Pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire which utilizes pressure-sensitive displacement of an internal magnet

• US 5,537,867 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 07/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Menjou, Tsukasa, Itoh, Norihisa, Kosaka, Katsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oen, William L.
• Application Number:
  US08/467,120
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 73/146.5, 340/444, 340/448, 340/499
• US Class Current: 73/146.5
• 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 23/0425 Means comprising permanent magnets, e.g. Hall-effect or Reed-switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/113 Tyre related sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/04 using magnetically coupled devices

Abstract

A magnetic-flux change-generating device 2 causes amplitude modulation of alternating magnetic flux in accordance with displacement of a movable body, and an amplitude-compensating device (low-pass filter) 4 causes attenuation of amplitude of electromagnetic-induction voltage of a pickup coil 3 substantially proportionally to frequency. When frequency of the alternating magnetic flux (also termed "carrier frequency") fluctuates, the amplitude of the electromagnetic-induction voltage fluctuates in proportion to the frequency, but because the amplitude of the electromagnetic-induction voltage is caused to be attenuated at an attenuation rate which is substantially proportional to the frequency, displacement can be detected accurately by this amplitude change, irrespective of change in the frequency of the alternating magnetic flux (i.e., the carrier frequency of the electromagnetic-induction voltage).

Claims

1. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire, comprising:

pressure detecting means for detecting change in air pressure of a tire as change in magnetic flux;

signal outputting means for outputting signals which change in accordance with a amount of change of said magnetic flux;

amplitude compensating means for generating signals compensating for change in said signals from said signal outputting means due to tire rotating speed; and

discriminating means for discriminating pressure values of said air pressure as a plurality of values, in accordance with said signals from said amplitude compensating means.

2. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 1, wherein said pressure detecting means has a pressure-sensor portion composed of a first magnet whose position changes in accordance with a change internal pressure of said tire, and a second magnet which has poles whose positions change in accordance with magnetism of said first magnet.

3. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire, comprising:

a sensor to output signals of which frequency and amplitude thereof change in accordance with change in tire air pressure and with tire rotating speed;

amplitude compensating means for compensating for change in said signal amplitude due to tire rotating speed; and

discriminating means for discriminating change in tire air pressure from said compensated signals.

4. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 3, wherein said amplitude compensating means is a frequency filtering means having attenuation characteristics with respect to a predetermined frequency range.

5. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 4, wherein said frequency filtering means is a low-pass filter.

6. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 4, wherein said frequency filtering means is a bandpass filter.

7. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 4, wherein one end of the frequency range of the signals output from said sensor is established at a cutoff frequency of said frequency filtering means.

8. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire, comprising:

a pickup coil disposed on a vehicle;

magnetic-flux change means installed in a tire to be displaced in accordance with tire air pressure and for causing an amount of magnetic flux, which is linked with said pickup coil, to change in accordance with the displacement;

amplitude compensating means for attenuating amplitude of electromagnetic induction voltage of alternating current, which is generated at said pickup coil in accordance with the amount of said magnetic flux, at an attenuation rate substantially proportional to a rotating frequency of said tire; and

discriminating means for discriminating said tire air pressure on a basis of amplitude of said electromagnetic induction voltage compensated by said amplitude compensating means.

9. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 8, wherein said amplitude compensating means is composed of a low-pass filter, and an attenuation band of said low-pass filter is established so that said rotating frequency of said tire is included within said attenuation band.

10. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 8, wherein said attenuation rate is established in a range of 0.5K to 2K, when K is a predetermined proportional constant value.

11. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 8, wherein said amplitude compensating means is composed of an integrating circuit which negatively feeds back output voltage through a parallel feedback circuit of a shunt resistance Rs and a return capacitance C, and a parameter fc, where fc=1/(2π

RsC), is established at a value smaller than said rotating frequency.

12. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire, comprising:

a fixed magnet;

a movable magnet facing said fixed magnet and of which an interval with said fixed magnet interposed therebetween changes in accordance with change in tire air pressure;

a rotating magnet which is positioned between said fixed magnet and said moveable magnet and is supported freely rotatably, and which is rotated by displacement of said movable magnet, wherein said rotating magnet causes a pickup coil to generate an electromagnetic-induction signal having frequency corresponding to vehicle speed and amplitude corresponding to said vehicle speed and said displacement;

amplitude compensating means for compensating change in amplitude of said electromagnetic-induction signal due to said vehicle speed; and

discriminating means for discriminating said tire air pressure on a basis of amplitude of said electromagnetic-induction signal compensated by said amplitude compensating means.

13. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 12, wherein said amplitude compensating means is a frequency filtering means having attenuation characteristics with respect to a predetermined frequency range.

14. A pneumatic detection apparatus for a tire according to claim 12, further comprising:

comparing means for comparing a tire air-pressure signal corresponding to an amplitude of an output signal of said amplitude compensating means with a plurality of threshold values; and

displaying means for displaying comparison results according to said comparing means.