ELECTRONIC UNIT FOR MEASURING THE OPERATION PARAMETERS OF A VEHICLE WHEEL INCLUDING AN ELECTRONIC HOUSING AND AN INFLATION VALVE

• US 20120312389A1
• Filed: 10/27/2010
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive France (Continental AG), Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Kempf, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 8,839,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/227
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0494 Valve stem attachments positioned inside the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3662 With gauge or indicator

Abstract

An electronic unit includes an inflation valve (2) designed to be attached to a wheel rim (J) and an electronic module (1) assembled with the inflation valve. The inflation valve includes a rigid tube (12) extending in the extension of the valve, on the periphery of which is formed at least one transversal detent (20, 21), and the electronic module is attached to a ring (15) slideably mounted around the rigid tube. A latch plate (22) having a locking tooth (24) for insertion into a transversal detent, is mounted on the electronic module with a capacity to travel between a locking position and an unlocking position, the latch plate being associated with elastic elements designed, in the absence of stresses, to exert a force maintaining the latch plate in its locking position, and, upon an action exerted on these elastic elements, to displace this latch plate to its unlocking position.

Claims

1. An electronic unit for measuring operating parameters of a vehicle wheel, comprising:

an inflation valve (2) of “

snap-in”

type, designed to be attached to a wheel rim (J), comprising;

a valve body (3) made of an elastomer material, provided with a longitudinal axial bore (4) and consisting of an elastically deformable trunk (5) and an abutment head (6) separated from the trunk (5) by a neck (7) designed to be positioned in a leak-tight manner in the orifice formed in the rim (J),

and a hollow tubular core (10) made of a rigid material with dimensions suitable for insertion into the bore (4) of the valve body (3) and for extending on either side in the extension of said valve body, said rigid tubular core consisting of two longitudinal sections (11, 12) arranged relative to one another and in relation to the valve body (3), so as to allow an elastic deformation of the trunk (5) capable of enabling the inflation valve (2) to be fitted through the orifice of the rim (J),

an electronic module (1) attached to a ring (15) designed to be slideably mounted around the rigid tubular core (12) extending in the extension of the abutment head (6) of the valve body (3),

and means (9, 19) for attaching the electronic module (1) and the inflation valve (2), in a position of said electronic module in which the latter extends in the direct extension of said inflation valve,

said electronic unit being characterized in that the means for attaching the electronic module (1) and the inflation valve (2) comprise locking means comprising;

at least one transversal detent (20, 21) formed on the periphery of the rigid tubular core (12),

and a latch plate (22) associated with the electronic module (1) and having a locking tooth (24) designed to be inserted into a transversal detent (20, 21) of the rigid tubular core (12), so as to ensure a translational locking of said electronic module relative to the rigid tubular core, said latch plate;

being mounted on the electronic module (1) with a ability to travel between a locking position in which the locking tooth (24) is engaged in a detent (20, 21) of the rigid tubular core (12), and an unlocking position in which the locking tooth (24) allows a relative translational displacement of the electronic module (1) relative to the rigid tubular core (12),

being associated with elastic means (25) designed, in the absence of stresses, to exert on this latch plate (22) a force maintaining the latter in its locking position, and, upon an action exerted on these elastic means (25), to lead to a displacement of this latch plate (22) to its unlocking position,

and being designed to be positioned around the rigid tubular core (12) and consists of a plate (22) pierced with an orifice (23) with a section greater than the diameter of the tubular core, on the edge of which the locking tooth (24) is formed.

2. The electronic unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the elastic means form a shackle (25) designed to be positioned on the electronic module (1), comprising a main cross member (26) under which the latch plate extends, and two elastically deformable legs (27, 28) designed to bear on the electronic module (1).

3. The electronic unit as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the locking means comprise a plurality of transversal detents (20, 21) for adapting to different rim (J) thicknesses.

4. The electronic unit as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the locking means comprise a plurality of transversal detents (20, 21) for adapting to different rim (J) thicknesses.