Tire alarm device

• US 7,391,307 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yokohama Rubber Company Limited
• Inventors: Kuwajima, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fan; Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US10/552,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 340442-448, 731/46, 731/465, 152/152.1
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 17/0009 comprising sidewall rubber inserts, e.g. crescent shaped inserts
• 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 23/20 Devices for measuring or signalling tyre temperature only

Abstract

A tire alarm device gives a warning against the runflat operation limit of a pneumatic tire during runflat operation, the tire having a reinforcement layer disposed in each sidewall thereof for enabling the runflat operation. The device includes a tire temperature sensor used to warn of the runflat operation limit, and the tire temperature sensor is disposed on the inner surface of one of the sidewalls facing the reinforcement layer therein.

Claims

1. A tire alarm device that gives a warning against a runflat operation limit of a pneumatic tire during runflat operation having a reinforcement layer disposed in each sidewall thereof for enabling the run flat operation, comprising:

a tire temperature sensor disposed on an inner surface of one of the sidewalls facing the reinforcement layer therein, the tire temperature sensor being used to warn of the runtlat operation limit,

a processing means that determines whether or not the tire has reached a zone of the runflat operation limit based on a signal detected by the temperature sensor;

a warning means that gives a warning if the processing means determines that the tire has reached the runflat operation limit zone;

a tire side unit having the tire temperature sensor; and

a transmitting means that transmits the signal detected by the tire temperature sensor, and a vehicle side unit having a receiving means that receives the signal from the transmitting means, the processing means and the warning means,

wherein the vehicle side unit has a memory that stores a preset limit temperature data according to the runflat operation limit zone, and wherein the processing means compares a temperature data value of the signal detected by the tire temperature sensor with a value of the limit temperature data, and determines that the tire has reached the runflat operation limit zone if the temperature data value of the detected signal exceeds the limit temperature data value,

wherein the tire side unit has a tire inner pressure sensor for detecting pressure in a cavity of the pneumatic tire, and wherein the processing means determines whether or not a value of the pressure detected by the tire inner pressure sensor is below a prescribed threshold value, and determines that the tire is operated in a runflat condition if the detected pressure value is less than the prescribed threshold value, and determines whether or not the tire has reached the runflat operation limit zone if the processing means determines that the tire is operated in the runflat condition, and

wherein the memory stores time history data of the temperature detected, and wherein the processing means calculates a sectional approximate function of the temperature time history data by using at least four consecutive temperature data including a latest temperature data in the temperature time history data stored in the memory if the processing means determines that the tire has not reached the runflat operation limit zone, and estimates values of the temperature after the latest temperature data in time series by an extrapolation method using the sectional approximate function, and calculates a time interval reaching the limit temperature data value on the basis of the estimated temperature values.

2. A tire alarm device that gives a warning against a runflat operation limit of a pneumatic tire during runflat operation having a reinforcement layer disposed in each sidewall thereof for enabling the runflat operation, comprising:

a tire temperature sensor disposed on an inner surface of one of the sidewalls facing the reinforcement layer therein, the tire temperature sensor being used to warn of the runflat operation limit;

a tire inner pressure sensor for detecting pressure in a cavity of the pneumatic tire;

a speed obtaining means for obtaining a running speed of a vehicle on which the pneumatic tire is mounted;

a processing means that determines whether or not the tire has reached a zone of the runflat operation limit based on signals from the tire temperature sensor, the tire inner pressure sensor and the speed obtaining means; and

a warning means that gives a warning if the processing means determines that the tire has reached the runflat operation limit zone,

wherein the processing means calculates a temporal integration value obtained by integrating by time a total evaluation function f₄ that is a combination of an evaluation function f₁ for evaluating degree of risk according to the tire inner pressure, an evaluation function f₂ for evaluating degree of risk according to the vehicle running speed and an evaluation function f₃ for evaluating degree of risk according to the tire temperature and has variables according to time, and determines whether or not the tire has reached the runflat operation limit zone based on the temporal integration value and a preset limit value L.

3. A tire alarm device according to claim 2, comprising a memory storing the preset limit value L, the processing means comparing the temporal integration value with the preset limit value L and determining that the tire has reached the run flat operation limit zone if the temporal integration value exceeds the preset limit value L.

4. A tire alarm device according to claim 3, wherein the processing means determines whether or not a value of the pressure detected by the tire inner pressure sensor is below a prescribed threshold value, and determines that the tire is operated in a runflat condition if the detected pressure value is less than the prescribed threshold value, and determines whether or not the tire has reached the runflat operation limit zone if the processing means determines that the tire is operated in the runflat condition.

5. A tire alarm device according to claim 4, wherein the memory stores values of the total evaluation function f₄ as time history data, and wherein, if the processing means determines that the tire has not reached the runflat operation limit zone, the processing means calculates a sectional approximate function f'"'"'₄ of the total evaluation function f₄ by using at least four consecutive data including a latest data in the time history data of the values of the total evaluation function f₄ stored in the memory, and estimates values of the total evaluation function f₄ after the latest data in time series by an extrapolation method using the sectional approximate function f'"'"'₄, and calculates a time interval until the tire reaches the run hat operation limit zone, using the values estimated in time series and the limit value L.

6. A tire alarm device according to claim 2, comprising a tire side unit having the tire temperature sensor, the tire inner pressure sensor and a transmitting means that transmits the signals detected by the tire temperature sensor and the tire inner pressure sensor, and a vehicle side unit having a receiving means that receives the signals from the transmitting means, the processing means and the warning means.