Morris E Jones

US Patent:

60257776, Feb 15, 2000

Filed:

Mar 11, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/038761

Inventors:

Timothy C. Fuller - Clackamas OR
Melvin M. Priday - Clackamas OR
John C. Fuller - Clackamas OR
James C. Foster - Clackamas OR
Morris N. Jones - Clackamas OR
Robert Prow - Salem OR
Patrick H. Barrett - Portland OR
Alan J. Walters - Cornelius OR

Assignee:

Fuller Brothers, Inc. - Clackamas OR

International Classification:

B60C 2300

US Classification:

340442

Abstract:

A tire pressure and temperature measurement system adapts a Y-block (30) to an existing valve stem (20). One branch (44) of the Y-block accepts a conventional valve core (42) and another branch (38) accepts a flexible tubular temperature sensor (36) that leads "down the throat" of the existing valve stem and into the interior of a tire (14, 18). Another embodiment is adapted for use on inside dual tires (18). Making a measurement entails attaching a pressure sensor (40) to the valve stem and attaching a hand-held processor (112) to the sensors. The hand-held processor reads the current tire pressure and temperature; executes a program (Eqs. 1-6) that accounts for measured and target temperatures, vapor pressures, and gas compressibility; and indicates how much pressure to add or subtract to the tire to achieve an accurate final tire operating pressure. In yet another embodiment, a spherical protective housing (70) enclosing pressure and temperature sensors (72), a controller 76, and a data transceiver (74) is loosely placed within the interior of a tire when it is mounted to a rim. A remote measurement system (80) receives at another data transceiver (108) pressure and temperature data transmitted from inside the tire while the vehicle is moving and conveys the data to a processor (112) for executing the above-described program.

US Patent:

62920952, Sep 18, 2001

Filed:

Jun 11, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/330534

Inventors:

Timothy C. Fuller - Clackamas OR
Melvin M. Priday - Clackamas OR
John C. Fuller - Clackamas OR
James C. Foster - Clackamas OR
Morris C. Jones - Clackamas OR
Robert Prow - Salem OR

Assignee:

Fuller Brothers, Inc. - Clackamas OR

International Classification:

B60C 2300

US Classification:

340442

Abstract:

A tire pressure and temperature measurement system adapts a Y-block (30) to an existing valve stem (20). One branch (44) of the Y-block accepts a conventional valve core (42) and another branch (38) accepts a flexible tubular temperature sensor (36) that leads "down the throat" of the existing valve stem and into the interior of a tire (14, 18). A second embodiment is adapted for use on inside dual tires (18). Making a measurement entails attaching a pressure sensor (40) to the valve stem and attaching a hand-held processor (112) to the sensors. The hand-held processor reads the current tire pressure and temperature; executes a program (Eqs. 1-6) that accounts for measured and target temperatures, vapor pressures, and gas compressibility; aid indicates how much pressure to add or subtract to the tire to achieve an accurate final tire operating pressure. In third and fourth embodiments, respective spherical (70) and U-shaped channel (120) protective housings enclosing pressure and temperature sensors (72), a controller 76, and a data transceiver (74) are loosely placed or attached by magnets (122) within the interior of a tire (126). A remote measurement system (80) receives at another data transceiver (108) pressure and temperature data transmitted from inside the tire while the vehicle is moving and conveys the data to a processor (112) for executing the above-described program.