Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7425892 | Tire inflation pressure sensing apparatus with function of detecting tire location A tire inflation pressure sensing apparatus according to the invention includes a plurality of transmitters, each of which is provided on one of a plurality of wheels of a vehicle, and a receiver provided on a body of the vehicle. Each transmitter includes a pressur... | 09/16/2008 |
| 7417531 | Technique for monitoring a tire condition of a vehicle A control system is employed in a vehicle to assist a user to operate the vehicle effectively and safely. In accordance with the invention, the system provides driving assistance to the user by taking into account the user's physical condition, the vehicle condition... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7411487 | Tire-information administration system A tire-information administration system includes a plurality of sensor modules installed in tires; at least one reception module configured to receive data from the sensor modules; and a central control module configured to command the reception module to acquire d... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7397352 | Method and device for localizing the position of at least two emission units, especially for monitoring at least one parameter for a plurality of wheels pertaining to a motor vehicle The invention relates to a method and a device for localising the position of at least two emission units, especially for monitoring at least one parameter for a plurality of wheels pertaining to a motor vehicle. The average power of the reception signals of a centr... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7391308 | Monitoring device, transceiver system and its control method A transmitter module has a sensor module that includes a plurality of sensors and operates intermittently, a signal processor module that permits transmission of an output of the sensor module to a receiver module at given permission timings, a radio transmission mo... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7388478 | Apparatus for detecting tire inflation pressure A sensor detects values of inflation pressure of a tire of a vehicle one after another. A controller calculates, from the values of the tire inflation pressure, a deflation rate at which the tire is deflating per unit time. When the deflation rate is higher than a f... | 06/17/2008 |
| 7378951 | Tire pressure monitoring system A vehicular tire pressure monitoring system, including a transponder unit (10) for each tire to be monitored, the transponder unit having an incorporated RF transmitter (12) and being physically associated with the tire to be monitored. A pressure sens... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7358852 | Tire pressure monitoring sensor diagnosis via vehicle antitheft and entry system A vehicle tire pressure monitoring (TPM) system, the system including an immobilizer transmitter that transmits at least one low frequency (LF) sensor diagnostic signal, at least one TPM sensor, wherein the at least one TPM sensor includes a transceiver that receive... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7343871 | Device for surveying the pressure of fluids housed in tanks or flowing through ducts An apparatus for surveying the pressure of fluids housed in tanks or flowing through ducts comprises a device (100), an envelope (1) with axial symmetry which forms the external covering of the device (100), said envelope (1) being kept i... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7336164 | Tire pressure monitoring system and sensor therefor A system for monitoring tire pressure and producing a first signal in the event that a low tire pressure condition has been sensed and a second, different signal in the event that a low tire pressure condition has not been sensed and a third signal in the event that... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7333008 | Tire deflation warning system and method thereof, and judgment program of tire with reduced pressures A tire deflation warning system having a means for detecting the rotational speeds of wheels on a vehicle and a means for judging tires with reduced air pressure from the rotational speed information of the wheels including a means for judging whether driving force ... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7327244 | Valve device with pressure alarm for tire A valve device includes a metal tube fixed to a tire rim of a vehicle. A valve is mounted in an end of an air passageway of the metal tube. A transmitter includes two switches respectively connected to two contact members fixed on the metal tube. A Bourdon tube incl... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7301445 | Tire maintenance system A method of managing at least one vehicle includes sensing a tire operating characteristic of the at least one vehicle, sensing a vehicle operating characteristic of the at least one vehicle, and providing an output. The output is indicative of an expected tire life... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7298279 | Open-ended device monitoring system An emission prevention system for use on an open-ended line includes an end-cap and a proximity sensor. The proximity sensor is preferably configured to detect a change in the extent of engagement between the end-cap and the open-ended line. A method of monitoring t... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7277008 | Sensor unit, method, device and sensor system for determining a side of a vehicle on which a wheel with a sensor unit is disposed A sensor unit for recording the direction of rotation of a wheel is embodied to record a variable that is characteristic for a direction of flow of an air stream in a tire of the wheel. To determine a side of a vehicle on which a wheel is disposed, a variable is rec... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7242285 | Apparatus and method for power management in a tire pressure monitoring system A system (10) and method manages battery (13) power in a wheel module (11) for indicating when air pressure in a tire falls below a recommended value. Tire air pressure is sensed with a pressure sensor (16). Tire air temperature is sensed... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7228731 | Mounting structure of tire pressure sensing system A mounting structure for a tire pressure sensing system. The tire pressure sensing system includes a pressure sensor placed on a wheel to sense pressure of a tire which is mounted on the wheel. The wheel is a cast wheel for a vehicle including a rim portion where th... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7225668 | Wheel-mounted tire pressure gauge Tire pressure-indicating gauge is mounted at the center of a spoked wheel for a pneumatic tire to continuously monitor and display the tire's air pressure. The pneumatic tire is mounted on the rim of wheel, and pressurized air may be selectively introduced to, and c... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7224267 | Tire pressure monitoring system A system and method for monitoring tire pressure in a tire of a vehicle is described, in which a tire pressure reading in the tire and an ambient pressure reading are received, and a warning indicator visible to an operator of a vehicle is selectively activated base... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7218210 | Pressure sensing method and apparatus A multi-wheel highway vehicle for transporting passengers, cargo or both has a plurality of wheels supporting the vehicle with the wheels having pneumatic tires mounted thereon, at least one transducer connected to one of the wheels for sensing pressure in a tire mo... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7212104 | Power consumption protocol Low power consumption protocol A telemetry unit (100) is provided for mounting inside a pneumatic tire, which includes a piezoelectric element (114) supported in a housing (112), with an actuator (136) arranged for contact with the elemen... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7197422 | System and method for determining proper tire inflation pressure based on current vehicle mass conditions A tire pressure monitoring system as described herein leverages a real-time onboard vehicle mass estimate to determine whether tire pressure is appropriate for the current loading conditions. The system is suitable for use with vehicles having two or more placard ti... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196616 | Tire pressure warning device with adjustable tire pressure setting A tire pressure warning device with adjustable pressure setting includes a case divided into a lower and an upper chamber and having a shoulder portion formed near a top thereof; a valve structure mounted in the lower chamber of the case; a membrane, a bushing, a pu... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7196617 | Graduated stiffness for electrical connections in tires A strain-resistant electrical connection and a method of making the same is provided. A wire or other conductive lead is connected to a circuit in a manner that makes the connection more resistant to mechanical stresses such as movement or rotation of the lead relat... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7183937 | Self-powered sensing module and tire pressure monitoring system using the same A tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) having a self-powered sensing module having a sensor unit with at least one sensor for measuring at least one of a temperature, a pressure, and an acceleration in the tire, and a power unit generating a power by being deforme... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7178390 | Mounting assembly for tire pressure transducer A reliable, low cost mounting assembly for a tire pressure transducer removably mounts the transducer on a multi-piece automobile wheel to enable the transducer to transmit tire pressure information that will enable the detection of an unsafe tire pressure. The moun... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7161476 | Electronic tire management system An electronic tire maintenance system is provided for measuring a parameter of a device at a first location. The system includes a sensor for measuring the device parameter and generating a data signal representing the measured parameter. The system also includes a ... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7145443 | Casing structure of transmitter for use in tire condition monitoring apparatus A transmitter is mounted on a wheel of a vehicle by a jig of an automatic mounting machine. The transmitter has a measuring-transmitting portion, a valve stem, and a casing. The measuring-transmitting portion measures data representing the conditions of the tire and... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7125084 | Environment protector-pressurized wheel hub A hub cap for a wheel hub having a cylindrical housing with a closed first end and an open second end adapted for attachment in an air-tight sealing arrangement to the outer end of a wheel hub to form a closed air system in the interior of the wheel hub. An air pres... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7117074 | Method and apparatus for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure and program for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure A method for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in tire air-pressure is determined on the basis of rotational velocity information of a wheel of a vehicle. Respective thresholds for determining whether judgment of decrease in tire air-pressure ... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7111625 | Demand valves for breathing apparatus There is described a demand valve for a breathing apparatus with a “first breath” mechanism, wherein a demand valve is held closed by resiliently latching an operating diaphragm of the valve in a position wherein the valve is closed. The diaphragm is resiliently... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7102499 | Electronic device for a tire having an extensible antenna An electronic communication device for a tire includes a radio device and an antenna intended to be attached to or embedded in a tire, the antenna being spirally or helically shaped to absorb tensile and bending stress applied by the tire. The antenna body may be a ... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7086272 | Calibration method for digital air pressure gauge The digital air pressure gauge includes an error correction lookup table database stored within a memory device within the gauge. The database includes reference air pressure values and associated measured air pressure values, where the reference air pressure values... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7084750 | Counterbalance annular tire transponder assembly and method An annular antenna and transponder are affixed to a tire using the transponder as a counterweight to offset tire imbalance. The annular antenna is attached to an inner tire surface and is coupled electrically to a transponder device and is fixed relative to a housin... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7075421 | Tire temperature and pressure monitoring sensors and systems A tire monitoring system providing tire status and notifying or warning the vehicle operator of early detection of imminent tire failure and performance degradation; thus improving safety by preventing blowouts from occurring, lengthening tire life by encouraging pr... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7053761 | Vehicular tire pressure monitoring system A tire pressure monitoring system is provided for a vehicle equipped with at least a front driver-side wheel location, a front passenger-side wheel location, a rear driver-side wheel location and a rear passenger-side wheel location. A tire (that is inflated to a ti... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7040175 | Pressure reading structure for a pressure gage An improved pressure reading structure for a pressure gage is disclosed, comprising a data plate, a rotable pointer and a protection casing. The data plate includes a central area and an extended area next to and connected to the central area, both of the areas bein... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7040153 | Tire inflation gauge technology A memory tire pressure gauge apparatus for use with race cars, comprising a pressure transducer, a control system and a display. The pressure transducer is for communicative connection to a tire of a race car. The control system is communicatively connected to the p... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7030743 | Tire pressure indicator providing a visual indication of tire pressure An tire pressure indicator operative to provide a first visual indication if the tire pressure within a tire to which the indicator is coupled is below a first predetermined pressure and a second different visual indication if the tire pressure is above a second pre... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7030744 | Alert device for pneumatic object An alert device, which is adapted for mounting to a valve of a pneumatic object, is capable of detecting any decrease in the interior pneumatic pressure of the pneumatic object and generating a warning signal immediately therefor. The alert device includes a signal ... | 04/18/2006 |
