Tire pressure warning system

• US 7,132,938 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang, Son
• Application Number:
  US10/969,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0408 transmitting the signals by non-mechanical means from the wheel or tyre to a vehicle body mounted receiver

Abstract

A tire pressure warning system has an air pressure detecting device 3, a low pressure warning display unit 5 and a fuel consumption deterioration warning display unit 4. The air pressure detecting device 3 detects an air pressure of each tire 2 of a vehicle. The low pressure warning display unit 5 warns an occupant of a reduced air pressure when an air pressure detected by the air pressure detecting device 3 is lower than a running inhibition tire pressure 11 set in advance. The fuel consumption deterioration warning display unit 4 warns the occupant of a deterioration in a fuel consumption when the air pressure is lower than a fuel consumption deteriorating tire pressure 12 which is set higher than the running inhibition tire pressure 11.

Claims

1. A tire pressure warning system comprising:

an air pressure detecting unit for detecting an air pressure of each tire of a vehicle;

a low pressure warning unit for warning an occupant that an air pressure is reduced when an air pressure detected by the air pressure detecting unit is lower than a running inhibition tire pressure set in advance; and

a fuel consumption deterioration warning unit for warning the occupant of a deterioration in a fuel consumption when the air pressure is lower than a fuel consumption deteriorating tire pressure, wherein the fuel consumption deteriorating tire pressure is set higher than the running inhibition tire pressure.

2. The tire pressure warning system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle speed detecting unit for detecting a vehicle speed; and

a vehicle speed changing unit for changing at least one of the running inhibition tire pressure and the fuel consumption deteriorating tire pressure in accordance with the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting unit.

3. The tire pressure warning system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a load detecting unit for detecting a load of the tire relative to the surface of a road; and

a load changing unit for changing at least one of the running inhibition tire pressure and the fuel consumption deteriorating tire pressure according to the load detected by the load detecting unit.

4. The tire pressure warning system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a load detecting unit for detecting a load of the tire relative to the surface of a road; and

a load changing unit for changing at least one of the running inhibition tire pressure and the fuel consumption deteriorating tire pressure according to the load detected by the load detecting unit.