Apparatus for alarming of tire deflation

• US 5,754,102 A
• Filed: 03/18/1997
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Yanase, Minao
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US08/821,577
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

An apparatus for alarming of tire deflation is provided in which reliability of an alarm is raised by a manner of alarming slightly when tire deflation is small and detection accuracy of a deflation detection mechanism is small, while alarming largely when tire deflation is large and deflation is detected with large accuracy. The apparatus comprises deflation detection means for detecting tire deflation; vehicle speed detection means for detecting a speed of a vehicle; and alarm means for deciding an alarm level depending on a detected tire deflation and a detected vehicle speed, and providing an alarm at the decided alarm level.

Claims

1. An apparatus for alarming of tire deflation, comprising:

deflation detection means for detecting tire deflation;

vehicle speed detection means for detecting speed of a vehicle; and

alarm means for selecting an alarm level from a table of alarm levels having different magnitudes, said selected alarm level depending on a detected tire deflation and a detected vehicle speed, and providing an alarm having a magnitude proportional to said selected alarm level to include, under a constant level of deflation, a greater magnitude of alarm proportional to a greater magnitude of the detected vehicle speed.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the alarm means includes an arithmetic processing means in which is provided the table of alarm levels showing a relationship between vehicle speed level and tire deflation.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said arithmetic processing means selects the alarm level by calculating a tire deflation level based on a signal from the deflation detection means and a vehicle speed based on a signal from the vehicle speed detection means and comparing said calculated tire deflation level and calculated vehicle speed to the table of alarm levels.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said alarm means includes an alarm mechanism which indicates alarm by generating signals to a sound generator.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said alarm means includes an alarm mechanism which indicates alarm by generating signals to a light generator.