Sensor housing for mounting in a vehicle wheel

• US 10,071,606 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Hartmann, Jochen, Schumacher, Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US15/281,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20170015152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0072 Attaching fasteners to tyres, e.g. patches, in order to connect devices to tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0083 Attaching monitoring devices to tyres before or after vulcanization by inserting them inside tyre cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 30/0061 Accessories, details or auxiliary operations not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/02 Tyres

Abstract

A sensor housing for mounting in a vehicle wheel, preferably a motor vehicle wheel and preferably on an inside of a tire of the wheel, is provided. The sensor housing includes a base surface for securing the sensor housing in the inner chamber of a wheel, a receiving area having a recess for receiving a sensor, and a predetermined breaking point for breaking open the receiving area and thus for releasing the sensor from the receiving area, preferably in a manner that prevents reuse of the sensor housing. A sensor arrangement including the sensor housing and a sensor received therein is also provided.

Claims

1. A sensor housing for mounting in a vehicle wheel, comprising:

a sensor housing base surface configured for securing the sensor housing in an interior of a wheel,

a sensor housing receiving area with a recess configured to receive a sensor, and

a predetermined breaking point of the sensor housing configured to permit breaking open of the receiving area such that the sensor is releasable from the receiving area and the sensor housing is not reusable.

2. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the predetermined breaking point is formed by a material narrowing in the receiving area.

3. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the predetermined breaking point is formed at a circumference of the receiving area.

4. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the receiving area is configured such that the sensor is removable from the sensor housing only by breaking open the sensor housing.

5. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 4, wherein

at least one of the predetermined breaking point and the receiving area are configured such after the sensor housing is broken open the sensor housing is not reusable.

6. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the predetermined breaking point is configured such when the sensor housing is broken open an upper part of the receiving area is at least partly separated from a lower part of the receiving area.

7. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 6, wherein

the upper part of the receiving area is not welded or glued to the sensor.

8. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 6, wherein

the predetermined breaking point extends around all of the circumference of the receiving area.

9. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 6, wherein

a strap is located at the receiving area at the predetermined breaking point, and

the strap is configured such that pulling on the strap results in breaking open the sensor housing at the predetermined breaking point.

10. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the strap is an integral part of the receiving area.

11. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the strap is an end of a thread or a belt located along the predetermined breaking point.

12. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 9, wherein

the strap stands off from the circumference of the receiving area.

13. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 6, wherein

the sensor housing is made of plastic, and

the receiving area and the base surface are formed as a single-piece component.

14. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein

an adhesive is provided on the base surface, the adhesive being arranged to permit gluing of the sensor housing in the vehicle wheel.

15. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the recess is configured such that the sensor is received into the sensor housing through the base surface.

16. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the recess is closed at a base surface side and open at another side to receive the sensor.

17. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 16, wherein

the receiving area includes at least one detent element configured to retain the sensor in the recess.

18. The sensor housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the receiving area is at least in parts elastic, and

the recess is sized such that the sensor is retaining in the recess by force fit.

19. A sensor configured for use with the sensor housing as claimed in claim 1, the sensor comprising:

a receiving area breaking open detection unit integrated in the sensor, the receiving area breaking open detection unit being configured to detect a breaking open of the receiving area after the sensor has been inserted into the sensor housing.

20. A sensor arrangement, comprising:

a sensor housing; and

a sensor received in the sensor housing,

wherein

the sensor housing includes

a sensor housing base surface configured for securing the sensor housing in an interior of a wheel,

a sensor housing receiving area with a recess configured to receive the sensor, and

a predetermined breaking point of the sensor housing configured to permit breaking open of the receiving area such that the sensor is releasable from the receiving area and the sensor housing is not reusable, and

the sensor housing is configured to be secured at the base surface on an inside of a tire of the wheel.