Power supply unit for a pressure-sensing device that is...

Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...

Reexamination Certificate

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C340S445000, C073S146500

Reexamination Certificate

active

06194998

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pressure-sensing device for a vehicle wheel, more particularly to a power supply unit for a pressure-sensing device that is concealed by a tire of a vehicle wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,614 discloses a tire pressure alarm system for a vehicle wheel. The alarm system is mounted on an inner end of an air inlet valve that extends into an airtight chamber confined by a wheel rim and a tire. The alarm system is responsive to air pressure inside the chamber so as to generate a radio signal when the air pressure is at a predetermined low pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,689 discloses a pressure gauge for a vehicle wheel. The pressure gauge includes a casing formed with an aperture and secured to the wheel rim such that the casing is concealed by a tire on the wheel rim. A signal generating device is disposed in the casing, and includes a pressure-sensing unit which generates an analog voltage signal that varies in accordance with the pressure entering the aperture, a signal converting unit which converts the analog voltage signal from the pressure-sensing unit into a digital output signal, an encoder unit which compares the digital output signal from the signal converting unit with high and low pressure limits of a normal operating pressure range and which generates a pressure signal inclusive of the digital output signal and an identification code unique to the pressure gauge when the digital output signal is not within the normal operating pressure range, and a signal transmitter circuit which transmits the pressure signal from the encoder unit wirelessly. A receiver device includes a signal receiver circuit to receive the pressure signal transmitted by the pressure gauge, a decoder unit to receive and decode the pressure signal from the signal receiver circuit, and a display unit controlled by the decoder unit so as to indicate thereon which one of the vehicle wheels is under- or over-inflated and the pressure inside the under- or over-inflated one of the vehicle wheels.
The alarm system of U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,614 and the pressure gauge of U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,689 incorporate a power source, such as a battery cell, that is also concealed by the tire of the vehicle wheel. Thus, when the stored power of the power source has been used up, there is a need to remove the vehicle wheel from the vehicle chassis, deflate the tire, remove the tire from the wheel rim, and open the alarm system or the pressure gauge before replacement of the power source can be conducted. As such, replacement of the power source is a very complicated and inconvenient task.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-replace power supply unit for a pressure-sensing device that is concealed by a tire of a vehicle wheel.
Accordingly, the power supply unit of the present invention is adapted for use with a pressure-sensing device for a vehicle wheel. The vehicle wheel includes a wheel rim and a pneumatic tire mounted on the wheel rim so as to confine an airtight chamber therewith. The pressure-sensing device is mounted on the wheel rim inside the airtight chamber and is concealed by the pneumatic tire. The power supply unit comprises a tubular valve housing, an air valve member and a battery housing.
The tubular valve housing has an outer end portion, an inner end portion and an intermediate portion between the outer and inner end portions. The valve housing confines a longitudinal air passage that extends from the outer end portion through the inner end portion. The intermediate portion is adapted to be mounted on the wheel rim in an airtight manner such that the inner end portion extends into the airtight chamber and such that the outer end portion extends outwardly of the wheel rim. The valve housing is provided with a housing conductor that extends from the outer end portion to the inner end portion and that is adapted to be connected electrically to the pressure-sensing device.
The air valve member is mounted in the air passage of the valve housing and is operable so as to control air flow through the air passage. The air valve member includes a spring-loaded valve stem with a conductive stem body that is adapted to be connected electrically to the pressure-sensing device, and insulation means for electrically insulating the stem body from the housing conductor.
The battery housing is mounted on the outer end portion of the valve housing and is adapted to receive a battery cell therein. The battery housing is provided with electrically isolated first and second battery contacts adapted to connect electrically and respectively with first and second terminals of the battery cell when the battery cell is received in the battery housing. The first and second battery contacts establish electrical connection with the housing conductor and the conductive stem body, respectively, when the battery housing is mounted on the outer end portion of the valve housing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4048614 (1977-09-01), Shumway
patent: 4737760 (1988-04-01), Huang et al.
patent: 4814745 (1989-03-01), Wang
patent: 4945337 (1990-07-01), Huang
patent: 5289161 (1994-02-01), Huang
patent: 5604481 (1997-02-01), Lin
patent: 5694111 (1997-12-01), Huang
patent: 5754101 (1998-05-01), Tsunetomi et al.
patent: 5798689 (1998-08-01), Huang
patent: 5856619 (1999-01-01), Wang
patent: 6006600 (1999-12-01), Cheng
patent: 6034596 (2000-03-01), Smith et al.

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