Tire testing device

• US 20030121318A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colin Frederick Bell, John Martin Knotts
• Original Assignee: Colin Frederick Bell, John Martin Knotts
• Inventors: Knotts, John Martin, Bell, Colin Frederick
• Granted Patent: US 6,779,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring tyre pressure or the pressure in other inflated bodies

Abstract

This invention relates to a tire testing device, and in particular to a device for testing the tires of aircraft. The invention provides a tire testing device including a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor, allowing the calculation of the effective pressure at a reference temperature; the tires can therefore be tested hot or cold. The device can also include an oxygen sensor, so that the oxygen content of the tire can also be determined.

Claims

1. A tire testing device including a pressure sensor, characterised in that the device also includes a temperature sensor.

2. A tire testing device according to claim 1 in which the device has means to store a record of the volume of a tire, and means to calculate an effective pressure at a reference temperature.

3. A tire testing device according to claim 1 which comprises a base unit and a valve head, the valve head being connected to the base unit by way of a flexible tube, the valve head being adapted to connect to the tire valve and to allow the escape of gas therefrom.

4. A tire testing device according to claim 3 in which the temperature sensor is located within the valve head.

5. A tire testing device according to claim 3 in which the base unit comprises a first part and a second part, the first and second parts being separable, the flexible tube being connected to the first part, the first part containing the pressure sensor and a first microprocessor, the second part containing a second microprocessor, interface means and a display means, the first and second parts having respective connecting means by which the first and second microprocessors can intercommunicate.

6. A tire testing device according to claim 1 in which the device also includes an oxygen sensor.

7. A tire testing device according to claim 6 having a base unit containing a chamber into which tire gas can pass, the oxygen sensor being located within the chamber.

8. A tire testing device according to claim 7 including means to control the escape of gas from the chamber.

9. A tire testing device according to claim 1 including at least one battery to provide electrical power.

10. A tire testing device according to claim 1 including interface means by which data stored within the device can be downloaded to a computer.

11. A tire testing device according to claim 1 having control means and a display means, the control means being adapted to display a representation of an aircraft on the display means, the control means also being adapted to identify each tire of the aircraft upon the display means in a sequential order.