Tire condition assessment instrument

• US 20060000266A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group Incorporated (Harley-Davidson Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group Incorporated (Harley-Davidson Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yohr, Scot P.
• Application Number:
  US10/882,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20060000266A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/08 by touching the ground

Abstract

A tire maintenance gauge including a first sensor engageable with a tire to measure a first tire parameter. A first indicator is movable in response to the measured first tire parameter. A second sensor is engageable with the tire to measure a second tire parameter. A second indicator is movable in response to the measured second tire parameter.

Claims

1. A tire maintenance gauge comprising:

a first sensor engageable with a tire to measure a first tire parameter;

a first indicator movable in response to the measured first tire parameter;

a second sensor engageable with the tire to measure a second tire parameter; and

a second indicator movable in response to the measured second tire parameter.

2. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 1, wherein the first sensor includes a pressure sensor.

3. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 1, wherein the first indicator includes a needle.

4. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 1, wherein the second sensor includes a depth probe.

5. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 1, wherein the second indicator includes a needle.

6. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 1, further comprising a housing, the first sensor and the second sensor disposed substantially within the housing.

7. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 6, wherein the housing includes a face and the face includes a first scale portion and a second scale portion, the first scale portion cooperating with the first indicator to indicate the first tire parameter and the second scale portion cooperating with the second indicator to indicate the second tire parameter.

8. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 7, wherein the first tire parameter includes a tire pressure and the second tire parameter includes a tread depth.

9. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 1, further comprising a conduit having a tire engaging portion disposed at a first end, the conduit providing fluid communication between the tire engaging portion and the first sensor.

10. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 9, wherein the conduit includes a flexible hose portion.

11. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second indicators is coded to associate tire condition with the respective measured parameter.

12. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 1, further comprising a housing, the first sensor at least partially disposed on a first end of the housing and the second sensor at least partially disposed on a second end of the housing opposite the first end.

13. A tire maintenance gauge comprising:

a housing;

a sensor disposed within the housing and operable to measure a pressure;

a conduit having a first end connectable to a tire and a second end connected to the sensor;

a first indicator needle coupled to the sensor and movable in response to the measured pressure;

a probe extending from the housing, the probe movable to measure a depth; and

a second indicator needle coupled to the probe and movable in response to movement of the probe.

14. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 13, wherein the housing includes a face and the face includes a first scale portion and a second scale portion, the first scale portion cooperating with the first indicator needle to indicate the measured pressure and the second scale portion cooperating with the second indicator needle to indicate the measured depth.

15. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 13, wherein the second indicator is coded to associate tire condition with the measured tread depth.

16. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 15, wherein the second indicator is coded with a multi-colored scale divided into a first colored region indicating a first magnitude of tread depth, a second colored region indicating a second magnitude of tread depth, and a third colored region indicating a third magnitude of tread depth.

17. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 13, wherein the pressure includes a tire pressure and the depth includes a tread depth.

18. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 13, wherein the conduit includes a flexible hose portion.

19. The tire maintenance gauge of claim 13, wherein the conduit connects to the housing on a first side of the housing and the probe extends from a second side of the housing, the second side opposite the first side.

20. A gauge for measuring a tire pressure and a depth of a tire tread, the apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a pressure sensor disposed within the housing;

a conduit interconnecting the pressure sensor and the tire such that the pressure sensor measures the tire pressure;

a first indicator coupled to the pressure sensor and operable to indicate the measured tire pressure;

a probe extending from the housing, the probe having a tip disposed a first distance from the housing; and

a second indicator coupled to the probe and operable in response to movement of the probe to indicate the depth of the tire tread.

21. The gauge of claim 20, wherein the housing includes a face and the face includes a first scale portion and a second scale portion, the first scale portion cooperating with the first indicator to indicate the measured tire pressure and the second scale portion cooperating with the second indicator to indicate the depth of the tire tread.

22. The gauge of claim 20, wherein the second indicator is coded to associate tire condition with the measured tread depth.

23. The gauge of claim 22, wherein the second indicator is coded with a multi-colored scale divided into a first colored region indicating a first magnitude of tread depth, a second colored region indicating a second magnitude of tread depth, and a third colored region indicating a third magnitude of tread depth.

24. The gauge of claim 20, wherein the conduit includes a flexible hose portion.

25. The gauge of claim 20, wherein the conduit connects to the housing on a first side of the housing and the probe extends from a second side of the housing, the second side opposite the first side.