Method and apparatus for overmolding a tire pressure monitor sensor
View Patent ↗A tire pressure monitoring apparatus includes a valve assembly mountable in a vehicle wheel and a housing securable to the end of the valve assembly. A pressure sensor assembly is securable in the housing for monitoring tire pressure and providing an electrical signal indicative thereof. The pressure sensor assembly includes a flexible circuit board, and a battery held within a fold of the flexible circuit board, wherein the flexible circuit board is overmolded.
1. A tire pressure monitoring apparatus comprising:
a valve assembly mountable in a vehicle wheel;
a housing securable to the end of the valve assembly;
a pressure sensor assembly securable in the housing for monitoring tire pressure and providing an electrical signal indicative thereof, said pressure sensor assembly including,
a flexible circuit board, and
a battery held within a fold of the flexible circuit board,
wherein the flexible circuit board is overmolded with a first layer and a second layer.
2. The tire pressure monitor apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure sensor assembly further includes circuitry for monitoring the tire pressure and transmitting a signal indicative thereof.
3. The tire pressure monitor apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first layer is an inner layer made of a soft material and said second layer is an outer layer made of a hard material.
4. A tire pressure monitoring apparatus comprising:
a pull-through valve assembly mountable in a vehicle wheel;
a housing securable to the end of the pull-through valve assembly;
a pressure assembly securable in the housing for monitoring tire pressure and providing an electrical signal indicative thereof, said pressure sensor assembly including,
a flexible circuit board, and
a battery held within a fold of the flexible circuit board,
wherein the flexible circuit board is overmolded with a first layer and a second layer.
5. The tire pressure monitor apparatus of claim 4 wherein the pressure sensor assembly further includes circuitry for monitoring the tire pressure and transmitting a signal indicative thereof.
6. The tire pressure monitor apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first layer is an inner layer made of a soft material and said second layer is an outer layer made of a hard material.
7. A method of manufacturing a tire pressure monitor comprising the steps of:
folding a flexible tire pressure monitoring circuit board around a battery;
overmolding the folded circuit board with a first layer and a second layer;
attaching the overmolded circuit board to the end of a tire valve assembly; and
mounting the valve assembly in a tire.
8. The method of manufacturing a tire pressure monitor of claim 7 further comprising the steps of mounting circuitry for monitoring the tire pressure and transmitting a signal indicative thereof to the circuit board.
9. The method of manufacturing a tire pressure monitor of claim 7 wherein the step of overmolding includes molding the first layer as an inside layer using a soft material and the second layer as an outside layer using a hard material.