System and method for providing tire electronics mounting patches

• US 20050076992A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Original Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: O'Brien, George Phillips, Sinnett, Jay Clifford, Metcalf, Arthur Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,186,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/110.100
• 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 method of making a mounting patch for mounting an electronic assembly in the inner liner or a pneumatic tire includes the steps of providing a power source, embedding the power source into a quantity of uncured rubber, and curing the uncured rubber by applying sufficient heat and pressure to the uncured rubber such that the power source is secured in the rubber. The provided power source may correspond to one or more batteries. Additional components that may be incorporated with the mounting assembly may include at least one conductive element, which may also be embedded into the quantity of uncured rubber. An antenna may be configured with undulations to allow longitudinal stretching of the antenna and then also embedded into the quantity of uncured rubber. A preferably non-conductive adhesive layer may be applied to selected portion of the power source, conductive element, and/or the antenna before the step of embedding in the uncured rubber.

Claims

1. A method of making a mounting patch for mounting an electronic assembly to the inner liner of a pneumatic tire, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a power source;

embedding the power source into a quantity of uncured rubber; and

curing the uncured rubber by applying sufficient heat and pressure to the uncured rubber such that the power source is secured in the rubber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing comprises providing at least one battery as the power source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing comprises providing a pair of batteries as the power source.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

applying an adhesive layer on selected portions of the power source prior to the step of embedding.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

applying a non-conductive adhesive layer on selected portions of the power source prior to the step of embedding.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing an antenna element; and

embedding the antenna element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

applying an adhesive layer to selected portions of the antenna element prior to the step of embedding the antenna into the quantity of uncured rubber.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

applying a non-conductive adhesive layer to selected portions of the antenna element prior to the step of embedding the antenna element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of shaping the antenna element with undulations prior to embedding into the quantity of uncured rubber whereby the undulations allow longitudinal stretching of the antenna element.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

applying a non-conductive adhesive layer to selected portions of the antenna element prior to the step of embedding the antenna element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a conductive element; and

embedding the conductive element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

applying a non-conductive adhesive layer to selected portions of the conductive element prior to the step of embedding the conductive element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of selecting the conductive element to be provided from the group consisting of springs, fatigue-resistant metals, and elastomers.

14. A method of providing a pneumatic tire with a mounting patch for mounting a monitoring device for monitoring conditions of the pneumatic tire comprising the steps of:

providing a pneumatic tire;

providing a power source;

embedding the power source into a quantity of uncured rubber;

curing the uncured rubber by applying sufficient heat and pressure to the uncured rubber such that the power source is secured in the rubber; and

securing the cured rubber to the pneumatic tire.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of providing a power source comprises providing at least one battery.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of providing a power source comprises providing a pair of batteries.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

applying an adhesive layer to selected portions of the power source prior to the step of embedding.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

applying a non-conductive adhesive layer to selected portions of the power source prior to the step of embedding.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

providing an antenna element; and

embedding the antenna element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

applying an adhesive layer to selected portions of the antenna element prior to the step of embedding the antenna into the quantity of uncured rubber.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

applying a non-conductive adhesive layer to selected portions of the antenna element prior to the step of embedding the antenna element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of shaping the antenna element with undulations prior to embedding into the quantity of uncured rubber whereby the undulations allow longitudinal stretching of the antenna element.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

applying a non-conductive adhesive layer to selected portions of the antenna element prior to the step of embedding the antenna element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

providing a conductive element; and

embedding the conductive element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

applying a non-conductive adhesive layer to selected portions of the conductive element prior to the step of embedding the conductive element into the quantity of uncured rubber.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of selecting the conductive element to be provided from the group consisting of springs, fatigue-resistant metals, and elastomers.