Device for measuring the pressure of a two wheeler tire and a method for monitoring the pressure of a two wheeler tire

Abstract

A device for measuring the pressure of a two wheeler tire comprises: a connector to connect the device to a valve of the two wheeler tire; a valve opener to open the valve, so that in the connected state with the valve, pressurized air flows out of the two wheeler tire through the valve into the device, until the pressure in the device corresponds to the pressure in the two wheeler tire; a pressure measuring device to measure the pressure in the device; and a transmitter to wirelessly transmit information about the measured pressure. A method for monitoring the pressure of a two wheeler tire includes: determining the actual pressure and desired pressure of the two wheeler tire; comparing the actual and desired pressures; and indicating the actual pressure and/or the desired pressure and/or the difference between the desired and actual pressures of the two wheeler tire.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the pressure of a two wheeler tire, comprising: a connector to connect the device to a valve of the two wheeler tire; a valve opener to open the valve, so that in the connected state with the valve, pressurized air flows out of the two wheeler tire through the valve into the device, until the pressure in the device corresponds to the pressure in the two wheeler tire; a pressure measurement device to measure the pressure in the device; and a transmitter to wirelessly transmit information corresponding to the measured pressure.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmitter is suitable for a wireless transmission in accordance with a Bluetooth standard.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device has an attachment for an air pump on the side facing away from the connector, so that the two wheeler tire can be pumped up with the air pump by the device and the valve connected to said device, wherein the attachment for the air pump is designed as a Schrader valve and/or a Sclaverand valve and/or a Dunlop valve.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector is suitable for a connection to Schrader valves and/or Sclaverand valves and/or Dunlop valves, wherein the connector has a thread for a screw connection of the device to the valve.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve opener is suitable for opening Schrader valves and/or Sclaverand valves and/or Dunlop valves.

6. An assembly, comprising: the device of claim 1; and a mobile device comprising: a receiver to receive wirelessly transmitted information, corresponding to the pressure; and an indicator to indicate the pressure or a change in pressure.

7. A method for monitoring the pressure of a two wheeler tire, comprising: determining an actual pressure of the two wheeler tire; determining a desired pressure of the two wheeler tire; comparing the actual pressure with the desired pressure; and indicating the actual pressure and/or the desired pressure and/or the difference between the desired pressure and the actual pressure of the two wheeler tire.

8. The method, as claimed in claim 7, further comprising: retrieving from a database information that corresponds to the desired pressure or makes it possible to determine the desired pressure; or using information provided by the user to determine the desired pressure, wherein the information provided by the user relates to at least one of: the weight of the rider, the weight of additional loads, the route profile of distance to be covered, the two wheeled vehicle, and the tire of the two wheeled vehicle.

9. The method, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the desired pressure is calculated from the information provided by the user or the information retrieved from the database.

10. The method, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the actual pressure is determined by a sensor connected to the valve of the tire of the two wheeled vehicle or to a pump for pumping up the tire of the two wheeled vehicle or is integrated into the valve of the tire of the two wheeled vehicle or into the pump for pumping up the tire of the two wheeled vehicle.

11. The method, as claimed in claim 7, wherein during a pumping up process and/or during a trip, the desired pressure and/or the actual pressure and/or the difference between the desired pressure and the actual pressure of the tire of the two wheeled vehicle is/are indicated on a display.

12. The method, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the method is carried out as a computer program.

13-15. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show in:

[0040] FIG. 1 is a side view of a device according to the invention;

[0041] FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view according to the arrows II-II in FIG. 1;

[0042] FIG. 3 is a side view of a detail of a bicycle tire with the device from FIG. 1 and an air pump;

[0043] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the bicycle tire, the device and the air pump from FIG. 4;

[0044] FIG. 5 is a detail view according to arrow V in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The same or functionally identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.

[0046] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show an embodiment of a device 1 of the invention that comprises a housing 13 having a recess 2 on the bottom side shown in FIG. 2. The recess 2 has an internal thread (not depicted), which can be screwed onto the external thread 4 of a valve 3 of a bicycle tire 9 (see FIG. 5). The recess 2 with an internal thread is used as the connecting means for the connection to the valve 3.

[0047] Furthermore, sealing means 5 in the form of an O-ring are provided in the recess 2; and said O-ring can rest on the face side of a valve 3. Furthermore, in the depicted embodiment of a device 1 according to the invention, a projection 6 is arranged in the recess 2; and said projection can press in a pin 7, which is provided in a valve 3, designed as a Schrader valve. By pressing in this pin 7, the valve 3 opens in a manner that is well-known.

[0048] In FIG. 5 the projection 6 and the pin 7 are shown with a small distance, shown between them for the sake of clarity. Owing to this distance the valve 3 is not yet open. Only after the internal thread has been screwed further onto the external thread 4 of the valve 3 does the projection 6 push the pin 7 a little ways into the valve 3, so that said valve is opened. In this way, the projection 6 is used, in particular, together with the internal thread of the recess 2, as the means for opening the valve 3.

[0049] Thus, the depicted embodiment of a device 1 of the invention is designed to interact with a Schrader valve. Of course, there is also the possibility of providing embodiments for other typical bicycle valves, such as Sclaverand valves and Dunlop valves. For example, in the case of Sclaverand valves a comparable projection presses in the pin, which is also provided in the Sclaverand valve, in order to open the valve.

[0050] Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a unit 8 (shown only in schematic form), which has pressure measuring means and is in fluid connection with the recess 2, in about the center region of the housing 13. This unit can be used by the pressure measuring means to measure the pressure in the recess 2. On opening the valve 3, this pressure in the recess 2 corresponds to the pressure in the bicycle tire 9, so that on suitably connecting the device 1 to the valve 3, the pressure measuring means can measure the pressure in the bicycle tire.

[0051] Furthermore, the unit 8 comprises transmission means, which can transmit in a wireless manner the information corresponding to the measured pressure. In particular, said transmission means are wireless transmission means that are suitable for a wireless transmission in accordance with a Bluetooth standard. Information about the magnitude of the pressure may be transmitted, for example, to a smartphone or a tablet computer by the transmission means. Then the pressure can be indicated to the user on said smartphone or tablet computer; or, in the event of a deviation from a desired value, said user may be signaled by means of visual or audible cues that there is a deviation.

[0052] There is, of course, the possibility of providing other transmission means that use a different transmission standard.

[0053] On the side opposite the recess 2, the device 1 has attachment means 10 for an air pump 11. In FIG. 2 the attachment means 10 project upwards beyond the housing 13 and are designed as a valve of a bicycle, in the depicted exemplary embodiment, in particular, as a Schrader valve. This means that a pin 12 is provided in the interior of the attachment means 10; and by pressing in said pin, a fluid connection to the interior of the air pump 11 can be produced.

[0054] Of course, there is also the possibility of designing the attachment means 10 in such a way that they are designed as a Sclaverand valve or a Dunlop valve.

[0055] The attachment means 10 are in fluid connection with the recess 2, so that the bicycle tire 9 can be pumped up with the air pump 11 using the device 1 and the associated valve 3 (in this respect see FIG. 5).

[0056] A preferred exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention provides that the method can be carried out on a mobile terminal device, such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, as an application software or, more specifically, an app.

[0057] A database for tire pressure levels can be provided to monitor the pressure of the tire. This database can be stored in the mobile terminal device by the app. However, there is also the possibility that the database can be accessed by the mobile terminal device over the internet. The pressure levels of almost any type of known tire can be stored in the database.

[0058] Furthermore, the app can be designed in such a way that it can carry out a query and in this way can obtain from the user information about the two wheeled vehicle and the tires mounted thereon. For example, it can be clarified whether the two wheeled vehicle is a bicycle without an electric motor or an e-bike. Additional information may relate to the weight of the user and the weight of any piece of baggage that the user may have brought along with him. Furthermore, information about the route profile of the distance to be covered may be queried. It is also possible to learn whether the bike is carrying a compressed air cartridge or what the fill level of said compressed air cartridge is. Even the presence of an air pump can be determined.

[0059] With the aid of the information that is determined the app calculates a desired pressure of the tires by making use of the database and then indicates said desired pressure. In this case the user can pump up the tires, for example, using an air pump with a manometer, until the actual pressure corresponds to the desired pressure.

[0060] An air pump with an integrated pressure sensor may be used, instead of an air pump with a manometer. There are embodiments of such pumps that are connected, for example, by means of a wireless connection to the mobile terminal device in accordance with a Bluetooth standard and can transmit in this way the actual pressure to the application software. When the actual pressure reaches the desired pressure while pumping up the tires, this desired pressure can then be signaled, for example, by means of visual or auditory cues, to the user of the mobile terminal device.

[0061] As an alternative or in addition to the air pressure sensors that are connected directly or indirectly to air pumps, an air pressure sensor can also be integrated into the valve of the tire or can be connected to the valve of the tire. In particular, a device, which is shown, for example, in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, can be provided that can transmit wirelessly information about the air pressure to the mobile terminal device.

[0062] In this way it is also possible to monitor the air pressure during the trip. If during the trip the app determines a slow loss of air, which makes the risk of a flat tire seem probable, said app then signals this to the user and/or shows it on the display of the mobile terminal device.

[0063] Having detected the air loss, the app can inform the user that he can avail himself to a compressed air cartridge, which the bike is carrying and which has a sufficient air supply to replace the missing air.