Vehicle tyre pressure checking
First Claim
1. A method of checking the inflation pressure of a vehicle tyre whilst moving the tyre in a direction of travel over a sensor array extending in a lateral direction with respect to the direction of travel, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of laterally spaced sensor members each of which is elongate and extends from a first end to a second end in a longitudinal direction which extends sideways from said lateral direction, so that loads are applied to different positions along the sensor member as the tyre moves over the array;
- wherein each sensor member is provided with a respective load sensing system which provides an output representing the load on the sensor member as a tyre moves over the array, and there is provided a processing module which processes outputs from the load sensing systems of the sensor members and provides data representing the pressure of the tyre; and
wherein the sensitivity of each sensor member increases from a minimum for a load applied at the first end of the sensor member, to a maximum for a load applied at the second end of the sensor member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor array (13) for checking the pressure of a vehicle tire while being moved over the array comprises two sets (14) and (19) of aligned, facing sensor members. The first set (14) of sensor members is formed by slits (15) cut into a plate of metal to form first fingers (16) connected in cantilevered fashion to a first base portion (17), which extend in the direction of intended vehicle movement to free ends (18). The second set (19) of sensor members is formed by slits (20) cut into a plate of metal to form second fingers (21) connected in cantilevered fashion to a second base portion (22), which extend in the reverse of the direction of intended vehicle movement to free ends (23). The fingers of the two sets are aligned and the free ends (18) and (23) are closely adjacent. Each finger is provided with a load sensing system (28, 29) which provides an indication of the load on the finger as the tire moves over the finger. Loads are applied to different positions along the fingers as the tire moves over the array. The sensitivity of the array increases from a minimum for a load applied where the first fingers (16) are attached to the first base portion (17), to a maximum adjacent the free ends (18, 23) of the first and second fingers (16) and (21), and then decreases to a minimum where the second fingers (21) are attached to the second base portion (22). The fingers may be replaced by series of individual sensing elements (42) arranged in groups so as to constitute sensor members, whose outputs are weighted so that the sensitivity varies in a similar manner along a sensor member.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of checking the inflation pressure of a vehicle tyre whilst moving the tyre in a direction of travel over a sensor array extending in a lateral direction with respect to the direction of travel, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of laterally spaced sensor members each of which is elongate and extends from a first end to a second end in a longitudinal direction which extends sideways from said lateral direction, so that loads are applied to different positions along the sensor member as the tyre moves over the array;
- wherein each sensor member is provided with a respective load sensing system which provides an output representing the load on the sensor member as a tyre moves over the array, and there is provided a processing module which processes outputs from the load sensing systems of the sensor members and provides data representing the pressure of the tyre; and
wherein the sensitivity of each sensor member increases from a minimum for a load applied at the first end of the sensor member, to a maximum for a load applied at the second end of the sensor member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- wherein each sensor member is provided with a respective load sensing system which provides an output representing the load on the sensor member as a tyre moves over the array, and there is provided a processing module which processes outputs from the load sensing systems of the sensor members and provides data representing the pressure of the tyre; and
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20. Apparatus for checking the inflation pressure of a vehicle tyre whilst moving in an intended direction of travel, comprising a sensor array extending in a lateral direction with respect to the intended direction of travel, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of laterally spaced sensor members each of which comprises an elongate beam which extends from a first end to a second end in a longitudinal direction which extends sideways from said lateral direction, so that loads are applied to different positions along the beams as the tyre moves over the array;
- wherein each beam is provided with a respective load sensing system which provides an output representing the load on the beam as a tyre moves over the array, and there is provided a processing module which processes outputs from the load sensing systems of the beams and provides data representing the pressure of the tyre; and
wherein(i) the sensor array comprises a first set of laterally spaced first sensor members and an opposed second set of laterally spaced second sensor members; (ii) each of the first sensor members is in the form of a first beam having a first end and a second end; and
each of the first beams is connected to a first support at the first end of the first beam and projects in cantilever fashion to the second end of the first beam;
the sensitivity of each first sensor member increasing from a minimum for a load applied at the first end of the first beam, to a maximum for a load applied at the second end of the first beam; and(iii) each of the second sensor members is in the form of a second beam having a first end and a second end; and
each of the second beams is connected to a second support at the first end of the second beam and projects in cantilever fashion to the second end of the second beam;
the second end of each second beam being adjacent the second end of an opposed first beam;
the sensitivity of each second sensor member decreasing from a maximum for a load applied at the second end of the second beam, to a minimum for a load applied at the first end of the second beam. - View Dependent Claims (21)
- wherein each beam is provided with a respective load sensing system which provides an output representing the load on the beam as a tyre moves over the array, and there is provided a processing module which processes outputs from the load sensing systems of the beams and provides data representing the pressure of the tyre; and
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22. Apparatus for checking the inflation pressure of a vehicle tyre whilst moving in an intended direction of travel, comprising a sensor array extending in a lateral direction with respect to the intended direction of travel;
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wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of laterally spaced sensor members each of which extends in a longitudinal direction which extends sideways from said lateral direction, so that loads are applied to different positions along the sensor members as the tyre moves over the array; wherein each sensor member is provided with a respective load sensing system which provides an output representing the load on the sensor as a tyre moves over the array, and there is provided a processing module which processes outputs from the load sensing systems and provides data representing the pressure of the tyre; and
wherein each sensor member is in the form of a series of longitudinally spaced, discreet sensing elements so that loads are applied to different sensing elements of a sensor member as the tyre moves over the array, the outputs of the sensing elements having a sensitivity which increases from a minimum for a load applied to a sensing element at the first end of the sensor member, to a maximum for a load applied to a sensing element at the second end of the sensor member. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification