Transmitter for Wireless Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Abstract

This invention relates to a transmitter for a wireless tire pressure monitoring system. The transmitter includes: an insulating housing including a top and a sidewall extending downward from the periphery of the top, wherein the interior surface of the top and the interior surface of the sidewall are configured to define a cavity; an antenna made of metal wire, wherein the antenna is provided on the top and the sidewall of the insulating housing and continuously extends along the top and the sidewall; and a wireless signal transmission assembly covered by the insulating housing and electrically connected to the antenna.

Claims

1. A transmitter for a wireless tire pressure monitoring system, the transmitter comprising: an insulating housing, comprising a top and a sidewall extending downward from a periphery of the top, wherein an interior surface of the top and an interior surface of the sidewall are configured to define a cavity; an antenna made of metal wire, wherein the antenna is provided on the top and the sidewall of the insulating housing and continuously extends along the top and the sidewall; and a wireless signal transmission assembly, covered by the insulating housing and electrically connected to the antenna.

2. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the insulating housing has an opening in communication with the cavity, and the wireless signal transmission assembly comprises a pressure/temperature sensor, wherein the pressure/temperature sensor is configured to detect the pressure and temperature inside a tire through the opening.

3. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the antenna is provided on an outer surface of the top and an outer surface of the sidewall.

4. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the antenna is provided on the interior surface of the top and the interior surface of the sidewall.

5. The transmitter of claim 1, wherein the antenna is partially or totally embedded into the top and the sidewall.

6. The transmitter of claim 2, wherein the antenna is provided on an outer surface of the top and an outer surface of the sidewall.

7. The transmitter of claim 2, wherein the antenna is provided on the interior surface of the top and the interior surface of the sidewall.

8. The transmitter of claim 2, wherein the antenna is partially or totally embedded into the top and the sidewall.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In the appended drawings of the invention, the same component is denoted by the same reference numeral.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a conventional transmitter for a wireless tire pressure monitoring system;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view schematically showing a transmitter for a wireless tire pressure monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the antenna in FIG. 2;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2, and schematically shows the configuration of the insulating housing and the antenna of FIG. 2;

[0017] FIG. 5 shows a variation of the configuration of the insulating housing and antenna in FIG. 4; and

[0018] FIG. 6 shows another variation of the configuration of the insulating housing and antenna in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] FIG. 2 is an exploded view schematically showing a transmitter 100 for a wireless tire pressure monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The transmitter 100 can comprise: an insulating housing 11, comprising a top 111 and a sidewall 112 extending downward from the periphery of the top 111; an antenna 13 made of metal wire, wherein the antenna 13 is provided on the top 111 and the sidewall 112 of the insulating housing 11 and continuously extends along the top 111 and the sidewall 112; and a wireless signal transmission assembly covered by the insulating housing 111 and electrically connected to the antenna 13. The insulating housing 11 is made of insulating material such as plastic. In an embodiment, for example, the insulating housing 11 can be made of Nylon, but is not limited thereto.

[0020] In the present invention, the wireless signal transmission assembly can comprise a printed circuit board 1, a wireless signal transmission device 2, and a battery 7. The wireless signal transmission device 2 is disposed on a printed circuit board 1 containing a microprocessor, and is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 1. The printed circuit board 1 is electrically connected to the battery 7. In an embodiment, for example, the wireless signal transmission device 2 can be a radio frequency (RF) signal transmission device, but is not limited thereto.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view, schematically showing the antenna 13 in FIG. 2. In an embodiment, the antenna 13 can be made of metal wire such as copper wire, etc., but is not limited thereto. In an embodiment, for instance, the antenna 13 can be electrically connected to the printed circuit board 1 of the wireless signal transmission assembly. For example, at least one end of the antenna 13 can be electrically connected to the printed circuit board 1 of the wireless signal transmission assembly, but is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, for instance, the antenna 13 can be electrically connected to the wireless signal transmission device 2 directly.

[0022] Furthermore, in an embodiment, the wireless signal transmission assembly can further comprise a pressure/temperature sensor 6. The pressure/temperature sensor 6 is disposed on the printed circuit board 1, and electrically connected to the printed circuit board 1. Because the printed circuit board 1 is electrically connected to the battery 7, the battery 7 can be utilized for supplying power to the printed circuit board 1, the wireless signal transmission device 2, and the pressure/temperature sensor 6.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2, and schematically shows the configuration of the insulating housing 2 and the antenna. As depicted in FIG. 4, an interior surface 111a of the top 111 and an interior surface 112a of the sidewall 112 of the insulating housing 11 can be configured to define a cavity. Also, as depicted in FIG. 2, the insulating housing 11 can further have an opening 15 in communication with the cavity, and the pressure/temperature sensor 6 of the wireless signal transmission assembly can detect the pressure and temperature inside the tire through the opening 15. Although the opening 15 showed in FIG. 2 is in the top 111 of the insulating housing 11, the opening 15 actually can be in the sidewall 112 of the insulating housing 11. The wireless signal transmission device 2 can be configured to transmit the information of pressure and temperature detected by the pressure/temperature sensor 6.

[0024] In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4, the antenna 13 can be disposed on an outer surface 111b of the top 111 and an outer surface 112b of the sidewall 112b, and continuously extends along the top 111 and the sidewall 112.

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a variation of the configuration of the insulating housing and antenna in FIG. 4. In the embodiment showed in FIG. 5, the antenna 13 can be partially or totally embedded into the top 111 and sidewall 112 of the insulating housing 11, and continuously extends along the top 111 and the sidewall 112.

[0026] FIG. 6 shows another variation of the configuration of the insulating housing and antenna in FIG. 4. In the embodiment showed in FIG. 6, the antenna 13 can be disposed on the interior surface 111a of the top 111 and the interior surface 112a of the sidewall 112, and continuously extends along the top 111 and the sidewall 112.

[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, the antenna 13 can configured to have a continuous winding shape so as to increase the length thereof. Of course, the antenna can configured to have other continuous shape, such as a continuous spiral shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0028] Furthermore, similar to the conventional transmitter showed in FIG. 1, the transmitter 100 of the present invention can be installed inside the tire in the same manner as depicted in FIG. 1, and fixed to the rim 10 made of metal material. Compared to the conventional transmitter showed in FIG. 1, the antenna 13 of the transmitter 100 of the present invention is farther from the rim 10 (because the antenna 13 is not disposed directly on the printed circuit board 1 but rather on the insulating housing 11), and thus is not likely affected by the shielding effect of the rim 10.

[0029] While the present invention has been shown and described by reference to preferred embodiments thereof, and in terms of the illustrative drawings, various possible modifications, alterations, and equivalent substitution could be conceived of by one skilled in the art without departing from the sprit and the scope of the present invention. However, such modifications, alterations, and substitutions still fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.