Tire valve with integrated pressure sensor
First Claim
1. A valve stem for a vehicle tire comprising:
- an elongated body having a central bore extending therethrough to define a first opening at one end of said body and a second opening at an opposite end of said body;
a valve seat formed within said bore;
a valve member movably supported within said bore and engagable with said valve seat to prevent fluid from flowing from said first opening to said second opening; and
a pressure sensor partially received in said bore for measuring fluid pressure at said first opening wherein said pressure sensor generates a pressure signal representing the fluid pressure, said signal being communicated to a central tire inflation system controller, and wherein said controller causes a central tire inflation system to supply air and cause said valve member to disengage from said valve seat when the fluid pressure falls below a desired level to allow fluid flow through said bore from said second opening to said first opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle wheel includes a tire that is sealed to a rim. The tire is inflated with air to a desired pressure level via a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a valve stem with an elongated body having a central bore extending longitudinally through the body. A pressure sensor is mounted within the bore to measure the air pressure within the tire. A ball and plunger valve member is engagable and disengagable with a valve seat formed within the bore. A central tire inflation system uses the pressure sensor to monitor the tire pressure for each wheel on the vehicle. When the pressure sensor measures an air pressure in the tire that is below a desired level the central tire inflation system inflates the tire with air until the desired pressure is achieved.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A valve stem for a vehicle tire comprising:
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an elongated body having a central bore extending therethrough to define a first opening at one end of said body and a second opening at an opposite end of said body;
a valve seat formed within said bore;
a valve member movably supported within said bore and engagable with said valve seat to prevent fluid from flowing from said first opening to said second opening; and
a pressure sensor partially received in said bore for measuring fluid pressure at said first opening wherein said pressure sensor generates a pressure signal representing the fluid pressure, said signal being communicated to a central tire inflation system controller, and wherein said controller causes a central tire inflation system to supply air and cause said valve member to disengage from said valve seat when the fluid pressure falls below a desired level to allow fluid flow through said bore from said second opening to said first opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle tire assembly comprising:
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a rim;
a resilient tubular member filled with a fluid to a desired pressure level and sealingly engaged to said rim; and
a valve incorporating a pressure sensor for monitoring fluid pressure within said tubular member wherein said pressure sensor generates a pressure signal representing the fluid pressure, said signal being communicated to a central tire inflation system controller, and wherein a controller causes a central tire inflation system to supply air and cause a valve member to disengage from a valve seat when the fluid pressure falls below a desired level to allow fluid flow through a bore from a second opening to a first opening. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17)
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16. A method for monitoring pressure in a tire for a central tire inflation system comprising the steps of:
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providing a vehicle tire assembly having a valve stem with a centrally extending bore, a valve member movably supported within the bore, and a valve seat for seating the valve member to prevent fluid from flowing through the bore;
installing a pressure sensor within the bore;
measuring tire pressure with the sensor;
generating a signal representing the tire pressure; and
sending the signal to a central tire inflation system controller. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification