Wheel arch including an antenna

• US 7,298,341 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA), TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA), TRW Automotive USLLC (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Lin, Xing Ping, Tupinier, Mathieu, Juzswik, David L., Brown, Andrew R., Huchard, Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): MANCUSO, HUEDUNG XUAN CAO
• Application Number:
  US11/063,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 343/711, 343/712, 343/713, 340/58, 524/543, 342/70
• US Class Current: 343/711
• 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 23/0444 Antenna structures, control or arrangements thereof, e.g. for directional antennas, diversity antenna, antenna multiplexing or antennas integrated in fenders
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/325 characterised by the location of the antenna on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/405 Radome integrated radiating elements

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle wheel arch (18) of the type including an antenna (20) for interacting with a device (22) carried by an assembly (12) of a wheel (14) and a tire (16). The wheel arch includes a shield (24) overlying the antenna (20) beside the radially-inner face of the wheel arch (18), said shield (24) being suitable for retaining matter (26) at a certain distance from the antenna (20).

Claims

1. A vehicle wheel arch of the type including an antenna for interacting with a device carried by an assembly of a wheel and a tire, said wheel arch including a shield overlying said antenna beside the radially-inner face of said wheel arch, said shield retaining matter at a certain distance separated away from said antenna and protecting said antenna from physical damage from said matter to enable said antenna to communicate in satisfactory manner with said device;

said wheel arch being non-conductive and comprising a thickness and a radially-outer face, said antenna being embedded in said thickness of at least one of a front wheel arch or a rear wheel arch or fitted to a radially-outer face of said at least one of said front wheel arch or said rear wheel arch.

2. The wheel arch according to claim 1, in which said wheel arch is said front wheel arch, said antenna being located in such a manner that a line segment connecting a center of said antenna to said center of said wheel makes an angle of substantially 45°

with a horizontal plane.

3. The wheel arch according to claim 1, in which said wheel arch is said rear wheel arch, said antenna being placed in such a manner that a line segment connecting a center of said antenna to said center of said wheel is substantially horizontal.

4. The wheel arch according to claim 1, in which said wheel arch is said rear wheel arch, said antenna is placed at one end of said rear wheel arch.

5. The wheel arch according to claim 2, in which said antenna is carried by a front portion of said front wheel arch.

6. The wheel arch according to claim 1, in which said shield is molded integrally with said at least one of said front wheel arch or said rear wheel arch.

7. An assembly comprising a wheel arch according to claim 1 and a device carried by an assembly of a wheel and a tire.