Tire air pressure detecting device

• US 20020101341A1
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Hiroyuki, Harada, Tomoyuki, Yamagiwa, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 7,015,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/006 having two wheels only
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

A tire air pressure detecting device has a tire air pressure detecting device on a wheel. A main transmitting device is provided at the wheel for transmitting an air pressure signal SP to a vehicle body. A main receiving device is provided at the vehicle body for receiving the air pressure signal SP. A main switch turn-on detecting device is provided on the vehicle body for detecting the turn-on of a main switch. A second control device is provided on the vehicle body for receiving the air pressure signal SP and a main switch ON signal Son. An auxiliary transmitting device on the vehicle body transmits a transmission instruction signal SR to the wheel when the second control means receives the main switch ON signal Son. An auxiliary receiving device on the wheel receives the transmission instruction signal SR. A first control device is provided for reading a new air pressure signal SP. When the main switch is turned on, the state of the tire air pressure can immediately be recognized. The main transmitting means is not required to transmit the air pressure signal at all times or increase the frequency with which to transmit the air pressure signal. Thus, the consumption of the battery at the wheel can be reduced.

Claims

1. A tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure by transmitting a signal representing the tire air pressure detected at a wheel to a vehicle body and receiving the signal representing the tire air pressure at the vehicle body comprising:

tire air pressure detecting means on the wheel for detecting the tire air pressure;

main transmitting means on the wheel for transmitting an air pressure signal representing the tire air pressure detected by said tire air pressure detecting means to the vehicle body;

main receiving means on the vehicle body for receiving the air pressure signal transmitted from said main transmitting means;

main switch turn-on detecting means on the vehicle body for generating a main switch ON signal when the turn-on of a main switch is detected;

vehicle body side control means on the vehicle body for receiving the air pressure signal received by said main receiving means and the main switch ON signal generated by said main switch turn-on detecting means;

auxiliary transmitting means on the vehicle body for transmitting a transmission instruction signal to the wheel to transmit a new air pressure signal from said main transmitting means to said main receiving means based on a vehicle body side control signal from said vehicle body side control means when said vehicle body side control means receives the main switch ON signal;

auxiliary receiving means on the wheel for receiving the transmission instruction signal transmitted from said auxiliary transmitting means;

wheel side control means on the wheel for generating a wheel side control signal to read a new air pressure signal from said tire air pressure detecting means and transmit the air pressure signal to said main transmitting means based on the transmission instruction signal received by said auxiliary receiving means.

2. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 1, wherein the air pressure detecting means includes a detector body and a tire valve mounted on the detector body.

3. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 2, and further including a seal member disposed between the detector body and the wheel for preventing air from leaking out of an air chamber in the tire.

4. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 2, and further including a nut threaded on said tire valve for securing said detector body to the wheel.

5. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 1, and further including a warning unit for providing a warning if the tire air pressure is not within predetermined guidelines.

6. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 5, and further including storage means for storing a range of tire air pressures and a range of vehicle speeds for providing said predetermined guidelines to said warning unit.

7. A tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure by transmitting a signal representing the tire air pressure detected at a wheel to a vehicle body and receiving the signal representing the tire air pressure at the vehicle body by comprising:

tire air pressure detecting means on the wheel for detecting the tire air pressure;

transmitting means on the wheel for transmitting an air pressure signal representing the tire air pressure detected by said tire air pressure detecting means to the vehicle body;

receiving means on the vehicle body for receiving the air pressure signal transmitted from said transmitting means;

main switch turn-off detecting means for generating a main switch OFF signal when the turn-off of a main switch is detected;

vehicle body side control means on the vehicle body for receiving the main switch OFF signal generated by said main switch turn-off detecting means and the air pressure signal received by said receiving means, and storing the air pressure signal; and

a vehicle body side timer on the vehicle body for operating said receiving means for a constant period of time at each of predetermined time intervals when said vehicle body side control means receives the main switch OFF signal.

8. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 7, wherein the air pressure detecting means includes a detector body and a tire valve mounted on the detector body.

9. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 8, and further including a seal member disposed between the detector body and the wheel for preventing air from leaking out of an air chamber in the tire.

10. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 8, and further including a nut threaded on said tire valve for securing said detector body to the wheel.

11. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 7, and further including a warning unit for providing a warning if the tire air pressure is not within predetermined guidelines.

12. The tire air pressure detecting device for monitoring a tire air pressure according to claim 11, and further including storage means for storing a range of tire air pressures and a range of vehicle speeds for providing said predetermined guidelines to said warning unit.