Vehicle wheel incorporating tire air pressure sensor

A sensor for sensing the pressure in a tire which is mounted on a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• an inertial mass means capable of being supported by a vehicle wheel for outward movement in response to centrifugal force which results from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting a tire pressure from a tire mounted on said wheel to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• and
• a switch means which is actuated from a first state to a second state in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force;
• wherein
• the inertial mass means comprises a piston having a radially outer face;
• and
• the pressure transmitting means comprises:
• a radial bore extending along said wheel radius in which the piston is sealingly slidable;
• a pressure chamber defined in said bore adjacent the radially outer face of the piston;
• and
• a passageway leading from the tire to the pressure chamber.

A sensor for sensing the pressure in a tire which is mounted on a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• an inertial mass means capable of being supported by a vehicle wheel for outward movement in response to centrifugal force which results from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting a tire pressure from a tire mounted on said wheel to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• and
• a switch means which is actuated from a first state to a second state in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force;
• wherein said pressure transmitting means transmits said pressure to the inertial mass means radially inwardly along a radius of said wheel in opposition to said centrifugal force, and said pressure transmitting means comprises a flexible bellows.

A sensor for sensing the pressure in a tire which is mounted on a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• an inertial mass means capable of being supported by a vehicle wheel for outward movement in response to centrifugal force which results from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting a tire pressure from a tire mounted on said wheel to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• and
• a switch means which is actuated from a first state to a second state in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force;
• wherein
• the inertial mass means comprises a piston;
• and
• the pressure transmitting means comprises:
• a radial bore which extends along said wheel radius and has an inner surface;
• a rolling diaphragm having a radially outer periphery which is sealingly fixed to said surface;
• a pressure chamber which is sealingly defined in said bore adjacent a radially outer face of the diaphragm;
• and
• a passageway leading from the tire to the pressure chamber;
• in which
• the piston is movable in said bore and has a radially outer end which is fixed to a radially inner face of the diaphragm.

A sensor for sensing the pressure in a tire which is mounted on a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• an inertial mass means capable of being supported by a vehicle wheel for outward movement in response to centrifugal force which results from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting a tire pressure from a tire mounted on said wheel to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• and
• a switch means which is actuated from a first state to a second state in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force;
• and
• a low pressure sensing means for sensing when said pressure is below a predetermined minimum value and actuating the switch means to said first state in response thereto, said low pressure sensing means comprising a flexible bellows which extends perpendicular to said wheel radius.

A sensor for sensing the pressure in a tire which is mounted on a vehicle wheel, comprising:

• an inertial mass means capable of being supported by a vehicle wheel for outward movement in response to centrifugal force which results from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting a tire pressure from a tire mounted on said wheel to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• a switch means which is actuated from a first state to a second state in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force;
• and
• a biasing means for urging the inertial mass means radially inwardly along a radius of said wheel;
• wherein
• said pressure transmitting means transmits said pressure to the inertial mass means radially outwardly along said wheel radius;
• and
• said pressure transmitting means comprises a resilient bellows which extends along said wheel radius and has a movable radially outer end portion which is engageable with a radially inwardly facing portion of the inertial mass means.

A wheel for mounting on a vehicle, said vehicle including a vehicle speed sensor, comprising:

• a wheel body having a peripheral rim for mounting a tire thereon, said rim and a tire mounted thereon defining an inflation space having a variable pressure;
• an inertial mass means which is integrally rotatable with the body and movable outward from the wheel by centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting the pressure in said inflation space to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• a switch means which is actuated from a first state to a second state in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force;
• and
• a computing means responsive to said vehicle speed sensor and said switch for computing the tire pressure based upon the vehicle speed at which said switch changes state.

A vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel body having a peripheral rim for mounting a tire thereon, said rim and a tire mounted thereon defining an inflation space having a variable pressure;
• an inertial mass means which is integrally rotatable with the body and movable outward from the wheel by centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting the pressure in said inflation space to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• and
• a switch means which is actuated in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force, wherein
• the pressure transmitting means transmits said pressure to the inertial mass means radially inwardly along a radius of said wheel in opposition to said centrifugal force;
• the inertial mass means comprises a piston having a radially outer face;
• and
• the pressure transmitting means comprises:
• a radial bore extending along said wheel radium;
• a pressure chamber defined in said bore adjacent the radially outer face of the piston;
• and
• a passageway leading from said inflation space to the pressure chamber.

A vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel body having a peripheral rim for mounting a tire thereon, said rim and a tire mounted thereon defining an inflation space having a variable pressure;
• an inertial mass means which is integrally rotatable with the body and movable outward from the wheel by centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting the pressure in said inflation space to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• and
• a switch means which is actuated in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force, wherein
• the pressure transmitting means transmits said pressure to the inertial mass means radially inwardly along a radius of said wheel in opposition to said centrifugal force;
• and
• the pressure transmitting means comprises a flexible bellows.

A vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel body having a peripheral rim for mounting a tire thereon, said rim and a tire mounted thereon defining an inflation space having a variable pressure;
• an inertial mass means which is integrally rotatable with the body and movable outward from the wheel by centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting the pressure in said inflation space to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• and
• a switch means which is actuated in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force, wherein
• the pressure transmitting means transmits said pressure to the inertial mass means radially inwardly along a radius of said wheel in opposition to said centrifugal force;
• the inertial mass means comprises a piston;
• and
• the pressure transmitting means comprises:
• a radial bore which extends along said wheel radius and has an inner surface;
• a rolling diaphragm having a radially outer periphery which is sealingly fixed to said surface;
• a pressure chamber which is sealingly defined in said bore adjacent a radially outer face of the diaphragm;
• and
• a passageway leading from a tire mounted on said wheel body to the pressure chamber;
• in which
• the piston is movable in said bore and has a radially outer end which is fixed to a radially inner face of the diaphragm.

A vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel body having a peripheral rim for mounting a tire thereon, said rim and a tire mounted thereon defining an inflation space having a variable pressure;
• an inertial mass means which is integrally rotatable with the body and movable outward from the wheel by centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting the pressure in said inflation space to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• a switch means which is actuated in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force;
• and
• a low pressure sensing means for sensing when said pressure is below a predetermined minimum value and actuating the switch means to said first state in response thereto;
• wherein said low pressure sensing means comprises a flexible bellows.

A vehicle wheel, comprising:

• a wheel body having a peripheral rim for mounting a tire thereon, said rim and a tire mounted thereon defining an inflation space having a variable pressure;
• an inertial mass means which is integrally rotatable with the body and movable outward from the wheel by centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the wheel;
• a pressure transmitting means for transmitting the pressure in said inflation space to the inertial mass means in opposition to said outward movement;
• a switch means which is actuated in response to the inertial mass means moving outward a predetermined distance in response to a centrifugal force;
• and
• biasing means for urging the inertial mass means radially inwardly along said wheel radius;
• wherein
• said pressure transmitting means transmits said pressure to the inertial mass means radially outwardly along said wheel radius, and comprises a resilient bellows having a movable radially outer end portion which is engageable with a radially inwardly facing portion of the inertial mass means.