VEHICLE TIRE AND BRAKE INSPECTION TOOL
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle inspection system for use in measuring predetermined conditions of vehicle equipment, the inspection system comprising:
- a portable tool having a housing and defining a front face, the tool having a power source, a programmable processor, a memory, software stored in the memory and antennas for wirelessly sending and receiving electronic data to at least one of a distant tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor connected to a vehicle wheel; and
at least one measurement accessory device for measuring a preselected vehicle equipment condition, the accessory device is in electronic communication with the portable tool for transmission of data measured by the accessory device to the portable tool.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Improved vehicle inspection systems and inspection methods for use in measuring predetermined conditions of vehicle equipment are disclosed. Hand-held tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) tools for communicating and transferring data between the tool and an onboard vehicle TPMS is in electronic communication with at least one measurement accessory device for measuring a preselected vehicle equipment condition are disclosed herein. The measurement accessory device may be a tread depth measuring device and a brake pad thickness measuring device.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A vehicle inspection system for use in measuring predetermined conditions of vehicle equipment, the inspection system comprising:
-
a portable tool having a housing and defining a front face, the tool having a power source, a programmable processor, a memory, software stored in the memory and antennas for wirelessly sending and receiving electronic data to at least one of a distant tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor connected to a vehicle wheel; and at least one measurement accessory device for measuring a preselected vehicle equipment condition, the accessory device is in electronic communication with the portable tool for transmission of data measured by the accessory device to the portable tool. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A vehicle inspection system for use in measuring predetermined conditions of vehicle equipment, the inspection system comprising:
-
a portable tool having a housing and defining a front face, the tool having a power source, a programmable processor, a memory, software stored in the memory and antennas for wirelessly sending and receiving electronic data to at least one of a distant tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor connected to a vehicle wheel; and at least one measurement accessory device for measuring a preselected vehicle equipment condition, the accessory device is in electronic communication with the portable tool for transmission of data measured by the accessory device to the portable tool, wherein the at least one measurement accessory device is at least one of a tire tread depth measuring device to measure the depth of tire tread on a tire of a vehicle and a brake pad thickness measuring device to measure the linear thickness of a brake pad of a vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of taking a plurality of measurements on preselected components of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
-
activating an inspection tool; selecting a first vehicle component parameter to be measured; activating an accessory tool to measure the first selected vehicle component parameter, the accessory tool in electronic communication with the inspection tool; and measuring the selected parameter and transmitting the measured data to the inspection tool for display to a user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
Specification