Pneumatic pressure sensor device

• US 5,699,041 A
• Filed: 02/14/1996
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unichema Chemie BV
• Original Assignee: Jan Ballyns
• Inventors: Ballyns, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Jr., Timothy
• Application Number:
  US08/601,130
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/445, 340/447, 340/626, 340/665, 73/146, 73/146.2, 73/146.4, 73/146.5, 73/146.8, 200/83 D, 200/83 N, 200/83 R, 200/83 Y, 200/61.22, 200/61.25, 200/83 A, 116/34 R, 116/34 B
• US Class Current: 340/442
• 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 23/04985 using straps surrounding the rims

Abstract

A pneumatic pressure sensor switch device for giving a warning signal if a pneumatic vehicle tire has too low pressure has a gas-filled chamber, separated from the inflation space in the tire by a first flexible diaphragm, and having another, second flexible diaphragm as its opposite wall, which has electrical contact means cooperating with a stationary contact point in the sensor. If the tire pressure is not too low, the first diaphragm is moved by the tire pressure to compress the gas in the said gas-filled chamber, which gas moves the second diaphragm out of contact with the stationary contact point. If the tire pressure drops below a certain value, the second diaphragm closes an electric circuit with battery and transmitter, so that a signal is given to the outside. There may be a third diaphragm bordering another closed chamber and by an electric series-connection to said second diaphragm, avoiding that a signal is given at atmospheric outside pressure, so as not to lose energy during storage or absence of a tire on the wheel. There may be two or more such sensors giving a signal at different pressures and they may be embodied so as to give signals in the correct pressure range in tires having two different inflation pressures in view of different loads of the vehicle or adaptation to switching tires from front to back of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A pneumatic pressure sensor switch device for a pneumatic tire, comprising:

means for mounting said device entirely in an inflation chamber of the tire, a sensor having two closed chambers filled with gas, a first chamber of said chambers being bordered by two flexible diaphragms in opposite walls thereof, a first diaphragm of said diaphragms separating said first chamber from and being exposed to the pressure in the inflation chamber of the tire, a second diaphragm of said diaphragms separating said closed chambers mutually and carrying an electrical contact point moving therewith and cooperating with a stationary contact point in the sensor, an electric circuit including said contact points, a transmitter to give radio signals to the outside when said circuit is closed, said first closed chamber between said two diaphragms being filled by gas under pressure above atmospheric pressure, so that movements of said first diaphragm are adapted to vary the pressure of the gas in said first chamber by which pressure variation the second diaphragm is moved, a second closed chamber being filled with a gas under pressure above atmospheric pressure said electrical contacts being open at higher outside pressures on said first diaphragm and closed by said second diaphragm at lower outside pressures on said first diaphragm.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the gas pressure in the said first closed chamber is above atmospheric pressure and lower than the pressure in the said second closed chamber at atmospheric pressure in the inflation space of the tire.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein there are two or more such sensors, said sensors having different gas pressures in their said first closed chambers to give a signal at mutually different pressures in the inflation space of the tire.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is mounted on a printed circuit board also carrying the other parts of the electric circuit in the tire.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the gas-filled chambers are filled with nitrogen.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said electric contact points are positioned in the said first closed chamber.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the stationary one of said contact points is positioned on a wall separating the said two diaphragms while leaving an opening to form the said first closed chamber bordered by both diaphragms.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein a third closed chamber has a third flexible diaphragm separating it from the inflation space in the tire, said third closed chamber being filled with gas at a pressure below the pressure in the first closed chamber, electrical contact means carried by the diaphragm and by a stationary part of the sensor being taken up in series connection in said electric circuit and being closed when said diaphragm is pressed into the third chamber by pressures in the inflation space in the tire above atmospheric pressure.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the gas pressure in said third chamber is slightly above atmospheric pressure and much below normal inflating pressures of the tire.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein said third closed chamber has a wall opposite its flexible diaphragm, which also borders said second closed chamber and carries the stationary contact point cooperating electrically with said third flexible diaphragm.

11. A device according to claim 8, wherein there are two of such sensors having mutually different gas pressures in the said first and third closed chambers.