Tire pressure detecting system

• US 7,075,417 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Harada, Tomoyuki, Yamagiwa, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/319,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20040233049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/006 having two wheels only
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

A fluctuation warning unit for issuing a warning when fluctuations of the tire pressure per unit time exceed a predetermined threshold fluctuation, and a detected value warning unit for issuing a warning when a detected value of the tire pressure has fallen to a value below a predetermined threshold detected value are provided. For example, air leakage may be recognized rapidly, and abnormalities of air pressure may be recognized even when a faint air leakage occurs wherein fluctuations of the tire pressure per unit time do not exceed the predetermined threshold fluctuation.

Claims

1. A tire pressure detecting system wherein a tire pressure is detected by an air pressure sensor, comprising:

a fluctuation warning unit for issuing a warning when fluctuations of the tire pressure per unit time exceed a predetermined threshold fluctuation; and

a detected value warning unit for issuing a warning when a detected value of the tire pressure has fallen to a value below a predetermined threshold detected value.

2. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 1, further including an air pressure determining unit disposed within a tire for determining if a warning is necessary.

3. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 1, further including a transmitter disposed within a tire for transmitting pressure information outside the tire and a receiver disposed outside the tire for issuing a warning based on pressure information.

4. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 3, wherein the transmitter includes an air pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure and said fluctuation warning unit calculates fluctuations of the tire pressure per unit time of the air pressure sensor, and wherein said detected value warning unit issues a warning when the detected value of the tire pressure has fallen to a value below the predetermined threshold detected value.

5. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 1, wherein the detected value warning unit transmits a warning based on air leakage that cannot be detected during a slow variation of the tire pressure per unit time.

6. A tire pressure detecting system in which the tire pressure is detected by an air pressure sensor disposed on a wheel side, the detected tire pressure is issued from a transmitter disposed on the wheel side to a receiver disposed on a vehicle body side, and a warning is issued when the received detected tire pressure is outside a predetermined value comprising:

a temperature sensor for detecting air temperatures in the tire;

a pressure converting unit for converting the tire pressure detected by the air pressure sensor into a pressure at a predetermined temperature based on the air temperature detected by the temperature sensor; and

a transmission interval varying unit for shortening the interval of issuing a warning to the receiver when the converted pressure supplied from the pressure converting unit has fallen to a value below a predetermined threshold pressure.

7. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 6, wherein said transmitter is disposed within a tire for transmitting pressure information outside the tire and a receiver is disposed outside the tire for issuing a warning based on pressure information.

8. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 7, wherein the pressure converting unit provides a temperature correction to the air pressure based on the temperature of the air.

9. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 6, and further including a detected value warning unit for detecting the tire pressure and transmitting a warning based on air leakage that cannot be detected during a slow variation of the tire pressure per unit time.

10. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 6, further including a detected value warning unit for detecting the tire pressure and transmitting a warning based on air leakage that cannot be detected during a slow variation of the tire pressure per unit time.

11. A tire pressure detecting system wherein a tire pressure is detected by an air pressure sensor and a warning is issued when the tire pressure lies outside a predetermined value comprising:

an ambient air pressure sensor for detecting ambient air pressure;

a pressure converting unit for converting the tire pressure detected by the air pressure sensor into a pressure under a reference atmospheric pressure based on the ambient air pressure detected by the ambient air pressure sensor;

a transmitter disposed within a tire for transmitting pressure information outside the tire and a receiver disposed outside the tire for issuing a warning based on pressure information; and

a detected value warning unit for detecting the tire pressure and transmitting a warning based on air leakage that cannot be detected during a slow variation of the tire pressure per unit time,

wherein the transmitter includes the air pressure sensor for detecting the air pressure and a fluctuation warning unit calculates fluctuations of the tire pressure per unit time of the air pressure sensor, and

wherein said detected value warning unit issues a warning when the detected value of the tire pressure has fallen to a value below the predetermined threshold detected value.

12. The tire pressure detecting system according to claim 11, wherein said air pressure sensor is disposed within a tire for determining if a warning is necessary.

13. A tire pressure detecting device, comprising:

an air pressure sensor configured to determine an air pressure of the tire;

a fluctuation determining unit configured to determine if fluctuations of the tire pressure per unit time exceed a predetermined fluctuation threshold;

a fluctuation warning unit configured to issue a warning when the fluctuation determining unit determines the fluctuations of the tire pressure exceed the predetermined fluctuation threshold.

14. The tire pressure detecting device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined fluctuation threshold comprises first and second predetermined fluctuation thresholds, and

wherein the fluctuation warning unit issues a caution signal when the fluctuation determining unit determines the fluctuations of the tire pressure exceed the predetermined first fluctuation threshold, and issues a warning signal when the fluctuation determining unit determines the fluctuations of the tire pressure exceed the predetermined first and second fluctuation thresholds, said warning signal indicating a more serious problem than the caution signal.

15. The tire pressure detecting device of claim 14, wherein the fluctuation warning unit issues a normal signal when the fluctuation determining unit determines the fluctuations of the tire pressure do not exceed the predetermined first fluctuation threshold.

16. The tire pressure detecting device of claim 15, further comprising:

an air pressure determination unit configured to determine when an air pressure of the tire determined by the air pressure sensor falls below a predetermined air pressure threshold; and

an air pressure warning unit configured to issue a warning when the air pressure determination unit determines the air pressure of the tire falls below the predetermined air pressure threshold.

17. The tire pressure detecting device of claim 16, wherein the predetermined air pressure threshold comprises first and second predetermined air pressure fluctuation thresholds, and

wherein the air pressure warning unit issues a caution signal when the air pressure determining unit determines the air pressure of the tire pressure falls below the predetermined first air pressure threshold, and issues a warning signal when the air pressure determining unit determines the air pressure of the tire pressure falls below the predetermined first and second air pressure thresholds, said warning signal indicating a more serious problem than the caution signal.

18. The tire pressure detecting device of claim 17, wherein the air pressure warning unit issues a normal signal when the air pressure determination unit determines the air pressure of the tire pressure does not exceed the predetermined first fluctuation threshold.

19. The tire pressure detecting device of claim 16, further comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to determine a temperature of air in the tire; and

an air pressure converting unit configured to convert the tire pressure determined by the air pressure sensor based on the determined temperature of the air in the tire,

wherein the air pressure determination unit uses the converted air tire pressure in determining if the tire pressure falls below the predetermined air pressure threshold.

20. The tire pressure device of claim 17, further comprising:

an ambient air pressure sensor configured to determined an ambient air pressure; and

a pressure converting unit configured to convert the air pressure determined by the air pressure sensor using a reference atmospheric pressure and the ambient air pressure sensor determined by the ambient air pressure sensor,

wherein the air pressure determination unit uses the converted air tire pressure in determining if the tire pressure falls below the predetermined air pressure threshold.

21. The tire pressure device of claim 16, wherein the air pressure sensor, the fluctuation determining unit, and the fluctuation warning unit are installed within a tire of a motorcycle, and the tire pressure device further includes a transmitter held by a grommet of the tire, said transmitter configured to transmit corresponding information determined by the air pressure sensor and the fluctuation determining unit to a receiver located on a meter panel of the motorcycle.