Wheel rotation speed sensor.

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor (1) designed to be inserted into a bore of a wheel support for measuring the rotational speed of a wheel. The sensor (1) has an insert (4) designed to be inserted into the bore and extending to an end (5) adapted to measure the rotational speed of a rotating element of the support. The sensor (1) has a stop (6) designed to bear against the support when the insert (4) is inserted into the bore with the end (5) positioned to allow measurement of the rotational speed of the element. The sensor (1) has clipping means (11) designed to secure the sensor (1) in the support when the stop (6) is bearing against the support, in cooperation with additional clipping means provided on the support. The invention also relates to the support having a bore and additional clipping means. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Wheel rotation speed sensor.

[0001] The technical field relates to wheel rotation speed sensors, wheel supports designed to allow the attachment of such a speed sensor and vehicles having at least one such support.

[0002] The operation of a vehicle, such as its braking or trajectory, currently uses measurements of the rotational speed of the vehicle's wheels. These measurements are provided by rotational speed measuring devices mounted on the wheels, generally referred to as "ABS sensors." Conventionally, an ABS sensor typically uses an encoder disc mounted on the axle of a vehicle wheel and comprising a plurality of alternating north and south magnetic poles. The ABS sensor is generally mounted on the wheel hub opposite the encoder disc. The ABS sensor houses a printed circuit board on which a Hall effect sensor is mounted. This sensor produces an electric current based on the variations in the magnetic field generated by the alternating passages of the north and south poles of the disc, which is rotated by the axle, in front of the ABS sensor.The ABS sensor therefore functions as a magnetic encoder of the wheel's rotational speed.

[0003] The ABS sensor is generally housed in a bore that allows the Hall effect sensor to be positioned correctly relative to the encoding disk. The ABS sensor is then fixed to the spindle using a fixing screw.

[0004] Experience shows that such an ABS sensor has several drawbacks. First, mounting the ABS sensor is laborious, as it requires tightening at least one mounting screw. This tightening operation can be even more difficult when it involves maintenance on an assembled vehicle, where each mounting screw is located in an environment that complicates access. Second, such an ABS sensor is relatively sensitive to vibrations and extreme stresses.

[0005] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a speed sensor that allows for easier mounting and ensures greater durability.

[0006] To this end, the present invention relates to a wheel speed sensor designed to be inserted into a bore of a wheel support to measure the rotational speed of a wheel, the sensor having an insert designed to be inserted into the bore and extending to a measuring end adapted to measure the rotational speed of a rotating element of the wheel support, the sensor having a stop designed to bear against the wheel support when the insert is inserted into the bore so that the measuring end is positioned to allow measurement of the rotational speed of the element, the sensor having clipping means designed to allow the sensor to be fixed in the support, when the stop is in contact with the support, by cooperation with complementary clipping means provided on the wheel support.

[0007] The invention also relates to a wheel support having a bore to allow the insertion of the insert of a speed sensor according to the invention, the support comprising additional clipping means provided on the support to allow the sensor to be fixed by clipping with the clipping means of the sensor, when the sensor is inserted fully into the bore.

[0008] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one wheel support according to the invention and a speed sensor according to the invention inserted as a stop in each bore.

[0009] Thus, a speed sensor according to the invention, used in conjunction with a wheel support according to the invention, facilitates mounting and / or replacement operations. Simply clipping the clipping means into the complementary clipping means is sufficient to properly secure the sensor according to the invention to the support according to the invention. In particular, during maintenance operations on an already assembled vehicle, it is not necessary to unscrew the fixing screw of the device to be replaced and then rescrew it after the device has been replaced. The speed sensor according to the invention and the wheel support according to the invention eliminate the need for fixing screws and simplify mounting operations. The resulting clip-on fastening proves to be particularly durable.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the clipping means protrude from the stop.

[0011] According to one possibility of the speed sensor, the clipping means comprise at least one clipping pin.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the speed sensor, the stop forms a plate extending around the insert.

[0013] According to one possibility, the insert has a shape allowing it to be pivoted when inserted into the bore.

[0014] According to one possibility of the wheel support, the additional clipping means are designed to require a rotation of the sensor inserted against the stop in the bore to form the clip fastening.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the wheel support, the additional clipping means comprise at least one omega-shaped clip.

[0016] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0017] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] represents a perspective view of a speed sensor according to the invention;

[0018] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of a wheel support according to the invention;

[0019] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a perspective view of the speed sensor of [Fig.1] mounted on the wheel support of [Fig.2].

[0020] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0021] A wheel speed sensor 1 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig. 1], is designed to be inserted into a bore 2 of a wheel support 3, illustrated in [Fig. 2], to measure the rotational speed of a wheel. For this purpose, and as illustrated in [Fig. 2], the bore 2 provides access to a rotating element of the wheel support 3, not shown, the rotational measurement of which is representative of the rotational speed of the wheel fixed to the support 3.

[0022] The sensor 1 according to the invention has an insert 4 designed to be inserted and pivoted within the bore 2. The insert 4 extends along a longitudinal axis to a measuring end 5 adapted to measure the rotational speed of the rotating element of the wheel support 3. The end 5 houses, for this purpose, for example, a Hall effect sensor. The shape of the insert 4 is inscribed within a circular base cylinder whose diameter is less than or equal to that of the bore 2 in order to allow it free rotation within the bore 2.

[0023] The sensor 1 also has a stop 6 designed to bear against the wheel support 3 when the insert 4 is inserted into the bore 2 so that the measuring end 5 is positioned to allow measurement of the rotational speed of the rotating element. The stop 6 thus prevents the end 5 from being inserted further into the bore 2. As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the stop 6 forms a plate 7 extending around the insert 4. The stop 6 forms a flat surface 7 that provides a planar-to-planar bearing with a periphery 8 of the bore 2, illustrated in [Fig. 2], which has a flat surface that allows rotation of the sensor 1 inserted in the bore 2. For this purpose, the periphery 8 forms a flat surface.

[0024] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the stop 6 forms a separation between the insert 4 and a housing 9 of the sensor 1 which houses electronic devices necessary for the operation of the sensor 1 and for the transmission of the information measured at the measuring end 5 to a processing unit, not shown, using, for example, a cable 10.

[0025] The speed sensor 1 according to the invention further comprises clipping means 11 designed to allow the sensor 1 to be fixed in the support 3, when the stop 6 is in contact with the support 3, by cooperation with complementary clipping means 12 provided on the wheel support 3.

[0026] As illustrated in [Fig.1], the clipping means 11 comprise at least one clipping pin 13 projecting from the stop 6. In the example illustrated in the figures, the pin 13 extends along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the insert 4.

[0027] The additional clipping means 12 of the wheel support 3 enable a clip-on fastening to be formed with the pin 13 when the sensor 1 is fully inserted into the bore 2. Advantageously, the additional clipping means 12 are designed to require rotation of the sensor 1, fully inserted into the bore 2, to form the clip-on fastening. Thus, for example, the additional clipping means 12 include at least one omega-shaped clip 14 whose dimensions are adapted to those of a clipping pin 13. To this end, each clip 14 defines an opening 15 for the insertion of a pin 13 extending in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the insert 4.

[0028] Thus, on a vehicle according to the invention comprising at least one wheel support 3 according to the invention, each bore 2 is occupied by an insert 4 of a sensor 1 which is fixed by clipping the clipping means 11 with the corresponding complementary clipping means 12. In order to ensure the clipping fixing, the sensor 1, with the stop 6 bearing against the periphery 8, is rotated in order to penetrate the pin 13 into the opening 15 of the clip 14 to bring it into the fixed position, illustrated in [Fig. 3].

[0029] Thus, the speed sensor 1 according to the invention, used in conjunction with the wheel support 3 according to the invention, facilitates mounting and / or replacement operations. Simply clipping the clipping means 11 into the complementary clipping means 12 is sufficient to correctly secure the sensor 1 to the support 3, for example, by rotating the sensor 1 inserted into the bore 2. In particular, during maintenance operations on an already assembled vehicle, it is not necessary to unscrew the mounting screw and then rescrew it after replacing the ABS sensor. The speed sensor 1 and the wheel support 3 eliminate the need for mounting screws and simplify the mounting operations. The resulting clip-on fastening proves to be particularly durable.

[0030] The invention is not limited to the embodiments of the speed sensor and / or wheel support described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments may be designed by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope and extent of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. A wheel speed sensor (1) designed to be inserted into a bore (2) of a wheel support (3) for measuring the rotational speed of a wheel, the sensor (1) having an insert (4) designed to be inserted into the bore (2) and extending to a measuring end (5) suitable for measuring the rotational speed of a rotating element of the wheel support (3), the sensor (1) having a stop (6) designed to bear against the wheel support (3) when the insert (4) is inserted into the bore (2) so that the measuring end (5) is positioned to allow measurement of the rotational speed of the element, the sensor (1) having clipping means (11) designed to allow the sensor (1) to be fixed in the support (3), when the stop (6) is bearing against the support (3), by cooperation with complementary clipping means (12) provided on the wheel support (3),characterized in that the insert (4) has a shape allowing it to be pivoted when inserted into the bore (2), in that the clipping means (11) protrude from the stop (6) and comprise at least one clipping pin (13), and in that the clip fastening is formed by a rotation of the sensor (1) inserted against the stop in the bore (2) to engage said pin (13) in said complementary clipping means (12).

2. Speed ​​sensor (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the stop (6) forms a plate (7) extending around the insert (4).

3. Wheel support (3) having a bore (2) for allowing the insertion of the insert (4) of a speed sensor (1) according to claim 1 or 2, the support (3) comprising additional clipping means (12) provided on the support (3) for allowing the sensor (1) to be fixed by clipping with the clipping means (11) of the sensor (1), when the sensor (1) is inserted against the stop in the bore (2), characterized in that the additional clipping means (12) are designed to cooperate with at least one clipping pin (13) of the sensor (1), and in that said means are designed to form the clipping following a rotation of the sensor (1) inserted against the stop in the bore (2).

4. Wheel support (3) according to claim 3, characterized in that the additional clipping means (12) comprise at least one clip (14).

5. 6 Wheel support (3) according to claim 4, characterized in that the clip (14) has an opening (15) leading to an internal housing, in the manner of the Greek letter Q, allowing the introduction of the clipping pin (13) by rotation.

6. Motor vehicle comprising at least one wheel support (3) according to any one of claims 3 to 5 and a speed sensor (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2 inserted as a stop in each bore (2).

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