Tire monitoring apparatus, system, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024123775-A1
Application number	US-202318380075-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2023
Priority date	Oct 13, 2022
Publication date	Apr 18, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one aspect, a tire monitoring apparatus having a circuit board, battery, and valve body intermediate the circuit board and the battery. The valve body has an attachment end portion for connecting to a valve stem of a tire, a filling end portion, and an internal passageway to permit air to travel from the filling end portion to the attachment end portion. The circuit board has a sensor configured to detect a variable of air traveling in the internal passageway of the valve body and communication circuitry of the circuit board operable to wirelessly communicate data associated with the variable of the air. The tire monitoring apparatus further includes a support permanently encapsulating the circuit board and battery about the valve body. The support includes a structural member molded onto the valve body and an embedding member securing the circuit board and the battery to the structural member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tire monitoring apparatus comprising:
a circuit board; a battery; a valve body intermediate the circuit board and the battery, the valve body having an attachment end portion for connecting to a valve stem of a tire, a filling end portion for receiving pressurized air, and an internal passageway to permit air to travel from the filling end portion to the attachment end portion; a sensor of the circuit board configured to detect a variable of air in the internal passageway of the valve body; communication circuitry of the circuit board operable to wirelessly communicate data associated with the variable of the air; a support permanently encapsulating the circuit board and the battery about the valve body; and the support comprising a structural member molded onto the valve body and an embedding member securing the circuit board and the battery to the structural member.

2 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the embedding member comprises potting.

3 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit board is mounted to the structural member via a hook and fastener connection of the support.

4 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the structural member comprises first and second recesses on opposite sides of the valve body;
wherein the battery is in the first recess;
wherein the circuit board is in the second recess; and
wherein the embedding member is in the first recess and the second recess to secure the battery and the circuit board in the first and second recesses.

5 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a sealing member extending about the sensor; and
the sealing member is engaged with the circuit board and at least one of the structural member and the valve body.

6 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the valve body includes a side wall having a through opening therein;
wherein the sensor includes a sensing portion adjacent the through opening; and
an o-ring extending about the through opening and the sensing portion, the o-ring compressed between the sensor and the valve body.

7 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit board comprises openings; and
wherein the battery comprises a battery cell and terminals extending on either side of the valve body from the battery cell into the openings of the circuit board.

8 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 7 wherein the terminals of the battery have different widths; and
wherein the openings of the circuit board have different widths.

9 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the structural member is a housing;
wherein the embedding member comprises potting in the housing; and
wherein the support comprises caps connected to the housing on opposite sides of the valve body.

10 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support comprises a cap connected to the structural member, the cap having an opening; and
wherein a portion of the embedding member is in the opening.

11 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the structural member includes a housing having upper and lower openings;
wherein the embedding member includes at least a portion thereof in the housing;
wherein the support includes upper and lower caps covering the upper and lower openings of the housing;
wherein the caps include arms with openings; and
wherein the embedding member includes anchor portions extending in the openings of the arms of the caps to connect the caps and the housing.

12 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the battery is embedded in the embedding member.

13 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the structural member is an inner support and the embedding member is an outer body molded over the inner support.

14 . The tire monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein the valve body comprises:
a tubular wall extending about the internal passageway; and
a valve core supported by the tubular wall.

15 . A method of manufacturing a tire monitoring apparatus, the method comprising:
molding a first material onto a valve body to form a first portion of a support, the valve body having an attachment end portion for connecting to a valve stem of a tire and a filling end portion for receiving pressurized air; positioning a battery and a circuit board proximate the first portion of the support on opposite sides of the valve body, the circuit board including a sensor to detect a variable of air in the valve body; and advancing a second material into contact with the first portion of the support to form a second portion of the support connected to the first portion of the support, the first and second portions of the support securing the battery and the circuit board to the valve body.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein advancing the second material into contact with the first portion of the support comprises advancing potting into contact with the first portion of the support.

17 . The method of claim 15 wherein positioning the battery and the circuit board proximate the first portion of the support comprises compressing a seal member between the circuit board and at least one of the first portion of the support and the valve body.

18 . The method of claim 15 wherein positioning the battery and the circuit board of the support proximate the first portion of the support comprises advancing the battery and the circuit board into first and second openings of the first portion of the support on opposite sides of the first portion of the support; and
wherein advancing the second material into contact with the first portion of the support to form the second portion of the support comprises advancing the second material into the first and second openings.

19 . The method of claim 15 wherein molding the first material onto the valve body to form the first portion of the support comprises molding the first material to form a housing;
wherein positioning the battery and the circuit board proximate the first portion of the support comprises positioning the battery and the circuit board in an interior of the housing; and
wherein advancing the second material into contact with the first portion of the support comprises advancing the second material into the housing.

20 . The method of claim 15 wherein positioning the battery and a circuit board proximate the first portion of the support comprises engaging a hook and screw connection.

21 . The method of claim 15 wherein positioning the battery and the circuit board proximate the first portion of the support comprises:
positioning a tab of the circuit board below a lip of the first portion of the support;
pivoting a fastener receiving portion of the circuit board downward toward a support surface of the first portion of the support; and
advancing a portion of a fastener through an opening of the fastener receiving portion of the circuit board and into an opening of the first portion of the support to secure the circuit board to the first portion of the support.

22 . The method of claim 15 further comprising connecting a cap to the first portion of the support; and
wherein advancing the second material into contact with the first portion of the support comprises advancing a portion of the second material into an opening of the cap.

23 . The method of claim 15 wherein positioning the battery and the circuit

Assignees

• Cons Metco Inc

Inventors

• Robinett Michael
• Mcgarry Stephen
• Eriksen Jeremiah
• Clouse Natalie
• Connell John
• Buchholtz Brett

Classifications

• B60C23/0496 Primary

  Valve stem attachments positioned outside of the tyre chamber · CPC title

• B60C23/041

  Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel · CPC title

• B60C23/0433

  Radio signals · CPC title