JP2010241221A - Tire air pressure monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tire air pressure monitoring system easily specifying a tire with air pressure reduced. <P>SOLUTION: The tire air pressure monitoring system 2 is provided with: a tire air pressure sensor unit 5 attached to a wheel 4 of a vehicle 1 and detecting a tire air pressure; and an ECU 30 mounted on the vehicle 1, monitoring data transmitted from the tire air pressure sensor unit 5, and, when it detects that the tire air pressure becomes lower than the prescribed value, notifying that effect. The air pressure sensor unit 5 is attached to the wheel 4 to have an exposed part (valve stem 6, valve nut 7, valve cap 9) exposed to the outside. The exposed part has identification information identified from the outside, such as a marking 8, and the difference of the color of the valve cap 9. The monitoring data includes identification data in correspondence with the identification information, and the ECU 30 notifies the identification information in correspondence with the identification data included in the monitoring data when advising that the tire air pressure is lower than the prescribed value. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a tire air pressure monitoring system that can easily identify a tire having a decreased air pressure.

  Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is a system that monitors tire pressure and allows the vehicle driver to quickly recognize when the tire pressure drops while driving, In North America, it is already required to be installed in newly sold vehicles.

  There are two types of TPMS: indirect and direct (sensor type). The indirect TPMS detects the difference in the outer diameter of the tire due to the size of the air pressure from the difference in the rotational speed, and estimates the air pressure. In the direct type TPMS, for example, a sensor unit integrated with an air valve is attached to each wheel, and the air pressure of each tire is directly measured by the sensor.

  The direct TPMS has a pneumatic sensor unit on the tire (wheel) side and an in-vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit, vehicle body side unit) on the vehicle body side. Each unit has a wireless communication function. For example, the units communicate with each other (or communicate in one direction) and wirelessly transmit tire pressure data directly measured by the air pressure sensor unit to the in-vehicle ECU. The in-vehicle ECU receives the transmitted tire air pressure data, processes it, and notifies the driver of the decrease in air pressure. In the following description, TPMS refers to a direct (sensor type) TPMS having a wireless transmission / reception function.

  In this tire pressure monitoring system, the in-vehicle ECU not only can detect that an abnormality has occurred in any of the plurality of tires provided in its own vehicle, but also identifies individual tires for each tire. Preferably, data relating to air pressure can be classified and collected. In so-called high-end cars, TPMS is often installed to identify and alert tires with reduced air pressure. To identify individual tires, an initiator for each wheel is required in the vicinity of each vehicle. There is a problem that costs increase. Therefore, a so-called popular vehicle is often equipped with a TPMS that displays an indication that a decrease in air pressure has occurred for any of the tires without specifying a tire in which the decrease in air pressure has occurred.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a tire pressure monitoring system that displays a tire pressure drop warning on a wheel on an indicator when a tire pressure drop occurs on any of the wheels (see, for example, Patent Document 1). That is, the indicator of the tire pressure monitoring system displays an alarm without identifying the four rotating wheels that have a tire pressure drop. This TPMS is a simple system and is inexpensive.

  In addition, an air pressure monitoring system that includes an initiator for each wheel and displays which tire in the vehicle is experiencing a decrease in air pressure is disclosed as an alarm display that identifies the occurrence of a decrease in tire air pressure. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2). The air pressure monitoring system disclosed in Patent Document 2 is a more complicated system than that described in Patent Document 1 described above, and is therefore more expensive.

JP 2006-15955 A (paragraph [0052], FIG. 1) Japanese Patent No. 4042975 (paragraph [0063], FIG. 6)

  However, according to the tire pressure monitoring system described in Patent Document 1, the driver can know from the display on the system that a tire pressure drop has occurred on any of the four wheels. It cannot be specified by the display of the system which wheel tire pressure drop has occurred (the icon 41 of Patent Document 1 does not identify and display each tire). Therefore, it is necessary to stop the vehicle and measure the air pressure of each tire from the outside by using a pneumatic gauge or the like in order to identify the tire in which the air pressure has dropped. was there.

  In addition, in the tire pressure monitoring system described in Patent Document 2, in order to correctly display which tire of the vehicle the pressure drop has occurred, an initiator is provided for each wheel, and when the engine is started, each tire (pneumatic pressure) Although the position of the sensor unit) is registered in the in-vehicle ECU, the system is complicated and expensive because it includes an initiator.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tire air pressure monitoring system that can solve the above-described problems and can easily identify a tire whose air pressure has dropped.

In order to solve the above problems, a tire pressure monitoring system according to the present invention includes a tire pressure sensor unit that is mounted on a wheel of a vehicle and detects tire pressure, and monitoring data from the tire pressure sensor unit that is mounted on the vehicle. And a tire pressure monitoring unit for notifying that the tire pressure is detected to be lower than a predetermined value.
The air pressure sensor unit is mounted on the wheel so as to have an exposed portion exposed to the outside, the exposed portion has identification information that can be identified from the outside, and the monitoring data transmitted to the tire pressure monitoring unit is identification data corresponding to the identification information. including. When notifying that the tire pressure has dropped below a predetermined value, the tire pressure monitoring unit also notifies identification information corresponding to the identification data included in the monitoring data.

  The exposed portion is a portion where the air pressure sensor unit is exposed to the outside of the wheel, and specifically, a valve stem, a valve nut, and a valve cap. Specifically, the identification information includes, for example, markings attached to the valve stem or the valve nut, different colors of the valve cap, coloring of the exposed portion, and the like.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the tire pressure monitoring system which can pinpoint the tire from which the air pressure fell easily by simple structure can be provided.

1 is a perspective plan view schematically showing a vehicle equipped with an air pressure monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the view which looked forward from the driver's seat of the vehicle. It is a screen figure which shows a screen display when air pressure fall generate | occur | produces in the tire of the right front. It is a figure which shows the identification display when the air pressure of the tire of a comparative example falls. It is a figure which shows the data format of monitoring data.

Next, one mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as “embodiment”) will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view schematically showing a vehicle 1 equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The vehicle 1 is a four-wheel vehicle including four wheels 4FR (right front wheel), 4FL (left front wheel), 4RR (right rear wheel), and 4RL (left rear wheel). Tires 3FR (right front wheel), 3FL (left front wheel), 3RR (right rear wheel), and 3RL (left rear wheel) are mounted on these wheels 4FR, 4FL, 4RR, and 4RL, respectively.

  In the present embodiment, the front right component of the vehicle 1 is “FR”, the left front component is “FL”, the right rear component is “RR”, and the left rear component is “RL”. "Is added later to indicate the position of the component. When these constituent elements are collectively referred to, and when these constituent elements are not distinguished by their arrangement positions, they are indicated by the numeral portion of the reference sign without attaching the letters FR, FL, RR, and RL. In this case, for example, the wheel 4 and the tire 3 are described.

  The tire pressure monitoring system 2 includes four tire pressure sensor units 5FL, 5FR, 5RL, and 5RR corresponding to the four tires 3FL, 3FR, 3RL, and 3RR, respectively. Further, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 30 that is a tire pressure monitoring unit is provided. Connected to the ECU 30 is a tire condition monitor 20 installed at a place that is easily visible from the driver's seat of the vehicle 1.

  The tire air pressure sensor unit 5 (5FL, 5FR, 5RL, 5RR) includes an air pressure sensor that monitors the air pressure of the tire 3, an arithmetic control unit, a wireless transmission unit, and a battery (all not shown), and has a predetermined period (for example, 1 minute), the monitoring data including the identification data uniquely assigned to each tire pressure sensor unit 5 and the air pressure data of the tire 3 measured by the air pressure sensor is wirelessly transmitted.

  The tire pressure sensor unit 5 has a shape in which a valve stem 6 (6FL, 6FR, 6RL, 6RR) protrudes from a main body portion, and a valve cap 9 is fitted to an air inlet portion at the tip of the valve stem 6. When mounting the wheel 4 on the rim, the main body portion of the tire air pressure sensor unit 5 is positioned on the hollow side (inside) of the tire 3 in the rim, and the valve stem 6 is extended to the opposite side (outside) through the mounting hole of the rim. The valve nut 7 is tightened from the outside to ensure airtightness. And the tire 3 is assembled | attached to the wheel 4, and after inject | pouring air, the valve cap 9 is fitted to the valve stem 6 front-end | tip. Therefore, when the wheel 4 is assembled (when the tire 3 is assembled), the valve stem 6, the valve nut 7, and the valve cap 9 protrude from the rim of the wheel 4 to the outside and can be easily visually recognized. Therefore, the valve stem 6, the valve nut 7, and the valve cap 9 correspond to an “exposed portion” in the claims.

As shown in the figure, in this tire pressure monitoring system 2, a different number of linear (or annular) markings 8 are attached to the valve stem 6 or the valve nut 7 for each wheel 4 (tire pressure sensor unit 5). In addition, the valve cap 9 has a different color. Preferably, not only the valve cap 9 but also the entire “exposed portion” has a different color for each wheel 4.
Specifically, in the right front wheel 4FR, a single line marking 8FR is attached to the valve stem 6FR or the valve nut 7FR, and the color of the valve cap 9FR is blue. Preferably, not only the valve cap 9FR but also the entire “exposed portion” is blue.
In the front left wheel 4FL, a double line marking 8FL is attached to the valve stem 6FL or the valve nut 7FL, and the color of the valve cap 9FL is red. Preferably, not only the valve cap 9FL but also the entire “exposed portion” is red.
In the right rear wheel 4RR, a three-line marking 8RR is attached to the valve stem 6RR or the valve nut 7RR, and the color of the valve cap 9RR is yellow. Preferably, not only the valve cap 9RR but also the entire “exposed portion” is yellow.
In the left rear wheel 4RL, a four-line marking 8RL is attached to the valve stem 6RL or the valve nut 7RL, and the color of the valve cap 9RL is orange. Preferably, not only the valve cap 9RL but also the entire “exposed portion” is orange.

The display of the marking 8 and the color of the valve cap 9 are identification information. However, these are examples, and the identification information is obtained from each tire 3 (that is, each tire pressure sensor unit 5) in the vehicle 1. Any display that can be specified by appearance is acceptable.
In addition, an example in which the tire 3 can be distinguished by both the difference in the number of the markings 8 and the color of the valve cap 9 (or the color of the “exposed portion” as a whole) has been described. Each of the tires 3 may be indicated by either the difference in the number or the color of the valve cap 9 (or the color of the “exposed portion”).

  The ECU 30 includes an identification data detection unit and a display processing unit that performs a display process of identification information according to the detected identification data (none of which is shown). The identification data detection unit has a function of receiving and demodulating the monitoring data wirelessly transmitted from the tire pressure sensor unit 5, and extracts the identification data and the pneumatic data of the tire 3 from the demodulated monitoring data. When the air pressure indicated by the air pressure data is lower than the predetermined value, the display processing unit displays a warning display indicating that the air pressure has decreased and a display for identifying the corresponding tire 3 (notification of identification information), as will be described later. This is performed by the tire condition monitor 20.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a field of view from the driver's seat of the vehicle 1 looking forward.
As the tire condition monitor 20, a display device at a position that is easy to enter the driver's field of view may be used. For example, the display screen 21 of the car navigation system may be used, or the multi-information display 22 in the front panel may be used. As the tire condition monitor 20, various display devices provided in the vehicle 1 can be used. In addition, since it is only necessary to identify at most four, it is also possible to notify the identification information through hearing, such as a voice such as “No. 1” or “Blue” or a beep sound (number of sounds). . As described above, the notification mode may be anything that appeals to the driver's five senses including vision and hearing.

FIG. 3 is a screen diagram showing a screen display when a decrease in air pressure occurs in the right front tire 3FR.
FIG. 3A shows a first example of the screen display. A symbol indicating a decrease in tire air pressure (a tire section having a “!” Mark superimposed thereon) is lit in yellow, and “tire pressure decrease” and “1” are displayed. "(String) is displayed. Since the character “1” means the number of markings 8 attached to the valve stem 6 or the valve nut 7, it is easily understood from the single line marking 8 FR that the air pressure of the right front tire 3 FR is reduced. .

Similarly, when the character “2” is displayed on the tire condition monitor 20, the air pressure of the left front tire 3FL decreases from the double line marking 8FL, and the character “3” is displayed. The air pressure of the right rear tire 3RR decreases from the three-line marking 8RR, and when the character “4” is displayed, the air pressure of the left rear tire 3RL decreases from the four-line marking 8RL. It is easy to see that In this configuration, the valve cap 9 need not be color-coded.
In addition, the screen display “1” in FIG. 3A visually notifies the identification information corresponding to the identification data “1” (ex. Electronic data) included in the monitoring data (displays the marking 8). ).

  FIG. 3B is a second example of the screen display. The symbol indicating a decrease in tire air pressure is lit in yellow, characters (columns) of “tire pressure decrease” and “blue” are displayed, and the screen is further displayed. It is displayed in blue. Since the letters “blue” and blue display mean the color of the valve cap 9 fitted to the valve stem 6 of the wheel 4, the air pressure of the right front tire 3 FR is reduced from the letters “blue” and blue display. It is easy to see that

Similarly, if the tire condition monitor 20 has the characters “red” and red, the air pressure of the left front tire 3FL decreases, and if the characters “yellow” and yellow are displayed, the air pressure of the right rear tire 3RR is If it is decreased and there is a letter “orange” and an orange display, it can be easily understood that the air pressure of the left rear tire 3RL is decreased. In this configuration, the marking 8 on the valve stem 6 or the valve nut 7 may not be attached.
Note that the screen display of “blue” in FIG. 3B is also visually notified of the identification information corresponding to the identification data of “blue” (ex. Electronic data) included in the monitoring data (marking 8 is displayed). ). Incidentally, “blue” in the identification data is an example, and the identification data may be a color palette number used in the computer. For example, in the color palette, “# 0000FF” is “blue”. This also applies to “1” in the identification data described above.

  The difference in the color of the marking 8 on the valve stem 6 or the valve nut 7 and the color of the valve cap 9 (or the difference in the color of the “exposed portion”) corresponds to “identification information” in the claims.

  Each tire pressure sensor unit 5 transmits monitoring data in a format as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B (temperature and the like are omitted). The sensor ID is always added information and has a role of identifying the sensor unit 5 of the host vehicle 1 and the sensor unit 5 of the other vehicle 1. On the other hand, the identification information and the identification data corresponding to the identification information on a one-to-one basis merely have a role of identifying the difference between the sensor units 5 in the host vehicle 1. Therefore, the sensor ID is very unique (unique in many vehicles 1), but the identification data (that is, identification information) may be very low as shown in FIG. It may be unique in the vehicle 1). The identification data is included in the monitoring data, and the identification information is visualized. The identification data and the identification information have a one-to-one correspondence as described above.

In the case of the monitoring data in FIG. 5A, for example, when the ECU 30 determines from the monitoring data transmitted by the right front wheel sensor unit 5FR that the air pressure of the tire 3FR has decreased, the ECU 30 displays the data shown in FIG. Display a).
Further, in the case of the monitoring data of FIG. 5B, the ECU 30 determines that the air pressure of the tire 3FR has decreased from the monitoring data transmitted by the right front wheel sensor unit 5FR, for example, on the tire condition display monitor 20. 3 (b) is displayed.
That is, the ECU 30 has a function of displaying identification information that allows the tire state display monitor 20 to visually identify which tire 3 has a reduced air pressure when the air pressure decreases. By this display, the occupant (driver) can stop the vehicle 1 and get off, and by simply observing the markings 8 and the valve caps 9 of the tires 3, the tires with reduced air pressure can be identified, and the air pressure is measured. There is no need to do.

Although it is possible to abolish the identification data and associate the sensor ID with the display contents (that is, identification information) on the tire condition display monitor 20, the sensor ID is very unique as described above. It takes time to associate the sensor ID with the identification information. Therefore, as in this embodiment, if the transmitted identification data is “1”, it is displayed as shown in FIG. 3A, that is, the identification data and the identification information are associated with each other on a one-to-one basis. It is much less time-consuming to program the ECU 30.
Specifically, the identification information “1” is displayed on the tire condition display monitor 20 if the identification data is “1”, and “2” is displayed on the tire condition display monitor 20 if the identification data is “2”. If the identification data is “3”, the identification information “3” is displayed on the tire condition display monitor 20. If the identification data is “4”, the identification information “4” is displayed on the tire condition display monitor 20. It is only necessary to program in advance, such as displaying. That is, rather than setting the program of the ECU 30 based on a huge number of sensor IDs, it is better to set it based on several (four) pieces of identification information (identification data). The cost is much lower, and there is no need to take the trouble of associating the sensor ID with the display contents later. By the way, the identification information can be 4 if only 4 wheels are considered and 5 if spare tires are considered. Even when considering a large vehicle such as a trailer, at most a dozen or so pieces of identification information are sufficient.

  If the identification data included in the monitoring data is “1”, the identification information “1” is not displayed as shown in FIG. 3A, but “blue” is displayed as shown in FIG. 3B. It can also be programmed to display identification information.

  According to the present embodiment, the display of the exposed portion of the tire pressure sensor unit 5 (the marking 8 on the valve stem 6 or the valve nut 7 or the color of the valve cap 9 is referred to by referring to the screen display of the tire condition monitor 20. ), It is possible to easily identify the tire 3 in which the air pressure drop has occurred. Even if the tire rotation is performed, the display uniquely indicates each wheel 4, so that the tire 3 whose air pressure has decreased can be easily displayed from the display of the exposed portion of the tire air pressure sensor unit 5 as before the tire rotation. Can be identified.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an identification display when the tire air pressure of the comparative example decreases.
The first comparative example is a display that indicates a decrease in tire air pressure when a low-pressure tire is not specified, and an identification display (tel tail; warning lamp) indicating that a decrease in air pressure has occurred in any tire is lit in yellow. ing. Since it is not known from the identification display which tire has the reduced air pressure, it is necessary to actually measure the tire air pressure to identify the tire in which the air pressure has decreased.

  The second comparative example is a display showing a decrease in tire air pressure when specifying a tire having a low pressure, as shown in Patent Document 2, and an identification display indicating that a decrease in air pressure has occurred in the right front tire lights up in yellow is doing.

The present invention is similarly applied to vehicles other than four-wheeled vehicles, such as two-wheeled vehicles and six-wheeled vehicles, by increasing / decreasing the types of markings attached to the valve stem or valve nut, and increasing / decreasing the types of valve cap colors. it can.
In addition to the display screen of the car navigation system and the multi-information display, the tire pressure drop may be displayed on the mobile phone or portable music player that transmits the information to the inside of the vehicle using electromagnetic waves or infrared rays. Good.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 Tire pressure monitoring system 3 (3FR, 3FL, 3RR, 3RL) Tire 4 (4FR, 4FL, 4RR, 4RL) Wheel 5 (5FR, 5FL, 5RR, 5RL) Tire pressure sensor unit 6 (6FR, 6FL, 6RR) , 6RL) Valve stem (exposed part)
7 (7FR, 7FL, 7RR, 7RL) Valve nut (exposed part)
8 (8FR, 8FL, 8RR, 8RL) Marking (identification information)
9 (9FR, 9FL, 9RR, 9RL) Valve cap (exposed part)
20 Tire Condition Monitor 21 Car Navigation System Display Screen 22 Multi Information Display 30 ECU (Tire Pressure Monitoring Unit)

Claims (1)

A tire pressure sensor unit that is mounted on a vehicle wheel and detects tire pressure;
A tire pressure monitoring unit mounted on the vehicle for monitoring monitoring data from the tire pressure sensor unit and notifying that the tire pressure is detected to be lower than a predetermined value; and
In a tire pressure monitoring system comprising:
The air pressure sensor unit is
Attached to the wheel so as to have an exposed portion exposed to the outside,
The exposed portion has identification information that can be identified from the outside,
The monitoring data transmitted to the tire pressure monitoring unit includes identification data corresponding to the identification information,
The tire pressure monitoring unit includes:
When notifying that the tire pressure has fallen below the predetermined value, the tire pressure monitoring system also notifies the identification information corresponding to the identification data included in the monitoring data.

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