate the level of the liquid inside the tire. The electric property can be a resistance or a capacitance of the liquid.

The device, when said electric circuit (1004) comprises a resistor (12) connected from a first side (121) to one of said two electrodes (101) and from a second side (122) to a first terminal (131) of a pulse generator (13); wherein a second of said two electrodes (102) is connected to a second terminal (132) of the pulse generator (13); wherein said pulse generator can generate a pulse with a positive and negative polarity that can generate a pulse of voltage drop on said resistor wherein said pulse of voltage drop serves as said output signal (1005).

The device, wherein a resistance value of said resistor is greater than a half of a resistance value between said two electrodes when ten percent of them are covered with said liquid. The device wherein said electric circuit (1004) comprises an oscillator (20) that is electrically connected to said two electrodes (1003); wherein said oscillator is designed to produce oscillating electronic signals in a frequency that is depends on said capacitance of said liquid and wherein said frequency serves as said output signal (1005).

The device wherein said electric device (3001) includes an alternating power source (30), a measuring device (33) and an inductor (32), and wherein said two electrodes comprises a first electrode (311) and a second electrode (312). The measuring device is connected in parallel to the two electrodes and is designed to measure alternating voltage between the two electrodes. A first terminal (301) of the alternating power source is electrically connected to a first terminal (321) of the inductor, and a second terminal (301) of the alternating power source is electrically connected to the second electrode, and wherein a second terminal (322) of the inductor is electrically connected to the first electrode. The alternating power source can induce electrical voltage at varying frequencies in a way that enable the measuring device to detect a peak of the alternating voltage on the two electrodes, or induce a voltage or current pulse that causes an alternating current to flow between a capacitance formed between the two electrodes and the inductor in a certain oscillating frequency; and wherein changes in said peak alternating voltage or changes in a frequency of said alternating current can be used to calculate said liquid level inside the tire.

The device wherein said oscillator is kind of a Ring Oscillator, Colpitts Oscillator, Pierce Crystal Oscillator, CMOS Crystal Oscillator, Microprocessor Oscillator, Hartley Oscillator, RC Oscillator, Wien Bridge Oscillator, or Twin-T Oscillator or 555 timer chip configured as an oscillator.

The device that further includes two valve electric pads (63) that are connected to said electrodes and are designed to be assembled on an outer side (651) of a rim (65) to which the tire is intended to be placed, and are designed to connect said two electrodes to said electric circuit (1004).

The device wherein said valve electric pad (63) is designed to electrically communicate with a module (500) that include an electric pads (67) in a way that enables the valve electric pad (63) to measure said electric properties; wherein the module includes a rechargeable battery, an on/off button (68), a measuring circuit for measuring said electric property and a display (69) that can display said liquid level inside the tire.

The device that further includes a pressure gauge for measuring pressure inside the tire to be displayed on said display or an RF transmitter for transmitting data from the device to a receiver.

The device that further includes a module (600) that comprises said electric circuit, a transmitter and a rechargeable battery for powering the module; wherein said module is designed to be assembled on an outer side (651) of a rim (65) to which the tire is intended to be placed, and wherein said transmitter is designed to transmit data from the said device to a receiver.

The device that further includes a pressure gauge for measuring pressure inside the tire, a processor for managing a measurement process of the device, a vibration energy harvester for converting vibration energy into electric energy wherein said electric energy can be used to charge said rechargeable battery or said module.