TIRE RISK JUDGING DEVICE OF WHEEL ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE

• US 20100001852A1
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Isono, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,839,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/127 the pumps being mounted on the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/137 comprising cam driven pistons

Abstract

A tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle includes a pressure sensor detecting air pressure of a tire air chamber, an air pressure-generating device that can supply pressurized air to the tire air chamber, an electronic control unit, and an instrument panel display unit. The electronic control unit computes a supply airflow rate supplied from the air pressure-generating device to the tire air chamber between the present location and a specified location, computes a leakage airflow rate leaked from the tire air chamber between the present location and the specified location, computes air pressure in the specified location of the tire air chamber based on air pressure in the present location of the tire air chamber, the supply airflow rate, and the leakage airflow rate, and judges tire risk in the specified location based on the air pressure in the specified location of the tire air chamber.

Claims

1. A tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a pressure sensor that detects air pressure of a tire air chamber of the wheel assembly of the vehicle;

an air pressure-generating device capable of supplying pressurized air to the tire air chamber;

supply airflow rate computation means for computing a supply airflow rate supplied from the air pressure-generating device to the tire air chamber when the vehicle drives from the present location to a specified location on a particular path;

leakage airflow rate computation means for computing a leakage airflow rate leaked from the tire air chamber when the vehicle drives from the present location to the specified location on the particular path;

tire air pressure computation means for computing air pressure in the specified location of the tire air chamber based on air pressure in the present location of the tire air chamber detected by the pressure sensor, the supply airflow rate computed by the supply airflow rate computation means, and the leakage airflow rate computed by the leakage airflow rate computation means; and

specified location tire risk judgment means for judging tire risk in the specified location based on the air pressure in the specified location of the tire air chamber computed by the tire air pressure computation means.

2. The tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising present location tire risk judgment means for judging tire risk in the present location based on the air pressure in the present location of the tire air chamber detected by the pressure sensor.

3. The tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising specified location tire risk notification means capable of notifying an occupant of tire risk in the specified location judged by the specified location tire risk judgment means.

4. The tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising present location tire risk notification means capable of notifying an occupant of tire risk in the present location judged by the present location tire risk judgment means.

5. The tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

present location tire risk notification means capable of notifying the occupant of tire risk in the present location judged by the present location tire risk judgment means; and

specified location tire risk notification means capable of notifying the occupant of tire risk in the specified location judged by the specified location tire risk judgment means.

6. The tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air pressure-generating device can be driven by rotation of the wheel assembly.

7. The tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

tire load computation means for computing a load applied on the tire of the wheel assembly when the vehicle drives from the present location to the specified location on the particular path; and

tire risk correction means for correcting the tire risk judged by the specified location tire risk judgment means according to the tire load computed by the tire load computation means.

8. The tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the particular path is one path selected from plural predetermined paths.

9. The tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

different path supply airflow rate computation means for computing a supply airflow rate supplied from the air pressure-generating device to the tire air chamber when the vehicle drives from the present location to the specified location on a path different from the particular path;

different path leakage airflow rate computation means for computing a leakage airflow rate leaked from the tire air chamber when the vehicle drives from the present location to the specified location on the path different from the particular path;

different path tire air pressure computation means for computing air pressure in the specified location of the tire air chamber based on air pressure in the present location of the tire air chamber detected by the pressure sensor, the supply airflow rate computed by the different path supply airflow rate computation means, and the leakage airflow rate computed by the different path leakage airflow rate computation means; and

recommended path notification means for selecting a path having the lowest tire risk degree in the specified location based on the air pressures computed by the different path tire air pressure computation means and the tire air pressure computation means and notifies the occupant of the path.