US6043737A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tire monitoring and deflation warning assembly
Assignee: Ford Motor Co
•
Filing: 1999-07-01
•
Granted: 2000-03-28
•
Expires: 2019-07-01
Abstract
Abstract A tire monitoring and warning assembly 10 which monitors and measures attributes or characteristics of at least one of the selectively inflatable tires 14-20 of a vehicle 12 and which compares the obtained measurements with a stored value which represents a value of the attribute or characteristic occurring or existing when the at least one tire 14-20 is desirably inflated, and which, based upon the comparison, warns the driver if the at least one of the tires 14-20 is deflated.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark Alan Shehan
- 👤 Dale Scott Crombez
- 👤 Patrick Joseph Curran
- 👤 Kevin Michael Bullister
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:08
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60C; B60C23/00; B60C23/02; B60C23/04; B60C23/0408; B60C23/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A tire monitoring assembly for use with a vehicle having at least one selectively inflatable tire, said tire having a measurable attribute of a certain predetermined inflation value when said tire is inflated, the tire monitoring assembly comprising: a controller which initially measures said attribute and which produces a first value based upon said measurement and which operably utilizes said first value to determine whether said at least one tire is deflated, only if said first value is substantially identical to said certain value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A tire monitoring assembly for use with a vehicle having at least one selectively inflatable tire, said tire having a measurable attribute of a certain predetermined inflation value when said tire is inflated, the tire monitoring assembly comprising: a controller which initially measures said attribute and which produces a first value based upon said measurement and which operably utilizes said first value to determine whether said at least one tire is deflated, only if said first value is substantially identical to said certain value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The tire monitoring assembly of claim 1 further comprising a selectively depressible switch which is coupled to said controller and which causes said controller to produce said first value when said switch is selectively depressed for a certain predetermined amount of time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
The tire monitoring assembly of claim 1 wherein said attribute comprises pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The tire monitoring assembly of claim 1 wherein said attribute comprises a tire turning radius.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The tire monitoring assembly of claim 1 wherein said monitoring assembly further comprises a selectively energizable device which is coupled to said controller and which is energized when said at least one tire is deflated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The tire monitoring assembly of claim 2 wherein said switch causes said controller to perform a certain action when said switch is momentarily depressed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The tire monitoring assembly of claim 1 wherein said controller operably utilizes said first value to create a value range for said at least one tire.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
A tire monitoring assembly for use in combination with a vehicle having at least one selectively inflatable tire, said tire assembly comprising a controller which uses data to produce a certain value window and a measured first value, said controller selectively using said first value to determine whether said at least one tire is deflated only after said controller first determines whether said first value resides within said certain value window.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
A tire monitoring assembly for use in combination with a vehicle having at least one selectively inflatable tire, said tire assembly comprising a controller which uses data to produce a certain value window and a measured first value, said controller selectively using said first value to determine whether said at least one tire is deflated only after said controller first determines whether said first value resides within said certain value window.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for improving the accuracy of a tire monitoring system used in combination with a vehicle having at least one selectively inflatable tire having a measurable characteristic of a certain value when the at least one tire is inflated, the tire monitoring system initially measuring said characteristic and producing a second value based upon said measurement, the tire monitoring system further and periodically measuring the characteristic and producing third values based upon these periodic measurements and selectively producing a tire deflation signal when at least one of the produced third values differs from the second value, the method comprising the steps of: comparing the second value to the certain value; providing a selectively energizable warning device; causing the tire monitoring assembly, based upon the comparison of the second value to the certain value, to discard the second value, thereby preventing the comparison of the second value with the third values from being made; and selectively energizing the warning devices, thereby improving the accuracy of the tire monitoring system.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for improving the accuracy of a tire monitoring system used in combination with a vehicle having at least one selectively inflatable tire having a measurable characteristic of a certain value when the at least one tire is inflated, the tire monitoring system initially measuring said characteristic and producing a second value based upon said measurement, the tire monitoring system further and periodically measuring the characteristic and producing third values based upon these periodic measurements and selectively producing a tire deflation signal when at least one of the produced third values differs from the second value, the method comprising the steps of: comparing the second value to the certain value; providing a selectively energizable warning device; causing the tire monitoring assembly, based upon the comparison of the second value to the certain value, to discard the second value, thereby preventing the comparison of the second value with the third values from being made; and selectively energizing the warning devices, thereby improving the accuracy of the tire monitoring system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of providing a selectively depressible switch; and causing said tire monitoring assembly to produce said second value when said switch is depressed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4277772A
Cited
US4447801A
Cited
US4906970A
Cited
US4876528A
Cited
US5179981A
Cited
US5218862A
Cited
US5591906A
Cited
US5524482A
Cited
US5578984A
Cited
US5569848A
Cited
US5604307A
Cited
US5844475A
Cited
US5721374A
Cited
US5721528A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-03-28 | 2003-09-27 | 2004-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-28 | 2007-09-27 | 2008-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-28 | 2011-09-27 | 2012-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |