Pressure monitor for vehicle tire

• US 6,259,360 B1
• Filed: 09/20/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takamura, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US09/399,001
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 340/445, 340/447, 340/442, 731/465, 731/463, 200/61.22, 200/61.25, 116/34.R
• US Class Current: 340/445
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0401 characterised by the type of alarm
• 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 23/0474 Measurement control, e.g. setting measurement rate or calibrating of sensors; Further processing of measured values, e.g. filtering, compensating or slope monitoring

Abstract

The present invention offers a pressure monitor and a method of controlling the pressure monitor for a vehicle tire which enable reducing electric power consumption and issuing an alarm, when the tire pressure is equal to or lower than a predetermined alarm tire pressure. The pressure monitor comprises a signal sending device and a signal receiving device. The signal sending device includes a tire pressure sensor and a battery. The tire pressure sensor detects a tire pressure at each interval time, a predetermined unit time δt. The signal sending device sends an electric signal to the signal receiving device. The signal receiving device receives the electric signal from the signal sending device and issues an alarm when the detected tire pressure is equal to or lower than a predetermined tire pressure P1, P2 and P3 (P1>P2>P3). The signal sending device is installed on a wheel and is driven by the battery. The signal sending device sends the electric signal of the tire pressure detected by the tire pressure sensor at periodical interval ΔT and sends at the time when a change in the value of the detected tire pressure in the interval n2×δt is equal to or more than the value of n2×δpt. The number n2 is set to satisfy with 0<n2≦n1 (n1=ΔT/δt). The predetermined standard value δpt is, for example, set to satisfy an equation δpt=(a normal tire pressure-the first alarm tire pressure)/n1.

Claims

1. A pressure monitor for a vehicle tire comprising:

a signal sending device, including a tire pressure sensor and a battery, for sending an electric signal in response to a tire pressure detected by said tire pressure sensor; and

a signal receiving device for receiving the electric signal,

wherein said signal sending device sends electric signals at predetermined sending intervals and sends an electric signal if a change in the value of the tire pressure in a predetermined unit of time is equal to or more than a predetermined standard value;

wherein said signal receiving device further comprises at least one alarm for issuing an alarm on the basis of comparing the tire pressure detected by said tire pressure sensor with a predetermined alarm tire pressure, and said signal receiving device issues an alarm when the detected tire pressure is equal to or less than the predetermined alarm tire pressure; and

wherein the standard value is determined on the basis of the predetermined sending interval and the predetermined alarm tire pressure.

2. The pressure monitor for a vehicle tire according to claim 1, wherein said signal sending device sends the electric signal to said signal receiving device if an average of the change in the value of the tire pressure in a standard time is equal to or more than the standard value, the standard time being determined to be equal to n2×

δ

t by selecting a value n2 which is equal to or less than n1 (=Δ

T /δ

t) calculated from the predetermined sending interval Δ

T and the predetermined unit time δ

t, and multiplying the value n2 by the predetermined unit time δ

t.

3. The pressure monitor for a vehicle tire according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of alarm tire pressures, each having a different value, are provided in said signal receiving device and the standard value is determined on the basis of the tire pressure which is equal to or more than the minimum value among a difference between a predetermined normal tire pressure and the highest alarm tire pressure and the differences between pairs of successive alarm tire pressures.

4. The pressure monitor for a vehicle tire according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of alarm tire pressures, each having a different value, are provided in said signal receiving device and the standard value is determined on the basis of the tire pressure which is equal to or more than the minimum value among a difference between a predetermined normal tire pressure and the highest alarm tire pressure and the differences between pairs of successive alarm tire pressures.

5. The pressure monitor for a vehicle tire according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of alarm tire pressures are provided in said signal receiving device and the standard value is determined on the basis of the tire pressure which is equal to or less than the difference between the predetermined normal tire pressure and the lowest alarm tire pressure.

6. The pressure monitor for a vehicle tire according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of alarm tire pressures are provided in said signal receiving device and the standard value is determined on the basis of the tire pressure which is equal to or less than the difference between the predetermined normal tire pressure and the lowest alarm tire pressure.

7. A method of sending an electric signal of a signal sending device in a pressure monitor for a vehicle tire comprising the signal sending device and a signal receiving device, comprising:

detecting a tire pressure at predetermined time unit intervals;

sending electric signals of the tire pressures at predetermined intervals and sending an electric signal if a change in the value of the tire pressure in the predetermined time unit is equal to or more than a predetermined standard value,

wherein said signal receiving device issues an alarm when the detected tire pressure is equal to or less than a predetermined alarm time pressure; and

wherein the electric signal from said signal sending device to said signal receiving device is sent if an average of the change in the value of the tire pressure in a standard time is equal to or more than the standard value, the standard time being determined to be equal to n2×

δ

t by selecting a value n2 which is equal to or less than n1(=Δ

T/δ

t) calculated from the predetermined sending interval Δ

T and the predetermined unit time δ

t, and multiplying the value n2 by the predetermined unit time δ

t.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the standard value is determined on the basis of the tire pressure which is equal to or more than the minimum value among difference between a predetermined normal tire pressure and the highest alarm tire pressure and the differences between pairs of successive alarm tire pressures of a plurality of alarm tire pressures.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the standard value is determined on the basis of the tire pressure which is equal to or more than the minimum value among difference between a predetermined normal tire pressure and the highest alarm tire pressure and the differences between pairs of successive alarm tire pressures of a plurality of alarm tire pressures.

10. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the standard value is determined on the basis of the tire pressure which is equal to or less than the difference between the predetermined normal tire pressure and the lowest alarm tire pressure of a plurality of alarm tire pressures.

11. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the standard value is determined on the basis of the tire pressure which is equal to or less than the difference between the predetermined normal tire pressure and the lowest alarm tire pressure of a plurality of alarm tire pressures.