Tire-pressure control apparatus
First Claim
1. A tire-pressure control apparatus comprising:
- an air pump capable of supplying compressed air to a tire air chamber of a wheel assembly;
a mechanical control valve device disposed in an air passageway extending between the air pump and the tire air chamber and adapted to control a tire pressure within the tire air chamber, the control valve device being in a permission state where the control valve device permits supply of compressed air from the air pump to the tire air chamber during a period over which the tire pressure increases to an upper limit set value from a lower limit set value after having decreased to the lower limit set value, and being in a prohibition state where the control valve device prohibits supply of compressed air from the air pump to the tire air chamber during a period over which the tire pressure decreases to the lower limit set value from the upper limit set value after having increased to the upper limit set value;
a value state detection sensor for detecting whether the control valve device is in the permission state or the prohibition state;
time measurement means for measuring a pressure decreasing time, which is a time period starting when the control valve device enters the prohibition state and ending when the control valve device enters the permission state, and a pressure increasing time, which is a time period starting when the control valve device enters the permission state and ending when the control valve device enters the prohibition state; and
discharged-air-flow-rate calculation means for calculating a flow rate of air discharged from the air pump to the tire air chamber from the pressure decreasing time and the pressure increasing time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tire-pressure control apparatus includes an air pump AP capable of supplying compressed air to a tire air chamber Rb, a mechanical control valve device VA which permits and prohibits supply of compressed air from the air pump AP to the tire air chamber Rb, a valve-state detection sensor (stroke sensor S1) for detecting the state of the control valve device VA, and an electric control apparatus ECU. The electric control apparatus ECU includes time measurement for measuring a pressure increasing time which is a time period starting when the supply of compressed air from the air pump AP to the tire air chamber Rb is started and ending when the supply of compressed air is stopped, and a pressure decreasing time which is a time period starting when the supply of compressed air is stopped and ending when the supply of compressed air is started (resumed). And discharged-air-flow-rate calculation for calculating a flow rate of air discharged from the air pump to the tire air chamber from the pressure decreasing time and the pressure increasing time.
18 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A tire-pressure control apparatus comprising:
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an air pump capable of supplying compressed air to a tire air chamber of a wheel assembly; a mechanical control valve device disposed in an air passageway extending between the air pump and the tire air chamber and adapted to control a tire pressure within the tire air chamber, the control valve device being in a permission state where the control valve device permits supply of compressed air from the air pump to the tire air chamber during a period over which the tire pressure increases to an upper limit set value from a lower limit set value after having decreased to the lower limit set value, and being in a prohibition state where the control valve device prohibits supply of compressed air from the air pump to the tire air chamber during a period over which the tire pressure decreases to the lower limit set value from the upper limit set value after having increased to the upper limit set value; a value state detection sensor for detecting whether the control valve device is in the permission state or the prohibition state; time measurement means for measuring a pressure decreasing time, which is a time period starting when the control valve device enters the prohibition state and ending when the control valve device enters the permission state, and a pressure increasing time, which is a time period starting when the control valve device enters the permission state and ending when the control valve device enters the prohibition state; and discharged-air-flow-rate calculation means for calculating a flow rate of air discharged from the air pump to the tire air chamber from the pressure decreasing time and the pressure increasing time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification