Tire pressure monitoring system
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the pressure in a pneumatic tire supported on a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel being rotatable about an axis of rotation and defining a plane of rotation that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, said system comprising:
- a housing adapted to be mounted to the wheel of the vehicle;
a sensor in said housing for measuring a pressure condition in the pneumatic tire;
a transmitter coupled to said sensor for generating a radio frequency output signal conveying the pressure condition measured by said sensor, said transmitter including an antenna contained in said housing, said antenna configured to transmit said output signal according to a radial pattern;
an orientation mechanism provided at least in part on said housing, said orientation mechanism operative to orient said housing during mounting of the housing to the wheel of the vehicle, such that said output signal is transmitted substantially in the plane of rotation of the wheel of the vehicle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for monitoring the pressure in a pneumatic tire supported on a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel being rotatable about an axis of rotation and defining a plane of rotation that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The system includes a housing mounted on the wheel of the vehicle and a sensor in the housing for measuring a pressure condition in the pneumatic tire. The system also includes a transmitter coupled to the sensor for generating a radio frequency output signal conveying the pressure condition measured by the sensor. The transmitter includes an antenna contained in the housing, where this antenna is configured to transmit the output signal according to a radial pattern. The system further includes an orientation mechanism operative to orient the housing during mounting of the housing to the wheel of the vehicle. The orientation mechanism may be further operative to orient the antenna within the housing. The orientation mechanism ensures that, once the housing is mounted to wheel of the vehicle, the output signal is transmitted substantially in the plane of rotation of the wheel of the vehicle.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring the pressure in a pneumatic tire supported on a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel being rotatable about an axis of rotation and defining a plane of rotation that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, said system comprising:
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a housing adapted to be mounted to the wheel of the vehicle;
a sensor in said housing for measuring a pressure condition in the pneumatic tire;
a transmitter coupled to said sensor for generating a radio frequency output signal conveying the pressure condition measured by said sensor, said transmitter including an antenna contained in said housing, said antenna configured to transmit said output signal according to a radial pattern;
an orientation mechanism provided at least in part on said housing, said orientation mechanism operative to orient said housing during mounting of the housing to the wheel of the vehicle, such that said output signal is transmitted substantially in the plane of rotation of the wheel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. In combination:
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a vehicle comprising a plurality of wheels supporting respective pneumatic tires, each wheel being rotatable about an axis of rotation and defining a plane of rotation that is perpendicular to the respective axis of rotation;
a tire pressure monitoring system comprising;
a) a plurality of housings, each housing mounted to a respective wheel of said vehicle and containing;
i) a sensor for measuring a pressure condition in the respective pneumatic tire;
ii) a transmitter coupled to said sensor for generating a radio frequency output signal conveying the pressure condition measured by said sensor, said transmitter including an antenna configured to transmit said output signal according to a radial pattern;
iii) a plurality of orientation mechanisms, each orientation mechanism provided at least in part on a respective one of said plurality of housings for orienting said housing during mounting of said housing to the respective wheel of the vehicle, such that said output signal generated by said transmitter contained in said housing is transmitted substantially in the plane of rotation of the respective wheel of the vehicle;
b) at least one receiver mounted to the vehicle for receiving said output signals from said plurality of housings, said at least one receiver operative to monitor said output signals for detecting a low pressure condition in one of the tires of the vehicle.
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31. A housing for a tire pressure monitoring system, the system including a sensor for measuring the pressure in a tire supported on a wheel of a vehicle and a transmitter for generating an output signal, said housing adapted to be mounted to the wheel of the vehicle and comprising:
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a hollow body for containing the sensor and transmitter of the tire pressure monitoring system;
a pair of end caps, each end cap adapted to be secured to a respective end of said hollow body, one of said end caps adapted to receive an air hose for attachment to a valve stem of the tire, the other of said end caps being provided with a filler valve via which the pressure of the tire can be adjusted once said housing is assembled and mounted to the wheel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification