Tire pressure monitoring module with thru-valve construction
A TPMS module includes a sensor body with two arcuate surfaces adjacent the opening. A tire valve includes two arcuate portions and a distal portion. A plurality of gripping teeth are disposed on the valve arcuate portions. The valve distal portion is provided in the sensor body opening and arranged such that the valve arcuate portions couple to the sensor body arcuate surfaces. The valve is coupled to the sensor body by the interaction of a seat and a grommet such that the gripping teeth interact with the sensor body arcuate surfaces to maintain an orientation of the valve with respect to the sensor body.
1. A tire monitoring module, comprising:
a sensor body having an opening defined therein and arcuate receiving surfaces provided adjacent the opening;
a valve comprising:
a distal portion;
a coupling portion;
a plurality of arcuate surfaces provided on the coupling portion; and
a set of gripping structures disposed on each coupling portion arcuate surface,
wherein the valve is provided in the sensor body opening and arranged such that the gripping structures couple to the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces to maintain a fixed relationship of the valve to the sensor body.
2. The tire monitoring module of claim 1 , wherein each set of gripping structures comprises a plurality of gripping teeth.
3. The tire monitoring module of claim 2 , wherein each gripping tooth in the plurality of gripping teeth comprises a linear protrusion extending from the arcuate surface.
4. The tire monitoring module of claim 3 , wherein the linear protrusions on the arcuate surfaces are parallel to one another and are equidistantly distributed across the arcuate surface.
5. The tire monitoring module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a seat; and
a grommet,
wherein the seat and the grommet are disposed about the tire valve and positioned to couple the gripping structure to the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces.
6. The tire monitoring module of claim 5 , further comprising:
an opening defined in the seat, wherein the perimeter of the opening includes at least one notch; and
a collar surface provided on the tire valve.
7. The tire monitoring module of claim 5 , wherein the grommet is one of:
press-fit around the valve and into the seat;
overmolded around the valve and into the seat; or
stretched around the valve and into the seat.
8. The tire monitoring module of claim 1 , wherein a radius of curvature of the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces and a radius of curvature of the coupling portion arcuate surfaces are the same.
9. The tire monitoring module of claim 1 , wherein the gripping structures deform the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces and engage therewith.
10. The tire monitoring module of claim 1 , wherein the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces comprise:
two arcuate receiving surfaces symmetrically disposed about the sensor body opening.
11. A tire monitoring module, comprising:
a sensor body having an opening defined therein and two arcuate receiving surfaces provided adjacent the opening;
a valve having a distal portion and a coupling portion;
a plurality of opposed arcuate surfaces provided on the coupling portion; and
a plurality of gripping teeth disposed on each coupling portion arcuate surface,
wherein the valve is provided in the sensor body opening and arranged such that the gripping teeth on the coupling portion arcuate surfaces couple to the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces.
12. The tire monitoring module of claim 11 , wherein each gripping tooth in the plurality of gripping teeth comprises a linear protrusion extending from the coupling portion arcuate surface.
13. The tire monitoring module of claim 12 , wherein the linear protrusions on the coupling portion arcuate surfaces are parallel to one another.
14. The tire monitoring module of claim 11 , wherein a radius of curvature of the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces and a radius of curvature of the coupling portion arcuate surfaces are the same.
15. The tire monitoring module of claim 14 , wherein the gripping teeth are equidistantly distributed across the coupling portion arcuate surface.
16. The tire monitoring module of claim 11 , further comprising:
a seat; and
a grommet,
wherein the seat and the grommet are disposed about the tire valve and positioned to couple the gripping teeth to the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces and to maintain an orientation of the tire valve with respect to the sensor body.
17. The tire monitoring module of claim 16 , further comprising:
an opening defined in the seat, wherein the perimeter of the opening includes at least one notch; and
a collar surface provided on the tire valve.
18. The tire monitoring module of claim 17 , wherein the grommet is one of:
press-fit around the valve and into the seat;
overmolded around the valve and into the seat; or
stretched around the valve and into the seat.
19. The tire monitoring module of claim 11 , wherein the gripping teeth deform the sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces and engage therewith.
20. The tire monitoring module of claim 11 , wherein the two sensor body arcuate receiving surfaces are symmetrically disposed about the opening.