Safety insert with incorporated transmission antenna

• US 20040011446A1
• Filed: 05/13/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compagnie générale des établissements Michelin
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Boulot, Jean-Francis
• Granted Patent: US 6,853,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/152.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2017/068 comprising springs, e.g. helical springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 2019/005 Magnets integrated within the tyre structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0433 Radio signals
• 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 safety insert comprising a substantially circumferential base intended to come into contact with an adapted wheel rim, a substantially circumferential body intended to support a tread of a tire mounted on the rim during rolling with a pressure capable of causing at least partial flattening of a portion of the tire, and a housing intended to receive a wheel unit, characterized in that the safety insert comprises an aerial which is rigidly connected to the insert and is disposed inside its volume.

Claims

1. A safety insert (3) intended to support a tread of a tire (1) mounted on a wheel rim during rolling with a pressure capable of bringing about at least partial flattening of a portion of the tire, comprising:

a substantially circumferential base (8) intended to come into contact with the wheel rim (2),

a substantially circumferential annular body (9) and

a housing (19) intended to receive a wheel unit (20) comprising a radio transmitter (25) connected to a first magnetic coupling winding (21),

said safety insert (3) further comprising an aerial (14) rigidly connected to the insert (3) and a second magnetic coupling winding (15) disposed in the safety insert, wherein said second magnetic coupling winding (15) is proximate to the housing (19) of the wheel unit.

2. The safety insert (3) according to claim 1, wherein, said aerial (14) is a high-output tuned aerial.

3. The safety insert (3) according to claim 2, wherein said aerial (14) extends over a fraction of the circumference of the insert.

4. The safety insert (3) according to claim 2, wherein said aerial extends over the entire circumference of the insert.

5. The safety insert (3) according to claim 1, wherein, the annular body (9) having a part of a diameter larger than the maximum diameter of the wheel intended to receive the insert, wherein a majority of said aerial is disposed within said upper part of said annular body.

6. The safety insert (3) according to claim 5, wherein the aerial (14) is fixed in an annular groove (13) formed in a lateral wall of the upper part of the insert.

7. The safety insert (3) according to claim 5, wherein the aerial (14) is immersed in the annular body (9) of the insert.

8. The safety insert (3) according to claim 1, wherein the coupling winding (15) of the aerial (14) is immersed in the base (8) of the insert.

9. The safety insert (3) according to claim 1, wherein the aerial (14) and the coupling winding (15) of the aerial are formed by a single conducting wire.

10. The safety insert (3) according to claim 1, wherein the aerial (14) is formed, at least in part, of a conductive paint applied to the surface of the insert

11. The safety insert (3) according to claim 1, wherein the aerial (14) is formed with a flexible conductor.

12. The safety insert (3) according to claim 1, wherein the housing (19) of the wheel unit (20) is disposed in the annular body with immediate proximity to the base (8) of the insert.

15. The safety insert of claim 1 further comprising the wheel unit.

13. A wheel unit (20), intended to be disposed in a housing (19) inside a safety insert (3) comprising a substantially circumferential base (8) intended to come into contact with an adapted wheel rim (2), a substantially circumferential body (9) intended to support a tread of a tire (1) mounted on the rim during rolling with a pressure capable of causing at least partial flattening of a portion of the tire, the unit (20) comprising an element (23) capable of detecting or reading a physical parameter of the wheel or tire, such as a pressure sensor, and a transmitter (25) connected electrically to a magnetic coupling winding (21) adapted to co-operate electrically with an aerial (14) disposed in the insert.

14. The wheel unit (20) according to claim 13 co-operating electrically with an electric power element (22).