Patch and tire monitoring device

• US 20020093421A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire LLC (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Trew, Robert J., Koch, Russell W., Rensel, John D., Bohm, Georg G. A., Turner, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,653,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/442
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0072 Attaching fasteners to tyres, e.g. patches, in order to connect devices to tyres
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0077 Directly attaching monitoring devices to tyres before or after vulcanization, e.g. microchips
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0493 for attachment on the tyre
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2241 used in or for vehicle tyres

Abstract

A monitoring device and patch combination used to monitor the conditions of a pneumatic tire having an innerliner includes a monitoring device and patch. The monitoring device includes a first connection element that is connected to the monitoring device. The patch includes an antenna that is connected to a second connection element. In one embodiment of the invention, the first connection element is in the form of a socket while the second connection element is in the form of a plug. The connection elements allow the monitoring device and patch to be separately fabricated and the direct physical connection between the antenna and the monitoring device to be formed when the combination is connected to the innerliner of the tire. In another embodiment, a plug extends from the bottom of an encapsulated monitoring device and is aligned with a socket on the patch. The connection between the plug and the socket occurs automatically when the encapsulated monitoring device is aligned with and connected to the patch.

Claims

1. A pneumatic tire and monitoring device assembly;

the pneumatic tire having an innerliner and the monitoring device adapted to monitoring at least one engineering condition of the pneumatic tire;

the assembly comprising;

an antenna connected to the innerliner;

the monitoring device mounted on the innerliner; and

the antenna electrically connected to the monitoring device.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the antenna is embedded within the innerliner.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a patch connected to the innerliner, the monitoring device mounted on the patch.

4. A pneumatic tire and monitoring device assembly;

the pneumatic tire having an innerliner and the monitoring device adapted to monitoring at least one engineering condition of the pneumatic tire;

the assembly comprising;

a pneumatic tire having an innerliner;

a patch connected to the innerliner;

a monitoring device connected to the patch;

an antenna carried by on of the patch and the pneumatic tire; and

connector means for selectively electrically connecting the antenna to the monitoring device.

5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the connector means includes at least one plug and at least one socket.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the antenna is embedded within the patch.

7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the monitoring device is encapsulated by an encapsulation material to form an encapsulated monitoring device;

the encapsulated monitoring device having a bottom surface.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the plug extends out from the encapsulated monitoring device;

the socket being carried by the patch and aligned with the plug whereby the plug docks with the socket when the monitoring device is aligned with and mounted on the patch.

9. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the plug substantially rigidly extends out from the bottom surface of the encapsulated monitoring device.

10. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the plug flexibly extends from the patch.

11. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a flexible wire connecting the antenna to the plug.

12. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the patch includes a foot portion that extends away from the monitoring device, at least a portion of the antenna being carried by the foot portion of the patch.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the antenna extends from the encapsulated monitoring device.

15. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the patch is fabricated from a rubber.

13. A monitoring device assembly adapted to monitor an engineering condition of a pneumatic tire;

the monitoring device assembly comprising;

an encapsulated monitoring device;

an antenna connected to the encapsulated monitoring device; and

a patch;

the encapsulated monitoring device and antenna being embedded within the patch.