High elongation antenna assembly and method for a tire

• US 20050133131A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Original Assignee: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
• Inventors: Starinshak, Thomas Walter
• Granted Patent: US 7,104,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 152/152.100
• 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

An antenna system and method for tire monitoring systems provides an elasticized substrate in combination with an antenna wire(s). The antenna cable can be wrapped around or otherwise applied to the elasticized substrate, preferably in a wave or sinusoidal configuration. When subjected to forces of external origin, the substrate can elongate while the antenna wire straightens. Upon release from the influence of such forces, residual spring forces within the elasticized substrate relax and return the substrate and the antenna cable carried thereby back to its original, optimal configuration. The pitch of the antenna material on the substrate may be customized to suit the needs of the particular tire and communication. The antenna may be sewn or woven into the elasticized fabric, helically wound around a core composed of such material, or attached in an alternative manner.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a tire comprising:

an elongate antenna;

an elongate carrier strip formed of non-conductive elastic material attached to the antenna to maintain the antenna in a preferred configuration, the carrier strip attaching to an inward wall of the tire and extending from an initial relaxed state to an extended state when subjected to stresses within the tire and substantially recovering from the extended state in the absence of said stresses.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the carrier strip is composed substantially from an elastic fiber material.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the carrier strip comprises at least one textile fabric strip woven from the elastic fiber material.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is at least partially sewn to the one textile fabric strip.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is at least partially woven through the textile fabric strip.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is at least partially wrapped around the textile fabric strip.

7. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the antenna is configured in a zigzag pattern extending in a pre-selected pitch across the textile fabric.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the tire mounts to a wheel rim and the lower sidewall region of the tire is located a distance above an upper boundary surface of the wheel rim.

9. A tire having an antenna assembly incorporated therein, the tire comprising:

a tire body having an inward facing wall;

an elongate antenna;

an elongate carrier strip formed of non-conductive elastic material attached to the antenna to maintain the antenna in a preferred configuration, the carrier strip attaching to the inward wall of the tire and extending from an initial relaxed state to an extended state when subjected to stresses within the tire and substantially recovering from the extended state in the absence of said stresses.

10. A tire according to claim 9, wherein the carrier strip is composed substantially from an elastic fiber material.

11. A tire according to claim 10, wherein the carrier strip comprises at least one textile fabric strip woven from the elastic fiber material.

12. A tire according to claim 11, wherein the antenna is at least partially sewn to the one textile fabric strip.

13. A tire according to claim 11, wherein the antenna is at least partially woven through the textile fabric strip.

14. A tire according to claim 11, wherein the antenna is at least partially wrapped around the textile fabric strip.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the antenna is configured in a zigzag pattern extending at a pre-selected pitch across the textile fabric.

16. A method for mounting an annular antenna and transponder to a tire, comprising the steps:

providing an elongate antenna;

attaching the antenna to an elongate carrier strip formed of elastic material that extends from an initial relaxed state to an extended state when subjected to stresses within the tire and substantially recovers from the extended state in the absence of said stresses to maintain the antenna in a preferred configuration;

attaching the carrier strip to an inward wall of a tire.

17. A method according to claim 16 comprising the further step of forming the carrier strip from least one textile fabric strip woven from an elastic fiber material.

18. A method according to claim 17 comprising the further step of at least partially sewing the antenna to the one textile fabric strip.

19. A method according to claim 18 comprising the further step of configuring the antenna in a zigzag pattern extending at a pre-selected pitch across the textile fabric.

20. A method according to claim 17 comprising the further step of at least partially weaving at least a portion of the antenna into the one textile fabric strip.