Alert device for pneumatic object

• US 6,762,677 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyresonic, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tyresonic, Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Hsug Fang
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/057,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20030141969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/447, 340/443, 340/444, 340/445, 340/446, 340/449, 731/465, 731/464, 116/34.R, 116/34.A, 116/34.B, 152/152.1, 152/415
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0496 Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber

Abstract

An alert device, which is adapted for mounting to a valve of a pneumatic object, is capable of detecting any decrease in the interior pneumatic pressure of the pneumatic object and generating a warning signal immediately therefor. The alert device includes a signal arrangement and a connector, wherein the signal arrangement includes a cap, a signal generator fittingly received in the cap, and a power supply arrangement comprising a first contact unit and a second contact unit, and the connector comprises a power inlet and a power outlet.

Claims

1. An alert device, comprising:

a signal arrangement which comprises a cap, a signal generator received in said cap, and a power supply arrangement which comprises a first contact unit connected to said generator and a second contact unit; and

a connector, adapted for mounting to a valve of a pneumatic object, comprises a power inlet connected to said second contact unit of said power supply arrangement and a power outlet connected to said signal generator, wherein when the pneumatic object has a pneumatic pressure higher than a predetermined standard pressure, said power inlet and said power outlet are arranged to electrically disconnect with each other, wherein when said pneumatic pressure of said pneumatic object is lower than said predetermined standard pressure, said power inlet and said power outlet is electrically connected to transmit electricity from said power inlet through said second contact unit of said power supply arrangement to said power outlet and generate a warning signal;

wherein said connector is made of electric conductive material and further comprises first and second communicating units on two side ends of said connector respectively, wherein said first communicating unit further comprises;

an interior protruded head, which is transversely extended from a bottom surface of said first communicating unit, having a through hole to form a passage within said bottom surface of said first communicating unit and said through hole of said interior protruded head;

an insulating plate positioned on said bottom surface of said second communicating unit;

a conductor mounted on a peripheral portion of said second communicating unit;

an insulative element received in an opening of said second communicating unit while said power inlet is provided inside said insulative element;

a conducting unit; and

a resilient element positioned between said insulative element and said insulating plate, wherein said conducting unit has a first side biasing against said insulating plate and a second side biasing against a free end of said resilient element.

2. The alert device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said conductor is mounted inside said second communicating unit for biasing said insulating plate against said bottom surface of said first communicating unit, wherein said connector has a detecting cavity defined between said bottom surface of said first communicating unit and said insulating plate when said second communicating unit is inflated with gas from the pneumatic object.

3. The alert device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said conductor has a jaw-shaped interior surface and said conducting unit has a cylindrical cavity for receiving said free end of said resilient element and a protruded unit extended from said cylindrical cavity, wherein said power inlet has a mounting unit corresponding to said conducting unit and said mounting unit is positioned on a bottom of said resilient element.

4. The alert device, as recited in claim 2, wherein said conductor has a jaw-shaped interior surface and said conducting unit has a cylindrical cavity for receiving said free end of said resilient element and a protruded unit extended from said cylindrical cavity, wherein said power inlet has a mounting unit corresponding to said conducting unit and said mounting unit is positioned on a bottom of said resilient element.

5. The alert device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said connector further comprises a main body having a tooth-shaped outer surface, wherein an opening of said cap has an inner surface to receive said outer surface of said connector so as to securely connect said cap to said connector.

6. The alert device, as recited in claim 5, wherein said resilient element of said power outlet has two sides biasing against a surface of said connector and said signal generator respectively, wherein said power supply arrangement further comprises an insulating cover on said power supply arrangement.

7. The alert device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said connector further comprises an O-shaped cover, surrounding a peripheral connecting junction between said connector and said cap, and a plastic element attached on said connector for connecting a bottom surface of a valve of a pneumatic object.

8. The alert device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said alert device further comprises a signal receiver communicated with said signal generator adapted for receiving a signal from said signal generator and transforming the signal to an audio output or a visual display.

9. An alert device, comprising:

a signal arrangement which comprises a cap, a signal generator received in said cap, and a power supply arrangement which comprises a first contact unit connected to said generator and a second contact unit; and

a connector, made of metallic materials, for connecting to a valve of a pneumatic object, wherein said connector comprises;

a power inlet connected to said second contact unit of said power supply arrangement;

a power outlet connected to said signal generator, wherein when the pneumatic object has an interior pneumatic pressure higher than a predetermined standard pressure, said power inlet and said power outlet are arranged to electrically disconnect with each other, wherein when said pneumatic pressure of said pneumatic object is lower than said predetermined standard pressure, said power inlet and said power outlet is electrically connected to generate a warning signal;

a first and a second communicating units provided at two ends of said connector respectively, wherein said first communicating unit has a through hole to form a passage for air movement between said alert device and the pneumatic object;

an insulating plate positioned on a bottom surface of said second communicating unit;

a conductor mounted on a peripheral portion of said second communicating unit;

an insulative element received in an opening of said second communicating unit while said power inlet provided inside said insulative element;

a conducting unit having a first side biasing to said insulating plate and a second side; and

a resilient element positioned between said insulative element and said insulating plate, wherein a free end of said resilient element is biased against said second side of said conducting unit.

10. The alert device, as recited in claim 9, wherein said conductor is mounted inside said second communicating unit for biasing said insulating plate against a bottom surface of said first communicating unit, wherein said connector has a detecting cavity defined between said bottom surface of said first communicating unit and said insulating plate when said second communicating unit is inflated with gas from the pneumatic object.

11. The alert device, as recited in claim 9, wherein said conductor has a jaw-shaped interior surface and said conducting unit having a cylindrical cavity for receiving said free end of said resilient element and a protruded unit extended from said cylindrical cavity, wherein said power inlet has a mounting unit corresponding to said conducting unit and said mounting unit is positioned on a bottom of said resilient element.

12. The alert device, as recited in claim 9, wherein said connector further comprises a main body having a tooth-shaped outer surface, wherein an opening of said cap has an inner surface to receive said outer surface of said connector so as to securely connect said cap to said connector.

13. The alert device, as recited in claim 9, wherein said resilient element of said power outlet has two sides biasing against a surface of said connector and said signal generator respectively, wherein said power supply arrangement further comprises an insulating cover on said power supply arrangement.

14. The alert device, as recited in claim 9, wherein said connector further comprises an O-shaped cover, surrounding a peripheral connecting junction between said connector and said cap, and a plastic element attached on said connector for connecting a bottom surface of a valve of a pneumatic object.

15. The alert device, as recited in claim 9, wherein said alert device further comprises a signal receiver communicated with said signal generator adapted for receiving a signal from said signal generator and transforming the signal to an audio output or a visual display.