By Direct Fluid Pressure Reading Patents (Class 73/146.3)
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Patent number: 8276442Abstract: A device for estimating an inflation state of a tire of at least one wheel of an automobile, that includes a memory storing a reference signature including a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to reference running conditions; a mechanism determining a current signature including a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to current running conditions; a mechanism comparing the current signature and the reference signature, and capable of outputting a signal based on the deviation between the current signature and the reference signature.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2008Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Renault S.A.S.Inventors: Arnaud Andrieux, Christian Chabanon
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Patent number: 8279055Abstract: After the running wheels 12FR, 12FL, 12RR and 12RL are replaced from the summer wheel set to the winter wheel set (non-mounted wheels 12), when the vehicle 10 is running at a speed more than a predetermined speed, and if all ID numbers contained in the data received within a predetermined time are entirely identical to the sensor IDs corresponding to the non-mounted wheels 12, the sensor IDs identified in the sensor ID identification portion 54 are automatically switched from the sensor IDs corresponding to the summer wheel set to the sensor IDs of the winter wheel set.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2010Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Makoto Isomura
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Publication number: 20120234087Abstract: A wheel monitoring system that includes a tracking filter apparatus for tracking a signal that has a varying main frequency. The tracking filter apparatus has an adjustable filter and a filter controller arranged to measure the amplitude of the filtered signal and to compare amplitude against a reference value. The filter controller adjusts the cut off frequency of the filter if the measured amplitude differs from the reference value by an amount that exceeds a threshold value. The filter controller adjusts the cut off frequency such that the main frequency lies within the roll off region of the filter's frequency response. The system may be used to track signals that are produced by shock sensors in a wheel mounted monitoring device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: Schrader Electronics LimitedInventors: Samuel Strahan, Christopher Ainsworth
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Patent number: 8258938Abstract: A pressure detection unit includes a front-wheel transmitter and a rear-wheel transmitter operatively connected to wheel rims of a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively. Inflation pressure signals transmitted from the front-wheel transmitter and the rear-wheel transmitter are received by a receiver. The receiver is arranged to be offset outward of a straight line connecting the front-wheel transmitter and the rear-wheel transmitter in the vehicle-body width direction. More specifically, the receiver is arranged in a space surrounded by a front cowl and a side panel, the space being between a coolant reserve tank and a radiator. The single receiver receives the signals transmitted from the front-wheel transmitter and the rear-wheel transmitter.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2009Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masakuni Ando, Kunihiko Fukui, Yuki Kanai, Makoto Hattori, Koji Suzuki
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Publication number: 20120118056Abstract: A method for detecting a decrease in tire air pressure based on wheel rotation speed information obtained from tires attached to a four-wheel vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Inventor: Keisuke SHUTO
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Publication number: 20120067116Abstract: This wheel is equipped with a tyre and an electric device (100), which needs to be supplied with power in order to operate. The device comprises a system (200) for converting the difference in pressure between the pressurized gas inside the tyre and the free air outside the tyre into electric power used for supplying the electric device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2010Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternativesInventors: Thierry Hilt, Bruno Mourey
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Patent number: 8130091Abstract: A tire pressure detecting apparatus has a micro-controller, a detecting module and a transceiver. The detecting module is electronically connected to the micro-controller and has a tire pressure detecting unit controlled by the micro-controller to detect a tire pressure inside a tire. The transceiver is electronically connected to the micro-controller, transmits a high frequency signal corresponding to detected characteristic tire parameters from the detecting module to a monitoring system inside a car and receives an external high frequency signal sent from external tire pressure detecting apparatus for the micro-controller, with the micro-controller temporarily delaying sending of the high frequency signal until a waiting time has expired to prevent signal collision between the high frequency signal and the external high frequency signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2009Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Orange Electronic Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hung-Chih Yu
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Patent number: 8096174Abstract: A vehicle includes an ABS, which controls braking force on wheels, and a tire condition monitoring apparatus, which detects the internal air pressure of tires. The dynamic rolling radius of the tires is computed based on signals from rotation sensor units of the ABS. The weight of a load carried by the vehicle is computed based on the dynamic rolling radius of the tires and the internal air pressure of the tires detected by the tire condition monitoring apparatus. When computing the load weight, a load weight determination map, which previously sets the relationship among the internal air pressure of the tires, the dynamic rolling radius of the tires, and the weight of the load carried by the vehicle, is used.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2009Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Pacific Industrial Co., LtdInventor: Michiya Katou
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Publication number: 20120000277Abstract: A vehicle having a device for acquiring and transmitting at least one measurement signal that characterizes the state of a vehicle tire, such as tire air pressure and/or tire air temperature, having at least one sensor module that is supplied with electrical energy by an energy supply device and that contains at least one tire air pressure sensor and/or at least one tire air temperature sensor, the energy supply device having at least one generator that rotates with the vehicle tire as well as at least one magnetic field generator, an electrical voltage being produced in the generator by electromagnetic induction. The magnetic field generator is situated on a brake caliper of a disc brake of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2009Publication date: January 5, 2012Inventor: Uwe Fischer
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Patent number: 8072320Abstract: A tire pressure monitor system tool is capable of communicating with a plurality of tire pressure monitor systems. The tool includes a storing module that stores a plurality of communication protocols that are used for enabling the tool to communicate with a tire pressure monitor system. The tool enables a user to input vehicle data for identifying a vehicle having a tire pressure monitor system with which to communicate. Based on the vehicle data input, the tool determines a tire pressure monitor system installed on the vehicle using information stored by the tool. The tool determines a tire pressure monitor system installed on the vehicle. Based on the tire pressure monitor system installed on the vehicle, the tool determines a protocol used by the tire pressure monitor system to communicate with, for example, the tool and an electronic control unit of a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: SPX CorporationInventors: Robert Kochie, Garret Miller
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Patent number: 8058981Abstract: A tire pressure-monitoring device (TPMD) directly mounted onto an air-pumping inlet-stem on a tire. The TPMD includes a light emitter connected to a battery through an electrical connecting loop wherein the electrical connecting loop comprising a plurality of electrical conductive structural components and at least two of the structural components are physically separated in a normal tire pressure condition and connected in a low pressure tire pressure condition for providing power to the light emitter for emitting a low tire pressure warning light.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2007Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Kysonix, Inc.Inventors: James Y. Yang, Yunlong Min, Jianyun Yang, Qiang Shen, Huigang Tu
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Patent number: 8054169Abstract: A method for detecting a pressure loss of a tire in a vehicle equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system. The method includes the following steps carried out in the parked state of the vehicle: deactivate the tire pressure monitoring system, which contains at least one electronic wheel device disposed in a vehicle wheel, activate the tire pressure monitoring system after a first defined period of time or upon a vehicle-side request, determine tire-related information of the vehicle wheels associated with the electronic wheel devices by the respective electronic wheel device and generate status signals containing the tire-related information, communicate the status signals to an evaluation device, return to the first method step at the latest after a second period of time.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2009Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbHInventors: Jürgen Bettecken, Frank Fischer
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Publication number: 20110219864Abstract: Disclosed is a tire condition detection apparatus capable of detecting the condition of a tire with a high degree of precision. The tire condition detection apparatus detects the tire condition of a pneumatic tire fixed to a wheel, and has a vibration input section that inputs predetermined vibration to the tire, a frequency information acquisition section that acquires frequency information of the tire when the predetermined vibration is input, and a tire condition estimation section that extracts a resonance frequency of the tire from the acquired frequency information, and calculates a spring constant when the tire is modeled using an outer moment of inertia, an inner moment of inertia, and a spring constant of elastic force acting therebetween, from the extracted tire resonance frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2010Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Junichi Yukawa, Hideki Nakata, Youichi Kurosawa
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Publication number: 20110205047Abstract: Various embodiments may include methods and systems for determining a tire pressure status. The system may include at least one computer. An input defining an inflation status of one or more vehicle tires, as well as tire inflation data of the one or more tires, may be received. A specific value associated with an inflation event of the one or more vehicle tires may be calculated based on the inflation data. Further, one or more messages for outputting the specific value from one or more vehicle components may be generated and transmitted to the one or more vehicle components. The specific value may be output as one or more messages from the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Dilip B. Patel, Steven Yellin Schondorf, John Robert Van Wiemeersch, Brian Bennie, Gregory Swadling
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Publication number: 20110185802Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is an arrangement for determining the pressure in an undercarriage tyre of an aircraft, which arrangement has a measurement matrix (1) with a plurality of load sensors which are arranged in an area over which the aircraft tyre can roll. The invention provides that the arrangement is designed to measure the pressure difference between two or more undercarriage tyres.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2010Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: LUFTHANSA TECHNIK AGInventors: Manfred Paul, Stefan Schoellmann
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Patent number: 7987706Abstract: The present invention provides a tire air-pressure sensor (30) in which water is hard to intrude into a communication passage (36) communicating with a sensor portion (18a) of an air-pressure sensor element (18) and in which water having intruded into the communication passage (36) is discharged out of a case (32). Two air holes (34), (34) are formed in a crest portion of the case (32) of the tire air-pressure sensor (30) arranged and fixed in a wheel (10) in a manner to be positionally shifted in a rotating direction of the wheel (10), and an opening of an air vent hole (16) is formed in a cap (38) which is put on the air-pressure sensor element (18) arranged in the case (32), at an intermediate position between the two air holes (34), (34) in the rotating direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2007Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Yokowo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Tanuma, Naoki Saito
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Publication number: 20110148616Abstract: Systems and methods facilitate the monitoring of tire pressure, the detection/determination of wheel speed, or a combination thereof. A system is provided comprising a hub cap, a target coupled to the hub cap, and at least two displacement sensors configured to measure a displacement between each displacement sensor and the target. The target has a variable thickness, and the target comprises a hollow vessel in fluid communication with a tire.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: GOODRICH CORPORATIONInventor: Eric D. Cahill
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Patent number: 7963159Abstract: Preferably, an embodiment of a tire inflation system includes at least an axle housing a pressurized fluid, a hubcap supported by the axle and having an interior and an exterior, a rotary union axially aligned with the axle and mounted to the hubcap from the exterior of the hubcap, and a lubrication trap axially aligned with the axle, supporting the rotary union and secured to the hubcap from the exterior of the hubcap for rotation with the hubcap. In another embodiment, a tire inflation system includes at least an axle housing a pressurized fluid, a hubcap supported by the axle and having an interior and an exterior, a rotary union axially aligned with the axle and mounted to the hubcap from the exterior of the hubcap, and a bushing axially aligned with the axle and disposed between the rotary union and the hubcap.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2008Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: Airgo IP, LLCInventors: Anthony L. Ingram, Calvin Burgess, Michael H. Penwell, Patrick E. Roberts
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Publication number: 20110130919Abstract: In a method for detecting a rolling motion of a wheel in a motor vehicle, a wheel acceleration variable characterizing a wheel acceleration is recorded using at least one sensor element, the wheel acceleration variable is scanned at various scanning points in time, and the presence of a rolling motion is detected with the aid of the scanned values. The wheel acceleration variable is scanned in a cycle, including at least three scanning points in time, of nonequidistant points in time.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2007Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Marco Neuscheler, Axel Wenzler
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Patent number: 7913551Abstract: A tire pressure gauge with a valve cap wrench is disclosed. A bore at one end of the tire pressure gauge may be used to grip and remove a valve cap mounted on a valve stem of a tire. A port at the other end of the tire pressure gauge may be used to measure air pressure in a tire. The measured air pressure may be displayed on a display on the tire pressure gauge. The cap wrench may have a collet to hold a valve cap and a switch to tighten and loosen grip on a valve cap. The cap wrench may also have a plunger to push a valve cap out of the tire pressure gauge.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2010Date of Patent: March 29, 2011Assignee: Measurement Ltd.Inventor: Christine Anderson Bucknell
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Patent number: 7911332Abstract: A wheel having a controlled pressure includes a rim associated with a tank adapted to be filled with a fluid to a first pressure; a tire mounted on the rim and having an inner volume inflated to an operating pressure at a reference temperature, the operating pressure being lower than the first pressure; and at least one valve assembly adapted to establish a communication between the tank, the inner volume of the tire and the external environment. The valve assembly includes a command valve, an exhaust valve and a compensation valve operatively associated with each other. The command valve controls communication between the tank and the inner volume of the tire. The exhaust valve is connected to the external environment, to the inner volume, to the command valve and to the compensation valve. The compensation valve is connected to the exhaust valve and the command valve.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2004Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Pirelli Tyre S.p.A.Inventors: Renato Caretta, Pier Giuseppe Piantanida, Stefano Sangiovanni, Maurizio Marchini, Giorgia Sgalari
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Publication number: 20110048121Abstract: A sensor-reader combination for measuring the size of a parameter of a device, the device and reader are postponed at a different physical position from each other. The measuring is done in a measuring space (19, 38, 50, 111, 130) representing said device regarding to the to be measured size of a parameter, said space is positioned nearby said reader.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2008Publication date: March 3, 2011Applicant: NVB International UK LtdInventor: Nicolaas van der Blom
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Patent number: 7889064Abstract: A combined tire pressure gauge and remote tire pressure display includes a port adapted to couple to a vehicle tire valve stem and to open a valve in the valve stem; a chamber in physical communication with the port; a local pressure transducer in the chamber for detecting a pressure of a fluid within the vehicle tire and providing an output signal representative of the detected pressure; a wireless receiver for receiving a signal identifying a tire pressure sensor and having a detected tire pressure and for providing an output signal; a processor for receiving the output signal from the pressure transducer and the output signal from the wireless receiver, and for providing a processor output signal indicative of an identified tire and a value of the detected pressure, in a remote tire display mode, and for providing a processor output signal indicative of a detected tire pressure, in a tire pressure gauge mode; and a display coupled to the processor for providing a visible indication of detected pressure valType: GrantFiled: October 27, 2008Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Measurement LimitedInventor: Steven Petrucelli
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Publication number: 20110030464Abstract: A device for estimating an inflation state of a tire of at least one wheel of an automobile, that includes a memory storing a reference signature including a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to reference running conditions; a mechanism determining a current signature including a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to current running conditions; a mechanism comparing the current signature and the reference signature, and capable of outputting a signal based on the deviation between the current signature and the reference signature.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2008Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: RENAULT S.A.S.Inventors: Arnaud Andrieux, Christian Chabanon
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Patent number: 7880595Abstract: A vehicle monitoring system which can readily identify information transmitted from each detecting device without requiring registration of identifying information of the detecting device is to be provided. Detecting devices transmit vehicle information including at least the result of detection and self-identifying information; a tractor relaying device and a trailer relaying device add their self-identifying information to vehicle data received on the basis of the identifying information of the detecting devices and transmit the vehicle data, and transmit registration data including their own relaying device IDs and types indicating the registration of the relaying device IDs; the tractor relaying device stores the relaying device ID of the registration data transmitted from the trailer relaying device on the basis of the type information and transmits that registration data, and transmits vehicle data received from the trailer relaying device on the basis of the relaying device ID.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2006Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kazuhiro Shimura
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Publication number: 20110011172Abstract: A device for generating electrical energy in a rotating system for the purpose of supplying electric current to electronic components in the system, comprising external forces, acting on the system, that act on piezoelectrically active energy converters in the system, as a result of which electrical energy is generated, and comprising an electronic system for processing the generated electrical energy and transferring it to the components.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2009Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: CERAMTEC AGInventors: Hans-Jürgen Schreiner, Reiner Bindig, Konrad Tzschentke, Alfons Kelnberger
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Patent number: 7870781Abstract: In a method for monitoring the tire condition in a vehicle, the vertical acceleration is measured at one axle of the vehicle, a reference stiffness value is determined from the vertical acceleration, and a tire pressure is assigned to the reference stiffness value. In the case of a detected tire pressure loss, the tire pressure is assigned to the tire of the wheel having the pressure loss.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Norbert Polzin
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Publication number: 20100300192Abstract: After the running wheels 12FR, 12FL, 12RR and 12RL are replaced from the summer wheel set to the winter wheel set (non-mounted wheels 12), when the vehicle 10 is running at a speed more than a predetermined speed, and if all ID numbers contained in the data received within a predetermined time are entirely identical to the sensor IDs corresponding to the non-mounted wheels 12, the sensor IDs identified in the sensor ID identification portion 54 are automatically switched from the sensor IDs corresponding to the summer wheel set to the sensor IDs of the winter wheel set.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2010Publication date: December 2, 2010Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventor: Makoto ISOMURA
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Patent number: 7817024Abstract: An air pressure sensor (2) for a vehicle tire warning system includes a tubular housing (21) defining a chamber (218), an air pressure actuating device seated in the chamber and being moveable back and forth in the chamber in response to air pressure change in the vehicle tire, and a switch device to electrically connect a high air pressure warning circuit or a low air pressure warning circuit under the drive of the air pressure actuating device. The chamber of the tubular housing is communicated to the atmosphere via a connecting pipe (29).Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2007Date of Patent: October 19, 2010Inventor: Changqu Ru
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Publication number: 20100236325Abstract: The present invention provides a tire air-pressure sensor (30) in which water is hard to intrude into a communication passage (36) communicating with a sensor portion (18a) of an air-pressure sensor element (18) and in which water having intruded into the communication passage (36) is discharged out of a case (32). Two air holes (34), (34) are formed in a crest portion of the case (32) of the tire air-pressure sensor (30) arranged and fixed in a wheel (10) in a manner to be positionally shifted in a rotating direction of the wheel (10), and an opening of an air vent hole (16) is formed in a cap (38) which is put on the air-pressure sensor element (18) arranged in the case (32), at an intermediate position between the two air holes (34), (34) in the rotating direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2007Publication date: September 23, 2010Inventor: HIROSHI TANUMA
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Publication number: 20100225463Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a tire having a decreased pressure based on resonance frequency of tires attached to respective wheels of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a storage means for storing information regarding a distribution of resonance frequencies respectively corresponding to a plurality of air pressure statuses, an initialization means for estimating a frequency characteristic of the rotation speed information or the rotation acceleration information, a frequency estimation means for estimating a frequency characteristic of the rotation speed information or the rotation acceleration information of a running vehicle, and a Bayesian estimation means for subjecting a tire pressure status at a certain time to a Bayesian estimation based on the resonance frequency during the initialization, a resonance frequency at the certain time obtained from the frequency estimation means, and distribution-related information stored in the storage means.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2010Publication date: September 9, 2010Inventors: Hajime Fujita, Hiroaki Kawasaki
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Patent number: 7791461Abstract: A tire management system includes a sensor module secured to inside of a tire that is mounted on a vehicle, for measuring a tire state value and transmitting the measured data to the vehicle side, and a receiver module secured to the vehicle side for transmitting a signal demanding the measured data to the sensor module at a predetermined cycle and receiving the measured data transmitted from the sensor module. The sensor module measures a tire status value at a predetermined cycle, judges whether the measured data is out of a predetermined normal range, and immediately transmits the measured data and an abnormal state data through a predetermined channel exclusively used for transmitting the abnormal state data to the receiver module, if the data is judged to be out of the normal range. With this structure, if an abnormal state occurs, the receiver module can receive the abnormality without any delay, while preventing shortening of the cell life.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2005Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Bridgestone CorporationInventors: Keiji Oda, Koji Takao
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Patent number: 7775097Abstract: A tire pressure detector, which is installed on an air tap of a wheel to detect the tire pressure, comprises an air-intake device, a bidirectional sleeve and a cap. The air-intake device includes an air-intake seat. The air-intake seat has an air-intake member and an engagement member. The air-intake seat is installed on the air tap via the air-intake member. The bidirectional sleeve has a first connection member and a second connection member, which are respectively formed on two sides of a separating member. The first connection member engages with the engagement member of the air-intake seat to form an air chamber accommodating a detection device detecting the tire pressure. The cap has a connection wall, which cooperates with the second connection member to form an accommodation space receiving a power source powering the detection device.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2009Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: Sung Jung Minute Industry Co., Ltd.Inventor: Wen-Huo Huang
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Publication number: 20100186493Abstract: A tyre includes a flexible piezoelectric element associated with an energy storage device (e.g. a capacitor). The flexible piezoelectric element is mounted in cantilever-beam fashion within a housing so that a first end thereof is fixed to the housing. A loading mass is associated with the second end of the flexible piezoelectric element. A small gap is formed between the inner walls of the housing and the outer surface of the loading mass in order to allow limited flexure of the piezoelectric element. The housing, including the piezoelectric element, is mounted in a crown portion of the tyre, preferably on the inner surface of the tyre. The piezoelectric element flexes under the action of the longitudinal acceleration when the tyre rotates. Sufficient electrical power for powering an electronic device included within the tyre is obtained, together with a long durability of the piezoelectric element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2007Publication date: July 29, 2010Inventors: Massimo Brusarosco, Federico Mancosu
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Publication number: 20100191495Abstract: The invention is directed to a system, a method and a computer program including program code for carrying out the method, when executed on a processing system, of issuing a tire pressure deviation in a vehicle's tire. The system comprises a calculation unit (20) adapted to calculate temporally successive output signals (WRAx) indicative of a tire pressure condition in the vehicle's tire on the basis of temporally successive vehicle's signals. It further comprises a calibration unit (25) adapted to determine a calibration value (WRAcal/X) on the basis of a number of temporally successive output signals (WRAx) from the calculation unit (20). It further comprises a detection unit (30) configured to detect a tire pressure deviation in the vehicle's tire on the basis of further temporally successive output signals (WRAx) from the calculation unit (20) and the calibration value (WRAcal/X) from the calibration unit (25), after determination of the calibration value (WRAcal,x) by the calibration unit (25).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2007Publication date: July 29, 2010Inventors: Markus Drevö, Anders Stenman, Peter Lindskog
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Publication number: 20100180677Abstract: A vehicle includes an ABS, which controls braking force on wheels, and a tire condition monitoring apparatus, which detects the internal air pressure of tires. The dynamic rolling radius of the tires is computed based on signals from rotation sensor units of the ABS. The weight of a load carried by the vehicle is computed based on the dynamic rolling radius of the tires and the internal air pressure of the tires detected by the tire condition monitoring apparatus. When computing the load weight, a load weight determination map, which previously sets the relationship among the internal air pressure of the tires, the dynamic rolling radius of the tires, and the weight of the load carried by the vehicle, is used.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Inventor: Michiya KATOU
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Publication number: 20100179796Abstract: A method of setting a parameter in a method of detecting a decreased tire air pressure for detecting a decreased tire air pressure based on a wheel rotational speed obtained from tires attached to a four-wheel driving vehicle. The method includes a vehicle model preparation step of preparing a vehicle model including a suspension member; a tire model preparation step of preparing a tire model; a step of inputting a friction coefficient between a tire and a road surface; and a simulation step of performing a running simulation of the vehicle model attached with the tire model. A determination parameter for determining whether the tire has a decreased air pressure or not is set based on wheel rotational speeds of the tires of the respective four wheels obtained in the simulation step.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2010Publication date: July 15, 2010Inventor: Kazuyoshi MIYAMOTO
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Publication number: 20100148951Abstract: An actuator, designed to be used in a pressurized enclosure, creates a relative movement between two parts, in response to a variation of hydrostatic pressure. The actuator includes a closed-cell foam block fixed to the two parts. The actuator may be used in the deployment of wheel units and antennas inside a cavity formed by a tire and a wheel rim.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2006Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: MICHELIN RECHERCHE ET TECHNIQUE S.A.Inventor: Bernard Perrier
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Patent number: 7733241Abstract: A telemetry unit (100) is provided for mounting to the inside of a pneumatic tire, which includes sensors for measuring the pressure and temperature within the tire and an RF transmitter for transmitting measured data to an on-board display remote location. The unit (100) includes a piezoelectric element (114) supported in a housing (112) with an actuator (136) arranged for contact with the element (114), to deflect the element (114) in response to external forces acting on the actuator (136) during rotation of the tire. For every rotation of the tire, cyclic pulses of electrical charge are generated by the deflection of the element (114). The unit (100) includes control means which controls the consumption of stored charge when measuring and transmitting data and is arranged to vary the rate of transmission of data from the unit (100) in dependence on the rotary speed of the tire.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2003Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Piezotag LimitedInventors: Geoffrey Haswell, Simon William Fawcett, Paul Reece Holdsworth, Stephen John Bowles, David Matthew Smart, Miguel Jesus Garcia-Hernandez, Juan Antonio Chavez-Dominguez, Antonio Turo-Peroy, Jordi Salazar-Soler
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Publication number: 20100134270Abstract: A pressure detection unit includes a front-wheel transmitter and a rear-wheel transmitter operatively connected to wheel rims of a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively. Inflation pressure signals transmitted from the front-wheel transmitter and the rear-wheel transmitter are received by a receiver. The receiver is arranged to be offset outward of a straight line connecting the front-wheel transmitter and the rear-wheel transmitter in the vehicle-body width direction. More specifically, the receiver is arranged in a space surrounded by a front cowl and a side panel, the space being between a coolant reserve tank and a radiator. The single receiver receives the signals transmitted from the front-wheel transmitter and the rear-wheel transmitter.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2009Publication date: June 3, 2010Inventors: Masakuni ANDO, Kunihiko Fukui, Yuki Kanai, Makoto Hattori, Koji Suzuki
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Patent number: 7702488Abstract: A measuring device is disclosed for capacitive pressure and/or temperature measurement, particularly for tire pressure control systems, having at least one sensor, which has a capacitive measuring element to detect a state value, which is applied at an output-side measuring node of the measuring element, with at least one A/D converter operating according to the dual-slope method, with a charging/discharging circuit, for mutual charging and discharging of the measuring element and for generating a sawtooth-shaped measuring potential at the measuring node as a measure for the capacitance of the measuring element, with a period counter, which determines the periods of the measuring potential, and with a clock counter, which determines the cycles of a clock signal, which lie within the duration of at least one period of the measuring potential. The invention relates to a measuring method for capacitive pressure and/or temperature measurement.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2006Date of Patent: April 20, 2010Assignee: Atmel Automotive GmbHInventors: Helmut Moser, Thomas Saile
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Publication number: 20100066522Abstract: A tire pressure measuring apparatus provides a warning of an error of a tire air pressure measuring module only when it is not that determined a vehicle stops and also any on of receivers has not received an air pressure data signal for an error determining duration. Therefore, a probability of a false warning can be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2006Publication date: March 18, 2010Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATIONInventors: Hiromitsu ICHIKAWA, Toshihiro MIYAZAKI
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Publication number: 20100060443Abstract: A vehicle velocity detector 15 is provided, velocity V is detected from position data of the vehicle calculated by using signal from satellites, which is received by a GPS receiver 11 installed to a vehicle body, wheel rotation velocity Vw0 detected by a wheel velocity sensor 12 is corrected in accordance with tire inner pressure detected by a pressure sensor 13 so as to obtain wheel rotation velocity (correction value) Vw, velocity ratio R=(Vw/V), which is ratio of the corrected wheel rotation velocity Vw and the detected wheel velocity V, is calculated and tire wear amount is estimated in accordance with velocity ratio R so that tire wear amount can be measured precisely without processing the tire tread portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2007Publication date: March 11, 2010Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA BRIDGESTONEInventors: Yasumichi Wakao, Yasushi Hanatsuka
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Patent number: 7668695Abstract: The present invention includes a sensor malfunction determination unit 207 detects the pressure value corresponding to a signal outputted by a pressure sensor 101 capable of measuring the internal pressure of a pneumatic tire 10. When the detected pressure value is decreasing along the time axis, the sensor malfunction determination unit 207 determines that the pressure sensor 101 is not malfunctioning.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2006Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Bridgestone CorporationInventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada, Takao Kokubu
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Publication number: 20100031741Abstract: The present invention concerns a vehicle tire pressure measurement unit 1 with a valve 5 and a fastening element 3 for arrangement of a tire pressure measurement device 7 on the valve 5, in which the fastening element 3 includes a first fastening area for snap connection with a second fastening area made in complementary fashion on the valve 5 in order to secure the fastening element 3 and valve 5 to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2007Publication date: February 11, 2010Applicant: Global Dynamix AGInventor: Rainer Achterholt
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Patent number: 7656282Abstract: A tire inflation pressure detecting apparatus includes a second transceiver provided on the body of a vehicle which changes its operation alternately between a second transmitter and a second receiver mode, thereby intermittently transmitting a radio wave. A first transceiver provided on a wheel of the vehicle operates in a first receiver mode to receive the radio wave, thereby charging a charging unit. When the charging unit has been sufficiently charged, the first transceiver changes operation thereof from the first receiver mode to a first transmitter mode, in which the first transceiver first repeatedly transmits an informing signal at predetermined time intervals for a predetermined time period and then transmits a pressure signal. When the informing signal is received by the second transceiver in the second receiver mode, the second transceiver keeps its operation in the second receiver mode until the pressure signal is completely received.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2007Date of Patent: February 2, 2010Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.Inventors: Takashi Saitou, Akira Takaoka, Nobuya Watabe, Hideki Saito, Tomohiro Kuno
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Publication number: 20100001852Abstract: A tire risk judging device of a wheel assembly for a vehicle includes a pressure sensor detecting air pressure of a tire air chamber, an air pressure-generating device that can supply pressurized air to the tire air chamber, an electronic control unit, and an instrument panel display unit. The electronic control unit computes a supply airflow rate supplied from the air pressure-generating device to the tire air chamber between the present location and a specified location, computes a leakage airflow rate leaked from the tire air chamber between the present location and the specified location, computes air pressure in the specified location of the tire air chamber based on air pressure in the present location of the tire air chamber, the supply airflow rate, and the leakage airflow rate, and judges tire risk in the specified location based on the air pressure in the specified location of the tire air chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2007Publication date: January 7, 2010Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiroshi Isono
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Publication number: 20090315696Abstract: An adaptive tire utilizing active material actuation to sense and/or modify an excessive and/or low inflation pressure, so as to autonomously maintain proper inflation pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2009Publication date: December 24, 2009Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: ALAN L. BROWNE, NANCY L. JOHNSON, HOWARD WILLIAM COX, WILLIAM R. RODGERS
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Publication number: 20090299656Abstract: In this tyre managing apparatus, with regard to respective tyres, the back-and-forth force and the lateral force which are added to each of tyres are calculated based on the distances which are distance between each tyre and the center of gravity in the back-and-forth direction, the inertia moment of the vehicle, the vehicle weight of the vehicle, and the loads added to each of the tyres, which are as specification data of the vehicle, and based on the longitudinal acceleration, the lateral acceleration, and the yew angle acceleration, which are as state quantities of the vehicle. Also, the calculated results are memorized in the transponders of corresponding tyres.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2009Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.Inventor: Noritaka Koguchi
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Patent number: 7612665Abstract: A wireless sensor system in which the sensor signal is hardly affected by disturbance and therefore has an increased reliability, which can be constructed light-weight and compact in structure inclusive of the electric power system and in which communication is possible at all times, and a wireless sensor incorporated bearing assembly of a light-weight and compact structure utilizing such wireless sensor system. This wireless sensor system includes a wireless sensor unit and a sensor signal receiving unit. The wireless sensor unit includes a sensor section to detect a target of detection, a digitalizing section to digitalize a sensor signal thereof, and a sensor signal transmitting section.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2004Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: NTN CorporationInventors: Koichi Okada, Masatoshi Mizutani, Norihiko Sasaki