Vehicle tyre pressure checking

摘要

A sensor array (13) for checking the pressure of a vehicle tire while being moved over the array comprises two sets (14) and (19) of aligned, facing sensor members. The first set (14) of sensor members is formed by slits (15) cut into a plate of metal to form first fingers (16) connected in cantilevered fashion to a first base portion (17), which extend in the direction of intended vehicle movement to free ends (18). The second set (19) of sensor members is formed by slits (20) cut into a plate of metal to form second fingers (21) connected in cantilevered fashion to a second base portion (22), which extend in the reverse of the direction of intended vehicle movement to free ends (23). The fingers of the two sets are aligned and the free ends (18) and (23) are closely adjacent. Each finger is provided with a load sensing system (28, 29) which provides an indication of the load on the finger as the tire moves over the finger. Loads are applied to different positions along the fingers as the tire moves over the array. The sensitivity of the array increases from a minimum for a load applied where the first fingers (16) are attached to the first base portion (17), to a maximum adjacent the free ends (18, 23) of the first and second fingers (16) and (21), and then decreases to a minimum where the second fingers (21) are attached to the second base portion (22). The fingers may be replaced by series of individual sensing elements (42) arranged in groups so as to constitute sensor members, whose outputs are weighted so that the sensitivity varies in a similar manner along a sensor member.

主权项

1. A method of checking the inflation pressure of a vehicle tyre whilst moving the tyre in a direction of travel over a sensor array extending in a lateral direction with respect to the direction of travel, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of laterally spaced sensor members each of which is elongate and extends from a first end to a second end in a longitudinal direction which extends sideways from said lateral direction, so that loads are applied to different positions along the sensor member as the tyre moves over the array; wherein each sensor member is provided with a respective load sensing system which provides an output representing the load on the sensor member as a tyre moves over the array, and there is provided a processing module which processes outputs from the load sensing systems of the sensor members and provides data representing the pressure of the tyre; and wherein the sensitivity of each sensor member increases from a minimum for a load applied at the first end of the sensor member, to a maximum for a load applied at the second end of the sensor member.