Tire monitoring device, system and method

Abstract

In one aspect, a tire monitoring device has a circuit board, a battery, and a valve body intermediate the circuit board and the battery. The valve body has an attachment end portion for connection to a valve stem of a tire, a filling end portion, and an internal passage allowing 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 flowing in the interior passage of the valve body, and communication circuitry of the circuit board is operable to wirelessly communicate data related to the air variable. The tire monitoring device also includes a support that permanently encapsulates the circuit board and the battery around the valve body. The support includes a structural member molded on the valve body and an insert member that secures the circuit board and the battery to the structural member.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 415,816, filed on October 13, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to vehicle monitoring systems, and more particularly to tire monitoring systems for vehicles. Background Art

[0003] Many organizations strive to maintain commercial vehicles to minimize downtime, especially roadside breakdowns. Tires are one aspect of commercial vehicles that require frequent maintenance. Driving a commercial vehicle with improperly inflated tires can result in increased tire wear, roadside breakdowns, and / or reduced fuel economy.

[0004] Several companies have developed systems to monitor and report tire pressure; however, these existing systems have drawbacks. For example, some valve stem mounted tire pressure sensors are bulky and can only be used in specific vehicle applications that provide sufficient clearance to mount the tire pressure sensor. Moreover, these bulky tire pressure sensors tend to contact the wheel during use, which may damage the tire pressure sensor. In addition, some valve stem mounted tire pressure sensors may damage the valve stem due to fatigue loading of the valve stem caused by the weight of the tire pressure sensor. In addition, some tire pressure sensors tend to fall off the valve stem, causing the tire to leak. Summary of the invention

[0005] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a tire monitoring device is provided, which includes a circuit board, a battery, and a valve body located between 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 for receiving pressurized air, and an internal passage that allows air to travel from the filling end portion to the attachment end portion. The circuit board has a sensor configured to detect air variables in the internal passage of the valve body, and the circuit board has a communication circuit of the circuit board that is operable to wirelessly transmit data related to the air variables. The tire monitoring device also includes a support that permanently encapsulates the circuit board and the battery around the valve body. The support protects the circuit board and the battery from the intrusion of liquids and debris, thereby improving the durability of the tire monitoring device. The support includes a structural member molded on the valve body and an embedded member that fixes the circuit board and the battery to the structural member. Molding the structural member onto the valve body enables the structural member to closely fit the geometry of the valve body and form a rigid connection between the two.

[0006] The present disclosure also provides a method for manufacturing a tire monitoring device. The method includes molding a first material onto a valve body to form a first portion of a support, and positioning a battery and a circuit board on opposite sides of the valve body near the first portion of the support. The circuit board includes a sensor for detecting air changes within the valve body. The method also includes 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 portion and the second portion of the support fix the battery and the circuit board to the valve body. The first portion of the support can be used as a structure to support the battery and the circuit board, and the second portion of the support fixes the battery and the circuit board to the first portion of the support.

[0007] On the other hand, the present disclosure provides a tire monitoring device, which includes a metal accessory having threads to engage with threads of a valve stem of a tire. The tire monitoring device also includes a circuit board having a sensor, the sensor having a sensing portion, the sensing portion being configured to detect air variables received via a through opening in the metal accessory. The tire monitoring device has a sealing member between the circuit board and the metal accessory, the sealing member forming a seal around the sensing portion of the sensor. The tire monitoring device also includes a support member connecting the circuit board to the metal accessory. The support member maintains the circuit board at a predetermined distance from the metal accessory to compress the sealing member and maintain the seal. In this way, the circuit board can be used as a sensor to detect air variables in the metal accessory, and a compressive load on the sealing member can be maintained to keep the sealing member in sealing engagement with an adjacent surface.

[0008] The present disclosure also provides a tire monitoring device, which includes a valve body having a central longitudinal axis. The valve body has a valve body attachment end portion configured to engage with a valve stem of a tire, and a valve body filling end portion configured to receive compressed air. The tire monitoring device has a central body connected to the valve body, and includes a sensor for detecting an air variable in the valve body, a battery, and a communication circuit operable to wirelessly transmit data related to the variable. The attachment end portion of the valve body has an actuator with a central portion, which intersects the central longitudinal axis and is configured to open the valve of the valve stem when the attachment end portion is connected to the valve stem. The actuator also includes three axial through openings, the three axial through openings of the actuator are radially offset from the central longitudinal axis and spaced around the central longitudinal axis to allow air to pass through the actuator. The actuator also includes three spoke portions, the three spoke portions of the actuator are at least partially defined by the three axial through openings of the actuator and support the central portion of the actuator in the attachment end portion of the valve body. The three axial through openings provide a large open area for the actuator to minimize the pressure drop across the actuator, thereby reducing airflow restriction and reducing the time required to inflate the tire to the desired internal air pressure. In addition, the three spoke sections provide rigid support for the center portion of the actuator to facilitate the center portion of the actuator to move the valve pin of the valve stem to open the valve. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1A It is a rear top perspective view of a tire monitoring device.

[0010] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A A front bottom perspective view of a tire monitoring device.

[0011] Figure 2 yes Figure 1A Exploded view of the tire monitoring device.

[0012] Figure 3A yes Figure 1A The tire monitoring device Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of line 3A-3A.

[0013] Figure 3B yes Figure 1A The tire monitoring device Figure 1A A cross-sectional view of line 3B-3B.

[0014] Figure 3C yes Figure 1A A partial cross-sectional view of a tire monitoring device.

[0015] Figure 3D yes Figure 1A The tire monitoring device Figure 1A Cross-sectional view of the line 3D-3D.

[0016] Figure 4A yes Figure 1A A top perspective view of the internal structure and cover of a tire monitoring device.

[0017] Figure 4B yes Figure 4A A three-dimensional view of the internal structure and the bottom of the lid.

[0018] Figure 5A yes Figure 1A A bottom perspective view of a sealing member of a tire monitoring device.

[0019] Figure 5B yes Figure 5A Top perspective view of the sealing member.

[0020] Fig. 6A 1 is a top perspective view of a circuit board of the tire monitoring device of FIG. 1 .

[0021] Figure 6B yes Fig. 6A Bottom perspective view of the circuit board.

[0022] Figure 7 Yes Figure 1A Block diagram of a tire pressure monitoring system including a monitoring device, a server computer, and an onboard computing device.

[0023] Fig. 8A is a top perspective view of a tire monitoring device according to another embodiment.

[0024] Figure 8B yes Fig. 8A Bottom perspective view of a tire monitoring device.

[0025] Fig. 9 yes Fig. 8A The tire monitoring device Fig. 8A A cross-sectional view of line 9-9.

[0026] Fig.10 yes Fig. 8A Exploded view of the tire monitoring device.

[0027] Fig.11 is a perspective view of a tire monitoring device according to another embodiment.

[0028] Fig.12 yes Fig.11 Exploded view of a tire monitoring device with the internal potting material of the tire monitoring device removed for clarity.

[0029] Fig.13A yes Fig.11 The tire monitoring device Fig.11A cross-sectional view of line 13A-13A.

[0030] Fig. 13B yes Fig.11 The tire monitoring device Fig.11 A cross-sectional view of line 13B-13B.

[0031] Fig. 13C yes Fig.11 The tire monitoring device Fig.11 A cross-sectional view of line 13C-13C.

[0032] Fig.13D yes Fig.11 The tire monitoring device Fig.11 A cross-sectional view of line 13D-13D.

[0033] Fig.14A yes Fig.11 A bottom perspective view of a housing and a valve body of a tire monitoring device.

[0034] Fig. 14B yes Fig.14A Top perspective view of the housing and valve body.

[0035] Fig.15A yes Fig.11 A bottom perspective view of a valve body of a tire monitoring device.

[0036] Fig. 15B yes Fig.11 An end elevation view of a valve body of a tire monitoring device.

[0037] FIG. 16A to FIG. 16D yes Fig.11 A cross-sectional view of the housing and valve body of a tire pressure monitoring device similar to Fig. 13C , FIG. 16A to FIG. 16D The circuit board is shown mounted into the housing.

[0038] Fig.17A yes Fig.11 A bottom perspective view of a housing and a valve body of a tire pressure monitoring device, which has a circuit board mounted thereon, Fig.17A The attachment of the end cap to the housing is shown.

[0039] Fig. 17B yes Fig.11 A top perspective view of the housing and valve body of a tire pressure monitoring device, Fig. 17B The battery and end caps are shown attached to the housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] for Figures 1A to 3DA monitoring device 100 for monitoring one or more variables of a vehicle tire is provided. As some examples, the vehicle may be a commercial vehicle, such as a tractor, a trailer, a box truck, or a bus. As some other examples, the vehicle may also be a passenger vehicle, such as a sedan, an SUV, or a pickup truck.

[0041] The monitoring device 100 includes a core or fitting, such as a valve body 102, extending through a central body 104. The valve body 102 has an attachment end portion 106 that is threaded for connection to a valve stem of a tire and a filling end portion 108 that may be threaded for connection to a pressurized air source. One or more components of the valve body 102 may be made of a metallic material, such as brass. Reference Figure 3A , the valve body 102 includes a tubular sidewall 102A extending about a central axis 105 and forming a flow path or passage 109 extending from an attachment end portion 106 to a filling end portion 108. The center of mass of the monitoring device 100 can be aligned with the central axis of the valve body 102 so as to prevent rotation of the monitoring device 100 when mounted to a valve stem, as discussed in further detail below. The attachment end portion 106 of the valve body 102 includes a core actuator or pin 106A that displaces a pin of a Schrader valve of a valve stem of a tire from a closed position to an open position when the monitoring device 100 is connected to the valve stem. Thus, attaching the monitoring device 100 to the valve stem of the tire opens the valve of the valve stem and allows air to flow from the tire into the monitoring device 100. Conversely, when pressurized air is applied to the filling end portion 108, the pressurized air can travel through the valve body 102 and into the tire. Thus, the monitoring device 100 is placed in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tire to monitor one or more variables of the tire (e.g., tire pressure, temperature, humidity, or a combination thereof), as will be described in further detail below. The monitoring device 100 may include a sealing member 107 (e.g., an O-ring) positioned in the attachment end portion 106 of the valve body 102, and when the valve stem is threadedly connected to the attachment end portion 106, the valve stem contacts the sealing member 107 to establish a fluid-tight connection between the valve stem and the valve body 102.

[0042] The filling end portion 108 can operate similarly to the end of a valve stem of a tire. For example, an air chuck can be connected to the filling end portion 108 to force air through the passage 109 of the valve body 102 of the monitoring device 100 and out of the attachment end portion 106 into the tire. The diameter of the passage 109 can be larger than the diameter in some conventional tire pressure monitoring devices to reduce the restriction of air flow so that the tire can be inflated more quickly. The filling end portion 108 can include a valve core 112 that acts as a one-way valve to prevent air from flowing out of the tire through the monitoring device 100 while allowing the tire to be filled via pressurized air applied to the filling end portion 108. The valve core 112 can include, for example, a Schrader valve core. The filling end portion 108 can include an internal thread 114 that engages with an external thread 116 of the valve core 112 to secure the valve core 112 in the filling end portion 108 of the valve body 102.

[0043] refer to Figure 3A , the valve core 112 includes a housing 113 having a first portion 113A including an external thread 116 and a second portion 113B. The valve core 112 has a pin 115 passing through the center of the housing 113. A valve head 117 including a sealing member 119 (e.g., an elastic washer) is coupled to the pin 115. The valve core 112 includes a biasing member, such as a spring 121, which engages a protrusion of the pin 115, such as a protrusion 123, to bias the pin 115 and the sealing member 119 coupled thereto in the direction 75 so that the sealing member 119 is seated on the edge 79 of the second portion 113B of the housing 113. In order to open the valve core 112, the pin 115 is pushed along the axis 105 in the direction 77 against the biasing force of the spring 121 to disengage the sealing member 119 from the edge 79 of the housing 113. For example, an air chuck for providing air to the fill end portion 108 may have a surface that engages a protruding end of the pin 115 to move the pin 115 and the sealing member 119 in the direction 77 when the air chuck is connected to the fill end portion 108. Once the sealing member 119 has moved away from the edge 79 of the housing 113 in the direction 77, pressurized air may flow through the valve core 112 generally in the direction 77.

[0044] When the air chuck is disconnected from the filling end portion 108, the spring 121 biases the pin 115 and the sealing member 119 in the direction 75 along the axis 105 so that the sealing member 119 seats against the edge 79 of the housing 113, thereby preventing air from flowing into or out of the valve core 112. The filling end portion 108 of the valve body 102 may also include external threads 118, and a cap may be threaded onto the external threads 118 to close the filling end portion 108 of the valve body 102.

[0045] refer to Figure 1B and Figure 21 , the central body 104 of the monitoring device 100 includes an inner support 120 and an outer body 158, which together contain the internal components of the monitoring device 100, including a power source (e.g., a battery 122), a circuit board 124, and a sealing member 126. The inner support 120 includes a central tubular portion 128, a first tray portion 130, and a second tray portion 132. The inner support 120 can be formed of a durable and dimensionally stable plastic (e.g., nylon, glass-filled nylon) within the operating pressure and temperature range of the monitoring device 100 and molded onto the valve body 102 to attach the inner support 120 to the valve body 102. For example, the inner support 120 can be insert molded onto the valve body 102 so that the valve body 102 extends through the central tubular portion 128. The valve body 102 can include a narrow portion 134 having an outer diameter that is smaller than the outer diameters of the expanded portions 136, 138 of the valve body 102 located at both ends of the narrow portion 134. The valve body 102 has a tapered or frustoconical portion 140 that expands outwardly from the narrow portion 134 to the expanded portion 138 and a step or shoulder 142 that extends outwardly from the narrow portion 134 to the expanded portion 136. The engagement between the frustoconical portion 140, the shoulder 142 and the surfaces 120A, 120B of the inner support prevents relative axial movement of the valve body 102 and the inner support 120. For example, by molding the central tubular portion 128 over the frustoconical and shoulder portions 140, 142 and the narrow portion 134, the central tubular portion 128 of the inner support 120 also includes a collar portion 145 that cannot pass over the frustoconical and shoulder portions 140, 142, thereby preventing the inner support 120 from sliding axially along the valve body 102 during vehicle operation.

[0046] refer to Figure 3A, the enlarged portion 136 of the valve body 102 at the attachment end portion 106 may include an annular recess 144 into which an annular protrusion 148 of the central tubular portion 128 of the internal support 120 extends to help secure the internal support 120 to the valve body 102 and prevent the internal support 120 from axially moving relative to the valve body 102. The end portion 138 of the valve body 102 may include annular recesses 150, 152 at the filling end portion 108. The annular protrusion 154 of the central tubular portion 128 of the internal support 120 extends into the annular recess 150 to assist in securing the internal support 120 to the valve body 102. The annular protrusions 148, 154 of the internal support 120 may be formed when the internal support 120 is molded over the annular recesses 144, 150 of the valve body 102. Once assembled as described below, the outer body 158 may be molded over the internal support 120 and the internal components. The outer body 158 may be molded over the annular recess 144 at the enlarged portion 136 of the valve body 102 and the annular recess 152 of the end portion 138 such that the annular protrusions 160, 162 of the outer body 158 extend into the recesses 144, 152, thereby securing the outer body 158 to the valve body 102. Including the annular recess and protrusion may help prevent fluid and debris from entering the center body 104, for example, by traveling along the outer surface of the valve body 102.

[0047] The valve body 102 may also include protrusions and / or recesses on its outer surface 102B with which the internal support 120 engages to prevent the internal support 120 from rotating relative to the valve body 102 during rotation of the associated wheel. As an example, the valve body 102 may include knurling on the narrow portion 134, the enlarged portion 136, and / or the enlarged portion 138. When the internal support 120 is molded onto the valve body 102, the plastic of the internal support 120 extends into the recesses of the valve body 102 and / or forms recesses on the protrusions of the valve body 102, which helps resist rotation relative to the valve body 102. As another example, the valve body 102 may include ribs extending longitudinally along the valve body 102 with the internal support 120 molded thereon to prevent the internal support 120 from rotating relative to the valve body 102. As another example, the valve body 102 may have a flat surface on the outer surface 102B of the valve body 102, so that at least a portion of the valve body 102 has a non-circular cross-section, such as a polygonal cross-section or a D-shaped cross-section. With a non-circular cross-section, the internal support 120 is keyed to the valve body 102 and is prevented from rotating relative to the valve body 102.

[0048] refer to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D, the internal support 120 supports the internal components of the monitoring device 100 located in the first tray portion 130 and the second tray portion 132 on opposite sides of the valve body 102 and maintains the relative positioning of these components. For example, the battery 122 is located in the first tray portion 130, while the sealing member 126 and the circuit board 124 are located in the second tray portion 132. By supporting the components on opposite sides of the valve body 102 with the internal support 120, the center of mass of the central body 104 can be coaxial with the central axis 105 of the valve body 102 (see Figure 3D The radial position of the first tray portion 130 and the second tray portion 132 may be adjusted based on the weight and shape of the battery 122 , the sealing member 126 , and / or the circuit board 124 to align the center of mass of the central body 104 with the valve body 102 .

[0049] Balancing the weight of the internal components substantially evenly about the valve body 102 helps prevent the monitoring device 100 from being unthreaded from the valve stem. For example, some conventional tire pressure monitoring devices mount all of the internal components on one side of the device, which results in an unbalanced weight of the device. The unbalanced weight of these conventional devices may cause the tire pressure monitoring device to (at least partially) unthread from the valve stem, thereby causing the tire to deflate. For example, as the tire rotates, the mass of the device tends to move radially outward due to inertia. When the weight of the device is unbalanced (e.g., not aligned with the valve stem of the tire), the heavier side of the device may generate a larger radially outward force, thereby generating a torque about the valve stem and causing the device to partially unthread. The monitoring device 100 solves this problem by distributing the weight of the monitoring device 100 substantially evenly about the valve body 102.

[0050] for FIG. 4A to FIG. 4B , the first tray portion 130 of the inner support 120 includes a base 170 and a side wall 172 extending from the base 170. The base 170 and the side wall 172 form a recess 174 for receiving the battery 122 (see Figure 3B). The base 170 includes slots 176, 178 through which terminals 177, 179 can extend from the battery 122 to the second tray portion 132 of the inner support 120. The first end portions 177A of the terminals 177, 179 can be connected to the positive and negative sides of the battery 122, and the second end portions 177B of the terminals 177, 179 can be connected (e.g., welded) to the circuit board 124. The terminals 177, 179 are made of a conductive material (e.g., aluminum, copper) to conduct electricity from the battery 122 to the circuit board 124. The outer body 158 can be molded over the battery 122 and the first tray portion 130 to secure the battery 122 in the first tray portion 130. The outer body 158 can at least partially encapsulate the battery 122 and the first tray portion 130 to form a fluid seal to prevent fluid from entering the first tray portion 130.

[0051] The second tray portion 132 of the inner support 120 is opposite the first tray portion 130 about the central tubular portion 128. The second tray portion 132 includes a base 180 and a side wall 182 extending from the base 180. The base 180 and the side wall 182 form a recess 184 for receiving the sealing member 126 and the circuit board 124. The base 180 includes slots 186, 188, and the terminals 177, 179 through the slots 186, 188 extend from the battery 122 in the first tray portion 130 and through the valve body 102 to the circuit board 124 (see Figure 3A and Figure 3C ). The base 180 of the second tray portion 132 includes an opening 190 that extends through the central tubular portion 128 to the valve body 102. The valve body 102 also includes an opening 192 located in the side wall 108A (see Figure 3B ), which is aligned with the opening 190 of the inner support 120. Air can thus flow from the passage 109 (see Figure 3B ), through the opening 192 of the valve body 102, and through the opening 190 of the inner support member to the second tray portion 132.

[0052] for FIG. 3B to FIG. 3C , the sealing member 126 and the circuit board 124 are positioned in the recess 184 of the second tray portion 132. The circuit board 124 includes a sensor 202 for collecting data to monitor the condition of the tire. The sensor 202 may include, for example, a pressure sensor and / or a temperature sensor to monitor the pressure and / or temperature of the air in the tire. The sensor 202 may be mounted to a first side 204 of the circuit board 124 facing the base 180 of the second tray portion 132 (see Figure 6B ). The sealing member 126 is sandwiched between the circuit board 124 and the base 180 of the second tray portion 132. The sealing member 126 includes a through opening 206 (see FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B), which connects the port 202A of the sensor 202 (see Figure 6B ) is fluidly connected to the opening 190 of the inner support 120, and thus fluidly connected to the valve body 102. A barrier (e.g., a membrane 201) can be provided between the sealing member 126 and the base 180 of the second tray portion 132 to cover the opening 190 of the inner support 120 and prevent water from entering the second tray portion 132. The membrane 201 can be air permeable but impermeable to liquids (e.g., water). In one embodiment, the membrane 201 is a semipermeable membrane made of porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), such as Gore-Tex TM PTFE membrane. Membrane 201 prevents liquid (e.g., water in valve body 102) from reaching sensor 202, which could otherwise interrupt sensor readings and / or damage sensor 202. For example, when valve body 102 is used to inflate a tire, liquid may be blown into valve body 102. For example, when compressed air is applied to fill end portion 108, water in an air compressor or snow / water (e.g., from rain or slush) in fill end portion 108 of valve body 102 may be blown into passage 109 of valve body 102. Sealing member 126 surrounds opening 190 and forms a fluid seal with base 180 of second tray portion 132 and first side 204 of circuit board 124 to prevent air from flowing radially outward beyond recess 212 (see FIG. 2 ) located on the bottom side of sealing member 126. Figure 5A In other words, the sealing member 126 restricts the pressurized air of the tire from traveling in the opening 206 and contacting the sensor 202 , and prevents the pressurized air from escaping into the remainder of the recess 184 of the second tray portion 132 .

[0053] for FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B , the sealing member 126 includes a pad that can be sized to be inserted into the second tray 132 of the internal support. The sealing member 126 can be made of an elastic thermosetting material, such as silicone, polyurethane, nitrile and / or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber. The sealing member 126 includes a first side 208 for contacting and sealing the base 180 of the second tray portion 132 and a second side 210 for contacting and sealing the circuit board 124. The first side 208 of the sealing member 126 includes a recess 212 surrounding the opening 206 and an annular recess 214 concentric with the recess 212, for respectively receiving protrusions 215 of the base 180 of the second tray portion 132 of the internal support 120 (see Figure 4A) and an annular protrusion 216. The mating of the protrusions 215, 216 of the second tray portion 132 with the recesses 212, 214 of the sealing member 126 can help ensure that the sealing member 126 is positioned so that the opening 206 of the sealing member 126 is aligned with the opening 190 of the inner support 120. When the outer body 158 is molded over the inner support 120 and the sealing member 126, the mating engagement of the protrusions 215, 216 in the recesses 212, 214 can further help hold the sealing member 126 in place.

[0054] about Figure 5B , the second side 210 of the sealing member 126 includes a recess 218 surrounding the opening 206 in the sealing member 126 for receiving the sensor 202 of the circuit board 124. The second side 210 of the sealing member 126 forms a sealing surface that contacts and seals the sensor 202 around the sensor port 202A (see Figure 6B ) and / or the circuit board 124 to prevent air from passing between the sealing member 126 and the circuit board 124. The second side 210 of the sealing member 126 may also include a recess 220 for receiving other components mounted to the first side 204 of the circuit board 124 to ensure that the second side 210 of the sealing member 126 is in contact with the circuit board 124 to form a seal therebetween. The sealing member 126 may include recesses or notches 221, 223 through which the terminals 177, 179 extend to connect the circuit board 124 and the battery 122.

[0055] for FIG. 6A to FIG. 6B , the sensor port 202A of the sensor 202 is positioned above the opening 206 of the sealing member 126 to collect data. The sensor 202 may include a pressure sensor to measure the air pressure of the tire. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor 202 may include a temperature sensor to measure the air temperature of the tire.

[0056] about Fig. 6A, the circuit board 124 may also have a chip 229, which includes a processor 230, a memory 232 and a communication circuit 234, and the chip 229 may be mounted to the second side 222 of the circuit board 124. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor 202 may also include a processor and a memory. The processor 230 of the chip 229 and the processor of the sensor 202 may communicate with each other. The processor 230 of the chip 229 and / or the processor of the sensor 202 may monitor the condition of the tire and operate the communication circuit 234 to transmit a signal to one or more remote computing devices, such as an onboard computing device 240 and / or a remote server computer 270, as described in further detail below. The communication circuit 234 may include a surface mount chip antenna 234A. Some conventional tire pressure monitoring devices include large linear antennas because the battery is mounted directly on the printed circuit board, which blocks the signal of the surface mount antenna. These linear antennas extend to a position where the signal can be transmitted and the signal is not blocked by the battery. In the monitoring device 100, a surface mount chip antenna 234A can be used because the battery 122 is spaced apart from the chip antenna 234A and is located on the other side of the valve body 102 (which limits the signal interference to the chip antenna 234A due to the battery 122). The chip antenna 234A is significantly smaller and more compact than a conventional wire antenna, making the monitoring device 100 more compact and lighter in weight.

[0057] for Figure 3B The second tray portion 132 further includes threads 250, with which a cover 252 can be threadedly connected to the end of the second tray portion 132 to secure the sealing member 126 and the circuit board 124 in the second tray portion 132. Figure 4A , the cover 252 includes an end wall 254 and a side wall 256 extending from the end wall 254. The side wall 256 includes a thread 258 (see Figure 4B ) so as to engage with the threads 250 of the second tray portion 132. Prior to overmolding the outer body 158 onto the inner support 120 and the components supported therein, the cover 252 is threaded onto the second tray portion 132 to force the circuit board 124 toward the base 180 of the second tray portion 132 and against the sealing member 126. Thus, the cover 252 is operable to clamp the sealing member 126 between the base 180 of the second tray portion 132 and the circuit board 124, which compresses the sealing member 126 to help form and maintain a fluid-tight connection between the base 180 and the sealing member 126. Reference Figure 4AIn one embodiment, the end wall 254 of the cover 252 includes a central hub 260 and spokes 262 extending from the hub 260 to the sidewalls 256. When the outer body 158 is molded onto the inner support 120, the outer body 158 flows through the through openings 263 between the spokes 262 and into the second tray portion 132 to cover the sealing member 126 and the circuit board 124. The fluid seal formed by the sealing member 126 prevents liquid that penetrates the outer body 158 molded onto the inner support 120 from reaching the port 202A of the sensor 202 and / or the opening 190 of the second tray portion 132.

[0058] The end wall 254 of the cover 252 may include an annular wall 264 (see Figure 4B ), the annular wall 264 has a central recess 264A sized to receive the post 224 extending from the second side 222 of the circuit board 124 (see Fig. 6A ). When the cover 252 is threadedly connected to the second tray portion 132, the annular wall 264 is positioned to receive the posts 224 of the circuit board 124. When the posts 224 extend into the central recess 264A, the circuit board 124 is centered so that the sensor 202 is aligned with the opening 190 of the second tray portion 132 and is in fluid communication with the passage 109 of the valve body 102. The mating annular wall 264 and posts 224 can also serve as a spacer to separate the electronics on the second side 222 of the circuit board 124 from the end wall 254 of the cover 252. For example, the posts 224 have a certain height that is designed to prevent the spokes 262 of the end wall 254 from contacting the electronics on the second side 222 of the circuit board 124 when the cover 252 is threadedly connected to the second tray portion 132.

[0059] Once the cover 252 has been secured to the second tray portion 132, the outer body 158 can be overmolded over the inner support 120, the battery 122, the sealing member 126, the circuit board 124, and the cover 252. The outer body 158 can be formed using a low pressure injection molding process. The outer body 158 can be made of a plastic material such as a polyamide, a copolyester, and / or an epoxy resin. The outer body 158 can be made of a lightweight material (e.g., compared to epoxy resin / polymer), thereby reducing the overall weight of the monitoring device 100. Reducing the weight of the monitoring device 100 is beneficial because the reduced weight can reduce fatigue loads (e.g., high cycle fatigue) on the valve stem of the tire caused by the weight movement of the monitoring device 100 (e.g., as the tire rotates). The monitoring device 100 may be placed on a vehicle tire and operate in a harsh environment. For example, the monitoring device is exposed to weather, mud, and debris while the vehicle is in motion. For example, a vehicle may be driven off a paved road, such as into a construction site or a garbage dump, where the monitoring device 100 may be covered with mud, rocks, and other debris. The outer body 158 forms a protective shell around the internal components of the monitoring device 100, which protects the internal components from damage and prevents the intrusion of fluids and debris, thereby increasing the durability of the monitoring device 100.

[0060] In one embodiment, the monitoring device 100 can be assembled without the use of mechanical fasteners (e.g., screws) by threading the cover 252 to the inner support 120 and overmolding the outer body 158 onto the inner support 120. The inner support 120 and the outer body 158 can secure the internal components in place even when the monitoring device 100 is under pressure. By arranging the battery 122 on the side of the valve body 102 opposite the circuit board 124, the monitoring device 100 becomes compact. In addition, by placing the battery 122 on the side of the valve body 102 opposite the circuit board 124, a surface mount chip antenna can be used on the second side 222 of the circuit board 124. The surface mount chip antenna is much smaller than the larger wire antenna used in some conventional valve stem mounted tire pressure sensors. The compact monitoring device 100 is advantageous because the clearance between the monitoring device 100 and the vehicle wheel is increased, which reduces the possibility of harmful, damaging contact between the monitoring device 100 and the wheel (e.g., the monitoring device vibrates when the wheel rotates). The compact monitoring device 100 can also fit into certain locations where conventional, larger valve stem mounted tire pressure sensors cannot be installed due to size. Due to its small size, the monitoring device 100 can be used in a wider range of vehicle applications.

[0061] for Figure 7, the monitoring device 100 can be used to monitor the condition of the tire and transmit the signal to one or more remote computing devices, such as the vehicle-mounted computing device 240 and / or the remote server computer 270. The processor 230 can communicate with the memory 232, the communication circuit 234 and the sensor 202. The processor 230 can access the programs, data and instructions stored in the memory 232 to provide the functions of the monitoring device 100. The processor 230 can communicate with the sensor 202 to collect sensor data (e.g., pressure and / or temperature data). In some forms, the sensor 202 is continuously powered and transmits the sensor data to the processor 230 in substantially real time. In some forms, the processor 230 can periodically turn on the sensor 202 to collect sensor data periodically (e.g., every fifteen to ninety seconds). Regularly collecting sensor data can save power in the battery 122. In some forms, the processor 230 can determine when the monitoring device 100 is installed on the tire, for example based on the pressure data. When it is determined that the monitoring device 100 is not connected to the tire, the processor 230 can operate in a sleep mode, where the processor 230 collects data at a lower frequency (e.g., once every five minutes) to conserve power from the battery 122. When a tire event is detected (e.g., a pressure value indicates that the monitoring device 100 is connected to the tire), the processor 230 can operate in an active mode to collect data more frequently (e.g., every twenty seconds). The processor 230 can cause the communication circuit 234 to transmit the sensor data without storing the sensor data in the memory 232, or the processor 230 can store the sensor data for subsequent transmission or for subsequent use by the processor 230, such as for historical data analysis. The processor 230 can be configured to wake up from the sleep mode and check the pressure of the tire in response to various types of tire events, such as in embodiments where the sensor 202 includes an accelerometer and the detected acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0062] The processor 230 may operate the communication circuit 234 to transmit and / or receive signals with the onboard computing device 240 and / or the server computer 270. The communication circuit 234 may be configured to communicate via radio frequency signals via one or more wireless protocols (including, for example, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-wave, Wi-Fi, cellular, etc.). In some forms, the communication circuit 234 may be configured to communicate with the onboard computing device 240 and / or the server computer 270 via a network 278 (e.g., a cellular network, an onboard vehicle communication network, and / or the Internet). The onboard computing device 240 may be a computing device of a vehicle (e.g., a tractor or trailer) associated with the monitored tire. The onboard computing device 240 may be a gateway device through which the monitoring device 100 transmits signals to the server computer 270. The onboard computing device 240 may communicate with the server computer 270 and transmit information received locally from the monitoring device 100 of the vehicle to the server computer 270, and vice versa. In some forms, the monitoring device 100 communicates with the server computer 270 via the network 278 rather than via the onboard computing device 240, such as in an embodiment where the communication circuit 234 includes a wide area wireless network interface (e.g., a cellular network interface). The processor 230 may communicate with the onboard computing device 240 and / or the server computer 270 via the communication circuit 234, for example, to transmit sensor data to the onboard computing device 240 and / or the server computer 270. In some forms, the processor 230 may transmit the sensor data substantially in real time, so that the onboard computing device 240 and / or the server computer 270 can process the data and issue any alerts about changes in tire conditions in real time. In another approach, the processor 230 may transmit a set of sensor data periodically, such as five to fifteen measurements every two to five minutes. In some forms, when the processor 230 determines that the data has not changed substantially over a period of time, the processor 230 may send the most recent data, such as the last measurement data. Periodic transmission of data may reduce the power consumed by the communication circuit 234 to transmit data, thereby saving power in the battery 122.

[0063] In one embodiment, the server computer 270 analyzes data from the tire monitoring device 100 and controls backend operations, such as transmitting the data to a user device. In another embodiment, the processor 230 of the tire monitoring device 100 can be configured to analyze sensor data alone or with a remote device (e.g., an onboard computing device 240), for example, to detect a current condition or change in condition of the tire. For example, the processor 230 can monitor the sensor data to determine whether the tire pressure is high or low, whether the tire is leaking, whether the tire is deflated (e.g., a blowout), whether the tire temperature is high, and / or whether the tire is in good condition (e.g., the pressure is stable within a desired pressure range). The memory 232 of the monitoring device 100 can store a data set indicating an acceptable range of pressure and temperature of the tire. The memory 232 can also store a program for determining whether a change in tire pressure over time indicates a leak, for example, the memory 232 can store a threshold rate indicating that the tire is leaking too fast and needs repair (e.g., the tire has been punctured). The processor 230 can be configured to transmit the determined tire condition to the onboard computing device 240 and / or the server computer 270. Processor 230 may be configured to communicate the determined condition to onboard computing device 240 and / or server computer 270 periodically (e.g., once every two minutes) to conserve battery life. In some forms, upon determining that a tire condition has changed (e.g., from a good condition), processor 230 communicates the determined condition to onboard computing device 240 and / or server computer 270 (e.g., immediately) without waiting for the next scheduled transmission to alert a remote device that a condition change has occurred.

[0064] The onboard computing device 240 may include a processor 242, a memory 244, a communication circuit 246, and a user interface 248. The processor 242 communicates with the memory 244 and the communication circuit 246 to receive and process signals from one or more monitoring devices 100 of the vehicle. The processor 242 may receive signals from the monitoring device 100 via the communication circuit 246. The onboard computing device 240 may receive sensor data from the monitoring device 100 and process the data as described above to determine the condition of the tire. In certain forms, the onboard computing device 240 may receive the condition of the tire from the monitoring device 100 while the monitoring device 100 processes the sensor data. The onboard computing device 240 may store the data received from the monitoring device 100 in the memory 244. The onboard computing device 240 may output the current condition of the vehicle's tires via the user interface 248. For example, when the monitoring device 100, the vehicle-mounted computing device 240, and / or the server computer 270 determine that the tire condition is not good (e.g., the tire is flat, the tire pressure is low), the vehicle-mounted computing device 240 can output a notification through the user interface 248 to alert the user to the condition of the tire. The user interface 248 may include a human-machine interface of the vehicle, such as the vehicle's infotainment system. The user interface 248 may include a microphone, a speaker, and / or a display (e.g., a touch screen display, a head-up display, an augmented reality display). In an example where the user interface 248 includes a display screen (e.g., a dashboard display of the vehicle), the vehicle-mounted computing device 240 can present the condition to the user through the display screen. The user can also use the user interface 248 to access or view the condition of the tire. For example, the user can navigate through an application in the vehicle's infotainment center to cause the user interface 248 to output the condition of the tire (e.g., through a speaker and / or a display).

[0065] The server computer 270 may include a processor 272, a memory 274, and a communication circuit 276. The processor 272 may communicate with the memory 274 and the communication circuit 276. The server computer 270 may receive sensor data and / or tire conditions from the monitoring device 100 and / or the onboard computing device 240 via the communication circuit 276. The server computer 270 may store the information received from the monitoring device 100 and / or the onboard computing device 240 in the memory 274. The server computer 270 may receive the sensor data and process the data as described above to determine the condition of the tire. The server computer 270 may be associated with an application (e.g., a smartphone application or a website) that a driver may access to view the condition of the tire and / or the sensor data. For example, a user may open an application on a smartphone to view the current condition of each tire associated with the vehicle. The application may indicate when maintenance should be performed on the tire, such as when the tire pressure is low. The server computer 270 may communicate a notification to a user device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet, a smart watch, a laptop) of a driver or fleet manager to inform the user of the condition of the tire. For example, the server computer 270 may send a push notification to the driver's user device for presentation to the user. When the fleet is maintained by a maintenance team, the server computer 270 may send a message to the maintenance team's computing device indicating that the vehicle's tires require repair. For example, the message may indicate which truck or trailer the tire is on, the location of the tire on the truck / trailer, and the maintenance status of the tire. The maintenance team can then repair the tire and / or schedule maintenance for the truck / trailer when the truck / trailer returns from the road. When the tire requires roadside repair (e.g., a flat tire), the server computer 270 may request that a mechanic or other service personnel be dispatched to the vehicle. The server computer 270 may receive the location of the vehicle from the onboard computing device 240 and request service from a service provider near the vehicle. The server computer 270 may send the location of the vehicle and detailed information about the tire condition to the service personnel.

[0066] The monitoring device 100 may be assembled as follows. The internal support 120 may be insert molded on the valve body 102 to secure the internal support 120 to the valve body 102. The internal support 120 is molded to have an opening 190 aligned with an opening 192 of the valve body 102. The battery 122 may be positioned in the first tray portion 130. The terminals 177, 179 may be connected to the battery 122 and extend through the slots 176, 178 of the first tray portion 130 and through the slots 186, 188 of the second tray portion 132. The membrane 201, the sealing member 126, and the circuit board 124 may be positioned in the second tray portion 132. The membrane 201 may be positioned to cover the opening 190 of the internal support 120. The sealing member 126 may be positioned so that the opening 206 of the sealing member 126 is aligned with the opening 190 of the internal support 120 to fluidly connect the sensor 202 of the circuit board 124 to the valve body 102. The ends of the terminals 177, 179 may be connected to the circuit board 124 to receive power from the battery 122. The cover 252 may be threadedly connected to the threads 250 of the second tray portion 132 of the internal support member 120 to compress the sealing member 126 between the base 180 of the second tray portion 132 and the circuit board 124, thereby forming a fluid-tight connection. The outer body 158 may be molded on the assembled inner support 120, battery 122, sealing member 126, circuit board 124, and cover 252. The outer body 158 may be molded by a low-pressure injection molding process. The outer body 158 may encapsulate the internal support 120, battery 122, sealing member 126, circuit board 124, and cover 252 to prevent fluids and debris from entering the monitoring device 100.

[0067] for FIG. 8A to FIG. 10 According to another embodiment, a monitoring device 300 is provided. The monitoring device 300 is similar in many respects to the above-discussed Figure 1A The monitoring device 300 is similar to the monitoring device 100 of FIG. 1 , so the differences will be highlighted. The monitoring device 300 can replace the cap on the tire valve stem. The monitoring device 300 can be removed from the valve stem to fill the tire.

[0068] The monitoring device 300 has a housing 302 that includes a cover 304 and a base 306. The cover 304 has an end wall 308 and a skirt or sidewall 310 extending from the end wall 308 to form a cavity 312. The sidewall 310 may include ribs 314 extending along the sidewall 310. The ribs 314 may provide the cover 304 with increased rigidity and strength. The ribs 314 may help a user grasp the sidewall 310 to thread or unthread the monitoring device 300 onto a valve stem of a tire. The cover 304 includes snap projections 316 that extend from the end of the sidewall 310 to engage a portion of the base 306 surrounding an opening 318 to removably connect the cover 304 to the base 306. In one embodiment, each snap projection 316 includes a deflectable arm portion 316A and a barb portion 316B (see Fig. 9 ), which snaps under and engages with the lip 318A of the opening 318 of the base 306. The cover 304 can be formed of a plastic material, such as glass-filled or non-filled nylon and / or polycarbonate.

[0069] The base 306 includes a body 320 having a central portion 320A having a recess 321 and an opening 322 (see Fig. 9 ). The base 306 includes a fitting, such as a valve cover 324, which can be received in the recess 321 and aligned with the opening 322. The body 320 of the base 306 can be made of a plastic material (such as nylon or glass-filled nylon), and the valve cover 324 can be machined or otherwise formed from a metal material (such as brass). The body 320 of the base 306 can be molded on the valve cover 324 so that the recess 321 is formed around the valve cover 324. The body 320 has an outer edge 320B, which includes an opening 318 that receives the snap projection 316 of the cover 304 to connect the cover 304 and the base 306. The outer edge 320B of the body 320 may also include a sealing engagement portion, such as an annular sealing surface portion 326, for supporting a sealing member 328 (e.g., an O-ring). The sidewall 310 of the cover 304 may include a sealing engagement portion, such as an annular sealing surface portion 330, which is positioned to contact the sealing member 328. When the cover 304 is snap-fitted to the base 306, the sealing surface portion 330 of the cover 304 contacts the sealing surface portion 326 of the base 306 and presses the sealing member 328 against the sealing surface portion 326 of the base 306, thereby forming a fluid-tight connection between the cover 304 and the base 306. In this way, the sealing member 328 is sandwiched between the cover 304 and the body 320 of the base 306. The base 306 may include one or more posts 334 for supporting the circuit board 350.

[0070] about Fig. 9, the valve cover 324 may have an end wall 336 and a side wall 338 extending from the end wall 336. The side wall 338 may include a flange 340 extending radially from the outer surface of the side wall 338. The flange 340 forms a mating engagement with the groove 341 of the body 320 to prevent the valve cover 324 from being pulled out of the body 320. The flange 340 may have one or more flat side surfaces to abut against corresponding flat surfaces of the groove 341 and prevent the body 320 from rotating relative to the valve cover 324. In another embodiment, the flange 340 may include a through opening, and the body 320 includes a portion extending in the through opening of the flange 340 and formed during the molding of the body 320 to prevent relative rotation of the body 320 and the valve cover 324.

[0071] about Fig. 9 The side wall 388 of the valve cover 324 has an inner surface with threads 344 for engaging the threads of the valve stem of the tire to connect the monitoring device 300 to the valve stem. Figure 1A Similar to the attachment end portion 106 of the monitoring device 100 of the tire, the valve cap 324 includes a core actuator or pin portion 346 that engages the pin of the Schrader valve of the valve stem and opens the Schrader valve when the monitoring device 300 is attached to the valve stem. The end wall 336 of the valve cap 324 includes an opening 348 that extends through the pin portion 346 and aligns with the opening 322 of the base 306. Thus, attaching the monitoring device 300 to the valve stem of the tire opens the valve of the valve stem and allows air to flow from the tire, through the opening 348 of the valve cap 324, through the opening 322, and contact the sensor 356. The contact can be direct or indirect, such as in one embodiment, where a water-impermeable membrane covers the sensor 356. The valve cap 324 can include a sealing member 376 (e.g., an O-ring) that contacts the valve stem when the valve stem is threadedly connected to the valve cap 324 to establish a fluid-tight connection between the valve stem and the valve cap 324.

[0072] refer to Fig.10 , the monitoring device 300 also includes a circuit board 350 and a battery 352 electrically connected to and powering the circuit board 350. The circuit board 350 is similar to the circuit board 124 discussed above, and may include a sensor 356 (e.g., pressure and / or temperature), a processor 360, a memory 362, and a communication circuit 364 including an antenna 366. In some forms, the sensor 356 is located on the first side 354 of the circuit board 350 (see Fig. 9), while the processor 360, memory 362, and communication circuit 364 are located on the second side 358 of the circuit board 350. The circuit board 350 is mounted to the post 334 or base 306, wherein the first side 354 and the sensor 356 face the base 306. The sensor 356 can be aligned with the opening 322 of the base 306 and / or extend into the opening 322 of the base 306 to collect pressure data and / or temperature data of the air of the tire. The processor 360 communicates with the sensor 356, the memory 362, and the communication circuit 364, and can receive, analyze, and report the sensor data and / or related conditions to a remote computing device, as described above.

[0073] about Fig. 9 , the base 306 includes a second sealing engagement portion, such as a sealing surface portion 368, for engaging a sealing member 370 (e.g., an O-ring). The sealing member 370 can be sandwiched between the first side 354 of the circuit board 350 and the second sealing surface portion 368 to form a fluid-tight connection therebetween. The sealing member 370 prevents air from the tire from entering the remainder of the cavity 312 of the cover 304. In some forms, the processor 360, the memory 362, and / or the communication circuit 364 are mounted to the first side 354 of the circuit board 350, i.e., mounted radially outward of the sealing member 370. The battery 352 can be mounted on the second side 358 of the circuit board 350, and the cover 304 can include a protrusion 372 that presses against the battery 352 when the cover 304 is snapped onto the base 306. The protrusion 372 can urge the battery 352 against the circuit board 350 to compress the sealing member 370 between the circuit board 350 and the base 306, thereby helping to form a fluid-tight connection. In addition, the battery 352 pressed against the circuit board 350 can make the battery 352 tightly engaged with the battery terminal of the circuit board 350 and the battery terminal 353 on the opposite side of the circuit board 350. In this way, the battery terminal 353, the battery 352 and the circuit board 350 can be stacked and tightly held between the protrusion 372 of the cover 304 and the central portion 320A of the base 306. The antenna 366 can be mounted to the circuit board 350 and extend beyond the battery 352 from the circuit board 350 to the end wall 308 of the cover 304. By extending the antenna 366 around the battery 352, signals can be sent and / or received under conditions of limited interference by the battery 352.

[0074] The monitoring device 300 can be assembled in the following method. The base 306 can be molded over the valve cover 324, for example, by insert molding. The sealing members 328, 370 can be placed on the base 306 and positioned on their respective sealing surface portions 326, 368. The circuit board 350 and the battery 352 can be mounted to the base 306, wherein the first side 354 of the circuit board 350 and the sensor 356 face the base 306. The snap projection 316 of the cover 304 is aligned with the opening 318 of the edge 320B of the base 306 and inserted into the opening 318. When the barb portion 316B of the snap projection 316 is inserted through the opening 318, the barb portion 316B engages the lip 318B of the corresponding opening 318 in a camming manner and moves radially inward, which deflects the arm portion 316A. Once the barb portions 316B have advanced through the opening 318, the arm portions 316A are resiliently unloaded and return to their original positions, with the flat surface of the underside of the barb portions 316B engaging the lip 318A of the opening 318 of the base 306. When the cover 304 is snapped onto the base 306, the protrusions 374 of the end wall 308 of the cover 304 engage the battery terminals 353 and push the battery 352 toward the base 306 and compress the sealing member 370 between the circuit board 350 and the base 306. The cover 304 also contacts and compresses the sealing member 328 between the base 306 and the cover 304.

[0075] for Fig.11 According to another embodiment, a tire monitoring device 400 is provided. The tire monitoring device 400 is similar in many respects to the monitoring device 100 of FIG. 1 discussed above, so the differences will be highlighted. The tire monitoring device 400 can be attached to the valve stem of a vehicle tire to monitor the condition of the tire (e.g., air temperature, air pressure, air humidity). The tire monitoring device 400 allows the tire to remain attached to the valve stem of the tire while being filled with air.

[0076] refer to Fig.11 , Fig.12 and FIG. 15A to FIG. 15B , the tire monitoring device 400 includes a core, such as a valve body 402, extending through a central body 403. The central body 403 includes a housing 414 molded to the valve body 402, a first end cap 416, and a second end cap 418. Fig.13A , the valve body 402 has a tubular sidewall 404 that extends about a central axis 405 from an attachment end portion 406 to a filling end portion 408. The sidewall 404 defines an interior 410 of the valve body 402 that forms a flow path or passage for air to flow through the valve body 402. The valve body 402 includes an opening 412 in the sidewall 404 through which one or more variables of the tire (e.g., air pressure, temperature, humidity, or a combination thereof) are monitored by a sensor 460, as described below.

[0077] about Fig. 15B , the attachment end portion 406 of the valve body 402 includes a valve actuator 420. When the attachment end portion 406 is attached to the valve stem, the valve actuator 420 moves the pin of the Schrader valve of the valve stem of the tire to open the valve. Attaching the tire monitoring device 400 to the valve stem of the tire, thereby opening the Schrader valve of the valve stem, causes the interior 410 of the valve body 410 to be fluidly coupled to the interior of the tire.

[0078] The valve actuator 420 includes an actuating member 422 extending across the interior 410 of the valve body 402. The actuating member 422 has a central portion 424 that is positioned to abut and move the pin of the Schrader valve of the valve stem when the tire monitoring device 400 is attached to the valve stem. For example, the central portion 424 can be aligned with the central axis 405 of the valve body 402 and / or centrally aligned with the attachment end portion 406. Threading the attachment end portion 406 onto the valve stem of the tire causes the central portion 424 to move axially relative to the valve stem, thereby moving the pin of the Schrader valve of the valve stem and opening the Schrader valve.

[0079] The actuating member 422 of the valve actuator 420 has a through hole or opening 426 disposed about a central portion 424 of the actuating member 422 and extending axially through the actuating member 422. For example, when a pressurized air source is attached to the filling end portion 408 of the tire monitoring device 400 to fill a tire with air without removing the tire monitoring device 400, the opening 426 allows air to flow through the actuating member 422. Having the opening 426 extend axially through the actuating member 422 allows air to flow directly through the opening 426, which reduces the pressure drop across the actuating member 422 and increases the air flow rate through the tire monitoring device 400.

[0080] The actuating member 422 has three spaced openings 426 around the central portion 424 to increase the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path through the actuating member 422. The openings 426 are circular with the centers of the openings evenly spaced 120 degrees around the central axis 405. The openings 426 define three spoke portions that extend radially inward and support the central portion 424. Due to the curvature of the openings 426, each spoke portion has scalloped sides.

[0081] about Fig. 13B, the side wall 404 has a narrow portion 428 extending from the filling end portion 408 to the attachment end portion 406, which has a narrower inner diameter than the attachment end portion 406. As shown in FIG13C, the pattern of openings 426 around the center portion 424 of the actuating member 422 can be larger than the inner diameter of the side wall 404 at the narrow portion 428. In other words, the portion 429 of each of the three openings 426 (see Fig. 13B ) are located radially outside the inner diameter of the narrow portion 428 and extend into the shoulder 427 of the sidewall 404. The pattern of openings 426 having these oversized diameters further increases the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path through the actuation member 422 and reduces the pressure drop or air flow resistance through the actuation member 422.

[0082] In one approach, the valve body 402 is formed by milling the valve body 402 from a solid workpiece (eg, a rod). Fig. 13B , the interior 410 of the valve body 402 is at least partially formed by advancing a first boring tool from the filling end portion 408 in a direction 431 until the tapered front end of the first boring tool reaches the shoulder 427. A second boring tool radially offset from the central axis 405 is advanced in an opposite direction 433 from the attachment end portion 406 until the front end of the second boring tool reaches the shoulder 427 to form each opening 426. The countersinking of the interior 410 and the openings 426 forms an end face 435 in the shoulder 427 at the end of each opening 426 (see Fig. 15B ). As shown in FIG. 13B, the valve body 402 has a sleeve portion depending from the shoulder 427 and includes internal threads on the interior of the sleeve portion. The internal threads extend around the actuator 422, which is Fig. 13B The upper base of the valve body 402 has an annular channel extending around the valve body 402. The valve body 402 has an O-ring, such as rubber or other elastomer, which is received in the annular channel to seal with the valve stem engaged with the internal thread of the sleeve portion of the valve body 402.

[0083] about Fig.15A , the valve body 402 has an outer portion 430 including recesses 432, 434. The recesses 432, 434 are annular and extend around the valve body 402. As shown in FIG13A, the housing 414 is overmolded onto the valve body 402 to form annular ribs 432A, 434A of the housing 414, which extend radially into the recesses 432, 434 and prevent the housing 414 from axially moving relative to the valve body 402. Fig.12, the outer portion 430 of the narrow portion 428 of the valve body 402 is narrower than the attachment end portion 406 and / or the filling end portion 408. The housing 414 is on the narrow portion 428 and the outer transition surfaces 433, 435 between the narrow portion 428, the attachment end portion 406 and the filling end portion 408 (see Fig.13A The engagement between the inner surface portion of the housing 414 and the outer surface portion of the valve body 402 prevents the housing 414 from moving axially relative to the valve body 402.

[0084] The tire monitoring device 400 has a joint surface portion of the housing 414 and the valve body 402, which prevents the housing 414 from rotating around the valve body 402. More specifically, referring to Fig.12 and Fig.15A , the outer portion 430 of the valve body 402 includes flat surfaces 436, 438 located on opposite sides of the narrow portion 428 of the valve body 402. The outer portion 430 may also include a flat surface 440 to which the end portion 406 is attached (see Fig.15A ). The housing 414 is molded over the flat surfaces 436, 438, 440, thereby forming corresponding flat surfaces of the housing 414 that face and engage the flat surfaces 436, 438, 440 of the valve body 402 and prevent the housing 414 from rotating relative to the valve body 402. The flat surfaces 436, 438, 440 can also help position the valve body 402 in a desired orientation in a mold for overmolding the housing 414 onto the valve body 402. Fig.12 , the opening 412 in the side wall 404 of the valve body 402 extends through the flat surface 436 of the narrowed portion 428. The flat surface 436 provides a flat surface for the O-ring 462 to seat against the valve body 402 and form a fluid seal with the valve body 402, as described below.

[0085] The filling end portion 408 of the valve body 402 may include a valve core 444 similar to the above-described embodiments, which acts as a one-way valve to prevent air from flowing out of the tire through the tire monitoring device 400 while allowing the tire to be filled by pressurized air applied to the filling end portion 408. The valve core 444 may include, for example, a Schrader valve core.

[0086] for Fig.11 The housing 414 is molded onto the valve body 402 to form an assembly of the housing 414 (which may be made of plastic) and the tubular sidewall 404 of the valve body 402 (which may be made of a metal material such as brass). Fig.14A , Fig. 14B , the housing 414 includes a central portion 446 through which the valve body 402 extends. The central portion 446 has an opening 448 (see Fig.14A), which leads to the opening 412 of the valve body 402. The housing 414 also includes a first portion 450 located on one side of the valve body 402 and a second portion 452 located on the opposite side of the valve body 402. The housing 414 has a generally cylindrical outer profile that extends transversely to the valve body 402 between the first portion 450 and the second portion 452. The first portion 450 and the second portion 452 are located radially outward of the valve body 402 and provide a handle portion to which a user can apply force to thread the tire monitoring device 400 onto or remove it from the valve stem.

[0087] for Fig.12 and FIG. 13B to FIG. 13C , the tire monitoring device 400 includes a circuit board 454 located in a first portion 450 of a housing 414. The circuit board 454 has a first side 456 facing the valve body 402 and a second side 458 opposite the first side 456. The circuit board 454 has a sensor 460 that is mounted to the first side 456 and is in fluid communication with the interior 410 of the valve body 402 via an opening 412 in the side wall 404 of the valve body 402. The sensor 460 can be, for example, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and / or a pressure sensor. A sealing member such as an O-ring 462 is located between the sensor 460 and the valve body 402. The O-ring 462 has a body 464 that extends around a central opening 466 (see Fig.12 The body 464 of the O-ring 462 surrounds the opening 412 of the valve body 402 and the sensing portion 468 of the sensor 460 (see Fig. 13C The sensing portion 468 of the sensor 460 is aligned with the central opening 466 of the O-ring 462 and the opening 412 of the valve body 402 so that air in the interior 410 of the valve body 402 acts on the sensing portion 468 of the sensor 460 .

[0088] about Fig.12 , the tire monitoring device 400 may include a membrane, such as a moisture barrier, located between the sensor 460 and the interior 410 of the valve body 402. The membrane may be a plug 470 located in the central opening 466 of the O-ring 462, which allows air to flow through while preventing water and / or debris from passing through. The plug 470 has hydrophobic properties to resist water penetration and has oleophobic properties to resist oil penetration that is typically present in air compressors. The plug 470 may be made of, for example, semi-permeable porous PTFE (e.g., Gore-Tex TM In other forms, the membrane is as discussed above for other embodiments. For example, the membrane can be located between the O-ring 462 and the valve body 402. As another example, the membrane can be located between the O-ring 462 and the sensor 460.

[0089] The circuit board 454 is secured to the housing 414 to force the sensor 460 firmly against the O-ring 462, thereby compressing the O-ring 462 between the sensor 460 and the valve body 402. The O-ring 462 compressed between the valve body 402 and the sensor 460 is used to form a fluid seal between the O-ring 465 and the valve body 402 and between the O-ring 465 and the sensor 460. The O-ring 462 fluidly isolates the interior of the housing 414 from the interior 410 of the valve body 402. Thus, the O-ring 462 can prevent air, water, and debris in the interior 410 of the valve body 402 from flowing radially outward from the O-ring 462. The O-ring 462 also prevents potting material 475 poured into the housing 414 during the manufacturing process of the tire monitoring device 400 from flowing into the interior 410 of the valve body 402 or covering the sensing portion 468 of the sensor 460, as discussed in more detail below. The sensor 460 may also compress the plug 470 .

[0090] refer to Fig. 13C , the circuit board 454 can be secured to the housing 414 using a hook and fastener connection including a fastener such as a screw 473. Other fasteners that may be used include one or more rivets, heat stakes, or barbs. The circuit board 454 has a hook portion such as a protrusion 472 and a hook portion such as a fastener receiving portion 474 opposite the protrusion 472, which includes an opening 476 for the screw 473. The housing 414 has a lip 478 that extends radially inward to an interior 477 of the housing 414 (see Fig.14A). The housing 414 also includes a support member 480 extending inwardly into the housing 414, which includes an attachment opening 482. The protrusion 472 of the circuit board 454 is located near the underside 484 of the lip 478. The fastener receiving portion 474 of the circuit board 454 rests on the support member 480. The screw 473 extends through the opening 476 of the circuit board 454 and enters the attachment opening 482 of the support member 480. The screw 473 can be a self-tapping screw, and when the shank 473B of the screw 473 is driven into the attachment opening 482, a thread is formed in the support member 480. The circuit board 454 is fixed in the final installation position, located between the lip 478 of the housing 414, the head 473A of the screw 473 on the second side 458 of the circuit board 454, and the support member 480 on the first side 456 of the circuit board 454. The overlapping housing lip 478 and circuit board protrusion 472 and the screw 473 and support 480 securely secure the circuit board 454 to the housing 414 and hold the sensor 460 to compress the O-ring 462 against the valve body 402. In addition, when the housing 414 is filled with potting material 475, the engagement between the overlapping housing lip 478 and the circuit board protrusion 472 and the engagement between the screw 473 and the support 480 prevents movement of the circuit board 454. During assembly, the circuit board 454 is secured to the housing 414 using the screw 473, the housing lip 478, and the housing support 480, which secures the circuit board 454 in a final installed position relative to the housing 414. Securing the circuit board 454 to the housing 414 prevents the circuit board 454 from moving after the battery 498 is installed and prevents strain on the connection between the battery terminals 500, 502 of the battery 498 and the circuit board 454. Once the potting material 475 cures, the potting material 475 further secures the circuit board 454 relative to the housing 414 .

[0091] for Fig.14A, the housing 414 includes legs 478A, 478B extending inwardly into the interior of the housing 414. The legs 478A, 478B extend from the lip 478 generally toward the second portion 452 of the housing 414. The legs 478A, 478B have inner side surfaces 478C, 478D to contact the circuit board protrusion 472 and prevent the circuit board 454 from rotating in the interior 477 of the housing 414. The housing 414 has support walls 522, 524, and the first side 456 of the circuit board 454 contacts the support walls 522, 524. The support walls 522, 524 can limit the movement of the circuit board 454 toward the valve body 402, for example, when the circuit board 454 is attached to the housing 414 to compress the O-ring 462, and maintain the spacing between the circuit board 454 and the valve body 402. Support walls 522, 524 also provide a flat surface for circuit board 454 to engage to ensure that circuit board 454 is level when circuit board 454 is secured in place using screws 473. Support walls 522, 524 may be separated by recesses 523, 525. During assembly of tire monitoring device 400, recesses 523, 525 allow air to escape from around O-ring 462 when housing 414 is filled with potting material 475.

[0092] for Fig. 14B , the central portion 446 of the housing 414 includes one or more battery supports, such as ridges 526, 528, against which the battery cells 488 sit. The ridges 526, 528 separate the underside of the battery cells 488 of the battery 498 from the surface 446A of the central portion 446 of the housing 414 so that potting material can flow between the battery cells 488 and the surface 446A.

[0093] Circuit board 454 has communication circuit 486 (see Fig.16A ), the communication circuit 486 is mounted to the second side 458 of the circuit board 454 facing away from the valve body 402 (see Fig. 13C ). The communication circuit 486 is positioned on the second side 458 of the circuit board 454, spaced apart from and facing away from the valve body 402 and the battery cell 488 in the second portion 452 of the housing 414, which reduces communication signal interference caused by the valve body 402 and / or the battery cell 488. The communication circuit 486 may include one or more antennas for communicating via radio frequency signals, such as surface mount chip antennas. As an example, the communication circuit 486 may be configured to communicate via a Bluetooth wireless protocol.

[0094] refer to Figures 12 to 13B , the end cap 416 has a body 416A that closes the first portion 450 of the housing 414. The end cap 416 includes an annular recess 490 that receives an O-ring 492 (see Fig. 13B). An O-ring 492 extends between the end cap 416 and the housing 414 to form a fluid seal therebetween. The end cap 416 and the O-ring 492 can be configured to form an interference fit connection with the first portion 450 of the housing 414 to initially connect the end cap 416 to the housing 414. The end cap 416 can be connected to the housing 414 before pouring the potting material into the housing 414. The O-ring 492 prevents the potting material from escaping from the connection between the end cap 416 and the housing 414.

[0095] The end cap 416 includes a depending arm 494 that extends inwardly into the housing 414. The arm 494 is embedded in a potting material 475 that secures the end cap 416 to the housing 414. Fig. 13C , the arm 494 includes an opening 496 , and the potting material 475 has a portion extending through the opening 496 to anchor the end cap 416 to the potting material 475 and the housing 414 .

[0096] refer to Fig.12 and FIG. 13B to FIG. 13D The tire monitoring device 400 includes a battery 498 having a battery cell 488 and electrical conductors, such as battery terminals 500, 502. The battery cell 488 is received in the second portion 452 of the housing 414, and the valve body 402 extends between the battery cell 488 and the circuit board 454. The battery terminal 500 is connected to the positive electrode 488A of the battery cell 488 (see Fig.13D ) is integrally formed or connected (e.g., welded or fused) to the positive electrode 488A, and the battery terminal 502 is connected to the negative electrode 488B of the battery cell 488. The battery terminals 500, 502 extend from the battery cell 488 in the second portion 452 of the housing 414 to the circuit board 454 in the first portion 450 of the housing 414. The battery terminals 500, 502 extend from opposite sides of the circular battery cell 488 in the diametrical direction so that the valve body 402 extends between the battery terminals 500, 502. The battery terminals 500, 502 are fixed to the circuit board 454 to provide power to the components of the circuit board 454. For example, the battery terminals 500, 502 can be welded to the circuit board 454. As Fig.12 As shown, the width of the positive battery terminal 500 can be greater than the width of the negative battery terminal 502. The circuit board 454 includes a slot 504 for receiving the positive battery terminal 500 and a slot 506 for receiving the negative battery terminal 502. The slot 506 has a certain width, which is designed to receive the negative battery terminal 502 but prevent the positive battery terminal 500 from being inserted therein to ensure that the battery 498 is properly connected to the circuit board 454 during the assembly process. The potting material poured into the housing 414 flows between the battery 498, the end cap 418 and the central portion 446 of the housing 414 to fix the battery 498 relative to the housing 414 and the valve body 402.

[0097] refer to Fig.12 , the end cap 418 has a body 418A that closes the second portion 452 of the housing 414. After the liquid potting material has been poured into the housing 414, the end cap 418 can be inserted into the second portion 452 of the housing 414. The end cap 418 can include an arm 508 extending inwardly into the housing 414. The arm 508 is embedded in the potting material 475 (see Fig. 13C ), which secures the end cap 418 to the housing 414. The arm 508 has an opening 510 (see Fig.12 ) and the potting material 475 has portions 475A, 475B (see Fig. 13C ), portions 475A, 475B extend through opening 510 to anchor end cap 418 to potting material 475 and housing 414 once potting material 475 sets. End cap 418 has opening 512 in body 418A through which air and / or excess liquid potting material can escape from housing 414 when end cap 418 is inserted into housing 414.

[0098] for FIG. 16A to FIG. 17B , a method for assembling a tire monitoring device 400 is provided. Fig.16A , the circuit board 454 has circuit components (e.g., the communication circuit 486 and the sensor 460) mounted thereon. The housing 414 is molded onto the valve body 402. For example, the valve body 402 is positioned in a mold, and then plastic is pushed into the mold to form the housing 414 on the valve body 402.

[0099] about Fig.16A , an O-ring 462 and a steam block 470 are located on the valve body 402, and the steam block 470 is located in the opening 466 of the O-ring 462. The opening 466 of the O-ring 462 is aligned with the opening 412 of the valve body 402. In another embodiment, the steam block 470 is not used.

[0100] for Fig. 16B To position the circuit board 454 within the housing 414 , the circuit board 454 is tilted and pushed generally in direction 514 to position the protrusion 472 of the circuit board 454 under the lip 478 of the housing 414 .

[0101] for Fig. 16C4. As shown, the circuit board 454 is pivoted relative to the housing 414 in the direction 516 to move the fastener receiving portion 474 of the circuit board 454 into the housing 414 toward the support 480. Pivoting the circuit board 454 in the direction 516 compresses the O-ring 462 between the sensor 460 and the valve body 402. The O-ring 462 resists the compression and applies a reaction force to the circuit board 454, which urges the circuit board protrusion 472 to abut against the underside 484 of the lip 478 of the housing 414. The circuit board 454 continues to pivot in the direction 516 until the fastener receiving portion 454 is seated on the support 480. Since the circuit board protrusion 472 is received in the recess 479 formed by the lip 478 and the legs 478A, 478B (see Fig.14A ), so when the circuit board 454 pivots along the direction 516, the legs 478A, 478B of the housing 414 restrict the circuit board 454 from pivoting.

[0102] for Fig.16D Once the circuit board 454 has been fully pivoted downward in direction 516, the opening 476 of the fastener receiving portion 474 of the circuit board 454 is aligned with the attachment opening 482 of the housing 414. The shank 473B of the screw 473 is advanced into the opening 476 of the circuit board 454 and driven into the attachment opening 482 of the housing 414 to secure the circuit board 454 to the housing 414. Tightening the screw 473 secures the circuit board 454 between the support 480 and the lip 478 of the housing 414 and positions the sensor 460 at a predetermined distance from the valve body 402 to compress the O-ring 462 a predetermined distance.

[0103] about Fig. 17B , after the circuit board 454 is secured to the housing 414 with the screws 473 and before the end cap 416 is attached to the first portion 450 of the housing 414, the battery 498 is connected to the circuit board 454. The battery 498 is inserted into the second portion 452 of the housing along the direction 520. The battery terminals 500, 502 of the battery 498 extend through the corresponding slots 504, 506 of the circuit board 454. The battery 498 is inserted into the housing 414 until the battery cells 488 rest on the ridges 526, 528 (see FIG. 5 ). Fig. 14B ). The battery terminals 500, 502 are soldered to corresponding contact pads of the circuit board 454 to provide power to the circuit board 454. The battery 498 is connected to the circuit board 454 before the end cap 416 is attached to the housing 414, which allows the assembly worker to access the second side 458 of the circuit board 454 to solder the battery terminals 500, 502. In another method, the battery 498 can be connected to the circuit board 454 after the end cap 416 is attached to the housing 414.

[0104] about Fig.17A, the end cap 416 is inserted into the first portion 450 of the housing 414 in direction 518 to attach the end cap 416 to the housing 414. The end cap 416 is inserted to close the first portion 450 of the housing 414. The insertion of the end cap 416 forms an interference fit connection between the end cap 416 and the housing 414 and engages the O-ring 492 with the housing 414. The O-ring 492 forms a fluid-tight connection between the end cap 416 and the housing 414.

[0105] about Fig. 17B , after the battery 498 is attached to the circuit board 454 and the end cap 416 is attached to the housing 414 to close the open end of the first portion 450 of the housing 414, a liquid potting material is pushed (e.g., poured) from the second portion 452 of the housing 414 into the housing 414 generally along direction 520. The housing 414 may be filled with the liquid potting to cover the circuit board 454, the battery 498, and the arms 494 of the end cap 416 in the potting material.

[0106] After filling the housing 414 with the liquid potting material, the end cap 418 is inserted into the second portion 452 of the housing 414 along direction 520. The end cap 418 is inserted to close the second portion 452 of the housing 414. The arms 508 of the end cap 418 are inserted and embedded in the liquid potting material. Air and excess potting material can escape from the housing 414 through the opening 512 of the end cap 418. The potting material can fill the opening 512 of the end cap 418.

[0107] When housing 414 is closed with end caps 418, the liquid potting material can cure and harden to form potting material 475 of tire monitoring device 400. Potting material 475 protects the internal components of tire monitoring device 400 and secures end caps 416, 418, circuit board 454, and battery 498 to housing 414.

[0108] The use of singular terms such as "a", "an", is intended to cover the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising", "having", "including", and "containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms. The phrase "at least one" as used herein is to be interpreted in a disjunctive sense. For example, the phrase "at least one of A and B" is intended to cover A, B, or both A and B.

[0109] While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that numerous changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and the present invention is intended to cover all such changes and modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tire monitoring device, comprising: Circuit boards; Battery; a valve body located 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 for allowing air to flow from the filling end portion to the attachment end portion; a sensor of the circuit board configured to detect an air variable in the internal passage of the valve body; communications circuitry of the circuit board operable to wirelessly transmit data related to the air variable; a support member that permanently encapsulates the circuit board and the battery around the valve body; and The support includes a structural member molded on the valve body and an embedded member fixing the circuit board and the battery to the structural member. 2 . The tire monitoring device of claim 1 , wherein the embedding member comprises a potting material.

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

4. The tire monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the structural member includes a first recess and a second recess located on opposite sides of the valve body; wherein the battery is located in the first recess; wherein the circuit board is located in the second recess; and The embedding member is located in the first recess and the second recess to fix the battery and the circuit board in the first recess and the second recess.

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

6. The tire monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the valve body includes a sidewall having a through opening therein; wherein the sensor comprises a sensing portion adjacent to the through opening; and An O-ring extends around the through opening and the sensing portion, the O-ring being compressed between the sensor and the valve body.

7. The tire monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the circuit board includes an opening; and The battery includes a battery cell and terminals, wherein the terminals are located on both sides of the valve body and extend from the battery cell to the opening of the circuit board.

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

9. The tire monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the structural member is a housing; wherein the embedded member comprises a potting material within the housing; and The support member includes covers connected to the housing on opposite sides of the valve body.

10. The tire monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein: The support includes a cover connected to the structural member, the cover having an opening; as well as A portion of the embedded component is located within the opening.

11. The tire monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the structural member comprises a housing having an upper opening and a lower opening; wherein at least a portion of the embedded member is within the housing; wherein the support member comprises upper and lower covers, the covers covering the upper opening and the lower opening of the housing; wherein the cover includes an arm with an opening; as well as The embedding member includes an anchoring portion extending in the opening of the arm of the cover to connect the cover and the housing.

12. The tire monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the battery is embedded in the embedding member.

13. The tire monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the structural member is an inner support and the embedded member is an outer body molded onto the inner support.

14. The tire monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the valve body comprises: a tubular wall extending around the interior passage; as well as A valve core is supported by the tubular wall.

15. A method of manufacturing a tire monitoring device, 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 member on opposite sides of the valve body, the circuit board including a sensor for detecting a variable of air in the valve body; and A second material is urged 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 a potting material 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 sealing 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 member proximate the first portion of the support member comprises advancing the battery and the circuit board into first and second openings of the first portion of the support member on opposite sides of the first portion of the support member; and Wherein advancing the second material into contact with the first portion of the support to form the second portion of the support includes advancing the second material into the first opening and the second opening.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein molding the first material onto the valve body to form the first portion of the support member comprises molding the first material to form the housing; wherein positioning the battery and the circuit board proximate the first portion of the support member comprises positioning the battery and the circuit board within the housing; and Wherein advancing the second material into contact with the first portion of the support member includes advancing the second material into the housing.

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

21. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the battery and the circuit board proximate the first portion of the support member comprises: positioning a protrusion of the circuit board below a lip of the first portion of the support; pivoting the fastener receiving portion of the circuit board downwardly toward the support surface of the first portion of the support member; as well as A portion of a fastener is advanced through the opening of the fastener receiving portion of the circuit board and into the 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 cover to the first portion of the support; and Wherein advancing the second material into contact with the first portion of the support member includes advancing a portion of the second material into the opening of the cover.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein positioning the battery and the circuit board comprises pushing leading end portions of terminals of the battery on opposite sides of the valve body and into openings of the circuit board.

24. 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 onto a planar surface of the valve body to form a non-rotatable connection between the first portion of the support and the valve body.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein advancing the second material into contact with the first portion of the support comprises molding the second material onto the first material.

26. A tire monitoring device, comprising: a metal fitting having threads for engaging threads of a valve stem of a tire; a through opening in the metal fitting; a circuit board having a sensor having a sensing portion configured to detect an air variable received via the through-opening in the metal fitting; a sealing member between the circuit board and the metal fitting, the sealing member forming a seal around the sensing portion of the sensor; as well as A supporter connects the circuit board to the metal fitting, the supporter keeps the circuit board and the metal fitting at a predetermined distance to compress the sealing member and hold the sealing member.

27. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the sealing member comprises an O-ring; and The O-ring is sandwiched between the sensor and the metal fitting.

28. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, further comprising a waterproof membrane protecting the sensing portion of the sensor.

29. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the support member comprises a housing mounted to the metal fitting and a potting material securing the circuit board and the housing together.

30. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the support member and the circuit board have a hook and screw connection therebetween.

31. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the circuit board has a first side with the sensor thereon and a second side opposite the first side; and Wherein the support member includes a support surface engaged with the second side of the circuit board.

32. The tire monitoring device of claim 31, wherein the support comprises a screw and a structural member of a first material mounted to the metal fitting; and Wherein the structural member and the screw comprise support surfaces.

33. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the support member comprises a housing having a lip and a support portion spanning an interior of the housing and spaced apart from the lip; and wherein the circuit board is located inside the housing; and The lip and the support portion of the housing are engaged with opposite sides of the circuit board.

34. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the metal fitting comprises a fill end portion, an attachment end portion, and a tubular sidewall extending along a central axis between the fill end portion and the attachment end portion; and The through opening extends through the tubular side wall perpendicular to the central axis.

35. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, further comprising a battery; wherein the support member connects the circuit board to the metal fitting; and Wherein the circuit board includes communication circuitry operable to wirelessly transmit data associated with the variable to a remote device.

36. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the support comprises a structural member mounted to the valve body, a portion of the structural member being located between the sealing member and the metal fitting; and wherein the sealing member is sandwiched between the circuit board and the portion of the structural member.

37. The tire monitoring device of claim 26, wherein the accessory is a valve cover.

38. A tire monitoring device, comprising: a valve body having a central longitudinal axis; an attachment end portion of the valve body configured to engage a valve stem of a tire; a fill end portion of the valve body configured to receive compressed air; a center body connected to the valve body, the center body including a sensor for detecting a variable of air within the valve body, a battery, and a communication circuit operable to wirelessly transmit data related to the variable; an actuator of the attachment end portion having a central portion intersecting the central longitudinal axis and configured to open a valve of the valve stem when the attachment end portion is connected to the valve stem; three axial through openings of the actuator radially offset from the central longitudinal axis and spaced about the central longitudinal axis to allow air to pass through the actuator; as well as Three spoke portions of the actuator support the central portion of the actuator in the attachment end portion of the valve body, the three spoke portions being at least partially defined by the three axial through-openings of the actuator.

39. The tire monitoring device of claim 38, wherein the valve body has a narrow portion intermediate the fill end portion and the actuator, the narrow portion having an internal passage and a cylindrical surface extending thereabout, the cylindrical surface being a first radial distance from the central longitudinal axis; and in, At least a portion of each of the three axial through-openings is located a second radial distance radially outward from the central longitudinal axis, the second radial distance being greater than the first radial distance.

40. The tire monitoring device of claim 38, wherein the attachment end portion of the valve body comprises a shoulder; wherein the valve body includes a narrow portion extending from the shoulder toward the fill end portion, the narrow portion including an air passage; and Wherein at least a portion of each of the three axial through-openings is formed in the shoulder portion of the valve body.

41. The tire monitoring device of claim 38, wherein the attachment end portion comprises: a sleeve portion having an internal thread; an annular channel extending around the actuator; as well as An O-ring is disposed within the annular channel.

Images