Snap-in tire valve
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A snap-in tire pressure monitoring system TPMS comprising:
- a valve having an inner portion and an outer portion, the outer portion being a resilient element having a annular sealing surface configured to snap-in an opening in a tire wheel rim, the inner portion being a rigid element defining an air passageway between an inboard end and an outboard end;
a housing having electronics configured to sense parameters within the tire wheel rim;
an electrical connection element extending inside the housing to electrical connect with the electronics and outside the housing to electrically connect with the inboard end;
a fastener removable attached to the inboard end, the fastener providing a compressive force that compresses the electrical connection element against the inboard end; and
the housing includes an upwardly extending connection portion through which the inner portion extends;
the connection element is u-shaped and fits over top of the connection portion, the electrical connection element having a first side that extends down a first side of the connection portion and a second side that extends down a second side of the connection portion;
the inner portion include a shoulder on the second side of the connection portion; and
wherein the fastener compressively tightens the shoulder against the connection portion, causing the fastener to compress the first side of the connection element against the first side of the connection portion and to compress the second side of the electrical connection element against the second side of the connection portion.
17 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A snap-in tire pressure monitoring system having a valve that deforms to form an annular sealing surface around an opening in a tire rim. A sensor housing having electronics components configured to sense conditions within the tire may be attached to the valve. Data collected by the components may be wireless transmitted for further processing.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A snap-in tire pressure monitoring system TPMS comprising:
-
a valve having an inner portion and an outer portion, the outer portion being a resilient element having a annular sealing surface configured to snap-in an opening in a tire wheel rim, the inner portion being a rigid element defining an air passageway between an inboard end and an outboard end; a housing having electronics configured to sense parameters within the tire wheel rim; an electrical connection element extending inside the housing to electrical connect with the electronics and outside the housing to electrically connect with the inboard end; a fastener removable attached to the inboard end, the fastener providing a compressive force that compresses the electrical connection element against the inboard end; and the housing includes an upwardly extending connection portion through which the inner portion extends; the connection element is u-shaped and fits over top of the connection portion, the electrical connection element having a first side that extends down a first side of the connection portion and a second side that extends down a second side of the connection portion; the inner portion include a shoulder on the second side of the connection portion; and wherein the fastener compressively tightens the shoulder against the connection portion, causing the fastener to compress the first side of the connection element against the first side of the connection portion and to compress the second side of the electrical connection element against the second side of the connection portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A snap-in tire pressure monitoring system TPMS comprising:
-
a valve having an inner portion and an outer portion, the outer portion being a resilient element having a annular sealing surface configured to snap-in an opening in a tire wheel rim, the inner portion being a rigid element defining an air passageway between an inboard end and an outboard end, the inboard end having a fastener portion and a shoulder; a housing having electronics configured to sense parameters within the tire wheel rim, the housing having an upwardly extending connection portion with an opening through which the inner portion extends, the fastener portion being positioned on a first side of the connection portion and the shoulder being positioned on an opposite, second side of the connection portion; a fastener that fastens to the fastener portion to secure the housing to the valve; an electrical connection element extending inside the housing to electrical connect with the electronics and outside the housing to electrically connect with the inboard end; the electrical connection element being u-shaped and fitting over top of the upwardly extending connection portion, the electrical connection element having a first side that extends down a first side of the upwardly extending connection portion and a second side that extends down a second side of the upwardly extending connection portion; and wherein the fastener compressively tightens the shoulder against the upwardly extending connection portion, causing the fastener to compress the first side of the electrical connection element against the first side of the upwardly extending connection portion and to compress the second side of the electrical connection element against the second side of the upwardly extending connection portion. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. A snap-in tire valve comprising:
-
an inner portion and an outer portion, the outer portion being a resilient element having a annular sealing surface configured to snap-in an opening in a tire wheel rim, the inner portion being a rigid element defining an air passageway between an inboard end and an outboard end, the inner portion having a first cylindrical feature outboard of the annular sealing surface that extends outwardly from the air passageway, the first cylindrical feature providing an outwardly extending face against which a portion of the resilient element between the annual sealing surface and the first clindrical feature engages to resist inboard movement; a housing having electronics configured to sense parameters within the tire wheel rim, the housing having an upwardly extending connection portion with an opening through which the inner portion extends, the fastener portion being positioned on a first side of the upwardly extending connection portion and the shoulder being positioned on an opposite, second side of the connection portion; a fastener that fastens to the fastener portion to secure the housing to the valve; an electrical connection element extending inside the housing to electrical connect with the electronics and outside the housing to electrically connect with the inboard end; the electrical connection element being u-shaped and fitting over top of the upwardly extending connection portion, the electrical connection element having a first side that extends down a first side of the upwardly extending connection portion and a second side that extends down a second side of the upwardly extending connection portion; and wherein the fastener compressively tightens the shoulder against the upwardly extending connection portion, causing the fastener to compress the first side of the electrical connection element against the first side of the upwardly extending connection portion and to compress the second side of the electrical connection element against the second side of the upwardly extending connection portion. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
Specification