TPMS monitor mounting bracket

A TPMS monitor mounting bracket consisting of a flat square base having a centrally located clearance hole therein. The bracket includes an upward-extending S-shaped angular arm that is integral with the base. The bracket also includes a first flat mounting surface located on the same horizontal plane above the square base, and includes a centered first tapped hole. An upward-extending inverted V-shaped angular arm having a second flat mounting surface integral with and positioned essentially 87-degrees from the square base, and having an centered second tapped hole therein. A hollow screw is disposed within the square base clearance hole for attachment to a tire inflation valve, and a threaded screw engages the S-shaped angular arm tapped hole for attachment of a TPMS monitor into a steel or aluminum wheel.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention generally pertains to mounting brackets, and more specifically, to a mounting bracket that permits attachment of a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to a tire inflation valve located on an aluminum or steel vehicle wheel.

BACKGROUND ART

In the past, whenever a person wanted to determine the pressure within a vehicle tire a hand-held gauge as utilized. The person would have to remove each tire's valve stem cover and manually place the gauge on the tire's valve stem. The gauge would then indicate the tire pressure which was typically displayed on a strip of metal that extended outward from the gauge.

As technology has improved vehicle manufacturers have developed automatic tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) which are now common on many vehicles. The systems provide a driver of a vehicle with a visual indicator when the tire pressure is too low or too high.

There are problems associated with TPMS, though. One problem arises from the difficulty of mounting a TPMS on certain types of vehicle wheels. As a result of the design of some wheels, such as special size aluminum and steel truck wheels, or duplex super single wheels, it is difficult to adequately and efficiently mount a TPMS monitor on the wheel.

What is needed is a mounting bracket or adapter that will provide the required attachment means for a TPMS monitor to an aluminum or steel truck wheel or duplex super single wheel. In the interest of economy, a single bracket or adapter that can be utilized for all three types of wheels would be optimal.

The prior art listed below did not disclose any literature or patents that possess the novelty of the instant invention, however the following U.S. patents are considered related:

U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,716 issued to Leonardo is for a tap bracket or unitary cable clamp for connection to an overhead suspension cable of messenger wire. The bracket comprises two edge panels integrally connected by a single bend establishing an initially acute angle between the edge panels. Each panel has an elongated flange that is bent inward towards the opposite edge panel, thereby forming a space between the flanges.

Achterholt in U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,048 discloses a valve which generates a signal indicating a pressure drop in a vehicle tire. A pressure sensor and microprocessor are provided which store a value of the pressure in memory and compares pressure, sending a signal periodically.

Mangafas et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,980 teaches a tire valve having a pressure sensor and transponder. The sensing device is removable from a valve stem. The device is electrically connected to a conductive portion of the valve element via a receptacle to facilitate an antenna system for radio frequency communication with the device.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,480 issued to Banzhof et al. is for a tire pressure radio-frequency sending unit mounted to a snap-in resilient valve body with a column extending from the sending unit. The column defines a central passageway to facilitate insertion using standard insertion tools. In one version, two batteries are included in the sending unit that are disposed on opposite edges of the column.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,528 B2 issued to Collins et al teaches a compound mounting bracket for attaching a solenoid to a structure. The bracket has a first and second plate each having a first edge and a second distal edge. The second edge of the first plate is connectable to a first mounting point on a solenoid. The second distal edge of the second plate extends in a direction generally transverse to the first edge of the second plate, thereby defining a dihedral angle between the first plate and the second plate.

Neefeldt et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,455 B1 disclose a tire pressure monitor that continuously indicates a tire is adequately inflated for safe operation. The monitor includes an indicator that is utilized for each tire indicating which tire is operational. The monitor includes a battery-operated pressure-sensitive radio frequency transmitter mounted on the outer end of a conventional tire valve stem and includes an antenna extending into each tire for transmitting a signal. The signal transmitted on each tire valve actuates the indicator associated with a signal from only the transmitter assigned to each tire.

For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to the remaining cited patent issued Macri in U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,101 B2.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the invention is the creation of a new and novel mounting bracket that permits attachment of a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to a tire inflation valve located on a vehicle wheel. There are a numerous similar methods of attachment, as there are no standardized methods of interface connection. The invention allows the same bracket to be used for 22.5 inch diameter vehicle wheels, as two different mounting angles are required for the particular material of the wheel.

An important object of the invention is that it is specifically designed for use with aluminum vehicle wheels having an S-shaped angular arm, and with steel vehicle wheels having an inverted V-shaped angular arm, with each arm positioning the monitor in an optimum location.

Still another object of the invention permits the use of a TPMS with a 14 inch duplex super single vehicle wheel that utilizes the same basic bracket only with a third arm added, which is configured at right angles to mount the TPMS away from the bracket's square base. The bracket is easily formed with the same tooling as used with the preferred embodiment, only with the addition of the third arm for the second embodiment.

Another object of the invention incorporates an angled arm to precisely fit either an aluminum or steel wheels thereby permitting the TPMS to be positioned away from the vehicle wheel to prevent contact due to road vibration and shock.

Yet another object of the invention includes a self-tapping hollow screw that allows air to pass through the tire inflation valve and to tap into the existing hole in the valve without any other modification to the valve itself. An appropriate size and thread arrangement is selected to accommodate the particular style, length and bore diameter of the manufacture's valve.

A further object of the invention includes a threaded screw that interfaces with a threaded hole in the arm of the bracket which may be either furnished with the mounting bracket, or supplied by the manufacturer along with the TPMS.

A final object of the invention is that it is easy to produce with inexpensive tooling such as a steel rule die, along with well known mechanical tools, such as a press for the die, a drill press for threading, and a conventional press brake for forming the arms, all of which are readily available and used in conventional manufacturing.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms that disclose a preferred and a second embodiment of a TPMS monitor mounting bracket. The preferred embodiment, as shown inFIG. 1 through 10, is comprised of a flat square base20, a first edge22, a second edge24, a third edge26and a fourth edge28. The flat square base20incorporates a centrally located clearance hole30, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 8. The flat square base, designated A1inFIG. 8, is at least 0.625 inches (1.59 cm) square, and includes a radial corner32at the intersection of the third edge26and the fourth edge28.

The first edge22of the square base20has an integral upward-extending S-shaped angular arm34with a first flat mounting surface36on the same horizontal plane, but positioned above the square base20. The S-shaped angular arm34includes a centered first tapped hole38, as illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 8, that is located between the square base first edge22and the first flat mounting surface36. The arm34has a radius, designated R1inFIGS. 9 and 19, of essentially 0.09 inches (0.24 cm) from the square base first edge22to the arm34. The arm34also a similar radius of essentially 0.09 inches (0.24 cm), designated R2inFIGS. 9 and 19, from the arm34to the first flat mounting surface36. The upward-extending S-shaped angular arm34further has an offset angle of essentially 71 degrees, designated D1inFIGS. 7 and 17, between the square base20and the S-shaped angular arm34.

The second edge24of the square base20has an integral upward-extending inverted V-shaped angular arm40having a second flat mounting surface42that is essentially 87 degrees, designated D2inFIGS. 6 and 16, from the square base20. The arm40includes an essentially centered second tapped hole44, as shown inFIGS. 5,8,15and18. The V-shaped angular arm40has a radius, designated R3inFIGS. 6 and 16, of essentially 0.30 inches (0.08 cm) from the square base second edge24to the V-shaped angular arm second flat mounting surface42. The same V-shaped angular arm40has a radius of essentially 0.16 inches (0.41 cm), designated R4inFIGS. 10 and 20, from the square base second edge24to the second flat mounting surface42. The V-shaped angular arm second flat mounting surface42is formed essentially 41 degrees from the square base second edge24to the V-shaped angular arm40, as designated D3inFIGS. 6 and 16.

The entire bracket including the flat square base20, integral upward-extending S-shaped angular arm34and the upward-extending inverted V-shaped angular arm40is made of a metallic material, such as aluminum, steel, brass, copper, titanium or even a high strength polymer. It has been found however that aluminum having a nominal thickness of 0.125 inch, such as grade 5052 with a H32 temper hardness, has proven ideal and therefore is preferred.

A hollow self-tapping screw46is inserted into the square base clearance hole30and threaded into the bore of a conventional tire inflation valve48on its distal mounting flange50, as shown inFIGS. 1-4,13and14(the tire inflation valve48is shown in dashed lines as it is not part of the invention). The hollow self-tapping screw46allows air to pass through the tire inflation valve48and the mounting bracket10into the tubeless tire of a vehicle. Since there is no industry standard for the inside diameter of the tire inflation valve48, an appropriate diameter and thread arrangement of the hollow self-tapping screw46is selected to accommodate the particular style, length and design arrangement of the manufacture's valve48. The threads of the hollow self-tapping screw46may be SAE fine, coarse or even metric, as long as sufficient material is provided in the valve mounting flange50to engage the threads of the hollow self-tapping screw46. The head style of the screw46may be of any appropriate type, however a hex head type is preferred. It is understood that the self-tapping screw also includes the thread cutting type and is made of a material including a variety of steels such as stainless and high strength. The hollow in the screw46may be any diameter, however 0.058 inches (1.47 mm) has proven to be adequate.

The bracket10mounts a tire pressure monitor54, (shown in dashed lines as it is not part of the invention), with a threaded screw56that engages the angular arm tapped hole, either38or44, depending on the wheel used. The threaded screw56may either be furnished as an element with the mounting bracket10, or supplied by a manufacturer along with the tire pressure monitor54. The tapped holes38and44are selected in configuration to mate with the threaded screw of the tire pressure monitor54or, if supplied as an element, an ASA #10-32 machine screw is preferred with matching tapped holes38and44.

The preferred embodiment of the TPMS monitor mounting bracket10may be used with a 22.5 inch steel vehicle wheel utilizing the S-shaped angular arm34as the attachment point for the tire pressure monitor54, as illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 3. For aluminum wheels the tire pressure monitor54is mounted on the inverted V-shaped angular arm40, as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 4, thus permitting the bracket10to have a dual purpose.

The second embodiment is the same as the preferred embodiment described above, except for the addition of a third arm which is for attachment of the monitor54used in conjunction with a 14 inch duplex super single vehicle wheel. Since the remainder of the bracket10and the tire inflation valve48are exactly the same, the designation numbers and descriptions are used in both embodiments.

The second embodiment of the mounting bracket, designated10′, is illustrated inFIGS. 15-20with the flat square base third edge26having an integral right angle arm58with a third flat mounting surface60at a right angle from the square base20. The third flat mounting surface60also has an essentially centered third tapped hole62therethrough. The integral right angle arm58has a minimum bend radius of at least 0.09 inches from the square base third edge26to the third flat mounting surface62, designated R5inFIG. 19. The arm is formed essentially 90 degrees from the square base third edge26to the third flat mounting surface62, designated D3inFIG. 17.

It should be understood that the second embodiment bracket101could be used as a universal bracket with any of the three vehicle wheels described above, or the second embodiment bracket could be simplified to a straightforward angle bracket with only one upstanding 90 degree leg.

While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the appended claims.