Apparatus for detecting tire inflation pressure

• US 7,388,478 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Watabe, Nobuya
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US11/113,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20050242936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 340/442, 340/443, 340/444, 340/445, 340/447, 340/448, 731/46, 731/462, 731/465, 731/468, 116/34.R, 701/29, 701/35
• US Class Current: 340/442
• 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 sensor detects values of inflation pressure of a tire of a vehicle one after another. A controller calculates, from the values of the tire inflation pressure, a deflation rate at which the tire is deflating per unit time. When the deflation rate is higher than a first predetermined value, the controller judges that the tire is suddenly punctuated. When the deflation rate is not higher than the first predetermined value but is higher than a second predetermined value, the controller judges that the tire is deteriorated. When the deflation rate is not higher than the second predetermined value, the controller judges that compressed air is naturally leaked from the tire. An alarm unit gives an alarm indicating punctuation or deterioration of the tire or natural air leaking in response to the judgment of the controller.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a detecting unit, disposed in an inside of a tire, that is configured to directly detect an inflation pressure of the tire and outputs a detection signal indicating the tire inflation pressure;

a deflation time determining unit that is configured to;

set a predetermined threshold value lower than a normal inflation pressure of the tire such that the inflation pressure of the tire reaching the predetermined threshold value indicates deflation of the tire;

calculate, from the detection signal outputted from the detecting unit, a deflation rate, at which the tire is deflating per unit time, when the inflation pressure detected in the detecting unit is higher than the predetermined threshold value, and

determine, from the calculated deflation rate, a specific time, at which the tire inflation pressure becomes lower than the predetermined threshold value when the inflation pressure detected in the detecting unit is higher than the predetermined threshold value, or a specific period of time from a base time to the specific time; and

an outputting unit that is configured to output information showing the specific time or information showing the specific period of time.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter controller that is configured to transmit the detection signal outputted from the detecting unit to the deflation time determining unit every predetermined interval of time, and

a storing unit which stores a set of the tire inflation pressure indicated by the detection signal and time data indicating a reception time of the detection signal each time the deflation time determining unit receives the detection signal,

wherein the deflation time determining unit is configured to read out the set currently stored and another set previously stored from the storing unit, calculate a pressure difference between values of the tire inflation pressure of the two sets, calculate a time difference between the reception times of the two sets, and calculate the deflation rate from the pressure difference and the time difference.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter controller that is configured to transmit the detection signal, detected by the detecting unit before running of a vehicle with the tire, to the deflation time determining unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a condition setting unit that is configured to set, based on the specific time or the specific period of time determined by the deflation judging unit, a display condition which specifies a display color changing with the specific time or the specific period of time, wherein the outputting unit comprises an alarm lamp which is arranged to be lightened on the display condition.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a condition setting unit that is configured to set, based on the specific period of time determined by the deflation judging unit, a display condition which specifies lightness or darkness of a display color such that the display color is darkened as the specific period of time is decreased, wherein the outputting unit comprises an alarm lamp which is arranged to be lightened on the display condition.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a condition setting unit that is configured to set, based an the specific time or the specific period of time determined by the deflation judging unit, a display condition which specifies contents of a message indicating the specific time or the specific period of time, wherein the outputting unit comprises a display which is arranged to display the message on the display condition.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit is disposed in a compressed air of the tire to directly detect a pressure of the compressed air as the tire inflation pressure.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit is configured to directly detect an absolute pressure of a compressed air of the tire as the tire inflation pressure.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit is disposed in the inside of each of all tires of a vehicle, and the detecting unit corresponding to each tire is configured to detect the inflation pressure of the each tire, independent of the inflation pressures of the other tires.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit detects the inflation pressure of the tire before a vehicle having the tire starts running.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold represents a value when the normal inflation pressure begins to change to deflating.