Tire breakdown warning device and pneumatic tire

• US 7,316,251 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Kogure, Tomohiko, Kuramori, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Fischer; Justin R.
• Application Number:
  US10/920,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20050045257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 152/152.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/20 Devices for measuring or signalling tyre temperature only

Abstract

A tire breakdown warning device includes at least one temperature sensor for detection of temperature of a pneumatic tire, and provides a warning when a breakdown of the tire is found on the basis of detection signals detected by the at least one temperature sensor. The at least one temperature sensor is embedded in the vicinity of at least one end of at least one tire constituent component which is placed in the pneumatic tire and which is vulnerable to break down.

Claims

1. A tire breakdown warning device which provides a warning when a breakdown of a pneumatic tire is found on the basis of detection signals detected by at least one temperature sensor for detection of temperature of the pneumatic tire, the tire breakdown warning device comprising:

a vehicle mount unit having a processing section for processing the detection signals from the at least one temperature sensor and a warning section for providing a warning of the tire breakdown,

the processing section calculating a value of temperature of each detection signals input thereto and determining whether or not the calculated temperature value exceeds a preset threshold value of breakdown temperature,

the warning section providing a warning when the processing section determines that the calculated temperature value exceeds the preset threshold value of breakdown temperature,

wherein the processing section calculates each value of the amount of temperature rise in a unit of time at each temperature detected, and determines whether or not the calculated temperature rise amount value exceeds a preset threshold value of the amount of breakdown temperature rise corresponding to each temperature, the warning section providing a warning when the processing section determines that the calculated temperature rise amount value exceeds the preset threshold value of the amount of breakdown temperature rise, and

wherein the at least one temperature sensor is embedded in the vicinity of at least one end of at least one tire constituent component which is placed in the pneumatic tire and which is vulnerable to break down.

2. A tire breakdown warning device according to claim 1, wherein the processing section determines whether or not the calculated temperature value exceeds a preset threshold value of precautionary temperature for informing that the calculated temperature value is close to a breakdown temperature, the warning section providing a precautionary warning when the processing section determines that the calculated temperature value exceeds the preset threshold value of precautionary temperature.

3. A tire breakdown warning device according to claim 1, wherein the processing section determines whether or not the calculated temperature rise amount value exceeds a preset threshold value of the amount of precautionary temperature rise corresponding to each temperature for informing that the calculated temperature rise amount value is close to a breakdown temperature rise amount, the warning section providing a precautionary warning when the processing section determines that the calculated temperature rise amount value exceeds the preset threshold value of the amount of precautionary temperature rise.

4. A tire breakdown warning device according to claim 1, comprising at least one tire mount unit having the one temperature sensor and a transmitting section for transmitting the detection signals detected by the at least one temperature sensor, the vehicle mount unit having a receiving section for receiving the detection signals transmitted from the transmitting section, the at least one tire mount unit being embedded in the vicinity of at least one end of the at least one tire constituent component.

5. A tire breakdown warning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tire constituent component comprises a carcass ply or a belt ply.

6. A tire breakdown warning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one tire constituent component comprises a carcass ply and a belt ply, and wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises at least two temperature sensors.

7. A tire breakdown warning device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises at least two temperature sensors, one of which is embedded in a thick rubber portion of the tire.

8. A tire breakdown warning device according to claim 7, wherein the thick rubber portion is in a shoulder area of a tread.