Attachment patch for mounting devices

• US 10,434,828 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2015
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilson, Paul B., Rensel, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): West, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shabman, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US15/525,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20170349010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0072 Attaching fasteners to tyres, e.g. patches, in order to connect devices to tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre

Abstract

An apparatus for mounting an object within a tire includes a ply having a first side for mounting against an innerliner of the tire and a pedestal extending upwards from a second side of the ply. The pedestal has a recessed planar top surface, with an elongated front cavity, an elongated rear cavity, and a substantially cylindrical central cavity disposed therein. The substantially cylindrical cavity is defined by an internal sidewall. The internal sidewall includes mating structure selected from the group consisting of threads and a plurality of downwardly extending slots.

Claims

1. An assembly for mounting an object inside of a tire, the assembly comprising:

a rubber ply having a first side affixable to an interior surface of a tire;

a pedestal extending from a second side of the rubber ply, the pedestal having a top surface and at least one sidewall,

wherein the pedestal has a front cavity in the top surface proximate to a front end of the pedestal, the front cavity being defined by at least one front cavity sidewall and a front cavity floor, the front cavity sidewall and the front cavity floor both being formed of the same material,

wherein the pedestal has a rear cavity in the top surface proximate to a rear end of the pedestal, the rear cavity being defined by at least one rear cavity sidewall and a rear cavity floor, the rear cavity sidewall and the rear cavity floor both being formed of the same material, and

wherein the pedestal has a central cavity in the top surface between the front cavity and the rear cavity;

an electronic device; and

an intermediate member connected to the electronic device and further connected to the pedestal such that at least a portion of the intermediate member is disposed in at least one of the front cavity, the central cavity, and the rear cavity.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the central cavity has internal threads.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the intermediate member includes a threaded rod connected to the electronic device, the threaded rod having threads corresponding to the internal threads of the central cavity.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the intermediate member includes a front lobe received by the front cavity, and a rear lobe received by the rear cavity.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the intermediate member further includes a rib, and the electronic device has a groove configured to receive the rib.

6. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the intermediate member further includes a threaded fastener, and the electronic device has an aperture configured to receive the threaded fastener.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the intermediate member further has a second threaded fastener, and the electronic device has a second aperture configured to receive the second threaded fastener.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the central cavity has vertical and horizontal grooves.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the intermediate member includes at least one tab configured to be received by the vertical and horizontal grooves.

10. An apparatus for mounting an object within a tire, the apparatus comprising:

a ply having a first side for mounting against an innerliner of the tire;

a pedestal extending upwards from a second side of the ply, the pedestal having a recessed planar top surface, with an elongated front cavity, an elongated rear cavity, and a substantially cylindrical central cavity disposed therein,

wherein the elongated front cavity is defined by a front cavity sidewall and a front cavity floor, the front cavity sidewall and the front cavity floor both being formed of the same material,

wherein the elongated rear cavity is defined by a rear cavity sidewall and a rear cavity floor, the rear cavity sidewall and the rear cavity floor both being formed of the same material,

wherein the substantially cylindrical cavity is defined by a cylindrical cavity sidewall, and

wherein the cylindrical cavity sidewall includes mating structure selected from the group consisting of threads and a plurality of downwardly extending slots.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the object mounted within a tire is an electronic device.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the pedestal is substantially rectangular when viewed from above.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pedestal further includes a through hole that extends through a rear end of the pedestal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the through hole is sized to receive a pin, and wherein the through hole is positioned such that it crosses the elongated rear cavity.

15. A tire monitoring kit comprising:

a mounting apparatus having a plurality of mounting configurations, including at least a front cavity and a rear cavity,

wherein the front cavity is defined by a front cavity sidewall and a front cavity floor, the front cavity sidewall and the front cavity floor both being formed of the same material, and

wherein the rear cavity is defined by a rear cavity sidewall and a rear cavity floor, the rear cavity sidewall and the rear cavity floor both being formed of the same material;

an electronic device;

means for connecting the electronic device to the mounting apparatus using less than all of the plurality of mounting configurations.

16. The tire monitoring kit of claim 15, wherein the mounting apparatus includes a pedestal having a top surface and at least one sidewall.

17. The tire monitoring kit of claim 16, wherein the plurality of mounting configurations further includes a central cavity disposed in the top surface of the pedestal.

18. The tire monitoring kit of claim 16, wherein the front cavity is disposed in the top surface of the pedestal and the rear cavity is disposed in the top surface of the pedestal.

19. The tire monitoring kit of claim 18, wherein the pedestal further includes a guard disposed over at least a portion of the front cavity.

20. The tire monitoring kit of claim 15, wherein the mounting apparatus includes a rubber patch that is configured to bond to an innerliner surface of a tire.