Tire pressure monitoring device

• US 6,192,747 B1
• Filed: 09/03/1998
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fennel, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): FELBER, JOSEPH LEON
• Application Number:
  US09/029,412
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 731/462, 340/444
• US Class Current: 73/146.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/061 by monitoring wheel speed measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles G01C22/00

Abstract

A device for monitoring the tire pressure on the basis of the signals provided by the individual wheel speed sensors includes an electronic evaluating circuit which determines correction factors for the wheel speeds of the individual wheels. The values of the individual correction phases are determined and stored in a learning phase. The deviation of the correction factors from the learnt values is detected and analyzed in an identification phase, and possible loss of tire pressure is signaled. A switch is mounted on the wheel suspension of each vehicle wheel which resets the memories, upon rebound of the wheel until its end position, and re-starts the learning phase for the correction factors.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the tire pressure in wheels mounted on an automotive vehicle by measuring, comparing and evaluating the rotating speeds of individual wheels, the system including wheel speed sensors and an electronic evaluating circuit,

wherein the circuit is adapted to determine correction factors for the rotating speeds of the individual wheels representative of a deviation of the respective rotating speeds from a reference quantity, and

is further adapted to store the reference quantity during a learning phase, and to determine and evaluate deviations of the correction factors from the reference quantity during an identification phase in consideration of a prevailing driving situation, and

is further adapted to signal a loss of tire pressure as soon as the deviations exceed a predetermined amount;

the improvement comprising;

a wheel suspension with a signaling element, provided for each wheel, the element being adapted to send a signal to the circuit to automatically trigger a resetting of memories, which comprise data acquired and stored in the learning phase, and a re-start of the learning phase of the evaluating circuit upon rebound of the wheel to a predetermined extent.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a switch for manually resetting the memories and re-starting the learning phase.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the element is a sensor.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a switch for manually resetting the memories and re-starting the learning phase.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the element is a switch.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a second switch for manually resetting the memories and re-starting the learning phase.