HOUSING FOR A TYRE PARAMETER MONITORING SYSTEM, TYRE PARAMETER MONITORING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOUNTING A TYRE PARAMETER MONITORING SYSTEM TO A RIM OF A WHEEL

Abstract

A housing (4) for a tyre parameter monitoring system is provided. The housing (4) comprises two arms (10, 12) that are shaped and spaced to provide a clamp-in fitting (18) for engaging with a valve stem (34) of a clamp-in type valve (30) such that the valve stem (34) of the clamp-in type valve (30) is pivotably engaged with the housing (4) and such that the angle between the valve stem (34) of the clamp-in type valve (30) and the housing (4) is variable. The housing (4) also comprises a snap connection fitting (16) for engaging a valve stem (8) of a snap-in type valve (6). The snap connection fitting (16) is positioned between the two arms (10, 12).

Claims

1. A housing for a tyre parameter monitoring system, the housing comprising: a first arm and a second arm shaped and spaced to provide a clamp-in fitting for engaging with a valve stem of a clamp-in type valve such that the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve is pivotably engaged with the housing and such that an angle between the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve and the housing is variable, and a snap connection fitting for engaging a valve stem of a snap-in type valve, wherein the snap connection fitting is positioned between the first arm and the second arm.

2. The housing according to claim 1, wherein the first arm and the second arm protrude from an upper surface of the housing and the snap connection fitting protrudes from the upper surface of the housing and is spaced apart from the first arm and the second arm.

3. The housing according to claim 2, wherein the first arm and the second arm cooperate to provide the clamp-in fitting.

4. The housing according to claim 3, wherein each of the first arm and the second arm comprises a slot in an inner surface, the slot cooperating to engage a valve stem of the clamp-in type valve such that the valve stem is pivotably engaged with the housing.

5. The housing according to claim 4, wherein the first arm and the second arm are connected by a web portion forming an aperture, the aperture being sized and shaped such that the valve stem of the snap-in type valve or the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve is insertable through the aperture.

6. The housing according to claim 5, wherein the web portion comprises a first slot and a second slot in an inner surface, the first slot and the second slot engaging the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve such that the valve stem is pivotably engaged with the first slot and the second slot.

7. The housing according to claim 6, wherein the snap connection fitting is spaced apart from the web portion.

8. The housing according to claim 6, wherein the first slot and the second slot are arcuate and engage a bar of the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve such that the valve stem is pivotably engaged with the housing.

9. The housing according to claim 8, wherein the snap connection fitting comprises an opening for accepting a valve stem of a snap-in type valve.

10. The housing according to claim 9, wherein the valve stem of the snap-in type valve is attachable to the snap connection fitting by a screw.

11. The housing according to claim 10, further comprising a sensor unit for monitoring a tyre pressure positioned in the housing.

12. A tyre parameter monitoring system, comprising: the housing of claim 1, and a snap-in-type valve, wherein a valve stem of the snap-in type valve is adapted to be secured to the snap connection fitting by a screw.

13. A tyre parameter monitoring system, comprising: the housing of claim 1, and a clamp-in-type valve, wherein the clamp-in type valve comprises a bar adapted to engage with a slot in the housing to pivotably engage a valve stem of the clamp-in type valve with the housing and such that an angle between the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve and the housing is variable.

14. A method for mounting a tyre parameter monitoring system to a rim of a wheel, the method comprising: inserting a valve stem of a snap-in type valve into a snap connection fitting of the housing of claim 1; securing the valve stem to the snap connection fitting of the housing by a screw to form an assembly, mounting the assembly on a bore in the rim of the wheel, thereby mounting the snap-in type valve on an outer surface of the rim of the wheel and the housing on an inner surface of the rim of the wheel with a fixed angular position between the housing and the valve stem.

15. A method for mounting a tyre parameter monitoring system to a wheel rim, the method comprising: placing a valve stem of a clamp-in type valve into the clamp-in fitting of the housing of claim 1 to pivotably engage the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve with the housing; placing a washer over the clamp-in type valve, placing a seal over the clamp-in type valve on an outer side of the wheel rim, inserting the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve into a hole in the wheel rim from an inner surface of the wheel rim; and securing the clamp-in type valve to the wheel rim by engaging a nut with outer thread of the clamp-in type valve such that an angle between the valve stem of the clamp-in type valve and the housing is adapted to the wheel rim.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a housing for a tyre parameter monitoring system according to an embodiment;

[0038] FIG. 2 illustrates a tyre parameter monitoring system including the housing of FIG. 1 and a snap-in type valve; and

[0039] FIG. 3 illustrates a tyre parameter monitoring system including the housing of FIG. 1 and a clamp-in type valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 illustrates a housing 4 of a tyre parameter monitoring system 2. The housing 4 houses a sensor unit for measuring one or more parameters of a tyre, for example tyre pressure. The housing 4 includes two different types of connection fitting, namely a first fitting 16 for engaging with a snap-in type valve and a second fitting 18 for engaging with a clamp-in type valve.

[0041] FIG. 2 illustrates a tyre parameter monitoring system 2 in the assembled state that includes the housing 4 and a snap-in type valve 6 and FIG. 3 illustrates a tyre parameter monitoring system 2′ that includes the housing 4 and a clamp-in type valve 30.

[0042] Referring in particular to FIG. 1, the housing 4 includes two arms 10, 12 which extend upwards from an upper surface 14 of the housing 4. The arms 10, 12 may also be considered to be plates or projections extending upwardly from the upper surface 14 of the housing 4. The two arms 10, 12 cooperate to provide the second fitting 18 for engaging with the clamp-in type valve. In particular, each of the arms 10, 12 is shaped and spaced apart from the other so as to provide the second fitting 18 at one end of the arms 10, 12, in particular a peripheral end of the arms 10, 12 positioned at the edge of the upper surface 14 of the housing 4.

[0043] The arms 10, 12 are connected by a web portion 20 which extends substantially perpendicularly between the arms 10, 12 at the peripheral end of the arms 10, 12 at the edge of the upper surface 14 of the housing 4. The web portion forms an aperture 22 which is sized and shaped such that a valve stem 8 of the snap-in type valve 6 and a valve stem 34 of the clamp-in type valve 30 can be inserted into the aperture 22 and be positioned between the arms 10, 12 without making contact with the aperture 22. The aperture 22 may be defined by the upper surface 14 of the housing, the web portion 20 and the arms 10, 12. In other embodiments, the web portion 20 may include the aperture 22. The web portion 20 may be called a mounting plate and the arms 10, 12 may be called lateral gusset plates that provide support for the web portion 20. The arms 10, 12 and the web portion 20 form a U-shape and laterally surround the first fitting 16 on three sides.

[0044] The housing 4 includes at least one slot 28 in an inner surface of the web portion 20 or an inner surface of the arms 10, 12. The slot or slots 28 are sized, shaped and arranged so as to cooperate to provide a fitting for a clamp-in type valve 30, as is illustrated in FIG. 3 for the tyre parameter monitoring system 2′. The slots 28 may be considered to be rails. In some embodiments, the slots 28 are arcuate in order to pivotably engage the valve stem 34 of the clamp-in type valve 30 with the housing 4.

[0045] The clamp-in type valve 30 includes a bar 32 which extends substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the valve stem 34 of the clamp-in type valve 30 and which includes protrusions that are sized and shaped to mechanically engage with the slots 28 in order to pivotably couple the clamp-in type valve 30 to the housing 4. The protrusions may be arcuate so as to slidably engage the slots 28 and pivotably couple the clamp-in type valve 30 to the housing 4. The bar 32 can be positioned between the arms 10, 12 in the slots 28 such that the valve stem 34 of the clamp-in type valve 30 extends through the aperture 22 in the web portion 20 and the bar 32 is pivotably coupled to the inner surface of the arms 10, 12 or web portion 20 of the housing 4 such that the angle between the valve stem 34 and the housing 4 is variable.

[0046] The first fitting 16 is spaced apart from the web portion 20 by a distance such that the bar 32 is positioned between and does not make contact with the first fitting 16.

[0047] The tyre parameter monitoring system may also include a washer, a seal 36 and a nut 38 for securing the housing 4 and the clamp-in type valve 30 to a wheel rim.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first connection fitting 16 for engaging with a snap-in type valve is a snap-in fitting and protrudes upwards from the upper surface 14 of the housing 4 and is positioned between and spaced apart from the arms 10, 12 and from the web portion 20. The first fitting 16 may include an aperture 26 which may be elongate and have a tubular shape. The aperture 26 is sized and shaped to accommodate the valve stem 8 of the snap-in type valve 6. The valve stem 8 is inserted through the aperture 22 in the web portion 20 and into the aperture 26 of the first fitting 16 and is secured to the first fitting 16. In this embodiment, the valve stem 8 is secured to the first fitting 16 by a screw 24. The screw 24 is positioned on an opposing side of the first fitting 16 to the valve stem 8 and engages an inner thread of the valve stem 8 to secure the valve stem 8 to the first fitting 16. The valve stem 8 is secured at one fixed angular position with respect to the first fitting 16 and the housing 4.

[0049] The housing 4 can be used for both snap-in type valves and clamp-in type valves. Additionally, the housing provides a variable positioning, in particular, different angular positions between the housing 4 and the clamp-in type valve 30. The tyre parameter monitoring system 2 can therefore be used with different types of wheel rims and wheel rims that conform to different standards.

[0050] For a snap-in type valve, a method for mounting the tyre parameter monitoring system 2 to a rim of a wheel may include inserting a valve stem 8 of the snap-in type valve 6 through the aperture 22 in the web portion 20 and into the aperture 26 of the first fitting 16 and securing the valve stem 8 to the first fitting 16 of the housing by the screw 24 which engages with a thread on the valve stem 8. The housing is mounted on a bore in an inner surface of the rim of the wheel, and therefore within the tyre when the tyre is fitted to the wheel, with a fixed angular position between the housing 4 and the valve stem 8.

[0051] For a clamp-in type valve, a method for mounting a tyre parameter monitoring system 2′ to a rim of a wheel may include inserting the valve stem 34 through the aperture 22 from the inner surface and placing the valve stem 34 of the clamp-in type valve 30 into the arms 10, 12 of the housing 4 to pivotably engage the valve stem 34 of the clamp-in type valve 30 with the housing 4. In particular, the bar 32 is inserted into the slots 28 to pivotably engage the bar 32 with the slots 28 and pivotably engage the valve stem 34 of the clamp-in type valve 30 with the housing 4. A washer and a seal 36 are assembled onto the clamp-in type valve 30. The valve 30 is inserted into a hole in the wheel rim from the inner surface of the wheel rim, and the valve stem 34 is secured to the outer surface of the rim and the housing 4 to the inner surface of the rim by engaging a nut 38 with outer thread of valve 30 such that the angle between the valve stem 34 of the clamp-in type valve 30 and the housing 4 is automatically adapted to the shape of the wheel rim.