Device for mounting a sensor on a motor vehicle wheel rim and related mounting method

• US 6,865,932 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Luce, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, ANDRE J
• Application Number:
  US10/473,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20040103965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 731/465, 731/468, 345/442, 345/445, 345/443
• US Class Current: 73/146.8
• 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 device for mounting a sensor on a motor vehicle wheel rim comprises: a truss rod, a housing receiving the sensor, the housing being articulated relative to the truss rod, a member for locking the truss rod in position on the rim once the housing is in contact with the rim. The housing includes a first stop element designed to co-operate by contact with a first zone of the rim, the first stop element being arranged on one side of a plane P passing through the hinge pin of the housing and a second stop element arranged on the other side of the plane and designed to press on the rim under a force F exerted by the truss rod. The invention also concerns the mounting method associated with the device.

Claims

1. A device for mounting a sensor on a motor vehicle wheel rim (10), comprising:

a pulling piece (20),

a casing (40) accommodating the sensor, said casing (40) being articulated with respect to the pulling piece (20),

a means (30) for locking the pulling piece in position on the rim (10) once the casing (40) is in contact with the rim (10),

wherein said casing (40) comprises a first stop (80) designed to collaborate through contact with a first region of the rim (10), said first stop (80) being placed on one side of a plane P passing through the axis of articulation of the casing (40) and a second stop (70) placed on the other side of said plane and designed to press against the rim (10) under a force F exerted by the pulling piece (20).

2. The device for mounting a sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the lever arm between the first stop and the axis of articulation of the casing (4) is short by comparison with the length of the lever arm between the second stop and said axis, which means that a large variation in the angular position of the casing (40) can be generated for a small translational movement of the pulling piece (20).

3. The device for mounting a sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the casing (40) comprises means (50) designed to limit its tilting to just one direction.

4. The device for mounting a sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulling piece (20) comprises a hook (100) collaborating with a spindle (90) placed in the casing (40).

5. The device for mounting a sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulling piece (20) comprises a spindle collaborating with a corresponding housing placed in the casing (40).

6. The device for mounting a sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulling piece (20) comprises a lug (100′

) collaborating with a corresponding inclined plane (90′

) placed in the casing (40).

7. The device for mounting a sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulling piece (20) consists of the tire inflation valve body, the base of which is designed to collaborate with the casing (40).

8. The device for mounting a sensor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means for locking the valve on the rim (10) is a nut (30).

9. A method for mounting a sensor on a motor vehicle wheel rim (10), comprising:

a pulling piece (20),

a casing (40) accommodating the sensor, said casing (40) being articulated with respect to the pulling piece (20),

a means (30) for locking the pulling piece in position on the rim (10) once the casing (40) is in contact with the rim (10),

the method comprising bringing the casing (40) against the rim (10) under the effect of the tilting moment generated jointly by a pulling force F exerted on the pulling piece (20) and by the reaction exerted at a first stop (80) incorporated into said casing (40) and placed on one side of a plane P passing through the axis of the pulling piece (20) when said stop comes into contact with the rim (10), said tilting being halted by a second stop (70) incorporated into the casing (40) and coming into contact with the rim (10), which other stop is placed on the other side of said plane.