Transmitter for monitoring the condition of a tire

• US 6,708,558 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pacific Industrial Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Pacific Industrial Company Limited
• Inventors: Saheki, Setsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): OEN, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US10/159,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20030110850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 731/462, 731/463, 731/465, 731/468, 731/46, 737/15--27, 737/53, 737/56, 301/65, 301/95, 301/96, 301/97, 301/98, 301/37.37, 152/381.5, 152/381.6, 340/442-447
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• 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 23/0494 Valve stem attachments positioned inside the tyre chamber

Abstract

A tire condition monitoring apparatus monitors the condition of a tire of a vehicle. A transmitter of the apparatus includes an installed portion, a casing, and arms. A tire condition detecting element is installed in the installed portion. The casing accommodates the installed portion. The installed portion is connected to the casing by the arms. The arms tolerate reactive force and protect the installed portion from that reactive force.

Claims

1. A transmitter for an apparatus for monitoring the condition of a tire on a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel including a valve hole, the transmitter comprising:

a signal processing unit including a circuit board having an installed portion;

an element for detecting the condition of the tire installed in the installed portion;

a casing that accommodates the installed portion;

a valve stem extending from the casing for projecting through the valve hole of the wheel for introducing air into the tire and attaching the casing to the wheel; and

an arm, wherein the installed portion is connected to the casing by the arm, and the arm tolerates reactive force acting on the casing and protects the installed portion from that reactive force by the arm deforming to prevent the installed portion from deforming.

2. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the arm is formed integrally with the installed portion.

3. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the arm is one of two arms, and the arms are located at positions to form mirror images with respect to the installed portion.

4. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the arm has a substantially L shape.

5. The transmitter according to claim 1, wherein an attachment hole is formed in a distal end of the arm, a boss formed integrally with the casing is fitted in the attachment hole, and, in this state, a distal portion of the boss is deformed to a rivet-like shape.

6. A transmitter for an apparatus for monitoring the condition of a tire on a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel including a valve hole, the transmitter comprising:

a signal processing unit including a circuit board having an installed portion;

an element for detecting the condition of the tire installed in the installed portion;

a casing that accommodates the installed portion;

a valve stem extending from the casing for projecting through the valve hole of the wheel for introducing air into the tire and attaching the casing to the wheel; and

an elastically deformable arm, where the arm projects from the installed portion and the installed portion is connected to the casing by the arm.

7. The transmitter according to claim 6, wherein the arm is one of two arms, and the arms are located at positions to form mirror images with respect to the installed portion.

8. The transmitter according to claim 6, wherein the arm has a substantially L shape.

9. The transmitter according to claim 6, wherein an attachment hole is formed in a distal end of the arm, a boss formed integrally with the casing is fitted in the attachment hole, and, in this state, a distal portion of the boss is deformed to a rivet-like shape.

10. A transmitter for an apparatus for monitoring the condition of a tire on a wheel of a vehicle, wherein the wheel includes a valve hole, the transmitter comprising:

a signal processing unit including a circuit board having an installed portion;

an element for detecting the condition of the tire installed in the installed portion;

a casing which accommodates the installed portion;

a valve stem extending from the casing for projecting through the valve hole of the wheel for introducing air into the tire; and

a pair of arms connecting the installed portion to the casing, each arm having opposite ends, with only one end of each arm being connected to the installed portion and the other end of each arm being connected to the casing.

11. The transmitter of claim 10, wherein the installed portion includes opposite sides, and said only one end of each arm connects to opposite sides of the installed portion.

12. The transmitter of claim 11, wherein each opposite side of the installed portion has a width, and said only one end of each arm connects only along a portion of the width of each opposite side of the installed portion.

13. The transmitter according to claim 10, wherein said other end of each arm connects to the casing via a boss projecting from the casing.

14. The transmitter according to claim 11, wherein the arms are elastically deformable and tolerate reactive force acting on the casing and protects the installed portion from that reactive force by the arm deforming to prevent the installed portion from deforming.

15. The transmitter of claim 14, wherein the installed portion includes opposite sides, and said only one end of each arm connects to opposite sides of the installed portion.

16. The transmitter of claim 15, wherein each opposite side of the installed portion has a width, and said only one end of each arm connects only along a portion of the width of each opposite side of the installed portion.

17. The transmitter according to claim 14, wherein said other end of each arm connects to the casing via a boss projecting from the casing.

18. The transmitter of claim 17, wherein the installed portion includes opposite sides, and said only one end of each arm connects to opposite sides of the installed portion.

19. The transmitter of claim 18, wherein each opposite side of the installed portion has a width, and said only one end of each arm connects only along a portion of the width of each opposite side of the installed portion.

20. The transmitter according to claim 10, wherein each of the arms has a substantially L shape.