MOUNT-FREE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20130106597A1
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: GAO, Ziyang, CHEN, Xiang, SHAM, Man Lung, CHOW, Shi Wo
• Granted Patent: US 8,723,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0491 Constructional details of means for attaching the control device

Abstract

A tire pressure monitoring sensor moveable inside a tire includes a housing holding a pressure sensing/transmitting unit, one or more batteries and an antenna for transmitting a signal indicating interior tire pressure. In one embodiment, the components are assembled within the housing such that the center of gravity is along a housing geometric center. During tire rotation, the monitor independently rotates within the tire and is particularly useful for slow-rotating tires, such as those used in gantry systems. Alternatively, the pressure monitoring sensor components are assembled within the housing such that the center of gravity is offset from a housing geometric center. Centripetal force generated during tire rotation causes the monitor to rotate with the tire itself and is useful for faster-rotating tires, such as motor vehicle tires. A tire pressure monitoring system includes the monitor and a receiver positioned outside the tire for receiving the monitoring signals.

Claims

1. A tire pressure monitoring sensor moveable inside a tire or a tire inner tube, comprising:

a rotatable housing having a curved outer surface portion, the housing configured to hold components of a tire pressure monitoring sensor, the components including;

a pressure sensing/transmitting unit comprising;

a pressure sensing portion for sensing an interior pressure of a tire and outputting a signal indicating the interior tire pressure;

a processor portion electrically coupled to the pressure sensing portion for processing the output signal indicating interior tire pressure received from the pressure sensing portion to generate a monitoring signal indicating the current interior pressure of the tire;

a transmitter portion coupled to the processor portion for creating a transmission signal including tire pressure information for transmission outside the tire;

an antenna electrically coupled to the pressure sensing/transmitting unit;

at least one battery electrically coupled to the pressure sensing/transmitting unit for providing electrical power to the pressure sensing/transmitting unit;

wherein the components of the tire pressure monitoring sensor are assembled within the housing such that during rotation of a tire or tire inner tube inside which the housing and components are positioned, the movement of the housing and components is reduced within the tire when the tire is rotating.

2. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a damping material to damp the impact force between the tire pressure monitoring sensor and the inside surface of a tire or a tire inner tube.

3. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensing/transmitting unit includes an integrated component having two or more of the pressure sensing portion, processor portion or transmitting portion in the integrated component.

4. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensing portion, processor portion, and transmitting portion of the sensing/transmitting unit form a single integrated component.

5. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 1 wherein the components of the tire pressure monitoring sensor are assembled within the housing such that the center of gravity of the combined housing and components is substantially along a geometric center of the housing.

6. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 5 wherein the components of the tire pressure monitoring sensor are assembled such that during rotation of the tire or the inner tube inside which the housing and components are positioned the sensor independently rotates within the tire or inner tube interior in substantially the same location during the tire rotation to minimize undesirable collisions with the tire or inner tube interior.

7. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 5, wherein one or more of the pressure sensing/transmitting unit and the at least one battery is positioned near the geometric center of the housing.

8. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 5, wherein the at least one battery includes first and second batteries, and the first battery is positioned on one side of the geometric center of the housing and the second battery is positioned on the other side of the geometric center of the housing.

9. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 6, wherein an exterior surface of the housing comprises one or more materials having a low coefficient of friction to facilitate the independent rotation of the sensor within the tire when the tire is rotating.

10. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 1 wherein the components of the tire pressure monitoring sensor are assembled within the housing such that the center of gravity of the combined housing and components is substantially offset from a geometric center of the housing.

11. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 10 wherein the components of the tire pressure monitoring sensor are assembled within the housing such that during rotation of the tire or inner tube inside which the combined housing and components are positioned, the housing and components rotate with the tire due to centripetal force exerted on the combined housing and components during tire rotation.

12. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 10, wherein the housing further include a flat portion on the exterior surface adjacent the offset center of gravity position of the combined housing and components.

13. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 10, wherein one or more of the pressure sensing/transmitting unit and the at least one battery is positioned offset from the geometrical center of the housing.

14. The tire pressure monitoring sensor of claim 10, wherein the housing exterior surface includes one or more materials having a high coefficient of friction such that the tire pressure monitoring sensor maintains substantially the same position when the tire is rotating.

15. A tire pressure monitoring system comprising the tire pressure monitoring system of claim 5 and a receiver positioned outside a tire for receiving a tire pressure monitoring signal.

16. A tire pressure monitoring system comprising the tire pressure monitoring system of claim 10 and a receiver positioned outside a tire for receiving a tire pressure monitoring signal.