Tire monitoring system and tire having same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tire monitoring system. The tire monitoring system comprises: a first housing; a second housing which is coupled to the first housing so as to form an interior space and which includes an opening; a substrate which is accommodated in the interior space and which has a control unit and a sensor unit mounted thereon, the sensor unit being positioned to face the opening; and a gasket blocking the opening, allowing air to flow into the interior space, and blocking the ingress of foreign substances.

Description

Tire monitoring device and tire equipped therewith

[0001] The present invention relates to a tire monitoring device and a tire, and more particularly, to a tire monitoring device having waterproof and dustproof functions and a tire equipped with the same.

[0002] The latest tire monitoring device [Tire Monitoring System (TMS)] is installed on the inside of the tire, and collects and checks tire-related information such as tire pressure, tire wear, load weight, and road surface conditions.

[0003] Therefore, the development of these tire monitoring devices can improve the stability of autonomous driving systems.

[0004] In order to detect the air pressure inside the tire of this tire monitoring device, it is equipped with an opening through which outside air flows in.

[0005] However, there is a risk that moisture such as rainwater and foreign substances such as dust may enter through the opening, contaminating the inside of the tire monitoring device, and there is a risk that moisture may adversely affect the function and lifespan of electrical and electronic components.

[0006] The problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to reduce the contamination level of a tire monitoring device.

[0007] Another problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to extend the life of a tire monitoring device.

[0008] A tire monitoring device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a first housing, a second housing coupled with the first housing to form an internal space and including an opening, a substrate accommodated in the internal space and having a control unit and a sensor unit mounted thereon, the sensor unit being positioned opposite the opening, and a gasket blocking the opening and allowing air to enter the internal space while blocking the inflow of foreign substances.

[0009] The gasket may be positioned between the second housing and the sensor unit, in close contact with the second housing and the sensor unit.

[0010] The above gasket may include a holder part having an inlet portion and a breathable cover part that is connected to the holder part to block the inlet portion.

[0011] The above cover part may have a net or mesh structure.

[0012] The above gasket may include a joint portion that is in contact with the upper surface of the sensor portion and a non-joint portion that extends outward from the joint portion and is positioned away from the upper surface of the sensor portion.

[0013] A tire monitoring device according to the above characteristics may further include a molding part that is coupled to the substrate and encapsulates the control part, but exposes the sensor part.

[0014] The molding part may have a groove that exposes the sensor part and surrounds the sensor part, and the molding part and a side surface of the adjacent sensor part may be spaced apart from each other with the groove therebetween.

[0015] The gasket may include a joint portion that is in contact with the upper surface of the sensor portion and a non-joint portion that extends outward from the joint portion and is positioned outside the upper surface of the sensor portion, and the non-joint portion may be positioned above the groove.

[0016] The upper surface of the above gasket may be higher than the upper surface of the above molding part.

[0017] The tire monitoring device according to the above characteristics may further include a battery accommodated in the internal space, and may include a first connecting portion connected to a first terminal of the battery and a second connecting portion connected to a second terminal of the battery, and the substrate may include first and second penetrating portions through which the first and second connecting portions pass.

[0018] The first housing may include at least one recessed portion facing at least one of the first and second connecting portions and located on an inner surface.

[0019] At least one of the first and second connecting portions may pass between the side of the battery and the groove.

[0020] The battery may include a first side facing the substrate and a second side opposite the first side, and the first connecting portion may include a lower extension portion connected to the second terminal located on the second side of the battery and extending along the second side of the battery toward a side surface of the battery, a side extension portion extending from the lower extension portion along the side surface of the battery, and a through portion extending from the side extension portion and penetrating the first through hole, and at least a portion of the side extension portion may pass between the side surface of the battery and the groove portion.

[0021] The side extension portion may have a first end adjacent to the lower extension portion positioned closer to the groove portion than a second end adjacent to the penetration portion.

[0022] The first housing may include a lower surface, a side surface that extends and is bent from the lower surface, and a connecting portion that extends from an end of the side surface and is in contact with and connected to the first housing, and the groove portion may be formed on the side surface.

[0023] The side surface of the first housing and the side surface of the second housing can be joined using a joining structure of a protrusion and a groove.

[0024] According to another feature of the present invention, a tire is mounted on a wheel of a vehicle and includes a body part in contact with the ground, a mounting groove formed on the inside of the body part, and a tire monitoring device mounted in the mounting groove, wherein the tire monitoring device includes a first housing in contact with the inside of the body part, a second housing positioned toward the center of the tire and coupled with the first housing to form an internal space and including an opening, a substrate accommodated in the internal space and having a control part and a sensor part mounted thereon, the sensor part being positioned opposite the opening, and a gasket that blocks the opening and allows air to be introduced into the internal space while blocking the introduction of foreign substances.

[0025] The above body portion may cover a portion of the upper surface of the second housing, but may not cover the opening.

[0026] According to these features, the opening located in the tire monitoring device can be blocked with a gasket to prevent foreign substances from entering the inside of the tire monitoring device.

[0027] At this time, a mesh-structured cover is positioned on the air inlet for measuring air pressure to prevent the entry of foreign substances such as moisture or dust other than air.

[0028] This prevents foreign substances from entering the tire monitoring device, thereby preventing the inside of the tire monitoring device from becoming contaminated.

[0029] In addition, moisture is prevented from entering the tire monitoring device, thereby preventing damage or destruction of electrical and electronic components located inside the tire monitoring device, such as batteries.

[0030] Moreover, the risk of car fires caused by moisture-induced short circuits is greatly reduced, preventing not only property loss but also casualties.

[0031] In addition, the internal space of the tire monitoring device is expanded due to the formation of the groove, making it easy to install parts installed inside the tire monitoring device, such as connecting parts, and reducing the risk of damage.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a vehicle equipped with a tire detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a tire equipped with a tire detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a tire detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a tire detection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of the lower housing of the tire monitoring device illustrated in Figure 4.

[0037] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of a gasket mounted on the upper housing of the tire monitoring device illustrated in Figure 4.

[0038] Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the drawing reference numerals, identical or similar components will be assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. Furthermore, when describing embodiments disclosed in this specification, if a detailed description of a related known technology is judged to obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0039] Terms that include ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another.

[0040] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0041] In this application, each step described may be performed regardless of the listed order, except in cases where a special causal relationship requires that the steps be performed in the listed order.

[0042] In this application, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood not to exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0043] Hereinafter, a tire monitoring device (30) according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0044] First, referring to FIG. 1, the vehicle (100) of the present example may be equipped with a vehicle body (10), tires (20) mounted on the vehicle body (10), and tire monitoring devices (30) mounted on each tire (20).

[0045] The vehicle body (10) may also be equipped with a receiving unit (11) that communicates with a tire monitoring device (30), a vehicle control unit (12) that can be connected to the receiving unit (11) wirelessly or by wire and is connected to the receiving unit (11), and a display unit (13) that is connected to the vehicle control unit (12) and outputs data related to a signal applied from the receiving unit (11) according to the control of the vehicle control unit (12).

[0046] Since the tire monitoring device (30) is mounted inside the tire (20), the tire (20) can be equipped with such a tire monitoring device (30).

[0047] Such a tire (20), as shown in FIG. 2, may additionally be equipped with a tire monitoring device (30), a body part (21) that is mounted on a wheel (W20) of a vehicle and comes into contact with the ground, and a mounting groove (22) formed on the inside of the body part (21) and in which a tire monitoring device (30) is mounted.

[0048] Accordingly, the tire monitoring device (30) of the present example is mounted in a mounting groove (22) located inside a tire (20), and can transmit tire-related information, which is data related to the tire (20) acquired through its monitoring operation, to the receiving unit (11) by communicating with the receiving unit (11) located in the vehicle body.

[0049] Accordingly, the vehicle control unit (12) outputs tire-related information transmitted to the receiving unit (11) to the display unit (13), so that a driver or vehicle mechanic can use the tire-related information output through the display unit (13) to check the status of the tire (20) mounted on the vehicle.

[0050] At this time, the tire-related information may be related to the tire (20) itself, such as at least one of the air pressure, temperature, and wear of the tire (20), or may be related to the operation of the tire (20), such as the acceleration of the tire (20), i.e., the wheel.

[0051] These tire monitoring devices (30) can be mounted on all tires (20) (e.g., front left and right tires and rear left and right tires) mounted on the vehicle body (101), and thus, each tire monitoring device (30) can communicate with the receiving unit (11) mounted on the vehicle body (101).

[0052] At this time, since each tire monitoring device (30) can be equipped with location identification information indicating its own location, the receiving unit (11) can identify the mounting location of the corresponding tire monitoring device (30) [e.g., front left tire (20)] using the location identification information transmitted through each tire monitoring device (30).

[0053] The tire monitoring device (30) of the present example may have a planar shape of various shapes, such as approximately circular, and may be mounted on a mounting formed at a designated location inside each tire (20) of the vehicle, as previously described.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 4, the tire monitoring device (30) may include, for example, a substrate (301), a driving module (302) located on the substrate (301), a first molding part (303) located on the substrate (301), a first molding part (304) located on the substrate (301) opposite the first molding part (303), and a first housing (305) and a second housing (306) coupled to each other.

[0055] The substrate (301) may have a circular flat shape and may be a circuit board.

[0056] This substrate (301) may be a printed circuit board (PCB) on which various electrical and electronic components necessary for the operation of the tire monitoring device (30), such as a driving module (302), may be mounted. For example, the substrate (301) may be a hard printed circuit board (hard PCB).

[0057] The driving module (302) is a part that controls the overall operation of the tire monitoring device (30), and as an example, referring to FIG. 3, it may include an antenna unit (31), a communication unit (32) connected to the antenna unit (31), a monitoring control unit (33) connected to the communication unit (32), a sensor unit (34) connected to the monitoring control unit (33), a memory unit (35) connected to the monitoring control unit (33), and a battery (36) connected to the communication unit (32), the monitoring control unit (33), and the sensor unit (34).

[0058] The antenna unit (31) is for communication between an external device and the tire monitoring device (30) together with the receiving unit (11).

[0059] This antenna portion (31) can be located on at least one of the upper surface (US11) and the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301).

[0060] When the antenna part (31) is located on the upper surface (US11) and the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301), the part of the antenna part (31) located on the upper surface (US11) and the part of the antenna part (31) located on the lower surface (LS11) can be overlapped to face each other with the substrate (301) therebetween.

[0061] The communication unit (32) is for communication with the receiver unit (11) located in the vehicle body. For example, the communication unit (32) can use a short-distance communication method such as Bluetooth communication.

[0062] Therefore, the communication unit (32) may be equipped with a wireless communication module such as a Bluetooth communication module.

[0063] By means of this communication unit (32), the tire monitoring device (30) transmits a signal corresponding to tire-related information to the antenna unit (31), thereby enabling the receiving unit (11) located in the vehicle body to transmit tire-related information.

[0064] The monitoring control unit (33) can control the overall operation of the tire monitoring device (30) and may be a processor in the form of a chip.

[0065] Therefore, the operation of the communication unit (32) can be controlled according to the control of the monitoring control unit (33).

[0066] In addition, the monitoring control unit (33) can read the detection signal received from the sensor unit (34) to detect the status of the tire (20), such as the air pressure of the tire (20), and then store the detection result as tire-related information in the memory unit (35).

[0067] Accordingly, the control unit (133) can transmit tire-related information generated by the operation of the tire monitoring device (30) periodically, in real time, or upon an external request, to an external device, for example, a receiving unit (11) of the vehicle body (101), using the communication unit (32) and the antenna unit (31).

[0068] As already described, communication between the communication unit (32) and the receiving unit (11) can utilize the Bluetooth communication method.

[0069] The sensor unit (34) may be located on the corresponding surface of the substrate (301) [e.g., the upper surface (US11)] and may be equipped with an air pressure sensor that detects the air pressure status inside the tire (20).

[0070] Accordingly, the sensor unit (34) can output a detection signal generated according to the operation of the sensor to the detection control unit.

[0071] In an alternative example, the sensor unit (34) may additionally include at least one sensor, such as a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature inside the tire (20) in addition to the air pressure sensor, and an acceleration sensor for detecting the acceleration generated when the tire (20) rotates due to the operation of the vehicle (100). In this case, the monitoring control unit (33) may additionally detect other types of tire conditions (e.g., temperature or acceleration) as well as air pressure by using detection signals received from the additionally provided sensors as well as the air pressure sensor, and store the detected conditions in the memory unit (35) as tire-related information.

[0072] The memory unit (35) may be a storage medium that stores data and information necessary for the operation of the tire monitoring device (30) or data and information generated during the operation.

[0073] Accordingly, the monitoring control unit (33) can determine the condition of the tire (20) using the signal received from the sensor unit (34) as described above, generate tire-related information, and then store the generated tire-related information in the memory unit (35).

[0074] In addition, when the time comes to transmit tire-related information to the vehicle body (101), such as at the request of the receiving unit (11), the monitoring control unit (33) can read the tire-related information stored in the memory unit (35) and transmit the tire-related information to the receiving unit (11) of the vehicle body using the communication unit (32) and the antenna unit (31).

[0075] The battery (36) is for supplying power required for the operation of the tire monitoring device (30) and may be a primary battery.

[0076] Such a battery (36) may be positioned on the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301), for example, as shown in FIG. 4, and may be attached to the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301) using an adhesive or an adhesive table, etc.

[0077] Therefore, all components of the tire monitoring device (30) that require power, such as the communication unit (32), the monitoring control unit (33), and the sensor unit (34), can be operated using power supplied from the battery (36).

[0078] In the present example, the drive module (302) may additionally have at least one connecting portion (e.g., a first connecting portion (L11) and a second connecting portion (L12)) connected to a corresponding portion (e.g., a terminal) of the battery (36).

[0079] As illustrated in FIG. 4, one of the plurality of connectors (L11, L12) [e.g., the first connector (L11)] can be physically and electrically connected to a terminal (not shown) located on the lower surface (BS12) of the battery (36) [e.g., the (-) terminal or the first terminal].

[0080] The remaining connection portion (e.g., the second connection portion (L12)) may be physically and electrically connected to a terminal (not shown) (e.g., the (+) terminal or the second terminal) located on the upper surface (BS11) of the battery (36) which is located opposite the lower surface (BS12) and adjacent to the substrate (301).

[0081] In this way, each connection part (L11, L12) connected to the corresponding terminal of the battery (36) can be connected to the corresponding part or pattern of the substrate (301) located above.

[0082] At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the substrate (301) may have a through hole (H11, H12) on the side, so that each connection portion (L11, L12) of the battery (36) may pass through the through hole (H11, H12) to perform electrical and physical connection with a desired portion of the corresponding surface (e.g., upper surface (US11)) of the substrate (301), thereby supplying power to the substrate (301).

[0083] At this time, the through holes (H11, H12) can be positioned in opposing positions facing each other. Accordingly, the battery (36) located at the lower portion of the substrate (301) can be positioned more stably at the lower portion of the substrate (301) by the connecting portions (L11, L12) located at the through holes (H11, H12).

[0084] The first molding part (303) and the second molding part (304) are positioned on the substrate (301) to protect the components mounted on the substrate (301).

[0085] Accordingly, the first molding part (303) and the second molding part (304) can be positioned on at least a part of a component positioned on the substrate (301), such as at least a part of a driving module (302) positioned at a corresponding position on the substrate (301) and at least a part of a pad and wiring printed on the substrate (301), and can contain them therein.

[0086] In this example, the first molding part (303) and the second molding part (304) may be made of an insulating material such as epoxy (EMC, epoxy molding compound) or may contain an insulating material.

[0087] The first molding part (303) located at the lower part of the substrate (301) can be located at least in a part of the space formed between the first housing (305) and the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301), as illustrated in FIG. 4, by filling at least a part of the space formed between the first housing (305) and the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301). In the present example, the first molding part (303) can completely fill the space formed between the first housing (305) and the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301).

[0088] Accordingly, the battery (36) can be buried and embedded in the first molding portion (303) except for at least a part of the connection portion for connection with other parts, for example, a part located on the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301) adjacent to the tire (20).

[0089] Accordingly, since the inner surface of the tire (20) is adjacent to the first molding part (303), the heat generated by the rotational motion of the tire (20) and the shock transmitted according to the road surface condition can be primarily transmitted to the first molding part (303) and absorbed by the first molding part (303).

[0090] Due to this, the parts located on the lower surface (LS11) of the substrate (301) adjacent to the tire (20) can be protected from heat, vibration, or shock generated by the rotation of the tire (20). In particular, when the battery (36), which is vulnerable to heat, is covered with the first molding portion (303), the problem of the battery (36) being damaged by external shock or heat can be greatly reduced.

[0091] However, in an alternative example, the first molding portion (303) may be omitted.

[0092] The second molding portion (304), which is positioned on the upper side of the substrate (301) facing the first molding portion (303), can be positioned to fill at least a portion of the space formed between the upper surface (US11) of the substrate (301) and the second housing (306).

[0093] At this time, the second molding part (304) covers components located on the upper surface (US11) of the substrate (301), such as the communication part (32) and the monitoring control part (33), and these components covered by the second molding part (304) can be located inside the second molding part (304) and sealed by the second molding part (304).

[0094] At this time, the sensor unit (34) located on the upper surface (US11) of the substrate (301) is not covered by the second molding unit (304) and can be exposed to the outside. As a result, the sensor unit (34) requiring external air inflow is exposed without being sealed in the second molding unit (304), so that external air inflow can occur normally.

[0095] Due to this, the second molding part (304) can have a groove (P304) that surrounds the sensor part (34) without sealing the sensor part (34) and exposes the sensor part (34) located in the center.

[0096] At this time, the second molding part (304) can be positioned to completely surround the sensor part (34) or to surround only a portion of it.

[0097] When the second molding part (304) completely surrounds the periphery of the sensor part (34), the groove (P304) may have a planar shape of a closed shape such as a circle or a square.

[0098] On the other hand, if the second molding part (304) surrounds only a part of the sensor part (34), the home (P304) may have a planar shape of an open shape with a part open.

[0099] At this time, the second molding part (304) surrounding the sensor part (34) may be positioned apart from the sensor part (34) instead of being positioned in contact with the adjacent sensor part (34). As a result, the corresponding side of the second molding part (304) and the corresponding side of the sensor part (34) that are adjacent to each other may be positioned apart from each other with the groove (P304) therebetween.

[0100] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the upper surface height of the gasket (G103) may be higher than the upper surface height of the second molding portion (304). As a result, the gasket (G103) located on the upper surface of the sensor portion (34) is compressed toward the sensor portion (34) by the second housing (306) located thereon, thereby more stably fixing the position of the sensor portion (34).

[0101] In this way, these components can also be protected from heat, vibration, or shock generated from the outside by the second molding part (304).

[0102] In this way, the space created between the first housing (305) and the substrate (301) and the second housing (306) and the substrate (301) is filled with at least one of the first molding part (303) and the second molding part (304), and thus, at least one of the first molding part (303) and the second molding part (304) can encapsulate a component positioned on the substrate (301) therein.

[0103] Accordingly, the components sealed in the first molding part (303) and the second molding part (304) are prevented from being exposed to the outside, and are safely protected from foreign substances such as moisture and impact, so that the lifespan can be increased and the reliability of operation can be improved.

[0104] The first housing (305) and the second housing (306), which are respectively positioned on the lower surface (LS11) and the upper surface (US11) of the substrate (301) and are coupled to each other, can constitute the outer case of the tire monitoring device (30).

[0105] By combining the first housing (305) and the second housing (306), a sealed space can be formed, surrounded by the first housing (305) and the second housing (306) on the lower side, i.e., the lower surface (LS11) side, and the upper side, i.e., the upper surface (US11) side, with the substrate (301) as the center.

[0106] Therefore, in this closed space, the substrate (301) and all components located on the substrate (301) can be safely located.

[0107] The first housing (305) may have a circular flat shape, as shown in FIG. 5, and may have a structure in which the bottom and sides are closed and the top is open.

[0108] Accordingly, the first housing (305) may have a lower surface (LS102) and a side surface (SS102) that is connected to the lower surface (LS102) and then extends by bending from the lower surface (LS102).

[0109] At this time, the outer surface of the side surface (SS102) of the first housing (305), i.e., the surface in contact with the outside, may have the same shape regardless of the position as a flat surface.

[0110] However, the inner surface of the side surface (SS102) of the first housing (305), i.e., the surface located opposite the outer surface and adjacent to the battery (36), may have a different shape depending on the shape or position of the adjacent component [e.g., battery (36)].

[0111] For example, to prevent interference between at least one of the connecting portions (L11, L12) and the side surface (SS102), the side surface of the first housing (305) may be provided with at least one groove portion (P102).

[0112] At this time, the groove (P102) may be located on a portion of the inner surface of the first housing (305) facing the connection portion (e.g., the first connection portion (L11)) located between the side surface (B13) of the battery (36) and the inner surface of the first housing (305) (hereinafter, the inner surface of the first housing (305) facing the connection portion is referred to as a 'connection portion facing surface')), and may have a groove shape dug outward.

[0113] This first housing (305) may further include a connecting portion (e.g., a protrusion) that protrudes from the end of the side (SS102) toward the second housing (306) and is connected to a corresponding portion of the second housing (306).

[0114] In this example, the home portion (P102) of the first housing (305) may be located at a portion of the first housing (305) that faces a portion extending along the side surface (B13) of the battery (36).

[0115] Accordingly, at least one of the first connecting portion (L11) and the second connecting portion (L12) can extend in a desired direction through the side surface (B13) of the battery (36) and the groove portion (P102).

[0116] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first connecting portion (L11) is connected to a corresponding terminal located on the lower surface (BS12) of the battery (36), extends along the lower surface (BS12) of the battery (36) toward the side surface (BS13) of the battery (36), and then is bent upward toward the substrate (301) to extend again along the side surface (BS13) of the battery (36).

[0117] Then, the first connecting portion (L11) can extend toward the upper surface (US11) of the substrate (301) through the first through hole (H11), which is a corresponding through hole formed in the substrate (301).

[0118] At this time, a portion of the first connecting portion (L11) extending upward along the side surface (B13) of the battery (36) may be located in the empty space (S102) between the side surface (B13) of the battery (36) and the connecting portion facing surface of the first housing (305) adjacent to this side surface (B13).

[0119] In this example, the battery (36) may have a first surface facing the substrate (301), for example, an upper surface (BS11), and a second surface opposite the first surface, for example, a lower surface (BS12).

[0120] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, the first connecting portion (L11), which is one of the first connecting portion (L11) and the second connecting portion (L12), may be connected to a second terminal located on the second side (BS12) of the battery (36) and may include a lower extension portion (L11a) extending along the second side (BS12) of the battery (36) toward the side surface (BS13) of the battery (36), a side extension portion (L11b) extending from the lower extension portion (L11a) along the side surface (BS13) of the battery (36), and a through portion (L11c) extending from the side extension portion (L11b) and penetrating the first through hole (H11).

[0121] At this time, at least a portion of the side extension (L11b) can pass between the side (BS13) of the battery (36) and the groove (P102).

[0122] In addition, as illustrated in Fig. 4, among the side extension portions (L11b), the first end portion (b1) adjacent to the lower extension portion (L11a) may be positioned closer to the groove portion (P102) than the second end portion (b2) adjacent to the penetration portion (L11c).

[0123] However, if the size of the empty space (S102) between the side (BS13) of the battery (36) facing each other and the inner side of the first housing (305), specifically the horizontal width, is small and the horizontal width of the empty space (S102) is narrow, it may be difficult for the first connecting portion (L11) to be stably positioned in the space (S102) without interference from the surroundings.

[0124] In this way, when the space (S102) is narrow, it is difficult for the first connecting portion (L11) to maintain a straight state and may be positioned in the space (S102) in a state of being bent multiple times. In this case, there is a very high risk of the connecting portion (L11) being disconnected.

[0125] In addition, since the space (S102) for installing the first connecting line (L11) is narrow, it is difficult to pass the first connecting line (L11) through the corresponding through hole (H11) of the substrate (301) and connect it to the corresponding part of the substrate (301), so the worker may experience a lot of difficulty in installing the first connecting line (L11). Accordingly, it may take a lot of time to install the battery (36) in the tire (20) detection device (30).

[0126] However, in the case of the present example, since the groove (P102) is located on the portion of the surface facing the connection portion of the first housing (305), the horizontal width of the space (S102) between the side surface (BS13) of the battery (36) and the surface facing the connection portion of the first housing (305) can increase by the depth of the groove (P102).

[0127] Due to the increase in the corresponding space (S102), a component located within this space (S102), for example, the first connecting portion (L11), can be positioned more stably and more freely, and also, the risk of the first connecting portion (L11) being damaged, such as by a short circuit, due to lack of space can be greatly reduced.

[0128] In addition, due to the expanded space (S102), assembly of the first connecting part (L11) can also be performed more conveniently and quickly.

[0129] The second housing (306), which is combined with the first housing (305) to form an internal space that is an empty space inside, may also have a circular flat shape, and may have a shape in which the upper and side parts are closed and the lower part is open.

[0130] Accordingly, the second housing (306) may have an upper surface (US103) and a side surface (SS103) connected to the upper surface (US103). The end of the side surface (SS103) of the second housing (306) may also have a connecting portion (e.g., a groove) for connecting with a connecting portion (e.g., a protrusion) located on the side surface (SS102) of the first housing (305).

[0131] Referring to FIG. 4, the second housing (306) may be provided with an opening (OP103) located on the upper surface (US103) to introduce outside air into the interior of the tire monitoring device (30).

[0132] When the tire monitoring device (30) is inserted into the mounting groove (22) located in the body part (21) of the tire (20), a part of the upper surface of the second housing (306) may be covered by the body part (21) of the tire (20) that is in contact with the mounting groove (22), and at this time, an opening located in the second housing (306) may be exposed without being covered by the body part (21).

[0133] At this time, the tire monitoring device (30) of the present example may additionally be provided with an openable gasket (G103) that blocks an opening (OP103) located in the second housing (306).

[0134] At this time, the gasket (G103) of this example allows the inflow of air into the internal space formed by the combination of the first housing (305) and the second housing (306), but can block the inflow of foreign substances such as dust or moisture.

[0135] The opening (OP103) of the second housing (306) may be positioned so as to face the sensor unit (34) mounted on the upper surface (US11) of the substrate (301), and may have a circular planar shape. However, the planar shape of the opening (OP103) may have various shapes, such as a polygon such as a square or an oval.

[0136] Therefore, at least a portion of the upper surface of the sensor portion (34) located at the bottom can be exposed to the outside through the opening (OP103).

[0137] The opening (OP103) is a through hole that completely penetrates the corresponding portion of the upper surface (US11) of the substrate (301), so that outside air can freely flow into the tire monitoring device (30) through the opening (OP103) or be discharged to the outside from within the tire monitoring device (30).

[0138] The width (e.g., diameter) of this opening (OP103) may be the same as the maximum diameter of the sensor unit (34) (131) located thereunder, or may have a size equal to a set ratio with respect to the maximum diameter. In this case, the set ratio may be 80% to 120%, so that the diameter of the opening (OP103) may have a size of 80% to 120% of the maximum diameter of the sensor unit (34).

[0139] In an alternative example, the surface of the upper surface of the sensor portion (34) exposed through the opening (OP103) may have a size of approximately 80% to 100% of the entire surface of the upper surface of the sensor portion (34).

[0140] These openings (OP103) may be closed with a gasket (G103).

[0141] As illustrated in Fig. 4, the gasket (G103) can be positioned between the second housing (306) and the sensor unit (34) in close contact with the second housing (306) and the sensor unit (34). As a result, the gasket (G103) can be stably positioned in the corresponding mounting position without being displaced even by external impacts, etc.

[0142] Such gaskets (G103) may contain a synthetic resin such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and may be removed from the opening (OP103) by a physical force applied from the outside.

[0143] Such a gasket (G103), as illustrated in Fig. 6, may include a gasket (G103) body (B103), a holder part (H103) positioned on the gasket (G103) body (B103) and having an inlet part (H103a) through which air can be introduced, and a cover part (C103) coupled to the holder part (H103) to block the inlet part (H103a). At this time, the cover part (C103) may have breathability that allows air to be introduced.

[0144] The holder portion (H103) may have a columnar shape protruding upward from the upper surface of the gasket (G103).

[0145] The holder portion (H103) may have an empty space in the center, and this empty space may form an inlet portion (H103a) connected to the internal space of the tire monitoring device (30) surrounded by the first housing (305) and the second housing (306).

[0146] Accordingly, since the inlet portion (H103a) is covered with a breathable cover portion (C103), air can be introduced into the inlet portion (H103a) through the cover portion (C103). As illustrated in Fig. 6, the cover portion (C013) may be provided with a breathable portion (O103) having breathability.

[0147] Due to this, even if the opening (OP103) is blocked by a gasket (G103) by the breathable portion (O103) of the cover portion (C103), air is introduced into the inlet portion (H103a) of the holder portion (H103), so that the sensor portion (34) for measuring air pressure can operate normally.

[0148] This holder portion (H103) may have a circular cylindrical cross-section. However, in an alternative example, the holder portion (H103) may be changed to another shape, such as a polygonal column.

[0149] Additionally, in this example, the holder portion (H103) protrudes upward from the surface of the gasket (G103) in that direction, but alternatively, it may be a hole formed without a protruding portion on the surface of the gasket (G103).

[0150] This holder portion (H103) may have a cover (C103) covering the inlet of the inlet portion (H103a) as described above and having a breathable portion (O103).

[0151] At this time, the cover (C103) may have a mesh (mech) structure made of metal material or synthetic resin.

[0152] Due to this, the inlet of the inlet (H103a) can be kept partially open rather than completely blocked by the cover (C103) by the breathable portion (O104).

[0153] Accordingly, air is stably introduced toward the sensor unit (34) for air pressure detection, but foreign substances such as dust or moisture cannot easily enter the internal space of the tire monitoring device (30) or may significantly reduce the amount of air introduced because they are blocked by the mesh-structured cover (C103).

[0154] Due to this, the internal space of the tire monitoring device (30) is prevented from being contaminated with foreign substances, and the substrate (301) located in the internal space and many components located thereon are also prevented from malfunctioning or being damaged due to foreign substances.

[0155] In particular, moisture can be prevented from flowing into the battery (36) located at the lower part of the substrate (301) through the through holes (H11, H12) located in the substrate (301).

[0156] The lower surface of this gasket (G103), more specifically, the gasket body (B103), may have a joint portion that is in contact with the upper surface of the sensor portion (34) and a non-joint portion that may extend outward from the joint portion and is located away from the upper surface of the sensor portion (34).

[0157] Accordingly, the non-joined portion of the gasket (G103) can remain floating in the air without being in contact with any part, and the diameter of the gasket (G103) is larger than the diameter of the sensor portion (34), so that it can safely cover the entire upper surface of the sensor portion (34). As a result, the sensor portion (34) for measuring air pressure can be effectively prevented from entering foreign substances by being safely sealed off from the outside except for the portion covered by the cover portion.

[0158] The first housing (305) and the second housing (306) of this example can be joined by joining the respective side surfaces (SS102, SS103) facing each other.

[0159] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the side surface (SS102) of the first housing (305), more specifically, the coupling portion connected to the side surface (SS102), and the side surface (SS103) of the second housing (306), more specifically, the coupling portion connected to the side surface (SS103), can be coupled using a coupling structure using protrusions and grooves, as already described, to increase the strength of the coupling.

[0160] For this purpose, a protrusion (P1021) may be positioned at the end (i.e., the coupling portion) of the side surface (SS102) of the first housing (305), and a groove (D1031) may be positioned at the end (i.e., the coupling portion) of the side surface (SS103) of the second housing (306) corresponding to the protrusion (P1021).

[0161] At this time, the joining operation of the first housing (305) and the second housing (306) can be performed additionally using an adhesive or the like. In this case, the sealing force of the joint portion of the first housing (305) and the second housing (306) can be further improved.

[0162] The technical features disclosed in each embodiment of the present invention are not limited to that embodiment, and, unless they are mutually incompatible, the technical features disclosed in each embodiment may be combined and applied to different embodiments.

[0163] Therefore, although each embodiment focuses on its own technical features, each technical feature can be applied in combination with each other as long as they are not mutually incompatible.

[0164] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the attached drawings, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be defined not only by the claims of this specification but also by equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. 1st housing; A second housing that is combined with the first housing to form an internal space and includes an opening; A substrate accommodated in the above internal space and having a control unit and a sensor unit mounted thereon, wherein the sensor unit is positioned opposite the opening; A gasket is included that blocks the above opening and allows air to enter the internal space while blocking the inflow of foreign substances. Tire monitoring device.

2. In paragraph 1, The above gasket is positioned between the second housing and the sensor unit, in close contact with the second housing and the sensor unit. Tire monitoring device.

3. In paragraph 1, The above gasket is, a holder portion having an inlet; and Combined with the above holder portion, blocking the above inlet portion and including a breathable cover portion Tire monitoring device.

4. In paragraph 3, The above cover part is a tire monitoring device having a net or mesh structure.

5. In paragraph 1, The above gasket, A joint that comes into contact with the upper surface of the sensor portion; and A non-joint portion extending outward from the above joint portion and positioned so as to escape the upper surface of the sensor portion. Tire monitoring device.

6. In paragraph 1, It further includes a molding part that is combined with the above substrate and encapsulates the control part, but exposes the sensor part. Tire monitoring device.

7. In paragraph 6, The above molding part exposes the sensor part and has a groove surrounding the sensor part, The side of the adjacent sensor portion and the molding portion are spaced apart with the groove in between. Tire monitoring device.

8. In paragraph 7, The above gasket, A joint that comes into contact with the upper surface of the sensor portion; and It includes a non-joint portion extending outward from the above joint portion and positioned so as to be outside the upper surface of the sensor portion, The above non-joint portion is located at the upper part of the groove. Tire monitoring device.

9. In paragraph 8, The upper surface of the above gasket is higher than the upper surface of the above molding part. Tire monitoring device.

10. In paragraph 1, Further comprising a battery accommodated in the internal space, It includes a first connector connected to a first terminal of the battery and a second connector connected to a second terminal of the battery, The substrate includes first and second through-holes through which the first and second connecting portions pass. Tire monitoring device.

11. In paragraph 10, The first housing comprises at least one groove located on the inner surface and facing at least one of the first and second connecting portions. Tire monitoring device.

12. In paragraph 11, At least one of the first and second connecting portions passes between the side of the battery and the groove. Tire monitoring device.

13. In paragraph 11, The battery includes a first surface facing the substrate and a second surface opposite the first surface, The above first connecting part is, A lower extension portion connected to the second terminal located on the second side of the battery and extending toward the side of the battery along the second side of the battery; A side extension extending along the side of the battery from the lower extension; and Including a through-hole extending from the side extension and penetrating the first through-hole, At least a portion of the side extension passes between the side of the battery and the groove. Tire monitoring device.

14. In paragraph 13, The above side extension portion is positioned so that the first end adjacent to the lower extension portion is closer to the groove portion than the second end adjacent to the penetration portion. Tire monitoring device.

15. In paragraph 11, The above first housing, lower surface; A side surface that is bent and extended from the lower surface; and It includes a connecting portion extending from the end of the above side and being in contact with and connected to the first housing, The above home portion is formed on the side Tire monitoring device.

16. In paragraph 1, A tire monitoring device in which the side surface of the first housing and the side surface of the second housing are joined using a joining structure of protrusions and grooves.

17. In tires, The body part that is mounted on the wheel of the vehicle and comes into contact with the ground; A mounting groove formed on the inside of the above body portion; and Tire monitoring device mounted in the above mounting groove Including, The above tire monitoring device, A first housing in contact with the inner side of the above body portion; A second housing positioned toward the center of the tire, combined with the first housing to form an internal space, and including an opening; A substrate accommodated in the internal space and having a control unit and a sensor unit mounted thereon, wherein the sensor unit is positioned opposite the opening; and A gasket is included that blocks the above opening and allows air to enter the internal space while blocking the inflow of foreign substances. tire.

18. In paragraph 17, The above body portion covers a portion of the upper surface of the second housing, but does not cover the opening. tire.

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