Detecting unit with a reset device for detecting pressure in a tire of a vehicle

• US 6,813,940 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lite-On Automotive Corp. (Lite-On Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lite-On Automotive Corp. (Lite-On Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Lin, Sheng-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Oen, William
• Application Number:
  US10/341,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20040045347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 731/46, 731/463, 731/468, 340/442-447
• US Class Current: 73/146.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0494 Valve stem attachments positioned inside the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 17/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring tyre pressure or the pressure in other inflated bodies

Abstract

A detecting unit has a housing with a chamber, a cover, an air valve, a circuit board, a detecting assembly and a ground. The cover is attached to the housing to close the chamber. The circuit board is received in the chamber of the housing and has a signal processing unit mounted on the circuit board. The signal processing unit has a reset terminal. The ground is mounted on the circuit board and is electrically connected to the air valve. Accordingly, the signal processing unit will be reset when the reset terminal is electrically connected to the air valve.

Claims

1. A detecting unit for detecting pressure in a tire of a vehicle comprising:

a housing with a chamber defined in the housing;

a cover attached to the housing to close the chamber and having a bore defined in the cover;

an air valve attached to the housing and having an extension extending into the chamber of the housing;

a circuit board received in the chamber of the housing and having a circuit with a signal processing unit mounted on the circuit board;

a detecting assembly mounted on the circuit board to be adapted to measure pressure in one of the tires of the vehicle; and

a ground mounted on the circuit board and electrically connected to the air valve,

wherein the signal processing unit has a reset terminal corresponding to the bore in the cover so as to reset the signal processing unit when the reset is electrically connected to the air valve.

2. The detecting unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board has a hole defined in the circuit board and aligning with the bore in the cover;

and

a metal knob is attached to the hole and is electrically connected to the reset terminal on the signal processing unit.

3. The detecting unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detecting assembly comprises:

a detector mounted in the signal processing unit; and

a wireless transmitting unit mounted on the circuit on the circuit board and electrically connected to the detector; and

a power supply electrically connected to the signal processing unit,

wherein the ground connected to the air valve is mounted on the power supply.

4. The detecting unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the wireless transmitting unit comprises:

an amplifier electrically connected to the detector;

an oscillating circuit electrically connected to the amplifier; and

a transmitter electrically connected to the oscillating circuit.

5. The detecting unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has a through hole defined in the housing for the air valve being attached to the through hole.

6. The detecting unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extension on the air valve has a hole defined in a top of the extension;

and

a metal stub attached to the circuit board, electrically connected to the ground and pressed into the hole in the extension.