Puncture prevention device

Abstract

The invention relates to a puncture prevention device (1) designed to be fitted to a motor vehicle (2), the device (1) comprising detection means (5) designed to be installed under the vehicle (2) and for detecting, when the motor vehicle (2) is moving, the presence, in the path of at least one tire (4) of the vehicle (2), of an object (3) capable of damaging the tire (4) of the vehicle (2), the device (1) comprising warning means designed to alert the driver of the vehicle (2) when the presence of an object (3) capable of damaging a tire (4) is detected. The invention further relates to a vehicle (2) equipped with such a device (1). Finally, the invention relates to a method for preventing a puncture using the vehicle (2) according to the invention. (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Puncture prevention device

[0001] The technical field relates to puncture prevention devices designed to equip motor vehicles, motor vehicles equipped with such devices, as well as methods for preventing puncture risks implementing such devices.

[0002] For car manufacturers, the quality of finish and equipment levels of their vehicles are essential to differentiate themselves from other brands. Therefore, manufacturers make considerable efforts to constantly improve these areas.

[0003] A tire puncture caused by driving over a sharp or pointed object is obviously a damaging situation that should be avoided whenever possible. Besides damage to the tire and a possible loss of control, a puncture can lead to significant costs because some high-end or sports vehicles are equipped with very expensive tires that meet demanding performance characteristics (high grip, high-speed performance, braking performance, handling precision, and durability).

[0004] Thus, in a context where vehicle equipment is important, there is a need for a solution to limit the risks of punctures due to driving over a sharp and / or piercing object.

[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 puncture prevention device for equipping a motor vehicle in order to detect and avoid certain risks of punctures.

[0006] To this end, the present invention relates to a puncture prevention device designed to equip a motor vehicle, the device comprising detection means designed to be installed under the vehicle and to detect, when the motor vehicle is moving, the presence, on the path of at least one tire of the vehicle, of an object likely to damage the tire of the vehicle, the device comprising warning means designed to alert the driver of the vehicle when the presence of an object likely to damage a tire is detected.

[0007] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle having at least one puncture prevention device according to the invention, the detection means of each prevention device being installed to allow the detection of the presence of an object likely to damage a tire of the vehicle, the warning means being installed to allow the driver of the vehicle to be alerted when the The presence of an object likely to damage a tire is detected in the tire's path.

[0008] The invention finally relates to a method for preventing a puncture involving a motor vehicle according to the invention, the method comprising a monitoring step consisting of activating the detection means of at least one prevention device to detect the presence of an object likely to damage a tire of the vehicle, the prevention method comprising an alert step consisting of disseminating an alert to the driver when an object is detected during the monitoring step.

[0009] Thus, the device according to the invention allows a vehicle according to the invention to be equipped. The vehicle is then able to implement the method according to the invention to detect the risk of a puncture due to the presence of an object in the path of a tire. Once an object is detected, the driver of the vehicle is informed, and thus the puncture can be avoided by changing the vehicle's trajectory. This is all the more effective when the vehicle is moving at low speed, such as, for example, during a parking maneuver: during such a maneuver, the risk of a puncture is indeed greater if the vehicle runs over an object likely to damage a tire, while the trajectory is more easily adjusted to avoid running over the detected object. Thus, the device according to the invention should allow the vehicle according to the invention to avoid certain punctures.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the device, the detection means are designed to detect the disturbance of a magnetic field generated by an object likely to damage the vehicle's tire, in particular a metallic object.

[0011] Advantageously, the detection means comprise at least one antenna designed to emit a magnetic field, each antenna protruding from the vehicle body opposite a tire to be monitored.

[0012] Even more advantageously, each antenna is arranged in a wheel mudguard.

[0013] According to one possibility of the device, the warning means include a display interface designed to display a visual alert when the presence of an object likely to damage a tire is detected in the path of the tire.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the prevention device, the warning means are designed to control the stopping of the movement of the vehicle when the presence of an object likely to damage a tire of the vehicle is detected on the path of the tire.

[0015] According to one possibility of the method, the monitoring step is implemented when the vehicle performs a parking maneuver.

[0016] Advantageously, when the warning means are designed to stop the movement of the vehicle when an object likely to cause damage is present If a tire of the vehicle is detected in the path of another tire, the process includes a blocking step consisting of blocking the parking maneuver when the monitoring step detects the presence of an object likely to damage a tire of the vehicle.

[0017] 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:

[0018] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] represents a partial perspective view of a vehicle automobile according to the invention showing part of the means of detection in the presence of an object likely to damage a tire of the motor vehicle;

[0019] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a schematic view of a display interface designed to display a visual alert when the presence of an object likely to damage a tire is detected in the path of the tire;

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

[0021] A puncture prevention device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, is designed to equip a motor vehicle 2 according to the invention, partially illustrated in [Fig. 1], in order to prevent driving over an object 3 that could damage a tire 4 of the vehicle 2. Such an object 3 that could damage a tire 4 of the vehicle 2 is, in particular, sharp and / or piercing. Such an object 3 is, for example, metallic. By way of example, the object 3 that could damage a tire 4 is a screw or a nail, as illustrated in [Fig. 1].

[0022] The device 1 includes detection means 5 designed to be installed under the vehicle 2 and to detect, when the vehicle 2 is moving, the presence, in the path of at least one tire 4, of an object 3 capable of damaging the tire 4 of the vehicle 2. Advantageously, the detection means 5 are designed to detect the disturbance of a magnetic field 6, shown schematically in [Fig. 1], generated by the object 3 capable of damaging the tire 4 of the vehicle 2.

[0023] In the application, an object 3 is considered to be on the path of the tire 4 when the tire 4 is made to roll over the object 3 if the movement of the vehicle 2 is maintained with a constant direction or if the vehicle 2 is set in motion.

[0024] As illustrated in [Fig. 1], the detection means 5 comprise at least one antenna 7 designed to emit the magnetic field 6. In this case, the vehicle 2 has four antennas 7, each associated with a tire 4 of the vehicle 2. Each antenna 7 protrudes from the body 8 of the vehicle 2 opposite the tire 4 to be monitored. Indeed, each antenna 7 is arranged in an aerodynamic deflector such as a wheel mud flap 9. In the example described, the vehicle 2 has one antenna 7 arranged opposite each tire 4. Thus, an object 3 detectable by an antenna 7 is considered to be located in the path of tire 4, when tire 4 is likely to roll over object 3 unless the movement of vehicle 2 is stopped or changed.

[0025] The device 1 further includes warning means 10, illustrated in [Fig. 2], designed to alert the driver of the vehicle 2 when the presence of an object 3 likely to damage a tire 4 is detected. Thus, the warning means 10 are designed to emit a visual and / or audible warning 11 to the driver. The warning 11 is obviously emitted inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle 2.

[0026] Advantageously, and as illustrated in [Fig. 2], the warning means 10 comprise a display interface 12 designed to display the visual warning 11 when the presence of an object 3 likely to damage a tire 4 of the vehicle 2 is detected in the path of a tire 4. By way of example, the display interface 12 presents a schematic aerial view of the vehicle 2 with four zones 13a, 13b, each corresponding to the environment of a tire 4. In the example illustrated in [Fig. 2], in the absence of an object 3, the corresponding zone 13a is, for example, represented by an empty circle, while in the event of the presence of an object 3, the zone 13b is represented by a circle surrounding an image 14 illustrating a danger to the tire 4 or a video of the environment of the tire 4 showing the object 3.

[0027] Advantageously, the warning means 10 are also designed to stop the movement of vehicle 2 when the presence of an object 3 likely to damage a tire 4 is detected in the path of the tire 4. In practice, a command to stop the movement of vehicle 2 is sent when vehicle 2 is performing a parking maneuver. For example, the command to stop the movement of vehicle 2 is only issued when the speed of movement is below a predetermined threshold speed, in particular a speed characteristic of a parking maneuver. For example, the display interface 12 is combined with a portion of a screen usable by the driver during a parking maneuver. The device 1 further includes one or more control units, not shown, enabling communication between the detection means 5 and the warning means 10 and / or any other system of vehicle 2.

[0028] The device 1 according to the invention makes it possible to implement a method according to the invention in the vehicle 2 according to the invention. In such a method, a monitoring step consists of activating the detection means 5 of at least one prevention device 1 to detect the presence of an object 3 likely to damage a tire 4 of the vehicle 2. The prevention method further includes an alert step consisting of broadcasting an alert 11 to the driver when the presence of an object 3 is detected during the monitoring step. Advantageously, the step monitoring is implemented when vehicle 2 performs a parking maneuver.

[0029] In particular, when the warning means 10 are also designed to control the stopping of the movement of the vehicle 2 in the event of the presence of an object 3 likely to damage a tire 4 detected in the path of the tire 4, the method further includes a blocking step consisting of blocking the parking maneuver when the monitoring step detects the presence of an object 3 likely to damage a tire 4 of the vehicle.

[0030] Thus, the vehicle 2, equipped with at least one device 1, is then able to implement the method according to the invention to detect the risk of a puncture due to the presence of an object 3 in the path of a tire 4. Once the object 3 is detected, the driver of the vehicle 2 is informed by the warning means 10, and the puncture can then be avoided by changing the trajectory of the vehicle 2. This is all the more effective when the vehicle 2 is moving at low speed, such as, for example, during a parking maneuver: during such a maneuver, the risk of a puncture is indeed greater if the vehicle runs over an object 3 that could damage the tire 4, and the trajectory is more easily adjusted to avoid running over the detected object 3. Thus, the device 1 according to the invention should allow the vehicle 2 to avoid certain punctures.

[0031] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the prevention device 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. Puncture prevention device (1) designed to be fitted to a motor vehicle (2), the device (1) comprising detection means (5) designed to be installed under the vehicle (2) and to, when the motor vehicle (2) is moving, detect the presence, in the path of at least one tire (4) of the vehicle (2), of an object (3) capable of damaging the tire (4) of the vehicle (2), the device (1) comprising warning means (10) designed to warn the driver of the vehicle (2) when the presence of an object (3) capable of damaging a tire (4) is detected.

2. A prevention device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection means (5) are designed to detect the disturbance of a magnetic field (6) generated by an object (3) capable of damaging the tire (4) of the vehicle (2), in particular a metallic object (3).

3. Prevention device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the detection means (5) comprise at least one antenna (7) designed to emit a magnetic field (6), each antenna (7) protruding from the body of the vehicle (2) opposite a tire (4) to be monitored.

4. Prevention device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that each antenna (7) is arranged in a wheel mudguard (9).

5. A prevention device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the warning means (10) comprise a display interface (12) designed to display a visual alert (11) when the presence of an object (3) likely to damage a tire (4) is detected in the path of the tire (4).

6. A prevention device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the warning means (10) are designed to control the stopping of the movement of the vehicle (2) when the presence of an object (3) likely to damage a tire (4) of the vehicle (2) is detected in the path of the tire (4).

7. A motor vehicle (2) having at least one puncture prevention device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the detection means (5) of each prevention device (1) being installed to enable the detection of the presence of an object (3) capable of damaging a tire (4) of the vehicle (2), the means warning devices (10) being installed to allow the driver of the vehicle (2) to be alerted when the presence of an object (3) likely to damage a tire (4) is detected in the path of the tire (4).

8. A method for preventing a puncture involving a motor vehicle (2) according to claim 7, the method comprising a monitoring step consisting of activating the detection means (5) of at least one prevention device (1) to detect the presence of an object (3) capable of damaging a tire (4) of the vehicle (2), the prevention method comprising an alert step consisting of broadcasting an alert (11) to the driver when an object (3) is detected during the monitoring step.

9. Prevention method according to claim 8, characterized in that the monitoring step is implemented when the vehicle (2) performs a parking maneuver.

10. A prevention method according to claim 8, in combination with claim 6, characterized in that the method comprises a blocking step consisting of blocking the parking maneuver when the monitoring step detects the presence of an object (3) likely to damage a tire (4) of the vehicle (2).