Transmitter for tire condition monitoring apparatus

• US 20020124637A1
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pacific Industrial Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Pacific Industrial Company Limited
• Inventors: Saheki, Setsuhiro, Sawafuji, Kazunori
• Granted Patent: US 6,568,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/146
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0494 Valve stem attachments positioned inside the tyre chamber

Abstract

A transmitter includes a main body and a valve stem. The main body has a resin casing, which includes a cylinder. A metal cylindrical collar is inserted in the cylinder. An inserting section of the valve stem is inserted in the collar, and a nut is fastened to a threaded portion of the inserting section. Accordingly, the cylinder and the collar are clamped between a step of the valve stem and the nut. The fastening force of the nut is applied mainly to the collar, thus barely affecting the cylinder. As a result, the valve stem is reliably attached to the main body in a stable manner.

Claims

1. A transmitter used in a tire condition monitoring apparatus for wirelessly transmitting data indicating a condition of a tire attached to a wheel of a vehicle, comprising:

a main body, which is located in the tire and has an attachment portion through which an attachment hole extends;

a cylindrical collar, which is received in the attachment hole, wherein the strength of the collar is larger than the strength of the main body;

a valve stem, which projects from the main body to pass through the wheel; and

a fastener, which is fastened to the valve stem to attach the valve stem to the attachment portion of the main body, wherein the attachment portion and the collar are clamped between the valve stem and the fastener when the fastener is fastened, and the fastening force of the fastener is applied mainly to the collar.

2. The transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the main body is formed of resin and the collar is formed of metal.

3. The transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the axial dimension of the collar is equal to or larger than the axial dimension of the attachment hole.

4. The transmitter as set forth in claim 1, wherein an elastic shock absorber is located between the attachment portion and the fastener.

5. A transmitter used in a tire condition monitoring apparatus for wirelessly transmitting data indicating a condition of a tire attached to a wheel of a vehicle, comprising:

a main body, which is located in the tire and has a cylinder through which a through hole extends;

a cylindrical collar, which is received in the through hole, wherein the strength of the collar is larger than the strength of the main body;

a valve stem, which projects from the main body to pass through the wheel, wherein an inserting section is formed at an end of the valve stem and is inserted in the collar, and a step is formed between the inserting section and the remainder of the valve stem; and

a nut, which is fastened to the inserting section to attach the valve stem to the cylinder, wherein the cylinder and the collar are clamped between the step and the nut when the nut is fastened, and the fastening force of the nut is applied mainly to the collar.

6. The transmitter as set forth in claim 5, wherein the main body is formed of resin and the collar is formed of metal.

7. The transmitter as set forth in claim 5, wherein the axial dimension of the collar is larger than the axial dimension of the cylinder.

8. The transmitter as set forth in claim 5, wherein an elastic, annular shock absorber is located between the cylinder and the nut.

9. The transmitter as set forth in claim 8, wherein the axial dimension of the collar is larger than the axial dimension of the cylinder and is smaller than the total of the axial dimension of the cylinder and the axial dimension of the shock absorber.

10. A transmitter used in a tire condition monitoring apparatus for wirelessly transmitting data indicating a condition of a tire attached to a wheel of a vehicle, comprising:

a main body, which is located in the tire and has a resin casing, wherein the casing has a cylinder through which a through hole extends;

a metal cylindrical collar, which is received in the through hole, wherein the axial dimension of the collar is larger than the axial dimension of the cylinder;

a valve stem, which projects from the main body to pass through the wheel, wherein an inserting section is formed at an end of the valve stem and is inserted in the collar, and a step is formed between the inserting section and the remainder of the valve stem;

a nut, which is fastened to the inserting section to attach the valve stem to the cylinder, wherein the cylinder and the collar are clamped between the step and the nut when the nut is fastened, and the fastening force of the nut is applied mainly to the collar; and

an elastic, annular shock absorber, which is located between the cylinder and the nut, wherein the axial dimension of the collar is smaller than the total of the axial dimension of the cylinder and the axial dimension of the shock absorber, and the shock absorber elastically deforms to press the cylinder to the step when the nut is fastened.