Method and apparatus for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure

• US 20020105419A1
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Sugisawa, Toshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 6,696,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

A method for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure in which a decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information obtainable from wheels mounted to a vehicle and a driver is accordingly alarmed. A plurality of thresholds for judging bad road are set. Decrease in air-pressure of a tire can be judged and alarm is issued upon decrease in air-pressure also when running on a bad road so that it is possible to secure safe driving for the driver.

Claims

1. A method for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure in which a decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information obtainable from wheels mounted to a vehicle and a driver is accordingly alarmed, wherein a plurality of thresholds for judging bad road are set.

2. A method for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure in which a decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information obtainable from wheels mounted to a vehicle and a driver is accordingly alarmed, comprising the steps of:

detecting rotational signals of respective tires, storing rotational information upon calculation of the rotational signals of the respective tires, setting a plurality of thresholds for judging air-pressure and setting a plurality of thresholds for judging bad road to meet the plurality of thresholds for judging air-pressure, judging, on the basis of rotational information of the respective tires, that the vehicle is running on a bad road, and judging decrease in air-pressure of a tire on the basis of a judged value which is calculated from the rotational information of the respective tires.

3. An apparatus for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure in which a decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information obtainable from wheels mounted to a vehicle and a driver is accordingly alarmed, the apparatus comprising a threshold setting means for setting a plurality of thresholds for judging bad road.

4. An apparatus for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure in which a decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information obtainable from wheels mounted to a vehicle and a driver is accordingly alarmed, comprising:

a speed detecting means for detecting rotational signals of respective tires, an information storing means for storing rotational information upon calculation of the rotational signals of the respective tires, a threshold setting means for setting a plurality of thresholds for judging air-pressure and for setting a plurality of thresholds for judging bad road to meet the plurality of thresholds for judging air-pressure, a bad road judging means for judging, on the basis of rotational information of the respective tires, that the vehicle is running on a bad road, and a decompression judging means for judging decrease in air-pressure of a tire on the basis of a judged value which is calculated from the rotational information of the respective tires.