Tire deflation warning system

• US 5,520,045 A
• Filed: 04/29/1994
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Good Wheel Limited, SC Johnson Home Storage Inc.
• Original Assignee: Good Wheel Limited
• Inventors: Edri, Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dombroske, George M.
• Application Number:
  US08/235,788
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 73/146, 73/146.2, 73/862.381, 340/442, 340/443, 340/445
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/08 by touching the ground

Abstract

Apparatus for the detection of vehicular tire deflation is disclosed. The apparatus generally comprises a post member adapted to be mounted at its proximal and to a vehicle'"'"'s undercarriage so that its distal end can engage a road surface when the distance between the vehicle and the road surface decreases due to deflation of the tire.

Claims

1. Apparatus for detecting vehicular tire deflation comprising:

a post member adapted to be mounted at its proximal end to a vehicle so that its distal end can engage a road surface when the distance between the vehicle and the road surface decreases due to deflation of the tire;

means for sensing movement of said post upon engagement with the road surface and alerting the vehicle driver of deflation of the tire upon actuation of said sensing means; and

a pantograph for adjusting the distance between the distal end of said post and the road surface, wherein said post is mounted on one of the levers of said pantograph and the opposite lever of said pantograph is mounted to said vehicle.

2. Apparatus for detecting vehicular tire deflation comprising:

a post member adapted to be mounted at its proximal end to a vehicle so that its distal end can engage a road surface when the distance between the vehicle and the road surface decreases due to deflation of the tire;

means for sensing movement of said post upon engagement with the road surface and alerting the vehicle driver of deflation of the tire upon actuation of said sensing means; and

two toothed bars meshing with a pinion for adjusting the distance between the distal end of said post and the road surface said post being mounted to said first toothed bar, said second toothed bar being mounted to said vehicle.

3. Apparatus for detecting vehicular tire deflation comprising:

a post member adapted to be mounted at its proximal end to a vehicle so that its distal end can engage a road surface when the distance between the vehicle and the road surface decreases due to deflation of the tire;

means for sensing movement of said post upon engagement with the road surface, the sensing means including switching means producing a continuous actuation signal actuateable by movement of said post;

alarm means for alerting the vehicle driver of deflation of the tire upon actuation of said sensing means; and

timing means for measuring time intervals of each consequent continued actuation signal of said switching means, said timing means being adapted to activate said alarm means upon passage of a predetermined time interval if said actuation signal continues beyond the predetermined time interval.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said switching means is of normally closed type electric on/off switch.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising means for adjusting the distance between the distal end of said post and the road surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, said distance adjustment means being a pantograph.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said post is generally resilient.

8. Apparatus for detecting vehicular tire deflation comprising:

a post member adapted to be mounted at its proximal end to a vehicle so that its distal end can engage a road surface when the distance between the vehicle and the road surface decreases due to deflation of the tire;

means for sensing movement of said post upon engagement with the road surface, said sensing means including switching means which provides a continuing DC signal actuateable by movement of said post;

alarm means for alerting the vehicle driver of deflation of the tire upon actuation of said sensing means; and

timing means for measuring time intervals of each consequent actuation of said switching means, said timing means being adapted to activate said alarm means upon passage of a predetermined time interval if said actuation signal continues beyond the predetermined time interval.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said switching means is of normally closed type electric on/off switch.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means for adjusting the distance between the distal end of said post and the road surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, said distance adjustment means being a pantograph.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said post is generally resilient.

13. Apparatus for detecting vehicular tire deflation comprising:

a post member adapted to be mounted at its proximal end to a vehicle so that its distal end can engage a road surface when the distance between the vehicle and the road surface decreases due to deflation of the tire;

means for sensing movement of said post upon engagement with the road surface and alerting the vehicle driver of deflation of the tire upon actuation of said sensing means; and

self-adjusting means for varying the distance between the distal end of said post and the road surface.