Tire pressure monitoring system

• US 8,610,553 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Han, Won, Song, Jong Hyeong, Lee, Kyung No, Hyun, Hae Seung, Han, Jong Woo
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US13/424,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20130169427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 340/447, 731/465, 343/711
• US Class Current: 340/447
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0452 Antenna structure, control or arrangement vehicle tyre mounted antennas H01Q1/2241
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0494 Valve stem attachments positioned inside the tyre chamber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10495 Pneumatic tire or inner tube

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a tire pressure monitoring system, including an electrical device unit including a pressure sensor for detecting an air pressure of a tire; a housing that is accommodated in the electrical device unit and into which the air pressure of the tire is introduced; a valve antenna having one end that is inserted into the housing and the other end into which the air pressure of the tire is introduced; a conduction member having one end that is electrically connected to the electrical device unit and the other end that is electrically connected to the valve antenna; and a coupling member fixing and coupling the housing and the valve antenna to each other, wherein the valve antenna transmits a pressure signal about the air pressure of the tire, which is detected by the pressure sensor, to a receiver of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A tire pressure monitoring system, comprising:

an electrical device unit including a pressure sensor for detecting an air pressure of a tire;

a housing that is accommodated in the electrical device unit and into which the air pressure of the tire is introduced;

a valve antenna having one end that is inserted into the housing and the other end into which the air pressure of the tire is introduced;

a conduction member having one end that is electrically connected to the electrical device unit and the other end that is electrically connected to the valve antenna; and

a coupling member fixing and coupling the housing and the valve antenna to each other,

wherein the valve antenna transmits a pressure signal about the air pressure of the tire, which is detected by the pressure sensor, to a receiver of a vehicle.

2. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conduction member is formed of a metal material that has elasticity so as to have a repulsive force against a compressive force exerted on the valve antenna.

3. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conduction member transmits the electrical signal of the electrical device unit to the valve antenna.

4. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a battery unit that is coupled to the electrical device unit and supplies power to the electrical device unit.

5. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve antenna includes:

a contact portion to which the conduction member is electrically connected;

a coupling groove having the coupling member penetrating therethrough; and

a valve air path that is formed in the valve antenna, having a predetermined interval from the coupling groove, to introduce the air pressure of the tire into the hosing.

6. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 5, wherein one end of the valve air path has an opening that is formed outside an outer circumference surface of the valve antenna and the other end of the valve air path is shaped like a hollow hole having an opening formed in an end portion of the valve antenna.

7. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the housing includes a coupling groove formed to face the coupling groove of the valve antenna, and

wherein the coupling member is coupled to the coupling grooves of the valve antenna and the housing so as to penetrate therethrough, thereby fixing and coupling the valve antenna and the housing to each other.

8. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve antenna includes:

a contact portion to which the conduction member is electrically connected;

a protrusion portion protruding from the contact portion toward the housing; and

a coupling groove having the coupling member penetrating therethrough.

9. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the valve antenna further includes a valve air path that is formed in the valve antenna, having a predetermined interval from the coupling groove, to introduce the air pressure of the tire into the hosing.

10. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the housing includes:

an accommodation groove formed in the housing so as to accommodate the protrusion portion of the valve antenna therein; and

a coupling groove formed to face the coupling groove of the valve antenna,

wherein the coupling member is coupled to the coupling grooves of the valve antenna and the housing so as to penetrate therethrough, thereby fixing and coupling the valve antenna and the housing to each other.

11. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the conduction member has the other end divided into two portions so that the protrusion portion penetrates therethrough, and is electrically connected to the contact portion.

12. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the conduction member includes an elastic piece that is formed between one end that is electrically connected to the electrical device unit and the other end that is electrically connected to the valve antenna.

13. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the protrusion portion has a circular cross section.

14. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the protrusion portion has any one of a semicircular cross section and a square cross section.

15. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve antenna includes:

a contact portion to which the conduction member is electrically connected;

a protrusion portion protruding from the contact portion toward the housing; and

a valve air path formed in the valve antenna so as to introduce the air pressure of the tire into the housing,

wherein the protrusion portion has an outer circumference surface on which screw threads are formed and has a circular cross section.

16. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the housing includes an accommodation groove accommodating the protrusion portion of the valve antenna therein, and

wherein the accommodation groove has an inner circumference surface on which screw threads are formed such that the screw thread are coupled with the protrusion portion.

17. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 9, wherein one end of the valve air path has an opening that is formed outside an outer circumference surface of the valve antenna and the other end of the valve air path is shaped like a hollow hole having an opening formed in an end portion of the valve antenna.

18. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the valve air path has a “

”

shaped cross section.

19. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve antenna includes:

a contact portion to which the conduction member is electrically connected;

a protrusion portion protruding from the contact portion toward the housing;

a valve air path shaped like a hollow hole having an opening that is formed in an upper portion of the protrusion portion so as to introduce the air pressure of the tire into the housing; and

a pair of coupling grooves formed from an outer circumference surface of the valve antenna to an inner portion.

20. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 19, wherein the housing includes:

an accommodation groove accommodating the protrusion portion of the valve antenna therein;

a coupling groove formed to face the coupling groove of the valve antenna; and

a housing air path connected to the opening of the valve air path so as to introduce the air pressure of the tire into the housing,

wherein the coupling member has the coupling groove penetrating therethrough so as to fix and couple the valve antenna and the housing to each other.

21. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve antenna includes:

a contact portion to which the conduction member is electrically connected;

a protrusion portion protruding from the contact portion toward the housing;

a coupling groove that is formed in an end portion of the protrusion portion and has the coupling member penetrating therethrough; and

a valve air path that is formed in the valve antenna, having a predetermined interval from the coupling groove, to introduce the air pressure of the tire into the housing.

22. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the housing includes a through hole that has an opening formed in an end portion of the housing so as to accommodate the protrusion portion of the valve antenna therein and to expose a portion of the protrusion portion to the outside of the housing.

23. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the conduction member has the other end divided into two portions so that the protrusion portion penetrates therethrough, and is electrically connected to the contact portion.

24. The tire pressure monitoring system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the protrusion portion has a coupling groove formed in an end portion having the through hole of the housing penetrating therethrough and is exposed to the outside, and

wherein the coupling member has the coupling groove penetrating therethrough so as to fix and couple the valve antenna and the housing to each other.