Tire pressure-monitoring apparatus

• US 20050264405A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corporation
• Inventors: Ueda, Shingo
• Application Number:
  US11/127,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20050264405A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• 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 pressure monitoring apparatus comprising sensors each for detecting an air pressure of each of tires as a tire pressure, an warning generation necessity-judging unit, and a running-judging unit. The warning generation necessity-judging unit compares the detected tire pressure with a warning threshold value and generates a warning generation-ordering command if it is judged that the tire pressure decreases. The warning generation necessity-judging unit sets two kinds of pressure values: an urgent warning threshold value and a delayed warning threshold value as said warning threshold value. If the tire pressure is lower than the urgent warning threshold value, a warning generating order is generated. If the tire pressure is between the urgent warning generation threshold value and the delayed warning threshold value, the running-judging unit judges whether the vehicle is in a running state or not. Then, the warning generation necessity-judgment unit generates a warning generation-ordering command, if it is judged that the vehicle is in the running state and a tire pressure detected again remains lower than said delayed warning threshold value.

Claims

1. A tire pressure monitoring apparatus comprising sensors each for detecting an air pressure of each of tires as a tire pressure, an warning generation necessity-judging unit, and a running-judging unit, said warning generation necessity-judging unit being adapted to compare the detected tire pressure with a warning threshold value and generate a warning generation-ordering command if it is judged that the tire pressure decreases, wherein said warning generation necessity-judging unit sets two kinds of pressure values:

an urgent warning threshold value and a delayed warning threshold value as said warning threshold value;

if the tire pressure is lower than the urgent warning threshold value, a warning generating order is generated;

if the tire pressure is between the urgent warning generation threshold value and the delayed warning threshold value, the running-judging unit judges whether the vehicle is in a running state or not; and

the warning generation necessity-judgment unit generates a warning generation-ordering command if it is judged that the vehicle is in the running state and a tire pressure detected again remains lower than said delayed warning threshold value.

2. The tire pressure-monitoring apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said running-judging unit detects vehicle speed signals until a predetermined time period lapses, accumulates time periods during which the vehicle speed signals are not less than a predetermined vehicle speed signal, and judges that the vehicle is in the running state if the accumulated time period exceeds a predetermined time period.

3. The tire pressure-monitoring apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein if a vehicle speed signal is detected even after a lapse of a predetermined time period as counted from a point of time when the vehicle speed signal is detected, the running-judging unit judges that the vehicle is in the running state.

4. A tire pressure monitoring apparatus comprising sensors each for detecting an air pressure of each of tires as a tire pressure, a receiver for receiving the detected pressures of the tires, a vehicle speed sensor, a control unit and a warning lamps for generating a warning when a tire pressure in a lower state, the tire pressure received by the receiver and the vehicle speed signal detected by the vehicle speed sensor being transmitted to the control unit, said control unit comprises an warning generation necessity-judging unit and a running-judging unit, said warning generation necessity-judging unit being adapted to compare the detected tire pressure with a warning threshold value and generate a warning generation-ordering command if it is judged that the tire pressure decreases, wherein said warning generation necessity-judging unit sets two kinds of pressure values:

an urgent warning threshold value and a delayed warning threshold value as said warning threshold value;

if the tire pressure is lower than the urgent warning threshold value, a warning generating order is generated;

if the tire pressure is between the urgent warning generation threshold value and the delayed warning threshold value, the running-judging unit judges whether the vehicle is in a running state or not; and

the warning generation necessity-judgment unit generates a warning generation-ordering command if it is judged that the vehicle is in the running state and a tire pressure detected again remains lower than said delayed warning threshold value.

5. The tire pressure-monitoring apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein said running-judging unit detects vehicle speed signals until a predetermined time period lapses, accumulates time periods during which the vehicle speed signals are not less than a predetermined vehicle speed signal, and judges that the vehicle is in the running state if the accumulated time period exceeds a predetermined time period.

6. The tire pressure-monitoring apparatus set forth in claim 4, wherein if a vehicle speed signal is detected even after a lapse of a predetermined time period as counted from a point of time when the vehicle speed signal is detected, the running-judging unit judges that the vehicle is in the running state.